TRAVELS w/P: Tales of Adventure Here & There

...where are we?! "We're here." We've been travelling in the minibus for a while now. Left svarsti just after 7am, stopping at the place where sidhartha gautama (aka the buddha) led a sheltered highly priviledged life prior to setting out for answers - Kapilavastu. The stupa dates back to the 5th century BC. In the early 70s archaeologists dug into the stupa and discovered a casket and relics with inscription identifying the renains as those of the buddha and also naming the people who placed them there. Fragrant gardens were alive with flitting black and saffron butterflies. A pink lotus pond the perfect place for quiet contemplation. Back on the road, we passed through myriad dry, dusty villages. People are constantly traversing the shoulders, from where they're coming or to where they're going is anyone's guess. Despite the grimey filth, women are immaculately groomed, their colourful saris punctuate the monochromatic dusted greenery. Pulling off the road for a pitstop, we found ourselves visiting a most unusual elephant temple. Rows of sculpted elephants; different sizes, colours, graphic patterns. Village children clamoured around those of us with our cameras hoping we'd take their pic, squealing with laughter at their images. We're now somewhere, in the thick of unmoving traffic. Truck drivers ahead and behind stand outside their vehicles. No hurries. No worries.