Ok so maybe I am doing too much travelling and not enough Voluntary work!!!

Hi guys
Thanks for keeping up with my blog. I have been trying to put photos on here but a lot of the internet suites are a bit antiquated and its just not happening, and it doesn't look like its going to happen here either in...wait for it...Hampi! Yes I thought as my French speaking friends - you know who you are - kept saying I should go see it from Mysore I decided that on my way back to Bangalore I would do just that. And so here I am after 9 hours on the train from the beautiful Goa. (By the way I cancelled the Kuntapura voluntary work as I couldn't go for whole thing and really I wanted to be involved in the Bangalore youth festival which was cancelled). Ok, so the train..if you go 'general' you are pretty much squashed in with everyone and its a bit claustrophobic although its very cheap. For about 50p more you can get 2nd class which is the 'sleeper' for this you get a 'bed' - which is on one of 3 levels in each cabin space - there is a top level, middle level, and chair level - if yours is the chair level you have to move people from it if they are sitting and not lying on their level and so it seems the top is the best option. They are just like pull out beds, well more like iron boards is the best way I could describe them! I was squashed in with some other tourists but I saw a complete section free and so went there and just dazed watching the world go by, in between falling asleep and snoring nosily! Anyway! I love the toilets - its like a hole - its like? It is a hole in the floor, I was scared I was going to see my purse fall through and disappear along the track - sort of thing that happens to me all the time!!! Apart from that I had a couple of wee guys begging constantly around me, of the whole section I was in they seemed to like hanging out with me and just sat there laughing, dancing, begging and pointing at my crap henna tattoos! They were cute - but I really didn't have any change!

As usual I miss the place I have just left, I have had quite a few interesting 'experiences' in Goa. Because it is not peak season yet, the beach I was at in Benolim is really quiet and beautiful apart from the aforementioned indian girls who are always looking for a 'little business' - bracelets, beads, sarongs, etc, etc. I enjoyed the people I met there and the relaxed atmosphere and all who 'lived' at the guesthouse I was in who made me feel so very welcome and if I disappeared for too long they would question my whereabouts and let me know they worried about me - awww! I like that! I also enjoyed spending time with 'Reena's' nieces Johnsey and Jensey and also Gita - we spent a fab day at the beach together and got a henna tattoo the same to signify out day - how cheezy are we! It was fun but I am still peeling from that day - I got far too much sun and I had been in the sea for about 4 hours straight!

I made a new friend just a few days before I left, and a very significant one at that - her name is 'Kasha' and she is a crazy Polish girl. She ditched her American travelling companion as she preferred my company and we had a laugh together! We went to 'Big Foot' in Margoa to see a place that shows what Goa was like years ago but it started to rain really heavily and so we decided to leave and ask for our money back - the woman laughed and said no. What? So we demanded our money and explained we didn't see anything because of the rain. She said make your complaint to God! Well! We stood at the kiosk desk for about 20 mins asking for service and knocking the window, they girls working there looked really agitated and I got a glimpse of what its like to be a 'young person' whom I have worked with who always got more and more annoying until they got what they wanted! Anyway, it seems others complained as there was no provision for wet weather and she eventually relented and gave us the money back - well it is 30p!!!! Well you have to be in India to understand. I fought for the equivalent of half a pence the other day on the motorcycle taxis - he tried to charge me 5 and a half pence instead of 5 pence! Aye right well that wasn't happening. Kasha and I argue with everyone, but in a funny way, they can't believe we won't accept tourist prices! At first I got annoyed with other people who did this, and now I do it myself! I negotiated a price to use the internet tonight!!! I also introduced Kasha to the 'common folk' of Scotlands Umberella - a plastic bag on the heid! She was a bit unsure at first but eventually loved the idea, we looked like a pair of plonkers - but the rain was jumpin off the pavement and so we needed to do something. She also took her shoes off as they were getting really soaked and damp - we ran after the bus like this shouting 'Going to Margoa - oy stop - going to Margoa????' We couldn't stop laughing at ourselves. We then tried to go see a movie but it was on too late and the bus finishes at 8pm to Benaulim. The bus costs about 2p and a rickshaw costs about one pound twenty. And so there was NO way we were staying there and paying that! Kasha asked people in the cinema if they could give us a lift home! So we went a walk and stumbled across a 'fish' market and walked around pointing at fish and looking very strange to the locals. We also took a couple of photos. Hope you will see them eventually! We then went back to Benaulim on a bus made for 30 people with 60 in it! It was horrible, poor Kashsa was all sunburnt and not happy as people bumped against her, I was a bit unhappy by the whole thing but watching her so miserable made me laugh! She kept shouting 'are you ok Sylvia?' We were about 6 people away from each other. It was so funny!

Anyway, yesterday we went to Palolem beach in the south of Goa, said to be one of the most beautiful. And it is pretty nice, but I must admit - I really like Benaulim and have recommended it to other people I have met.

Oh well, my time is now up. I am a bit tired and I have a rickshaw tour of Hampi tomorow. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Later
Sylv x