Man, so much has gone on you are gonna get the WELL brief version...

bleurgh - am so outta the loop with keeping up with this thing, so literrally am gonna give it to you short...

So, Aus was fab - spent way too much money but spent so many lovely times with old and new friends and my beloved family :).

Then, I arrived in Chile!! Woo!! Spent the first 4 days staying with Cristian, who I met from couchsurfing - twas proper ace, really hosptiable and we had good times drinking pisco and hanging out with his bestie Francisco too. i've actually put some photos up on fb now too, so you can catch up on that there...

A connection was made with Fran and I and thus he joined me on the next leg of my trip through Chile to Valpàraiso. Rreally beautiful seaside place this - so much amazing grafitti art aroubd that we just walked aimlessly for hours. Fran was my personal translator, so I had it pretty easy on the whole Spanish side of things... and we had an amazing time together, great chats, laughs and music - an amzing singer and musician, will get a vid up soon.

From there it was sad to leave, but I did - as it was mentioned that it would be good to break up my mammoth journey to Peru by stopping half way up Chile. After the ease of the first few days tho, landing in Charnaral, where no one spoke English, my Spanish is worse than shit, so I was proper on my own - I felt a bit lost. BUT, like wqith anything, ya just have to throw yourself oin. So I did. I went to see this national park (nothing like a national park back home... serious.) I was dropped off my the bus in the middle of the fucking desert!!! Again, NOONE spoke english!! Managed to find out that the park was a 8km walk!!! or boat ridethat I just couldn´t judstufy spending the wanga on. So, I hot footed it through the desert, passing cacti and sand, mountains, hills - not a soul to be seen. Serious, I ended ip doing a little video diary as I think I was saving myself from going doolally - one of those laugh or cry moments... don´t worry, I laughed!

After a couple of hours, I finally saw a car and this lovely family saved me and took me on their summer holidays with them!! We manage to converse, they were ace - they saved me fo sure!!

(story cut well short..)

Back at the ranch (my hostel) (where no one spoke English), I managed to make friends with the 10 yr old dauighter of the owners and her friend (I made them some hats). They took me into town where they gambled like addicts on these coin slot machines!!! Serious, this place was over run by kiids and their guardian, gma´s and parents gambling away!! We mansaged tohave a giggle and I made and lost a few pesos...

Friday night (27th), I started my mammoth journey to Peru - first bit was easy, bus was ace and I slept a dream. The border crossing was interesting (in a shithole of a taxi, falñing apart like anything) but I made it in one piece and with little hiccups. Then I got to Peru, booked my bus, waiting around and yadayada - and I lost my fucking water bottle holder that I spent hours crocheting!! Crongrats to the lucky Peruvian who found it, twas well good (I have a pic as a sad reminder :( ).

Ah, -I have to go as there's a time limit... but will fill you in next time on how frigging ace my volunteer place,ment is!!!

Chao, xxx

Conclusions - ish

So, India = Ace.

This is a bit of a cop out again - my mind is jet lag mush...

Um... right, my favourite ways of travellin around are:

-By train (sleeper class) - always a hive of activity, you get to meet nice people/families (well I did anyway) and there is always tasty food/drinks on offer and you can see things proper

-By local bus - although very bloody uncomfortable on some roads, it's well cheap and you don't get hassled/conned (like in a rickshaw!) and again, you get the opportunity to chat to people and take in the scenery. What isn't nice mind, is a number of the proper rank, literally shit hole vile state of some of the bus station toilets. Like literally, shit and piss everywhere, in and out of the cubicles, on the floor, up the walls - but, when ya gotta go, you gotta go. Nearly whacked some Indian when he had the cheek to ask me for 5Rs for having a piss in the loo - what friggin for!! (and the piss in the loo was more like a hover in the direction on a drain where there wasn't poo/flies everywhere... nice :))

Right - poo filth over with.

I'm really glad I spent the last few wks in one place. It gave me the opprtunity to make some friends, build/assess relationships etc... and proper have me time, which is what everyone needs once in a while eh. The last 48hours were probably the most important too, probably where things really started to click into place from this little lone jaunt of mine...

Never got round to meeting Becky - could have maybe just done it, but it obv weren't meant to be - oh well eh, til next time...

And now I'm in Sydney!! It's well good - got ma sis, mum and step dad Nige, me aunt and some of our dearest family friends too - also, got a well nice surprise when my sister sprung my mate Ade at the door Sat eve!! Well good! I haven't seen this boy in 2.5 years - he's been living in Japan and travellin round Asia, known his since I got to Manchester, one of my proper besty boys - have missed him loads and thought our paths may not cross, but they kept it nice and secret for me, screamed me lungs out when I saw him - had that nice fluffy friend feelin like when I got me camera from the Manchester crew before I left :D.

Man I love my mates :)

Right sop over, my eyes are hurting and the sun's shining outside, just been handed a beer and I'm doin yoga later with my aunt (the Aussie way eh, never quite made it to a sesh when I was in India, doh ;)).

Drop us a line on FB yeah, or set up skype, would be ace for a catch up... oh yeah, I got an Aussie mob number too, messgae if ya want it like.

Much love, miss you all - I hear it's bloody cold :P!! Happy crimbo etc :)

jojo xxxx

Tying the ends for a bit eh...

Well, so now am in Australia with my family - Ace of base :D - but I gotta fill some gaps of the last few weeks...

Well not in the mood for doing this, (don't get me wrong, am just jet lagged I reck) but will battle through me notes and tie the end of the India trip up a bit and then prob come back for more when I leave Aus...

So for the last 3 wks of my India trip I basically stayed in Gokarna, I've managed to make some really top mates, which is well nice and also had a nice amount of time to think and allow me mind to develop/wander/ponder/make mistakes and some small revelations...

I really wanted to make it to Hampi, but I left it well late as I was too busy putting it off with wanting to hang around at the beach, so I ended up doing a whistle stop tour for 2 days, bad idea. I needed more time basically, I was too rushed, prob not in the right mind set and there was a bloody festival going on at the same time so there were people EVERYWHERE - bit unsettling when I have been cocooned on a beach/small village - but ya need to do these things to find out eh, next time (and there will be one) I aint rushin nuttin.

Anyway, so I got the local bus to Hospet, which is near Hampi - proper rank town that - met this Danish bird ont he bus and we ended up takin a rickshaw there together. She was alright like, but not my usual cup of coffee... We ended up sharing a room as Hampi was packed and rooms were well expensive (well, comparatively so). I well fancied a beer when we went out for some grub, but forgot that you can't get alcohol there as it's a holy place n blah, so was offered this special cocktail (basically rum n coke) and it took about an hour and a half to get!! Well shouldn't have bothered, cost a small fortune too...

I was in an "easy" move after our long bus journey and ended up going in with this Danish bird on a rickshaw tour of Hampi for the next day. I usually well don't do this sort of shit - would rather go around on me own steam and I well should have, will deffo do next time - but meh, twas done and still got to see it all etc...

(God this sounds negative, it really weren't that bad, but just bear with me like ;))

Yeah, so, there were loadsa Indian tourists round the whole of Hampi so when me and this Danish bird was going round (and we're both blonde innit), we got loads of attention. Was cool sometimes, others not - well cool when we got surrounded by a swarm of school children - we littlerally couldn't move, they were about 6 deep around us in a circle, all giggling etc. :)

Hampi is cool, really massive ancient city, but after having seen Ellora caves first, they well smashed it outta the water for me. Ellora is breath takin, but I think time is needed to soak up the whole atmosphere of Hampi, slow down, feel the vibe and then one can get the most of what it offers.

I decided to do one back to the beach on the second day, after having seen sunrise at the top of this mountain - and thank fuck I decided to get back for then, or else I could have missed my bloomin flight!!! I was well on the wrong date/day of the week and only realised when a mate pointed it out the following day - jeeze, what am I like eh :P. So only had one more full day to proper relax, oh well eh :).

(Am well shortenin these tales by the way, but you'd get bored if I proper went into it all...)

Anyway, on the morning that I was leaving to get the train to Goa with a mate that was also going my way, we did the massive hike with all my shit, accross the km long beach, up the bloody stony path, waiting around n that, when I bloody realised at the last min that my small rucksack was sitting on a chair back at my guesthouse!!! So after a few fucks/shits, I had to leg it to retrieve me bag, swearing all the way, ran the full km of the beach without stopping (amazing I know) and I and my Israeli friend had thought that we were then gonna meet the others at the other end to get this cab, save all the running back and shit... Anyway, wires were crossed (twas all the boys fault ;P) and we were waiting for AGES. They didn't turn up til one of them came after an hour wondering what we were doing. Long story short - missed my train. So the only way to get to Goa for my train to Mumbai was by taxi - meh. Wasn't too bothered, had the rest of the afternoon to relax at the beach and had to think about money lost in English terms to not get too bothered - taxi was 25 quid for 3hour journey (bargain), but in comparison to the 30p train fare it wasn't...

So I managed to get all my connections in the end anyway, got out of stinking Mumbai - man I really don't like that city - and I'm in Aus and it's all behind me, ish... ;)

Shiva fever...

Mental note - don't go to a "jam session" on a traveller beach. My tolerance for Shiva mantras and Cum-by-ya my lord is nil. I have well accepted the fact that I am a music snob :). There was some nice Rajastani gypsy dancing going on mind, but the good stuff was few and far between - never again! I aint no happy clapper!

All part of the experience tho eh :)

Still beach vibing it up - yawn :P. Somehow the days just fly by, tiz mad. All the accommodation on the beach is full now, but ya can hardly tell, which is really nice. Have decided to stay the rest of the wk here and then end my trip with Hampi and literally just dip my toe in Goa for the train back to Mumbai... Have some new neighbours - a right maddie Lancashire lass from Preston, Suzie and her Norwegian boyf - she's been a breath of fresh air, right laugh - doesn't stop talking :). Got an Israeli friend too, Leron, has taught me how to knit, getting well into that vibe - really good way to pass time, so expect some knitted gifts when I get back!! Ya never kno, might turn out quite good ;P.

Not really much more to tell, am sure there will be once I get on my lovely local bus to Hampi - can't wait for that, will have a full days travel too - nice. Have been trying still, to put photos up on facecrack or something, but it just aint worth the stress - seriously!! I've even roped an Aussie mate into putting them all into folders on his USB so that it makes it easier and it still don't work!! Connection is just too slow and my patience is too little... Suzie's boyf may be able to find my lost photos tho, so fingers crossed there!

**EDIT**
FaceBook seems to be working - woo!!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=73990&l=6c0b6&id=512432811

Oh yeah, tan wise, I still glow in the dark, am like a beacon of whiteness on this beach - got a nice spread of freckles on the face and shoulders tho like :)

Tata, xx

Ok, Ok - so have been a tad self indulgent over the last wk...

All I've been doing this past wk is eating, mincing, lazing and soaking up beach life - ace :). Haven't made it to one yoga class yet (surprise surprise :P).

But, I've meditated with some maddie Guru (that only lasted a morning as I'd rather do that sort of shit on my own innit), bought lots of clothes (no surprise ;P), attended a wedding on the beach (loads of a London crew, safe crew ;)) and I mentioned eating and mincing around didn't I?

Gokarna town, which is about a twenty min walk from the beach where I am staying (over really lovely scenery btw, still promising to get pics up soon...), is really lovely and holy. There are a lot of pilgrims mincing around and loads of little temples and shrines dotted around. Gives the place a really nice feel to it and is always nice to wander around and immerse yourself in its vibe. Slightly touristy, but not offensively so at all. Kudlee beach where I am staying is well nice too, just proper chillled and the beach is really beautiful - not too busy at the mo too... Thinking of moving on next wk so that I can get Hampi in, really looking forward to going there - haven't heard one bad word about it - and from there I'll stay in Goa for a few days before heading out from Mumbai to Sydney, whoop \o/!

Before I came here, I was in Mangalore I think... Meh, twas aight - busy city, got stared at a lot again - it does start to well grate on your nerves that. Went to see some temple near there, Udipi - was interesting as they were LOADS of pilgrims roaming around, doing Puja etc - but I was the only whitey again and had no idea what I was sposed to be doing or where I was going (one place I would have liked a guide actually), nearly lost my flip flops and tripped over a holy cow, but was interesting nonetheless :).

On the train from Mangalore, I got chatting to this Indian woman who's been living in the US the last 10 years, so was nice to have a frank chat about Indian life - finally managed to get a view on the whole rubbish situation... Basically, she blames it on the government/local councils, for not enforcing rubbish collection/adherence. Whereas we have mandatory council tax which includes this, in the towns i India (and probably not all either), there is a 20R/wk charge for rubbsih collection (minimal!), but it is not enforced and many people would rather not pay and just dump it on street corners! There are hardly any bins around (true) and the culture is such that people just throw stuff anywhere... This lady had tried to carry her rubbish around after she had been westernised for a bit, but her parents told her that when in India, it's easier to just think Indian - it's a shame, but sort of true...

Anyway, this woman also told me to get off the train earlier than Gokarna - see this place called Murhedeshwar - massive temple and Shiva statue (40m in height), which was recently built on a penninsular by this beautiful beach - so I did :). Thought I'd end up staying the night, got a room and everything - but after having been round the temple there wasn't really much to do. The beach was beautiful, stunning in fact - but again, I was the only whitey around, bit of an attraction with the yound lads who wanted to have pics taken with me - walked as far as I could be arsed to get a quick swim in without drawing too much attention with my exposed, white flesh - but still managed to have some 12yr old boys gawking at me from the beach, one who followed me for ages and I had to tell him to leave off after a bit - twas not just innocent curiosity.

So, I decided to just do one - wasted a nights accommodation, but it was like a fiver, easily rationalised - and so glad I did it anyway coz by evening time I landed in this lovely place!! My mind has had a total rest, it's been really nice - have felt really content and peaceful and it will be nice when I move on too, get some more hstorical vibes before I leave and another beach stint, ace :).

That's about it so far - people have been good here, have 4 sound neighbours - a Scotsman, Italian girl who leaves today and Israeli girl - and the London crew from the other beach have been cool too.

Anyhoo, dying for a wee and lunch beckons - man am gonna miss the food in India, I hope I can find a masala dosa and vegetarian thali in Rusholme!

Spank you later, xx

I'm not moving.

For a while anyway...

Just arrived in Gokarna last night and am staying near Om beach, just before actually - Kudlee... It's well nice. I'm jumping forward, have been to places before, but this is nice - like really nice. Might inform you properly when I've got bored of doing nothing, swimming, eating, yoga-ing, chillin, shoppin, exploring, paying with cute puppies and generally soaking up the beauty for a while - mmmmmm.... :D

Better than black bogies, eh!

Oh yeah, and never thought I would be saying this...

But I am slightly hacked off that I haven't been struck with a bout of the shits and/or whilst vomming at the same time.

I mean, everyone said it happens, has happened to them or people they know and Becky warned me to bring loads of Immodium. I mean, I spent about 20 odd quid on Immodium/diahorrea tablets and rehydration sachets and they have not been touched - at all. That money could have well been better spent on about a weeks accommodation!! Rant over.

Also, on another sore note... boohoo... I've lost a load of photos on my camera :(. BUT, they might not be lost forever, but it'll be a long while before I can get anywhere/one get to fix the problem. Not gonna stress or cry tho. I know why it happened, twas my own negligence of the way digital cameras work, I mean, this is all new to me - but now I realise the error I will definitely not let it happen again. (Fucking bugger tho, it seems the ones that are lost are the best ones too...)