4997 miles away!!! (EM)

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4997 miles
24 hours
3 plane flights

...........and here we are in Mangalore!?!

India is an amazing experience for the first time visitor - colourful and busy are the two words that immediately spring to mind. Along with all the beeping and cars on the wrong side of the road and stray cows we made it safely to the Mangalore Club where we are staying tonight. Air conditioned balcony rooms with fantastics views are a welcome sights after a 9 hour overnight flight!!!

We have lots of exciting experiences ahead of us over the next few days and hopefuly after a good nights sleep we will all be raring to go. We are all doing remarkably well on severe lack of sleep, but need to get our body clocks back to some normality soon!

Tomorrow we have been invited to attend a Hindu wedding in the city and witness the main part of the ceremony. There will be about 900 guests present, which is small for this part of the world. Normally weddings have over 1000 guests, which a far cry from the traditional church wedding in the UK. This is a surprise addition to our agenda and we're really excited to experience this part of Indian cullture. The wife of one of the Rotarians we met today will shaparone us at the wedding and explain/translate the ceremony for us which will be extremely useful.

Let's just hope we don't melt in the 32 degree forecasted temperature!!!

The food is a LOT spicer than any of us were expecting, but all of it is delicious and cooked from fresh. We are all learning to scoop up the food with our right hand (left hand for cleaning only!) which is a challenge for me as a lefty, using the chapati or naan bread. I think we will all increase our spice tolerance over the coming weeks and looking forward to trying the difference regional variations in dishes.

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Comments

[Pauline Chisholm]

Smashing News
What a treat the wedding will be, I am rather envious so take lots of pics (if possible). I cannot imagine you finding the food too spicy! hope all your body clocks get back to normal soon. x

[Margaret]

Left -handed
Food sounds interesting. Are there no left handed people in India? What do you wear to a wedding?

[GSE 2013]

RE: left-handed
WE were told before coming to India that eating with your left hand is very offensive, but upon arrival I have been told my lots of people not to worry and just do what feels comfortable. I have become quite dexterous with my right hand and ate 3 meals today without any cutlery! Tracy took a photo of me at the wedding eating off a banana leaf - it will hopefully get added to the blog soon. Wedding outfits - we wore our smartest clothes, but all the women wore gorgeous sari's of many colours. More details to follow in the next few blogs! The main word to describe an Indian wedding = colourful!!!!