When you travel the people you meet mean so much to you, they add to each adventure something unique, challenge your views and change the way in which you see the world. They add the colour, the laughter, share your best and worst moments and become part of your experience.
So we have started this segment - Who we met this morning, which will be updated regularly as we meet locals and fellow travelers who help to create our experience of India.
Wandering around the misty hillside of the Himalayan foothills, I see a figure out of the corner of my eye. I go to point her out to our little trekking possy and but now all I can see is grass. But the grass is moving! Weird. We see her again as she moves closer down the ridge - this view is clearer she is a women carrying a load of what looks like grass from the top of the mountain. She is a bit too far away and camouflaged to take a picture, so we wait for her to approach and discuss what she could be carrying. Could it be grass to dry out for a thatched roof? Some herbal medicines ? Grass for her cows or goats?
She disappears again, disguised by her heavy load. We wander off and then stumble across many of these women all weighed down by what ever they are carrying. A few of them stop for a rest nearby, so I head over for a chat and to put an end to our debate. 'Nameste' I say to the beautiful and surely strongest and healthiest grandmother I have ever seen. She is only too happy for a chat. Her eyes sparkle as she proudly tells us that she is collecting grass for her cow. She has one cow and with her daughter they head up the mountain 2x a day, everyday to get his food! She doesn't mind though, as grass collecting is a good chance for the women of the village to have some 'girl time'.
We sit talking for a while and after she collects her breath I help her to her feet and she takes my hand and places one of her beads into it and invites us to come to her house. (These Tibetans are so welcoming, so giving).
We meet her there, and her very well fed looking cow, her daughter and her two absolutely gorgeous and slightly cheeky grandsons! It turns out she has a guesthouse, but we cant stay as it would be too hard to lug our packs up here (which seems strange given that she lugged about 20kg of wet grass just now!). We play with her grandsons, take some pictures, let them take some pictures, soak up some sun and then head home.
When we leave, me and the grass grandmother have a little moment, again she takes my too hands in hers, looks me in the eye and says something sweet in Tibetan. The smile she gives me leaves me feeling so happy that we met her and so full of compassion for these beautiful people.
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