My Post-Sabbatical Year(s) in Asia (or wherever): 1/2 and 1/3: Leaving Junagadh and Arriving in Diu

1/2: Leaving Junagadh
I stopped at this little restaurant for dinner. Well, it wasn't really a restaurant, but it wasn't a street stand either - something in between, though it did have a menu. Unfortunately, the menu was all in Hindi script. So I asked what they served and the cook/owner took me behind the counter to show me the food. When I finished, the cook/owner asked me how I liked it. I told him it was very good. So I asked how much I owe, and he said, "You have already paid. You are my guest."I don't think that has ever happened to me before.

I wanted a banana for dessert (India has really tasty bananas), so I found the banana cart with the boy sitting on the cart with the bananas. I asked how much for one banana. "Five rupees," he replied. As I was leaving, his father came over from the other cart. I could tell from his tone he didn't like what just went on. He pulled off another banana from the bunch and handed it to me.

This was a strange but wonderful evening to end a very good day.

An Earlier Conversation Revisited:
I want to share one more conversation I had with the Israeli healer a couple of months ago (posted on 10/25), which I have been thinking about lately. When I met her, I was sitting on my favorite steps next to my favorite chai wala. She joined me on the step for chai and we went through the normal introductions that travelers do. She told me she was waiting for the night bus to Delhi. "Long trip," I responded. And she replied, "Everything's a trip."

1/3 Diu: On the road from Junagadh to Diu, we passed a camel pulling a cart. A bearded man sat cross-legged on the cart. He wore a white turban and was covered in a brown shawl, and he was talking on his cell phone.

After 5 1/2 hours and two buses (all for $2), I arrived in Diu, an island on the southern coast of Gujarat. I walked around the island. It is different here. There is the Portuguese influence in the architecture and all the churches (I passed three on my walk today). It is hotter during the day, and more pleasant at night (only need a t-shirt). And then I realized the biggest difference - there is very little traffic. It is so nice to be walking about without the constant honking or having to always be cautious about being run over.

I went to lunch at a place where there are a lot of street stands set up and chairs and tables right on the water. I ate a delicious tuna biriyani. There was a dog and a goat roaming under the tables cleaning the scraps.