#Beautiful view of early morning Nature - sun rises - birds singing - fresh air - Good Morning

[tutorialsfor]

Beautiful view of early morning Nature - sun rises - birds singing - fresh air - Good Morning by TutorialsFor Beautiful view of early morning Nature - sun rises - birds singing - fresh air - Good Morning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKCz9vYO73E

[rogueonestan]

wopc - ch 10 - sojourn and sunrises

pairing: the mandalorian x f!reader/ ofc

word count: 5.4k

warnings: some blood mention (minor), more ~soft~

summary: the battle on sorgan left everyone feeling happy. the sense of danger no longer can be felt in the air. that is, until a new threat reveals themselves.

previous part | wopc masterlist | main masterlist | next part 

The blinding sun is what wakes you up this morning.

After celebrating the village’s victory against the raiders, both you and Mando both decided to take up the village’s offer of staying here for a while. There’s something about this place that seems like home to the two of you. It’s hard to put into words, but there’s a peace that lingers in the air. 

The sunshine greets you every morning and you’ve developed a morning routine of watching the sunrise. Who knew something so simple would bring you so much joy? The light morning breeze and the sound of the birds singing always puts you in a good mood. 

You always admire the morning sky alone. Mando always sleeps in. The morning after the celebration occurred, you accidentally woke him up when you tripped over him after insisting he would sleep on the floor while you got the bed. You declined, of course, but his stubbornness never gave up. When he saw that you were beginning to head out of the hut, he asked where you were going, in which you explained you just wanted to get some fresh air.

This morning is no different. The familiar morning breeze keeps you company. The local animals are just waking up as they begin to chatter. The villagers also begin their morning routines by the sound of distant chatter and pots clanging.

“Room for one more?” 

Turning your head to the left, you see Mando has gotten up early this morning to join you. A smile appears on your face when you realize this and after scooting to the side, you pat the now empty spot, silently inviting him to join you. 

He quickly does and the two of you sit in silence. You glance at the morning sky, but you can’t seem to focus on it. Every morning you always manage to see some sort of figure in the clouds, but today you can’t. All that you can focus on is the feeling of Mando’s thigh brushing up against yours, just like how it did during your ride to the village all those weeks ago. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” You comment.

“It is.” 

You glance over at your partner when you comment on the beautiful sky, but unlike yours, Mando’s gaze doesn’t leave. He watches how the soft smile on your face has never left. How your lips slightly lift at the corners. How soft your gaze is as you admire the slight movement of the tree branches. How you lift your gaze to watch a bird fly overhead. How close both of your hands are from touching each other.

“Do you like it here?” He asks.

“Yes, it reminds me of the home I had as a child.”

“Before it was taken over by the Empire?”

“Before it was destroyed by them.” You correct him, “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a place that resembles so closely to my home.”

“What was it like?”

“Like how it is here: peaceful, undisturbed, secluded. Like here, we too also had a strong sense of community. We all were extremely close with one another.”

“That’s how it was for me too.”

“With the Mandalorians?”

“No, before that.” He answers,

You wait for him to continue but he never does. When you glance from his visor to your lap, you finally notice how close your hands are. You see how his fingers twitch in their spot as they barely move an inch closer to yours. Without saying another word, you take his hand in yours. Whenever you have to talk about a difficult subject, like the rough beginnings of your childhood, having the support of someone else has always helped you talk about it. Maybe it’ll give Mando that same comfort as well.

It’s been such a long time since Mando has talked to someone else about personal matters such as this, especially something as sensitive as the loss of his parents. Nightmares about their deaths plague his mind frequently at night. It’s not easy for him to think about it, let alone talk about them. 

“Before the Mandalorians took me in, we lived in a village similar to this one. We didn’t have much but it was home.”

“‘We’?”

“My parents and I. We- we lived in a village like this one. Close knitted, small, tight.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Everyday. At least once a month, the village would throw a small get-together in the center of town just so everyone could catch up. There would be loud music, a large feast. The children would run around and enjoy themselves. The parents would chat with their friends. It was something I always looked forward to as a boy.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“It was. I think you would’ve enjoyed it.”

“By the sound of it, I think I would’ve too.” 

“We were preparing for the next gathering when they attacked.” 

When the word ‘they’ leaves his lips, he reacts by squeezing your hand harshly. Like before, no words follow after that. Maybe memories from that day enter his mind. Maybe he doesn’t know how to say it. 

“My village had something similar to that as well.” You begin, “Instead of a celebration once a month, once a week we would have a gathering in our town square where anyone could join us. Not many guests stayed in our town, but they always joined in whenever the celebration happened. We, too, had loud music and a large feast. The vendors would still have their shops open. Couples would be dancing in the center as others socialized. The children always looked forward to that day of the week.”

Mando asks the same question that you asked earlier, “do you miss it?”

You nod your head, “I would give anything to experience that again. Everyday I would look forward to that night when I was a child. I think the closest thing I’ll ever get to experiencing that again was the celebration we had here after the battle.”

“I think there’s more to come in your future.”

“I don’t know. Maybe a peaceful life isn’t for me anymore.”

“What do you mean?” 

“A life with war is all I’ve ever known.”

“There’s so much more to life in the galaxy than war and death. It’s about the choices that you make. The relationships you make. The actions that you make last longer than a lifetime. What we’ve done for this village will be told for generations.”

A soft hum escapes from your lips as you ponder Mando’s words. You never thought of it like that before. Ever since your first home was taken from you, war is all you’ve known. You were introduced to the idea of peaceful negotiations at a young age, but violence always won the fight against peace. 

“How old were you? When the Mandalorians took you in?”

“Not much older than they are.” He responds as he refers to the children who are just making their way out of their homes, with their parents following shortly after. 

As you admire the villagers preparing for another day’s work, you don’t notice how the pad of Mando’s gloved hand runs gently against the upside of your hand, the light squeeze he gives your hand during the silent moment. The feeling of his hand in yours just seems so natural that it feels like it’s something you’ve always done. 

“I-“ Mando is cut off by the sudden screams coming from inside the hut. The two of you immediately glance in the direction where it came from in response. 

“Hold that thought. I’ll go get him.” You offer as you get up to leave, but not before giving his hand one more squeeze before you depart temporarily. 

“Hey there, little guy.” Mando hears as you disappear inside the hut to tend to the baby. With his limited view, a smile is on Mando’s face as he hears both your voice and the baby’s laughs in the background. From where he’s sitting, he can’t see much. All that he can see is your frame bending over to pick up the baby from the crib the village so gracelessly lent you. Your back is towards him and all he can see is a baby blue blanket in your arms as you walk deeper in the hut. Probably to make sure everything with the kid is alright.

Mando doesn’t notice the small figure approaching him. He doesn’t see the plate of food they’re bringing him. The only thing that’s in his line of sight is you. Even an action as small as you wrapping the baby in your arms entices him. You could be doing something as simple as standing around and you would be able to easily get his attention. 

Maybe he should check up on you, just to make sure you’re alright. The wound on your foot is long gone by this point, but maybe he should make sure nothing’s wrong. 

Mando rises to his feet to check up on you but is interrupted by a light clearing of someone’s throat.

“Good morning.” A light and familiar feminine voice greets him. As he glances at the figure who has approached him, he sees Omera has begun her morning routine of greeting the two of you by bringing breakfast. 

“Morning.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thank you.”

Omera carefully places the plate of food on a nearby chair that resides on the porch of the hut. When she notices that only Mando is outside, she asks this outloud.

“Where’s the baby? I made him something that I think he will like.” She says.

“They’re both inside. The kid just woke up right before you arrived.”

“I see,” She hums, “will you let her know that I stopped by?”

“I will.”

“We both made plans for later this afternoon and I wanted to make sure she remembered.”

“She can be quite forgetful at times.” He comments with a slight chuckle.

“Yes, I have some experience with that. She was supposed to help us make lunch one afternoon but she slept through it and completely forgot.” 

“That sounds like something she would do.”

Memories from that day flood through Mando’s head. That day only happened about a week after you guys arrived at the village, but you were so determined with making up your negligence that you ended up helping cook a meal that the village swore was the best they had in a long time. The giant grin never left your face that night.

“That’s the happiest I’ve ever seen her in a long time.” Mando says, mainly to himself, but Omera was able to hear it as well.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her upset since the three of you have joined us.”

‘Hopefully it can stay that way for a while.’ He thinks to himself.

Omera’s words are true. Ever since you arrived at the village, a new sense of happiness has taken over your body. Almost like a weight has been lifted in a way- like you’re more free. Mando’s only seen this side of you a handful of times on the Crest. Maybe it’ll become an everyday occurrence. Maybe every morning could begin with the two of you glancing at the clear sky as you reflect on whatever is on your minds. Maybe one day he can tell you about his first family- maybe even what life was like when the Mandalorians took him in all those years. 

-and I hope you feel the same way.” Omera says as she brings him back from his thoughts.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said I hope you feel the same way- as she does.” She repeats as the combination of your laughter and the baby’s rings in the air.

“I do. I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for her.”

“She means a lot to you.”

“Yes. She’s been a good friend all of the time I’ve known her.”

“It’s more than that. I see the way that you look at her- how your gaze never leaves even after she’s left, how relaxed you seem whenever you’re around her.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“I’m afraid so.” She responds as she lightly places a hand on his bicep, softly stroking the cloth material. 

To an outsider, this moment may seem intimate, and in a way it is, but not in the way that it actually is. With how close they’ve gotten to each other, a stranger may see this as two lovers conversing, but Omera and Mando both know how wrong that statement would be. It’s not a romantic sentiment that’s being said, but an unspoken understanding. Like Omera knows how much you and Mando truly care for one another- how deep your feelings for each other go. 

“I must seem like the biggest fool.” He says as his visor glances down at her.

“Not big enough for her to notice. She’s almost as blind as you.” Omera chuckles as her hand grazes down the length of his arm to encapsulate her hand in his. With their fingers intertwine, a warm feeling doesn’t appear in Mando’s belly, like how it always does whenever your body touches his. When Omera’s hand touches his, he gets a feeling of comfort, warmth, but in a different way that Mando feels when he touches you. After experiencing what he has with you, nothing can ever compare to that feeling that he gets when your hands touch. 

“Hey, Mando, what was it that you were going to-“ You’re cut off by the sight you’re greeted with when you exit the hut. 

When you peek your head around the corner with the baby in your arms, you expected to find Mando still sitting by your feet, not holding hands with the friendly woman he’s been spending a lot of time with recently. When he’s not around you, he’s always around Omera. He always seems happier around her, more free, like he’s finally able to be his true self. In all of the time you’ve known him, you’ve managed to get him to lower his guard only recently- months after you met. Omera was able to do it within a handful of weeks. 

It seems like the woman in front of him has his complete attention, like all of time has stopped for them, because your presence seems to have gone unnoticed by them. Omera has one of her hands on Mando’s cuirass as her other hand is 

encapsulated with his hand with the biggest grins being on both of their faces.

Omera is the first one to notice your sudden appearance as her hands leave your partner’s as she acknowledges you by saying your name and giving you the same greeting as she did with Mando. 

“Good morning, I brought you guys breakfast.” She says as she refers to the plate of food that’s sitting behind her, “it’s your favorite.”

“Th- that’s very kind. Thank you.” You force the words out of your mouth.

“It’s no trouble at all. Please, let me know if there’s anything that you need before lunch.” She says as she begins to walk away from the three of you, but not before she turns back around, “don’t forget about our plans later!” 

As you look at her figure getting smaller and smaller, you see how the smile has never left her face. Her complete focus is on a villager that has managed to catch her attention. 

The pit in your stomach stays in its place. It’s not her fault for the way you feel. It’s not her fault that your heart sunk to the bottom of your stomach when you saw how close they were to each other. 

It’s only taken her a few weeks to make your partner fall head over heels for her while it has taken you nearly half a rotation for you to even make him comfortable enough around you. After a week or so, Mando’s guard was able to be let down when he saw how gentle she was with children, including the green little baby you brought. 

It took you almost as long to be comfortable around the Mandalorian as well, so it’s not his fault that he’s unaware of the feelings you hold for him, but it doesn’t make it any easier for you when you see them together. How easily things clicked between the two of them when they met. How much they trusted each other with their problems. How carefree and relaxed they both seem around each other.

“You alright, ruusaan?” Mando asks as he places a hand on your shoulder. 

“Yeah, fine.” You say as you force a tight-lipped smile on your face, “you should probably eat. Who knows what the day will entail.”

“I’ll eat later. You should-“ 

The baby in your arms suddenly starts squirming. His feet eventually touch the floor as he begins running as he possibly can to the children who have begun playing a game where they run around the grassy area that resides next to the various huts.

“I’ll go after him. Please, eat.” You say as you quickly make your way over to where the baby ran off to.

The only sound in the hut that can be heard is echoing of your knives colliding with the cutting board. Omera had approached you earlier, asking if you would help her prepare lunch for the village and you had said ‘yes.’ You’re not exactly sure what you’re helping prepare, but Omera was right, cooking lunch for the village helps take your mind off of things. She noticed how lost in your thoughts you were and suggested to preoccupy yourself to distract yourself.

When you were by yourself earlier, everything that happened this morning played on repeat in your mind. From the moment you shared with your partner to finding him holding hands with Omera, the knot in your stomach reappeared as you became lost in your thoughts. Maybe you were reading way too into everything. Maybe Mando didn’t see the significance in the conversations you’ve been having lately. Maybe-

“It isn’t what you think.” The sounds of chopping suddenly stops.

“I’m sorry?”

“What you saw earlier between me and Mando, it’s not not what it looked like.” 

“He’s happier around you, happier than he ever could be with me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“He seems more at home around you.”

“What we have- it’s different.”

“How so?”

“It’s- we have a mutual understanding.”

“Because of the kids.”

“Yes.”

You don’t say anything in response. You know that ever since Mando laid eyes on the child, he had an unspoken connection with him. You also had a connection with the baby, but it was different for Mando. The kid was able to put him on a new path. 

“But it’s also more than that.” Omera begins, “it’s like knowing that someone else understands what you’ve gone through.” Her words ring true, “like nothing has to be said in order for you two to understand each other.”

A soft ‘yeah’ leaves your lips as you continue to take in her words. You don’t know if it was intentional or not, but her words describe the relationship the both of you have with Mando. 

Unspoken words exchanged between the two of you have always been the type of relationship you’ve had. You thought him opening up to you recently meant that your relationship was heading in a different direction but maybe you were wrong. Maybe he still sees you as his business partner and Omera as someone who he could have a future with, someone who could make him truly happy. If she can, then you know that there’s nothing that you could do about it, no matter how much it aches your heart.

You have to know if she feels the same way.

“Do you love him?”

The first words that leave her mouth breaks your heart, even more if that were possible.

“Yes, I do, but not in that way. I care for him deeply but not in the same way you do.”

“It’s alright if you. He deserves to be happy, to be at peace.”

“He won’t be if you aren’t around.” Your head tilts to the side in confusion, “don’t tell him I told you this, but you’re the only reason why he’s been so happy lately.”

“I’m sure you’re exaggerating. There must-“

“I’m not. Those were his exact words.”

“Oh.”

“He cares for you deeply. He just, shows it in different ways with different people is all. He shows the way he cares for you in a different way that he cares about me, or the village, or the baby.”

“Doesn’t show it around me.” You mumble underneath your breath.

“He does, you just haven’t caught it yet. Just give him time, he’ll come around, eventually.”

“I must be the biggest fool. I wasn’t even able to catch on.”

“He said that too.”

“I’m sorry?”

“We should probably get back to work. We have a village to feed.”

With that, the silence from before returns. The only sound that can be heard is your knives colliding with the cutting board as you cut the fresh vegetables. Unlike before, preparing food doesn’t help take your mind off of things. Before you didn’t have to worry about your anxieties. Before none of your worrying thoughts crossed your mind. But now, all of your thoughts from this morning and the conversation you just had with Omera can’t seem to leave your mind. 

Before, your anxieties were mainly about the possibility of having to go on without your partner, about the possibility of his future staying with the village, but now the thoughts that enter your mind are completely different. You thought Mando had cared for Omera on a much different level, only for her to correct your anxieties. Now, you don’t know what to think. You thought Mando only cared for you as a partner, maybe even a friend, but the conversation you had with Omera tells you otherwise. When she first told you this, your heart soared, but as you reflect, fear strikes in you. Whenever you get close with someone, the galaxy always manages to strip them from you.

Tears brim your eyes without your realization. The piece of food you’re chopping is neglected by you. You were preoccupied reflecting on the time you spent with Mando before arriving on Sorgan and how you could’ve lost him multiple times, from risking his life to rescuing the child on Nevarro to protecting the small town on Banesh. You could’ve lost him when the two of you were separated and you wouldn’t have known. Even though you’ve known him for a short period of time, your life has changed so much ever since you met Mando.

Sudden pain runs through your system. A light gasp leaves your lips when you glance down at your hand, only to find that your finger is covered in blood. The knife that’s in your grasp has a light layer of blood covered on the blade.

“Kriff.” 

“It’ll be fine. We’ll get you fixed up.” Omera says as she stops her actions as she glances down at your injury. The cut on your finger isn’t bad, not that deep, but blood keeps leaking out. 

“I’m fine. We should finish lunch first.”

“I’ll finish lunch later, we need to get you all fixed up first.”

With her arms wrapped around you, Omera slowly begins guiding you out of the hut to get you the help you need. 

“-so we were trapped there for the remaining time we were stationed there. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work.” Cara concludes her story. 

While you were occupied with Omera’s presence, Mando was accompanied with Cara’s. The ex-shock trooper was currently recollecting one of her many war stories from over the years. One of the main reasons why the two warriors got on so well was because of their experiences with the war. The two will often recall some memories from over the years and this is no exception. However, when Cara was finishing up her story, something caught Mando’s eye. He saw your slouched figure exiting out of the hut he saw you enter earlier, only now Omera’s arm is around you as the two of you walk through the village. 

Mando can vaguely hear Cara’s voice as she asks some sort of question, but he can’t seem to focus on her as his full attention is on you. His mind fears for the worst as he sees your figure get smaller and smaller by the second. Were you hurt? Did something happen to you? Maybe he should check up on you to make sure you’re okay.

Cara notices something’s wrong when Mando’s visor goes from glancing at her to glancing

somewhere else for a long time. His visor doesn’t even move an inch- something else obviously grabbed his attention. When Cara looks in the same direction as him, she finally understands why.

“I’m sure she’s alright. She has Omera by her side.”

“Maybe I should-“ Mando immediately gets up from his comfortable position of leaning against the exterior of the hut to go check up on you, but before he’s able to do so, a little creature attaches itself to his boot. When he glances down, he sees that the green little baby that has entered his life recently has a vice tight grip on the leather of his boot. When he grabs the baby in his arms and holds him like you taught him to all those weeks ago, his chances of finding you are gone when he can no longer see your figure.

“How did you guys even meet?” Cara asks.

“He’s a bounty that we picked up-“

“No, not him, her. You two seem nothing alike. How did you manage to find someone like her?”

“She literally crossed into my life.”

“What do you mean?”

“She threatened to kill me when we first met.”

Today seemed like any other day for Mando. He had just recently returned back to Nevarro to turn in the bounties he had just collected and was waiting for his next job. Greef was currently congratulating Mando for his success and telling him all about a possible bounty. Several fobs have been given out for this individual and no Guild members have been successful in bringing them back. When no one is successful, Greef knows that he can rely on Mando to get the job done.

“This bounty has been giving my hunters a particularly hard time. From what I can tell, they’re easily able to hunt them down, but when they arrive at the given location, the bounty has been able to get out of their graseasily and then makes another escape- that’s where you come in. The person who put a bounty on their head isn’t too pleased with how long it’s taken and-“

Suddenly, a knife is at Mando’s throat.

“What is he doing here?!” A feminine voice from behind Mando asks.

“I was wondering when you were going to show up!” Greef says as he lets out a few chuckles. The knife only gets closer and closer to Mando’s throat, but luckily his layers of clothing gives him more protection to prevent any damage, “I have a job for the two of you.”

Even when the two of you met just moments ago, you’re already able to read each other’s minds by saying, “I work alone.”

Greef chuckles once again, “well, this is a job that I need two of my best hunters on. You two need to work together on this.”

Once again, it’s like you two can read each other’s minds. When you respond with, ‘I’m not working with him,’ Mando responds with, ‘I’m not working with her.’ 

Greef lets out a sigh as he calls out your name, “please, sit. Let me explain.”

Though hesitantly, you do. You drop the knife from Mando’s throat as you secure it in its rightful place. Mando lets out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding in. He wasn’t afraid of what you were going to do to him, but something about you made him lose his breath. He scoots over to the other side of the seat so that you could join him. You do, but your irritation of the whole situation only reflects in your words.

You’re thigh-to-thigh with him. If either of you were to move an inch away from each other, then a part of your behind would be off of the seat.

“Could you scoot over, Mandalorian? I need my personal space.”

“And special treatment.” He mutters underneath his breath. If you two weren’t so close, you wouldn’t have been able to hear it.

“What did you just say?!” You ask as you look in the ‘T’ visor that you would get used to seeing on a daily basis one day.

“I think you heard me.” Mando responds.

“Guys, please-“ Greef tries to get your attention but the two of you are already not seeing eye-to-eye even when you just met a minute ago.

“At least I don’t see myself as higher than everyone else.” You snark.

“At least I don’t scream to get attention.”

“You know, I’ve always heard that Mandalorians are cold and ruthless killers and I never believed it, but I think I’m starting to.” 

“Guys!” Greef tries to get your attention again.

“You know what, I can’t work underneath these conditions. I’m sorry, but I’m out.”

You get up to leave and hear Mando mutter something underneath his breath while Greef just says your name in a pleading tone.

“If you’re able to catch this bounty, you’ll see a reward bigger than you’ve ever seen before.”

You open your mouth to ask the question that pops up in your mind, but for the third time that day, Mando says the very thought that you think of.

“Why so high?” He asks.

“Besides from my hunters being unsuccessful, I’m assuming the bounty pissed off the wrong people. Can I count on the two of you?”

The bounty doesn’t seem that hard. Mando has already made up his mind but he doesn’t want to force you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, even though the pair of you were just at each other’s throats a few seconds ago. 

Mando’s visor turns from glancing at Greef to looking at you- the first of many times he will silently ask for your approval of a bounty the two of you would take on.

You don’t look over at Mando. You just huff out a deep breath as you snatch up the bounty puck.

“Fine. Let’s go, partner.”

“We were able to catch the bounty at one point, but there were a few altercations that blew our cover.”

“Let me guess: it was because of her?”

“Yes.”

“She’s always been one to speak whatever is on her mind.”

“Yes.”

“She’s brave, I’ll give her that.”

“She’s always been the one to do what others wouldn’t dare to. No one in the Guild ever talked to me. They were too afraid to. No one would’ve been able to say half of the things she’s said to me. She always says what’s on her mind. It’s one of the things I-“ 

Mando cuts himself off. His next words were on the tip of his tongue, saying his next words would’ve been so natural, but he can’t say them outloud. Not yet at least. If he ever does speak them, he wants you to hear them first, not Cara.

“You what?”

“Nothing.”

Just like that, the subject is dropped and silence falls between them. The little one wrapped up in Mando’s arms gently grabs at his sleeve as his little fingers point in the direction ahead of them. When Mando’s visor glances in that direction, he sees that Omera has made her way out of one of the huts briefly before making her way back inside.

Cara sees this too because she urges him to go, “Go. I’ll watch over him.” 

Mando nods his helmet in appreciation at her as he begins to make his way where he just saw Omera’s figure moments ago.

taglist (let me know if you want to be added):  @unstoppableforcce​ @remmysbounty​ @ayamenimthiriel​ @randomness501​ @itspauvr​ @sarahjkl82-blog​ @mostclevermiss​ @seninjakitey​ @altarsw​ @bookloverfilmoholic​ @welcometothepedroverse​

[cwebberphotography]

Two New YouTube videos: https://youtu.be/ipOWwYufwa4

Holi is the festival of colours. It’s also the day I chose to take a break from Pokhara. After breakfast I got a ride on Nirmal’s motor bike to the bus stop. I didn’t get a seat for about 20 minutes so I bumped around in the isle. Then I walked four hours up to Panchase. Got lost, stopped a lot.  I asked directions a couple times and when I got to Green Village I was pulled in for a tea and dal baht. Arjun said if I stay a week it would be 700 NPR/night for a room and three meals a day plus all the tea I can drink.  Now I have lots of time to meditate explore, photograph, sit with the cats and watch them make food in the Gurung kitchen.

There are no decorations in this place. Mud walls and floors a fire on the ground some pots and pans and stools five inches off the ground. Somehow everything is possible in the kitchen. They have a big pot that acts as the sink/compost which they feed to the buffalo once a day. And running water outside that comes out glacier cold. After lunch I walked the trail to one of many Shiva Temples. Lots of good view points and half way up stopped in a secluded spot to meditate on a rock. Found a tree and put my hand on it to see if it would speak to me. It just said he was old as time immemorial. When I came back at sunset it was raining and hailing so I went by the fire and the cool cat warmed my lap while they made dinner. Eventually my legs fell asleep and thankfully the cat moved off. Then slowly the life blood came flowing back again. They hired a carpenter from the next village to stay there and make 20 bee hives and furniture. He was treated like a second class citizen the entire time, he ate last, only millet and dal, usually outside or on the floor away from everyone else and had his own plates and cup…I thought he was a slow neighbour at first as he chatted on about god-knows.  While eating he was striking all sorts of poses he was also drinking lots of local wine.

Soon I’m off to bed. Shuba raatri. What stars aren’t clouded over are completely over taken by the brightness of the full moon. Made even more powerful by the lack of power on top of the mountain.

A letter to the man who just arrived: This place will eat you alive. If you let it. You may leave a different person. You may not like the long cold nights and the silence of the days may cause a blissful malaise. Bamboo forests and fires in the distance. Dusk in the meadow. Hermits who don’t wave back, abandoned foundations and empty river crossings. Cow bells hidden by mountain passes. Himalayas tower over me tall with white clouds blown over, smeared across time from day break to now, they stand watch in the North over tiny galaxies in the leaves.

The higher I get the better I feel. Nepal is the top of the world. This place just got a road in 2012 and electricity is also new. I can take an evening stroll and see nothing but the view. The stars shine bright and the food is fresh within a few feet. There are no preservatives no refrigerator and the air and water are clean. The only voices I hear are miles away.

The sun emits radio waves through the vacuum of space. Exactly two months into this trip. Two months ago I left home now I’m in a cave in Nepal in a mountain in the forest with my feet up. I see maybe three or four people everyday. Wake with the sun. Ma lights two incense and makes tea and I stretch and gaze at the Himalayas. Wash my face and eat breakfast then walk into the mountains to find Shiva temples and small caves. Pink and red rhododendron trees line the path. Sit in the sun. nap on a stoop, my jacket packs into little pillow. Smell of wet green forest and only the sound of birds and falling leaves occasional bees and far away single engine airplanes. I’ve had too much dal baht. Probably eaten my weight in rice. Singing Om with John Lennon listening to Let It Be the sun dries my tears as I descend the mountain. Several Beatles references this week have brought back the thought that as time goes on coincidences and synchronisities will grow as well. The song Across the Universe has new meaning for me now as Lennon sings the mantra Jay Guru Deva and then says Om.

Fog straddled the mountain and caressed it from all angles. As I pass flowers after flowers and my path is lined with red pedals the smell of a woman enters my nostrils and I know it’s no woman but the fragrance of God and it’s he who makes all the beautiful women smell as good as they do. Without flowers there would be no perfume.

Green Village guest house is at least 25 years old. Arjun’s grandma’s older brother lived in town and lost everything in a card game so he came here where there were only a few buffalo farmers. He built the original place and lived here 50 years before he was robbed and returned to town. Slowly his family moved up the mountain and started the first tea house and added to it as others came to make a full-fledged ‘hotel’. I had a lot of questions for Arjun, he said they go to town once a month for supplies sometimes less sometimes more. Sometimes they’re without power for months at a time and before the road his aunt would walk both ways.

Today I was caught in the rain. Turned hail storm. I sat under a tree to stay as dry as possible then continued to shoot. Someone who knows Nama the Mother is here now. He’s my age and working in England and is home visiting for a funeral. He says he’s Buddhist and could not do vipassana because he’s not strong enough.

Bishal left this morning after another good talk.  Also my phone is dead and there is no sign of power coming back on. We had breakfast around 6:30 and lunch after 10 a.m. Between we chatted about London, meditation, smoking, family, LSD, books, music and getting together in Pokhara. His family caste is from Himalayas, the Gurung warrior caste, and have been with the British Army for 200 years. He told me two stories of vipassana he’s heard. One was his friend ran away early on the third day and another friend did it and told his long time girlfriend after that he had been cheating and also has a wife. Today I saw Ma with a pile of buffalo shit in her hand walking down the path.

Woke at six and had a millet pancake which includes five teaspoons of sugar, water, eggs and honey on top. The moon is still high in the sky as the sun rises. Mountains are invisible and the sky is blue. The dew and condensation drops from the roof and ceiling as the local news plays on the radio and the dude hammers away at bee hives. I went to a part of the mountain with no birds or bees or breeze and felt complete silence. It’s fleeting and actually deafening. After it disappeared I was happy to hear again. Ok with the radio, the birds and bees the chatter in any language was welcome. Here I’m able to meditate all day and stretch and read and be 100% in nature all the time. Best of all I have no worries. No worries of the future or present. All my food and shelter are taken care of, my toilet, clothes, TV time at night when there is power. Even without power or electricity I’m fine and happy.

Occasional sense desires come but that’s why I’m here. To get away from cake and chips and jungle talkies and tourists because soon enough my life will be turned upside down in Japan and Kathmandu. Monday of this week like the last 10 at least have come and gone without a whimper. Just a smile if I realize which day it is. It truly is your job you hate not a certain day of the week.

After an hour sit in my room I walked the path to Arthur and found a spot to sit in the sun. Stopping every 10 feet to smell a new smell or listen or stare far away and regain my long distance sight which dissolves in the confines of a city. Seeing people on these trails is as rare as seeing a moose in Canada. I heard people have around 60,000 thoughts (conscious and subconscious) a day and 95% of them are the same as yesterday. We are all writing our stories day by day. I would like for mine to have no repeats.

It’s Thursday, yesterday I had a hot water bucket bath and today I did my laundry which may never dry. As I walked the ridge I could hear two women in the bush and figured they were pruning trees for buffalo like the woman I came across on the way up, way up in a tree. After sitting I heard them closer, then saw four human size bunches of leaves go down the path laughing and chatting along. These people are masters of camouflage.

After an afternoon nap, out my window a man and Ma were carrying wood on their foreheads and dumping it. She’s old and he’s older and I found myself watching thinking maybe they’d let me stack the wood. I asked Arjun and he said go ahead and grab a basket. If she can do it so can I. Now she’s stacking and he’s carrying so I grab a basket and start. After 1.5 hours working bare foot the pile disappeared. It’s hard work, and if you stop paying attention to what you’re doing for one second you can really hurt yourself. That night I had two roxies (local wine) and watched the Waterboy until her Hindi soaps came on.

Pani is water. Jaro is cold. Basa means sit. Chiya is tea. Chiini is sugar.

Second last day a man from Vancouver came and we talked most of the time. He’s 44 has a house and family. Works for the city as an engineer and micro-doses LSD and mushrooms for ideas and to stay fresh. He said he couldn’t live without meditating before bed. I said I also enjoy it. On the walk down Ram Dass said meditation is a method and a trap. You need to become trapped in it for it to work but ultimately it is a method and should be dropped. The goal is not to be a meditator but to be free.

The days are long and life is short. I take it one hour at a time. I love laughing with Nama and Arjun. I could live in this area but it’s changing fast. The road is starting to be used more and people searching for solitude are all coming here. Today a picnic bus came with people crammed in and over flowing onto the roof.

After a long walk I went to warm up and watch the festivities. As soon as I sat down two guys grabbed me and forced me to dance a fast song. I danced with an old man who looks like Gandhi with foggy glasses and missing teeth. My reward was some of the best food I’ve had to date.

Thankful to be traveling alone and for strangers who dance.

      Seven days in Bhangjyang Two New YouTube videos: Holi is the festival of colours. It's also the day I chose to take a break from Pokhara.