HAMPI

Well here I was thinking I would be returning a couple of stone lighter.....No Chance! Every meal consists of some sort if curry or chili based dish with rice or at least four Chapati. In a true English way I try to decline with as many pleases as possible while rubbing up stomach and extending my hand as if to say it could not possibly expand out any further! Whilst sat in front of the Head of the Orphanage (Joseph) and being served by every female member of his family they will NOT allow me to decline. Needless to say I am feeling like I am having three Christmas meals a day, that said I'm actually not finding it funny now and am going to bed on a full tummy with stitch EVERY NIGHT!! I'm also now so blocked up with rice I can't seem to get rid of any of it....."mum please note, don't go OTT at Christmas, a fruit salad will do just fine!"

I have now moved on from the Orphanage in Chennia and am hoping to return for the last two weeks. I left on Friday night with Pappa Rick, Gilly his wife (my contacts for the Orphanages in India through Mustard Seed Ministry's, they live in Goa and also have a house in Southsea) Pedro and Geniloa (a Brazilian couple who run the Orphanage in Goa) We traveled over night to a place called Vijayawada where we were a part of a village for the day.....it was quite something that can only be explained but very touching. We left there last night and traveled by train over night to another corner of India which is a little Paradise called Hampi (look it up on a search engine) It's a Cafe Del Mar type of chilled Indy place where you sit under the trees sipping on your Indian Chai while watching the local ladies in their bright colours bashing and washing cloths on the bolders in the river. It's quite something! When we arrived this morning I thought after three days I had better freshen up then took a walk to the river..... On my return I got chased by a buffalo of all things! I think I was in the way of it and something but luckily in the way of the two of us coming eye to eye with his head and horns lowered was a car! PHEW

Well I have much to see in this place so I had better emerge from this little underground cave of an Internet Cafe and take in some of the sites..... On the way here I have managed to get a man to make me some tailored Fishermans pants for less than a pound, another man to make me a tailored top for the same price and bartered for some jewels, this place is a Shoppers Paradise!

I am going on a four hour tour tomorrow where I will cross the river in a weed type raft, see the temples and generally get a feel for the place. This is a three day R&R.......what a place to have it as well! More before I leave this Hampi...