Advertisement
Published: July 14th 2009
Edit Blog Post
Jaggary
So so cute!! Since I last wrote to you all I've been on a rollercoaster of emotions, feelings and experiences! I got really sick from drinking some of the local water, which made me feel pretty homesick. The last thing you want when you're feeling awful is 40 degree heat, no family, no real toilet and no comfy bed! But i pulled through and feel pretty amazing, plus everyone looked after me! I really love the community feel here, it seems to get stronger everyday. It's strange to share everything with such a big group of people, I very rarely spend time by myself, which is actually starting to catch up with me as I'm beginning to crave 'me time'.
Anyway, this week I was well up for going off travelling around bits of India with Ann and Tommy, two amazing friends that I have met here. They left on Thursday, unfortunately without me as I changed my mind. I don't know whether it was nerves of venturing out into the real India or just that I don't feel like I've spent enough time here yet... I'm pretty convinced that it's the latter though. There's so much here that I havn't been able
to experience yet, I havn't even been properly in the forest yet as I've been chef for the last two weeks, which has been an amazing experience! Cooking for so many people is pretty tough, but enjoyable!
Although, I am planning to go to Varanasi with a big group of the volunteers here to see the solar eclipse. It's a 41 hour train journey, so that is going to be an experience. I'm not too convinced that it will be an enjoyable experience, but probably memorable! I havn't seen a solar eclipse for many years so I'm pretty excited about it. I will also get the chance to see the ghats while I'm there, which is where they burn and throw their loved ones. It sounds pretty strange but it's something to do with releasing the soul or something. Varanasi is meant to be the heart of Hinduism so it will be nice to be in such a holy town. I've been warned that it may not be a pleasurable experience seeing dead bodies floating, but i've got a feeling it will actually be quite beautiful as it's something that has been going on for years and for spiritual
reasons. The fire they burn the bodies on has been continuously lit for 3000 years! Amazing!
Also, I've ventured out much more into Auroville and Pondicherry recently too. Pondicherry is a french colonial town so some of the architecture is beautiful, but not quite as amazing as travel books will have you believe. The beachfront is by no means amazing, but a beach is a beach all the same. Myself, Ann and Tommy spent one night sat on the beachfront drinking coke and eating samosas 😊, it was actually pretty beautiful.
As you can see from the pictures as well I've seen some pretty amazing temples. The temples here in Tamil Nadu are just out of this world. It's so strange to be driving through a village full of what I could describe as 'shacks' sat next to these beautiful, huge, colourful temples, which they regularly hold festivals at. I've driven past so many in the short 2 weeks I've been here. Clearly this is a very religious place.
Oo and I went to a party in Auroville on Saturday, which was amazing! I met some pretty cool people and danced until i conked out!
I
will write again soon and I hope everyone is having an amazing summer!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.093s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 51; dbt: 0.052s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Kerry
non-member comment
Varanissi
Beware.....