INDIA... I CAN SMELL YOU AGAIN!

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On the 20th of September 2010 I went to India to work as a teacher volunteer for 6 months in Vedanthangal (a village in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India).

I came back to Spain in March and, after some time just to catch up with my friends and family, I’ve been travelling a bit around Spain and Europe with my boyfriend Paul (Australian who is in Spain for the first time). We went to the north of Spain (Camino de Santiago), Formentera, South France, Switzerland and some small trips in Catalonia.

India is in the air all the time since Paul arrived here because he’s in love with this beautiful country but since last week something is changing in me.....

I can see again those colourful saris contrasting on black skin; I can hear the music of strange languages; I can see the nodding of heads; I can feel in my skin the contact of hundreds of people around me; and I can feel the rice in my hands again (as I eat) and this spicy feeling on my tongue. The rubbish, the dogs on the streets and this fried food is also in my dreams. The guy selling “chai” at 5am in the morning in the train is in my mind too, and the air caressing my face when I’m on Gladys (Paul’s Royal Enfield motorbike). The Cat Empire sound again in my ears saying “hello, hello” while Paul is riding the motorbike and I’m listening to the Ipod. I can feel this exciting thing in my body when every minute is a surprise and when your eyes can’t stop looking at many new things. My mind is just overwhelmed: can this be true? I can smell India again....!

Yesterday we bought two plane tickets to India for the 6th of September. If everything works well (specially thinking about the visa) we are going to travel on Gladys again for 6 months around the north of India (where I’ve never been before) and Paul will show me some of his favourite places and introduce me to his indian friends. We are invited to a wedding in December in Cuttack and then maybe some small trips to Puri or Kolkata, who knows? Maybe I can visit my “family” in Vedanthangal or come back to my weekend place (Mamallapuram).

Sounds... just exciting! India, here we come again!

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