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Published: January 26th 2007
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Hello all,
how are you doing?
This really is going to be short and sweet. I've got a stinking cold, so all i can think of is crawling back to my bed for a nap. This is probably the best internet connection i am going to have for a while, so i though it best just to get on with it!
Since i last wrote i've hit the road again. Leaving Mamallapuram was sad, but it was time. I have met some great people and made some even better friends, so i'm sure i will be back at some time. Working with Earth Aid was one of the best things i have ever done and the experience was amazing!
So, its been good to get back on the road again. I found it quite a daunting thought, travelling around India by myself (Mike is in Nepal now), especially after being in a place with people i've known for the last 6 weeks. To start with i was a bit apprehensive, but once i got going i really got into it. It was nice to have some time by myself to be completly selfish and do exactly what what i
wanted to do when i wanted to do it. So there was lots of lazy mornings in bed and muchus reading done, bliss!
First stop was Bangalore City, where i had visited before, with Mike. Just one night here to catch up with a bit of western culture and shopping! Then an overnight train to Hampi. I spent four nights here in this Old Temple town in the coutryside. This was one of the most pretty places i have been so far, fast flowing clean rivers, lush green sceanery, old temples, and lots of places to chill in the peace and quiet.
From here i got on the dirtiest train ever and was unfortunatly sat next to the loudest most obnoxious group of eastern europeans, for the next 10 hours, ggrrr! Anyway i survived and arrived into the lovely town of Panjii, Goa. An old Portuguese Colony, and the capital of Goa. I oly had one night here before flying up to Delhi. But it was a night well spent. I treated myself to a plush hotel (when i say plush, i'm still only talking 12 pounds a night) and went to a recommended restaurant. Here i met
a lovely gril from Belgium, called Delphine. We ate and drank the night away, and then met up the next morning for breakfast and girly shopping. Great fun!
I had to leave to fly on my bargin flight up to Delhi to meet the Mamallpuram gang. Myself, Mel, Pip, Mark, John, Morgan, Mark and Sarah were meeting up again to travel some of North India for a week. So in true Mark style, i was greeted from the station and dragged (kicking and screaming of course) to some dive of a pub in Delhi. On my flight i had also met a couple from Auz and Ireland, Alan and Alana, so they joined the party for the next few days.
The plan had be to go to the Kumbh Mela festival for the next few days, but the thought of millions of hindu pilgrims, tents, cold weather and packed trains wasn't so appealing, i copped out! i spent the next few days shopping to the max and had to send a 10kg box worth of stuff home, as my backpack was full to the brim!
I flew to Varanasi with Al and Alana to meet the others after
the Kumbh Mela. Varanasi was an amazing place, where the Holy River Ganges runs through. Its full of thousands of pilgrims that go there to bath in the Holy river, despite it being heavily polluted. Family members are also bought here to be cremated on the ghats, a really surreal sight to see. Although if you are a child, saddhu, or had been killed by a snake bite, you are considered to be too holy for cremation and are released whole into the river. Hence why we saw a very grey bloated body floating face down in the river, when on our boat trip. Not very dignified if you ask me! Lucy it would have been your worse nightmare!
Depite all this Varanasi was a magical place, like something out of a medieval fairytale. i think the photos say it all.
Everyone, apart from Mel and Mark, had to head back to Mamallpuram for work, on a 40 hour train journey, good luck to them is all i say! So we continued the trip onto Puri, in Orissa. Another 17 hrs on a train and we arrived and got ourselves a nice hotel. Puri is a quiet little fishing
town, a bit like Mamallapuram, but with less tourists. phew!
Mark has had a wail / wale(?sp) of a time playing on the fact that every Indian man he meets asks him if me and mel are his two wives. This has been the butt of many stupid jokes the last few days!
So we have just chilled here the last few days. Went to see the Sun Temple yesterday, which was.........erm.......very erotic, not quite was i was expecting. Then on the way back we went to a lovely deseted beach, well, all except from the tens of dozens of dead turtles on the beach. It was a shame to see such an endangered species, all washed up. Not sure if it was pollution or laying eggs on the sand that did it!
So tonight i head on a sleeper train to Kolkata (aka Calcutta). Mark and Mel have already left for Chennai. Needless to say there were a few emotional farewells this morning. Mel and i have only known each other 2 months, but living in an intense environment such as Mamallpuram, away from family and friends, friendships form faster and stronger than anywhere else i
have known! i have know doubt i will catch up with her again sometime.
Sorry if this is rushed and with loads of typo's, this is my second attempt at writing this, as the power went just as i was about to publish it before. GGrrr!
Anyway, i'm home on the 8th Feb so i'll guess i will see all you guys very soon.
Back to reality, aahhh!
Lots of love Katie xxx
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