TODDY & LOBBOS - THE PERFECT COMBO

I got a call from Alex today. I had my first dose of bloggers remorse as in my haste yesterday, I forgot to tell you about our Boxing Day. Plus I spelt a name wrong!!

Alex and I hung out at Molly's shop, which is under construction after 4 year arduous battle with tenants, but is filled with some real gems and she gave me parting gifts - in particular a lovely sandalwood strand to balance the heat. I love it.

Onwards to a fantastic restaurant where we feasted on so many delicacies. I've left my notebook back at my room so can't write the details now, but the pearl fish was really special. The lobsters just right. Then on to a house boat on the beautiful lake, we circumnavigated a lush island while I kicked my legs in the water. It was the most relaxing afternoon, which soon gave way to a dusky eve.

We wandered along the road until Alex saw the sign. Ah, the famous toddy shack! The locals make a coconut hooch that is best drunk whilst still sweet and only just brewed. It's taken from the fruit at the very top of the coconut tree and it was delicious.

I said I wanted to drink with the locals, but the waiter pointed us into a separate tourist shack where we ended up munching more lobster (seriously deliciously spicy and crunchy) and drinking toddy. The power cut could do nothing to dampen the spirits.


We then jumped on bus to town and raced back at breakneck speed, flying over the bumps. Such fun.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to finish my book and swap it immediately for my new favourite author's towering achievement - the novel A Suitable Boy. I remember Dooda loving it so when she read it, as did Mum. Their mutual love of India is definitely part of the reason I'm here - their photos and stories were always so colourful.

I managed to leave the book at Ram's store when I was buying a rainbow skirt (yes, yes I know, another one) and I was so relieved to be reunited with it today. I can't wait to really dive in and immerse myself in it's inviting pages. It's by the far the biggest tome I've ever had to haul around with me.

On my way to meet Kat yesterday, a palm reader called Sakar, who only seemed to have one tooth, mesmerised me and told me the most wonderful things. Apparently my planet is Mercury, though he mentioned Jupiter a lot. I'm going to have one marriage to a family man, live a healthy life until 85 or 87. Most of what he told me sounded bloody great, as I was swooning in the afternoon sun.

The Indians study astrology intensely. Although I'm Capricorn, my moon is Cancer and apparently it's more important than my sun sign.

Hearing the sound of the waves every day makes me resolute that I never want to live away from the ocean again. It's just too calming and soothing and divine for words. I need to get back to the Israeli's hammock. There are a bunch of guys living on the roof at Coconut Grove and they're a motley crew. Very toasty and friendly.

6 more hours until my day of birth. I am so honoured to be celebrating it here in Varkala.
I hope you have a magnificent new years eve.
See you in 2009.
Megaluv,
Lxxxx

THE COCONUT GROVES OF VARKALA

After the girls on Christmas day told me that Varkala was not to be missed, I jumped on a very early and seriously bumpy ride from Kottayam. Thank you ladies. You were so right.

It's hot, hot, hot here and sea is warm, warm warm. I'm truly in coconut beach heaven. And I've bumped into various faces from elsewhere in Kerala. After checking in to the only room I could find over the phone on the North Cliff near the main beach of Varkala, I decided to treat myself to yet another Ayurvedic massage, this time I thought I'd go for my third oil on the head massage and I can't remember how to spell it - something like Sira Dhara. I just tried to ask the guys at the Joshi's internet cafe and they thought I wanted another one. But i think I've had my fill.

The two Ayurvedic ladies kept spilling the oil into my eyes and giggling, it happened at least 3 times. It's so odd being oiled up like a sardine. It was so hot too. Oh well. At least my skin feels like a baby's bum!!

And the sea. Ahhhhh. I had my first swim since I got to India yesterday. I don't think much could beat the feeling of immersing myself in the ocean yesterday. Today I've hardly been out of it. Though I did do a big wander along the cliff looking for cheaper accommodation this morning after my first yoga class. I think I've found the perfect place to do exactly what Jez said to me on the phone the other day, I can relax here and let my guard down. It's filled with chilled out travellers and beach folk, fishermen, palm thatched huts, an abundance of every sort of fish and food you can imagine, plus a load of shops selling the most delectable delights.

I am so glad I ran into Barbara and Horst again today. They were in the little Tibetan restaurant in the clouds (bless you Sanjiv) place where I ate everthing I consumed yesterday. They told me that they'd found a place further along for 250 rupees. I'm paying 1000 so after the blaring music and the loud generator that were my soundtrack last night, I set off this morn determined to find better. Plus, Sean the Melbourne artist told me that he's found a room for 500. We shared a lovely dinner last night before Matt from Newcastle, who I met on the ferry from Cochin to Eranakulum, waltzed in with some mates.

After hiking all along the cliff top this fine sunny morn, I could find absolutely nowhere with a free room - this place is bloody popular for new years and it's getting close. So, I sat down at a makeshift shop where the sweet Sahim ran off to find me a chilled mango juice. Then Horst just appeared out of nowhere and orders a coke, he says they're leaving tomorrow and do I want their room? Bliss.

So we swam some more and then they took me back to check out the place. Rene and his guests were all eating at an outdoor table and welcomed me to it. We ate delicious, simple fare and I met the local cast of characters (more on them soon). It's basic there but set back from the beach and away from the restaurants and bars and I think perfect for me. So, I'm moving in tomoz and can't wait.


Now it's time to set off to the Juice Shack where a British girl called Kat is waiting to take me to her place and give me a Bengali Massage. My new friends who run the Tibetan place have recommended her and I need to banish the memory of the giggling oilscapade yesterday.

More when I can tear myself away from the sandy shores of Coconut Grove.

THE SPICE OF LIFE

As I wandered through the dawn (this time on foot with backpack attached) towards the ferry station, my heart was heavy to leave the sanctuary of Keraleeyam and all the lovely people there.

When I asked my rick driver, "How much?" and he replied, "Well, it's Christmas..." my cynical side expected him to say the price would be double. Instead he said, "...so pay me whatever you like"!!! I love that this country subverts all your assumptions just when you least expect it.

After more chai and dosa at a bakery opposite the ferry dock, care of a sweet Italian called Daniel, we headed out across the backwaters to Kottayam. I sat up the back amidst a gaggle of giggling ladies who were very sweet. When a big group of young men insisted on filming and pointing and staring and doing 'the usual' they got quite protective. I loved it when a gorgeous purple sari-ed mother and her divine little daughter sat down next to me.

On arrival in Kottayam I sourced a Chrissie cake (should have gone with the chocolate one dammit as 7 year-old Anouska didn't like the rum one I chose) and checked into my hotel. I then wandered the rather empty streets looking for wrapping paper and flowers. After finally sourcing the first, I entered the haven of a sweet smelling flower shop. I must have looked very hot as a man motioned for me to sit down and said "Wait 5 mins" as he walked out. I thought he was going to get the owner who spoke English, so I just sat there and sat there and watched them all working, trying not to get in the way. Finally after about 15 minutes, I went up to a guy and said, "Can someone help me or should I keep waiting?" to which he looked rather surprised and responded, "Wait for what? Just take!". When I said, "Oh, that man told me to wait" he said, "He's my neighbour, nothing to do with this shop". I love that I'd just been sitting there and noone had minded to tell me to move or asked me what the hell I thought I was doing.

So, after getting a bunch of flowers, which involved everyone in the shop and the customers helping, I made it back to my hotel room in time to wrap gifts and ready myself. Alex arrived as I chatted to Hame on the Murray River where he's camping with Sof and their dogs, so I rang off and we went to a bottle-o that I'd been inside not 5 minutes before buying Goan port.

On arrival at Alex's mother's (Molly) place, I was greeted warmly and found there a lovely Irish woman called Deirdre and her English friend Marie-Therese. They both live in Dublin and had met Molly in her antiques shop the day before. Alex's daughter Anouska completed the party and we all sat down to a huge pile of prawns, chicken, fish, vegetables and so much more. I mixed a bunch of vodka/mango/soda/fresh lime combos and we had a lovely lunch. Molly's sister then arrived, Elizabeth, who is battling a brain tumour but was full of positive energy. She told us incredible stories about being fired from JP Morgan because she refused to approve a huge write-off linked to a dodgy bank in Bavaria where a load of bad debt from Enron had been stored. Then I heard the story of Sandy Weill and his protoge Jamie Dimon and it sounds like a film story to be made there.

As the day wore on, I broke out my playing cards and we played a bastardised version of Old Maid and then I ended up having huge a Snap Championship with Anouska. She beat me and with delight kept saying "I'm not going easy on you this time!!". Was such fun.

As the doorbell went and more family arrived, us foreigners took off up the street and went back to our hotels. I had just had a shower when Alex rang and said that he and his friend Skariah were coming to take us to a club. We drove through the night as Skariah told us all about his family and the region, and we ended up on the edge of Vembanad Lake at the Kottayam Annexe Club. This was my first dose of Indian club life and we sat under a canopy being served illegal liquor and green lobster (very rare, but green due to the algae they eat with makes them pure with no cholesterol) in the most beautifully kept surroundings. Apparently the area, Kumarakom, is third of the list of must see places in the world by National Geographic and there are a host of exclusive resorts. It was a blissful end to Chrissie day and we drove home slowly through the dead quiet streets blaring The Eagles.

Now I must decide where I'm travelling on to tomorrow and get on with my day. I managed to drop my camera at Keraleeyam but Deidre is a professional photographer and has promised to send me Chrissie photos and today I bought a crap little thing to see me through to Trivandrum where I'll get mine fixed. Sorry, that's rather boring but funny how small little things become huge when you're travelling and I want to share all these wonderful sights with you.

I have to thank Alex, his family and Skariah for taking such amazing care of me here. We had such fascinating conversations and I am constantly humbled by the depth of knowledge about the world that I keep finding in almost everyone I meet here. Alex said that the awful attacks in Mumbai really brought home to so many Indians that they are Hindustani before anything else, everyone celebrates all religious holidays here - the culture is all embracing.

Clearly there are all sorts of problems in India, but there is so much to be inspired by. The literacy rates in Kerala are above 80% and the natural resources are abounding = not only rice, fish and coconuts but nutmeg, pepper, tumeric, cardamom, tea, coffee, not to mention rubber. In fact, I found out that Christopher Columbus discovered America by mistake when he was in fact looking for black pepper in Kerala!! This truly is, as so many signs seem to say here, God's Own Country.

No idea where I'll be writing to you next but hope you had a very merry Chrissie and that you've got lovely new year plans.
Peace, love and all things nicely spicy,
Lxxxxx

DIVINE DAWNING IN KERALA

I've well and truly made it to paradise.

My departure from Mysore, back to Bangalore, consisted of a rustbuckety train journey that was only a few hours long and most enjoyable. The languid pace soon turned the buzzy atmosphere into a soporific one as some divine food god kept handing me things I wanted - water check, biscuits check, mango juice check....only thing missing was a massala chai.

On arrival I jumped in a rickshaw and Sampat met me near his place for the bus ticket exchange and a few hours of catch up. We went to drink, you guessed it, massala chai at a place called Infinitea. I couldn't help think of Choi Time and Mellie as I looked at the amazing menu that included flower teas and various other delights. Within half an hour or so, after telling my new friend that I was planning to go to Kottayam for Christmas, Sampat had phoned a friend of his called Alex who then joined us for a delicious Indian dinner and accompanied me to the bus stop. I am to spend tomorrow, can't believe it's Chrissie day tomorrow, with Alex's family who live in Kottayam and sound wonderful. Lucky me!

So the overnight bus journey could have been far worse, I had a sweet old Indian lady called Cecilly next to me. All was going well until I had a long battle with my foot rest, which I couldn't get to stay up. She looked at my warily, then slowly reached down and pulled her handbag into her lap. I tried to explain that I was just fighting with the foot rest, but her English didn't go that far and I clearly have a dodgy air about me!!

On arrival in Ernakulum (closest city to Cochin), my host Harry John of Sritara Homestay was not there to greet me as planned, unfortunately his driver had called in sick. I bumped my way to Fort Cochin in a rick and the breakfast of idli that greeted me made everything ok. Amazingly, a British girl called Sarah sat opposite me and before her cab came to whisk her away we worked out that she knows my neighbour Jodie Reed back in London as they both work in similar areas of government!! Harry was most welcoming and my/Sarah's ex room was just fine. Although a lot of people told me that Cochin was great and the people I met at Sritara and beyond seemed to think it wonderful, I can't say I took to it. I'm sure if you were to stay a few days one would undoubtedly find some gorgeous nooks and crannies, but perhaps I was just suffering from spoilt brattedness, having been hosted everywhere until that moment. Plus I could see the backwaters and coconut palms calling me in my minds eye.

I wandered into town, as I knew if I collapsed in a heap I'd never get up, and took a look at the old Chinese fishermans' nets that are ancient and bizarrely wonderful, still bringing in the local catch every day. I found the town overrun with pale, pasty tourists (natch!) and the locals hardly smiled but I pushed on into Jew Town having found an Ayurvedic centre on the way. The streets were crammed with shops filled with every variety of rice you could imagine, plus a host of chillies and very dusty antiques - it felt like I'd stepped right back in time. It was steaming hot, so I sat with a bunch of men on the side of the road and they looked at me with some suspicion.

To get some space and air, I jumped on a ferry back to Ernakulum to try and get the right power cord for my camera. I was the only whitey on board (3 rupees cost = less than half one pence) until at the last minute a skinny little Aussie dude called Matt jumped on and proceeded to tell me about how he'd bought a bike in Goa and cycled down. He'd had a wonderful trip and loved Kerala with all his blessed little heart. I helped him sort out a new watch strap and he pointed me to MG Rd, (Mahatma Ghandi Rd - they love an acronym here), where I spent a very hot and disappointing hour running around in circles.

By the time I made it back to Cochin, I was seriously ready for my treatment and then wandered as dusk beckoned to Parade Ground where a divine little man called Alimin (sp?) challenged me to a game of badmington with a very old shuttlecock. When he snapped a string on his racket, I took him off to the local shop to buy him a new set which pleased him greatly. His mother invited me in for tea and bananas and some other delicious fruit (bright pink and rather melon-y but small with a green skin). They told me about losing their house in the Tsunami and having to move to Fort Cochin. Although they were Muslim, they were making Christmas decorations and we took a few photos. Alimin saw me safely home and I flopped into bed for a monster sleep, pity the dog next door felt the need to bark all night but hey, ho on we go.

It was with some relief that I mounted the bus for Allepey, but I was sad to say goodbye to Harry and his wife who makes the best coconut-cashew-banana-raisin-cardamon pancakes. A British backpacker who lives in Istanbul and I squeezed our way into the seats by the front and I saw my first elephant as we zoomed down the highway. It was butt clenching stuff but we chatted most of the way, while the lady next to Sarah kept prodding her white skin in disbelief.

Like any journey, there are always going to be places that excite you less than others but they make the next place that much more amazing. When my rick dropped me off by a bridge with a sign to walk a path and hang a right by the lake, I knew I'd made the right decision to move on. Keraleeyam Resort sits right on the Punnamada canal and it is an Ayurvedic Treatment Centre where you can learn the treatments as well as get given them. I immediately ordered a delicious lunch of local fish curry and flopped from the massage table onto the hammock by my room, which is party of a big cottage. The path along the river/lake is covered with coconut palms where the only drawback from being right on the edge is the amount of boats that go past at an alarming rate. You soon get used to the rhythm however and it's a small price to pay.

After washing the oil and dirt off, I took off in the dusk to check out Allepey town. I almost collapsed in my room when I went back for my torch, but made a deal with myself that I wouldn't move from Keraleeyam the next day if I went for an explore that night. A rick dropped me off in the midst of a sea of people and I immediately got caught up in the flood of families and young bucks with their slick 70s hair dos and Harry high pants. This took me inside a mini Luna Park where rickety old rides were filled with squealing, happy kids and the noises coming from the various attractions was indescribably loud. On sighting a eunuch and the sign for a snake woman, I paid to stare at one of the most bizarre things ever. A 'bodyless' woman with a microphone in front of her was saying each person's name while her plastic 'snake' body wiggled. Everyone seemed to be loving it. I decided against the dog show and motorcycle extravaganza as it was too much fun just wandering about. As the only whitey I was a bit of an attraction and shared many smiles and waves with plump, happy little critters.

There is a Hindu celebration going on here as well as Christmas celebrations so the streets were utterly rammed and I just wandered around until I fancied some dinner. I had heard that the beach would be a little disappointing but the dinner was ok and there were lots of kids making happy noises on the waterfront, a bit like Portsea this time of year though probably more refined as they were dancing and singing in big groups and there was no booze to be seen, though I'm sure it was there.

After meeting various neighbours on my way back to my room last night, I encountered Don the San Franciscan at 6.30am this morning as I was making my way to my dawn canoe ride. I invited him along and we took turns to help Viji paddle as the birds awoke, the locals washed themselves and the velvetty red sun decided to come up. It was pure bliss. We had over an hour before any other boats (apart from some canoes) joined us. Plus, being eco-friendly and small, we were able to go up some narrow little canals where it felt like there was noone else in the world but us, until we passed yet another woman washing her pots or a guy cleaning his teeth. You're never far from another human being here.

After a delicious local breakfast, I took myself back to my room and tried to just drift from my book to sleep to book to sleep. However the resort and my Spanish neighbours (Carmen and David are doing the Ayurvedic course here) got concerned that I was depressed and kept knocking on my door and asking how I was and if I wanted lunch. How does one explain that you've never been so relaxed and all you want is to be left alone for a few hours? After nearly devouring the final section of Vikram Seth's incredible Two Lives, I gave in and joined for lunch. My golly gosh, I am going to need to go to an ashram soon just to monitor my food intake. Every meal seems to get better than the last!!

Anyway, that's more than enough from me. I'm off to catch the ferry to Kottayam (2 hours of divine scenery I hear) early tomorrow and I'll be there for 2 days. I'm very tempted to meet up with a lovely bunch of Brits in Varkala over new year, but I think the Sivananda ashram in Trivandrum is calling. I'll keep you closely posted. For now, the final few chapters of my book and the hammock are calling.

Have a very merry Chrissie everyone.
Coconut flavoured love to you all.
Lxxxx

TEMPLES AND GODS AND SHRINES, OH MY

This diversion to Mysore is working out a treat. Blue and Chip are great guys and I've fallen for Blue's Jack Russell bitser, called Cara. She's only 7 months old but extremely smart and chatty and full of love. He rescued her off the street after losing his most beloved bulldog, after complications from a minor op. It's a story I keep hearing, that dogs just get sick and seem to die young and without a proper explanation as to why. There are so many variables of diseases and disasters. As Blue reminds me, "It's a third world country mate."

We had such a relaxing day after we arrived, except for the bus station malarkey where yet again I was thwarted whilst trying to buy a ticket for Cochin. It seems the whole of India is going there, so after 4 straight days of trying to book one lousy ticket, I called Sampat in Bangalore and asked him if he could possibly pick me up the Bangalore ticket I had on hold just in case. We're meeting up tomorrow arvo for a meal and ticket exchange. I wish I had a traveller's angel medal to give him too!

We were all pretty zonked last night after Surupa's party and getting up so early to travel back, so Blue puts on this Aussie series that he'd been telling me about. What an hilarious experience watching Underbelly in Mysore. We watched the pilot and I thought it was brilliant. The guys have just gone off to get food for dinner and we're going to watch another ep or two tonight. What a trip!! I told them about the legendary film Kenny and they'd never heard of it. I just happen to have brought it with me as I've become such a fan, (yes Mum, Hame, Dad you were all right, he's a bloody champion), so I'm going to give it to them as my leaving gift.

Temple time finally arrived today. I never thought I'd find anywhere to rival the Lost City of Angkor for more temples in one day, but today comes close as we visited a whole village just full of them. It's called Srirangapatna and was an amazing experience, but as usual I'm skipping ahead. So, not to be too forward about going backwards, I must say my very first experience of the day wasn't the best. We went on a lovely early morning drive to the idyllic Chamundi hills where although the temple was lovely and the bull statue very cool, I felt harassed, out of place, taken for a ride, ridiculed and left with my forehead covered in a variety of colours.

As I finally clambered into the car after a bunch of schoolgirls laughed heartily at me and then took photos as though I was an alien, (my motto to just smile wearing thin already), I almost wanted to can the whole day and head home. Thankfully my driver spoke no English except "Coming" and "Very nice" so that wouldn't have been possible anyway. The whole day was organised by Chip and Blue's Dad who is one of the finest Indian gentleman I've met. He adores temples and has given me piles of books to research Tamil Nadu and he set up the whole day, so I couldn't disappoint him.

When we reached Somanathpur, Mr Mariyappa (my trusty driver) instructed me to leave my flip flops/thongs/chappels (sp?) in the car and this time he accompanied me to one of the most intricate and gorgeous temples I've ever, ever seen. It reminded me a bit of Angkor as it was a series of stone carvings set on a plinth and surrounded by tombs. It was breathtaking and not nearly as hectic. Plus, when a bunch of schoolchildren started laughing and taking my picture, I stuck out my hand and introduced myself and asked to take their picture. They all giggled and formed a queue to shake my hand. Then they all gathered around me and I got a great snap.

So back to Srirangapatha, which was truly magical. I happened to stumble into Lakshmi's main temple here (which I think is called the Sriranganatha Temple) when a pooja was in process. I bought my requisite offering of 3 gorgeous pink roses and a 5 rupees ticket to heaven and shuffled in to a tight queue of people. A holy man started approached between the throng, chanting as people spoke to him and I panicked a bit. Was I supposed to take part, what was I meant to say? Luckily behind me a lovely girl calle Deepha told me that I had to give him my star sign and name (plus the rose) and he'd make a prayer for me. When he got to me I gave the info all wrong and the holy man broke his chant, looked a bit miffed then broke into a huge smile and asked my new friend for help. It was amazing hearing him chant Laura and Capricorn and wish me well.

A series of pushings and shoving and prayers and more colours on the forehead ensued and I ended up outside the temple arguing with the shoe wallah about one rupee. Not very holy of me but there is a tendency to double the price for everything for foreigners here. With my flippies back, I wandered down to the water front to watch everyone bathing and splashing and having a lovely time. I was staring wistfully out across the lovely river, when I noticed my new friend and her gang sitting in a boat like contraption taking photos. I offered to take one of them all and then they asked me to join them on a river cruise that went about 1/2 a mile an hour, took us out to a Ganesh shrine in the middle of the river and then dumped us out on a rock while the young guy (couldn't have been more than 10) negotiated the tiny rapids and we got back on for the final 2 foot stretch. All the while we took snaps (to come I promise) and chatted and laughed and I felt like the luckiest person alive.

They told me the name of the "boat" and I think it was called a theppa, but it reminded me of the coracle (sp?) at Uncle Ant's place in Scotland. The coracle if a Welsh floating device that feels like you're stirring a pudding when you steer it and is one of the most ancient vehicles I'd ever been in, until today. Tor, I didn't fall out either. When I tried to pay, Deepha had already done so and insisted it was their treat. Just when you think your enthusiasm and patience is wearing thin, you get blessed and treated to a river cruise. This country is truly astounding.

So, I'm back to Bangalore tomorrow and might finally, actually make it to Kerala after all.
I will write again soon.
Megaluv, Lxxx

FIRST TASTE OF PARADISE

Little did I know that when I was told about Nrityagram Dance Village that it was actually closed for staying guests and there were no classes being taught. However, the wonderful Lynne Fernandez and her troupe of dancers have welcomed me here nonetheless.

I have to be quick as there is a birthday party for Surupa (a principal dancer here who does all the choreography) going on outside and I just raced in to let you know that I'm safe and o' so well. It's my second night here and I chose a tricky time to visit, as they're also training for a performance in Chennai (Madras) this weekend and are all leaving tomorrow. Lynne has put me up in a guest cottage and I've been watching rehearsals and wandering about this sacred compound in a daze of quiet happiness.

It truly is magical and I've been the only 'unofficial' guest, though some Indian tourists came through today to take a look for a few hours and I felt rather affronted. The cheek of me thinking this was all here for me.

The bonfire is raging outside and guests are drinking and eating incredible Thai food. I spent all afternoon watching Lynne, Bijayni and all the girls working like demons. I sat on a stool as they pounded pastes and prepared a mountain of food. It was all a surprise for Surupa, but the cover was blown when her boyfriend Blue turned up with his brother Chip who works with wolves in Alaska but lives in Texas. Blue lived for 16 years in Melbourne and loves Australia. He tried to move his parents out but the gov't wouldn't let him, so he had to come home to India. We've had some great chats and they've agreed to let me jump in their jeep to Mysore tomorrow.

I've been trying in vain to get a train or bus to Cochin for days but it's such a busy time, it's been near impossible. There is a big Christian community there, so a lot of people congregate for Chrissie. Sampat kindly had me to stay for a night in his lovely flat in Benson Town in Bangalore. He gave me invaluable advice about heading south, as he's from Kerala and knows every nook and cranny. I now have my whole mission through that beautiful state and up in to Tamil Nadu all planned out.

The saint that he is, Sampat insisted I get an Ayurvedic treatment when I said I fancied a massage, so after a few false starts he sent me to a traditional place. I had the oil dripping again on my third eye (which is well and truly waking up methinks) and really loved the process this time, instead of falling fast asleep and wobbling all over the place. That said, if I keep going at this rate my jelly belly is going to increase significantly. I adore Indian food and it seems to agree with me thus far.

We had a lovely dinner at an old 'colonial style' Benglaru restaurant and the food was delish. Sampat runs his own advertising business and has some great clients. It's his company but essentially he's Creative Director. We had a yummy breakie of idli, my new fave food which is a kind of rice cakey, spongy thing that you dip in samba (curry) and a coconuty chutney. We talked about the monkey god Hanuman and this lead to talk of his guru, a man from a very wealthy family who ended up living by a temple in Trivandrum at the side of the road. He didn't eat for 35 years. He spoke very, very rarely but communicated via his eyes with his disciples and only took tea from a disabled boy. He passed on some years ago and the temple is still waiting for the next guru. Sampat's description of meeting Poonthura Sami was fascinating, he took no money from his followers and asked for nothing and when he looked at you it was with "total love". How can one argue with that purity of thought? It was a wonderful breakfast and exit from Bangalore, short but sweet and brimming with spirituality.

Getting to Nrityagram with Sampat's driver was quite an adventure. The big highways we raced along were thick with trucks and everything imaginable. I thought I'd seen crazy roads in Mexico, Cambodia and Brazil but they have nothing on India. It's the driving straight into and between lanes of oncoming traffic that gets me every time. I was so grateful to be dropped off at the door by Narasimhan, who was gracious and caring.

After arriving a bit late, I was ushered straight into a rehearsal. I watched Surupa and Bijayni (both principal dancers) practice a range of dances from Orissa. According to Lynne (we sat up together drinking tea and chatting most of last night) there is some controversy about the type of dancing they teach here and how it's spelt - either Orissi or Odissi - but it's so expressive and graceful. Both girls blew me away, but Surupa's dance of betrayal almost had me in tears it was so beautiful.

All the girls who work here have made me feel welcome and surrounded by love and light. They're just a very, very special group of people and they spread their dance all over the world. I want to try and find them some gigs as they are world renowned and deserve to be seen everywhere. If anyone has any ideas or leads, please let me know.

Anyway, instead of just writing about all this, I must get back to the bonfire and enjoy the rest of the evening. We leave for Mysore at 6.30am and I hope to get on to Cochin tomorrow night as I have booked hotels for Sat and Sunday in Alleppy, which is where I'll explore the backwaters from. I hear that the men in Kerala must be treated with genuine suspicion so I'm going to watch my back and just pray that my guardian angels continue to look out for me.

One more thing, Lynne told me about a saying here which is 'swalpi adjust maadi' which basically means 'adjust a little' and it's what you have to adhere to everything in India. Nothing is quite what you want or expect but if you adjust a little, you'll be ok. I'm letting go with every breath and it feels great - SAM is my new motto.

More soon my lovelies.

Lxxx

DANCING TO THE BEAT OF INDIA

Thank you SO much to everyone who has sent me emails and messages since I left. It's wonderful to hear from you. If you're taking the time to read my ramblings, I'd seriously appreciate any comments which you can leave below each post. I'm off to Bangalore tomorrow morning and I think my internet access will be more sporadic over Chrissie.

Gosh it's so much fun not knowing where I'm going to spend Christmas or my birthday or new year. I'm just going to let the wind blow me where it wants in the south of India and then over into Sri Lanka. I have always wanted to go to the tea plantations down there, ever since hearing Kamal's dulcet tones as a child. I've been making people laugh here with that comment, but it's true. It's so funny how certain images remain with you into adulthood.

So Andy and Rich would have made it back to Syndey by now, Ems is on her flight to Calcutta in a few hours and then Cam and I travel to the airport together tomorrow. I've completely changed my plans since meeting a lovely man and his wife last night - Rahul and Malini Akerkar. I told them about my desire to learn some Indian dance and it turns out that they lived for 2 years at a dance village outside Bangalore called Nrityagram. They described it as so magical, I decided that I would go there before Kerala which means I can meet Sampat (thanks for the intro Victoria, you're a star) in Bangalore. He is a film producer and has introdcued me to a few great people in Bombay, so I'm glad I'll get the chance to thank him in person.

It's time to start packing my backpack and sorting through all my various belongings. I already seem to have acquired a scary amount and I've been rather restrained!!! I upgraded from my knackered backpack I have travelled with since I was nineteen to a new snazzy (smaller = phew) one with wheels. It's an uberpack, Indian style and I'm going to try and not fill it. Easier said than done to be sure.

On various people's advice I went and bought some fabric today to be made into a sheet that I can wrap myself in, particularly at cheap hotels. After being shown a huge range of options at Thakhur, I spied some cotton material covered in rainbow love hearts. The guys were all laughing at me as I insisted that I wanted that material, not some special cotton boring sheet that they were trying to make me buy (export quality madam, very very nice and special price for you). Then I had to take it over the road to a guy who would sew the sheet for me. What an experience. He thought I was insane as I had a clear picture in my mind of how to make it all one big piece with a section for stuffing the pillow in and I insisted on leaving the bottom open so my feel could breathe. Again, four different people were needed to make him understand and do what I wanted. He was quite resistant until I got them all laughing. Now I've got the most brilliant makeshift sheet/pillow that I can climb into like a technicolour catepillar. I gave Emma a demo when I got home by rolling around on the floor.

So after dropping Andy and Rich at the airport bloody early yesterday, (it took 3 of us to wake Cam up and he was still half asleep driving like a nutter, scarier than most rickshaw drivers!!!), I wanted to go and see some traditional music and there was a performance in Villa Parle. Somehow we found the college and I wandered off on my own to find the auditorium which was only half full when I arrived. It filled up and then a ceremony of thanks took place as the auditorium had just been completed and flowers were given to funders and speeches were made and it was all pretty surreal as the fans whirred and people squeezed in left right and centre. A sweet girl called Nivirdita and her mother (Juti I think) sat next to me and I found out that she's 10 years old and studying singing and an instrument I can't remember the name of. It's like a cross between an accordian (thought it's a box shape and sits on the floor) and an organ. She spent most of the next 3 hours watching me instead of the music, I was the only whitey and was welcomed there by many people and given chai by a lovely woman called Indu at the break. She and her husband are both doctors and very old, but took the trouble to talk to me about the Hindustani music I was witnessing and asked me to come for tea on my return to Bombay. It seems that they know all sorts of people in film and want to introduce me.

The woman who performed first was so incredible, her voice built and built and soared around the auditorium. I closed my eyes and almost went to sleep a few times as I was so relaxed. The chai break refreshed me, Nividita came out and told me it was starting and she and her Mum had saved my seat. Gosh the Indian hospitality is like nowhere I've experienced. It's overwhelming and humbling.

What followed was a flautist on a traditional wooden flute who had two tandura (I think that's the spelling??) players (the singer had only one) who pluck at these extraordinary long guitar like things that sit upright and help tune the performance. The drummer was on a tabla and he was amazing, he did both performances and must have been exhausted at the end. There were 5 pieces in total (2 singing, then 3 flute) and the concert went for hours and hours. I jumped in a rickshaw home and had such fun zooming along the streets. When I got back around 2pm I collapsed in a heap and read my book (Two Lives by Vikram Seth, thank you Lucy I think you gave that to me last birthday?) and then Hame called me. It was so divine to catch up with my little bro who sounds happy but tired and excited to take off for a road trip with his lady Sofi.

Last night, I met Rahul and Mahini at a party given by Ravi and Bandana Krishnan at their incredible place called Champagne House on Worlhi Sea Face, right on the ocean in such a great area. It was a hot and long drive down there, followed by an argument with the taxi driver who tried to almost double my fare on me. Grrrr. But what followed was an evening of such delights, I didn't stay mad for long. Bandana is Fashion Director at Indian Vogue and has great taste so the house was covered in candles and marigolds were everywhere. People filled the place and I guess about 30 people drank and ate the night away (food courtesy of the wonderful Nikhil whose restaurant is a Thai fusion placed called Busaba, also the name of one of my fave places in London!!). Everything was delicious and I met some wonderful people.

I shared a cab home with the gorgeous Mekhla who talked about the recent troubles with such eloquence and intelligence all the way to Bandra. When she gave me her number, I found that it was already in my phone!! Seems she met Emma a while back as I'm using Ems phone, so that was a lovely bit of synergy. When I mentioned the dance school to Sampat today and said that a guy I'd met had lived there for 2 years, he said "Oh is that the Indigo guy" as Rahul owns a chain of restaurants. Everyone knows everyone, everywhere!! Plus I met the Costume Designer from Monsoon Wedding who told me all sorts of gossip about the industry and knows my old boss from LA. This world is so incredibly huge, but so small at the same time.

Well my dears, I must get packing.
Megaluv xxxxx

THE VIOLENCE OF THE COLOURS

For those of you who were at my 30th at Dalmeny Towers, you'll remember the theme as above. Inspired by my obsession with every colour of the rainbow and my tendency to wear all of them at once, my darling Mum once commented "It's not that the colours you choose aren't pretty, it's just that you wear them altogether with such violence." Well, I have finally found a place where my tendency fits right in. I love the violence of the colours here, everywhere you look the women are wearing hot pinks with bright blues and greens and yellows and reds and golds and I just want to capture them all at once in my mind's eye. I love it.

I'm struggling a bit today after a rather heavy night out on the tiles where I got my first taste of 5 star luxury here. WOW!! After a friend of Ems (the gorgeous Aussie Indian dancer Jess) birthday party we all ended up at a club in the Grand Hyatt. For a city with people crammed into hovels and living on the pavements, to walk into a hotel which is so humungous that you could stage the Olympics inside is rather bewildering. Sort of sickening really.

Rich and Andy have arrived from Rajasthan and are such fun. The Bungalow In The Clouds is brimming with people who are all taking off in completely different directions in a few days (A & R back to Oz, Ems back to her Tollywood film set in Calcutta and Cam to Delhi for a big board meeting). But I'm getting ahead of myself, as I haven't told you about the shadow readings yet.

Before I left, Jez and Lise gave me a wonderful guide book called Love Mumbai that is full of the best tips and selections of out of the way recommendations that are usually spot on. Rich and Andy know Fiona who writes the books and they had decided that they were keen to have their shadows read by Anil who is a tenth generation distance healer. He and his son run a business where they measure your shadow on the roof and then ask you various basic questions about your family and astrology. Then you write a list of questions that Anil answers with his son doing some translating.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but it was fascinating to see how we all reacted to him and his predictions. Ems decided to bow out as each one took an hour so we would have been stuck there all afternoon, which in the end we were, so the rest of us had a go. Andy went first and urged Rich and I to come up after together so Anil could tag team our session. After standing on the roof with some dudes taking photos of us for a tourist guide they're putting together, we got our shadows measured and then went downstairs for our session.

Rich was immediately wary of Anil and asked him some probing questions that he didn't really answer satisfactorily, while I was rather wide eyed and happy to go along for what was clearly a bit of a ride. I won't go into all my predictions but despite there being a bit of a language/accent barrier, it was mostly positive and it got me thinking about lots of things and I was pleased to hear that I"m going to be enlightened in this lifetime. Yippeee!

On arriving back at the flat, a henna artist arrived and spent 2 hours covering my hands and forearms with the most incredible designs. I have always wanted to get it done properly and seeing all the ladies at the wedding on Monday looking so graceful, I have been on a mission to find someone to do it. Thanks to Asif and his gorgeous sister for coming to the flat and covering me. You should have seen the state of the flat this morning after our big henna session and night, there was stuff EVERYWHERE. God bless Anju who cleans everything up, what a crazy experience it is having a maid (such an outdated term that is still used here) and a driver. Oh the luxuries of Asia, it's easy to see how so many ex-pats find it hard to go home.

So, it really is time for me to book my ticket to Kerala, but I can't seem to find any cheap ones and trains are pretty booked up. I'm going to have another go online and see what I can find. I've spent a lot of today reading up about the south and I am jumping out of my skin with excitement to get down there. I'm going to relish my last few days in this here city though.

Oh and my quest for the best chai in India found a new front runner at Anil's office, but the cup that our charming neighbour Roland just brewed for me was delish. He lost his wife only a few days ago after a long illness (Ems was at the funeral yesterday) but he welcomed me through his door and made jokes almost constantly. The best was when the phone went and it was his brother's family from Canada calling, "You've just interrupted me as I was about to make love to an Australian girl. Life goes on!" I hope I can be that resiliant and positive and hilarious when I'm 78 and recently bereaved. He's off to see 11 local choirs perform tonight at one of the 7 churches in Bandra. He's devoutly Catholic but loves visiting churches of all faiths, I love people who are all embracing in their lives and Roland is the embodiment of this.

Namaste.

BOMBAY IS THE BEST

Well, well,

I've been adventuring and exploring and it's official. I'm in love with this city. Amidst the chaos and the dusty streets lie so many nooks and crannies filled with some of the warmest and most spiritual people I've ever met. Every day brings new delights.



I am in danger of becoming a dumpling if I stay here much longer. The food is incredible. It's hard to explain the buffet that greeted us when we walked into the main area of the wedding. It started off in a kind of theatre where all the wedding party were lined up on a stage, receiving all their guests.



All the women were wearing the most incredible saris. I've never seen such a concentration of colours in one room. Mum - the violence of the colours, I'm in heaven amidst them all.



My sari was a little understated, but the women in particular seemed to love that I'd worn it. I had to run downstairs and ask Fariba, a kindly Parsi neighbour, to help me tie it. She told me stories behind her religion as she wound and wound and folded and pleated and pinned me for what seemed like an age. Then she leant me a beautiful necklace and I added so many bangles I could hardly fit them. Plus a bindi. Of course.



It was a very refined and sedate evening after the mad dancing of the pre-wedding party. To be honest the family looked exhausted after a full three days of entertaining. The ladies' henna-ed hands looked incredible. I'm longing to do it too.



There's just too much to do and what's heavenly, is actually having the time to do it. Planning my travels down south and then to the north over the next two months is filling my heart and soul with joy. I am keeping a book of notes from everyone I meet with recommendations and advice.



I started some biz meetings this week and have met a variety of people in the film and media industry here. The Filmaka office is impressive and I had a great session with Rohit. Then I met a diamond dealer in a funny little coffe shop called Sanjiv who was full of advice about so many things. Thanks Tiggy.



The amazing Victoria Aitken introduced me to a producer who lives in Bangalore and he's hooked me up with the wonderful Lubina. Then Abdul for lunch today who gave me a lift home on the back of his Enfield. Was soooooo much fun.



I've now got an appointment for a little bit of pampering (pedi and manicure if you please) so I must run. Ems great mate Rish and her boyfriend Andy are arriving imminently and the weekend is one day away. It's almost time for me to book my flight to Kerala.

Bliss. Megaluv to all,
Lxxxx

WOW, WAR, PEACE

Namaste.

I am overwhelmed by the colours, smells, warmth, people, sounds and general mayhem of Bombay. I love it here.

Although I've been amidst a whirl of first timer bliss, (thoroughly spoiled by my hosts) it's impossible to avoid the tension in the air since the attacks. Nor would a traveller want to ignore such an important thing as the political situation of a country one's visiting. Though I can see how ex-pat life does cocoon and protect you here.

War with Pakistan is bubbling so close to the surface, at a party on Saturday night a young man predicted it might happen in the next few weeks. With an election next year, a terrorist in custody and people braying for justice, this is clearly a very serious threat (and was so even before the attacks). Others completely disagree that it's so imminent, but most agree that it's more than likely.

Deep breaths.

I tried to visit the Gateway of India today and armed guards told me I couldn't get near it. It looked rather forlorn all cordoned off and alone, while photos I've seen are usually teeming with life. We passed Leopold Cafe (made famous by Shantaram) where a gunman opened fire and bullet holes are now part of the furnishings, it had a few people inside breathing new life into the area. A lot of the young Indians I met at this rocking rooftop party on Saturday night (thank you darling Bandana and Ravi for a fantastic eve!!) live near the Taj and were in the middle of the war zone. Some haven't slept a night through since.

There is so much to say on this subject but I am ill-equipped. I am a newbie and although I ask most people how they feel and what their experience was, everyone seems to have a very different reaction. The city does seem rather subdued, but the people are so warm and wonderful, they are appalled by what happened and pray that this will unite them, not divide.

Time to wrap myself up in my first sari, as it's time for the real wedding now.
We're off to Juhu. More soon.
Shanti.

DOUBLE WEDDING JEOPARDY

Would I like to go to an Indian pre-wedding celebration on my second night here? Would I ever!!

After a monster sleep where nothing could wake me until the afternoon, I spent a lazy afternoon exploring Bandra, getting lost, finding my way again and getting lost just as quickly. Cam made it home and we popped the champers and prepared for a night out, Indian style. He was telling me that everyone is always late and that there was absolutely no rush, but by the time we rolled up to Gallups racecourse we were walking against the tide.

There was a walkway covered in fairy lights that we raced up and it opened out to the most amazing sight. Thousands of people in every colour imaginable where talking, laughing and eating in a massive open field. The band seemed to be packing up so Cam went to find the father of the bride, having forgotten the wedding invitation we didn't know the names of his daughter and her husband to be.

My eyes were on stalks at the amount of food. Soon we were piling our plates high and getting advice from guests about the best things to taste. THere was so much meat, we couldn't believe it and we made the most of it.

After chowing down, Cam admitted that he really didn't recognise a single person. It suddenly dawned on us that we might be at the wrong venue. Grabbing a pina colada for good measure, we slowly backed out of the place and went back to the car. Sriraj was laughing at us. We'd crashed a Parsi wedding and of course the other drivers had told him while we were in there.

Finally we found the right place and almost immediately Dilep came running up to us to welcome us to the event which was well under way. Did we want food, please come and eat something. I managed a few spoonfuls as we pretended we were starving, then he dragged us on to the dance floor and introduced us to almost everyone. We had such a fun night. The best was watching everyone do the moves to Om Shanti Om (a famous Bollywood movie) and just drinking in the joyful occasion.

One of the best moments had to be when we were at the bar and chatting away, when a guy next to Cam asked him if he was having fun. In a slightly offhand manner, Cam replied "Yes, are you?" and turned back to me, then we heard the words, "Yes, it is my wedding"!! It was the bridegroom. So we completely overcompensated by rushing at him with congratulations.

I love the way the women here use their hands when they dance. I want to learn how to do that. It was such a happy occasion and we collapsed at the end of the night. The weekend was blissfully dominated by a lot of food and films and relaxation.

I can't wait for the real wedding on Monday night....

MADE IT SAFE AND SOUND

Darlinkas,
At 5am, after battling the mob for a trolley, I wandered out into the heat to find two of the friendliest faces waiting for me. The gorgeous and wonderful Emma and Cam Garrett were waiting for me at Mumbai airport. They whisked me away as the city slowly yawned and the sun beckoned.

I've already had 3 massala chais and have been hooning around the city with Ems. In heaven.

In fact, I reached Nirvana. Already I hear you say? Yes, I had a 2 hour, 2 person Ayurvedic massage that involved a helluva lot of oil and it was called, you guessed it - Nirvana. And it delivered.

We've just finished eating fresh almonds and drinking coconut juice on the terrace and now soon my ol' mate Cam will be home so we can pop the cork on that champers in the fridge.

Now it's time to plot the next 2 months of delicious adventures in this incredible country.
Jealous anyone? Come find me then.

A special thank you to all my incredible friends and family for all your messages of love and support. And a very special shout out to the chosen few who helped me pack. What a gargantuan task it was. I'm sooooo relieved it's over and I've made it in one piece (got to check in with 4 mins to spare at Heathrow after 2 hours sleep)!!

More soon my lovelies. xxxx

THERE SHE BLOWS

7 more hours and I'm on that plane. I truly haven't felt this excited for an age.

Or so it seems. I think things are amplified as you get older. The massive highs and lows of life in London have scooped me up and dropped me on my butt so many times.

The BIFAs went so incredibly brilliantly following such a tricky time with work and finances and all that adult shite that drives one insane in the membrane.

My favourite moment has to be when I cancelled all my direct debits. Utterly, deliciously satisfying.

I will savour that first bloody mary at the airport tomorrow. I'm up at 6ish so I really better crash.

It's funny, I'm on my couch as my mattress is in store. My last night in my flat. I wonder if I'll be back. I honestly don't know.

Wish me luck, I'm about to leap.
With glee.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee.