550 days later

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I am sitting in Margao train station in Goa about to embark on my journey home after 550 days of seeing the world - a 12 hour sleeper train to Mumbai arriving at 6 in the morning, my flight leaves at 1pm, takes 11 hours (I think) and then I'll probably end up waiting 5 hours or so at Heathrow so as to get an overnight bus to Glasgow that arrives at a sensible time rather than at 3am. Although Thurs night is student night, so maybe I'll head straight to the Garage or Fury Murrays. Anyway, all good things come to an end, or do they? I have a flight left on my round the world ticket to Istanbul on Tuesday from Heathrow, although no money left to do anything when I get there, and I really should start applying for jobs. I could send my CV off to anybody and everybody and then try to get a cheap flight to Eastern Europe in a couple of weeks. I could also sell my flat to give me the necessary finances and live in a tent. Should I go to Istanbul or not? Please vote now!

These photos are some from my last month in India, I could write up my experiences, but then I would miss my train and therefore my flight home, so it will just have to wait until I am home. Also got some more photos to upload.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing everyone again, here I come!

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Photos

Sunrise over Bijapur
Arrived at 6 in the morning and went for a bit of a walk, as there's not much else to do at that time

Golgumbaz
The most famous mosque in Bijapur, it has the second biggest dome in the world after St Peter's in Rome, with an amazing echo effect

Ibrahim Rouza
The other main sight in Bijapur

Coracle driver, Hampi
Did a walking tour one morning round some temples, where we got a lift in this boy's coracle

Setting sail in the coracle
After dropping us off

Monkey temple, Hampi
A very sacred site, the birthplace of Hanuman the monkey god

View from monkey temple
Storm coming in, we made it to the chai stall at the bottom before the rain came

Surreal landscape
Deciding to walk back, 4 of us found ourselves temporarily 'lost' (but we knew the way back) in this boulder strewn landscape

Lost and found
We could see the Hampi temple in the distance, so knew where we were heading, we just had to work out how to get there

Frida, Jenni and 2 local mischief makers
On the Holi festival, which involves running round the streets throwing paint at total strangers

Hampi Holi
All the action took place in the morning, by lunchtime everyone was back at work

The other hampi temple
We never got to the bottom of what it's for, but this temple is at the opposite end of the street from the 'real' one

Comments

[anon]

travel advice
I'd sell my mother-in-law for a chance to go Istanbul - maybe even consider throwing in the wife . . . but seriously why don't you just change destination to berlin!?! (have i just given myself away . . .) anyway - we have loved your blog and although it's sad it's over we are looking forward to catching up with you very soon!

[Claire]

Istanbul
I say go to Istanbul. Delay the inevitable for as long as possible! x

[Laura]

more adventures
HI Morag You should go to Turkey or at least have another adventure planned to counteract the effects of the post travel blues......... loved your India photo's Laura

[Rene]

I vote for a few pints !
C'mon lassie, after more than 500 days, waste the money on a few drinks with yer mates first!! Great effort to stick it out that long, and most of it without a working camera as well ! Enjoy the odyssey home ! Rene

[viv]

Morag I cannot wait to see you and have a big catch up in Edinburgh. I don't want any milking yak type chat-just goss about boys! Love Vivxx