Buddha, bicycles and backlogging

I'm leaving in the morning for Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Should be there for a couple of days. Not exactly sure what I am going to do afterwards. Anyone with suggestions feel free to email me. The timing is perfect for me to see Lumbini, considering I just finished the first re-read of Siddhartha since it was assigned as ninth grade summer reading. I loved it then, yes, but I love it so much more now.

The jungle was really nice. I'll put down a more comprehensive post later. I do worry about getting backlogged, though. At some point I'll just have to write a day off and write it all down. After all, this blog isn't just for all of you - it's going to help me remember. Remember what I did, remember what I was thinking, and remember that this was a really special time in my life.

Rode around the lake today. Uphill, downhill, paved, unpaved. It rained for a while. Nonetheless, it was beautiful. The little shops nestled against the hillside. The terraced rice paddies climbing up into the clouds. Locals rowing small wooden boats along the shore. The chicken, cattle, goats, dogs everywhere. At one point, a little girl asked if I would take her closer to her house. Out here in Asia, as I'm sure it is in many other places, the back fender of a bicycle operates as additional seating quite often. So, she sat on the back of the bike and held on as we (I) pedaled through the rain. Had to walk the bike across a stream that basically overtook the road. She sat, I pushed. At least she let me take a picture of her afterwards. Her stoicism was hilarious. She didn't crack a smile until I showed her the picture afterwards.

The bus to Lumbini leaves at 6:30 am. I need to be there by 6. It's just about 11, so it's time to pack and get some sleep.