India Photos

Hey Everybody!

Just a quick note: my lovely travel buddy Anna (part of the goa crew) has uploaded her piccies from India. It's her camera I used when I chased the goan creep down the beach! Unfortunately there is none of the skew-if shots of his back as he pelted away from me (think Anna deleted these), but this is just as I whipped the camera out and he turns round. Idiot.

She also has some other lovely photos, you can look at them here. One of my favourites is this one of Julie and the little guy from the Hostel - in the Anjuna rave club, Paradiso... hilarious.

Day 87 - Chennai

Last day in India (not that I'm counting down or anything). Chennai is a bit of a grubby, grasping city, but despite that I've enjoyed myself here. This is mainly because of the SA Hostel - the management are great and beds are dorm style, so it's a good opportunity to meet new & interesting people. Yesterday evening I got chatting to the other people in my dorm - a French couple and a Japanese girl. The French couple had been travelling for 6 months. Now, I thought I was being adventurous, but my travels are nothing compared to theirs. They had hitchhiked from France to Slovakia, and if that wasn't enough they then bought bicycles and cycled all the way through Hungry, Romania, Bulgaria and into Turkey. They stopped in Turkey (because it was freezing cold) and got a flight to India. I listened to their story in amazement, with more than a little jealousy - maybe if I can find a willing cycle buddy, a cycle across Europe could be my next trip. The Japanese girl was nice too - we compared henna designs and ashram info, and then she told me the trip she'd done (also v. adventurous). She caught a ferry from Japan to China, then travelled across China, through Tibet and Nepal and into India - all by herself! Next she plans to travel around India, then through Pakistan and Kashmir (if these places aren't scary enough - she plans to do it in midwinter - bonkers) then back across China and home. So many good ideas for future trips...

Anyway, I got up early this morning because I had to check out of my hostel at 9am (horrors). I had a shouting match with a rickshaw driver, who dropped me off at the museum area, where I waded around the flooded streets in the pissing rain, looking for something to do. It seemed everywhere was closed, partly because it was raining, but partly because they just don't bother opening things before 10 here. I finally shlopped into a 5* hotel - the only thing in a 1-mile radius I could find that was open - and had a mini splurge on an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast. I ate faar to much, and strung it out for as long as possible, then went to the shopping centre to wait for somewhere to open. I waited half an hour before giving up, and I had a pleasant chat with an old guy who advised me to go to Mount Rd for shopping, and argued with the rickshaw driver for me so I wasn't ripped off. Mount Rd (or Anna Salai Rd - why does everything need 2 names?) is the main shopping street with lots of government emporiums selling statues, furniture and other kitschy export stuff. I almost danced with joy in the street when I found a Phillips shop; my earphones for my MP3 have not been working properly for about a month - and could I find somewhere that sells them in any of the places I visited so far? Not on your nelly. I almost kissed the grizzled shop manager when he handed me a shiny new pair.

So, now I am in a cheap-as-chips Internet cafe in some random back alley (got bored of the naff emporiums), killing time until Giggles bookshop opens... "the manager, he will come at 11.30, and then he will sweep and clean - you come at 12". Raaah - IT'S A SATURDAY!

Day 86 - Chennai

Back in Chennai - the last stop in India. I got here about 11 after a relatively easy bus ride (it rained, but I managed to haul the metal window shutter down so I didn't get too wet). Then I had the problem of getting from Chennai bus station to Edgmore, where I planned to stay, without being ripped off. The rickshaw drivers were asking ridiculous prices, so I steeled myself for a long barganing session involving shouting/waving arms/walking off angrily - but then a bus went by me with the glorious word EDGMORE written on the front. I waved, ran and jumped on (with some difficulty - it wasn't going to stop for me), then grinned as we sailed by the group of disappointed rickshaw drivers - haha.

From Edgmore station it was a short (smelly) walk to Ritherton Rd, and the Salvation Army Hostel. The hostel has seen better days, but the bloke on reception was helpful and friendly, and the beds are the cheapest in town. Reception bloke chatted away about check out times and curfew etc, then:

Reception guy(smiling): How long have you lived in India madam?
Me (confused): I've just been travelling, nearly 3 months, why?
Reception guy: Because when I am talking you are wobbling your head, like we do
Me (wobbling head): hahaha, I didn't notice (bugger - I've been here too long)

The dorm room was dark and dingy, so I chained my bag to the bed (another one-inch-wonder mattress - greeaat) and left to get some brunch. On the way to the area near the station with all the restaurants, I nipped in to one of the great corner shops/pharmacies they have here in India - I spotted the hugest bottle of boost ever, and was so tempted - but there was no way I could squeeze it into my bag, so I settled for a normal size. I also got some chocolate (cadbury's, and chilled too - yum) and some antihistamine tablets (why did I not think of this before - they are so cheap, I love the way you can just buy medicines in poky shops in India for next to nothing, when in the UK you need to get a prescription, and pay through the nose - so funny).

I ate in Ceylon Non-Veg restaurant - I thought non-veg would have veg stuff as well as meat - but no, non veg means just that, no veg. Luckily Indians class eggs as veg so, although I was highly tempted by 'Brain Masala', I went for egg biryani - and very nice it was too.

I'm now in a tiny A/C internet cafe (A/C = glacial) and after some quality internetting I will walk the few km to the Government museum and national art gallery. Then, after the touristy stuff is out the way, I'll grab a pastry& boost from coffee day, then head along the best bookshop in Chennai to replace the latest tome I've finished reading.

Oh, and it's still raining, a lot.

Day 85 - Mamallapuram

Last day, I'm ashamed to say that I have been woefully bad at the sightseeing here, instead I've spent most of my time sleeping, eating and reading. I need the break - after 3 months of travelling round this huge country my body just has had enough! Today I'm going to maybe go have a look at the Shore Temple and the Five Rathas. Other than that more of the same relaxing methinks.


The tedious chore for the day is buying a new travelling bag - my current "say no to plastic" job was given to me by the Intrepid Travel guys, and after 3 months on the road is looking a little, well, disgusting. However, the shop assistants in Mamallapuram are so sickeningly obsequious that I really can't work up the will to go shopping (not to mention the fact I've got 1000R left and I'm trying to make it last for the next few days). Still, I like to think of this as the last time I'll have to haggle (yaaay).

Day 83 - Mamallapuram

Well, I'm now somewhere halfway between Pondy and Chennai. It's called Mamallapuram has a beach, lots of restaurants serving fresh fish, internet cafes and a great bookshop. Plus 3 nights accomodation costs the same as one night in the heritage hotel in Pondy. Can't be bad.

I've been here a few hours now, pottering aong and getting a feel for the place. I must admit that I feel like I'm just killing time now before flying on to my next location - Singapore - on Saturday. There are some nice shops here, but they are just selling the same stuff as the ones in Hampi, Varkala and one hundred other touristy places sell and the constant hard sell is becoming tiring. I also think I've reached saturation point for ruins and temples. This is a shame because Mamallapuram is meant to have some beautiful stone carvings and ruins that are meant to be well worth a look. Maybe I'll get an early night - lots of sleep will make me feel a bit more raring-to-go I'm sure (and there's always boost...)

Day 82 - Pondicherry

Day 82 - wow, can't believe I've been away from the UK so long! Craziness.

After writing the entry yesterday I popped back to the hotel and hired a battered one-gear-wonder in order to explore a bit more. Pondy is quite small, and laid out a bit like Milton Keynes - i.e. in blocks. Cycling is the best way to get around, but a bit of an extreme sport as nobody really bothers driving in the right place, and instead all go on their merry way, expecting everyone to get out of it. Must admit I don't have so much bravado, so in general have been getting around slowly, though more safely.

Apart from exploring, internetting, drinking excessive amounts of boost* and eating lots of pizza (mmmm, pizza), I've been sitting in cafes, working my way through the contents of the hotel's bookshelf. Unfortunately, as a large proportion of the tourists (not travellers, but people here on holiday) are French, the majority of the books are also French, so I've had to supplement my reading matter with early entires from my travel journal, which actually is very amusing. In retrospect I realise I spent most of my first month in India being ripped off by everyone, and wondering around permenantly red and sweaty - funny.

I think I will leave Pondy tomorrow morning and get the bus to Mamallapuram, a travellers hangout with a beach and cheap accommodation. This time I'm going to ring in advance to make sure I get a room!

* For the uninformed: UK has Ovaltine, Australia has Milo and India has boost. It's basically a malted drink that's got added vitamines and minerals. I started drinking it for the v&m's but am now addicted to it's malted goodness. I think I've probably become known as "the boost girl" in the restaurants and bakeries I frequent, as all the waiters find it utterly hilarious when I order a hot milk and mix up my boost of the day, and all feel the urge to point and say "boost" loudly. I entirely blame Becca for this addiction as she was the one to introduce me to it in the first place :-)

Day 81 - Pondicherry

Made it! It only took a 1 hr bus, a 10 hr train, a 6 hour train and then a 4 hr bus - no problem. The final bus ride was possibly the most painful part, being that I was the only a)westerner and b)woman, I just cranked up the volume on my MP3 player and stared out the window, pretending that the entire bus wasn't staring at me.
We arrived about 8.20 in darkness. I hadn't booked anywhere to stay, so I pulled out the faithful Lonely Paranoid and set up shop in a phone booth. I called all the guest houses in the book, one by one and starting with the cheapest, only to be told, again and again, that they were full. Uh oh. Finally I came across one with a room, the Ram guest house. I was so relieved that I just collapsed in a rickshaw, not bothering to haggle over the fare, and told the driver to step on it ("step on what?" - sigh). The hotel is a heritage hotel; small and charming with old wooden furniture and a balcony. My room is on the compact side, and a mite expensive, but is clean and has a TV and hot water - bliss.

Had somewhat of a shock when I looked in the mirror - after 26hrs of travelling, and broken sleep, I looked like a zombie (see right for an artists impression... and I wondered why everyone was running away, screaming :-). Hot shower and early night needed desperately.

This morning I got up at 7 and went on an epic tour of the hostels of Pondicherry, by foot. They are all full - raaah. Looks like I'll have to stay with the hot water and TV, what a shame! Pondicherry really is a very nice town; wide, tree-lined boulevards and a long promonade along the Bay of Bengal. There are pockets of french culture and architecture here and there, and the town has plenty of coffee shops (that serve real espresso) and nice French/Italian cuisine restaurants. The best way to get around, epecially to the nearby beaches, is by cycle or motorbike - so my mission this evening is to find a cycle hire shop (not going to risk a scooter - eek). I was hoping to go to Auroville and visit the Matrimandir meditation room with its huge 70cm crystal, but unfortunately it is only open to visitors on Sunday, and tickets have to be booked in advance - poo. Guess I'll just have to cycle to a beach instead.

Below: The Matrimandir dome and meditation room (space age..)



Below: A Pondicherry street and the promenade

Day 78 - Hampi

Last day (ish) - I leave tomorrow at about 4 to catch an overnight train to bangalore, then another train to Chennai, then a bus to Pondicherry. I've stocked up on cold pizza (leftover from dinner), cinnamon danish and cookies - so the journey should be less painful. Well, lets face it, it couldn't be any worse than the overnight bus, for all that it's twice as long!

So goodbye to boulders, and all the kids that shout "Pen? Biscuit? Chocolate? Rupee?" and the mosquitos and to travel buddy Becca (sob - this is actually sad) and hello to the sea, french-italian cuisine and wine (yay) and blissed out yoga. Heaven.

Day 77 - Hampi

Today we were even more active than yesterday (shock horror) - we hired bikes and cycled out to the ruins in the Royal Center. The day was a scorcher (thank goodness I've adjusted to the crazy heat here), so my tan got topped up nicely. It was so nice whizzing by the banana plantations and palm trees, and catching the odd glimpse of temples reaching above the greenery, or the occasional random clearing complete with crumbling ruin. Have vowed to hire bikes more often - they are miles cheaper than getting rickshaws, and though they are all one-gear wonders, they are a great way to get around

For dinner we cycled along the ghats to The Mango Tree, a very cool restaurant on the banks of the river. We sat chatting and reading (and being bitten by mosquitos) until the sun set, then somehow managed to cycle back along the path in the dark without falling into the river/some bushes.

Our landlady is sorting out my ticket to Chennai on Friday (for a small fee of course) and on the same day Becca catches her train to Goa. Sob, alone again for the first time since I first arrived - given that I came on my own and have been here 2 1/2 months, this is quite an achievement. I'm quite excited tho, and am looking forward to exploring Pondicherri and Auroville, yay

We took some more random pictures today, just for the fun of it.../

Vittala Temple


And again...


Conquer the elephant (like the scary facial expressions?) - the elephant stables


A building in the Zenana Enclosure


Swinging from the Mango Tree, in Mango tree restaurant


Sorry... unforgivably I totally neglected to get a random picture of us on the bikes... maybe tomorrow.

Day 76 - Hampi

Hampi rocks. Lots of rocks.

We got here yesterday morning at about 10 after an all night ordeal that involved changing buses twice, random stops throughout the night and a bus that vibrated more than the naff massage chairs you get in shopping malls.

Understandably we spent most of the first day here wandering around like zombies and occasionally thumping our heads on various tables as we dozed off over our caffinated beverages. We worked up enough energy to have a wander around the Hampi Bazaar and Varaupaksha temple. Hampi is a very cool place, set amoung the ruins of an ancient Hindu empire. The scenery here is really bizarre, huge boulders are strewn across the landscape and the whole thing looks like something out of the flintstones. The temple was smallish, but had a its own cute elephant, Lakshmi - awww!

The Varaupaksha temple



Lakshmi in all her glory - cuuute!



Me, Becca and ruins



View of Hampi from the hill



Today we hung out in a german bakery and read some books (no suprise there) and then we decided to basically stop being such lazy mares and do some sightseeing. We plodded along the ghats to Sule Bazaar and the Achyutaraya temple - more ruins. It was nice to scramble ovr the rocks and explore the little ruined temples dotted infront of Matanga Hill, I felt like Indiana Jones!


Looots of columns



Entrance to Achyutaraya Temple - cool huh?



Random picture of ruins & boulders




We had Thali for lunch, then caught a rickshaw all the way round to the coracle crossing near Anegondi. The coracle was fun - it was very amusing to watch the guys crossing with their motorbikes (see the 3 dudes below).



When we got to the other side we discovered that the temple we wanted to visit, Hanuman temple, was still 3km away, so we got a random truck to take us the rest of the way - what a mission - and it wasn't even that great darn it. The temple was on a hill so we had to climb loads of stairs to reach the top, and the temple was very not very temple-like, more a plain white building we couldn't enter! However, the many monkeys on the way up were good for a laugh, and views back over the river and banana plantations were great.

Tada! Decending victorious from the heights



View from the top



Feeling energetic still, we walked aall the way to the coracle crossing, listening to the Garden State soundtrack on my MP3 whilst we admired the scenery and waved back at the excited school kids that passed us on their way home ("Biscuit? School pen? 1 Rupee?" can't say they didn't try, all one hundred or so of them). Back on the coracle; this time we shared the ride with 3 bikers, a business man, a boy and his grandpa, an old lady, the 2 rowers and the guy whos job it was to boss them round. We were quite worried the flimsy basket thing covered in tarred sandbags would sink - but we made it to the other side ok. 'No rickshaw waiting - crap - guess we'll have to walk the 7 km back to Hampi'. Luckily we figured out a shortcut along the river, and made it back before dark. This saved us 100R, plus we got to see the sun setting in a hundred colours over the ruins, which was priceless.

The journey so far...

Day 74 - Mysore

We are leaving Mysore today - and I'm not looking forward to it because this will be a first I had hopud to avoid: the first overnight bus... nooooo! 10 hours of sitting upright in a bus trying to snatch some sleep whilst hoping that no-one above us throws up. Luckily we've both got neck pillows and earplugs - so it may just be bearable (though I am really not looking forward to speed-peeing in bushes).

Today we went to the Mysore Mandala Yoga Shala - there was no yoga lessons (Ashtangis have a day off on full moon apparently - whatever) so Becca and I just rolled out our mats in the empty studio and chugged through the Sivananda Series in our own time. The few days break did my body good - my elbow has recovered and I aalmost got into scorpion (right) but then flipped out and hit my toe - ouuuch. Afterward we had fresh brown bread and butter, muesli with fruit salad and curd and boiled eggs from the shala's cafe - yuuum - the best brunch so far in India! On the subject of food (it is my favourite subject after all) - we are now going to go cram into Hotel RRR's packed restaurant, to delicious thali elbow to elbow with the locals (the busier the restaurant, the better the food). I hope the food is as good in Hampi! Byee!

Day 73 - Mysore

Alas, I'm already missing the german bakery in Varkala, mainly because there are no cafes or restaurants here that you can sit in peace and read your book or relax and chat. Efficiency here is the waiters watching us eat our food, whipping the plates away and slapping the bill on the table the minute the last morset is put in our mouths. Ah well, we aren't here for long. There are also limited options for breakfast and light snacks - there's dosas (pancake things made of lentil flour that come with coconut goo), and that is pretty much it. Still, it may be boring but at least it's cheap!

Today we've looked round the palace (very bling - carved wood furniture and ceilings compete with brightly coloured walls, stained glass and elaborate crytal chandeliers for 'most eyecatching' award), visited the market (the scent of spices and oils, jasmine flowers and ripe fruits - great photo op). We've also found a yoga place where we can attend the drop in lessons in the afternoon - all good fun. Have now been typing away in the internet cafe for an hour, arranging flights for when I get to australia and suchlike, so I'm getting hungry. Guess its's time for... Thali or Dosas with a nice cup of bournevita, yuuummy.

Day 72 - Mysore

Mysore - home, among other things, of sandlewood essence and Ashtanga yoga's guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (guruji). We are staying at the Hotel Maurya, and the helpful staff have already told us the buses we need to catch in order to reach various places and warned us not to buy anything from the street children (verry bad boys, bad sandlewood). So far we have staggered downstairs with armfulls of laundry and dumped them in reception (haha - they can wash my mildewy clothes), eaten cheap, delicious thali until we felt full to bursting (with fingers of course), and trailed around the streets looking for the entrance to the palace (yelling at any poor streetkid/tout/guide that homed in on us).

We have many things we plan to visit here; the glitzy and grand Maharaja's palace, the big fruit & veg market and Chamundi hill (with it's 1000+ steps up to the temple on top - will I climb them? Nooo, I think not). We are also planning to visit the government-run sandlewood factory and also maybe go to the Ashtanga Research Institute and take a peep at the freaksome uber-ashtangis doing their thing (maybe Madonna will be there - she is another of Guruji's fans.) So, will probably stay for a few days before hot-footing it up to Hampi for shopping and sightseeing. Yay - we're somewhere new, fuuuun!

Below left: Mysore streets Below Centre: The Palace Right: Old man Guruji does his thing

Day 71 - Bangalore

We are now in the silicon valley of India, the outsourcing central of the east that is Bangalore. Very urban Indians wander round talking about capital and investments on their posh mobile phones and young women strut by in tight jeans. In MG road, where our hotel is located, Levis and Adidas shops vie for attention between Pizza huts, McDonalds and KFCs. There are a few cinemas that show western movies alongside bollywood classics, and many packed internet cafes and coffee shops. Yet another place that is like India in some ways, but so unlike it in others.

This morning we arrived after a 17hr train journey in Bangalore station and caught a (very expensive) taxi to our hotel. Thankfully the guy on reception had understood me on the phone, and our room was available. We have a TV (that has many channels showing many awful programs) and a balcony that has an attractive view of some grubby back-allys. After unpacking and changing, we left the hotel and went for a wonder around the MG road area. After much laughter at aformentioned shops and fast food places we eventually sloped into a great little bookshop (called The Bookworm - just in case you ever happen to be in Bangalore). I left with Q&A (Vikas Swarup) and Becca with A Million Little Pieces (James Frey). I am happy to have found these books - a little tired of the Paulo Ceulo books that constitute the main collection of little bookshops here. Whilst in the ashram I quizzed the guys on the best books they had read recently, and have been keeping an eye out for these books ever since. For my fellow bookworms (also for my own benefit, as I am bound to loose the list at some point)...

Random Recommended Books

• A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (the guy who wrote Cider House Rules) - This is the book I've just finished reading - it was great, very funny, I highly recommend it.
• Q&A by Vikas Swarup
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
• A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (actually, I've read this too - v. good)
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Love in the Time of Cholera also by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Day 69 - Varkala

Last day in Varkala - no rain, yaaay! We have, yet again, spent a significant portion of the day pigging our faces in the german bakery (byebye 4" weight loss). Apple crumble wins hands down...

Richard: This is delicious, this is the best crumble I've ever tasted, no really, its amazing, heyhey did you make this? What is the recipe? Wow, this is great.
Me: darn, now I want some.
Becca: (immediately) excuse me, a piece of your fine apple pie thankyou... 2 spoons...

and so on...

Apparently it's ok to stuff ourselves silly, it's Halloween!

Have booked accommodation in Bangalore (or I think 've booked it- I'm pretty sure the guy on the phone understood me, but hey, in India you never can tell). We have also contacted the friendofafriendwhoisahipproducer. Unfortunately she is on a shoot in Mumbai, but she has given us the mobile numbers of her boyfriend and another mate. So now we could be going for a meal with a boyfriendofafriendofafriend and a whole bunch of people I have an even more tenuous link to - could be funny.

Day 68 - Varkala

Great day of sunshine, sea and sand. Today was the first day since being here that it hasn't rained 90% of the time so B and me hit the beach. Bumped into Richard on the way there, he had just left the ashram the previous day and was looking a bit shell shocked so we dragged him long with us to the beach. I hired a body board and we took it in turns to have the s@$t kicked out of us by the sea (have got a really burned face after too much squinting into the horizon, and so much sea went up my nose it felt as though I had had a marathon neti session).

Yesterday we pulled ourselves together and sorted out our travel plans. On wednesday we are catching a train from Trivandrum to Bangalore - funky modern city extrodinaire. B has a friend of a friend there who is a hip producer or something, so we may meet up with them and go for a meal. The next day we will catch a bus to Mysore, another yoga heaven and apparently a generally nice place. After a few days there we go up to Hampi, a beautiful ruinous city where we can do a bit of sightseeing and stuff. After that we split, B goes west to Goa, and flies out from Mumbai on the 18th or something, and I go further east. I plan to go to pondicherry, a French town south of Chennai, to sample the bakeries and visit the Auroville ashram with its huuuge crystal. I fly out of India from Chennai on the 20th - destination Singapore.

Day 66 - Varkala

Ahh, sweet boredom. Am now relaxing once again in the german bakery after a brief bout of manic exercise this morning.

The coffee yesterday sent my caffeine-starved body into hyperdrive - and I wasn't the only one! At about 5pm yesterday both Becca and I were actually shaking with energy. We went for a brisk walk up and down the cliff path and, when that didn't do much, we actually did the entire 12 sets of Sivananda yoga postures in our room. Madness. It doesn't end there - after a disturbed nights sleep I actually got up at 6.30 this morning for a jog, then went to a yoga class! Unfortunately the class was utterly dreadful (most especially in comparison to the ones at the ashram) and Becca was practically passing out with hunger, so we made our excuses and left after a mere 5 minutes, and got some sweet breakfast. The energetic mood has now passed - I entirely blame my bout of unnecessary activity on the turbo cappucino I had yesterday, and have resolved to switch back to chai.

Ah, I also am hatching plans to create a whole new diet - I call it the India diet, or the 'lose half your body weight down the toilet' diet (sorry). To be honest I really didn't think I'd lost so much, given that I haven't actually got sick yet, but I finally got round to taking my now somewhat baggy jeans and walking trousers to the tailors this morning and I had a bit of a nice suprise, I can tell you. When the bloke got me to put the trousers on and measured exactly how much he had to take them in, each pair had to go in by 4 1/2 inches!! My god. I got him to double check, and it was right. Maybe it's the heat, or all those punishing leg raises and sun salutations at the ashram - who cares, it's all good.

Day 65 - Varkala

Aaah, sweet Verkala, how I missed thy german bakeries and fish restaurants.

Becca and I departed from the ashram this morning for the bus ride to Verkala. We are staying in the same bamboo huts I stayed in before, and have set up shop in the Sun Shine Cafe (german bakery) that it turns out we both spent a significant proportion of our respective visits frequenting. I immediately ordered a cappucino, and scrambled eggs on brown toast (eeeeeggs, real bread - heaven) and made a beeline for the bookshelf. We are now both curled up in the comfy bamboo chairs and ploughing our way through Michael Crighton books (myself Congo and Becca State of Affairs).

Think I left not a moment too soon, ashram was severly infecting my brain and turning me into a pod person (as was confirmed when we both kept bursting into 'Jaya Ganesha' on the bus, then giving each other terrified looks!) Anyway, back in normalcy so all is now good. We plan to chill here for a few days, and on Sunday a whole bunch of people from the ashram are coming to Varanasi, so we can all meet up and go to a random party or something.

Below are some ashram piccies from Becca's camera:

Me being drowned in the waterfall



The health hut crowd



My singing partner Veera on guitar and mad Veronica eating the guitar



Me torturing the health hut with my rendition of House of the rising sun, Veera rocking on the guitar (don't ask, wasn't my idea, blame V)



Becca and Lisa looking all glowing and stuff, the temple



The lovely lake



The usual crowd getting their caffiene fix



Sam, Lise and myself, the wooden palace (ok, so this is not the best picture of me - I'm doing that bleary-eyed face I have a tendancy of pulling when the flash goes off - but good picture of Lise, plus you can see the red smudges of Kumkum on our foreheads)



Food hall - beautiful rice and goo, and sore legs from sitting on floor - I shall miss it (not)



Obligitory naff picture of me in the temple pretending to meditate

Day 64 - Sivananda

Thought of the day: You know you've been here to long when you discover swamiji knows your name... Second to last day today - can't believe it. Will be sad to go but have begun to have vivid fantasies involving beer, pizza, coffee and chocolate cake (although not altogether!)

My urgency to depart has not been helped by the fact that we have had the squarky old lady for the last 3 satsangs. The day before yesterday I actually grabbed my yoga mat and blanket and legged it out of the temple when everyone was deep in meditiation (was feeling very rebellious, then I felt guilty so I meditated on my bed, and fell asleep). Last night I stuck it out, and sat in the back row with my fellow ashram rebels and doubters - by the end of Jaya Ganesha we were all crying with silent laughter and doubled over in the pain of trying to contain our general amusement at the hideous noise being produced and the horrified expressions of the newly arrived ashramites (it's all credit to them that they did not just run away!)

Tonight we have a silent walk and meditation by the lake - last week the was a lightning storm behind the hills so it was very oooommmm- can I be bothered to go again? Hmmm, decisions.