I went to visit Pema and Sonam at their Temple in Mysore and it was really great to see them again. Pema is a temple artist. He paints the beautiful images inside the temple. The picture I took of one of the paintings really doesn't do his work justice. They also managed to wangle their way into the Dalai Lama's private residence area of the neighbouring temple, where the DL stays when he visits. It was very peaceful and calm. We gave offerings. A place I definitely want to visit again, although next time I might get a proper permit as [View Full Entry]

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Back to Varkala again for a bit of rest and relaxation. [View Full Entry]

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Had a fab time NEAR Darjeeling. NEAR being the key word because half way up from Siliguri, where the train stops, the bus I was in gave up because of bad weather. So I quickly got myself (being very cold) into a jeep where I met a French and Aussie girl... and we got about 10km further before, again, we could go no further because of snowdrifts. Our driver was a crazy 'no fear' guy but still he got scared as it's really easy for the jeeps to slip off the side of the mountain. So instead he focused on having [View Full Entry]

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I spent about a week in total in Kolkata, visiting the Victoria Memorial, Motherhouse and all the sites. My first impressions were it's big, it's dirty and men still run barefoot here pulling rickshaws - quite shocking. But West Bengalis are very proud of the city's culture, and I I think I glimpsed just a little of the 'other' side of the city, but I must admit the dirt here is worse than anywhere else I have been. Anyway, some nice shops and I met a few interesting people. [View Full Entry]

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Pondicherry is like a little piece of Europe. It's got a cool French feel, with some beautiful buildings. There are foodie restaurants, bars, and stylish Franco-Indian clothes. But most impressive of all, I found a swish supermarket stocked with.... CHEESE!!! Not indian paneer or processed cheese in a tin, but versions of mozzarella, cheddar, philadelphia and many more, all made at the nearby international commune of Auroville. So exciting! [View Full Entry]

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After Kodai, went to Trichy as a rest stop on the way to Pondicherry. Temples as always, one of which I had to climb up to the top of, and a beautiful temple elephant. It's a more relaxing place than Madurai, but the temples weren't as magical and most, as a non-hindu, I couldn't go inside. [View Full Entry]

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After a second stop in Madurai, I took the bus up to Kodaiakanal. The only American mission hillstation in India, it is absolutely gorgeous, and after two months of heat, the cold mountain air really reminded me of home. I even had to buy a wool scarf and wear thermal socks to bed! There's a lake with boat club, and the international school set up by the americans is apparently one of India's most prestigious schools now. A bit of an idyllic place to study! I also found a John Wesley methodist church which just opened in January and has all [View Full Entry]

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And then, with the onset of fever, I sensibly crawled back to the comfort of Varkala. It must be noted that even sickness does not put an Indian off the usual barrage of questions. When I was so hot I didn't think I could manage the rickshaw ride to the hospital, the doctor who I saw laid me down on the couch, gave me tablets (after i refused an injection) and then started the time-old.... So what country are you from? ... erm England .... What part of England? ... London... Ah, my son is in London, he works at the [View Full Entry]

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After Kanyakumari, I took a bus up to Madurai, entertained by a medical student called Felice, who studies in Madurai but lives in Delhi and whose father is an advisor in the government. Rather nice getting the indian upper-middle class view on things. Anyway, Madurai is dirty dirty dirty. Really squalid in the centre of town. But for all its grime, the complex of temples is amazing with a real old and mystical atmosphere and makes Madurai have a certain sort of charm. [View Full Entry]

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Sorry it's been so long, but after a long spell of lazyness, i'll finally update you on where i've been! :) Just after new year i went to Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, and Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India. Neither place was spectacular, but nice enough, and I went with Abhi so we met his friends and (more!) relatives along the way. Trivandrum has a really nice palace museum with lots of gorgeous wood carvings. Kanyakumari isn't that picturesque, but some of the back streets near the harbour were fascinating. No electricity so at night it was lit just [View Full Entry]

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