Hello again Everyone -

First, thank you all so much for your responses. It's been great to hear from everyone, and I hope to keep up the dialogue. I'll respond to all, but I'm finding the slowness of the Intenet here a bit challenging. I'm in Delhi, day 3, but want to backtrack a bit to say a few words about London. The main reason for the stop over was to see people, and that was hugely successful.

Meeting up with Mike (of tvindalert.com fame) and Bobbi was perfect. They are passionate about the issues that count--health, human rights, accountability, and much more--and it seemed just right to finally meet them in person. The first night we had a good chat and a meal. On New Year's Eve we went to their friends' place and again had a multi-layered meal with lots of wine, dessert, and talk. We stayed until 2 a.m., watched the fireworks on TV, did a little Auld Lang Zyne (spelling??) song and dance, and the whole evening was generally calm, fun, and enlivening. I slept over at Mike and Bobbi's that night, and left to meet with former Andrew students in the afternoon.

On Saturday two friends I hadn't seen for about five years picked me up and we went to have a little breakfast at a cafe near my hotel. Again, being with them, sharing stories, perspectives, and what we're doing now--it was perfect. Simply doing that was elevating and inspiring. They are both doing good work--one in special education, and the other in the area of the environment. A few hours later we emerged from the cafe, and they showed me Drummond Street, a street lined with Indian restaurants. Again, perfect.

Later that afternoon I met M, a friend with whom I had once shared a room during a retreat in India. Yet again, it was beautiful to meet, connect, and discuss experiences. She too is now happy, relaxed, and doing the work she really wants to do. Oddly enough we met at the Starbucks (!!) near Belsize Station.

The following day, the four of us met all together (Starbucks again!), and two more people as well. One goes to Africa from time to time to help with free eye clinics there, and another is a working artist. After coffee we went for a walk on Hampstead Heath—a truly beautiful place, and now I know what it looks like after having read so many books where people are out on Hampstead Heath! We then hung out some more, and it was well, simply heart warming to be with so many former students. Perhaps what drew us to Andrew Cohen is now free to express itself without restrictions.

The last person I visited with was H, a friend with whom I had connected in Toronto when she had visited our centre just before we closed down. We had dinner at a little place in Hampstead, and talked and talked. Completely satisfying and expanding.

One day I went for a walk along the south shore of the Thames River, Bankside. Although I'd been to London before, I had never seen anything of the city, and so doing even this little bit of sightseeing was terrific. Walking from St. Paul's down to the bank, crossing the river, visiting the Globe, walking over to the Millennium Eye--again, all fully perfect. And the Underground is really easy to deal with - directions are clear, they tell you how long it is until the next train, and it's clean. Doesn't get any better than that.

My last morning in London I walked the streets of Tottenham Court Road, had a last lunch with Mike and Bobbi. I got to the airport by the Underground--cheap and easy.

Initial landing in Delhi coming up in a day or two--promise!

With warm regards to all

Ellen