last days bodhgaya

The thing about hunting mosquitos is.....when you're ready for bed even the net sometimes has a few hiding in the shadows and they must be expelled before sleep or you wake up to malaria injections...hahaha...of course I laugh but seriously....in order to catch a mosqito you must first hypnotize it. If it's flying around all pesky like it will be really hard to catch...what you want is a still mosqeeter. Now there are several methods, of course everybody knows the deadly slapping one. There's the the catch it in your hand as it's flying one but this is pretty hard to do. If it's sitting still sometimes you can grab it by the leg and toss it out on it's ass. But the method I've found that seems to work best is to use the catch it in the zip lock bag system. This is still pretty hard if they're flying around therefore this is where the hypnotizing comes in...Of course it doesn't hurt to just explain to them that if they bite, they die! Once you've caught a moszqito and it's in the bag so to speak it's best to try to catch another without loosing the first one before sticking your bag outside of the netting, as of course this can allow others to sneak in. Then make sure they are both out of the bag before bringing it back inside...sometimes it's pretty hard to see that tiny body through the plastic and the net. Turn the bag upside down and shake, shake, shake. Sometimes they just don't get the message after one shake. Continue till all sqetters are evicted. Don't be surpirsed if you missed a few as they like to hide in the shady corners and seams. but don't worry you'll know if you got them all around 1 pm. Happy hunting.
So I was very lucky in meeting my friend Brajes (owner of the internet shop at Welcome Guesthouse) who was so helpful to take me to the best/ most honest puke dealer in town...if your ever here and need puker help "Solar City" is the place and Rajit is the man. Was able to get new cord/box rather than refurbished at the same price...we like this. And now the lesson is unplug before leaving the room. Of course as I thought it did take a few extra days...
On to more interesting things.
This morning as it's my last full day here I decided to walk across the river again over to Suchata's temple etal...lovely breezy day for a walk, still it's good to have the silver umbrella for a long walk like that. Two grade school boys of course showed up on the other side wanting to show me the way and be helpful and we had a pleasant walk through the wheat fields and cabbage patches. Once there it was a lovely place to sit and breath the fresh air of the countryside and if you wait long enough someone you know always turns up...this time another of Brajes' friends who likes to take tourist on his motorbike to local sites...wonderful as I was just thinking it might be a good day to visit the MahaKala cave where the Buddha sat his first winter retreat...Sudi had a client to return to B.G. so I enjoyed the peace for awhile till he returned...then we rode out to the mountain down the back roads...bumpy and sandy...and memories of being on the back of my dad's racing bike in the desert as a kid. The cave is worth a visit if you're ever here...Another place is Golpa but that's a jeep ride away on the famous Bihar roads and a real climb up to the top of the mountain.
Caught up with the Bhutan monks again (did I mention that Supron accidently took me to their monastery? thought it was a tibetan one) at the stupa...the ranks are weakening as many monks have gone to the mountain monastery...but my friend Sonam, the Karmapa look alike, disciplinarian is still here and we had a nice chat about dharma after evening monlam prayers.
On the way to pick up my train ticket this evening I ran into the daughter of one Thai nun from the Royal Thai wat who had sprained her ankle...she's the cook. So like all good Bhutan massage therapists I got out the butter and salt and started working...I guess it helped because Pou greeted me most happily and is sending her mom back to see me tomorrow before I leave for Varanasi. Where I will stay for just a day and a morning before going to Haridwar and Rishikesh which is of course on the way to Dharamsala. "Sorry Rinpoche. " Maybe this blog should be called "Someday I'll make it to Dharamsala". You'd think I'd be more in a hurry since HHDL is leaving for Bezerkly soon. Ah wellllllll.