First off, Yallingup sounds GREAT! As you know i have no plans, but i DID pick up a pair of speedos over here to swim in, so I will not have to go in the nuddy till i find a bikini.
Did I tell you why I needed bathers? We stayed overnight in a maharaja's palace and he had a swimming pool! I know that sounds like a story, but he was the 'marj' of a small town called Jojowa (in the desert) and the palace was a gorgeous, square C19th british raj style house. The marj was mad and picked us up from the bus station in a battered jeep. He drove like the devil and carelessly hit one of the millions of wild dogs of no particular breed that litter the streets. There are pictures of him from childhood in the rooms, black and whites of a very serious little boy with a severe part, shorts and knee socks.
We are in Calcutta, our tour ended officially last night. We had a big dinner at the best restaurant in the city. That sounds like a brag, but it only cost me 10 pounds for a mocktail, an entree and main. I had fish (protein! At last!) stuffed with asparagus and spinach and potato and it was one of the best things i've eaten.
When i get back i will have a curry night - i did a cooking class and learned how to make real, proper curry and it is soooo unlike the woman's weekly 1970s era curry i have previously known.
Our last stop before calcutta was Varanasi, and its definitely a place i want to return to. Its the holiest place in India, along the banks of the Ganges. Apparently, it was weighed up against heaven and was so heavy with holiness that it sank and heaven floated.
People believe that the Ganges can wash away your sins, cure your ailments, and if you are burned on the river, you miss a few reincarnations and get a bit closer to heaven. SO all of life is lived on the ghats - the steps leading down to the river. People bathing, clothes being washed and beaten, fishing, mysterious priests from the Brahmin caste debating, giving astrological advice, like when to get married or what name to give your child. People begging, people praying - the temple is an open space which looks to the river. The river IS the temple. Then there are the burning ghats - a sort of 24-hour crematorium. It is very special to die and then be bathed in the water, cremated on a pyre and have your ashes released into the water. Death here is not mourned, its an everyday thing, and happens right in the middle of the ghats.
We went on a little boat as the sun rose and then again when it set and saw everything, EVERYTHING that life is about in this little microcosm. It was pretty amazing.
Ok, phew that's me done for a while.
Tonight we are going to see another bollywood movie. we saw 'Don' last week and although it was mostly in hindi, I could still follow the story. I bought the soundtrack to which you must listen to! Kareena Kapoor did a racy little dance in a gold dress which had all the best bollywood dance moves - the lightbulb, stepping on cockroach ... I don't know what they're really called but I will demonstrate.
I can't believe i will be home next week! I went to a club last night called 'the underground' which was funny. Boys on one side, girls on the other till a Hindi song came on and they all fought for the dance floor to do the aforementioned dance moves! Anyways, the underground's theme was London and there was a huge tube map. I saw chancery lane, holborn and was a little bit sad! I thought 'I caught the tube every day by myself ... that is so much cooler than perth' and so my discontent has begun.
I am looking forward to coming home (a little bit) if only to meet all the men in your life. Goran is gorgeous! So is him, but you already know i think that. Let me judge him by my impression of his personality though. Your description of the party is funny. I love nights like that, where you are the most fascinating thing ever. Good for your ego, good for your health.
Anyway, I have changed my flight so I leave from Calcutta (don't want to leg it back to Delhi) so I will be returning a day earlier. I haven't told my parents yet as i am waiting for the airline to confirm it, so if you see them it may come as a surprise! I will call them tomorrow anyway.
So, perhaps the next time we will correspond will be when I 'hallooo' you from my back garden?
Have a great monday!
xxx cha chi
(Hindi for aunty, which is also a term of respect)
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