Cockroach Express

The sleep itself on the train was actually better than I thought it would be although the padding on the bunks leave a lot to be desired for. I also had my first cup of Chai in a clay cup which Sam told me on my flight in that I had to try and yes the taste was definitely a little different...........perhaps from the sediment from the clay. On the train, we met a wonderful lady, Tara who is a professor of Buddhism at the Emery College in Atlanta, Ga. She is on a sabbatical this year but she usually lives in Mcleod Ganj (home of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama) 6 months out of the year because she takes her students there on a yearly basis and her students also get to learn from His Holiness as well. She asked me where my family background comes from (China) so she then asked what my thoughts were on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I told her that I thought what the government was doing to prepare for these Olympics was unfortunate and that in general, the growth of China in the short run could be the very downfall of it in the future. I think she liked my answer because she expounded on this topic and also inlcuded talking about human rights violations that occur in China. I am nowhere as intelligent as she was so I did the smart thing and just listened to her profess her wisdom. Also the great thing about meeting her is that she had a car wating in Gaya so she offered us a ride into Bodh Gaya which saved us some time and money.