| Behind Chher's tarp is my green, Canadian style tent, which weighed only one pound, cost less than $15, took about three minutes to erect...and leaked like a sieve. It rained heavily during the night and at about 4 AM I bailed out and went to sleep with Chher and his family next door under a nice, warm horse blanket. |
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| When we arrived at Chikka I was surprised to find that Chher's family was camped there. His parents ran the "Tea House" (a rectangular 9x7 shelter enclosed by a 3' high rock wall with a tarp roof) and his wife and children stayed in a shelter across the way but slept in Chher's makshift tent (in foreground, at left) while we were camped in the meadow below. From left to right; Chher, oldest daughter, Luximi, 2 year old Shashi and his lovely wife, Bhini. |
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| Look, Shashi, the nice man wants to take your picture! |
| The following morning; nice and cozy in Cherr's shelter with Luximi. That's Kerouac's "The Dharma Bums" she's holding which I found in a tiny hole-in-the-wall bookshop called, "The Bookworm", before leaving Manali. It was the perfect traveling companion. Thanks, Jack. |
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| I don't trust him! Where are his mammary glands?! |
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| Chikka - June 29th - July 1st |
| Learning to trust an imperfect stranger. |
| Although Chher is a Buddhist, Luximi is named after the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu and the goddess of wealth & beauty. To my eyes, this little barefoot diva was the goddess personified. |
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