Traveling Teddy Bear

by Jess
(South Wales)

Hello there, my name is Adrian Ludwig Gardner and I was rescued off ebay some years back by Jess, my owner.Since I've been living with Jess,I've developed a liking of travelling. I'm off to India in March! Can't wait. It's going to be really hot I know but I love the heat. I'm flying to Chenni and then I'm getting picked up by a taxi that Ramana Ashram in Thiruvanamala will be sending to the airport for me. I've contacted the Ashram -e-mail on their website- and asked them if I can stay there. I was really happy when they said Of Course you can. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in the Ashram and on the hill. I've been before and its a really beautiful,safe place to stay. You have to be a devotee of Ramana Maharishi. You can't just stay there and then go off here and there sight seeing and doing your own thing and jollying about.That's not accepted! You are expected to spend time in the Ashram. The Ashram offers 3 delicious dosa balancing meals a day as well as afternoon tea. The meals served are the same recipies that were used when Ramana was living at the Ashram. There's also a story read in the afternoon. That's my favourite part. There's a strong presence of Ramana Maharshi in and around the Ashram. On the 14 th April 1950 at the age of 70 Ramana left his body but he didn't leave the Ashram.Such a tranquil place, I'm really looking forward to my visit. After my stay at the Ashram I'm off to Punducherry formally known as Pondichery. It lies in the southern part of India and is still in the state of Tamil Nadu.

There's a strong French influence in Punducherry,infact at times you'd think you were actually in France. My plan is to just soak up the sun and have a few beers while in Punducherry with maybe a trip out here and there. After Punducherry,I'm heading off to Mamalapurum. Mamallapuram, or Mahabalipuram, is a town on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake,and still in the state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The seafront Shore Temple comprises 3 ornate granite shrines. Krishna’s Butter Ball is a massive boulder balanced on a small hill near the Ganesha Ratha stone temple. There are many stone sculptures in Mamalapuram and you can hear the chip,chip,chip of their chisels as you're exploring the beauty of the place. Its a magical place and I love it there.During my trip, I may visit the Nadi Leaf readers. The Rishi wrote these leaves and the Rishi were well known for their highly developed conscious.The leaves are located at the Vaiteeswara Temple and you can locate your leaf by having your thumb print taken. Right for men and left for women. There's said to be a leaf for every single person in the world, past present and future people all included. I have witnessed someone have their leaf read and believe me, its the accurate reading I have ever heard. The reader named the persons parents, told him what his Childers did for a living as well as what he himself did. The reader went into great detail as he went on reading everything that was written on the leaf. Amazing when you think about it. And these leaves were written thousands and thousands of years ago. Blows me away the more I think of it..