I came at the event just a few minutes before the beginning and was surprised to see thousands of people under a huge tent and dozens of people waiting outside.
The guard pulled me back: "Sorry Sir. It is full. You cannot enter."
I told him that I carry an important letter for Dalai Lama. He changed his attitude, scanned me with a metal detector and let me in.
There was very little space and I sat on the floor there.
"Excuse me Sir. You have to move from here," a young man told me.
Before I had a chance to say anything, he showed me the path to the front. I ended up in a VIP area with people from media and important organizations.
I have never seen Dalai Lama in person before. He is such a funny, joyful and intelligent being but his English is not good.
February 4, 2006
"It seems I will be in Bangalore for a conference organized by Art of Living on February 17. If you wish we can see each other there and then return home together."
It was an informal note I received from my president Janez Drnovsek and the first thought was: "Oh, what a pitty, I will not be able to participate."
In the morning I decided to go to buy a plane ticket to Istanbul for Monday or Tuesday.
Yesterday evening someone sent me an email: "You need money for ticket?! Ok, I give you Rs 10,000." I screamed as I receive this email. This means I have almost enough money for a plane ticket. Suditya (the guy who hosts me) told me he can get Rs 7 thousand together with his friends.
The Silver Jubilee of Art Of Living seems to be an enormous event, that I would not want to miss. There will be more than 2 million participants from all over the world and we will talk about the new guidelines for the future. I am already so excited!
21:00
A lady from Mumbai (whom I do not know) wrote me, that she wants to buy me a plane ticket. She also has her brother there, who wants to host me. Yupeeee!
I eagerly woke up in the morning and had a quick breakfast. Today was the first time of the journey that I would attempt to enter a country without required visa.
11:00 WAGAH BORDER
At Wagah I walked up to the officer and showed him my passport. He directed me to another building. I have never seen so much heavily-armed soldiers on the border crossing.
"Where is your visa, sir?"
"I don't have it."
"How do you mean, you don't have it. I am afraid you will have to go back."
"No sir. I am not going back. I am going to cross the border."
The officer was surprised.
"Sir, I don't believe in visa. I am just a human being. I don't even carry any luggage on me."
Since I insisted so much, he sent an officer to accompany me to the chief officer of the border crossing.
"Mr Sedmak. You cannot cross the border with no visa. There is absolutely no way to let you cross it."
"Sir. I have traveled for the last 24 hours to reach this border and I am not moving from here, until you let me walk on. I do not carry any weapons, nor bad intentions. I am a human being just like you and Pakistani people."
His face turned to a smile and he asked me to show me the letter to President Musharaf.
After half an hour of conversation, the chief officer let me through.
"Do you understand that you have only a single entry visa and you will not be able to go back, once we let you cross?"
"I understand, Sir," I replied.
"What will you do if the Pakistani side refuses you?"
"I don't know, Sir. But I will give it a try."
The officer told me to leave his office.
They gave me a stamp and assured me I cannot return to the country, once I leave it. I told them I am willing to risk.
My heart was beating faster and faster. "I am going to cross the border without visa for the first time," I was thinking to myself.
"Sir, passport please."
I showed them the passport and they let me go.
"Passport please!"
I showed the passport one more time. My hands were sweating and my heart beating harder as the officer slipped through the pages.
"You can go," he said to my relief.
11:25
Wagah border: "Please, show me your passport."
There was a group of four officers sitting at the table and they wrote my name in the book.
I passed the last stop. I saw a huge sign WELCOME TO LAHORE. I was already thinking about the transport to take to reach the city of Lahore and then Islamabad.
"Please sir, move this way," I heard a voice on the right and I turned. There was an officer pointing me in the direction of immigration.
The officer was evidently shocked when he found I have no visa and he got confused. I started explaining him my ideas and his face traits have softened and his lips occasionally turned into a smile. We have been talking for a while and he told me there is no way he can let me cross the border with no visa.
I said I will stand there until they let me cross the border and it have been resisting going back to India for some time. The official had to physically take me to another official and soon whole Pakistani side of the border was alarmed about a very special visitor.
"Do you want to be arrested, Sir," was a loud voice of the officer sitting on a chair besides a big stone statue.
"I just want to continue my walk, but if you think this is the right thing to do, then please, arrest me." was my firm reply.
The officer left and commanded the soldiers to get me back to India. I refused to move until they let me speak with the senior official and I even attempted to walk through the gate towards Pakistan.
My attempt was stopped by an armed officer. Then I felt a gentle hand on my back and as I turned around, I saw an Indian official and his assistant.
"Come with us. Please." was his warm invitation. I listened to him and followed the two man in silence. I was defeated.
"I am sure you are hungry," he started the conversation after a few minutes. "Please, join me for a meal."
13:40
During the meal, he told me how much he admires me. He told me, united India and Pakistan is his dream since childhood and he was immensely happy seeing a young person fighting for this same cause.
14:00
I don't know what to do. I believe the best way is to go back to Delhi, get this stupid visa and come back. "I asked God in the morning to open me the gates in front of me. Why didn't he listen to me? Why did he betray me and send me back to India?".
A car suddenly stopped and a young Thai reporter invited me inside. As soon as he heard what I have tried to do, he leaned towards me and told me, his greatest life dream is to disarm Thailand and then gradually all the world.
"People think I am crazy when I explain this to them... and I see you are even more crazy than me!" He giggled.
"Please, Peacehiker, DO NOT STOP YOUR FIGHT! There are thousands others fighting the same objective."
New Delhi - Istanbul - Ljubljana(Slovenia)
6100 km
6:10 New Delhi
I am standing on the crossroads of Dwarka district, trying to get a hitchhike towards west. They say it is about 500 kilometres to Pakistani border. Mornings are so cold! Thanks God Adik in Pune gave me a coat. And I even resisted, I told him I don't need it.
20:30 Amritsar
Just reached Amritsar, a city 26 km from Pakistani border. People on the way told me it is not at all possible to enter Pakistan without VISA. But they told me I MUST visit a Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib).
23:30
I have just seen the most impressive building in my life. I can't find the words to describe the beauty of a Golden Temple, so I attached a picture.
People here are incredibly kind! There is a huge free kitchen, where I just had a delicious dinner, together with hundreeds others and they warmly accepted me to stay in the dormitory besides the temple for free. I also had a shower with warm water and I am now lying on the bed, excited about tomorrow. I WILL CROSS THE BORDER, WHATEVER IT TAKES!first published:February 05, 2006, 18:46 ISTlast updated:February 05, 2006, 18:46 IST
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An hour ago I have finished the letter for Dalai Lama. Three days ago someone wrote me that he will be in Delhi. I thought there will not be many people. Maybe few Tibetan people and some locals. I even had a hard time finding the information where exactly he would be.
I came at the event just a few minutes before the beginning and was surprised to see thousands of people under a huge tent and dozens of people waiting outside.
The guard pulled me back: "Sorry Sir. It is full. You cannot enter."
I told him that I carry an important letter for Dalai Lama. He changed his attitude, scanned me with a metal detector and let me in.
There was very little space and I sat on the floor there.
"Excuse me Sir. You have to move from here," a young man told me.
Before I had a chance to say anything, he showed me the path to the front. I ended up in a VIP area with people from media and important organizations.
I have never seen Dalai Lama in person before. He is such a funny, joyful and intelligent being but his English is not good.
February 4, 2006
"It seems I will be in Bangalore for a conference organized by Art of Living on February 17. If you wish we can see each other there and then return home together."
It was an informal note I received from my president Janez Drnovsek and the first thought was: "Oh, what a pitty, I will not be able to participate."
In the morning I decided to go to buy a plane ticket to Istanbul for Monday or Tuesday.
Yesterday evening someone sent me an email: "You need money for ticket?! Ok, I give you Rs 10,000." I screamed as I receive this email. This means I have almost enough money for a plane ticket. Suditya (the guy who hosts me) told me he can get Rs 7 thousand together with his friends.
The Silver Jubilee of Art Of Living seems to be an enormous event, that I would not want to miss. There will be more than 2 million participants from all over the world and we will talk about the new guidelines for the future. I am already so excited!
21:00
A lady from Mumbai (whom I do not know) wrote me, that she wants to buy me a plane ticket. She also has her brother there, who wants to host me. Yupeeee!
I eagerly woke up in the morning and had a quick breakfast. Today was the first time of the journey that I would attempt to enter a country without required visa.
11:00 WAGAH BORDER
At Wagah I walked up to the officer and showed him my passport. He directed me to another building. I have never seen so much heavily-armed soldiers on the border crossing.
"Where is your visa, sir?"
"I don't have it."
"How do you mean, you don't have it. I am afraid you will have to go back."
"No sir. I am not going back. I am going to cross the border."
The officer was surprised.
"Sir, I don't believe in visa. I am just a human being. I don't even carry any luggage on me."
Since I insisted so much, he sent an officer to accompany me to the chief officer of the border crossing.
"Mr Sedmak. You cannot cross the border with no visa. There is absolutely no way to let you cross it."
"Sir. I have traveled for the last 24 hours to reach this border and I am not moving from here, until you let me walk on. I do not carry any weapons, nor bad intentions. I am a human being just like you and Pakistani people."
His face turned to a smile and he asked me to show me the letter to President Musharaf.
After half an hour of conversation, the chief officer let me through.
"Do you understand that you have only a single entry visa and you will not be able to go back, once we let you cross?"
"I understand, Sir," I replied.
"What will you do if the Pakistani side refuses you?"
"I don't know, Sir. But I will give it a try."
The officer told me to leave his office.
They gave me a stamp and assured me I cannot return to the country, once I leave it. I told them I am willing to risk.
My heart was beating faster and faster. "I am going to cross the border without visa for the first time," I was thinking to myself.
"Sir, passport please."
I showed them the passport and they let me go.
"Passport please!"
I showed the passport one more time. My hands were sweating and my heart beating harder as the officer slipped through the pages.
"You can go," he said to my relief.
11:25
Wagah border: "Please, show me your passport."
There was a group of four officers sitting at the table and they wrote my name in the book.
I passed the last stop. I saw a huge sign WELCOME TO LAHORE. I was already thinking about the transport to take to reach the city of Lahore and then Islamabad.
"Please sir, move this way," I heard a voice on the right and I turned. There was an officer pointing me in the direction of immigration.
The officer was evidently shocked when he found I have no visa and he got confused. I started explaining him my ideas and his face traits have softened and his lips occasionally turned into a smile. We have been talking for a while and he told me there is no way he can let me cross the border with no visa.
I said I will stand there until they let me cross the border and it have been resisting going back to India for some time. The official had to physically take me to another official and soon whole Pakistani side of the border was alarmed about a very special visitor.
"Do you want to be arrested, Sir," was a loud voice of the officer sitting on a chair besides a big stone statue.
"I just want to continue my walk, but if you think this is the right thing to do, then please, arrest me." was my firm reply.
The officer left and commanded the soldiers to get me back to India. I refused to move until they let me speak with the senior official and I even attempted to walk through the gate towards Pakistan.
My attempt was stopped by an armed officer. Then I felt a gentle hand on my back and as I turned around, I saw an Indian official and his assistant.
"Come with us. Please." was his warm invitation. I listened to him and followed the two man in silence. I was defeated.
"I am sure you are hungry," he started the conversation after a few minutes. "Please, join me for a meal."
13:40
During the meal, he told me how much he admires me. He told me, united India and Pakistan is his dream since childhood and he was immensely happy seeing a young person fighting for this same cause.
14:00
I don't know what to do. I believe the best way is to go back to Delhi, get this stupid visa and come back. "I asked God in the morning to open me the gates in front of me. Why didn't he listen to me? Why did he betray me and send me back to India?".
A car suddenly stopped and a young Thai reporter invited me inside. As soon as he heard what I have tried to do, he leaned towards me and told me, his greatest life dream is to disarm Thailand and then gradually all the world.
"People think I am crazy when I explain this to them... and I see you are even more crazy than me!" He giggled.
"Please, Peacehiker, DO NOT STOP YOUR FIGHT! There are thousands others fighting the same objective."
New Delhi - Istanbul - Ljubljana(Slovenia)
6100 km
6:10 New Delhi
I am standing on the crossroads of Dwarka district, trying to get a hitchhike towards west. They say it is about 500 kilometres to Pakistani border. Mornings are so cold! Thanks God Adik in Pune gave me a coat. And I even resisted, I told him I don't need it.
20:30 Amritsar
Just reached Amritsar, a city 26 km from Pakistani border. People on the way told me it is not at all possible to enter Pakistan without VISA. But they told me I MUST visit a Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib).
23:30
I have just seen the most impressive building in my life. I can't find the words to describe the beauty of a Golden Temple, so I attached a picture.
People here are incredibly kind! There is a huge free kitchen, where I just had a delicious dinner, together with hundreeds others and they warmly accepted me to stay in the dormitory besides the temple for free. I also had a shower with warm water and I am now lying on the bed, excited about tomorrow. I WILL CROSS THE BORDER, WHATEVER IT TAKES!
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