The day we arrived at McLeod

It was 6.30 in the morning it was a relief to find Sabu, the taxi driver, waiting for us. We sank gratefully into the taxis big seats... Sabu drove us to a lovely but expensive hotel/restaurant. After empting our now full bladders, we sat down and had a light breakfast. We (meaning Abbey and Frances) filmed some scenes for a clip we are making.

Our family hopped back in the car after breakfast and Sabu drove us along a winding road going ever higher into the Himalayan foothills. Along the way we crossed two bridges that had a sign saying 'Bridges Damaged, only small cars and buses crossing'... I (Frances) was quite tense about going over the second, there were already four or five car/trucks on the 'DAMAGED BRIDGE'(!!!!!). Once we had crossed that bridge we continued to climb up and up. There were monkey's on a concrete slab around a big tree. They were so cute. There were little ones and big ones, it was cool. There were also some ponies and mules. It was fun watching the ponies walking around the streets of McLeodGanj. When we finally arrived

McloedGanj Sabi walked so fast up the steep winding alleyways that we had to sprint (with our HUGE packs on our backs) to keep up with him!!!

The house we are staying in is so small but so cosy. A lady called Antoinette came and showed us around McLeod and we found out that she was cricket fan and a BOLLY WOOD MOVIE FAN TOO! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! . Antoinette is the Guru of 5 Tibetans (a type of yoga that makes your tummy flat in six months). We organised for us to do a morning 'class' with her the next day!!! We ate lunch at a beautiful café then went home to settle in. Oh! I forgot we had a butter scotch ice cream.
Later we went to find a wi fi café we found one out of a million and had a drink and went and checked our emails but did not reply to any of them (sorry to the people that want a reply ). Any way after we went to the wi fi cafe I had to go to the toilet ( you don't want to know any more do you...?). Mum and I (Frances) walked up a street and found a shop that was selling stuff for Rs.30!  I got some really nice white pants and I looked at some really nice tops. We all looked at more shops and then went home and to bed.

Second leg arrival

Ok so we arrived in MccloedGanj. This is going to be another great experience. Its hard keeping up with the photos so we have just posted for the moment and will work at getting the next slide show posted as well as keeping the photos in the writing relevant. Already Mom's guide Antoinette has taken us for a tour and shown us the best eating spots. The scenery is fantastic. The mountains so high. Mom's rooms are lovely. Delhi was fun. We met another of Mom's friends/guide...so much to tell! Gerard is off to a cricket match with Antoinette and we have our first Himalayan trek booked for Friday! Got to go just now, so will write soon. Camille

Last Night

Friday,getting ready leaving!

On Friday we start getting ready to leave. We pack our bags and pick out clothes to wear,

then we start cleaning the house. Later we go for our last swim and our last coconut at the beach. We see a lady near a sick dog and we go over to it. Its got a rotten ear, it cant move and the tide is coming in. The lady was trying to call the animal rescue people, so we leave it, knowing that she will help it.

When we get home we all have a shower and leave for the German bakery. We arrive and sit down. We get two mixed veg curry with rice, Mum, Dad, Gypsy and Neptune have different meals.

The German bakery has a special animal like most places. There's the Beach Dog, Skull Dog (hangs out at O' Manuel O - the reason he is called skull dog is because he has two big black dots like a skull's eyes and one black dot like a skull's nose), there's our dogs that hang at our place and the kitten that hangs at German bakery.

The kitten comes over and wants Gypsy's food she calls a waiter to take him away but after a while of no kitten, he leaps out of the waiters hands. The kitten snuggles up to Frances and I, it is so cutesy cutesy. After we eat I play with the kitten dangling a piece of string over it's head (not touching it at all because it might bite in fun and be carrying rabies) .

We go home and drop to sleep.

Abbey

Leaving Goa

Well its our last day in Anjuna, we spent most of it packing and cleaning up and then took a last swim, last cocoa nut (and Permeela kept the change but we didn't have the heart to haggle with her...) and when (or if) Neptune returns from his next venture into town, we will have our last dinner out and we have chosen the German Bakery as our favourite.

We have had a great time. These last few days have been so busy that it is impossible to find time to blog, except in dribs and drabs. But tomorrow we catch another long time train and I am sure we will be able to tell you all our news while we travel (post when we arrive in Delhi).

Dharamsala will be quite another thing all together. This has been a real tropical holiday experience... with a lot of learning also, but the next adventure will probably be much different. Still this has been a good introduction. Amongst the palms, the surf, the music, the food there has also been the beggars, the haggling, the trash, the decay. All of which there is more to say about....

It is great to read your comments and as corny as the term 'followers' is, it is nice to know that we are in contact with you and not just writing into cyber space. I will endeavour to keep up-dating the photos regularly. We take so many that each day there are more to show but I know some of you don't get to the broad band or internet often enough to have seen them before they would have to be changed... At some point this adventure will slow a little and the photos will catch up?

Time to go! Love to you all. Camille

Arambol

I was still very tired from last night's late night. I resembled a slug as I slothed out of bed and slowly got dressed. Michael the taxi driver took us to the lake at Arambol. On the way Michael pulled over. On the side of the road was a cashew orchard. Neptune showed us how to eat the fruit.

First you twist the nut from the fruit.

Then you lean forward.

You then bite into the bigger end of the fruit and suck all the juice out.

Yum yum!!!

You can't eat the nut because it is too acidic and poisonous - you have to it roast first.

Neptune gathered a handful of the fruits before we left. 

 

As we walked down to the beach at Arambol, we passed a snake charmer. We found out later that snake charming is illegal. The guy doing the flute playing had to keep stopping because the cobra's kept on slithering out of their boxes (I stayed well away!) Abbey and I wondered why the man was not freaking out when the biggest snake tried to bite him, Mum told us that the snakes poison glands were probably removed. 

 

We went swimming and the waves were higher than Neptune! I remember seeing a huge wave just about the crash on Abbey when she looked up and saw Neptune riding the wave right above her (that made her scream!). 
 

Across the sand from the ocean there was the lake, a mass of luke warm still water. In the lake there were a few fish swimming and Abbey spent at least ten minutes trying to catch one. Abbey and I stayed in the lake for ages and ages – all afternoon. When we got out my hands were so wrinkled I looked like I was 100!!!! 
 

After Abbey and I got changed we walked to the Banyan tree. Sitting in a circle around a smouldering log. At the base of the tree, were a group of smoking hippies.

One man was so arrogant and rude that when a sweet Indian man began to sing “dancing queen' he laughed and copied the Indian in the rudest most horridly disgusting voice I have ever heard. He was so full of himself that we all gave a mental sigh of relief when he left and we were able to enjoy the tree.

One lady came over to us and asked us why we were looking so sad I told her I felt really sick, having been in the sun too much. 

Later when Abbey was climbing the banyan tree,
she came up to me again and was saying something to do with my sad face but I could not understand her because she kept on talking about other things while asking me what I wanted to do. She took me by the hand and pointed around as if she was saying which way (I think she wanted to show us around) but I hurriedly said I wanted to see Abbey climbing down the inside of the tree. 
 

By the time we left I felt really, really sick and hurried back to the beach, where we had a hot chocolate (and instantly felt better!). We went to dinner at a café that had a gig where any one from the crowd could perform. Dad of course jumped up and sang a few of his songs, he finished his performance with The Giddy-Up-Girlfriends theme song. Neptune joined him on his jews harp and then did some of his own. The crowd loved it! By the time the night was at an end, we were even more tired than ever. I fell asleep as soon as I collapsed into bed.

Frances

So as you know we went to old Goa. As well as going to St Catherine church and St Francis Xavier, we went to St Francis of Assisi's (the saint of animals) Church, who Frances was named after. We also went to a ruin of a Church, it was old and beautiful. The old Church had beautiful tiles that still remained after ages, you know, 200 - 300 years.

                     Abbey 

 

Old Goa

We went to old Goa by bus. The first church we went to was so huge, the roof was so high up! There was a main hall, then little side halls for the saints. One part of the church was blocked off, inside the blocked off part every where was golden with wooden benches.

We walked to the next church, Abbey and I saw the cutest puppy, it was as small as Dads hand. A man almost stepped on the poor little thing!

In the Church of St. Francis Xavier, there was a main hall and off to one side there was a glass coffin with a dead man in it!!!!! The body was of St. Francis Xavier and has lasted over 500 years minus two arms. The body was 'incorrupt' as opposed to mummified.

Write more soon

Frances

Shaan Roy

The day after meeting Shaan Roy, we went back to the beach. This time however, we went by the coast, walking along the sandy beaches, volcanic rock walls and through cafes. On one beach I found two Shiva's eyes (they mean good luck).

We trekked for ages. One time we had to go through thick dense aired shrub, it was really hot in the bushes and all I could think of was COBRAS!!! We walked, stopping to drink from a bottle of water, until we came to the beach Shaan Roy was on...

Shaan was not there but the film crew was, and they were filming a dancing sequence. I took a video of them and many photos!

After lunch we strolled down to Vagator town and had a mango milk shake at the juice bar.

Fort & Fun

We set out to see the ruins of Chapora fort at 5.30pm after a day of playing with the house cleaners great grand daughter, Malong. We arrive at the fort and climb up a hill

(Neptune on his unicycle). We reach the fort and climb up on the walls. We sit in the parapets were the Portuguese used to fire guns at the Indians. We walk around the forts walls. After we have walked most of the way around the fort we go though a little gate out of the fort a path leads us to a a long stretch of hill. We watch the sun set then Neptune and mum see a huge light (that they use for filming). We get all excited and head down to the beach that they are filming on. We race Neptune on the unicycle to the set even though they aren't filming any more, we might see the Bollywood super stars. When we arrive we don't see any of the super stars we know but everyone likes the unicycle. The star of the show, Shaan Roy, tries to ride but needs help. He gets on but can't move. He gives up but wants to know if Neptune is going to be there the next day. We get a picture 

and take his autograph. We chat, then go and get a mango shake and a meal and go home we decide to go the next day and watch the film being shot.

ABBEY

Friday Night Market

              Hey guys we went to a night market.

We watched a gypsy band that had a gypsy dancer.

She had shaky anklets and a beautiful dress .

There were these little girls running around pretending

that they were beggars but they were actually begging and got about ten

rupees . We bought a shawl that I lost on the way to the German bakery

that was a beautiful little bakery that looked like something out of Mama Mia..

It had lanterns and one big tree that was the roof. Little tables and cushions for

chairs. The lanterns hung from the trees and vines from the trees

separated the low tables with cushions on the floor from the other tables and cushions.

We ate and watched a movie premier starring a new actor who,  after this movie became an actor in the new Twilight movie - Eclipse. We started to walk back but because Neptune had a motorbike Frances and I

went on the back through the winding paths back to our home.. We brushed our teeth and went to bed

Abbey

Life in Goa

Hi there all, we are now just over a week into our venture and enjoying every minute of our travel so far. Well, maybe apart from getting the girls to do their maths every day. Don't worry, they get plenty of time to play and read and visit markets! Tonight we hit the Friday evening Hilltop market; the girls will hopefully get to do some juggling with a German lady, a friend of Ashley, a global traveller and fire twirler extraordinaire. The markets are at once as they have been described and at once so different. When we first ventured to Mapusa (pronounced Mapsa) Camille was immediately approached and engaged in polite conversation by Partee, an Indian girl. 

She stayed with us as we negotiated the market until we came to her stall where she was keen to show us her wares - trinkets and shawls and the like. It is a business for them afterall, and so we tend to go with the flow and not let the constant approaches bother us too much. After all, it is no more intrusive than ads on the TV channel, special offers from the banks, junk mail from the Telcos, just a more human form of the same... albeit with less control over the approach - you can't just hang up (!) or toss away the latest offer. However our amazing guide Shwetha does in some sense do just that. But the beggars and the stall holders also know their limits, and get the picture if you are not in the frame of mind to “trade”.

I have walked around the general environs of our abode, buying water, butter, and other supplies. Stepping around the dogs, trying to read the rupee price...and generally getting a reasonable deal. Bread and milk arrive by motorcycle to our front doorstep, announced by the 'wocka, wocka' of the horn, usually around 7 am and 9am. Fruit suppliers also ply their trade around the neighbourhood, but are more elusive so far. Gypsie says they come more spasmodically, often passing through Joe Bananas restaurant in the early afternoon. I am writing this little entry from Curlies, a popular beach restaurant and night spot, as I cut my wrist last night when I broke a cup doing the washing up. So swimming on these hot days is off the agenda for me while my body hastens the recovery of my little domestic blemish.

Living here is like glorified camping. We have a squat loo in an outdoor bathroom. It has a cold shower...but no one would want a hot shower here!!. The kitchen has two gas rings for cooking, and a kitchen sink for washing up. Washing up is a bit of an ordeal because the plumbing is well water and we need to rinse everything in boiled water to prevent stomach bugs. There is no air conditioning, but big ceiling fans somewhat cool and circulate the air, also acting as mosquito repellent! An ancient fridge provides for cold storage and three beds and assortment of chairs provide resting, reading and contemplation points. The yard is full of plants; breadfruit, banana trees and coconut palms 

and a multitude of colourful flowers and foliage, which can be enjoyed from the veranda which fronts the entrance side of our temporary home. Internet connection is provided meters away, at Gypsie's place. Not always a reliable service, but then neither is the electricity, however it does the job often enough to keep us in some contact with you all. The eaves of the house are not closed off and there are gaps under the door which provide an avenue for interaction with the outside elements... the local fauna including geckos, large multi-coloured spotted frogs, various bugs including mossies, and the noises from beach parties and passers-by. Frances happened upon a rat snake in the garden which is harmless but with glee Bob told us about his encounter with a cobra around the corner at the internet cafe!!

As I look out on the ocean view now, I see King Uncle's passenger ferry/boat passing along the beach, topless men and women idling in the sun, colourful fishing boats bobbing to the rhythm of the waves, two lifesavers patrolling the beach, beach chairs and umbrellas lining the front of the restaurant and weak haze hugging the ocean's horizon.

I hear bubblings of German, French, Hindi, English, Russian, Israeli and so forth, muffled coughs, squawking birds, a mild seabreeze causing the 'tacka tacka' of the tossing palm fronds, waves crashing the shore, cries of delight from Abbey and Frances. Pameela will pounce on them as soon as they get out of the water but they love her fresh cocoanuts so they'll be happy customers... and oh no, just heard the boys in the back winding up the mood music. At this time of day, the mix is somewhat ambient. Later on, it turns techno and loud, for the party crowd. Wafts of cooking are just starting to register with me, people are starting to order lunch, and I am getting the munchies myself, so adieu for now!

Gerard

To market To market to buy some nice stuff

On Wednesday we went to the Anjuna beach flea market. Abbey and I stopped to look at an Indian womans stall, she insisted that I try all the dresses that she could get her hands on... when I wanted to leave she grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the shop saying 'you do me first business of day, you wish me luck'. That was kind of scary but Shwetha came with me and I eventually got out! 

 Us with Shwetha and a little begger girl

Walking though the maze of stalls selling jewellery, cloths, food, shawls, crystals and an assortment of other interesting things, we were constantly greeted with 'madam' this and 'madam' that. I bought a black dress for rs.250 and a ring for rs.550, Abbey and I followed Shwetha around while she tried to get the best price for things.
Mum bought me the brown dress that I wanted at the first shop she made me promise not to tell Shwetha (because she would be appalled that we paid too much!!!!). 

When I went to buy some pretty earrings from a Tibetan man he wanted to charge me 1800 rupees ($45), he told Shwetha that I could afford it because I was white, when she tried to explained that I was too young to afford that much he got angry and told her that she was ruining his business. 

 A bull that was outside Neptune's stall no one fancied messing with his horns!

Throughout the market cows roamed, they would stop in the middle of tight walkways and no matter what the stall holders said to them they would not move.
At the end of the day we were all very hungry and too tired to cook so we went to  O'manule'o restuarant and had dinner.

Write More Soon

Frances

Mapusa Market

We hopped on the bus at 9.00am for Mapusa market.

The bus swerved and swayed around the corners. It stopped for a lot of passengers and then the bus got crowded. The bus was so full of people that I couldn't see Frances and mum on the other side. Luckily Shwetha sat next to me and I wasn't squashed. Finally we arrived at Mapusa and hopped off.

The First Week

Hi,

We woke up at three in the morning (!) to get to the plane up in Hobart at six...

On the flight from Hobart to Melbourne Mum and Dad napped while Abbey and I watched the TV!

At the Melbourne Airport we had some iced tea and croissants and looked through the duty free shops. 

Once on the flight from Melbourne to Singapore, the sweet air hostesses gave us some warm flannels to 'wipe away the dirt of the day'. I  watched a drama bollywood film to get my self  'in the mood' for INDIA. That flight I didn't get any sleep so I was quite tired. In the middle of the big plastic airport was the cutest little garden with HUGE gold fish, 

it was a really nice break from the strict 'in line' kind of stuff that happens at most ALL airports...

On the flight from Singapore to Delhi I watched yet another bollywood film ( this time a love story), and fell into a restless sleep where I would just get to sleep and then the plane would hit disturbance and BANG I wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mum was looking forward to fresh air when we arived in Delhi but all we got was a mix of smoke, car fumes and brake fluid...

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The taxi driver drove like a MAD man, 100 to 110 km/hr through the heavy traffic. HONK! HONK! Right up a trucks tail, almost flattening a man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CRAZY!!!

I flopped down in the hotel bed and...

ZZZZZZZZ

Write More Soon

Frances


So then we woke early the next morning. Vidhu our host, organised for a taxi to the train station and we whizzed off into the wild traffic of India. As we pulled into Nizamuddin train station two coolies (porters  wearing red shirts)

   

grabbed our bags out of the back of the car and guided us swiftly and expertly to our platform. They deftly dodged the sandy coloured stray high tailiing it with a pack of similarly mangy mutts hard on her tail as she skidded yelping around the corner, down the stairs of the bridge over the tracks. They waited with us for our train to come in and loaded us into the correct carriage and compartment before demanding an exorbitant fee, ten times what Vidhu had told us to expect. We paid... it was all so overwhelming. How we would have managed without them... The signs were in Hindi. The load speaker was Hindi. The people were staring. We were too conspicuous... too white, too awkward, too wealthy. We were glad to hide in our compartment and take stock.
The train is a great way to ease the beginner into the Life of India. As we travelled south to Goa for 38 hours, we passed through the variety of backyards of the poor, from the plastic/tarp tents to the woven huts,

from the animals tethered and eating rubbish piles to those more fortunate creatures living under delicately balanced palm leaf thatched structures. Through paddy fields and deserts we saw buffalo and goats, pigs and donkeys a couple of horses, a camel and lots of dogs, painted trucks, scooters, rickshaws and people carrying unbelievably heavy loads on their heads.
We got the hang of the calls of the chai server, the coffee man, the dinner man, the pani (water) man. We mastered the art of the squat toilets with out falling in!
We did our home school as we travelled. We slept, we ate and we gradually came to a point where when we off loaded at Thrivim (almost missing the stop) with our newly aquainted fellow travellers Kate and Peter(!), we were much better equipped to catch a prepaid taxi. We headed in the fading light toward Anjuna fleamarkets to where Neptune was waiting - we had to call him so he could tell the driver in Hindi where to take us (there were too many white chapels and paddy fields). In the red glow of Anjuna night life and honking of horns we gladly cheered him as he pulled up on his scooter. We scurried along the dusty paths following him. We said good night to Kate and Peter as they came to the place Neptune had found for them to stay and then a few moments later we arrived at our new home. We showered, ate and fell into bed.

Camille

Arrived!!!

We have arrived but we are struggling a bit with internet... so its taken us some time to get to the blog. As well, you know how things are... busy, busy, busy... lying on the beach and eating out at restaurants, swimming, etc, etc!

It was a long time getting here, but I can't explain just now. Gypsy is rushing about getting ready for another party she has organised. We promise to tell you all about it tomorrow in the meantime I will load some photos for the slide show.

We're off and away!

... and the bags are almost packed. A couple more hiccups...the washing machine developed a leak but the fixit man came late this afternoon and saved us the drama of buying a new one... and at ten to four I realised I  needed new bank pin numbers and had to dash to the bank to get them.
But its all just practice for India!! Its bed time, gotta go, we are up at 3.00am, arrive Delhi 10.30pm (their time), customs, taxi to hotel - other side of city, bed, train to Goa 9.00am, 38 hours later catch taxi to beach house, relax ...late Friday evening!!!! Camille

Hi I am really excited. I haven't really been excited because it hasn't  seemed real
but now, the night before, its almost scary! Hopefully I will sleep well!!!! BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!!!!!!!! AT 3.00AM!!!!!!!!!!  Abbey

Almost there...

1.  

Three days to go! Abbey is still in the midst of her and Sasha's combined birthday party

and our 'see you all later' part of the party has been cleaned up ready for the hoards of pyjama party girls (and Fergus) to return from their night time traversing of the pastures.

Then its bed, sleep(?), pancake breakfast, party games and home. More cleaning up. Jill to take Lochy (the pony), guinea pigs to be dropped off with Rhianan and then...we will pack. Ready to go? It looks like our first night in Delhi is sorted after a hiccup in which our spot was cancelled... seeing is believing!!!!

It was so good to see everyone before we went - just in case we get lost along the way!

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Neptune sent this today. It makes it all so real!!!!!!!!!

When you arrive in Thivim station, step outside to the prepaid taxi counter. Say you want to go to Anjuna Fleamarket. As you approach the area, there is a long stretch of road across some rice fields. at the end of the fields, you'll come to a white chapel, with ghostly bamboo structures (stalls for the wednesday fleamarket) all around. If you go straight, its the fleamarket. Take a left at the chapel. follow the narrow paved road for a couple hundred meters till it becomes a dirt road, you will see a sign saying "way to beach, Curlies" pointing to the right. Keep going straight onto the dirt road, follow it around the S curve a short distance and stop at Joe Banana's restaurant. They'll be closed in the evening, but call me with the driver's cell phone or joe banana's phone and I'll meet you there with my motorcycle in no time. If you miss any of these land marks, ask anyone for Joe Banana's. The driver can look for the signs at every intersection on the way there pointing towards Curlies, a beach restaurant, it's incredibly famous.
I cant wait to see you all soon...Hurry up!

Who came up with this MAD idea???

1. 
   

So it is almost here, what began as a thought becomes a reality. Who is responsible for this mad idea... Well we are all to blame!

Initially we could say that Frances wasnt happy at her school, so we explored the options of another state school, Steiner or home schooling. The way it worked out meant that we had to give Tarremah a whole terms' trial and being a private school we got to counting the dollars of sending two children to private schools and figured you could afford around the world tickets for the whole family for the price!

Then Lily, Gerard's mom died and we had to make a quick getaway to the funeral and discovered that it is possible to find people willing to take on our extended animal family. As well there is always that realisation around life and death that one should live life while we can. That there should be no 'if onlys'. I have always wanted to go home to my house in Scotland, not just to pass by, but to be there again.

We were busily getting plans sketched for building on bedrooms for the girls when Abbey piped up that she would rather go to Camp Winnarainbow. It is Frances' last chance to go this year - she is too old next year and Abbey felt if they didnt go this year then she wouldn't get to go on her own in the future.

Mom is always flitting back and forth to India and loves it, but also works in the Tong-len centre there. The idea of going to see what she gets up to and helping out with those less fortunate, began to take place. It seemed the right time for us all to see how the rest of the world gets along, take a reality check on where the world and our values are heading...

So then the idea was voiced and Gerard didn't put up enough opposition to it. Initially he wasn't thrilled but was unable to argue the logic!!! And eventually he came around. So began these last five months of planning and it all starts to fall into place with not a moment to spare!!!

Camille

1. 
   

ITS EIGHT DAYS TO GO and we can hardly breathe. Time is pressing us to the limit. On weekends Dad is home and mum and him fix and clean the house etc getting it ready to go.
On the weekend after this I (Abbey) am having a birthday party! So dad and mum wont be able to do the work but that is OK we SHOULD be organised by then!!!
Last weekend Frances's friend Freda came round and we made lemon Yum Yum for lunch. It was Nancy's Birthday also and her cake was a pancake on the outside with some fish juice and dog food in the inside and another pancake.
On Monday we went to visit Peregrine school, I suppose to say bonvoyage, but also because it was my birthday treat.

Abbey

To help with the stress and rush, after visiting school on Monday, our darling friend Sasha came round to our place. We walked home from the top of Graces Road. On the way we met some dogs, so I picked Nancy up. Her head smacked into my cheek bone and where she hit it a HUGE lump quickly formed...
Abbey and Sasha seemed to think that my face being lumpy was extremely funny, we had just been talking about if you biffed someone between the eyes, they would have a bindi and hey presto I get a big bindi under my eye! Talk about BAD karma!!!
So here I am with my face swollen and personal image is at it's all time low!
Today the swelling has drifted closer to my nose and is making my eye water.
I feel like I have just woken up because my bottom lid is half closed and wont open all the way up.
Today I coloured in my cover page on my journal, that was kind of like doing art at school but much more fun! Dad got some maps printed out and Abbey and I were finding some of the places that we will be going to in India and the UK.

Frances

1. 
   

A trip to India, England, Holland with the added bonus of a one day touch down in the USA was not exactly what I was anticipating at this time last year. My little ole mind was more engaged on the possibility of exploring the wonders of the Pilbera, being startled by the good light in Broome, or waking to the softening of the ocean on a warm morning somewhere around the girt of this great southern land.

Maybe as Camille says I didn't have the arguments. Or use logic (but then who believes that logic has any mandate on the capacity to sway or influence decision making, or even satisfy an argument). What I initially imagined in my unique swirling vortex of thoughts were all of those doubts that tend to pop up in my ABC radio news attuned brain...on the what is g'happening g'where, and what is g'happening g'when. And at times like that I remember what Iris Todd once said to me ......, "I never listen to the news or read newspapers." So I put aside the stupefying and (dare I say) illogical thoughts of Tsunami, Earthquake, Mumbai, Racism, Water Bottles, Hotel Descriptions, Security, Poms, Backpacks, Dykes, Lack of one fingerprint, Iris photos at Customs and got the airfare thing organised.

As a family together we have read many descriptions of India, over the dinner table or snuggled together; the beaches and festive and mountain and humanity and swarming and reach and awe and potent and honour and callous and choas and joy and order of the Indian way/s. We have googled ourselves to sleep looking for the campervan to home us through England, the visa waivers into the USA, health checks for Camp Winnarainbow and, as little Abbey says, we still have a bit to do.

So we will see what engulfs us, both be-cause of us, and be-cause of who and what we are surrounded by. Life tends to be determined by those few things, don't you reckon?

It will be great to share what we can of our trip with you.

Gerard.