A tiddly update.

---

Hello you lovely lovely readers, I do hope you are all well.

Now then, my time with the wonderful people of the Thar desert has come to an end. And what wonderful people they were. I can genuinely say that I have never found it so easy to blend in to a community, and they really were a community in the true sense of the word. I don’t want to sound too cliqued but I experienced unparalleled friendship, unending generosity and unwavering hospitality. Ok, that is enough un’s, this is starting to sound a bit naff.

So big up to them and many thanks for a lovely time…

Anyway enough of the Oscarawardspeechesque blubbing, now I find myself in Amritsar in the state of Punjab. A new state, a new experience. And shortly I am heading up in to Jammu and Kashmir for yet more experiences.

And this is what makes India such a incredible place. One day you can be scorching, mainly Hindu Thar desert of Rajasthan, the next you can be in the fertile, mainly Sikh, plains of Punjab and a few days later in the mountainous, mainly Muslim, region of Kashmir. And with each new state comes new colours, languages and cultures.

Never look as India as one country, look at is a series of 28 states that are united by a common central government, a common currency, common defense force, and (very) arguably, a common sense of identity. Apart from these elements each state is unique and could be considered a country in its own right.

So I bloody loves India I do, and I bloody love Indians, and I really reeeeeeally don’t want to have to leave. The option of doing a Visa run in to either Nepal or Bangladesh is a tempting one. Nepal would be easier but Bangladesh is a possibility, however I am not sure how easy it is to get an Indian Visa in Bangladesh…

I am also mildly toying with popping over to Thailand for a Kick Boxing course to capitalise on my current physique and to consolidate my current fitness levels. Blimey, that sounded like a power point presentation. You can take the boy out of the office…..

So, praises due to the most fly....

All my love..

John

PS I wrote this last week and now I am in Kashmir, it is freezing. I am considering this my winter holiday from the heat. My Kashmiri leg of this journey will be covered on the next blog post. Luvs J.

---

Photos

IMG_1707
One thing I may bring back with me is eating with your hands, it actually makes a lot of sense. AS LONG AS YOU WASH YOUR HANDS.

IMG_1740
This was my view in the Village for many days. I didn't take many pictures out there, mainly because the seventy five million kids would grab my camera the minute I took it out. But one day I let them take it and this is what they came up with.....

IMG_1549
Kids

IMG_1554
And they used my camera very well...

IMG_1556
This is Dalpats mother, a proper matriarch and a lovely woman.

IMG_1569
And this is Dalpats father. Sadly he wasn't so well having suffered a stroke a few years ago but you still got glimpses of what a proud and strong man he once was. He still had a good sense of humor too.

IMG_1573
The women were wonderfully adorned. Not sure they like having their photos taken which is why I left it to the yoots. I think this is a great photo for a six year old to take.

IMG_1580
This is a view of the village. Very dry place and they knew how to use the minimum amount of water.

IMG_1640
This one of Dalpats sons. Being grandson of Dalpats father his job was to give the old boy a haircut and a shave. This is around Holi time so all the kids were constantly covered in colour. This is early in the morning, I slept on the roof that night.

IMG_1759
So after attempting to fix my noisy fan...

IMG_1758
.....using a cup of Mustard Oil and an old sprayer.....

IMG_1754
.... Indian property maintenance at its finest came to light when the cistern fell off the wall...

IMG_1761
...but I fixed it using one rusty screw and propped it up with an old brush. When in Rome!

IMG_1763
Jalam doing what he does best. Looking COOL.

IMG_1768
My nickname became Moda, or Full Moon, due to my bald head. They loved the fact I was bald.

IMG_1769
Every..single....meal was ferociously hot. Breakfast lunch and dinner all burned the lips.

IMG_1770
Why did we stop smashing things like pepper and ginger with a stone? It works very well.

IMG_1771
Typical India. A car breaks down and it attracts a crowd of people with various suggestions. I suggested a faulty fuel pump relay (thanks Gav for the training). I think I was right but it was hard to know cos I had to scurry off.

IMG_1773
I loved Piron. Officially the Worlds thinnest man, my arms were thicker than his legs. It is as if his genes forced his bones to grow long but the rest of his body didn't agree.

IMG_1777
Eventually the map needed to come out and Jammu and Kashmir became the next destination.

IMG_1783
The cow I started feeding became a daily visitor. Not just for the food but also for the good scratch I would give it.