When travellers talk of Dharamsala they usually mean the town of McLeod Ganj which is just up the road. It's also known as Little Tibet or Dharamlhasa due to the large Tibetan population: it being where the Dalai Lama has made his home since fleeing Tibet in exile.
Almost at the end of my bus journey to Dharamsala I turned around and discovered a white guy was sitting a few rows behind me. I said hello as we exited the bus and from that point we teamed up to find accommodation, meals, go walking etc.
Don't get excited, we are just friends.
Anyway, he wasn't well. I have always had the good fortune of having had support each time I've really been sick while travelling so I decided to stick by him and see him through his problems the best I could. This meant we stayed 5 nights in Little Tibet.
It didn't matter though, I really liked it there. (There is some irony that the place in India with the least Indians appeals so much to me.)
I learnt lots about the Tibetan problem. And ate plenty of Tibetan food (momos!), and just enjoyed not being hassled by Indians saying 'Mam, you want to buy something?' 'Hello Taxi!' 'Where you from? You look my shop... Looking is free'
I also have enjoyed having western male company. All comments are directed to him. I did notice that on the 2 occasions that I walked the streets alone I found myself with a willing suitor (Jon came along one time to witness me saying to a young Tibetan man "no, I don't want company for dinner, I'm happy to eat alone".) ... I'm sure that for many Tibetans visa problems can be assisted with a foreign bride.
Finally we did leave little Tibet, and went to Palumpur to see the tea being grown. My blog about Palumpur though refers to my most interesting hotel with a view.
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