A towel at last - yippee

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Having been subjected to two days of drip dry I was ecstatic to see my luggage arrive. I had also started to worry about my luggage entering the abyss of Indian travel and with it, my beautiful new rucksack and malaria tablets.

Last night a couple of people staying in the same spot had warned me about the monkeys. The monkeys according to them, came onto the balcony without any warning, were persistent and liable to come in your window, particularly if they smelt any food. So I was glad I had been forewarned when at 5.30 this morning I heard a persistent tapping on my window and door. I determinedly ignored it and seeing a couple of shadows got up to close the half open window. But the noise continued and eventually it started to dawn on me that maybe it wasn't the monkeys and had something to do with my missing luggage .... which unsurprisingly it did. The poor guy who looks after the guest house had been trying to wake me to tell me I needed to sign for it!

It's really strange walking around being stared at all the time. From what I have read and from the stares it seems that Indian guys have very fixed, and not very positive notions about Western women. I've found wearing sunglasses seems to work - apparently only prostitutes stare back. Fortunately I only did that a couple of times! I've no doubt that the guy who came to tell me about my luggage had his views confirmed, given the window was half open and it was swelteringly warm!

As I had no luggage I got some clothes yesterday - a long skirt, top and fisherman's pants. Today I went with another woman from the yoga place into town to see a tailor is going to make me a shalwar kameez (the long top, pants and shawl) which is an alternative to the sari. Apparently you get less hassled if you wear more traditional dress.

I start the yoga intensive course the day after tomorrow and I am slightly worried about it. All of the prospective participants look like stalwart Iyengar practitioners. Those I have met have just come from a three week course. I suppose every class needs a dunce! So far I have met about 8 other participants, including one Irish guy. They all seem really nice and have been really helpful showing me around - one woman had been here for 6 months before, she has been giving me great tips about where to go etc.

I'm slowly acclimatising to the persistent beeping horns, smells, stares, cows ambling across the street, cow dung, hasslers and the overwhelming nature of this place. And apparently this is one of the better / more peaceful spots in India - yikes!!!

Buiochas le dia, a great day is being had by all.

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