Cuzzins

This does seem to be a continual problem leaching off energy I could better use for the prison break. It was the casual parting shot how is Des when sending an email to basically a family friend letting him know what they intend to do with my money. The irritation is simple. They are waiting for me to die. I am waiting for them to die. They don't talk to me directly as they have no interest in me aside from my death when they get my money. Beyond that they are lying thieves. So unfortunately it would seem I cannot divert all energy to the gaol break. But that's the beauty of magick. I know Stevie will be saying but it doesn't work while at the same time being highly superstitious. Lucky for him he hasn't stolen my money this time. Though there was that carriage clock oh but I am sure you can bring up something from the past too eh stevie.

So Xmas with a Tibetan monastery ostensibly to take the secret initiation of red tara but basically it keeps me out of trouble for 28 days. 40USD for the visa and 500 euro for the VIN facilitation fees. Just have to book return flights and I might learn something if only how to spend time in silence. And if they teach tibetan magick well it doesn't look that hard.

That way dispose of the cousins magickally allowing me peace enough to continue with the plans for freedom. And if we don't get along. Well we can work that stuff out later. First as Ollie-san pointed out the priority paramount is please do not die, then we get her freedom, then we can worry about the more neurotic stuff.

Oh and yeah whatever they are claiming they will send I can save. God knows what they are doing with the rest of my money they are talking of Bonds. I am guessing 2% fixed. At least they can't lose the capital but if all they want is the capital then it really was their idiocy the first time around. Oh yes just have to curse them dead. I think honesty has a virtue. I do so despise the two faced bastards. Perhaps I could wound one with sores but one has to be so very careful of the karmic backwash which is why we do the Tibetan course first. So tell them they are safe till Xmas eh Stevie.

movin on

Had a really nice lunch with Ollie-San. I have sent off two parcels to Sharmila. I was tempted by the Science Museum's offer of a hover UFO mystery science project for only ten pounds. Thank God for Amazon. It's a frizbee attached to some fishing rod string. People were gonna complain to the Trading Standards. I was impressed with the flitter fairy but apparently that's the same thing except you attach a doll to the fishing wire instead of a frizbee hence it costs 15 squid. But the in store videos looked really good and some americans were pleased with the purchase.

No wonder they got annoyed with Gallileo Gallilei. Scientists. You do know that he argued that the earth must be going around the sun because how else can you explain tides. If you rolled a bucket of water around your head really fast the water would not spill but it would slosh around the bucket like the tides. Scientists. If you attach a frizbee to some almost invisible thread you can give the appearance of it floating in space. Hmm. You wouldn't get away with that in India. Fair's fair he'd come back with some bros and pour acid all over your sista.

So maybe it still is better here. Peeps are complaining to Trading Standards.

I hope that wind up radio and lantern works. Hey but I tried the lantern in the shop. And I dunno can an AM crystal radio work without batteries. I guess Sharmila will find out about British shopping too. Indian Malls are reliable but you pay western prices.

So yeah hope to return to India. Lay low for a while. Apply to visit Sharmila, if I get turned down ask HE the British High Commissioner Sir whoever to intercede. Hey the Hindustan Times came out with Manmohan won't try to have AFSPA changed until he has the army on board. I did point out to the Hindustan Times that India isn't Pakistan and why should Manmohan care whether the army are on board or not he is the commander in chief or is it technically Pratiba. But I left my comment with the conciliatory at least the army official they quoted was too cowardly to leave his name. Indians.

I shall revert to magick and the Chinese People's Liberation Army please no more pornography until I can get back to riding snow leopard. Next Xmas I shall spend a month in a Tibetan monastery and try to work on Mandala offering and the initiation into Red Tara. Mainly coz I have a book on Red Tara initiation. And it's a bit like Durga and She is the way forward.

No point in waiting for politicians. At least they admit they are scared of the army. That's something.

Mobiles

My mother had an irrational phobia over phone costs. Last ten years of her life I am pretty sure I paid for all the phone bills, I think it was something to do with getting my name on a utility bill for marriage anyway I digress. Even then she would tear up if I used the phone over the cost.

So I could give all sorts of DSMIV diagnostic criteria but if there is anyone reading here who seems to think that giving me a mobile number is a handy way to keep in touch it will cause irreparable damage to my limited relationship with Dendo the Magnificent with whom I am currently staying. Luckily I don't think I need to see anyone desperately. Stuff will happen. But please stop offering me a mobile number to telephone. I am sure back in the real world that's how people chat to each other I had a vague idea some mobile numbers are free for some of the time.

I don't have a phone. I don't want a phone. If anyone really wants to see me it can be arranged. I don't intend to be in London for long enough to bother those people whom I know don't wish to see me. So this morning I'll visit Oliver looks like Avatar may still be on. And although he would probably allow me to use his mobile to phone the man with my warm winter clothes I don't have his number to hand and it seems too much of a faff.

I phoned him from the Ealing Abbey to let him know not to come to the Airport as I had arrived on a much earlier flight. He then telephoned the Abbey helpline but they don't really know who I am. It's clothes not sure how important they are for me. Actually thinking about it. If he does stroll up the day before I leave with warm winter clothes what on earth am I going to do with them aside from drop them off at a charity shop coz no way am I taking warm winter clothes to Kottayam with.

And then John the Just suggests meeting up about handing over control of some of my money. But since Rick the Healer won't be back till 30th no point in my phoning him. His land line now I do have, John the Just but no point hassling him till they are both in the same country. Then they will either hand over my money in a smooth signing ceremony like SALT III or they will say it's gotten very complicated and maybe I should be more patient in which case I'll take another loan from them to pay for my flight to Kottayam and leave them to it.

Now today it does look like Avatar may still be on. But screw mobiles my plans would not be any more fixed if I had a mobile I'd just have loads of conflicting text messages listed with a few missed calls. Interestingly one of Dennis' friends turned up unexpectedly from the north with a tale of romance foiled involving mobiles. When do you text and when you do you call and when do you just wait. I think the romance was foiled because although she had waited the correct time 2 hours she texted when she should have phoned. As if a romance can be foiled on protocol. The mobile just moves the battlefield.

I haven't written my amazing novel trilogy because I can't find a suitable fountain pen. And then when I get the pen I'll need the right type of ink. I think I'll just wash some clothes and not bother with the guy i don't know and the warm winter stuff especially as it doesn't sound right. He lives a few minutes away but hasn't been able to get in touch with me. If I were his drug dealer and he needed to score he'd have found me by now.

Stevie is pissing me off mind. Show yourself you wannabee chink.

So Okay

Rev Fr Dr Jacob of SEERI emailed me and said if I stayed till he arrived in London for a conference he would talk to the High Commissioner and get me a longer visa but he says it's standard they'll renew every year not to worry and definitely don't apply to Oxford no need to go there. And who wants to it's not for the weather. Well ok then I'll not be precipitous. I'll take the visa settle my finances here for a few years I hope. And head of to Kottayam start the Syriac really seriously and then plan trips to Manipur. Not waiting till the 10th if I can leave before, emirates perhaps a stop over in Dubai is well worth the extra anything to avoid an Indian domestic terminal.

Also Bhupi-ji from VIN emailed asked how it all went. I guess he felt I was a wanderer not sure if I took enough from VIN. Oh but I'd like to return and endure a monastic experience. Obviously I want the secret Lama initiation of Red Tara but the way these things go a month at a Monastery sounds like a good retreat. I am not there to help the poor. Playing with the monks chatting in English and basic lessons sounds fine. And if I get a good monastery loads of courses in English on esoteric tibetan buddhist magick/meditation esotericism and it's all free for volunteers.

Got an Avatar day almost set and a lunch. Have to reschedule Vinnie and will now purchase a wind up radio for she whom my soul loveth. There is probably going to be a surprise attack soon coz things look too good Kipt'n

Oh lets not be hasty

So the High Commission peeps here will offer me a one year student visa renewable annually. It may just be for the rather substantial 65 pounds and fifty pence visa fee they may now harvest annually, which is 5000 rupees I think in mickey mouse money. But I dunno I am going to apply to Oxford to read for the MSt in Syriac unless I can find somewhere sexier and you'd think they'd be somewhere in the East SE Asia somewhere warm close to Manipur that I could finish the masters or that would let me stay for a few years to faff around in Syriac studies.

And what is more I had to redo my photos, I guess I must have been just too damn sexy in them and they have a deal with Kodak so another 6.50 on uglified photos. Or maybe the reason was national security. The real reason tends to be because I said so but you tell them that and they get offended and I figure. Hey Desie you will have a passport with a one year multiple entry visa be able to apply to visit Manipur and Oxford isn't all that awful if push comes to and with the whole EU scholarship fund available it's an extra 10gees in real money which will take the edge of the ridiculously priced course they offer and then perhaps Kottayam for the PhD though sans doubte they will still want the visa renewed annually. Sod them. It's annoying. But the only problem with giving up british nationality and claiming indian nationality is yeah you can stay pretty much but if you are local the police gang rape after you get married, I dunno must be an Indian thing although the locals are a bit upset about that. I mean fair enough unmarried people getting raped by the cops they were probably asking for it but newly married well all a bit rum.

Yeah not sure if I like Indians all that much more of a Sharmila fan.

So off to Dennis and some lunch I think. I have rice and kurd just need some grapes or something.

Dem Tom Hanks days

FYI technically you don't need a visa if you are transiting through a country via another country and have all the air flight tickets. But when people say technically they mean yah. So I get out of Katmandhu riding high, got a fantastically beautiful secret initiation handpainted better than a mandala part of the secret vajrahana (whatever the breakaway school of mahayana is in Tibet) with book for Dom Vinnie, left VIN quite pleased with them. Yeah they ask for money but it's not very much and they use it to build toilets actual toilets and help actual kids and I doubt there is as much leakage as with a christian or standard western NGO group.

So yeah when I get to Delhi they say you ain't going nowhere son, and there is no possibility of any action. All a bit too american so I reverted to Desi and said that's fine if you can find a way to get rid of me I'll go else I shall start wooing you and win your heart sir and I can be very alluring and once I had met his mother. So it went on for a while then their immigration expert hits on the idea that the stupid airline companies had a duty of care get them to sort it for the chappie and then keep him in the transit passenger or what they called the transfer lounge. There is no way Hanks could have made a living or fallen in love or pretty much anything apart from sit still and learn to appreciate impermanence and the nature of suffering.

So on reflection I probably wouldn't have tried to get the attention of any actual worker from BA or Jet. I think when the time came when the atmosphere was ripe with tapas and perhaps I may have appealed a little to the Lama Vajrasatva and his consort Dorje anyway but in the end instead of paying a shed load more of money to return to blighty I got an earlier flight which they exchanged for me. Oddly the travel agent had said you can change the flight but it will cost you 70 squid each time which is the main reason I didn't change it and explored the forgotten hills of Katmandhu which I rather liked. I am definitely going back for karmic debt repayment and to do some courses on Tibetan Buddhism. Those kids were really nice. All very insane made me feel right at home. And definitely not long enough for me to fall out with any of them.

Apart from that all goes well must get to the high commission tomorrow. Plan is still to return free princess live happily etc. So if you did wonder get a transit visa even if they say you won't need one, because sometimes you need to understand the layout of the terminals before you can really know if you need one and having one doesn't really hurt.

Four days in Nepal

So I now feel I enjoyed the ride. Well only really after I had completed my ablutions got into bed and the mother of all hail storms had begun and I could sleep for several hours.

T'was my all own fault mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa. No working debit cards. No cash so plan B at Katmandhu airport was to do a Tom Hanks for 12 days. I figured even without water I should still make it back to Bangalore for my return flight. And the one thing I did right was to plan ahead and trust in VIN. Their job pick me up from the airport and drop me back in 12 days.

So far it has worked out. Was meant by a really sweet Aryan/Mongol mixblood. They tell me there are only two races really here and they are pretty much Hindu or Buddhist here. So Sumad I am probably mispronouncing her name she is quite captivated with my constant banter. The only downside was it took me over an hour to explain the actual problem. That I couldn't leave the airport till I paid the 25 dollar visa fee and it took me a while to figure out that a chappie in the airport was hanging on to my passport while I looked for a working ATM. She borrows from the taxi driver meanwhile Bhupi the boss strolls up by this time I have paid the visa fee got my 15 days and explained the slight hiccough to Bhupi but unconcerned he has Sumad take me to the Tibetan Peace Guest House which I quite like it's budget but I like it now more so now I sleep in a rather good penthouse room.

I discovered the illusory nature of money. All I needed was someone who knows I am good for it to send on a further well it's 400 dollars I asked for 500 dollars to cover the 12 day stay here. I have a friend in need on standby but don't want to spend the joker emergency get out of gaol free card when Rick has already sent over dosh. And to his credit he eventually sent the cash over but grumbling. He who gives quickly gives twice so grumbling it's just the basic 500 less hidden charges. They seem happy enough that was done today I arrived on the 12th so they have been patient.

The only other excitement was the asthma was beginning to play up well that and my problem around toilets. They have a toilet building scheme here and it is admirable two white peeps came down and began 7 toilets working for four weeks. Usual grumbles of white volunteers and I do begin to find them a little wearing. But my problem was not so much an outside toilet as it's in the sort of living area of the house. There's a semi-covered fire for cooking then rooms surround. And in this sort of courtyard where people dance and sing and the dog and cat rest there is an outside semi-automatic toilet. No one seems to make a fuss no one sings we know where you are going but I couldn't bring myself to do anything more than pee.

Eventually nature would prescribe action however in the intervening period the village is up on the hills. So temperatures really drop at night. First night wasn't too bad. Second night I began to feel the cold. After the third night the asthma began to dig in and I realized I wasn't going to last more than a few more nights. Bit irritating to receive emails about how my attorney a simple preacher was going above and beyond giving me from his own largesse. Mainly because I was getting very uncomfortable not so much from constipation as asthma. I just really wanted a warm bed to sleep in I would willingly have spooned with two chubby prostitutes and if my beloved couldn't understand that it was to keep warm and survive well I dunno.

But he gave the money today. You would have thought he knew I was good for it since he is sitting on half the house sale but people get funny around money. It's a powerful illusion but not as powerful as the cold, asthma or constipation. The people here really are very friendly. How I had hoped Indians might have been. Very sweet not as yet irritated by my banter I have a day out on community visits with the health care worker tomorrow. I don't think I have really annoyed even the volunteers. I feel a lot better now having warmed up slept had ginger tea and momos done a little admin work for them and will sleep again after some reading. The booker prize novel on nepal inheritance of Love or something.

This is a really beautiful place to visit with my beloved. It sounds like Manipur only less beautiful and no lake but far less violence kidnapping extortion rape and murder. I don't really want to travel around without her. But if the gang organize a day afore I leave I'll go. She is a Valley Chick and I prefer the Valley to the Hills at night though I am sure with triple duvets and a comfy partner even the hill nights are manageable.

Oh yeah I could say a lot about the style here but basically they are into self-empowerment conscientization it used to be called. So instead of experts sorting out the problems like the Grammeen Bank way of microcredit the idea is to sort out the paperwork encourage the women to save and make the women company directors investing in the best ideas of the village. Same for the toilets there are quicker ways to do it if say we were in London though having witnessed many kitchen constructions I don't think London is all that efficient and perhaps Japan or America is better but that's the point. This is Nepal. We come to help yes. But we are guests in their country, their homes, their houses and if white people would stop complaining that they are only helping rich nepalis (because of the self reliance the schemes require hefty percentages of self-funding) and just got on with it I'd be more calm. The people themselves yep beautiful dancers. Much more graceful than the Lambadi but they only seem to know one song, and one dance.

So anyway got lost on the way back to the guest house almost gave up and wanted to return to the office and ask for directions when I saw a couple of angels, my own folly, got into the room before the Hail storm and now am fully warmed up and ready for a new day.

Also on the way into the office decided to try the ATM those machines here aren't really connected how are they gonna know if my card was cancelled or not they just work erratically and often dont have any money in them.

Got 10gs am all set can repay my loan and no need to spend here really so the illusion of money triumphs but I am warm and have access to a toilet. I may indeed purchase some soap later.

Safely in Bangalore

Ok I am spending far more than I ever have in India. It's all right but I am happier when I am spending less. I shall not display the figures else you will think me a cheapskate but that's not the point. I have enough dosh and as long as I have dosh it's better than a visa and a lot better than OCI. And I get a whole day just to kick back with very erratic internet connection and HBO plus Hindi songs. Going to have a meditation another warmish bucket bath thing and then dinner oh and maybe finish my book on the Mother and the Occult. A couple of lecturers signed up for save Sharmila the Georgian might have mentioned her. Alex has now got a confirmed place at Oxford in October so he will be leaving in May. I have entrusted him with a parcel to post for Sharmila as the PO was on strike as I was leaving.

Tomorrow morning fly to Nepal if BA strike I can do that tom hanks film in transit. Otherwise back in Blighty in a couple of weeks. Get my visa watch Avatar at the IMAX and return to Kottayam. Then try to arrange a visit with Sharmila. I figure she is a caged bird, if it works out then that's my future and if not well she was a caged bird. And I figure let's say she is freed it wouldn't stop her from flying free I was only suggesting marriage not solitary confinement, I dunno. One step at a time.

She was freed

So three reports from E-Pao and Kangla-online two local rags. She was freed on the 8th but they call it Tuesday it would have been Monday evening. She joined her Meira Paibi the women torch bearers of the Sharmila Kanba Lup they have a serial fast going on in solidarity with her. She is as safe as you get in Manipur and they expect in the morning the police will rearrest her and begin another year's detention. But I guess I'll get the report tomorrow though I'll try fishing around Tehelka might know it's the main investigative journal in Manipur. Not that it makes any difference. This is the process.

Yesterday in Manipur

I couldn't discover whether they had released and then rearrested her yesterday the Manipur Bar Association went on strike over the shooting of the Advocate General. He is a former High Court Judge who while in the same car as two ministers was shot by one of them with a licensed firearm. The CM has decided it was an accident so there will be no need for an inquiry.

The other news was that the CM suggested there was no need for migrant workers to be concerned about the Quit Manipur directive given by one of the insurgent groups. They intend to ethnically cleanse Manipur of all immigrants who settled after Indian takeover 1949 though they are providing exemptions for some temporary visitors. The article in the Hindu ended with migrant workers were taking the CM's assurances with a pinch of salt following the recent killings of migrant workers.

On the other hand I have discovered two short texts by biographers of the Mother on the Vedas, Sri Aurobindo particularly believed the Rig Veda contained a secret understanding of the soul's transformation and the world's transformation. So instead of becoming a Rishi and going to heaven you become a Rishi and transform the earth, make heaven on earth, yeah it doesn't appear to be going all that well.

But this is the story from the Vedas, the Sun is stolen with the herd of the Sun. It is hidden in a cave beyond some hills. The Gods rescue the Sun with some human help. So on one level it predicts the successful prison break of soft what light from yonder window breaks tis the East and Sharmila is my Sun, and also the rediscovery of the hidden Sun within the depths of my material body, and the transformation of both, becoming a Rishi and the establishing of a New Heaven within the New Earth.

So glad that something is going according to plan. Now about the senseless killing and violence in Manipur. Yep still banking on a Chinese invasion for now, or perhaps an invasion of spiritual light that transforms devils into angels. Hmm. Obiwan Kenobi you are the only one who can help us. Having said that people still pray to St Christopher and since the Vatican took him off the list they say yeah you can still pray to him of course because he has at least as much existence as Obiwan.

All Set

Finally got my visa application to email. I have my appointment for 26th may 8.30AM be good to get it out of the way early on. As soon as I get it I can fly back. She should have been released today but I have not heard Googol can be a bit slow. If not today then I think tomorrow else they are in violation of a legal technicality and legal type really hate it when that happens I used to work in the courts they were very pernickety about things like that. They would release a serial killer if someone messed up the paperwork.

All I got was another two papers noticing she got the Mayillama Award. I got her quite a beautiful Rosewood Govinda Radha piece. It has been growing on me. I have been oiling it with Sandalwood, Rose and Jasmine Oil obviously the Sandalwood wasn't pure. One more coat of Sandalwood then I'll let it dry off a little before posting it to her on Wednesday.

I'll be travelling light. Oh the Russian Circus was sort of interesting but so was the seminar on manuscript preservation. I think I'll miss this place. I have avoided major conflicts. I think they want me back. I hope things stay that way for the two years. And I hope we can be together by then.

All I have to do is increase the Tapas. And she must have amassed some tapas by now it can't all be going to winning awards that she doesn't want. Oh the Maharaja of Tripura a sister state visited for a Kuki Tribal Conference and asked to see her to offer his support but he was denied access. You have to fill in two applications and it takes a few weeks and even then. It's really odd what the Man is doing here but he is the Man that's why we don't like the Man.

All set have three tubes of mosquito repellent a maestro card that usually works at least once wherever I go and enough Indian rupees to take me to Bangalore and last till my flight on Friday oh I should email the Katmandu NGO and remind them when I shall be arriving. Well quick meditation before bed time just to build up some tapas and then tomorrow I'll relax well not even pretend to try to finish the Syriac and just oil my icon. Wood likes to drink oil. Ooh and there is the possibility of an IMAX avatar experience. Not sure if life really does get better only different or as they prefer here differently.

Endings

I haven't finished the last text from Healey a short passage in East Syriac, Thomas of Marga on church history, lots of names, should be fairly easy to finish but at this rate I will not finish in time to have the last session with Fr Thomas here. Ah well classic avoidance no harm there. I haven't completed the on-line visa yet but that shouldn't take too long so I'll do that once I finished the shopping and getting of money and stuff. The priest I set to arrange a farewell tea now Alex suggested I tells him I likes tea I pick lados very well and they get some pouris and coffee so I did but he seems quite keen on a small gathering of elite priests for dinner. I think it's more of a big deal for them. It'll bump the price up but not by that much. From a few hundred to a few thousand rupees but I figure not a time to haggle if I am going. I mentioned my preference and left it to him. It's so easy to offend peeps here. Last wash in the process of spinning it takes about five hours for a cycle. Tomorrow is last full day so I should start tidying up now. I have all the paperwork I am going to take packed. Just need to sort out the desk in case anything important is thrown away before my return. And stack text books neatly. Hey I can start on that now. I don't think I shall finish the tenth text so might as well stop worrying about that. Ok bit of tidying another shower and off to the shops and bank where I shall try to limit the stress. If they won't let me take out some of my money I have the other account which sometimes works. And if that one gives up in Nepal I can worry about that there.

Viable Plan

Before the occultation of Venus ends within two years by increasing tapas the invasion of India by China might be a possible way of gaining her freedom. They believe Arunachal Pradesh is historically part of China, because it is historically part of Tibet. The fifth Dalai Lama was incarnated there. Once the Dalai Lama dies he has said he will not reincarnate in Chinese held Tibet, if he did then it would make things simple for them they already have hte Panchen Lama in the party. The alternative is to hold elections maybe a bit too western or to incarnate in Arunachal Pradesh where there is still a large Tibetan monastery with unbroken succession which religious folk like.

But to hold Arunachal Pradesh it would be easier to take the line to the chicken neck a small border between Nepal and Bangladesh far easier to defend. The reason for taking Arunachal Pradesh is to reclaim what was theirs before the British arbitrarily divided up the nations. The reason for the liberation of Manipur is that they have come on the invitation of the people. Ok so the law is repealed she is released and we get the hell the out of there.

America and Russia will then surprisingly ally with India to foil the invasion they get to play with all their new weapons and at the end Tibet and the northeastern states arise as independent buffer nations bit like Yugoslavia. The key is to raise tapas. So now to meditate. Now this is the most viable plan I foresee plus only two years.

3 1/2 hour seminar on manuscript preservation

Finally worked out why university librarians have become such arrogant rude and unhelpful peeps. Library science has moved from the dissemination of information to preservation and conservation of books. I know people steal and hide stuff that's not new what is new is the theory that they should be treated like rats or silverfish or bookworms which are any insects at larval stage. And 3 1/2 hours no break well that stopped me asking any questions and the desire just to keep my head down I am here for love and romance I don't really need to access the library to pass this course. And by the time they decide you are really important they ask you to check out the special books coz no one else can read them.

I must have a go at the visa. I think I have all the documents I need. Then pack a few light clothes after last wash now I have discovered the washing machine that will be easier. One more small shopping trip for fun stuff for her rearrest. I assume she will be freed monday then rearrested within a few days. It takes about 6 days for speedpost to get to me from her it should only take two days if it were just city to city but it isn't. If I post the next package on 10th morning day I leave Kottayam that gives the authorities 8 days to rearrest her. And if she is still free then her health will start to deteriorate.

I am going to get something to eat, in fact when I am with her she is going to eat well too sod all this magickorealist suffering stuff, suffering comes because I am part Russian I am human don't need to go adding to it. Some sweet snacks some savoury and some chili peanuts so I can watch the end of Ponyo in peace. I should finish the tenth text in Syriac, it's really quite easy and flows once you get stuck in the inertia though prevents my restarting it.

Oh the petition looks full at 340 might get some more she never gets more than a few hundred each petition this is just one of about four I can trace on the Web. I am still hungry after that morning seminar I should have made breakfast it makes it a lot easier for the rest of the day. But the heat is so draining. I have yahoo to compare temperatures so I think it's getting warmer in London. It says 4 but it's only 8am it's 31 here because it's cloudy. It'll get hotter in April and start cooling in May or June I think. Anyway gotta dig in start thinking long term. First get the MA from Syriac and then seriously think of doing some kind of Masters in Kaslik if I can get the money sorted. Fr Abdo is more of a beach and skiing priest monk if I can persuade him that really I am more into chanting simple monastic life and not really into shopping maybe I can get a better deal than the $100 per day which he thought was really reasonable. I think my budget is around $5 per day plus other expenses so I think some negotiating needs to be done else I stay on at SEERI and go for the three year PhD follow on. If she isn't released in five years maybe I should talk to her or something. You know what i mean. Or not what's to be done maybe I'll be more indian about it by then.

Preparations

I always feel it's better to prepare in advance even if nothing goes to plan. So the Bank when I strolled up and asked them if they would be ever so kind as to provide me with an uptodate statement. Well that set them off. After about half an hour they had frozen the account then said no you can use cheques but they want the card back. And I am thinking if they can get the right name on the new card that would nice. But anyone they say it's a simple clerical error and I as pointed out to them really more their problem not mine and no I had no intention of returning with the deposit account details and photocopies of my passport visa pages unless they wish to hire me because my understanding. And then they got someone more chatty to chat to me and the compromise we came to because I really didn't see any point leaving without a statement or some record of how much money I had in the account so I could use it to get the student visa. Was that I would return in April with any forms they wanted but I had no intention of spending my last days in Kottayam trying to assist them with their clerical errors.

So later I should fill in the visa application I just need to have all the details to hand and then set the appointment for sometime after 25 march.

Plus I got denied access to a european Manipuri group but I wonder if they are into secrecy maybe it's not really my group.

But good news mind, John the Just has inherited this foreign tourist disease mind, I always pay a bit more for me coconut water and tender coconut. Mainly because I have only eated dessicated coconut in the west with tinned coconut milk. 20 rupees I pay thats a 5 rupee tip at todays rate I dunno bit less than 40p. But the thing is so today he say oh no sir ten rupees. Well the first guy does I like coconut water it's fresh and better than bottled. So yeah having said John the Just suffers from the tourist disease of haggling over five p savings with the poor I really got a buzz when the guy gave me a discount plus let me have the tender coconut. Of course I accepted gotta give the man respect plus I got a buzz. I wouldn't haggle with him over it though.

The Economist

I have been reading back issues of the Economist. They do write about Manipur and the north east from time to time about eight or nine solid articles over the last few years. India it says has a remarkable ability to maintain long term low intensity civil wars without causing outrage or dissent in the majority general population.

What I had heard is the ruling classes of Manipur otherwise termed the Upper Middle Classes, these people must be embarrassed by the use of Caste titles, presumably because the rich wish to be considered Western approve of Government policy have made their money through it and don't really like my gel. One woman commented ah well she is only on hunger strike over the shooting of a so called boyfriend but kudos to her. Small college in the north west studying liberal arts where she gets to study with other rich kids and then return home to do occasional work for charity possibly in Goa, where she won't get hassled and can aslo enjoy the beach life. She had been rebutted by another suggesting she need not be suaded by hearsay and perhaps to get an education rather than a lifestyle choice in america (though that's more my summation of the undertext) he suggested her comments were a little callous.

And good news they have managed to reduce HIV from 6% to 1.6% over the last several years. The Government policy of subjugation the Economist believes will be successful it just takes a very long time and the Indian Government believe they have as much time as they want. HIV stats can be dropped by a mixture of preventative education which tends to mean use a condom stupid. And if you take anti-viral reducing the bad stuff in your blood (hey googol it if you like science) you tend not to infect others unless you contract another untreated STD. With antivirals one pill a day now HIV is a controllable disease more like Syphillis.

Apparently american protestant missionaries do get visas to practise in the North East, they have the hill tribes she is from the valley and they bring in millions of dollars each year. Perhaps those are the foreigners seen in the hills. Someone said oh we just stop journalists if you aren't a journalist you can get a permit to visit Manipur, and didn't even blush, though they like the title biggest democracy in the world. I am certain if China becomes democratic they will become totalitarian because all they want is the title biggest they don't really care at what.

They because I am not that kind of Indian.

And a lovely article on the Sangai dancing deer, now that is how to write magickorealist journalism. It mentions the reason the deer were thought extinct was the damming of the lake Loktak. It's waters used to rise and fall annually so the grassland which floats at high water used to sink to the earth reroot gain strength at low water and then rise again. It's called a homestatic balance, a life cycle, Disney understands it. So the Indian Government who advises these ok they are only deer the guy says in committee, they are deer who are you someone from the Disney corporation. If we build the dam we can produce umpteen gigowatts and loads of money. Ok the land will rot the deer will die, but we solve the energy crisis. The alternative is build loads of nuclear power stations but I know what you gonna say about that. So if the fluffy bunny objections have been dealt with.

The deer developed their dancing gait because they prance about on this soil that is stable-ish because of its annual rise and fall. They were thought extinct. When half a dozen were discovered on a small island in Loktak it was made a national park they are now at 100. But after the dam the land is rotting, and there are still continual powercuts, the energy is funnelled into the national grid to support the now 8.25% GDP annual growth. There was a plan once to shut down the dam for a month a year to allow the cycle to return, but now it's too late. Hey and it's like the story of the emerald forest but without the shamans claiming they can be invisible. There was a short piece on the local shamanesses. Marup something he called it. And so the article ended with yep you could put the deer in zoos and they would survive but then they wouldn't be Sangai, they wouldn't be wild.

Tell you what we could take some red deer from the new forest who know how to walk on solid ground would that sort the disney fluffy bunny crowd. I really don't understand how when you put all those clever people in a room together they end up doing incredibly stupid things but if you leave really stupid people to do their thing in the fields for centuries they don't seem to do much harm at all.

Mixed News

So the Economist has produced an article on Manipur. Beauty of this one is people with money to invest read the Economist. Money talks as Spinaltap's agent put it. And I finally managed to post a comment there too.

Her petition page groweth daily http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/manipur/ although it appears the cheap viagra spammers are now the main contributers I assume they will be filtered out from the final count and poor HE Pratibha Pratil ah no it would have been brilliant if they had allowed extra comments to the politician's emails because then she would have been drowing in offers of cheap viagra for the modern busy woman about town, worth it's weight in Economist articles.

Stop the presses: So someone has their eye on the ball the petition dropped from 351 to 330 and all the cheap viagra adverts have been removed well done that AHRC administrator. If they get a million then the Indian Government says ah but a lot of these petitioners are unverified, and if they get less then they say we are the largest democracy in the world but as you can see you have only minority support for your views which we will certainly consider respectfully etc etc as Yul Brynner put it.

Oh I finally got the draft determination from OIAHE ah well 1500 squid and no gagging order so it goes to a memorial for John Fernandez late brother via the Legio Mariae with an inscription at least Racism Pays! and I was hoping for something like compulsory donation from the racists of TVU, they say all publicity is good publicity.

Plus I got to give feedback to the OIAHE and I was very restrained public school debating style, once I had decided that I was giving the award away it gave me freedom to be equanimous in my dealings with them. But it is a farce. They can't look into racism because the main grounds were marks on essays of 10%. How can you give 10% on a University marked assignment in the West they give you 20% for putting your student number on in the right place. And some inconsistencies in the argument some of which I addressed purely to help them with their professionalism.

But since she is my dream what do I care about TVU and the OIAHE. I shall study in the Lebanon where the key is to take Fr Abdo out for occasional meals and not to get all interfaith friendly with the Muslims because no they are not Arabs they are Phoenicians well just so long as we know where the tickle lines are meant to be. Don't cross that line I have no intention of crossing beyond sir, more seductively weaving around it I mean if I have to explain the principle of tickling oh yeah unless I get married then it's lose at golf and oh that article you wrote praising St Cyril father. Marvelous. Are you sure the sex is as great as they say, yeah yeah spiritual love completement fulfilment but I feel like that gunman who dies in Yul Brynner's arms so tell me was it a gold mine or diamonds what were really fighting for Chris.

So how come

Bernard Kilroy gets a one year visa no questions asked issued over Xmas when the rest of us only get 3 month visas. He says he isn't MI6 but I doubt he is just visiting kurumasala because he has an amateur interest in liturgical chanting but no musical ability. Also some story about import exporting indian dancers but with no profit so far which I think means he hasn't paid taxes.

Fine so long as I get mine. But it seems a bit rum if you ask me.

visiting the north east

I had come to a minor obstacle in my plans to visit Manipur. As far as I can tell there is a ban on foreigners visiting Manipur that's what a restricted access area means. You can apply for a ten day Permitted Access Permit you specify point of entry and exit and agree to visit only set areas. What used to happen was there were tours organized by tourist agencies and they got the permits for you. At present nobody is running tours to Manipur it would seem.

So looking at the legislation, technically you only have to travel in groups of four with a travel agent in open areas. If I agree to stay in my hotel room for the ten days and then visit her when accompanied by the SI of the JN Gaol then presumably I don't need to be accompanied by three other foreigners. I'd love to go in April but it takes a month for them to approve the visit so maybe May then. I also apply to the two departments to visit her. And if I get to see her that's good and if not I got close if only an hotel in Imphal.

There is a slight problem if we did marry. I would still not be allowed to stay more than ten days and then only with the same permit. I guess if the law isn't changed we could meet for ten days in Manipur whenever I got the approval and she of course would be free to travel to neighbouring countries and the rest of India where the restrictions don't apply. Apparently gaining OCI wouldn't make a difference for the purposes of restricted areas within India overseas citizenship of india isn't citizenship you are still a foreigner. It's more of a pay once and for all multiple visa for India.

Ah it's all working out I had been asking travel agents what the cost would be for a four person trip to manipur but just going directly to the FRRO or whatever they call themselves once I have my student visa well that seems a more direct option.

Had a simple dream

I was at some hotel retreat centre and it was the last day and I overheard a guy saying how he was going to use his small fishing vessel to pick up a survivor and they tell him you can't ever get close to anyone the more you try the further away they get and I agreed with that, but he kept saying it was only a small fishing vessel and just the one survivor, I guess they have to learn on their own anyway I was in a rush getting my things together. I best get the paperwork packed if it's all there then no probs but if I have to look through my well filing heap well yes might take a while. Some other things about leaving a tip for the cleaning staff wow dreams can be specific.

Just over 300 in the enfants perdus regiment, though it seems to have slowed mainly goans and adverts for cheap viagra. Both with mainly symbolic force. Oh she won another award, Kindle magazine in Calcutta has named her as one of the 25 women in India who well it can't be get arrested and detained without trial on indefniite satyagraha but it's definitely a good list. I know she says she doesn't want any more awards she wants AF(SP)A 1958 repealed but given that they haven't I still think it's better than not winning awards. Sort of like being given the choice of curtain colours in the cell. It's not freedom but it's something. It's an award.

Held up with Philoxenus of Mabbog Fr Thomas has been rescheduling. But it looks like today or soon. Then there is only one text left in Healey and I really should just knuckle down and finish the pearl. Take the Robisons with pack later today and I have been shown a washing machine here and that is a great help. And I think I'll get another letter afore I leave which is on 10th I think best check, it's next week in the middle I think. Friday to Nepal then 12 days later to England. Oooh I should also make the visa application on line before I leave so I have an appointment to attend.

So first pack, then make visa appointment. Don't think there is anything else over which I have much control.