LAST DAY IN DELHI - milkshakes, whisky and full moon levitating, 1977

[Day 13 in Delhi and lucky for some - my ticket home finally comes through.  I celebrate with ice cream milkshakes on John's bus and have deep spiritual conversations with a levitating French Canadian (though my euphoria might have more to do with Bill and Shirley's Indian whisky).  And there's a final trip to my local - the Imperial Hotel - for my last evening in India.]

TUESDAY 11TH JANUARY, 1977

"P.T.A came!  Bob, Margaret and Arthur on bus.  Had big ice cream milk shakes from Ramble (open-air) Restaurant again.  At 1.0 got ticket in my possession!  Flight for 7.0 next morning.  Went and found out bus times but John offered to drive me.

Ceylonese passenger came and plagued them again - always discovering he needs some other visa - gave them bag of Ceylonese tea (obviously backsheesh because he asked for a reduced fare!)  All street sellers came round bus - especially little orange seller - she's a real actress and businesswoman - looking much better off and charging more than when we came through Delhi the first time!  Someone tried to polish my shoes (as usual!)

Shirl and Bill appeared.  Went to their hotel - Indian whisky this time!  Chatted with French Canadian - really fascinating about Tibetan people in Ladakh-Kashmir and the Lamaist religion.  He was present at the Dalai Lama's performance of enlightenment and he communicated his thoughts to the lamas and 100 visitors chosen around him. (At the same time Mao died!  'He extinguished the almost exhausted candle' as the Canadian put it.  Great nationalist desire of Tibetans to regain their country.  He said it was easier to meditate in the mountains - eg concentrate on a full moon till eyes are filled with the light of the moon, then feel self lighter and think of many things.  Lamas achieve levitation - sit in bricked in rooms etc.  Lamas are chosen from birth - as babes on the 49th day).

They walked me back.  Went for a quick drink with John at the Imperial."