You both look beautiful in your pictures and Diwali in Bangalore sounds and looks unbelievable. Diwali vadaya to you both.

XXX

Hi Everyone

We've had a few messages asking if we're okay and anywhere near Mumbai. We're fine. We're in Bangalore and moving down to Kerala on Sunday. Partly in anticipation that events in Mumbai will mean that I won't get a visa extension after December. So after that, theoretically, we could go anywhere else in the world. We are going to go to Sri Lanka over Xmas with a view to getting a visa extension anyway to complete our trip as planned. Hope you're all well. Lots of Love, Col and Sundeep.

Hi,

We will get our street scenes in one place and post them up soon. We are settling into Bangalore until the end of year, got an apartment in the silicone valley of Bangalore... but can we find a reliable wifi connection anywhere???

There's loads of building work, and yes there are lots of women and children doing a lot of the heavy carrying work - we suspect that a place up the road that is being constructed at the moment is acting as shelter for a family as well work. Rope and logs are used for scaffolding - it is pretty amazing that nothing falls down considering the materials used, but it works.

We've been in touch with a project here and got involved in some work - we'll post up a blog about this soon.

Brilliant news about the American election - the slant here on the news is of Obama's African heriatge, and one paper has gone as far as to suggest that it won't be long before theres an Indian-American President! Chatting with some others here in Bangalore, there seems to be shared optimism about it.

You'll be glad to hear that there have been no bouts of dysentry or major ill-health - the odd stomach upset and aching muscles from having to swing on and off buses!!

Lots of love

Sundeep & Col

Hi guys. The giant statue brings back memories. We found shravnabelagola ( as we called it) weird but beautiful too. My memory of it is trying to eat at the loca cafe and not being able to concentrate on the food because of the cockroaches running it. That's the down side of jainism - no pest control. It was the only place we saw cockroaches in india! Everywhere else seemed to go for the DDT approach. Can you post some street scenes for us? Cows, rickshaws etc. Do they still use branches and rope for scaffolding? And are all the builders still little old women?

Stay happy and how is the street food? still waiting for your first dose of dysentry.

Gig

OMG you are having an adventure...Your writing is amazing we love seeing the world through your words.

s*** man the world is so f***ed up and yet so f***in beautiful...

We love you both

Jaheda & Samira

Hi both

It is great to be able to catch up with what you are doing, sounds incredible. Keep enjoying yourselves, and keep up with the pics!

Ceri

Oh I can't believe this being able to contact you both, its magic! You and Col look so wonderfully happy is it something to do with visitng such tremendous places? I will follow your journeys with a massive amount of interest - go enjoy.

Al

Hi Yvonne

Hope ya well. Got docs. catch you soon. Love Col and sundeep. All messages are good, we are now running out of internet time so gotta go will blog soon. C and S

hi look like all very good -enjoying difference -heat culture etc etc just a quick note col did you get email stuff ? didn't send framing info ! ? hee hee love ya and congrats - delayed cos i didn't answer sum correctly ! ne at all !!!

You are working the new India hair cuts you both look really cool, especially sleeping Sundeep...

Love reading your blogs, love seeing your pics, miss you loads.

XXXX

You lucky spuds!

Sounds like you're in the midst of a fab time - I'm greener than green w envy! Col - don't worry - your thoughts will do just fine - stream of consciousness ahoy!

By the way, I plucked up some courage and Caroline and I got engaged at the weekend! The wedding rollercoaster is well out of the station already.

Hope you both have a great time - I'll be reading intently...

Thanks for the recommendations Al - will let you know how we get on. We're planning to move onto southern Goa at the tale end of next week, so looking forward to the most beautiful beach in the world.

Hope you're well in sunny Bristol!