Hi Rosh,
Just found out how to post a msge on this site thingy, wish I'd have learnt to use it when I was travelling.
Well hows life in the old "Raj" then? 'hav'nt been kidnapped and sold off for a few camels then? see, I told you you'd be safe!
Love the pics and Blog stuff, we're all living your jouney with right now and wishing we were there especialy as its very cold this morning, deep frost and all that. brrr.
Been to Egypt diving for a week since I last saw you but not much else.
Take care,
Mike. xx

hi mum, just read your e-mail. sounds like your having an amazing time. we all miss you loads, jack says he loves you loads and misses your cuddles WE LOVE YOU speak to you soon

Hi
Its Saturday again, another week over, how time flys when you are having fun (I don't think) We were all set to go live agian this Sunday , which meant I had doubled up on reception staff again, and then on Friday they decided to pull the plug AGAIN. Still it could be worse, lots of staff have been given notice that their jobs are on the at risk register. I am really missing not having you at the end of the phone to chat to, I hope you don't decide to do more of this travelling the globe. Dave wants me to help him tidy up the gardenfor the winter, so I had better sign off now. Hope you are not too foot sore, and still enjoying yourself. Love Diann

Hi
Arn't you the clever one, the pictures were great, keep them coming. It all souds idealic but I guess you are alson seeing the other side of India as well. I have beeen to the dentist ( huge bill coming up but I won't bore you with the details). They think we are going live this Sunday with the new IT sustem, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. The weather here has been strange, some days its been 16, and the plants think its spring and are beginning to bloom again, we are having plenty of rain to so the grass looks like grass again. Sam is enjoying being back at uni she says she is working hard. Went to the pictures with a couple of girls from work and saw"the devil wears prada" you will enjoy it, I said all the staff should see it and then they would realise I wasn't such a bad boss after all. Hope you are feeling strong for this next bit of your trip, or have you found somebody to carry your rucksack for you? Dave has brought up my cup of hot chocolate so I guess I had better sign off now, sleep well and take care. Love Diann

Quick update - you can now view some photos on my album page - more later in week - happy browsing - hope you enjoy them as much as I do. xx

Hi Everyone, thanks for the messages, and great to hear what you've been up to Joel, hope you're fit and well again now - and thanks again for all your help in getting me here! every single day, without exception, brings forth new experiences, (even if it's only learning about someone elses life).
Well, my project work at Colva came to an end last Friday. Thursday night we had a farewell party on the beach, we all had a meal in a beach shack restaurant, it was amazing the variety of food that was cooked and served from such a basic kitchen on the beach. After our meal we had a bonfire on the beach, and guess who was up dancing first??? (no prizes for guessing right!), I even danced on the edge of the surf - the night was dark, and the sky was peppered with stars, the crash of the surf provided the base line to the eclectic mix of music (more poetry for you Joel), we had a great time dancing and chatting but by 1am it was time for me (and a couple of others), to call it a day. The rest of the group staggered home at all hours, however, my friend (and roommate)Katarina and english Emma stayed up all night to whatch the sun rise and go skinny dipping before breakfast.
Friday being my last day with the children, I bought them all chocolate bars and ice creams (from an ice cream man peddling from a push-bike). It was really sad leaving all the little children and the Teacher and helper didn't want me to leave. Sabrina's daughter Elvira, arrived at the school with a bunch of red plastic roses as a goodbye present for me, I was very moved.
I am now chilling out on Palolem beach - a little corner of paradise; the beach is gently curved into a bay and is fringed by coconut trees, to the right are a couple of small islands which can be reached when the tide is out. Saturdat night I clambered over some rocks between the islands and sat and watched the sunset, it was o beautiful, calming and peaceful. At the moment, there are hundreds of beach shacks beeing built all along the beachfront, in readiness for the busy season.
Saturday was also the start of the Dewali festival (festival of light), during the evening fireworks were being set off all over, and all the fishing boats on the beach were decorated with lit candles. I sat in a beach restaurant and watched as people walked out into the surf holding lit candles high above their heads; I think this was to symbolise taking spirits out to the sea, it looked amazing as some of the lights seemed to travel so far out (without being extinguished by the waves).
The last couple of days seem to be getting hotter and hotter so I'm taking it easey in the shade. I'm off to Delhi on Friday for the next part of my adventure (backpacking across the north) bu I'll check in again before I go - this internet cafe appears to be more efficient than the last so I might even be able to upload some photo's later - fingers crossed.
Take care everyone, hope it's not too cold for you back in the Uk - Love and Sunshine Roisin xx

Hello Roisini.

Long time, no internet. Been without net until the beginning of the week and from Monday to Wednesday been bed-ridden with terrible terrible illness (flu). Suppose I should have been able to write during these days but I was far too busy studying for my next exam (should read 'too busy sleeping'). Good to hear that you have been keeping yourself busy and making the most of your time there.

I really like some of the descriptions you are using in your short essays - like the man in the moonlight silhouette. Very romantic. I imagine you are in a very happy place somewhere on a higher spiritual plain and it is bringing out the creative side in your reports. I am also very envious after catching up on the story so far and I have been drowning my wall map in red ink all week planning and scheming on where I will be going next. Although I know where I am going next.....I am thinking more next next. You see?

Thought not. Should explain - broke up with Jane end of August. Since met lovely new girl from Czech Republic. Next holiday will (hopefully) be over there in the New Year. Mainly as they have 6 weeks of snow and not being from Scotland or any other such snow-kissed land I am looking forward to it. And the whole time with my girlfriend thing. Don't want to dwell on that as this is your journal and I am sure the other people here don't want to hear about it - will try to email sometime.

Anyway, good to hear you met up with your strapping young Indian man. Is he the only one you have intentions of bestowing musical instruments upon or are there others? Plenty to choose from I guess. As for the kids I am sure they are very happy with their new teacher and will have fond memories from your various toys and games you have introduced. As for the fighting....do you have to pretend to ignore them and then arrange a meeting in private for a few hours to discuss things or are they easier to manage than someone else (hope she isn't reading this). Heh.

Looking forward to seeing some of the pictures you have, hope you don't have to wait until you get home to put them on. Speaking of which, I bet you are looking back and thinking nearly one month down. When you come home you will look back and think about how much you have managed to squeeze in so far. But enough about the past..... just remember to alwayslook forward as tomorrow is a new day with new challenges and opportunities. Moments to be seized, friends to be made and memories to be created.

Wanted to end on something more thought provoking than I started on.

Will be reading and posting more regularly now.

Carry on living.

Joel

Oh my goodness what an amazing experience - make sure you enjoy every moment. I can only imagine what its like for you, it sounds like the stuff that movies are made of!

Hi
Great to read your adventures, it all sounds great fun, dont' forget Rosh you can't bring any of the children home with you. Nikki has had her scan today, but they didn't think to get any other pictures, so I was disappointed, but still all is well, although they think her dates are wrong and she is only ten and a half weeks pregnant.
We saw Mum on Saturday, she was looking really well and was full of her trip to Australia, it was nice to see her so relaxed. Anyway I guess I had better have a bath and settle down for the evening. Take care Rosh, I think of you oftern during the day and wonder what you are up to. Love Diann

Hi Everyone, Looks like I've been a bit slack with my messages!!! well I'm now well and truly settled in Colva beach (though I'll be moving on at the end of the week). We had a bit more rain but now thats gone the weather is getting hotter and hotter each day. I've been teaching each day at one of the local day care centres, every morning DK takes me there on his motorbike, when I arrive the little children all chant 'good morning teacher'. Mainly all I can teach are animal names, colours, songs and a few games. The children are mostly from very poor backgrounds and though all are willing to learn, most of the time they're fighting (quite roughly) seems to be the norm. If I start to show them something new, they all crowd around me and push and shove each other to get to the front. I have grown very fond of them all and have found that they respond greatly to lots of cuddles. The afternoons are free, so when we've all done our chores (washing etc.) we usually head for the beach. Yesterday was a festival day here in Colva, it was a great religeous feast of 'the baby Jesus' people come from all over to queue up and kiss the feet of the infant Jesus statue - story goes that this was washed up on the shores of Colva in the midst of a hurricane and since then has been responsible for many miracles. People think nothing of queuing for 3hours +. I was invited to go to the first mass (5:30 am) with my helper and her family, from the day care centre - quite an experience - afterwards I went back to her house (a shack with a tin roof) to join in the day's feast. Sabrina cooked until 2 o'clock - fried fish, Goan pork, cow meat!, pork, chicken. rice, salad, cabbage and custard for afters. It was a great atmosphere with people coming and going and all helping with the preparations, I felt quite priveledged to be there but Sabrina kept thanking me for joining them - such wonderful hospitality. The festival activities go on all week so there is a lot of hustle and bustle about the town.
Last weekend a group of us went off to Palolem beach, by local bus - another experience in itself! suffice to say, after our stay of one night we returned by taxi cab! The food is good, mostly local fare, quite spicy, with a few pizza's thrown in to keep everyone happy, however, it consists mainly of carbs so I'm actually putting on weight again - never mind - I imagine that when I get back home everything will taste so bland. Unfortunately, I haven't had any cookery lessons but there's time yet.
I tried to upload some photo's today, but the facilities at this internet cafe are a bit basic so I couldn't do it - I'll try from somewhere else next week - also I tried to use my journal page properley without success - I'll keep trying.
Before I go, must tell you about this morning, I took a walk on the beach before breakfast (7.00am) and watched as a fishing boat was landing it's plentiful catch - it was very colourful, the young men on board who were hauling in the nets were all singing as they worked, then when the nets were tightened, they all jumped off the boat to guide it to shore where they scooped up the fish in baskets and carried these on their heads up the beach to their camp. There are loads of crows here and all had a good feast while this was going on. Well my friends, I'll close for now, hope you're all well back in the UK - take care - lots of Love Roisin x
ps. you may remember my story about my sister Mary's mandolin - the young Indian man who now plays it - Anthony - came last week and gave a performance, just for me, to the whole group, as a thank-you - we all went to a beach bar close to the camp so while he was playing he was silhouetted in the moonlight - everyone really enjoyed it and it was quite special for me.

Thank goodness its Friday. its been a hellish week, still never mind its only work. Dave has bought me a digital camara for my birthday, I was so pleased. Hope you get a rest over the weekend too. Take care.
Love Diann & Dave
PS Dave is hovering over me at the moment, and wants to know where the photos are???

Hi, hope you got my e-mail,its still raining here and the nights are "fair drawing in"so bacically its pretty miserable, so we hope you are seeing some sun and enjoying yourself. Mun is back form her travels, and we hope to see her on Saturday, she had a great time apparently. Sam is back at university, she feels strange being back in one room after living in the house with her 3 friends. She used the draw liners that you bought for her birthday in her one very old chest of drawers in the room. Andrew and Nikki are well and are settluing into their new flat. Keep in touch. Love Diann