The Rhythm of life....

There is a gentle yet definite rhythm to life here ....the students rising bell is 5.15am, at the moment the Muezzin starts around 5.45, breakfast 7.15, college chapel at 8.

School starts at 8.45 and this morning there were 3 lessons we were involved in before their lunch break at 11.  Chai is served at 11 too - I am certainly getting the taste of this hot, slightly spicy (ginger and others) and very sweet beverage. Pictured below is the school pricipa - known as Glory Mam.  I am known as Caroline Mam!  male teachers are known as Sir as in William sir. 

Lunch (rice, dahl and a vegetable) is at 1.15 and then things go quiet till 3.30/4 ish as it is really too hot to be outdoors. 

After that its exploring  and time to walk into the old city aiming for a drink overlooking the lake.... I have found out this is the view used in the old bond movie octopussy!  (For any of you oldies who remember this!)

Returning for dinner at 7.15 and then quiet evenings chatting, drinking tea and generally doing battle with the internet connection to write blogs! 

A quiet weekend...

After the business of yesterday it was good to relax a little.  We have been allocated a couple of students who look after us as far as food is concerned – so meals are served to us in the guest dining room.   Not surprisingly it is curry for every meal, but we have negotiated curry free breakfasts! The pictures below were taken from just outside my room - Udaipur is quite beautiful.

Another trip to the airport to pick up Tamzin – who this time did manage to catch the flight OK.   The rest of the day was spent relaxing and another attempt at sleeping to  reset the body clock. 

Sunday morning and we elected to join the college church service, having been given the appropriate etiquette tips.  The men and women sit separately and the women also cover their heads to pray and if speaking.     Most of the songs were in hindi – sometimes the hindi words were written in English letters which helped and some had English translation.  The sermon was translated – and the preacher / translator kept swapping over as to who spoke in English or Hindi!  It made for an engaging sermon – helpful as it was a long service!

Out for lunch in Udaipur – yep it was curry!  And very nice it was too! 

Another quiet evening and so to bed!

First impressions

Airports are the same the world over ( or at least the bigger ones are…)  but there are culinary differences – even in my experience of 4 in my first 24 hours. From the coffee and muffin in Newcastle, to the chicken in a mushroom sauce on the flight to Dubai (very tasty I might add!).  In Dubai, t0 go with the wall of heat (28 degrees at midnight) – was a subtly flavoured cheese and Zataar (I think)  toasted flatbread (manakish?).  And then breakfast on the flight to Delhi….. a mushroom curry, dosa and little rolls like oat cakes in texture!  I even ate it delicately with my right hand!  The man in the next seat wryly commented “you are in India now!”  I looked out of the window and saw the sunrise over India.

Delhi airport – very civilised and (perhaps disappointingly) just like any major airport.  Immigration was slow but they let me in and I caught my flight to Udaipur… just!    Unfortunately, Tamzin had an e-visa and that queue was so slow she missed the flight, and had an unscheduled night in Delhi.

Food on the next flight was just snacks …. They turned out to be samosas!  Efficient landing at Udaipur and I was met at the airport and a taxi to Filadelfia campus. Just being in the open air felt a treat after 3 back to back flights and airports.  32 degrees.

Indian traffic and driving…. Oh My Word!  I will do a whole blog on roads I think at some point , because I am having to totally remove any of my “elf and safety” head!  Suffice it to say that horns are absolutely obligatory and motorcycle helmets are worn fetchingly on the arm (in case the police are around!).

Arriving at the campus I decided that the best policy was to keep awake and just go to sleep at night (I had completely lost any sense of the time!).  So after rice and dahl for lunch, I went out shopping with Janet who had called her usual rickshaw driver….   Stopping for a cup of hot, spiced and sweeeet chai on the way (delish) - the trip was just like any other shopping trip – but with an Indian twist….. working out what the fruit and veg were – trying to get an English word for things…. Not always possible – usually greeted with a shrug, chuckle and the suggestion (I think) to taste it and see….  

Arriving back at the campus, a cup of tea, chat and then a walk at dusk to the lake.  Udaipur is known for its lakes, and at night with the lights and a full moon it was beautiful.   We walked back in the dark (avoiding the piles of dung, uneven roads, piles of weed from the lake and other hazards)

And so to bed to try and reset my body clock.  I went to sleep to the drumming from a hindu wedding close by!

just three days to go ....

With only 3 days to go before I embark on my Indian adventure I am surrounded by random items..... or so it seems!  And the piles of STUFF don't seem to look anything like the space they will have to occupy.....Fairly typical state of affairs for travellers!

In my head, I am not taking very much.... HOWEVER the not very much looks like a lot...

So - the big rocks in first then.... ( well not rocks exactly ... but you get the idea!).

I am excited and apprehensive - in fairly equal measure, although I think the excitement is beginning to take over.

More in a couple of days!

Breaking news - Mangrove swamp discovered in kent coast!

So having such poor internet earlier on I have realised that I hadnt talked about my FIRST ever mangrove swamp.  Not a very big one by world standards - and very much at risk of logging for firewood here.

The journey out of Freetown was an adventure in itself as we came via the mountain road - definitely needing a 4x4 as very rough.  Views down into the valley still lush green with rice growing, lots of small stalls all the way along the road.

The road improved as we met the new road construction project - going to be a very wide road - now flat but just a dirt road as yet - incredibly dusty.

Once we arrived in Kent I met the other delegates on the bird ID course and then we set off in a minbus (somewhat rickety) to Tissana and the mangroves.

My first view was magical I have to admit - a beautiful place.

We then waded out across the mud to do the bird survey - I kept my shoes on as I was afraid of cutting my feet .... My shoes will not recover!

But it was very hot and for the first time ever I poured water over my head - not a good look but essential!

The bird watching was great too - lots of birds, many familiar species - just in a different place!  And some new ones.

A great day!

Motorbikes and crocodiles...

So busy work day today with 4 school nature clubs visited ... great to see a range of young people interested in caring for their school and the wider environment.

I think I had one principal worried when I commented that I wanted to see everything... I think she thought I was some sort of inspector!  I have found in all the school that I am welcomed and treated with great respect - usually involves being offered a chair to sit on - perhaps I look older than I think!  and a visit to the Principal is also essential!  I met a very impressive nature club president at one school - she will go far!

So to the crocodile - nothing to do with the nature club but apparently a gift to the school - and now kept in a tank in the science lab - a bit different from the class pet gerbils I remember!  But there is a problem - they are growing so the challenge for the club is to build a pond for it - they have no funds of course!  The science lab reminded me of my school days actually - although less equipped than ours back in the 70s let alone now!

So to motorbikes... we travel to the schools around then city by the taxis  (breaking all rules and sharing a back seat of a standard saloon car with 5 others today although in defence, 3 were children .... although all school age!).  Unlike taxis in England they are more like buses and have set routes  so as we got out at a junction, Abraham asked me if I had even ridden a motorbike?  These are the 3rd main form of transport after poda poda, and taxis.  Now I have - once when I was 18 so it is a while!  Game for (almost ) anything, I got on the back and we set off - no helmets for the driver or me !  It was a short journey and not too bumpy so I didnt disgrace myself!

Fortunately there was a taxi back.....

Talking of roads....

I frequently complain, back in England about the state of the roads - actually if I'm honest, I complain about lots of things, and I'm reviewing some of those views!

I'm not saying we have it all rosy - not at all,  but I realize that we take SOOOOO much for granted and I'll try not too when I get back .... or at least be more grateful for what we do have.

Lets start with roads - some of the main roads are made up  and are as good as ours.  BUT and its a big but - they go downhill rapidly (literally - its a hilly city) - so they seem to either be made up or they're not.  Last week when I had a trip to Kent, we went on a new dirt road that was being made - it was flat, wide and I assume it will be surfaced - but dusty?  Wow it was so dusty that we had to shut the windows and put lights on, the visibility was so poor.  Along the side of the road, cars were literally covered in the red dust.  No problem?  Maybe not but there were lots of people living and working just along the side - an extra challenge to laundry indeed!

Closer to where I am in the hotel, its an unmade road - dusty, but not busy so not too much of a problem..... bear in mind mine is a good hotel .

 The road I walk to the office - 10 minutes round the corner is another scale again - and I can only imagine (and I don't like to really)  how horrendous it is in the wet season..... with the open drain channels along the sides (which its quite ok to pee in by the way) - its not that surprising that there was a nasty cholera outbreak here in 2012.

So next time I am complaining about British roads? Maybe I'll think again (at least for a few days on my return anyway) and be thankful.