my laundry dried nicely. they had a nice mountain fresh scent to them. a natural mountain fresh fragrance...not like Tide would advertise on their detergent.
i had an icy cold shower and layered up in my new sweater. i actually needed to wear socks, underwear, t-shirt, long sleeve, sweater and a toque...it was that cold.
i went into the town market area and browsed about. i went into an antique shop and played an old organ. the shop had the same distinct smell as any antique shop would.
i walked and walked more up and down the steep roads. i ate an early dinner at Fay's Fast Food. they only served burgers. i had a veggie burger and sprite.
i wandered about some more. not feeling entirely satisfied from my early dinner i stopped at Hilltops Cafe and had a doughnut and coffee.
i decided that was enough for the day. there isn't much to do here at night.
i walked back to my room and laid in bed.
i finally talked to the other person in the room. his name is Viviek. he's originally from New Delhi but has lived in Australia, USA and Canada. he's older. he's been staying at this hostel for 3 and half months. just alone, for the peace and quiet. his accent is strange. at times you can hear a strong Australian accent with a dash of Indian and vice versa.
i went to sleep on my top bunk with a pillow that reads 'goodnight'.

yesterday was casual and peaceful. shanti shanti.
in the morning i think i offended Viviek somehow. i don't recall what our conversation was. but i think he misunderstood me in someway. he said 'no one in this universe can play with this mind' angrily to me.
i was dumbfounded and walked to my bed confused pretending to arrange my things.
it was extremely awkward and we haven't spoken since. talk about an elephant in the room.
i went for breakfast at Hilltop Cafe. i made my way down to the lake. i rented a bicycle. another Hercules, great. i rode around the lake. it was really pretty when cars weren't speeding by you, honking. a bunch of villas were tucked away in the forest with extravagant gardens.
i bombed some hills thinking at any moment the bicycle would crumble underneath me. the breaks were barely existent.
i dropped the bike off where i got it and started walking back up the mountain to my room. on the way i stopped for dinner at a little Tibetan restaurant. i sat there feeling a chill. a familiar feeling of the start of becoming ill. i ordered lemon tea, hot and sour soup and veg momos. really good. the Tibetan server is soft spoken and polite. a timid kindness like that of an abused dog or something. i finished up and headed to my room. i made another stop at a book store. i finished my short stories book by Dave Eggers which i swapped in Mumbai for my portable Steinbeck book with an Englishman.
i bought Anna Karenina by Tolstoy.
i smoked my clove cigarette before bed. i can't stand them.
i read in bad until i fell asleep.

today has been another relaxing day.
there was a possibility of going on a mountain trek at 8:30am but my stomach would not let me do so. it told me to stay in bed. i felt lethargic. i didn't want to do anything except stay close to my room and read.
i felt a little better and went for breakfast in the town. i ate at Potluck cafe. a little place on a terrace with a window to order your food and 3 tables.
across from me there was large signs with bible verses. they are allover the town.
2 doors down from me was a pet store. there was a sad looking puppy outside in a cage. on top of his cage was a cage of pigeons. and on top of that some budgies. inside the shop was a bunch of fish. most were floating on the surface.
i walked back to my room.
i passed Viviek on his usual stoop.
i have been noticing Viviek's routine.
he sleeps with his knees up.
every morning he picks a flower that has fallen from the bush and brings it inside.
all day and all night he sits on steps in front of a restaurant at a main junction in the town. i pass him many times throughout the day. he just sits with his headphones in watching things.
i relaxed outside my room reading and using the toilet often. a British man checked into a room next to mine. he said he wasn't feeling well either. he showed me some pills to get from the chemist.
i went back into town and sat by the lake. a boy sat next to me and asked me where i came from. i said Canada.
i bought some oranges and went back to my room. i slept for a bit. i finished my new roll of toilet paper.