Ten Lions

What do you call the first 10 Sikhs on top of mount Everest? Ten-Singh!

That was one of the dreadful jokes that came out this morning as we had a visit by Tenzing - the cousin of our very dear friend Dr. Cherring from Sikkim (see: A hospital far, far away).

Tenzing has been travelling the country - for the past 9 months - on his trusty Enfield. After leaving his IAS posting in Kerala, he has hit the road in his Kerala-registered steed and is writing a book about journey.

The journey so far has taken him up and down our dear country - including a visit to his cousin Cherring at Nav Jivan Hospital - and this morning we were included in the itenary.

A brief breakfast - time for a few songs sung by Asha and Enoch - then over to the centre for morning prayers - a summary of our work on powerpoint - and then it was off for Tenzing. He mounted his iron horse, and rode it up the Godhbandar road towards the Mumbai-Gujarat highway towards Ahmedabad.

Riding sounds romantic. But 10-12 hours every day? Tenzing confessed that the first 2 weeks were excruciating for his posterior - but that things worked out better then. All the same - this is his last month - then off to Nepal for quiet and writing for the next 4.

Fare well traveller! May you have the strength and courage of 10 lions!