NOVEMBER 18: VARANASI-PUNE / VARANASI-DELHI (FLIGHT)

The day to return or continue our extension to Pune.

For those continuing to Pune, you will fly from Varanasi to Delhi. (That’s my mom and me)

Breakfast (box lunch).

Transfer from the hotel to the airport at approximately 4:00 am.

Flight 6E 6828 / Departure from Varanasi: 7:00 am – Arrival in Delhi: 8:30 am. Flight 6E 2274 / Departure from Delhi: 1:35 pm – Arrival in Pune: 3:40 pm.

Upon arrival at Pune Airport, you will be welcomed and transferred to the OSHO International Meditation Resort. I don’t remember the morning too well, but I do remember how beautiful and sunny Pune looked when we arrived.

For those returning home, they flew from Varanasi to Delhi. Most of the people came with us to Pune for the OSHO Meditation Resort. We, of course, said our goodbyes as some of our friends prepared to return home.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Hotel-Airport transfer at approximately 9:50 a.m.

Flight AI 405 / Departure from Varanasi: 12:50 p.m. – Arrival in Delhi: 2:30 p.m.

We took rickshaws to get to the resort from the Airport. I went with Nadia, whom my mom and I met in Mt. Shasta, and also saw in Teotihuacan. She and I had a good conversation about life, metaphysics, and other beings that are in our world but not in the public eye, such as humans. I was a bit surprised she asked me about this, but I guess curiosity got the best of her. I remember the man driving the rickshaw was a little reckless, but, man, it made for a fun trip to the resort!

The last three days of this trip were relatively calm and uneventful. This was good for me, at least, because it gave me enough time to recover. The food we ate here was very westernized, which also helped me a lot. There were a lot of activities to do throughout the day, but my mom and I went to each one together, spending most of our time together.

What was so nice about this place was being able to finally recollect my thoughts and process all that we had visited and traveled to. My health being restored was also amazing.

We only left the resort twice, and the one time I went with Kevin and Mayk. My mom stayed behind to rest.

We all registered on the first day and received our IDs. I still have mine on a land yard. To walk around the resort and participate in the meditations, you had to purchase two white and maroon-colored robes. Before we went to buy these, we had a quick video introduction, and two people from the resort spoke to us in Spanish about what was expected of us and what we could expect from the resort. The place felt cozy, looking back on it. It was not a super strict ashram like many of the ashrams in India.

We were able to keep our phones and our belongings. The other ashrams don’t even let you keep your phone during your stay with them. We walked around the place wearing our maroon robes for most of the day, and the white robes only during the evening meditations, if I remember correctly.

Calmness in Osho

Well, I’ll be honest, the next three days are a bit blurry because the interactions and activities of each day blended. The first night, they had a fabulous DJ and dance floor. It wasn’t anything crazy, but we had a good time. My mom and I, from what I remember, spent a lot of the time here with Nadia, Blanca, and Miriam, who are these twin sisters from Monterey.

I would be remiss if I did not mention her one more time, but my friend Laura and I had one more conversation that was important to me. She came to Pune too. She and I were talking about money and spirituality. Given my life circumstances at the time, it was frustrating to know so much but struggle to find a career. She also accompanied us on a visit to the city as I write this. This was the night we went out with Kevin and Mayk.

Almost two years later, I am writing about this right before I leave to teach English in South Korea! How exciting!

In Pune, we also visited some of the restaurants and hotels near the ashram. Here, we were finally able to eat beef and other Western food we had been craving so much. The restaurant manager didn’t expect to have so many people, but he and his crew served us well.

I forgot to mention it, because I don’t remember it too well, but I don’t know what the last cards on the last day we had were. I think we were all so tired; even Mabel and Mayk may have forgotten to do this.

We each got our rooms, but I think mine was a few doors down from my mom’s. Some of the Indian staff workers were surprised to see someone my age here. They said people my age usually only want to party. He has a point, haha.

Mayk apologized to us in the end because things did not go as planned. We told him that it’s okay and that we are thankful for the journey and experience. Mayk told me I should get back into martial arts or combat sports. As I write this, I currently take mixed martial arts classes.

There are probably a few more details I could share about each meditation or what the ashram was like. It was beautiful. One of the structures we would meditate in was pyramid-shaped. The ashram had some beautiful architecture overall, featuring small fountains and well-maintained gardens.

Thank you, India

We all left together, based on when our flights would take us home. My mom and I encountered some trouble on the way back because our luggage had been lost in Spain. Our friend Veronica accompanied us back to Qatar, but the crew attending to us got confused and put our luggage on her flight instead of our flight to Philly.

My mom and I would like to revisit Qatar. The airport there was beautiful. Would I return to India? Believe it or not, yes, I would. My friends, India is not for those who have not traveled outside of the country. I recommend you have a few countries under your belt before you experience the vastness and huge world that is the country of India and its surrounding neighbors!

holds a special place in my heart, as I have had the opportunity to travel there and meet many wonderful people. I hope to see them, or many of their faces, again one day. When you travel with such a lovely group of people, it makes the whole journey unforgettable. My dear friends, God bless you, and thank you for joining me on my last journey (for now) with Mabel Katz and Maykert Gonzalez’s travel agency!