Vashishta cave @ Rishikesh.

Today being a Sunday was an off from yoga regular classes. Except we did the Neti (taking water in from one nostril and releasing through the other ) in the morning. It felt really good after that since my blocked nose felt much better. 

Chris doing Neti.

I had been wanting to go to Vashishta caves mentioned by a local guy, Himanshu, for sometime. So together with Sandra, we hired a scooty and decided to ride up into the mountains. It was about a 35 kms ride up into the beautiful green mountains with fresh air. The ride was bumpy at times with a few streams and off roading at times. But it was an amazing ride. We went along singing songs and just chilling all along. 

Sandra walking the road for the patch where it was very bumpy and slippery.

About an hour later we reached the vashisht caves I had heard so much about. They were beautiful. A dark cold cave outside which was a huge massive banyan tree. And  the cave had been turned into a temple with a shivalinga inside and a temple structure outside. Inside the dark, dingy, cold, silent, quiet, peaceful cave sat two yogis meditating. It seemed so mesmerizing. We  spent sometime there and then walked outside to the beach.

The view there by the riverside beach was stunning. Trees covered mountains all around, a fast flowing river, grey pearly rocks and a sandy beach alongside. God's lap ! It seemed to me as if I was experiencing all nature's gifts -mountains, trees, water, desert in one spot. Under one sky roof. It was out of the world and I couldn't stop clicking pics.

We sat there yapping for a bit and then Sandra left to meditate on her own by the shade and I just made myself comfortable on two rocks in the river and just soaked in the beautiful, mesmerizing nature. 

Can you see Sandra, a speck, in the snap below? ;)

 I felt so happy and peaceful. That's all I want I think. See different beautiful places. Have a friend to share it with. Eat some good food. Write a little. Mmmm. Life's perfect.

After about two hours we left. On  the way back we stopped at this little waterfall which was streaming onto the road. It was beautiful. We had indian masala chai, tea, and maggi at a nearby small vendor. It was simply yummy and extremely tasty too.

An hour's drive back with small shopping breaks in between brought us back to pavilion. We returned the scooty and walked into Cafe Bella at Lakshman jhula by the river Ganges. We devoured a salad and banofie pie there.

Almost didn't realize the time and it was almost ten by the time we left. A twenty min walk back and Sandra went her way and I reached my lil cosy room.

A day well spent. Got  the vashisht cave off my to-do list, saw a beautiful new place, had an adventure riding scooty in the mountains, ate good food and chit chatted happily :)

Simple pleasures of life !