The road to Kerala

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Had the most wonderful birthday, it was definitely a first for me sitting on the beach on January 14th! we had a wonderful few relaxing days in Palolem, soaking up the sun and reading. Made friends with quite a lot of the beach hawkers ( knew I was an easy target!). Yesterday we waved goodbye to Goa and got the train down to Mangalore in Kernataka. WE would have gone all the way through to Kerala but the trains we full up until 20th Jan so we took a passenger train that travelled really slowly and now we're in Mangalore. We met some amaizng people on the train. a bunch of guys, in their final year at University in Tamil Nadu, they were the friendliest bunch of people and have invited us to stay with them after we've finished the project in Kiraikal. Dana dn I didn't get seats together and when I turned round to ask him something there he was surrounded by about 15 20 year old boys all enraptureed by what he was saying. Asking questions about religion,l education, where we lived, families, they wanted to know every apect of life in England. They told us London was like a dream city that they all wanted to go to, we told them otherwise and that actuallly Goa was a far nicer place!! (They loved that but thought we were bonkers!) Also met a Father escorting his daughter from north india for her dental school exams. his first question was how much did it cost to go to university in England! they're not ashamed to ask you about your salary, how many bedrooms your house has, things we just don't talk about - it's unsettling to begin with but actually rather refreshingly honest. Now we're in Mangalore and it's real India. We've had a slightly watered-down version so far, Goa and Mumbai, but this is gritty, grotty and very dilapidated. But it's still amazing. We've just found this awesome chapel at a school, that really wouldn't look out of place in Rome, painted ceilings and all! (Dan is still looking at churches!) WE're booked onto a night bus this evening to Cochin, but are having major problems finding somewhere to stay!!! BUdget is proving a little difficult to stick to!! I bought my first Sari today! Dan bought a book, oh how things never change!!!

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