hot, Hot, HOT...

Jeez, I never knew that writing blogs could be such a chore. Though, reading other people's blogs are much easier. If time was permited, I'd write in details of the places I visited and what I've actually done, but at the moment I won't, so please forgive me.

In anycase, since the last time what has happened? I traveled to Nepal, hike the Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Sanctuary, Everest Basecamp (Kala Patthar), Gokyo Ri, and the Langtang valley during the months of November and December. After my wee stint with hiking, I hopped back onto my bicycle and cycled from Kathmandu down to Varanasi, India. Along the way, I stopped at the Chitwan National Park in south Nepal, where I was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a Bengal Tiger and unfortunately be charged by an Indian Rhino (I safely got away) while hiking and also visiting Lumbini, Nepal (the birth place of Buddha), Kushinagar, India (where Buddha passed away) and Sarnath, India (where Buddha first taught about his enlightenment).

From Varanasi, I hopped onto a train with my bicycle and headed down to Mumbai where I met up with an old close friend and spent the month of January travelling the southern part of India. Visiting sites such as the Ellora caves, the beaches of Goa, the old Portuguese city of Panaji, the village of Hampi (dedicated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site), Mysore (where I originally thought to do my Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training Certificate, but as the costs were pretty much the same as Europe and N. America... and funds are getting low, I opted not to), Ooty (to ride the Nilgiri Mountain Railway another UNESCO WHS), and Fort Cochin before returning to Mumbai to see my friend off to the airport (also watched Slumdog Millionaire in Mumbai while I was there).

Since then, I took a train down from Mumbai down to Mangalore and have been cycling the south coast of India since. I'm currently in town called Alappuzha (which is also known as the Venice of the East for their canals) recovering from some weird ailment. Been to the local Indian government hospital yesterday (an experience in itself) to get checked up, as I've got some weird swelling on the right side of my neck, very sore, painful to the touch, and unable to move my neck. A quick look, and I'd say that it almost looks like a misplaced goiter, but my thyroid glands feel fine.

Anyways, I'm here in Alappuzha for a few days to see if the drugs I've been given will work. If not, I guess I might have to make a quick return to a different hospital or back to Canada. Unfortunately, this trip around, I seem to be encountering a number of unfortunate events. Anyways, who ever is reading this, I hope that you are well.