Living in McLeod Ganj/Dharamsala

After 3 days in a hotel I've found a new home. Seems I've had a few of those this trip. I'm now living in the Lha housing. Lha is a non-profit social work organization. I may be living here the month and a half I'll be teaching for Lha. Or not. There are some groups coming from the U.S. during the summer so I may need to move. But for now, because I'm teaching for Lha for over a month, I can live in their housing.

I pay Rs.200 ($4) a night for this bedroom with 2 twin beds, a desk, shelves, a bathroom and a kitchenette with counter, sink and more shelves. There are solar panels on the roof so we have hot water continuously. And, yes, there is a line on the roof for drying wash. I find that is one of my top 5 requirements now. There's a candle on one of the shelves in the bedroom. I think I should know where my flashlight is.

This housing also includes a well-equipped shared kitchen so I can cook...if I want. I was told to always close the kitchen door when I leave. Monkeys got in there once and created a mess. On my walk this morning I saw 7 monkeys not too far from our building. I will remember to close the kitchen door.

We also have a shared lounge. Not sure I will know what to do with all this space!

Here's the view from my door and window. Those snow covered peaks are the Himalayas.

And here's a view of our height from another location. We're at 1770 m.

By moving to the Lha housing I've escaped some of the bustle of McLeod Ganj/Dharamsala. The guidebook says the population here is 20,000. That doesn't include the tourists who are numerous, especially on weekends. I'm actually living in McLeod Ganj which is 4 km above Dharamsala.

Here's one of the 5 main streets in McLeod Ganj.

And here's behind the street. This picture was taken from the hotel where I first stayed. Most, if not all, of these buildings are hotels or businesses dedicated to the tourist business. It's a busy place but closes down by midnight.

Where I am now is much quieter and less busy. In fact where I am now is just down the hill from the complex where the Dalai Lives.