7days Short of Enlightenment

3days of sitting in the lotus pose for 12 hours a day and I'm done. One can only STAND so much SITTING! I may have been able to endure more if I had not fallen so ill. It started with a sniffle, which turned into a sore throat, then fever and when my lungs started filling up with fluids and a fever ensued I knew it was over. Maybe if the tattered tarps stapled to the lumber scraps that made up the walls of our living quarters didnt have soo many holes, or the patched up mattresses werent covered in bloddstained sheets, or if the monsoon rains subsided long enough to let us dry off, or the 20degree nights werent so damn cold, or i didnt have to pour my hot water over me with a measuring cup out of a bucket, or maybe if only half of the other meditators were sick, or the army slop they were passing as meals contained a few vital nutrients I may have ben able to last another 7days. But trying to focus on your breath for 12 hours a day when it has to fight its way through your mucous filled nostrils will get to anyone.I wasnt the only one dreaming of 6dollar a night hotel rooms, with kingsize beds and hot showers. Good Tibetan soups and hot ginger teas. Knowing I made a good decision I awoke this morning still sick but to a sun-filled room and a hearty breakfast. Waking up at 9:30 instead of 4am was nice too:) I dont want to sound negative though.It was a good experience and my practice has prospered because of it. Sitting for 2 hours at a time in deep meditation has a profound effect. Not sure what it is,but its profound:)
Next on the agenda, when my fever breaks, is heading back thru Dehli to Agra which holds the Taj Mahal. I was warned not to spend more than a day there as the food is poison and u will get sick. From there its on to varanasi to watch the burning bodies float down the canals. After a few days of taking in the smells of the human BBQ its off to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is in the lovely state of Bihar, the most dangerous place in India. Thats quite a title to hold. My guide suggests hiring armed guards while travelling through this region and numerous travelers have backed that up. In addition to the crime and murder rate Bihar is currently experiencing an outbreak of Japanese Encephalitus which has already taken more than 900 people in the past few months(Our SARS epidemic only took 600).The guide states partial braindamage as a common result for those who do make it out alive from this mosquito transmitted disease. But alas, Bodhgaya is an important part in the buddhist pilgrimage as it is where the buddha gained enlightenment. If I make it out of Bodhgaya alive it's off to Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, where I'll hop a flight to the beautiful beaches of Thailand for a couple of weeks to wash off the filth that is India. As most of you know I was supposed to head to Kathmandu from Bodhgaya but There has been martial law declared and a curfew imposed. On some days they are not even allowing people out of their houses. So Thailand it is, if i make it that far;)
Hope all is well back home, I'll speak to everyone soon.

NAMASTE