Nilgiris - Blue Mountains in India (bordering three states - Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) We had a brief but wonderful talk with a teacher at a Advasi project -- advasi being word for indigenous people. A plan is hatching, they are in the Nilgiris (means Blue Mountains!!)- it is beautiful territory, tea farming, tigers in the forest and elephants wandering about. A recent fund raising project was a cycle trip from Bangalore to Gudalor. Given that I am now writing this from Japan, the thought of riding a bike in India horrifies me but … who knows, perhaps! The project was started about 30 years ago by Indian couple who acted on their social conscience, and taught in this area. There are government schools but poorly funded. The project leaders were trying to make sure ... read more

Laurie: We wanted to catch the train to Kochi but when I tried to get tickets there was none. I thought I knew the way around the Indian Train system but I was wrong. So we got the Semi -Sleeper Overnight bus which went on the same road as to Bandipur. So I was a bit worried but it was a Volvo bus with wonderful suspension. So we survived OK. Laurie went for an early morning walk and amazingly was not hassled once. Nobody trying to sell sandalwood boxes or fans. Nobody wanting to be my “friend”. It was Sunday morning maybe they were still asleep. Let’s see what Fort Cochin the main tourist area is like. ... read more

Laurie: Our first day in Mysore Laurie and Kym took a rickshaw into town to try and find some tourist information and an internet café. The rickshaw driver just wanted to take us to the Maharajah’s Palace and then harassed us to use him all day to go to sandalwood factory and Silk shops. He wouldn’t stop. So we just kept walking with him following us until he gave up. Then another guy follows us and starts chatting and wants to be my “friend” and take me around to see sandalwood factory etc. Eventually he got bored too and gave up. Then another “friend” turns up and eventually find out he wants to sell me dope. Jasmine: The hassle factor in India does make travelling a challenge on some days. It can make you strong or ... read more

LAURIE Our last day in Pitchandikulim. It's almost cool or we may be getting used to the heat. We went yesterday to Puducherry. Saw the temple elephant (poor thing shackled most of the time in a garage size room.) Bought some lovely Indian sweets and books to keep us amused on our travels. This week we saw more of PRBC work in Chennai and on the coast. The have got some money from Union Bank Swiss to work with a fishing village affected by the tsunami. The village wasn't actually damaged by the wave but the tsunami of aid has built new houses in a different area and given fishing boats to people who don't know how to use them. PRBC is doing the same kind of work here, helping develop women's groups and doing environmental ... read more

LAURIE I'm sitting here in the Ecodorm in the Pitchandikulim Bio Resource Centre. (PBRC). It's a bit cooler today only about 30C. It was such a lurch from winter in the mountains to the pre monsoon heat of India. We've been here about a week and it's been exhausting. Just starting to have energy again. There's a lovely view from our room into the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest. Pitchandikulim is an environment education centre which focusses on reafforesting in the local area with this local indigenous forest. But they are doing so much more as we've discovered. They are also helping a group of local villages to develop sustainably. They have built an environment education centre and toilets at the local high school and a number of women's centres. They have helped replant a community forest ... read more