Namaste friends,

So sorry it’s taken so long for me to update you all about happenings here at Camp Autolift. There’s been so much going on elsewhere that’s needed my attention I just haven’t had the time or resources to write anything of any value.

But thing are more settled now and so here we go…

It seems the continued will of those local folks who stop by here that we stick around. We continue to be inundated with both practical and moral support it’s quite overwhelming, not to mention humbling.

For my part, and with Prajna’s full agreement, if we stick around (and it seems we are, at least for the foreseeable future) we need to be as self sufficient as possible. In practical terms, that means water catchment and filtration, composting waste, developing food gardens and generating our own power supply. It also means working with, and for the benefit of, the local community insofar as skill and resource sharing, which benefits all who partake. Aside from that we would also like to develop a community recycling centre though I’m not 100% sure how we might do that at this stage… Time and innovation will show the way. 🙂

Water catchment is both the easiest and most immediate thing to be done. We already have, thanks to friends Adam and Jen, a large water-butt, complete with tap. We also, thanks to Alan, have a large tarpaulin roof from which to catch the plentiful supply of rainwater which falls here. It’s only a question now of putting up some guttering and, from there, developing some kind of filtration system. The guttering is promised and should be here before too long. We have no doubt that once that is in place all else will follow… That’s the way it seems to work around here… as soon as one need is met (and invariably all needs are met just in the nick of time!) then the next need is met in turn.

It’ll take time to develop the kind of eco-village-type set up we desire, yet slowly but surely all of the pieces will fall into place. Of that we have no doubt. We would greatly appreciate your help and support in that; should you have any practical advice or support to offer we’d be most grateful. We’re big on ideas, strong on will and ambition, have some notions of how we might develop the systems we need, but we’re no experts… yet! 😉

In the meantime we’ve been given a load of very beautiful fabric by our good friend, Heather, and so I’m going to set to work using that making curtains/partitions for around our shelter and banners for our entrance.

Prajna and I decided last night to create a sheltered, partitioned area so we have somewhere a little quieter and more intimate to chat with friends away from the, often crowded, dhuni fire area. The new room will be raised off the ground and will include, we hope, a small oil-burner for warmth. (We’re sure there must be plenty of small local business around and about that have to pay to dispose of waste oil.)

All in all we’re delighted with the way things are developing here, delighted that folks are responding to our presence and our convictions so positively and delighted by the outpouring of support we’re receiving from right across the board. And we thank each and every one of you for it!

As far as Autolift Ltd is concerned, things have been pretty quiet since my ‘Don’t Mess with the Hippies’ blog post. Whether that’s due to the blog or simply because things are quiet we don’t know. We’re just happy to be left in peace to get on with creating a home and community centre here.

The Autolift guys have been out this morning extending the fence they put around us several weeks ago, one end of which was left open but is now closed, affording us (and them) a little more certainty as to where the boundary between our land and Autolift land actually lies.

Needless to say, Two-fingers and the one I’ve come to call ‘The Big Red Angry One’ were less than friendly when talking to Prajna in relation to erecting the fence, but by now we don’t really expect much better from either of them. As for the rest of the Autolift staff, I think most of them are basically decent folk who just want to get on with their jobs in peace. Mostly they ignore us though one or two occasionally smile and wave as they pass in and out of the yard.

In my last blog I extended an invitation to Autolift staff to visit any time, as long as they leave hostility at the door. That invitation is open and will remain open. We have an open house here, quite literally, and welcome any and all visitors whether they support us or not. – We may become frustrated at the ignorance of a few, but try to use that to inform them of where they might research matters of concern.

Finally, on a more personal note, communication with family and loved ones is difficult here. I’m doing my best to stay in contact via email and facebook. You all know I’m here for you as much as I possibly can be. I love and miss you so much and I only hope you find time to stay in touch with me.

Much love and many thanks to you all,

Kazz and Prajna. xxxx