The Countdown to Thailand

Yesterday we went right up coast to Morjim, Asvem and Arombol, easily the most beautiful beaches that I have seen so far in Goa. Not only are the beaches free from sellers and visitors alike, the sea level is hip height for about 100 meters, there aren’t any waves, and it looks very clean as well. There were lots of holiday huts on stilts so it seems a lot more exotic than other parts of Goa. This situation wont be lasting for long though as there are plans to build another airport there. We went to a lovely restaurant last night called Fiesta on Tito’s road where I had gorgeous goat’s cheese mousse which as a starter, was more than enough for the whole meal. I am enjoying lots of fruit Moctails this week which makes a pleasantly huge difference to expenditure and to my feelings of well being. We have now found a The Chippie where they make a good effort at steak and kidney pie but the highlight of my culinary adventure in Goa came at the Plantain Leaf where we had veg Thali (70Rs). I must say that it is really weird not having seen the inside of a kitchen for a month. We are nearly ready to go to Thailand now so I am getting excited and the itinerary will hopefully be very cool. We are planning to go via Mumbai where we will spend a day. I am going to put a posting for a travel companion after Christmas on the Boot And All travel website because I’m prevaricating about doing the trains etc on my own. I had a manicure and pedicure yesterday in an attempt to get all the Ayurvedic oil off my hands – of course the polish had to be applied in the dark because of fading light and the ‘assistant’ (soon the be sister in law) to the actual beautician did my hands under the proud gaze of her mother and then the brother came in. It was indeed a joyous family event. We posted some unneeded stuff back to London and found that the post office is another uniquely Indian experience: There was a queue about 10 deep at one counter and no customers at the other 3 manned counters, there was queue jumping going on and everything seemed to be taking forever when an English woman looked like she was going to loose it as none of the counter staff were able to tell her why the ‘system’ couldn’t be more flexible. I think I made a mistake in agreeing that the package was to be sent airmail, I have a feeling that the price would be a lot more palatable if it goes by boat or donkey or sum’it – I live and learn. The smell of Monsoon mould has gone and the whole of Goa is now starting to look a lot cleaner. The fresh paint everywhere makes me think the queen might be coming to visit but it still feels like Glastonbury on a massive scale. There is one thing about the place that bothers me. There is a small army of women sellers here who have successfully mimicked English cockney-accented phrases and will approach with three whiney sounding sentences – ‘remember me from the beach’, ‘you promised’, ‘aright mate’ and it loses its charm pretty quickly. They have even taken a seat and waited with their wares at the side of the water for us to stop swimming. The other day, we were told that a police lorry had confiscated all the goods that were being sold without licence but they were all ready for action with renewed stock the following morning. I have a strong feeling that years ago when it seemed like a sweet idea, visitors taught the local girls how to speak like this not realising that it was going to make them seem insincere. Lots of travel info discussed the pros and cons of giving presents to local kids but it does take the shine off the experience for other travellers if they are made to feel mean for not providing pens or extra tips. Saying all that, people work very hard and are always friendly. I have had a lovely time here but I’m looking forward to moving on now.

Big Night Out

I finished my massage course (see photo of me and my teacher) yesterday so, after an impromptu fashion show in my new Indian suit, Monty and I went out and were very bold. We stayed out way past our new regular bed time of 8pm and had a few too many coctails. We spoke to some new people which was lovely and we went to a few of the shacks set up along Baga Beach eventually we settled in a shack where there was a private party going on but we were made very welcome along with our cash. I had fabulous jumbo prawns and the resident masseur gave Monty a brief massage (with his clothes on I hasten to add). There was fire eating and belly dancing and all sorts but no one seemed to know what the party was for. Miss Universe is coming to the beach for a fashion show next week to mark the opening of a funky music 'shack'. Today, we risked some bacon with the eggs for breakfast and we went to Candolim for a swim and now we are relaxing and ready for bed and perhaps a little bit of radio and a read.

Diet

Lovely as it is, I'm well and truly off the food here. 'Nuf said.

My first Ayurvedic massage

Well, I underwent my first Ayurvedic massage and even now three days later the whole thing is making me smile. I had NOOOOOO idea what I was letting myself in for. The massage involved the use of lots and lots of lovely oil so clothing is best avoided. Anyhooo it was great so now I’m doing the course and Monty is being a great sport and will be my ‘model’ to start with anyway. Kirsi and Eibhlin I know you would love it so I will book you in for sessions when I get back. Vijay Vargees, the teacher, talks lots about ‘the body as a temple’ and so on. I am doing the 6 day course at 8am for 2 hours each day. So far our favourite beach is South Anjuna where the flea market is held on Wednesdays, it is largely deserted on other days so we went for an early morning swim over the weekend. Of course, a couple of interested Indian men were doing a ‘tour’ of the beach came by. Monty clocked them staring at a woman some way away form us. I am not sure just how shocked I am that they decided to hang around and wait for me to come out of the water. I made the cardinal mistake of trying to stare them down - You just can’t do that with your average Indian. The interest, no matter how abhorred I am by it, is almost innocent. On another occasion, I was at a beach shack and a group of young men took up a pitch right beside a pretty girl in a bikini. As if that wasn’t bad enough, out came their video camera! Well, I called the waiter over and Monty had to stop me causing a scene (until at least he’d finished making his own video LOL). Would you believe there are no oranges, grapes and normal apples around? The small bananas are lovely though. Ice cream is available but expensive. As I write, Monty is taking off in search of nice cold tinned fruit. Supermarkets, chemists etc are fixed price but goods from home are understandably expensive. Insect repellent coils are my favourite discovery and I fully intend to use them when I get back. I know I shouldn’t just shop but I love it. Now however, I don’t bring any money with me so it is safe shopping as such. We found a nice beach shack by Tito’s night club owned and run by a young Goan man called Cedric who values the Coventry crowd among his regulars. Tito’s is the main club and is mentioned a lot in the guide books – its even has the road it is on named after it. Most of the shacks (many of which are still being erected) operate this way so I’m sure there are a few Irish and London ones. We have found a Molly Malone’s but even thought they serve Irish stew, the Goan owner hasn’t ever been to the Emerald Isle. I wrote how to say ‘God be with you / Dia duit’ in their ledger so if any of you visit over the next few years and inspect it, you can see that and smile. A lady in an internet shop invited me to celebrate Diwale with her family but I had only spoken to her for two minutes so I declined. She was in her late 40s and enquired of me what we celebrate where I live so I told her about Christmas and we discussed the similarities – the importance of family and food etc. The locals were making plaster giant puppets for the celebrations and one of them hit the overhead electric wires and burned which was a real as there was a significant cash prize for the best one. All this happened while we blow-ins were sleeping but we saw some of the remnants of the celebrations the following morning and there is still a smell of burning in the air two days later. Lots of people light bonfires in their front yard or by the road side, similar to how they do in Adrigole when a wedding convoy is going past. There were “Diwali prices” thrown into the bargaining the next day. The bargaining thing is a real art and battle of wits here and the Goans will almost certainly win. I have been warned that they will put the price of merchandise up to 800% of the value that one might be prepared to pay for it as they anticipate an offer of half that and room to barter, giving them a very nice tidy profit. I am loving the book that Aaron and Dawn has given me to read on my trip; It is called Shantaram and tells the story of a New Zealander who escaped from prison to India where he had all sorts of adventures with the criminal underworld and slum living and Bollywood and all that. I went on the scooter by myself today and it was ok, I didn’t go above 20km/hour but lots of the locals go at that speed so I didn’t stand out as I used to in London. I can’t imagine being in Goa without a scooter. A litre of petrol is about 55Rs and scooter hire is 200 to 300/day. Only about 1 in 50 people in India wear helmets. Hooting in India is a way of saying ‘I’m here’ and goes on a lot, to the point where you hardly notice it. At peak season, the roads will be very congested making any scooter speed and accidents pretty rare. One of my favourite luxuries that I brought with me is the Dior factor 30 sun-cream that I was given as a present. This brings to mind the list of things that every girl should bring on any long trip. A small loofa can be a great help for hand washing clothes, the combination lock has been handy, the head torch has been great for reading when the lights go out and bikinis are great for doubling up as underwear. Anyway, now I know I’m going on a bit so I better do some study for my next lesson tomorrow morning….

Aims and Objectives in Calangute

Friday 20 October 2006. We arrived safely back to Cangalute and went straight to Coco Banana where we met Walter Lobos, the owner. They were full so we were directed next door to accommodation owned by a lovely older lady called Maria. The room had a fan and cost 600Rs so we agreed to stay there for one night. My first and indeed second visitors were cockroaches so need less to say, I was back to sleeping with my face covered. I hot-footed it back to Walter the following morning and took a room there for the one available night. It’s the best sleep I have had the whole trip so far – there was a mozi net – yippee! I want to clarify that there is no big need to fear malaria here but because I don’t know where I might be next week, I for one am taking the tablets. I really don’t like insects at all and really should have gone to get some phobia treatment at London Zoo before I left. For those of you who shared my hope that I would simply get used to it, it just ain’t happenin’. I did a bit of a ‘Monica from Friends’ and sought out any small tears in the net which I repaired with gaffer tape that I hauled from London and just had to find a use for. Walter then homed us in an apartment he has with a telly and a swimming pool for 1200 Rupees per night (about £15 for the two of us). It sounded great and was only a few pounds more so we were sold and, though the flat isn’t as well kitted out as the room we were in first, we will stay here until next Wednesday. Our list of priorities for choosing a place to stay looks something like this: 1) air-con 2) working shower 3) fridge 4) net 5) fan 6) mozi plug/coils 7) telly. We went to the South Anjuna Beach flea market and I had my first brief but pleasant taste of the trance music for which Goa has become famous. There was so much to see and buy but I resisted. There were lots a bed and cushion coverings and sarongs that looked amazing, teeney-weeney clubbers clothes, comfy yoga type clothes, bags, loads of jewellery and ??? semi-precious stones. I’m sticking to vegetable biryani (in my best effort to do slimming world green days) which comes as a fine healthy portion and costs about 60p. My plan for the next week is to do as many of the following as possible: 1) Ker Kar art Complex just to see, 2) Amrita Kerala Ayurvedica Massage (try one and see if I can do a 5 day course to complement the intro course I did in London), 3) Dolphin and Croc watching, 4) ??? go-carting (but it looks closed), 5) Enquire with travel agent about getting to Kerala from Goa and doing a Backwater tour and possibly a bit more travel around South India, taking in Cochin, Trivandrum and Madurai in Tamil Nadu (so that I can send Heather (from work) a post card from there). 6) Make enquiries about a jeep day-trip to the Tropical Spice Plantation near Sri Mangesh Temple in North Ponda where they cultivate spices for skin treatments. If anyone can advise me about the Backwater tours, I would be very grateful as the choices are over-whelming or if anyone knows where I might be able to do an affordable cookery course somewhere along the way that would be great too. I don’t regret it for a second but the preparation that I put in to closing up shop back in London far outweighed the planning I did for the actual trip. I have had lots of advice for Thailand and not so much for India so all tips welcome.

Henna Haggling in Bangalore

I have had a few experiences in Bangalore. The best was a bath at the Hotel Leela. A more proper traveller's experience was having my hand henna'd. There was a 'discussion' between myself and a couple of local ladies who I can only describe as 'paveys'; At the end of the job, they charged me 300Rs when the quote started off at 50Rs. I had asked for a small tatoo and as they worked their way up to the top of my arm, it became clear I had been had. Its the darnest thing, I felt cheated out of £3 but back home, it wouldn't mean didly squat to me. Here all of a sudden, I felt exhausted. There is such a lot of blatant poverty right beside tremendous wealth, it's hard to handle. I was told that the stuff that these ladies use doesn't always work anyway which ended up being fortunate as I smudged it during the negotiations. I can just about see it 24 hours later. Saying that, with my freckles, I could have just told them to join the dots. I was a lesson or 2 for me. This photo was taken as my hand was drying and the paste was flaking off. It takes over an hour but I used a hair dryer to speed things up. Another experience that I am sure will entertain dad is that I pretty much had to pay to get out of a shop. The friendly auto-rickshaw driver insisted that I go into an emporium even though I protested. They showed me all manner of jewels which I made clear I wasn't interested in so they took me to the cheaper counter. Some dear darling friend will be getting a sandalwood necklace with a little elephant on it. They just wear you down. I can't explain it. I thought I was wise to that sort of pressure selling. A foetus would have handled them better. The driver did faciliate me taking a couple of photos of rather imposing parliament buildings.

Out and about in Bangalore

Its time to come clean about my stay in Bangalore. I'm not exactly backpacking here. Monty is doing a 3 day course and we are staying in the rather plush Hotel Atria where it is being held. I wasn't feeling very well yesterday and I didn't leave the hotel room very much so the huge telly and wifi internet access were appreciated. I couldn't bring myself to post on the blog (despite having lots of time) because I felt such a fraud but today I got out and about in Bangalore town so... I do love to window shop and Bangalore is a great place to do it. I went into several shops where I was surprised by the prices of the clothes. Bangalore has the highest number of millionaires in India so I guess I shouldn't be too shocked. The story has it that the late Winston Churchill still owes money in Bangalore where he lived as a young soldier. It is apparently the newest city in India and some guidebooks describe it as relaxed...hehehe. Like everywhere else we have been, the roads tell a different story. I did make 2 journeys today in 'auto-rickshaws' and I think it went quite well. The price was 40 Rs and it felt safe enough although it took a bit of courage to approach one - and Monty calling me chicken. I am a little worried that I don’t have what it takes to be an 'independent traveler'. My little interesting experience of the day happened when I settled on 2 tops. These tops had long sleeves but I was more interested in getting T-shirts so the lady in the shop closed up and took me to a tailors a couple a minutes walk away. He shortened the sleeves on the 2 tops very nicely for 30Rs. It all reminded me of Jim William, our shoe maker in Adrigole. I have tired of my own clothes very quickly. I didn't pack very much and everything white has gone a kind of yellow that I'm not very comfortable with. I went against Liz Hamlyn's advice and packed my jeans and I took such great pleasure in putting them on yesterday. I am loving the food a bit too much but that isn't really news. I can't think of a place on the planet where I wouldn't love the food. The Indians seem to worry a lot that the food will be too spicy for me, there was a bit of drama over a chili on my plate yesterday - I say 'Bring it on'. So far, I can safely say, I have tasted a lot hotter in Tooting. Better be careful here though as I could find myself laughing out the other side of my face. So much of India so far is reminding me of Summer festivals in the UK. Today, I had a toilet smells flashback.

Shopping, eating and getting lost in Panjim

What a lovely day. I went shopping, it was so girlie. Having a raison d’etre put me in a much better position to enjoy Panjim on a walk about. I started off buying an obligatory ankle chain – 70Rs (just under £1). All the prices were marked clearly and I got confirmation from a helpful shop girl so I didn’t enter into any bargaining. Then I tried on an Indian ladies trouser suit which was cream and delicately beaded and I loved but it was 1400Rs (about £20) and I can’t really see myself getting loads of use out of it so I left it. At the next shop I weakened and I am now the proud owner of an alla babba style trouser suit. It is actually quite pretty I think and the colour is mainly cream but the trousers (which are mostly hidden) are striped reds and pinks. It came in at about a tenner which I can live with. I nearly got parted from £60 in my efforts to purchase a short-wave radio so that I can be ready to listen to the BBC world service when we find ourselves in some beach hut without a TV (thanks for this Cathy H – you put the idea in my head and now I can’t shake it :). Anyway, I got one for 300Rs but I can’t seem to find the BBC so if someone can advise that would be great. Monty had to come and find me as I got hopelessly lost and Panjim isn’t exactly huge. We went for a meal the Hotel Aroma (Sher-E-Punjab restaurant) in an air conditioned, clean and friendly restaurant that the guide books describe as the best in Panjim. We were not disappointed and I even had a little glass of white wine - a real treat. I do miss a nice glass of wine here, a fact I’m sure few of you will be surprised by. As for the mozzi net, I am still looking for one that will fit in my rucksack. What with the outbreak of Dengue fever up by Delhi, it would be reassuring to have one. The one that I have been shown here isn’t really very portable... I think myself and Monty are getting used to the endless stream of people coming up to us to offer us taxis (when we are still on the scooter) and various stuff to buy. The interactions are a little less tense and more smiles are being exchanged. I did find Monty an Economist newspaper so he’s happy. For anyone who should be getting phone calls, I am so sorry. Every time I work out how to make calls from here, we move on and things are slightly different. I will get there soon. Once we get to Bangalore we are going to stay in a slightly better hotel so I will be able to call from there.

Passport antics

Hello all, today we are finding out how to apply for a passport from India. So far we have been to a bank, a money exchanger and we will go to the high commission in a few minutes. The Panjim Inn where we are staying is an old restored Portuguese House and I am slowly getting fond of it - which is how I guess I'm feeling about the whole experience so far. We had been planning to go to Old Goa which is full of old churches but I think that can wait and I am going to check out the shops which is a slightly frightening challenge as Marks and Spencer’s it aint... Shopping list - Mossi net, ? sandals for Monts, ? SW small radio, insect repellant backup. Please keep your comments coming. They make me feel sane. X

Calangute photos

The Williams Beach Retreat at Colvo Beach

I am now at the stage where I can tell the days only by looking at the malaria packaging which conveniently has prompts on it. We have moved from the comparatively luxurious Hotel Golden Eye at Calangute Beach, where we had a fridge and a fab view, to The Williams Beach Retreat at Colvo Beach further south and the other side of Panjim, the capital city. This room is very kitsch with a large floral headboard that brings Justine to mind :). There is a pool here which is very nice indeed and the beach is only 5 minutes away and here we have reliable hot water for the showers - Yippeeee. At the family run Hotel Golden Eye, (Flying Dolphin beach shack), we met Latchmi and Vashal who I have a feeling were known to Kerry in the Haven. There was a lot more going on in Calangute but Monty has managed to find a nice beach shack where we might go for a while later after we watch some football and I post this in the internet cafe. The beach is cleaner here and the sea seems to be calming down. A couple of brave girls are wearing strappy tops but I am staying well covered. The story goes that men from neighbouring states come to Goa to see the western women ‘advertising themselves’. We have had great fun on scooters in both of the places where we have stayed. It isn’t unusual to see an adult doing what I can only assume is a school run with 3 or 4 kids on the scooter with him. The children look so perfect in their school uniforms, which is a stark contrast to just about everything else. The end of the Monsoon marks the beginning of a pretty industrious period for the Goans where they prepare, by doing any building work and touch ups, for the charter tourists (which we are old repeatedly start to arrive form the 15th). This was even clearer in Calangute. The Monsoon has left most places smelling like the inside of an unused caravan and I would be running at speed down to Sainsbury’s for some plug-in air-freshener and some orange smelling detergent to help deal with the flies, if I was anywhere close to a Sainsbury’s. Some of you will know better than others what I’m talking about and how I’m feeling…hehe. I bought a very cute pair of fashion flip-flops for about £3 which were destined for the shelves at Dolcis shop if the labelling was to be believed. I think they saw me coming but I did haggle… The little rucksack that I am using for casual wear has to go next – I feel it adds ever so slightly to me image as a newbie. I was delighted to find a pharmacy (with fixed prices so no need to psych myself up for a haggle) where I was able to replenish our stock of ciprofloxacin and shampoo. That is about as exciting as it gets.

Now too relaxed to write much...

3/10/06 20.59 Got my first sun burn and went with Monty on the scooter to Bagga Beach. We’re booked into Hotel Golden Eye on Calangute Beach until Friday. Then we go to Colva Beach for a max of a week, and then we go to Bangalore for Monty to do a short course. Had more jumbo prawns (for a change), this time with rice. Telly out of order so early night. 4/10/06 6.44pm Went north as far as Anjuna beech today for a couple of cups of milky coffee. Made it to an internet shop. Then we came back as far as Fort Aguada Beach Resort where we had the most gorgeous food: linguini and steaks. Mmmhmmm. Just saw lovely sunset and slightly freaky migration of rather large dragonflies just over our heads. Hotel Golden Eye is pretty cute but the water runs out and is only available cold. I did manage to wash some clothes today through so travel plug and travel wash came in very useful. 5/10/6 Just had to best banana split and booked into hotel at Colva beach recommended in one of the quide books. Have a new nephew since yesterday called Oran - YAHOO. We went for a very hot walk along the beech today - its very very hot so I'm well covered.

How to become well known in Delhi Airport...

30/9/6 9pm Arrived in Dubai- took out 200 dirham - bought some baileys for Monty to go with the economist and the jelly babies. I have a feeling there is a problem with my phone as Monty hasn’t faxed me back yet. I met a lovely young woman called Mandy – North Indian but living in Washington DC with a great story. Found a free internet place so put a bit of blog on. TED stockings are paying off but feet still hurt… 1/10/06 03.47 local time Arrived in Delhi. It is exactly as I was told – lots of bustle – but so subtle. There lots of playful skipping of queues going on. I just keep remembering and repeating my mantra courtesy of Paul for Arodene Road: “the people who can help won’t offer…”. The people who offer are only after the money. There aren’t many people here though and I am now waiting in the inter-terminal transfer hall waiting for a bus. I haven’t any rupees yet but this can wait ‘til I get to domestic airport. It’s a bit yellow and brown. 0512 Local time Delhi. I am now stationed in the upstairs restaurant at Terminal 2B on Monty’s advice and it’s lovely. I can’t check in ‘til 9 so I hope they will put up with me ‘til at least then. I will be very happy to get these TEDS off. I have 5000 Rupees in my possession which is either 5 million or 50 quid. There was a free transit bus between the terminals and it felt like we drove right through the airport landing strip which at night time what with the thousands of lights was a bit spectacular. I can just imagine a whole load of ole hippies landing in Goa to have that as one of their first observations. The lights were mainly white/orange but there were also red orange green and purple ones. They reminded me a little of long convoys of cars on the motorway but then they moved in and out of parallax as we moved in the bus. There are quite a few uniformed guards here. Very kind even when they are stern. I would like to point of that I am six hours early something that I know you will all agree hasn’t happened before. Even one of the guards looked perplexed by my eagerness. Another helped me find an ATM checking on me that I was successful. I had a little uninvited attention but they accepted my ‘No! Thanks you’s gracefully enough. I had to reflect that the training that we got in the Haven (dealing with unwanted advances) gave me some confidence with this I think I’ll be OK has changed to I’ll be great. The blooming’ Baileys has to go in the big rucksack. I can’t wait for a shower. I need to get a mosi net they are all over me like a rash. The spray has gone on and I have taken my second dose of paludrine and Friday is my day for chloroquine. It turns out poor old Monty is sick Sounds like time for super-nurse – dadadedah It was a bit fidgety but Kirsi’s exomesh interlocking security system is in situe. I must say my efforts proved pretty hilarious to the staff in the restaurant but the bag is pretty secure right now. Into my second cup of coffee. The toilet set up in Dubai was great – even the hole in the ground and it knew when I was finished and flushed – gave me a bit of a shock. 0942 Well what a drama- the best and the worst. At the previous entry of the word 'shock', I realised I was a bag short. – Monty’s diving gear. I have learned a great deal about Delhi since then. I couldn’t find a shuttle and in my shaky state, agreed to the trip in the taxi for 30Rs. When I sat in I saw a shuttle taking off and the 2 chaps started talking about 300Rsat which point I said let me out and they did. I had several/many useful, short conversations with lovely people who spoke little English. I knew I had to put my newly secured rucksack somewhere e safe Eventually I found a baggage store but it didn’t look very safe and I had been ‘managed’ there by a bloke who I really would have been happier being left alone by. The cost ended up being 25R but changed to 30 when it should have been 22. Spoke to a girl at one of the light desks out side and she directed me to the pre pay taxi at arrivals: yellow and black so very distinctive. . They drive like lunatics, hooting all the time, no seal belt but same side of the road as home so same rules apply, if that is, there were any rules. I don’t think I’ll be riving. I think my heart is still palpating a bit too wildly, mind you I have had a few cups of coffee by now and I am back now in the place I started both bags having been checked in (following their X ray) to Spice jet. There were three cows, lots of buildings that seem derelict or to some degree knocked down. When I got back to international arrivals, I explained to one sweet young man what was up and he let me in. Only people due to fly are allowed in of the Indian airports that I have been in. An unexpected turn of events occurred when I tried to get back outside to the Emirates help desk. They said I couldn’t go out! Wee you can imagine I was grateful for the length of the wait I still had! I had to go talk to the airport manager (or some someone in the office who happened to be a lovely older lady. Tears started – I was and am so tired. They eventually got hold of emirates and a chap who was going off duty was pretty much coerced into taking me there. They recognised me which seemed heart warming. I was taken all over the shop – bowing to officials and getting the bag and paying an apparently refundable 100Rs which was money well spent. Anyway there were about 8 forms and a crucial one was missing (? The RIL) but that was because a report had never been filed. For the second time the string on the diving bag got stuck in the wheel of the airport trolley and I had to turn it on its side. A lovely old man with a white uniform and 2 stars on his epaulettes filled much of the paperwork, got me to sit down and gave me water, which was gone in 2 minutes. Anyhow with my newfound expertise in prepaid taxis, the trip back was a bit calmer. Oh and I saw a pigeon at Delhi airport so Delhi isn’t that different to London… I think I may have trench foot but Monty is feeling better and there is a fragile sticker on the bag with the Baileys in it. 10.06 Sun am approx Its now 0529 London time so I have travelled for 25 hours but I hadn’t slept since Friday which was a bad sleep due to being out the night before. I think this is another record. Wow am I wired. 2/10/6 7.50pm The Baileys made it and Monty was ok to pick me up following a miraculous death defying recovery that weaker men wouldn’t have managed. I have slept on and off since arriving, watching telly from time to time. It’s rained continuously but that’s ok as its meant my head is having readjustment time. Monty just scooted off to get the essentials from the shop. Its Bank holiday for Ghandi’s birthday here today so everything is on skeleton service.

Getting acquainted with Indian IT

Hello All. The blogging idea may not be as easy as I had at first thought. It has taken me more that a few minutes to get to the ''sign in'', what with a very slow internet connection and a lousy mouse. Still. I am fine, sunburned and rained on but great really. I have been using the journal that Lou kindly gave to me to make notes so I plan to write these up on Monty's computer and transfer them to this blog - in a stroke of pure genius. And thus you will get to know how I familiarised myself unnecessary with the bureaucratic but very friendly ways of Delhi Internation and National airports.... I am thinking of you all probably more that you know - especially that niece or nephew of mine that is coming into the world today. Lots of love, Cat PS TC The bloomin bank wont let me log in so I may have to resort to plan B or C or something - Its not a huge concern though but I did check withthem so a bit disappointed...