I woke up early morning and right after I packed my backpack  I went to Dalai Lama Temple. I wanted to spend the few remaining hours I had with one last visit there.

Walking across ascending lanes through a sleepy misty McLeodganj with locals still waking up and getting ready, it was so different..

It was a drizzly rainy morning and it had been raining since last night. Rains in the hills are something else..

I went to the temple and sat at my favorite spot and my thoughts were about the journey. It started when I took the flight to Delhi on 8th Sep early morning. 15 days passed by just like that.

From spending time with friends to making new ones, to making new memories and experiences, for being lucky to share it with others and my stay at Mcleodganj and the people I met here.

I was content, I was happy knowing I would come back here again, knowing I would meet my friends again somewhere else sometime…

As I came out of the altar and sat in the temple premises I got a message from Vishal. He was in Mcleodganj! It was only 8 am. I got out of the temple and saw him rushing towards me with a big smile. He had come down early to meet me. We went to the same cafe that was close to the temple.

Then he got me something, a big box of milk bars that was local to Mcleodganj to take back home. I couldn’t hold my tears and my eyes glazed, he was getting emotional too. He said Didiji aap apna khayal rakhna ok? (Sister,Take care of yourself) Don’t ever think you are alone because you lost your parents, I am always there for you.

I didn’t want to burst out so I diverted to something else, I couldn’t handle it honestly. I had a friend for life and I knew I would be in touch with him always.

We chatted over a couple of cappuccinos. I told him not to worry too much about his father, everything will be ok, it will get better.

After an hour and half it was time to go back to my hotel, check out and head to the airport. Saying goodbye to Vishal, I headed to the hotel while he went back to his shop.

As I got into the cab and we started descending from Mcleodganj, I saw the greenery around me, the mist surrounding the Deodars and all this was tearing me up, I felt like I was leaving home…

How I loved walking among them, to feel them, to breathe that fresh air, to meet people that showed you that goodness existed.

Finally taking off from Dharamsala and reaching Delhi, I waited for my connecting flight to Hyderabad. I felt an immense lightness in my heart. To be able to experience so much during this journey was a blessing.

My phone pinged. It was from Vishal, he messaged Did you have lunch? Take care of yourself and be in touch, Will see you soon next year!

Yes, this was not the end, definitely not the end for there were more journeys, more experiences and more emotions to be explored..