hiya all~!~

so sorry that i havnt managed to update this blog at all but for thr first 5 days of the trip we have been in Mumbai, or Bombay as it is more commonly referred to over her and the internet service was slllooowwww and i didnt have the patience for this at all. we are now in Goa and things are much more relaxed and chilled out here!
as said arrived in Mumbai which i must admit was a little scary as we arrived with not a real idea as to where we needed to go - but managed to befriend a guy at the airport and we shared his taxi which took us right to the area in Mumbai that is full of hostels and hotels and is right by the Taj hotel and the Gate to India - this amazing gate which was built for the English Monarchy - its absolutely beautiful and a picture will follow but i keep forgetting my usb thingy when ever i leave!!!
we stayed in a hotel for the first 3 nights as we suited us and allowed us to have a walk around and get to know the area really welll.......and i must say Mumbai is the most hectic crazy city i have ever been too - noisy as the taxi's and cars just never stop beeping, crowded there are apparently like 15 mill people in Mumbai alone - the city itself seems to go on for m,iles and miles and is made up of high rise buildings, old gothic and colonial buildings and shanty towns which i must say are a sight for sore eyes.
people are spilling out from everywhere - we get stared at quite a lot which i know may not be that surprising but its pretty annoyong at times - but there isnt anything we can do about this - apprarently this is just part of their culture - they stare at everyone!
all around where we are there are stalls with their vendors trying so hard to try and stop you to buy somthing - and we have learnt know after learning the hard way never accept first offer ALWAYS barter!!!!!! now we know! its also hard as there are children always asking for money and they dont leave you along and the children tend to be carrying children themselves - they are made to do this but its still very hard- also disabled people limping around asking for money argh you have to be tough and not think like an english! also they will ask for money for anything they do even if you havent asked for it - like this guy came in to clean our bathroom in the hotel did it all then came out and just stood there for ages - we being us and new to all of this didnt know what was going on then we realised he was expecting something for it - and we had thought thiis was all part of the service - but no no n not in India - service comes with a price my friends!so we gave him some money said thank you and he proceeded to stand there - we just had to be firm and say thank you again and he slowly walked out of the room.....we clearly have much to learn.
Its dirty and smelly and the heat is incredibly - he pollution is so bad that you cant even tell the colour of the sky- we took a trip to a nearby island called Elephant Island and as you come out on the water you can barely see the buildings due to the heavy smog!!
part from that the city is certainly an eye opener and very glad to have had this as a first expereince as anything after this i think will be a lot easier to handle.
the food is cheap and so is the booze and fags so that always a bonus!! the rooms are cheap to for what we are used to but we decide to move to to the salvation army - hostel with dorm which cost us around 2.50per night sharing with all female great place to meet people and have a chat much better than the hotel as you isolated from fellow travellers!
one thing i cant get my head around is the toilet system - as you cant use toilet roll in the toilets everything as to be done with what i like to calll is a 'bum Shower' whereby everytime one goes one has to wash ones bum off afterwards - this has taken some getting used to and i will admit i am not there yet.
we decided after 4 days we were ready t leave - many people will say that about Mumbai go and see it but you will not be able to stay longer then a 5 - 7 days at the most its just to to much. we decided to train it down as like this you get to see a part of the country a d its cheapest way to get around - however as we had left it so late instead of going for air con and second class we had to go into standard with no air con!! and what an experience that was - bars on the window cockroaches all over the toilet a hole in the ground ( i made sure to immodium myself up to the max to avoid using that!!) and 13 hour trip in 40 degree heat all the princely sum of 4 pounds!! cant complain of the price but by god Indian trains def make you a stronger person! i also think i am far too western!!

we arrived in goa safe and sound late at night and after making a firend on the train, Girk from Holland - 60's man who was experienced in travel' we made our way to where we are now a town called Benaulim on the coast - approx 20 min drive from Margoa. very quiet - i think it is the time of the year- and seems to a favourite with the oldies - i fear we are the youngest here- its not bad for a couple of days just to unwind but i wont want to stay for too long - need to find like minded people who are young and can get to know and hang out with.
one thing to look forward to is they are having a carnival here tomorrow with music and dancing etc so that should be muchos funos~

so that is where we are - i could of course say so so so much more but i require some refreshment and a fag so i will leave you with thoughts of beaches in Goa + old people whom Isla loves to be around - and whom i would like make young again!
BTW we ahve already burnt ourselves!!! typical brits wanting everything to soon!

love and miss you all so much wish i coudl bring you all here with me!!!
all my love
TXXXXXXx