Hoo! (Part 2)

I like to think I'm such an independent woman traveller, but in truth, without the kindness of these beautiful brown-skinned people, I would be screwed in this land. When I walked into the hotel, the manager, Mr. Joseph, immediately came out to shake my hand and I said somewhat helplessly, "I'm trying to make a phone call and I can't get through." He replied that he would help me as I explained to him my wishes to visit the Vivekananda yoga university in Bangalore. Pretty soon, he and the two staff members behind the desk were on their cell phones and the hotel phone calling the same five numbers I had already tried. With no answers. He explained to me that they had probably disconnected their land lines in favor of a cell phone, which is a trend in India now as land lines are costly. Understood. What the American in me did not understand is WHY you wouldn't update your website with your new phone number. It's a little bit harder to transact business aka spend your money on something in every country other than America. 'Murica. Convenience is so...convenient, though! Oh! So anyway, Mr Joseph the manager magically comes over to me with his personal cell phone and : it's ringing !! This lady on the other end of the line asks when I'd like to come and I say, how about Tuesday? She says, "Sorry Madame courses start only on Friday." Okay, Friday, yes, perfect. "How many days you want to stay Madame?" Oh I don't know, how about 5 days? "Courses run for seven days. You stay seven days." Right then, 7 days sounds wonderful. Can i register with you? "//laughs/scoffs// no Madame you must call this number""." I only had to try that number four times before I talked to a human. I was rather pleased with my efforts this far. The man asked me when I'd like to come and I said 10/23, to which he replied, "No madam this week is already full. You come 10/30 or 11/6". I splained that this was the ONLY POSSIBLE week for me, since I would not be in India after this point (which is half true, as I will be in north India after this point). After a brief but pregnant pause, he asked me "You want normal room, a/c room, or double room?" I don't really know he meant by "normal room", but I took it, gleefully! Finally, fruition! And so, I am on my way to Bangalore tomorrow to see what goes on at the Yoga University. I'd rather shadow the students than be one of their "yoga patients", but I'm delighted to be in the door. I am so excited in fact, that I keep rinding myself to let go of expectations. Maybe they will be super strict. Maybe I'll have too much free time and get bored, or a jam packed schedule and feel overwhelmed. Maybe it will be unclean. Maybe the food will be bad. Or maybe, just maybe, it will be exactly what I need. Oh, and the funny Mother India irony that goes with this story, is that going to this university has basically rendered my original plan - my only intention before I left - a moot point. I'm not gonna make it to the ashram of the man with the kind face. Sometimes the best laid plans ...