After Goa mt first stop was a little further south - Gokarna - which is sacred coastal town full of temples and pilgrims. The water at the beach is also considered sacred and pilgrims come here to bathe as it allegedly cleanses all your sins - the cleansing is maximised if you shave your head. I did take a quick dip early in the morning at the other end of the beach (not really the done thing to be seen in swim wear here) but as I haven't committed too many sins I refrained from shaving my head!!

The full view of the beach - much more natural and less commercial than Goa.

This mobile temple is pulled through Gokarna by people during religous festivals

This was a local festival in Gokarna where farmers come into the town and go around all the temples praying to bring luck for the next seasons crops.

The sunset view from my hotel in Gokarna

One of the temples at Gokarna

Kootlee Beach - 20 minute walk over the headland from Gokarna - peaceful and not so busy

The Holy Tank at Gokarna - these appear in a number of towns and villages, though this is the biggest I've seen so far. They are used to wash, people & clothes and pilgrims are usually found around them praying.

Lots of guys in Gokarna were dressed in this sort of outfit and many had shaved heads - including small boys - most didn't like getting their photo's taken (unfortunately!!) but managed to sneak this one!

Next I moved onto Kerela to Kochi which is a big city with two main parts Ernakulam (more commercial modern area) and Fort Cochin (the old city with restrictions on building etc). This photo is the Chinese Fishing nets at Fort Cochin- these are used in lots of places in Kerela. You could buy fish freshly caught from the fisherman and pay the local resteraunts to have them cooked.

Sunday was family day out at Fort Cochin beach

Kathakali is a form of Kerelan theatre where dress/music/dancing and facial expressions are used to tell a story. You can go along before the start of the show and watch the artists put on their make up - took a few notes!!

Some martial arts demonstrations were also part of the show

The finished costume - the facial expressions and use of eye movement during this performance were excellent - though I think I could still teach them a little on how to look scary ;-)

A friendly fisherman on the Backwaters of Kerela.There is over 75km of streams, lakes, rivers running through a maze of forrested islands. The villagers mainly live of fishing but also make use of other natural resources to survive.

Fishing for mussels - which we had for lunch and they were tasty . The mussel shells are heated to over 600 degrees then ground down to make calcium which is used for vitamins/chalk/toothpaste etc - absolutely no waste!

These ladies are making rope from the fibres found on the outside of coconut shells. Kerela means the land of the coconuts but nowadays 60% of the coconuts grown locally are diseased and not worth anything! These ladies make about 100m of rope a day and get paid about 40 rupees (50p) for about 8 hours work.

Ryan the Tiger enjoying the Backwaters

Felt I had to at least look like I was enjoying this coconut milk after the guy climbed up the huge tree and chopped them down for us (I don't actually like coconut unless it's in a bounty or curry!!)

Another view of the backwaters

Don't these look like Tonka Toy Trucks??

A traffic jam in Fort Cochin - I had to wait 15 mins to get past on the cycle I had hired!

Fort Cochin

I bet you didn't know I was an angel!!!

A polka dot butterfly A lizard

After Kochin I decided to start making my way northwards again, towards Delhi, as I was struggling with the heat - or more the humidity. Had to take the long way via Hampi as everyone had told me it was a must on my travles. This is one of the many temples found in this fourteenth century town which is spread out over 26km - I hired a bike and got around quite a lot of them. Though it was a struggle on some of the sand paths especially when my trainer decided to fall apart!!!

Can't remember what this god is called but he looks impressive.

Ryan the Tiger wishing that he was allowed to go for a dip in the Royal Baths - check out the structure at the back - the water supply system for the baths!!

The Lotus Mahal - where the woman used to live in the Royal Enclosure

The Elephant Stables

Cooling down at the Tungabhadra River at the sacred Agni Temple

Another Temple at Hampi

The kids entertain themselves by playing with old tyres, marbles, chalk drawings on the street - simple but effective - no play stations (well not in the smaller villages and poorer families - which is most of the country!!)

Ok I have no idea how this chick ended up pink (there were 3 of them) as no one could speak English and my Hindi doesn't extend to "Why is that bird pink?". In fact it consists of "water", "hello" and "no"!!

A pretty cool bird on a sign post at Hampi

My bus from Hampi got in to Hyberabad just before 6am and I wasn't leaving again till the evening so I dumped my bags at the station cloakroom and went for a walk and came across this early morning exercise class.....

Golconda Fort at Hyderabad

One of 82 Tombs of the Qutb Shahi kings near the Fort

Thought I might buy a couple of these dresses and send them home for the girls - sure Amy/Chloe etc would love the frills they are very popular here and I know how they love my fashion sense :-)

I was taking photo's of this building from accross the river and thought it must be some kind of palace/museum- turns out it is the hospital - sure it looks better on the outside than the inside right enough!

A very posy Cycle Rickshaw dude in Hyderabad


View over Hyderabad - the statue in the middle of the lake is the biggest Gautam Buddha in Asia and was donated by the Dalai Lama (did go out on boat to see it but photo's didn't turn out as too sunny)

Since my last update I have spent about 100 hours on buses/trains and that doesn't count the extra hours sitting on the platforms - either because my train was late or I got in at some ridiculous hour and decided to just wait at the station till daylight. Having a big rucksack comes in handy as a portable bed sometimes!! Travelling on your own has it's challenges - especially when you need to go to the loo - I now have it sussed though I have locks on the zippers of my bags and then I chain them together around something secure (well as secure as I can find) then keep my fingers crossed - well there is only so long I can keep my legs crossed!!!

Got back to Delhi a couple of days ago with the intention of organising visa/flight etc for China for start of June. Unfortunately with the protests over the olympics and Tibet the Chinese have tightened up Visa rules and that's not quite gone to plan (won't bore you with details - if your actually still reading this anyway!!). So have decided to head to Nepal and see if I can sort it out there - would rather spend extra days there than in Delhi.

Decided before I leave India I should really pick up a few souveigners so had a shopping afternoon yesterday. Once I started it was hard to stop as everything is so cheap - but managed to resist the belly dancing outfits that I kept getting offered (though the shop keepers found my reaction a hoot!!).

The unfortunate part of the shopping trip was my need to then use Indian postal services. First I had to go to the post office and have my bag checked to make sure it was ok (as per the guidelines on their webpage) - so after 30 mins wait the guy didn't even look in my bag and just handed me the customs forms. Then I went outside and waited another 45 mins for the guys to pack my parcel - they wrap it in material then stitch it up. Then back to the first queue to then be told to go to the other counter and glue on the customs form to the parcel, back again to be asked for the photocopy of my passport that I needed to give them (not mentioned in the guidebook or web page!!) which of course I didn't have so one of the postal workers for small charge copied passport for me. Another ten minutes!! Then finally the guy took 10 minutes to weight the parcels (I had two) and stick label on them and give me my receipt.

If India has tought me anything it is patience!!

So I leave Delhi tomorrow night for an 18 hour train to Varanasi before catching another train and then a bus to the Nepalise border......

Enjoyed catching up with a few people today at home for a chat - Skype is great I can phone UK landline for 1p a minute (finding a PC that works at a suitable time is not so easy!!). Do miss having a blether with my mates and family....

Anway, hope all is good with you all and I'll be in touch from Nepal.

Jack xx

Goa

The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Panjim.

Cool Ryan the Tiger at Panjim Beach.

The Beach Crabs.

Sunset at Panjim Beach.

St Catherine's Cathedral, Old Goa.

Ryan the Tiger contemplating the bigger picture - St Catherine's Cathedral.

Slightly more modern art work than I expected to find in the Archbishop's Palace Gallery!!

Ok how good is your latin??? Ade's this one is especially for you (you did ask for a harder challenge!!) - what does it say - I'll give you a starter - this was on the wall at the Chapel of St Catherine in Old Goa.

The dead body of St Francis Xavier (well a photo of a photo) - this dude was sent over by the Portugese King in 1520's to sort out the corruption and immorality in Goa and other areas. After his death his body was moved several times (and bits were stolen!!) and now every ten years it is taken out the tomb and taken accross to St Catherine's Cathedral for a 3 hour ceremony where worshippers file past and touch it (thinking I'm glad I missed that service!!)

The Director's seat on the Bollywood film set (story below).

And the stars acting out a scene.

Kids in Panjim

My Beach Hut at Palolem Beach.

Collecting coconuts.

Shopping for dinner - the early catch.....

A dog taking shelter from the sun under my sun bed.

Dinner (yummmm!!) (sorry Alice/Jo & all my other veggie friends!!)

Sunset at Palolem Beach.

Ryanthe Tiger enjoying the view.

The locals houses at Palelom Beach.

A family washing at the side of the train track.

As you can see the trains are fairly long - this photo was taken half way along and doesn't even catch the engine at the front of the train!!

Me on the overnight train to Goa.

Arrived in Panjim,the capital of Goa, which is pretty nice city with a small beach and lots of colonial style buildings from the Portugese era. Went to the cinema here as thought it may good place to cool down - before the film starts they play the national anthem and everyone stands up - don't think 'God Save The Queen' would have the same impact at home??

Spent a day visiting Old Goa (the ex capital of this state) which is now a World Heritage site because of all the Cathedral's and churches - which is pretty much all that was there. It surprised me when I first arrived in India how many people are practising christians, although they still follow traditional Indian customs - like the ladies praying in church wearing saris.

I love the contrasts in India, the modern next to the new i.e. the cattle walking along next to the Mercedes car, the traditionally dressed standing next to the guy/girl in designer gear - everything seems quite acceptable - though it might not be so if it was members of a traditional family coming home in modern clothes. The Caste system still has a strong hold in certain areas of India with those that are born into certain 'groups' finding it near impossible to improve their lot in life. Though there are areas this is not so much the case with better access to schools etc (though public schools still poorly funded and families choose to send their kids to private schools where possible - the more money you spend the better the education).

Well whilst at Old Goa I decided I would make the 2km walk to the church on the Mound to see the views and I the church which was reportedly pretty impressive. But when I got there all hot and sweaty I found the church closed as they were filming a Bollywood Movie. The film crew were pretty cool and were happy for me to sit and watch, take photo's & video - they even offered me lunch!! I was assured the two main stars are very famous in Bollywood - the guy was such a poser right enough - don't think he was impressed when I got a photo of him getting his make up done - unfortunately it still wasn't George Clooney or co so I am unlikely to get enough money from Hello magazine to fund an extra couple of months travelling!! Was quite interesting watching the goings on though - and I met a traveller on the beach who said that he did actually go along and take part as an extra on a Bollywood film and it was a hoot!!

Other than that not too much to report as I have just spent the last four days chilling out (or should I say being toasted) on Palolem beach in Goa reading lots of books. This used to be one of the quieter beaches left in Goa but it is now completely covered in Beach resteraunts/huts....but as it is the end of the season here they are actually starting to dismantle them for the Monsoons coming in so it has been fairly quiet (especially mid week. I'm staying in a beach hut (costs 2.50 per night) - with own toilet/shower - and I am about 50m from the sea so can hear the waves all night!! Talking of which did some body surfing today as the waves were pretty cool - though I did manage to lose my sunglasses when I got caught off gaurd by a big one!! Only my second pair I've had to replace so far on this trip (sat on the first ones!!) - that's why I don't buy designer sunglasses (that and the fact I don't buy designer anything!!). Certainly tell the difference between the Indian ladies - who go swimming in their sari's (even saw one in her jeans) and the tourists who are in skimpy bikini's (other than me of course who has very sensible swimming suit!).

If you want a taste of India and like a good book(is a little chick flicky) pick up a copy of Holy Cow by Sarah MacDonald - she describes in hysterical detail lots of things that are everyday life here which had me sitting with tears of laughter on the beach - I can certainly relate to a lot of her anectodes - the rows of bare bums as your early morning train goes past towns/cities, the kids asking 'Ma'am what is your good name?', the constant peeping of car horns which is not a sign of road rage but rather considered polite driving (in fact many trucks/cars have signs saying Blow Your Horn!) and of course the staring and letching of local men to western woman (particularly in northern India).

Anyway, enough from me I am off to enjoy the other good thing about Goa - Sea Food - after 6 weeks of self imposed vegetarianism (for health reasons) it is nice to be somewhere it is safe to eat some fish & it's delicous......tomorrow I am moving further South so will let you know where I end up.

Hope your all keeping well and thanks for all the e-mails/messages on the blog.

Jack xx