Your Average Adventurer

Dear Friends, At lost seems to have happened since I wrote to you last! It is a beautiful day today, but strangely enough I am talking about England not India. I know that because I am sitting in the garden outside my house at home, admiring the clear blue skies and the the glistening sea. My departure happened so fast. I had got up early to go with some fellow group members to a sunrise Yoga class, overlooking the man made lake in Udaipur, supposedly the city of romance! It was such a beautiful morning and I started the day with such peace, I was so happy I had agreed to come. We all wondered back across the bridge to the old town and found a cute little backpacker style cafe. If you know me you know I have a rather undeniable sweet tooth, that morning was no different, I ordered Nutella and banana pancakes, they were delicious! I wondered back through the narrow streets to the heritage hotel and relaxed before the palm reading session I had signed up to. I know I know, I was scept...

Dear Friends, Since being in Coonoor I have hopped all over India and I am currently writing this from Inside the Jaisalmer Fort in the state of Rajisthan. Our last day in Coonoor was spent walking in the tea hills and visiting the factory to learn more about how everything is concocted. We also visited Ooty via a train through the hills, specially built for tourists. I had my most rebellious moment yet.. I walked along the train tracks as if I was a local... it was built for a tourist train so I knew exactly when it was coming and going... still counts though right? It feels like a dream that I was ever in the south as it is an unparalleled comparison to the North. My last stop in the south, after Coonoor, was Kochi. Since it has been a port since the 14th century it has been influenced by Arab, Chinese and European merchants which is reflected in the town. In our walking tour we visited St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Matancherry Palace (the Dutch Palace) and ...

Dear Friends, I have had some wonderful experiences with locals on recent train journeys. On our overnight train, from a station  near Pondicherry to Madurai, we met a trio who were all heading for a concert but had never played together before. There was a singer, a percussionist, and a string instrument that I couldn't name. They put on a mini little concert for us in the little section of our carriage. It was a special moment, as we rolled past the beautiful Indian countryside. That evening in Madurai we experienced local street food that most foreigners have been talked out of trying, guided by Aathi (our guide) he took us on a walk around the centre to about 10 different street food stalls. We tried sweet and savoury dishes and even the local drinks. What a memorable experience, and not one of us had any stomach issues the day after! You don't have to go to the wild to see an elephant, there was one at Sri Meenakshi temple in Madurai, as it was a special festival on t...