17.12.07 - 19.12.07 - Africa, Lake Malawi, Monkey Bay - NEARLY XMAS!!!!!

My new man!!
My 2nd Room
Lakeside view!
The house!
My first room
Back of the house!
Our Garden leading to lakeside
Our Beach next to the lake
Hiya Guys
Made it to Lake Malawi, which is in the middle of Africa what a trip nine half hours from Mumbai to Joeburg then two and half to Llongwei then 5 hours by car to Monkey Bay was a nightmare, the roads here are unbelieveable honest its bump bump bump bounce all the way so rough!!!!!
HAPPY XMAS AND HAPPY NEWYEAR for next week and the week after. We only get to come into town Mangochi which is hour and half drive away so Im quickly filling in something on the blog!!! Feeling bit homesick at the moment but hope it will pass if not can always try and get early flight back home after 4 weeks.
Take care. Love and hugs to everyone and see ya all soon. xxxxx

10.12.07 - 16.12.07 - India, Goa Colva Beach - Work, beach, work, beach!!!!

Our Beach
Sunset!
Sunset again!
Our Magic Place
Indian Sign Lanugage!
Another Star!
Last Day!
Last Day
Working Hard!
Balloon Race!
Last day!
Our Star!
Hiya Guys
Well since last spoke to you much the same routine for me, work on morning at the special school, back to camp prep for next days lesson, do some laundry (hand washing ahhhh!!!) then I head off to Boomerang Beach Bar for chill out in the sun and a few beers, watch the sun set then head back for shower (still cold!!!) somat to eat and a few more beers.
The special needs school has been really good fun, the deaf children me and Gemma been working with are aged between 4yrs and 10yrs and we've had trying days and laughter and tears too!!! My signing has come back slowly and didnt realise how much energy these youngsters take from you with the games and the constant tapping of you to get your attention. We got a xmas candle made by the special needs children as our goodbye present awwwww!!!!
Head off tomorrow (sat night) on the overnight train again, hoping not on the top bunk again ha ha!!! We reach Mumbai 6am Sunday then Ive some time to kill before heading off to the airport to fly to Africa early hours of Monday morning.
Take care of you all and catch up soon. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

04.12.07 - 09.12.07 - India, Goa, Colva Beach - Voluntary work!!

Me n our class!
Numbers game!
Gemma n our class n their Mr Face!
Mr Cool!
Butterflies gave lots of joy!
Hiya Guys
This been the first week for our voluntary work. Headed off in Tuesday cos Monday was a holiday for Hindi!! Only one of the three teachers there as two had to head off for their salary but we did meet the children in the deaf classes, various ages from 4yrs to 15yrs and all mixed abilities with some hearing children who have learning needs so right mixed bag of abilities.
Gemma wasnt feeling too good so she headed back to the camp and left me with the class, the teacher then asked me to teach honest I hadnt prepared anything but got up there and just winged it ha ha!!! Wasnt too bad and think they understood a bit ha ha!!
Next day Gemma feeling better and we were given the little ones in the class all boys who were great and we managed to do numbers with bingo cards and some signing of the alphabet which was good, hard work and felt really drained when came out but rewarding.
Every day been much the same up and off to work from 8.30am to 11.30am and then back to camp to prepare for the next days teaching.
Friday bit disappointing as the teachers seemed to leave us with more of the children then we had before and felt bit used so we spoke to the coordinator and said we were concerned about this as the children were losing out on learning and hopefully next week we get sorted!!! But then again this is India ha ha!!
Weekend off and some of the gang headed up to Baga but I felt the need for some me time. Good job really cos ended up getting the indian tummy!!!! Yep layed up in bed most of saturday but by Sunday feeling much better so laundry and internet and sunbathing the order for the day. Found Tates sports bar who serve sunday lunch so really looking forward to that.
Feeling ready for home soon, think cos been away so long now and xmas coming but sure Africa be great. One more week here then head off.
Love and hugs to everyone back there and look forward to hearing from you all soon. xxxxx

27.11.07 - 03.12.07 - India, Goa, Colva beach - Train and Basic things!!!!

'Stars are born'
Dance Comp
Dance Comp
Our beach hangout!
Sunset!
Another sunset!
Colva Market
Waiting to board!
Me n Rod top bunks!
Our train ticket
Our communal area
Kate n our room
Hiya Everyone
Headed off on the night of the 26th for the overnight train to Goa. We were apparently booked into the third class carriages. These have set of six beds in each compartment and each carriage holds 60 people. We were all given our bed numbers and I was near Tony(lady) and Ron (her hubby). The train was 45 mins late which is usual when it did arrive we all piled on with all our luggage that had to go under the bottom beds in the carriages which were small like and the next two beds above seemed so high, I was on the top bunk and was thinking how am I gonna get up there!!!! After clambering with bags to the top I managed to get settled. Ron was opposite me and Tony below I just was laughing!!! Managed to get some sleep and there was people walking down the passage way all through the night and a little indian man kept walking up and down saying 'Chi' which is tea in indian!! Was bit surreal to say the least and the toilets well I just giggled cos they were squat toilets and you could see the tracks through the hole!!!! Defo an experience for sure!!

Finally we reached Goa on 27th at 1pm and headed off onto the bus for our accomodation. We were near the beach and our room wasnt too bad, was very basic and the bathroom needed bit of a clean but armed with disinfectant we got it sorted ha ha!! Power cuts happen regularly in the night time but you soon get used to this.

Next day we headed off to visit the projects which we could volunteer for. This was a hard emotional day I thought cos you were seeing little ones who had nothing being taught in like a garage, visited special needs school and brought back so many memories for me seeing the deaf children and the downs children and the old peoples home was like an institution!! Honest really up and down feelings for sure. Drink was defo in order when we got back to camp and I said we dont really know how lucky we are in UK till we see this with our own eyes!!! I decided I would like to go to the special school and Gemma who Im sharing room with wanted to go here too so pleased me and her going to help with the deaf children.

Thursday we were given an orientation talk about India and the status of women and Goa itself which was canney then we got to chose our placements, lucky for me and Gemma there were 4 places for the school so we got what we really wanted. Had few drinks that night and had Kate and Claudia crash at our place cos they live in house away from our camp area.

Friday we headed off to the special needs school cos they had big dance competition which theyve held for the last three years where all the special schools come along and they are compete for trophys. This was so lovely to see, honest I filled up so many times but held strong, bless they so enjoyed this event and everyone to me deserved to get a trophy!!! Chilled out on the beach in the afternoon.xxxx

24.11.07 - 26.11.07 - India, Lonavla - Ashram and more Ashram!

Our hotel room
Me n Yoga!
Our Yoga Instructor
The Ashram
Hiya Guys
Three days at the Ashram!! An Ashram is a place for naturopathy centre, yoga and relaxation, no alcohol, meat or smoking allowed in the centre. We had quick guide around on the morning and then chance to book our naturopathies!! Really cheap for what we could have like full body massage, mud therapies etc. I booked for a mud bath, neck and shoulder massage and full body massage for the next three days.
Food wasnt fantastic here but we did find shop outside the place so managed to fill up on crips and chocolate ha ha, so much for trying to lose weight!!!
Mud Therapy was defo an experience, me and Kate had appointments for the same time, we were taken to outside area all walled off with shower and the indian lady just said to us 'Strip'!!! Honest we just looked at each other and started laughing, was defo experience I wont forget, we were friends before but now even more ha ha!! We were covered in mud from top to toe and then told to stand and 'Bake' in the sun area then we could wash it off, was so funny honest!!!!!
Yoga classes were fun, Id never done this before but really enjoyed it and one of the instructors was nice, had fab body so defo worth attending ha ha!! Dawn think will be taking this up with you when get home!
On our second day at the Ashram we did find there was a lot of waiting around so we did get bit bored and started talking about the meat we were missing, I know sad isnt it but most of the food here is veggie cos of hindu beliefs so few of us decided to head off to town to the Pizza place for our evening meal. I tell you what it was like being back in Thailand enjoying pizza and meat ha ha!!
Last day full body massage was ok, the lady doctor did mine, wasnt like anything I had had back home!!! Not sure I will be heading off to an Ashram in the near future.xx

19.11.07 - 23.11.07 - India, Mumbai and Lonavla - Noise and Dirt!!!!

Night Entertainment
The Gang!
Our faithful companion
Village Children
Mam of 5!!
Irene and camping!
Our toilet!
Making Japatti's
Our views as we trekked
Our home
Feeding time!
- Mr Jungle man with snake!
Hiya Guys
Sorry been while since updated the blog. Been mad time upto now!! The plane journey from Bangkok to Mumbai was so so noisy honest I couldnt believe the noise the indians were making so loud talking over everyone else and wouldnt sit down ready for take off honest unreal!!!!! Even arriving at the airport was like being hearded in a cattle group then reaching outside was again a sea of people all shouting at you!!!!! Driving from airport to the hotel chatted to coordinator who spoke good english, hotel was very basic!! Next morning met the group about 24 of us, various age groups too.
We set off for Lonavla honest the traffic was unreal I kept shutting my eyes honest horns going was total mayhem no way will I complain about english roads again!!!! Hotel was again very basic, not fab clean sheets but sleeping bag came in handy ha ha!! Trekking for three days in the jungle was great fun, we slept one night in a cow shed and another in tents, no showers but was fine!! Ate in indian villages and met the children and people living there. I got to try and make japati's what a disaster!!!! We had Mr Jungle Man and Mr Everest as our trekking guides they were cool and good fun!! Trekking was hard work like uphill and over rocks and finally reached little village, the poverty didnt seem so bad here, I mean they dont have much at all but bit more than in the cities!!. Headed back to the hotel and watched a Bollywood Movie, went on bit too long for me like but was ok!!!xxxx