Dharma Yatra 2008

Afternoon of Monday, 11^th August, 2008
to 12 noon on Thursday, 21^st August, 2008

We ask that Yatra participants be there for the whole 10 days, starting from the beginning in Serres Sur Arget, Foix, south of Toulouse, France. It is not possible to join on any other day of the Yatra. There will not be a change-over day as in the previous Yatras.

Dear Friends

In 2001, with just over 60 people, the first Dharma Yatra left Tapovan (near Carcassonne) and walked for 19 days to Plum village.

In 2008, we will start from Serres Sur Arget with places available for 108 adults and children.

Please read carefully the following details, before you contact us with any questions. They will probably be answered with the information below.

Below you will find details on:

• How to Register
• The starting point and end point of Yatra
• How to get there by car
• Car sharing
• Staying before and/or after the Yatra
• Dana
• Registration fee
• Methods of payment
• What to bring
• Cancellations
• Contacts

HOW TO REGISTER

In order to register for the Yatra you need to do the following :

1. Read below all details concerning the Yatra.
2. Once you have read all the relevant information fill out a Dharma Yatra booking form for everyone over 16 years of age and send either on line or by post to the address below.
   • To fill and return by email: Dharma Yatra registration form in Word format (.doc)
   • To print and return by mail: Dharma Yatra registration form in PDF format (.pdf)]
3. Send €50 non-refundable registration fee, per person (excluding children) either
   • by cheque in euros:
     
     • payable to :
           Yatra (important!)
       
     • and mail it to:
           Yatra
           c/o Muriel Bansard
           3 Place Saint Roch
           61110 Rémalard
           France
       
     Please send by mail as early as possible, or at the latest before the end of July.
     
     
   • by credit card / Paypal:
   • or by bank transfer using this information:
     • Account holder: Yatra
     • IBAN: FR76 1660 6000 6000 1336 3149 156
     • BIC/SWIFT: AGRIFRPP866

When we receive your booking form and deposit, we will send you a confirmation by email.

As the Yatra was filled to its maximum capacity for the last years, we would advise to register as soon as possible to ensure that you have a place.

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STARTING PLACE - Monday August 11^th

Join our Dharma Yatra starting in the village of Serres-sur-Arget, 15 minutes from Foix, and one hour south from Toulouse in the south of France.

There are trains and buses going from Toulouse to Foix.

Excerpt of the train times:

We will meet you at the Foix train station at 4:15pm, and bring you to the Yatra campsite which is 15 minutes away by car. There is no public transportation to get there, so we will share cars, vans & taxis and we will make a few back-and-forth travels if needed.

If you miss the meeting point, the only other alternative is to take a taxi to Serres-sur-Arget (see below "Arriving to the Yatra by car").

YATRA WILL END - Thurday August 21^st

The Yatra will end near the village of Foix. We will organize car-sharing to the train station in the same way, making a few back-and-forth travels if needed.

Excerpt of the train times:

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ARRIVING TO THE YATRA BY CAR

From Foix to Serres-sur-Arget by car:

- When arriving to Foix (coming from Toulouse or from Tarascon), go to the center of Foix, crossing a bridge.
- Cross the center of Foix, going direction St-Girons.
- When getting out of the center of Foix, the road turns to the right and cross a bridge. Instead of turning right and crossing the bridge, go straight (a bit towards the left), direction St-Pierre-de-Rivière.
- 200 m further, take left at the little roundabout
- Then go always straight (on the D17).
- 4 km after St-Pierre-de-Rivière, turn right direction Serres-sur-Arget. There is a good uphill slope.
- Arriving in Serres-sur-Arget, turn right just after the cemetery, and just before the "Mairie" (town hall).
50 m further, the parking is under the "Salle des Fêtes".

PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE LATEST BY 6.30pm IN TIME FOR REGISTRATION & THE OPENING TALK

If you have space in your car, please pass by the train station to pick up other "Yatrikas" to bring to the Yatra campsite. Thank you!

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CAR SHARING

Get in contact with others about car-sharing on this page:

www.dharmayatra.org/covoiturage

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STAYING BEFORE/AFTER

There are campsites close to Foix and Serres Sur Arget:

Camping la Barguillère
La Mouline
09000 Serres sur Arget
05 61 65 22 87

Camping Caravaning du Lac
Labarre
09000 Foix
05 61 65 11 58

Foyer Léo Lagrange – Youth Hostel – Auberge de jeunesse
16 rue Peyrevidal
09000 Foix
05 61 65 09 04

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DANA

The principle of "Dana" or Generosity is at the roots of the Dharma Yatra.

There is no fixed charge for participating in the Yatra, apart from the registration fee (see below). The whole event relies on generosity. All those organizing the Yatra, which involves many hundreds of hours of work, are doing so voluntarily.

Expenses for Dharma Yatra include all the meals provided, administration costs, maintenance and running of the kitchen truck, hiring 3 to 4 vehicles, Teachers' travel fares, etc. All donations are made to "Yatra", a non-profit association (Association sans but lucratif loi 1901)

Dana will also be invited for the Teachers who receive no payment for coming and teaching on the Yatra, and for the main organizers.

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REGISTRATION FEE

This year we have introduced a non-refundable registration fee of €50. This helps contributes to the considerable pre-Yatra expenses, and is also to encourage commitment with the booking process. In 2006 we refused people because we were over our limit of 170 people per week, only to find that around 40 people who were registered failed to show up. This meant that people who could have participated were unable to do so. In 2007, with the registration fee, only about 2-3 people didn't showed up.

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METHODS OF PAYMENT

You can offer Dana before, during and after the Yatra, in any of the following ways;

• Cash of any currency
• Cheques in euros (payable to "Yatra")
• International travellers' cheques (payable to "Yatra")

Important: Please note we cannot accept credit cards or PayPal transactions at the end of the Yatra, as we will not be near banking or computer facilities.

Important: There will not be any ATM accessible during the duration of the Yatra, so please plan accordingly!

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WHAT TO BRING

You need to bring with you the following:

• Tent, mat, warm sleeping bag. (It can be cold in the evening/night times even in the south of France!)
• Sun hat and protective clothing for hot weather
• Water proofs for wet weather
• Warm jumper/jacket for cool weather
• Good walking sandals or shoes or boots
• Water bottle for 2 liters or more
• Sun screen, insect repellent, blister plasters.
• A torch and spare batteries
• Cup, plate, bowl and cutlery
• Toiletries, towel, swim wear, etc
• Driving license if you are willing to drive one of the hired vehicles or if you are a parent who will share in driving the crèche vehicle (please send us a photocopy before July)

Please pack lightly, all the luggage has to be transported to each new site!

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CANCELLATIONS

If you cancel please inform us straight away. There is normally a waiting list and your place will allow someone else to attend.

Please note that your €50 registration fee is non-refundable.

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CONTACTS

For further information and details about the the Dharma Yatra, look at our Frequently Asked Questions page.

For any amendments to your Booking form or questions about the Yatra, email us or contact us on the address below.

Important: Before contacting us, please take the time to read all the information on the pages Dharma Yatra 2008 and FAQ. The answers to most of your questions can be found in this website.
Please ONLY contact Muriel if you have an important question that is not addressed in the website.
Please make your questions clear and precise.
Your help with this request will be much appreciated.

Muriel's e-mail address is:

We look forward to welcoming you on the Yatra
With metta,

the Dharma Yatra Team

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