tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61028865018832229742023-11-16T18:19:00.955+01:00The Happenings of Patrick and TaraPatrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-2278232287382256902011-04-06T15:19:00.008+02:002011-04-06T16:07:24.689+02:00Sadhana Forest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cc13CogZ-WRp1YA70B6V8ammDM2ifSJKMUdxpC-qPNCjBgHmb3RQQINNXmOQZ4QGECzE0ojKd-b8uj0r8gO6J8xUkBJXzJXx6dU9WSzYfGg_RY_LQ0rYptkwtVgBx4ZD4DxKYz9vWCQ/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cc13CogZ-WRp1YA70B6V8ammDM2ifSJKMUdxpC-qPNCjBgHmb3RQQINNXmOQZ4QGECzE0ojKd-b8uj0r8gO6J8xUkBJXzJXx6dU9WSzYfGg_RY_LQ0rYptkwtVgBx4ZD4DxKYz9vWCQ/s320/Picture+3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The community: with over 100 volunteers from all over the planet</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The last seven weeks of our India trip was spent at a project in Tamil Nadu called Sadhana Forest. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the dormitories built from all natural materials; dried coconut leaves (roof) and wood for the structure and floor</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sadhana Forest is a reforestation project run by an Israeli family with the help of volunteers. It started seven years ago on very degraded desert-like land. Their focus is on water conservation and restoring the 'Tropical Dry Evergreen' forest to this area. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers working to restore the forest</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The coast of Tamil Nadu (and many other places in India and the world) had been plundered of their forests by the European colonial masters, in this case the British. With the tree cover gone and roots not holding the top soil together the monsoon rains soon washed away all the topsoil, leaving severely degraded, hard, red, infertile soil.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
According to their website - http://sadhanaforest.org -<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">"Sadhana Forest started its ecological revival and sustainable living work on December 19th 2003.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">The vision of its founders, Yorit and Aviram Rozin, is to transform 70 acres of severely eroded, arid land on the outskirts of Auroville. In a spirit of human unity, their aim is to introduce a growing number of people to sustainable living. Our energy and resources are focused on the creation of a vibrant, indigenous Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF).</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">The main aim of this ecological project is to support the local rural villages: By retaining water and filling the aquifer, Sadhana Forest allows the villagers to cultivate their food and prevents exodus towards nearby city slums.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">The main activities of Sadhana Forest are:</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Planting the indigenous plants that constitute TDEF, an ecosystem unique to this region, and one that is currently endangered.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Environmental education for all. We include as many children and young people in the process of ecological revival and sustainable living as we can. Our aim is to encourage them to share and propagate our vision of an ecologically responsible and sustainable way of living, and for them to help take urgent actions that are necessary for the future of their environment.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Trebuchet MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Children and young people from nearby Tamil villages take an enthusiastic and active part in this project. They, of course, have no memory of the great, ancient, coastal forest that once extended from northern Tamil Nadu down to Kanyakumari in the south, a forest that was destroyed many decades before they were born. Our dream is to create, with their participation, the opportunity for them to experience the original forest of their forebears. For most, it is their first ‘hands-on’ experience in sustainable living, an exciting and transformative experience for them."</span></div></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sadhana forest required 4 hours a day of work their volunteers plus a few extra shifts when needed, the first 2 hours being forest work from 6:30 to 8:30 and 2 hours of community work from 10:00 to 12:00. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara and other volunteers serving lunch for 130 hungry tummies</td></tr>
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</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In the morning, at 5:30, the "wake-up" team would go around to all the huts and sing and play music to gently rouse everyone from their slumber. We would gather in front of the main hut for the 'morning circle' where we would do a few minutes of stretching and sing a song and then all hug each other for about five minutes before heading out to the forest.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning circle at 6:15 just as the sun has risen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning hugs!</td></tr>
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</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The main forest work at this time of the year (the dry season) was water conservation work. We employed various techniques, the one we were working on mostly was building a series of shallow dams crisscrossing the forest to keep the monsoon rains where they fall. These dams are called bunds. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The idea is to stop water from flowing off the land in the monsoon season. Another technique is digging large pools for the water to collect in and eventually perculate into the earth. These resulted in 3 or 4 large 'mud pools' were we could go swimming in our 'off time'.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Bunds' keeping the monsoon rains from running off the forest lands</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First work at 6:30 am in the forest</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging the dry and hard soil for the bunds was a challenge</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">At 9 O'clock was breakfast time where we all gathered in the main hut to eat a wonderful breakfast of porridge and fruit salad. After we had eaten and washed up it was time for the 'second work' circle, where we'd play a non-competitive game or have a song so we'd get the energy up for the second work shift.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick, Jeff and Johanna enjoying lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second work circle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Energized and heading off to second work</td></tr>
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</div>The second work shift entailed things such as gardening, compost, hygiene, looking after the tool shed, maning the recycling hut, cooking lunch, harvesting vegetables, cutting fire wood, building forest trails, life guarding the mud pool, working in the healing hut, etc. We got to choose a new job every day or we could sign up for one for the week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji97VghgndwZGgs4hcI5vHLTHM3ikbh8rrtDb22b9Jp-pH8Pq-eWPbQNR4fiiTpULeeRFtz70rOdQP5RKEfUSnamAGn1jVGlMDGHo5QAcnsM65JRohP_1w3mDQk-_i6T_9zGCSxxm2sRM/s1600/P3020285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji97VghgndwZGgs4hcI5vHLTHM3ikbh8rrtDb22b9Jp-pH8Pq-eWPbQNR4fiiTpULeeRFtz70rOdQP5RKEfUSnamAGn1jVGlMDGHo5QAcnsM65JRohP_1w3mDQk-_i6T_9zGCSxxm2sRM/s320/P3020285.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking team chopping fresh vegetables for lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIDNnxTzIG0AgD9SaLWT0MsKtCfeh-Efojf4YyuZaLCoERaCZthoqIxKg22ro9w_tmIHyejJ3M5_zxc7pEtg2h6JYhDJTyIKSB-WAeTKXE49ejxU9OaHLRUqLa0FedYCjrz0ZVa8nvYI/s1600/P2020069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIDNnxTzIG0AgD9SaLWT0MsKtCfeh-Efojf4YyuZaLCoERaCZthoqIxKg22ro9w_tmIHyejJ3M5_zxc7pEtg2h6JYhDJTyIKSB-WAeTKXE49ejxU9OaHLRUqLa0FedYCjrz0ZVa8nvYI/s320/P2020069.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard workers managing the compost pile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTwJHfyBTFERX7UKE08lGisLl4d_EQEeHXvTH33oXn2plJk6QJL4Uvbi8nNDrONj-HCcxN7-oI3e98ro6MZOykOCw_FlcvA8e0aHZTzaufoXEQ4KnfvQ4VOtZtQhVqAcBLgs4Ub5kwrs/s1600/P3030301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTwJHfyBTFERX7UKE08lGisLl4d_EQEeHXvTH33oXn2plJk6QJL4Uvbi8nNDrONj-HCcxN7-oI3e98ro6MZOykOCw_FlcvA8e0aHZTzaufoXEQ4KnfvQ4VOtZtQhVqAcBLgs4Ub5kwrs/s320/P3030301.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Used to be food; soon to be soil</td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">After lunch and in the evening volunteers would give workshops. The workshops were on anything from permaculture gardening, to non-violent communication to Hindi language to capoeira to clothes dyeing to juggling to making dream catchers and skill a person wanted to share.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main hut where we gathered for our main activities</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_Gn1csk4SwmfBH6v2CZHZY3bY8SS2-80-A8QVaI5BiCgb7tLkyBmxa3hf3Z0F7ov8347FJscDvfKXocwIGDarnEWFA3gcvectXK1U2RSZVHt6P6uXIYnA953wH0s9p35N_37DAWiT_Y/s1600/P2020084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_Gn1csk4SwmfBH6v2CZHZY3bY8SS2-80-A8QVaI5BiCgb7tLkyBmxa3hf3Z0F7ov8347FJscDvfKXocwIGDarnEWFA3gcvectXK1U2RSZVHt6P6uXIYnA953wH0s9p35N_37DAWiT_Y/s320/P2020084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main hut from the outside</td></tr>
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</div>There were a few weekly evening events like Wednesday was talent show night, where any could show off any talent they wanted. There were always lots of good musicians around to play us beautiful music.<br />
Friday night was Eco-Film Club night where up to 400 people from nearby Auroville came to watch an environmentally themed movie and have a free organic vegan dinner. This was also the day we got vegan muffins. Friday was known as muffin day. Sunday night was the weekly Sunday meeting where we all gathered in the main hut and dressed up (a different them every week) and chose our jobs for the week and had a sharing circle where everybody had a chance to say what was on their mind. Monday was Sacred Chanting, where we all went out to the forest to have a bon fire and play music. Tuesday was the Veganism discussion and film.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXm7kllOC5NJjyy1OC3xwiGLq5IjcO3p4sl7mXKPOoN1wZsu78C4UdJN1pC-Hqw8bHoJfGWPxyn4WH968uk_mexbSUP_AZ6gf7R2w5R7bJIJauH9wUocydtxARTFIzQfj1ze9SKeoJ6Q/s1600/P2130110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXm7kllOC5NJjyy1OC3xwiGLq5IjcO3p4sl7mXKPOoN1wZsu78C4UdJN1pC-Hqw8bHoJfGWPxyn4WH968uk_mexbSUP_AZ6gf7R2w5R7bJIJauH9wUocydtxARTFIzQfj1ze9SKeoJ6Q/s320/P2130110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday meeting with 'Cross-dressing' theme</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQUrIioL0kBnv6COAEo_q3NK7jcQpIQYAvGoYrtmOgwtHKBGDilw6VEk__H_0DaIl3dWreBL0rN18MaOkyWSy43COp3u1JBjyeA2Q-J0FAnrF7KLOPsCAsC07Tv4ZnsQo9QfsD2Y6HLs/s1600/P2130108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQUrIioL0kBnv6COAEo_q3NK7jcQpIQYAvGoYrtmOgwtHKBGDilw6VEk__H_0DaIl3dWreBL0rN18MaOkyWSy43COp3u1JBjyeA2Q-J0FAnrF7KLOPsCAsC07Tv4ZnsQo9QfsD2Y6HLs/s320/P2130108.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patricia and Terrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sadhana forest is kind of a Utopian place that aimed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible with as little negative impact on nature as possible. Firstly we lived in huts all built out of natural materials with dried and weaved coconut leaves as roofing and local woods for the structure and flooring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wonS18qy_2YQJeUWOmh5nGHK2gxBrfN0j1-4uG48tohu18yereQps8Y0PbGxkj11_8S9ZCPXslqZBeMop-io6o1Y6UNLMUDsUn0q7Y7D7aW9IHOlu8FbY9EgXncnYqZoAvVUiRdBrLI/s1600/P2020079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wonS18qy_2YQJeUWOmh5nGHK2gxBrfN0j1-4uG48tohu18yereQps8Y0PbGxkj11_8S9ZCPXslqZBeMop-io6o1Y6UNLMUDsUn0q7Y7D7aW9IHOlu8FbY9EgXncnYqZoAvVUiRdBrLI/s320/P2020079.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huts for long term volunteers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZw7d94VF6LUiuuMy8lLd5QXkC1Me3QtSaGCiYyGjp71mdCUBm9GxgT6rPcWsNQju7q8AttfcNb4Jhhs8ABSn99qe6xEjN6bnmLRqhsr9HKzlzYSdMcY3sS9FVBhrgndQjZAgnZADK-w/s1600/P2120095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZw7d94VF6LUiuuMy8lLd5QXkC1Me3QtSaGCiYyGjp71mdCUBm9GxgT6rPcWsNQju7q8AttfcNb4Jhhs8ABSn99qe6xEjN6bnmLRqhsr9HKzlzYSdMcY3sS9FVBhrgndQjZAgnZADK-w/s320/P2120095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dormitory. Note the pink one on the right was ours!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5YN2YjZn2dvaiDy4HDGX837vMVis6lVdRHEfoLfssxyTdMzgctWOoVumR1AoRFJjAF2T2HkGzRH7g_vd16ORjbHmKkZs_AoYlJcGoRMiznfZa7yuIhcaxs9RRloICrwigdhDWHMOnpg/s1600/P2140135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5YN2YjZn2dvaiDy4HDGX837vMVis6lVdRHEfoLfssxyTdMzgctWOoVumR1AoRFJjAF2T2HkGzRH7g_vd16ORjbHmKkZs_AoYlJcGoRMiznfZa7yuIhcaxs9RRloICrwigdhDWHMOnpg/s320/P2140135.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smaller dormitory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0kVnJpQV0cEJcWcyIzUJG59EDO2cJSgkDro8Xp3K14YJ0LQk4jQYWopYra0rMcKg02Mm2OmNogIo26xBESxYz8S5bDnmlcHmVPQBOYmPfjhXoW4-Na8VDiDQeFfBMpZry1S6-LHqKX8/s1600/P2120098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0kVnJpQV0cEJcWcyIzUJG59EDO2cJSgkDro8Xp3K14YJ0LQk4jQYWopYra0rMcKg02Mm2OmNogIo26xBESxYz8S5bDnmlcHmVPQBOYmPfjhXoW4-Na8VDiDQeFfBMpZry1S6-LHqKX8/s320/P2120098.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stairs leading up to our dormitory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ncbj-GJZO_bzhiHlEZYVjgnMF04xrq9gnpyzw4jwuPNq3AL5N4NQcj-wRqvnkrBA7PTc4SJNt6jjdIrvWokzA1nEiKgRq8iVWTYap6rKrVLe1e-6csiBbw5xPP8UV3TTQ8ah2fND2c4/s1600/P2020065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ncbj-GJZO_bzhiHlEZYVjgnMF04xrq9gnpyzw4jwuPNq3AL5N4NQcj-wRqvnkrBA7PTc4SJNt6jjdIrvWokzA1nEiKgRq8iVWTYap6rKrVLe1e-6csiBbw5xPP8UV3TTQ8ah2fND2c4/s320/P2020065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dosa kitchen</td></tr>
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</div>They are completely off the grid, using electricity from solar panels, and in the cloudy monsoon season the batteries had to be charged with bicycles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTw8Z-xmG3PpHBT7zC0G4rTx0yA1zECSdTscxT5iTetKMAIYBsPvGX-yT6ONGTLTDx36CYE0uKqh7P3uL_XrRZVZ5Q4iurANcn9kI9Y7ZFOd9dQdWOXLBTx_DNKc9yiQ_WCewVy3CsuJw/s1600/P2140137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTw8Z-xmG3PpHBT7zC0G4rTx0yA1zECSdTscxT5iTetKMAIYBsPvGX-yT6ONGTLTDx36CYE0uKqh7P3uL_XrRZVZ5Q4iurANcn9kI9Y7ZFOd9dQdWOXLBTx_DNKc9yiQ_WCewVy3CsuJw/s320/P2140137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solar panels</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4qXgbQFbcMKgScUF2rYShvFINrcUpEU7Eanuv8pzheUDTOQITPYc5JNblDFDeh766ABxXevR10ROqfcE3noYODXDUIGFDTwKBpflCf-ojmVV0HkI94hdLTwrn_1eu23pI0rjSsKe4fo/s1600/P3030297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4qXgbQFbcMKgScUF2rYShvFINrcUpEU7Eanuv8pzheUDTOQITPYc5JNblDFDeh766ABxXevR10ROqfcE3noYODXDUIGFDTwKBpflCf-ojmVV0HkI94hdLTwrn_1eu23pI0rjSsKe4fo/s320/P3030297.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VxbSLju26SU-IHGqJIdGyS5NBbFu35jdjjNhTHaJLFothpYJ5NmcuJ7HjT8UNyHzljmtecbl_TmO7bo1OzNcqiMYRlvq4oSrzAUrZG_jsddg6f1FmSJ-mFOlsTBIdCVuIAMP72Gq8HQ/s1600/Picture+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VxbSLju26SU-IHGqJIdGyS5NBbFu35jdjjNhTHaJLFothpYJ5NmcuJ7HjT8UNyHzljmtecbl_TmO7bo1OzNcqiMYRlvq4oSrzAUrZG_jsddg6f1FmSJ-mFOlsTBIdCVuIAMP72Gq8HQ/s320/Picture+6.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cycling to get electricity in the monsoon season!</td></tr>
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Water came from a well that was recharged with the forest work. Minimal water usage was emphasized, there was no running water apart from a water filter for drinking water. Water for washing and showering was pumped from an old pump. It gave you something to think about, no way where you going to use 100 liters of water to shower when you had to pump it and haul the water yourself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara staging a shower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand washing station. Water was collected from the big tub to the right and then poured into the metal bowl hanging over the stone slab. A small hole in the bowl allowed water to trickle out, thus avoiding water wastage. The used water flowed into the bananas growing behind.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48iy-yl6coUHKUA7gkz05VBx9B6ME7aZRMJO8jXNGV8dtuwF2Zgy6pGSEm3tVsXG__NHPiX0UgbuNulbeOw_itpc3fQTtwewQtayO0LnKtFe5ecpdoFkBpZg39lBxMLoBt25VKGcKOF8/s1600/P2140124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48iy-yl6coUHKUA7gkz05VBx9B6ME7aZRMJO8jXNGV8dtuwF2Zgy6pGSEm3tVsXG__NHPiX0UgbuNulbeOw_itpc3fQTtwewQtayO0LnKtFe5ecpdoFkBpZg39lBxMLoBt25VKGcKOF8/s320/P2140124.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dish washing station. You worked from right to left first washing and scrubbing your plate with ash (The ash came from the fires we used to cook our meals). Then you dunked your plates in the following buckets ending up in the big one where it was left to soak in disinfecting vinegar water. Done!</td></tr>
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</div>Our food served was organically when available and increasingly grown on site in the permaculture gardens.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVI0uTQH4voBN-9DuZBKb11xJ0GzrWjsJHt3HkcktEY1ycaQkNWQscjTx82wMIQxwUFRveDc1Td5vI9UMxCBeVqIHYhrapD8Eh6J__en9QIx4cJfjRH6-ELRwb9JqpW6lq4GcNSQzVW8/s1600/P2020076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVI0uTQH4voBN-9DuZBKb11xJ0GzrWjsJHt3HkcktEY1ycaQkNWQscjTx82wMIQxwUFRveDc1Td5vI9UMxCBeVqIHYhrapD8Eh6J__en9QIx4cJfjRH6-ELRwb9JqpW6lq4GcNSQzVW8/s320/P2020076.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a permaculture project called a 'sponge'. A hole is dug and then filled with organic matter like banana peels, coconut husks, old t-shirts, etc. Fruit trees and shrubs are planted around the hole. Their roots tap into the wet decomposing matter for their nutrients. Great in dry, hot climates.</td></tr>
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Some other things they do to lower their environmental impact are using composting toilets, reusing all graywater to water fruit trees, and cooking in super efficient stoves with firewood that's grown on site. Also Sadhana Forest is a vegan community meaning that they don't eat meat or animal products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc). One of the biggest causes of deforestation is forest land being cleared for grazing and agricultural land for feeding animals. 2/3rds of the world's agriculture goes to feeding animals not humans.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All food was cooked over a fire. One of the weekly jobs was 'fire starter' . The fire starter tended to the fires to keep them going while others where cooking!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tandoor oven built out of clay and old tires.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'dosa kitchen.' A place to drink tea and eat snacks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS6md9s4jV2Zudh4L92gCZEfRJqACz_H5fZKyzSmO5aBTVRSwckxH3EEUMakOLS9oGuu7q46lFJxIHoKXgAs-Se2COEsc67nqiLUtGYFpX44OAEaj_5RvFWK1MPqhGPxe3zkgqN1hWvc/s1600/P3030313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS6md9s4jV2Zudh4L92gCZEfRJqACz_H5fZKyzSmO5aBTVRSwckxH3EEUMakOLS9oGuu7q46lFJxIHoKXgAs-Se2COEsc67nqiLUtGYFpX44OAEaj_5RvFWK1MPqhGPxe3zkgqN1hWvc/s320/P3030313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Composting toilet. Lift the lid to do your business.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pee station. Urine collected was used in the gardens.</td></tr>
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The community aspect at Sadhana Forest was incredible. It felt like one big family, where everybody supported and cared for everyone else. The seven weeks that we were there the population was between 100 and 130 people. We made friends with people from all over the globe from Australia to Russia, from Argentina to Germany, from Indonesia to Croatia, from the UK to China, from Israel to New Zealand, from the US to Venezula and everywhere in between. There was even a couple of guys that had bicycled to India from Switzerland!<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A hand full of volunteers were living there long term for up to 3 years but the main bulk of residents stayed for a minimum of one month. New people were arriving everyday as others were leaving. So there was constantly new faces and minds to discuss with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never never land</td></tr>
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</div>Since the project began seven years ago, 23,000 indigenous trees have been planted from 150 species with a survival rate between 80 and 90 percent and does not fall below 70 percent even on the most degraded soil.<br />
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More than 7 kilometers of trenches have been dug and eight earth dams have been built, altogether storing more than 50,000 cubic meters of rain water.<br />
As a result of this work, the underground water level has risen by 6 meters from an average of 26 feet deep during 2003 (before Sadhana Forest was started) to an average of 6 feet during 2007 after four years of intensive water conservation work.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud pool for cooling off on hot days (and a substitute for showering.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizs64uTxD53TVv15RrUfr0L8kP8898AAXcFQPU1LDoG__fTQugLVBjwkYgQRYP1z7dKgUT2ZtFxpux0R425It8_xwXV5KzBiVw9DW53FQsEOPkTfRwwFLH0pOVUq148_licS-imouYfy4/s1600/P3030337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizs64uTxD53TVv15RrUfr0L8kP8898AAXcFQPU1LDoG__fTQugLVBjwkYgQRYP1z7dKgUT2ZtFxpux0R425It8_xwXV5KzBiVw9DW53FQsEOPkTfRwwFLH0pOVUq148_licS-imouYfy4/s320/P3030337.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara covered in beneficial mud.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_3Zta7vlfDoBEVQJ9Vl9lmQkjcODSXYFGHTa01bX2OJo04bReFyExAIEOndAFBSH_Wa7Kn8jSsHf-qUYfIXgb6lbDZrqZrq_f9qrDe0Kvu_emVtnBpgpB7REGlwaSh0PFv1Q1JlEkJs/s1600/P2100093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_3Zta7vlfDoBEVQJ9Vl9lmQkjcODSXYFGHTa01bX2OJo04bReFyExAIEOndAFBSH_Wa7Kn8jSsHf-qUYfIXgb6lbDZrqZrq_f9qrDe0Kvu_emVtnBpgpB7REGlwaSh0PFv1Q1JlEkJs/s320/P2100093.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating vegan cake at a local café in Auroville.</td></tr>
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</span></div></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-92213707489801741252011-03-28T17:34:00.001+02:002011-03-28T17:50:12.359+02:00Twist, stretch and endure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As our trip was drawing to an end I decided to head to the old city of Madurai, close to the tip of India, and more importantly to the Sivananda ashram. I exchanged Patrick for Marta and Joséphine, who I had met at Sadhana forest, and traveling the cheapest way possible on cramped trains and local buses, the cost of our 12h journey totaled at $2 each!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The ashram was situated 45 min outside of Madurai in a beautiful and tranquil countryside. An ashram is a place of spiritual practice and ashram life included a mix of yoga, mediation, lectures and chanting. The day was packed full from Wake up at 6 am to Lights out at 10 pm. We had two yoga classes a day, each 2 hours long. I loved just about every minute of my experience at the ashram, though after the first two days every muscle in my body was aching and sore! However after the full two weeks that I spent there all the stretching, twisting and balancing did wonders to my flexibility and strength.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikay9mVrKHNbKiD8o9VqVqyjTiv-ZIKdU3XuyEqEt4wrBe-rPNzw_4u4oApdQfXlSDFR46TaMnDUYqP6elBMw7Xp38yQA6Yz9tRTUIQBafXNzOZya9wFTNy7xFyZmRf8rzQKqdiyPSKTk/s1600/P2200163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikay9mVrKHNbKiD8o9VqVqyjTiv-ZIKdU3XuyEqEt4wrBe-rPNzw_4u4oApdQfXlSDFR46TaMnDUYqP6elBMw7Xp38yQA6Yz9tRTUIQBafXNzOZya9wFTNy7xFyZmRf8rzQKqdiyPSKTk/s320/P2200163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Morning walk and meditation at dawn</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir57j_pjAqJWq_6nm85LtUg7P_y5nY1LphiI5hEyPJ0_7NE61L2XCINJKJgZo1Zgo6FbfHixoMh5MRo4Ms1zhcFUtZG9ZTyZpdSsfcyYU2qhD9ZlXEopUw71UVh0flLklDXYdJe1PzGrE/s1600/P2200168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir57j_pjAqJWq_6nm85LtUg7P_y5nY1LphiI5hEyPJ0_7NE61L2XCINJKJgZo1Zgo6FbfHixoMh5MRo4Ms1zhcFUtZG9ZTyZpdSsfcyYU2qhD9ZlXEopUw71UVh0flLklDXYdJe1PzGrE/s320/P2200168.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beautiful countryside 45 min outside of Madurai</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDa0Cq5DkmHtuP5Z7sP7Qlv5hn9lgGqD00PHMiYcZ8refqKjg_8g6RDPG_03XTlc7i3AH2jlYHriyeNzU5i-9mTYVVME5uskKeBqvwdgjqG37u4GOe_PvqH1e7e9dCXjYkF1Sd_EKz5I/s1600/P2200177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDa0Cq5DkmHtuP5Z7sP7Qlv5hn9lgGqD00PHMiYcZ8refqKjg_8g6RDPG_03XTlc7i3AH2jlYHriyeNzU5i-9mTYVVME5uskKeBqvwdgjqG37u4GOe_PvqH1e7e9dCXjYkF1Sd_EKz5I/s320/P2200177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-tS0_Evzv5EhCbe5SzNwtvCvT_Tl5a08bXBXR7bZf6DBK-c2VQKGiarQ5sZ1DOZTVn_Uw3BoN486FBV9XLS8uanVcpnR3COOJoQ2xkkuA6SZGLm7JEefImML-SrZshrWl-p-zUDBJqA/s1600/P2200182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-tS0_Evzv5EhCbe5SzNwtvCvT_Tl5a08bXBXR7bZf6DBK-c2VQKGiarQ5sZ1DOZTVn_Uw3BoN486FBV9XLS8uanVcpnR3COOJoQ2xkkuA6SZGLm7JEefImML-SrZshrWl-p-zUDBJqA/s320/P2200182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6c6eiAsyl8kxjIALAkGrxaPSawsABVtTs6nw_YmrT_B2QSpZGlC-OJNqzWlmMSoFboLsZMMh-UNqmd-SU_RHL42-3N86WE0xtTFD4taQrwB8KimAheopC6KPFkupkE1Xfv8DoN9dRrY/s1600/P2200188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6c6eiAsyl8kxjIALAkGrxaPSawsABVtTs6nw_YmrT_B2QSpZGlC-OJNqzWlmMSoFboLsZMMh-UNqmd-SU_RHL42-3N86WE0xtTFD4taQrwB8KimAheopC6KPFkupkE1Xfv8DoN9dRrY/s320/P2200188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daily Schedule</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lBh78tIr-WyIynaVqjrtLVuOpsqjZvpZSvxjtKtuPCDTYyw9kVf8KDnKR3TXKbCWBLEBBqydOqq6zkexoumDUl26a02IAfRyFpTEttIN0u-m79xE23bad8yp5Alo2AB2OCDbmSDnxHs/s1600/P2200190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lBh78tIr-WyIynaVqjrtLVuOpsqjZvpZSvxjtKtuPCDTYyw9kVf8KDnKR3TXKbCWBLEBBqydOqq6zkexoumDUl26a02IAfRyFpTEttIN0u-m79xE23bad8yp5Alo2AB2OCDbmSDnxHs/s320/P2200190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yoga hall on the top floor and women's dormitory on the bottom floor</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaBI14Za2XFpmDmpFZtgUUbjQc7npxmXrlQjjbSeVrquTp2gggaNtbgYWHRM4YG7uOle1JncrnzMpHatTub78TX1863QBIRnBfcMwEPmFwaG79AtcH6EqTFWkb7_rMpYSoF4E3f3yqog/s1600/P2230198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaBI14Za2XFpmDmpFZtgUUbjQc7npxmXrlQjjbSeVrquTp2gggaNtbgYWHRM4YG7uOle1JncrnzMpHatTub78TX1863QBIRnBfcMwEPmFwaG79AtcH6EqTFWkb7_rMpYSoF4E3f3yqog/s320/P2230198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joséphine, Marta and I in the women's dormitory</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4GuccyaDeDdtx5voSNnSWcM7x04lKAl49TlO2bxkMKWdmuRWnIXVDfd6b5mIUIgF1jKfV9zJKOvT2hPiYjAdb4ZpcTF3pew5O_Nc1Ov42jJo2ehRUm8SmqMyehohyLbSxz-b5WHFxOY/s1600/P2250215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4GuccyaDeDdtx5voSNnSWcM7x04lKAl49TlO2bxkMKWdmuRWnIXVDfd6b5mIUIgF1jKfV9zJKOvT2hPiYjAdb4ZpcTF3pew5O_Nc1Ov42jJo2ehRUm8SmqMyehohyLbSxz-b5WHFxOY/s320/P2250215.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Meenakshi temple in Madurai</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcYNsbdindLMd2PjwfbEFFyzN7cwAO9CNiRqZCzOGxy5EIvYr0qe7IHL-4m1mOLcUuHQEnl9J7wxCZKo7S0gzWXxKMcYypJp8boWOXRvXK4b_van-g0p2d2fabnOXXiRmxdtZCP1v6Gk/s1600/P2250207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcYNsbdindLMd2PjwfbEFFyzN7cwAO9CNiRqZCzOGxy5EIvYr0qe7IHL-4m1mOLcUuHQEnl9J7wxCZKo7S0gzWXxKMcYypJp8boWOXRvXK4b_van-g0p2d2fabnOXXiRmxdtZCP1v6Gk/s320/P2250207.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">52m high!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3mrt8p36GlCXel5qN7F_v7pfurgfjtlesjuuX6vjonMidda1Pv1BqKqkMi_4pSqLkY_64_7bZuLhRaZuyzbGDlo3ucfefjODq6YoGhi5xNCCkKJVxNkxzTl1yWdpsaQZfKOHikFopo0/s1600/P2250224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3mrt8p36GlCXel5qN7F_v7pfurgfjtlesjuuX6vjonMidda1Pv1BqKqkMi_4pSqLkY_64_7bZuLhRaZuyzbGDlo3ucfefjODq6YoGhi5xNCCkKJVxNkxzTl1yWdpsaQZfKOHikFopo0/s320/P2250224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLoP67mHziszDOTcHx-vuJpFEuzgVuv5_IcN-BWDVk5yJcdKnhHIIn754VI-o7dHN9LruSWPhyphenhyphenkiC0kVABpZ7RwiW-QEmMXuOd4xQ5ynYa84b8MWsr_Hr71NncYu1ySYOMIwvcLW79wU/s1600/P2250226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLoP67mHziszDOTcHx-vuJpFEuzgVuv5_IcN-BWDVk5yJcdKnhHIIn754VI-o7dHN9LruSWPhyphenhyphenkiC0kVABpZ7RwiW-QEmMXuOd4xQ5ynYa84b8MWsr_Hr71NncYu1ySYOMIwvcLW79wU/s320/P2250226.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SZkrfqEeL6tsyhyphenhyphenz8IE2wqsig2kNZgHATHzpcZhKmSVtFkSvSltLuGo3WC2HOPUeAZehTLLNmDzMH7g-gUAlQAlxMf0VFR5J4VZmZ-_C9uv8PtuBOQDGOKPDgQmt6wo94i1vYfJpjsg/s1600/P2270242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SZkrfqEeL6tsyhyphenhyphenz8IE2wqsig2kNZgHATHzpcZhKmSVtFkSvSltLuGo3WC2HOPUeAZehTLLNmDzMH7g-gUAlQAlxMf0VFR5J4VZmZ-_C9uv8PtuBOQDGOKPDgQmt6wo94i1vYfJpjsg/s320/P2270242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yogis doing <i>Plough pose</i> in the yoga hall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsEt1NMTMOv4oRoELS3Qkj5b1jIIc75sJ7pJiEGVD1IzCefYQl2qCkfECI8F9oQ7Ko-dVdwCZjPNNAx7MjukNwi41ihmNptVqVEComXUPSt9Aewg_u7X4SbcdhOxNF8F5AS06bc_80c4/s1600/P2270248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsEt1NMTMOv4oRoELS3Qkj5b1jIIc75sJ7pJiEGVD1IzCefYQl2qCkfECI8F9oQ7Ko-dVdwCZjPNNAx7MjukNwi41ihmNptVqVEComXUPSt9Aewg_u7X4SbcdhOxNF8F5AS06bc_80c4/s320/P2270248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dining hall. We'd all eat sitting cross legged on the floor using our fingers as utensils</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6W3xRsCuij4tsXYFkHRf6l-8f52Cm32-nPXRmW5IqBjDKoO9rXQ32-Su0MmOftnCqeOCV7M8YpQbfQJcPScIWiSDu74wdNxkaCNYqg1AALuVe1LADI3v-qVTZb0Y7dbaoZznYUhLrY0/s1600/P2270251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6W3xRsCuij4tsXYFkHRf6l-8f52Cm32-nPXRmW5IqBjDKoO9rXQ32-Su0MmOftnCqeOCV7M8YpQbfQJcPScIWiSDu74wdNxkaCNYqg1AALuVe1LADI3v-qVTZb0Y7dbaoZznYUhLrY0/s320/P2270251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The ashram food was some of the most delicious food I'd had in India. This day's food was fermented rice cakes called <i>Idli</i> with coconut chutney, vegetable stew <i>Sambar</i> and a banana</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZSn8fEs3rnT1k78gp_zJCULCQX5o303pBjHymL0QUZVkA0YY1GPLGDgbdx7TiKB46_xV9I2Vw4vU9I8NcE6kZK5dATiKEZSybDv_ugioIwnuZQNt6d-P8yyZ1kHErepiBvXAltcIIzc/s1600/P2270255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZSn8fEs3rnT1k78gp_zJCULCQX5o303pBjHymL0QUZVkA0YY1GPLGDgbdx7TiKB46_xV9I2Vw4vU9I8NcE6kZK5dATiKEZSybDv_ugioIwnuZQNt6d-P8yyZ1kHErepiBvXAltcIIzc/s320/P2270255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Every morning at 6 am and evening 8 pm we had <i>Satsang</i> which consisted of meditation, short talk and chanting.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDZpfh8roZHON3j9_LmjtZvccojzv7O_-h7OlhBlDY8NQcuqZWai25N4_UemyndXzrg-UoYq2a6UDsrIy0VSiP8b_rph0PKkBSUth74MrycTnZdEu6a6QCQaay21EwYuRRXE8vbfBH10/s1600/P3010274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDZpfh8roZHON3j9_LmjtZvccojzv7O_-h7OlhBlDY8NQcuqZWai25N4_UemyndXzrg-UoYq2a6UDsrIy0VSiP8b_rph0PKkBSUth74MrycTnZdEu6a6QCQaay21EwYuRRXE8vbfBH10/s320/P3010274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>At last an empty carriage on the train! Though it turned out not to be as empty as I thought with dozens of small cockroaches crawling on the seat...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1fi5um4HwkghL-GEoETCs8KTXkzU22OlYGGrlOiLB1OZ5kGPyFGP7hVXn_RJEFy9BGyCpzwthRHEaxFsRXzXqMia1dO9p9JeMTzm5ceHtOFUg-KlIvRIF9kZsr_N7SPGSSrKBWC9uQc/s1600/P3010272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1fi5um4HwkghL-GEoETCs8KTXkzU22OlYGGrlOiLB1OZ5kGPyFGP7hVXn_RJEFy9BGyCpzwthRHEaxFsRXzXqMia1dO9p9JeMTzm5ceHtOFUg-KlIvRIF9kZsr_N7SPGSSrKBWC9uQc/s320/P3010272.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from the luggage rack which I was cramped on for the 6 h journey from Madurai to Pondicherry. I was happy for somewhere to sit down at least!</div><br />
</div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-70931493387361949322011-01-17T19:05:00.003+01:002011-01-18T05:16:21.385+01:00Woof India # 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIn51v5uc6VvbfY2D4MUfRygwHhJ0CvIbgBhQc6yzoQzR4OAm53hQ47Bdq0352Vvv4Wy4DVviYYk1evavFxnB_7kxW0vWP6msWWng_9f1RMonZtupno9CVjoyPU7HU2YivfpjQAhH638/s1600/P1090703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosftw2HpHfWGCz9szY3LWL5YTUZZ1-sbkx8-yjiwKFYZqVnhurCCKPnK5alTb3H2u1DaS-HCvQQdbJA5x7VPGE0eQGpmgCRAkfYd-iP4ug1iJ0Kqx7NIZyW7n92JjcJlXY7nsGh42KPk/s1600/P1100729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosftw2HpHfWGCz9szY3LWL5YTUZZ1-sbkx8-yjiwKFYZqVnhurCCKPnK5alTb3H2u1DaS-HCvQQdbJA5x7VPGE0eQGpmgCRAkfYd-iP4ug1iJ0Kqx7NIZyW7n92JjcJlXY7nsGh42KPk/s320/P1100729.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our host John</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wH6aKoPkQ4GbgtrpZyyK4a7tr1p0y17f7CMzsNYUd5Wq4NTADV3oqt9rrORvCjHS89w3YU8s4N24OVrABXtoN25AoVg0TXZ2kQNnqpZSQY21JCS9njF23nY74tHy1QY_0pqlAMJNvL4/s1600/PC300580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgM6haTF62fUg1HDAn9cIEOY232_W2XriXN2Alyazc7rlLTReK77VWM8eFYZGoNary8k1xY0ldY9WCmX88lbtn0GAFGtXIQOcJZnjwpmA8NB7dmBpQcL5jmr7jpuRlWX0BhoACehyphenhyphen6vY/s1600/P1090712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgM6haTF62fUg1HDAn9cIEOY232_W2XriXN2Alyazc7rlLTReK77VWM8eFYZGoNary8k1xY0ldY9WCmX88lbtn0GAFGtXIQOcJZnjwpmA8NB7dmBpQcL5jmr7jpuRlWX0BhoACehyphenhyphen6vY/s320/P1090712.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR567fnk51Sz27fpUBBOeEzAJKS3ilZj14njUbo9L8ZP6GnUDuwOo1BwCwaYVfrjaBt4Lkrew58V9N6VnJGbZCvoV0r1pSTbpou8WCjeXPATHo7OubKCLJqkki2HjioPp4M50VnYjG40/s1600/PC280565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR567fnk51Sz27fpUBBOeEzAJKS3ilZj14njUbo9L8ZP6GnUDuwOo1BwCwaYVfrjaBt4Lkrew58V9N6VnJGbZCvoV0r1pSTbpou8WCjeXPATHo7OubKCLJqkki2HjioPp4M50VnYjG40/s320/PC280565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ‘capsules’</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWaGz9oBFomuwhcf0C2xJu2Kr5BwzUU2hARdKBjVk-bSBcdBuRbJbZdxJVRSm6VyG-IAqET7zhRPVvBBs4w5X6grLFhsXgj-V1_wAfWfmm9vrFNC6-c1DVl1mHR31mH7PFPBbaJmU5Lo/s1600/P1010581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWaGz9oBFomuwhcf0C2xJu2Kr5BwzUU2hARdKBjVk-bSBcdBuRbJbZdxJVRSm6VyG-IAqET7zhRPVvBBs4w5X6grLFhsXgj-V1_wAfWfmm9vrFNC6-c1DVl1mHR31mH7PFPBbaJmU5Lo/s320/P1010581.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shower (left) and the composting squat-toilet</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIn51v5uc6VvbfY2D4MUfRygwHhJ0CvIbgBhQc6yzoQzR4OAm53hQ47Bdq0352Vvv4Wy4DVviYYk1evavFxnB_7kxW0vWP6msWWng_9f1RMonZtupno9CVjoyPU7HU2YivfpjQAhH638/s1600/P1090703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIn51v5uc6VvbfY2D4MUfRygwHhJ0CvIbgBhQc6yzoQzR4OAm53hQ47Bdq0352Vvv4Wy4DVviYYk1evavFxnB_7kxW0vWP6msWWng_9f1RMonZtupno9CVjoyPU7HU2YivfpjQAhH638/s320/P1090703.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Composting squat toilet</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglThXxIpfdpqaYkBAQyL0OEGCzPp2vwVgSxIx1NoUqEdnUCamCS1XPciWqwEHC4K0MyAXRyJgcaRmRl3ujuLJr4NVwtH5sAVoLmd7Zf28QrRte-lmMzIOecYhvy85kilxofMKNwS0Xns/s1600/P1010583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglThXxIpfdpqaYkBAQyL0OEGCzPp2vwVgSxIx1NoUqEdnUCamCS1XPciWqwEHC4K0MyAXRyJgcaRmRl3ujuLJr4NVwtH5sAVoLmd7Zf28QrRte-lmMzIOecYhvy85kilxofMKNwS0Xns/s320/P1010583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a break in the courtyard</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
The hosts on our second Wwoof farm were a 28 year old American ex-pat hippy, John and his Indian wife, Shweta. The 5 acre farm was located outside India’s major IT city Bangalore. They had taken over an established Mango and Chickoo farm two years ago and were in the process of turning it into a forest garden. They had planted many exotic trees like avocado, cinnamon, lemon, orange, pomegranate, rosewood, ebony, mahogany, sandalwood, papaya, banana, clove, etc, interspersed with gardens of hot peppers, amaranth, sweet potatoes, ragi (finger millet), peanuts, aubergine, and all the usually western favorites (tomatoes, spinach, etc.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKbuRCB59QwJPJ_xR77RCzm4CLvy__jbuOSahIokDEMiCR8hP8qWEsNilkfoPGWR5yyRO7emkdRhdHd23LTeXyM3jqNiKCFwMQXiDHGQT1_DHTHiSGb7drF_doyAk3u7UwY3KSe5IQCU/s1600/P1010587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsmFSjhpRjNCEABGexI53YMN_QpRhkXZW_SIhnRgHTJvd1BGVW-_GL9QrQqm3yuX3d8sjFp7eWUSaw8P-UDc8nkV5ZnedJBn6lZg5a0HXHalusqpgHQlRC22Tl-ne7PetrQwaWg-P3Ic/s1600/P1050620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsmFSjhpRjNCEABGexI53YMN_QpRhkXZW_SIhnRgHTJvd1BGVW-_GL9QrQqm3yuX3d8sjFp7eWUSaw8P-UDc8nkV5ZnedJBn6lZg5a0HXHalusqpgHQlRC22Tl-ne7PetrQwaWg-P3Ic/s320/P1050620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango orchard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qKK8wAhyphenhyphen40R6QNHzFYRlHObjfB496gFMXCXfVCjVS58_2Smb5uG_Uaz8nis8L7u21esdPUDGFQ49Jkfeg6VeZxydmByXLZPb3JM1O3WehCbIZD9EBLhRtO5smvgkZdoIINIrn_xVqOY/s1600/P1050616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qKK8wAhyphenhyphen40R6QNHzFYRlHObjfB496gFMXCXfVCjVS58_2Smb5uG_Uaz8nis8L7u21esdPUDGFQ49Jkfeg6VeZxydmByXLZPb3JM1O3WehCbIZD9EBLhRtO5smvgkZdoIINIrn_xVqOY/s320/P1050616.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mahogany tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sdh-0NzoOx1Cfc4aiDOFhstJT7kJ0LC3EjVRBMDyh94pfYsniUEBXZHPkyPfF7mnlvTrK_jDA4wiVeteA6ByGLSI8qPB5VhyphenhyphenIJyWJoHhBO58RPYFQaHGTaCO5tgknl-_c9XiCtlp57w/s1600/P1050607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sdh-0NzoOx1Cfc4aiDOFhstJT7kJ0LC3EjVRBMDyh94pfYsniUEBXZHPkyPfF7mnlvTrK_jDA4wiVeteA6ByGLSI8qPB5VhyphenhyphenIJyWJoHhBO58RPYFQaHGTaCO5tgknl-_c9XiCtlp57w/s320/P1050607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon tree </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGvpIlW96HO5eY-TQmfOVzcr4-f7PdsxbsE0vPKei7JHggAkAEiCWL8K-XBYAMLbehwU6uR46naJB7hV32kjyc9bfoJ-k-NwQ7Ob5VIlXMp3mAnfw5oI3UaS2g1ggya1GilUBv_K0fso/s1600/P1050604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGvpIlW96HO5eY-TQmfOVzcr4-f7PdsxbsE0vPKei7JHggAkAEiCWL8K-XBYAMLbehwU6uR46naJB7hV32kjyc9bfoJ-k-NwQ7Ob5VIlXMp3mAnfw5oI3UaS2g1ggya1GilUBv_K0fso/s320/P1050604.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickoo tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXy1JQcW86TA-F-ydTjnUsdjWYKPyE9L24qoPAgLog_MXJZv0ASfAR102cZhsIC6W4tOTpydcpkSDLeIjshMhH-_H2pB4FemfT2wVNbcqlfTrWYHAcgxlCAN9qMrudFKUwjo9VqyEo84/s1600/P1050623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXy1JQcW86TA-F-ydTjnUsdjWYKPyE9L24qoPAgLog_MXJZv0ASfAR102cZhsIC6W4tOTpydcpkSDLeIjshMhH-_H2pB4FemfT2wVNbcqlfTrWYHAcgxlCAN9qMrudFKUwjo9VqyEo84/s320/P1050623.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amaranth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeujVNjc1UdtBNuPVb2cRu4LQzPs_-k6s21c5vX7lxqFHVoL4CJjTtMR6S0pCokOOtEJ-XLO1HadKf03Th5B5b00vC7eALEFQpbe2UaCMIcDMDIen5MF_wmwwPVzeHe2s1zxEMOJyrtI/s1600/P1050624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeujVNjc1UdtBNuPVb2cRu4LQzPs_-k6s21c5vX7lxqFHVoL4CJjTtMR6S0pCokOOtEJ-XLO1HadKf03Th5B5b00vC7eALEFQpbe2UaCMIcDMDIen5MF_wmwwPVzeHe2s1zxEMOJyrtI/s320/P1050624.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocado tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0fQ9H2PAOxR_dKdgcCFVRH3QIFAWsTlUK5qbX7bJAzeE6RXJiThpyp6ClXtM2Qwd2oPS6KgrKxzGZJeCkffaV0nEk2YyIZ8FyYevyFNHwt-JfWtV0G20eg_V4kf2oSj4VPCsaK1F1eY/s1600/P1050626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0fQ9H2PAOxR_dKdgcCFVRH3QIFAWsTlUK5qbX7bJAzeE6RXJiThpyp6ClXtM2Qwd2oPS6KgrKxzGZJeCkffaV0nEk2YyIZ8FyYevyFNHwt-JfWtV0G20eg_V4kf2oSj4VPCsaK1F1eY/s320/P1050626.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papayas!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3uMfi5xPEJcWLynWSw6AiSxffJguAF6rVsYOa1BaXerr9wD5W7Fcu69ARLwyDz9-cr0wK5pDhZ7DUnUzE_oKR_yEhIAOVzun_QUUmN7nKEKpuDV6ATeEH1gL1DVa1mnTowegt2fyVmE/s1600/P1090710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3uMfi5xPEJcWLynWSw6AiSxffJguAF6rVsYOa1BaXerr9wD5W7Fcu69ARLwyDz9-cr0wK5pDhZ7DUnUzE_oKR_yEhIAOVzun_QUUmN7nKEKpuDV6ATeEH1gL1DVa1mnTowegt2fyVmE/s320/P1090710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinnamon tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJpdlISEYXFObgG1ZluSYpiTQNPGcekm0luvchjQSeimzfD3AUlPrA9Qf3yuZ58APeY2tjmUhQO-KFGdltLRRG2kwYGSScZKxAI3qqJxUGU-abWp1Uzy7WL9i5oviRdpCC8Dmnv8-aiA/s1600/P1070639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJpdlISEYXFObgG1ZluSYpiTQNPGcekm0luvchjQSeimzfD3AUlPrA9Qf3yuZ58APeY2tjmUhQO-KFGdltLRRG2kwYGSScZKxAI3qqJxUGU-abWp1Uzy7WL9i5oviRdpCC8Dmnv8-aiA/s320/P1070639.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdQyWhzaWe4Ne84kpOhm-HWHnXAjtb1TflmVQ9VaKwJ_zQYuP26ZaBcezpdQOKNCTRGAg1YijyxfkYUnIzNhClWcdEKK7trkVUdwVk2zQIhgotJhp5gZbGUHrQArRqsWUVT8-uOJeog0/s1600/P1070640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdQyWhzaWe4Ne84kpOhm-HWHnXAjtb1TflmVQ9VaKwJ_zQYuP26ZaBcezpdQOKNCTRGAg1YijyxfkYUnIzNhClWcdEKK7trkVUdwVk2zQIhgotJhp5gZbGUHrQArRqsWUVT8-uOJeog0/s320/P1070640.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clove tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJLTXCkxdReWfbpDu6NdJYsZXRFaLxl3NGaJK1Rs8R61jOAjpkCYVAd6uQhaXFCflyVRnFcEKTbH4_6WvImbuFI6RizbQCh2mTzLtzc6kCLjEA3ihs7qvlYm7GlbEs1bS7aB0I_xc89k/s1600/P1100719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJLTXCkxdReWfbpDu6NdJYsZXRFaLxl3NGaJK1Rs8R61jOAjpkCYVAd6uQhaXFCflyVRnFcEKTbH4_6WvImbuFI6RizbQCh2mTzLtzc6kCLjEA3ihs7qvlYm7GlbEs1bS7aB0I_xc89k/s320/P1100719.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henna shrub</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifys7yUJKg3eoOgdS4BfoxP_ndDec0wRX8qedZ4DCW5yRvYpJklO2CfXa1FPUPhX7ZSs3i1svepdvGtjf-qvqnggwJ3MlmQIji4grhIBGllLfUNCyciCWOaLbD73u5hXQ5NI5J8dSkhr8/s1600/P1050610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifys7yUJKg3eoOgdS4BfoxP_ndDec0wRX8qedZ4DCW5yRvYpJklO2CfXa1FPUPhX7ZSs3i1svepdvGtjf-qvqnggwJ3MlmQIji4grhIBGllLfUNCyciCWOaLbD73u5hXQ5NI5J8dSkhr8/s320/P1050610.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomegranate tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
In addition to us there were 3 other wwoofers (a couple from Minnesota and a guy from Romania) and many guests coming and going. Our evenings were spent around the fire, drinking lemongrass tea, baking in the tandoor oven, playing music, making peanut butter, learning Indian cooking from a few of the neighbours and reading books from John’s interesting and random library.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2fvbsRNx6N6rA5IoNih9NMeOyl-LQ7EW_7aQ08rjWNWWMdwGN_RwQUE4bmh8jnopQi21PzrrD4QtsTfJrcNNx9uP3NKkoBpY-wOBRri2g87jMlxhDH34mZW-h8kEHMbBcOU6VObQ6XE/s1600/P1010585.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2fvbsRNx6N6rA5IoNih9NMeOyl-LQ7EW_7aQ08rjWNWWMdwGN_RwQUE4bmh8jnopQi21PzrrD4QtsTfJrcNNx9uP3NKkoBpY-wOBRri2g87jMlxhDH34mZW-h8kEHMbBcOU6VObQ6XE/s320/P1010585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shelling peanuts for tonight’s peanut butter</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAGr6sYYnZ2Mn4sMKjpmRthWWFat2FbZjr_OJw25Tx9NbDM3BBxxkr5JkL_Irpdi1haSWXLjG6gQFV3L5mVDLpbQQnGu2TE5zS5qlsezuU0uGc-yzlj2b4CCgdeRadEs_TWfU3XmKSpQ/s1600/P1090697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAGr6sYYnZ2Mn4sMKjpmRthWWFat2FbZjr_OJw25Tx9NbDM3BBxxkr5JkL_Irpdi1haSWXLjG6gQFV3L5mVDLpbQQnGu2TE5zS5qlsezuU0uGc-yzlj2b4CCgdeRadEs_TWfU3XmKSpQ/s320/P1090697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a bite</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGKoiTzDKPgx1QuqJKyObahD2Iw2xooT0O-jE9WAXfWr1DJpEG3yGmdOjeZdAYXvJ1yL7wLhvA1-2AvaK_C0QfHj26KtwbQblNY_p2LeDUWV3PsiVrgqbZRiptx_jN7nuefhyiXRpoU/s1600/P1050627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGKoiTzDKPgx1QuqJKyObahD2Iw2xooT0O-jE9WAXfWr1DJpEG3yGmdOjeZdAYXvJ1yL7wLhvA1-2AvaK_C0QfHj26KtwbQblNY_p2LeDUWV3PsiVrgqbZRiptx_jN7nuefhyiXRpoU/s320/P1050627.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tandoor oven made from clay and cowshit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wH6aKoPkQ4GbgtrpZyyK4a7tr1p0y17f7CMzsNYUd5Wq4NTADV3oqt9rrORvCjHS89w3YU8s4N24OVrABXtoN25AoVg0TXZ2kQNnqpZSQY21JCS9njF23nY74tHy1QY_0pqlAMJNvL4/s1600/PC300580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wH6aKoPkQ4GbgtrpZyyK4a7tr1p0y17f7CMzsNYUd5Wq4NTADV3oqt9rrORvCjHS89w3YU8s4N24OVrABXtoN25AoVg0TXZ2kQNnqpZSQY21JCS9njF23nY74tHy1QY_0pqlAMJNvL4/s320/PC300580.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara making <i>dosa</i></td></tr>
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Our accommodation was a partially enclosed outdoor hut referred to as a ‘capsule’ made from all natural local materials by former wwoofers. The frame was made of logs from the neighbouring Eucalyptus forest, the planks for the walls and floors were made from hand-split Areaca nut trees, and the thatch roof was made from woven palm tree leaves. All this was tied together with coconut fibre ropes and to keep it safe from termites, was sitting on slabs of granite from the quarry down the road.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFG6r4IMt70slWtFcqHnuLbFBmHWEauemIG7UR6yNqJzKmQQPAalr6HKHvRxrBr0ZUflwhTp1PHUbH9C3WJwl9yQe6CsJmFFJrLs3JQSn2bS79DCgiaWZ4vd0XJBygcIAv1UWGXrawsU/s1600/PC290572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFG6r4IMt70slWtFcqHnuLbFBmHWEauemIG7UR6yNqJzKmQQPAalr6HKHvRxrBr0ZUflwhTp1PHUbH9C3WJwl9yQe6CsJmFFJrLs3JQSn2bS79DCgiaWZ4vd0XJBygcIAv1UWGXrawsU/s320/PC290572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tying on a wall in the new ‘capsule’</td></tr>
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Our work included building the walls for the newest ‘capsule’, planting Banana trees, digging trenches for compost in the mango orchard, preparing garden beds for next months’ food, and erecting a fence to keep the cows from eating the spinach. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JeKqyc2FTAf4AL87Pz1jmemk5ycTPU4DhZvL5rpKZ8uAWu7QEf9n96TjOIOogxoFX6Nd1EiHdjX2ug3qtXEi9-exgO59nlj4wfE2VQ8gqOj72Pl-klSEUbbqP7ul-8-A9MsrE5GTfFE/s1600/P1100724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JeKqyc2FTAf4AL87Pz1jmemk5ycTPU4DhZvL5rpKZ8uAWu7QEf9n96TjOIOogxoFX6Nd1EiHdjX2ug3qtXEi9-exgO59nlj4wfE2VQ8gqOj72Pl-klSEUbbqP7ul-8-A9MsrE5GTfFE/s320/P1100724.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick planting a Banana tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeOg3m2m8uhWl82RwfS4nhLo2ENXYAoMprUexWpgB69JYi6zyCnw0qwyKI3AUf2ViY9qMb0HOUvH9s29j0PFtXipxJNzeO3CCP5ZM5T8jojmL7jEUiHWG1nMhTeMNmKJYhG8ujMOZw1A/s1600/PC280569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeOg3m2m8uhWl82RwfS4nhLo2ENXYAoMprUexWpgB69JYi6zyCnw0qwyKI3AUf2ViY9qMb0HOUvH9s29j0PFtXipxJNzeO3CCP5ZM5T8jojmL7jEUiHWG1nMhTeMNmKJYhG8ujMOZw1A/s320/PC280569.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planting and watering thew new beds</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wH6aKoPkQ4GbgtrpZyyK4a7tr1p0y17f7CMzsNYUd5Wq4NTADV3oqt9rrORvCjHS89w3YU8s4N24OVrABXtoN25AoVg0TXZ2kQNnqpZSQY21JCS9njF23nY74tHy1QY_0pqlAMJNvL4/s1600/PC300580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-41423807734579620632011-01-08T11:17:00.001+01:002011-01-08T11:20:44.938+01:00Cooming Soon! Wwoof India # 2 <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsTWTbPBgeBX1rP_WaEJLNYjsNOFtcwmWvr5S8TihFCghWh72xcbXIhfV-tKkNTB_mn7uhX7S5TWAvCOPShiRPKOUd6MyVqNc0LKo4rPzMAVKOAWZS4lZfvVnLAF8Dj73JE7ABFR5m48/s1600/P1030589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsTWTbPBgeBX1rP_WaEJLNYjsNOFtcwmWvr5S8TihFCghWh72xcbXIhfV-tKkNTB_mn7uhX7S5TWAvCOPShiRPKOUd6MyVqNc0LKo4rPzMAVKOAWZS4lZfvVnLAF8Dj73JE7ABFR5m48/s640/P1030589.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 'capsule'</td></tr>
</tbody></table> As a sneak preview we can reveal that we are on a farm outside of the world's IT capitol - Bangalore...Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-68594506745566473362010-12-26T17:16:00.005+01:002011-01-08T11:19:25.986+01:00Wwoof India<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCOVLuPHSf-FGIcO-Yrtmd8Xky5fTd3kW31iqa49YjMdoHOZROpd5nZ43HOkYdFnC4zYSmX30p60sZYt74GTLgYjW2VsAQ6z7bMCZVGbN_Te8w2q9JGbiMKRSCXXFL97dohsnVnpX1Zk/s1600/PC140391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqpJhubLncs_ZE2ikbx-SOZt40qZtV5Qepx5OYoaQkiZv_UR5bUFM59irMFgV99ugHz5Jd2ee1RSs2XS2Egjq3ZtDtumvjvOWS6Zllo_E5rHxa7qHVdn4Uc6ROdlRWFVFm5BGxvvXpec/s1600/PC130365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqpJhubLncs_ZE2ikbx-SOZt40qZtV5Qepx5OYoaQkiZv_UR5bUFM59irMFgV99ugHz5Jd2ee1RSs2XS2Egjq3ZtDtumvjvOWS6Zllo_E5rHxa7qHVdn4Uc6ROdlRWFVFm5BGxvvXpec/s320/PC130365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcqtpsm0p49D6vB2LTZX_miYnTm-P5ZwMoky2J0CEaRUiVa9J4kUbTy75uSsBpczowWjY6PZ-cH2ufsTJ6L3GHLHu_NCc9lubTSO3w8mb9qRyhW-7OW19xYnQME4GMHqDPRErOcxiCxA/s320/PC170509.JPG" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The house</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5yHaa6GgWq8Bx-bSF-dp8T8lgA6TRhZMJDsYfXlGzHoG_t8a-3vpnQ3KfOIX56dTJjkwRS5eB45QkIuTejKJWBJsNEeNilbYtNsmygHnFhR2Dv-vEwY-JOHFBX3aQVOP64Ed_oXG730/s1600/PC130369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5yHaa6GgWq8Bx-bSF-dp8T8lgA6TRhZMJDsYfXlGzHoG_t8a-3vpnQ3KfOIX56dTJjkwRS5eB45QkIuTejKJWBJsNEeNilbYtNsmygHnFhR2Dv-vEwY-JOHFBX3aQVOP64Ed_oXG730/s320/PC130369.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeH9HBix8QVEl90bgnAHoJ89ay_G-3rXvlKC2mS-g2VNpwILhpO8NjE2ajKx34oeXnrASMbc4piC-cmaEffEzTVSq4AMvdDQGuVAZEuVuQ7ZRARWH6TsRALDF3qPZRtMlbawYglkYmYw/s1600/PC170503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeH9HBix8QVEl90bgnAHoJ89ay_G-3rXvlKC2mS-g2VNpwILhpO8NjE2ajKx34oeXnrASMbc4piC-cmaEffEzTVSq4AMvdDQGuVAZEuVuQ7ZRARWH6TsRALDF3qPZRtMlbawYglkYmYw/s320/PC170503.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana and coconut orchard</td></tr>
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After two months on the road in India we grew a little tired of visiting tourist hubs where too much was customised for tourists, from the Western food to the hippie clothes. We felt like we were just seeing the tourist India, the sliver of the country that is set on display for us. What were forts and sights really showing us of the "Real India"?</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So naturally our solution was to go WWOOFing (volunteering on organic farms, organisation WWOOF; World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), this is how we met and seems to be our saviour in many ways! We thought this would both give us an insight in the exotic plants grown here and also be a doorway to see the Indian community from the inside.</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">We got even more than we anticipated, a lovely Indian family that welcomed us into their home and took us to many functions. We got a good insight to the local culture and traditions going to various temples and a wedding. We were invited to many feasts where we got to sample up to 20 items of traditional South Indian food! Everything was served on plates of cut up banana leaves and everyone ate together sitting in a row on the floor. </div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us with our host Mahadevi</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The extended family</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feast</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkh9yvWdAXqU_x4ob_1LEysYYcOyhK1HlZd3O1YRKPM_G1Oid8imMdXNFBKrikgwoDB8tR74oLaeKvP9n2EO191PCbn0bzKm2v0hZweXmqMw2ktXkHfzOEJRDnHWELGhnLaYHkO5eAkg/s1600/PC180545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkh9yvWdAXqU_x4ob_1LEysYYcOyhK1HlZd3O1YRKPM_G1Oid8imMdXNFBKrikgwoDB8tR74oLaeKvP9n2EO191PCbn0bzKm2v0hZweXmqMw2ktXkHfzOEJRDnHWELGhnLaYHkO5eAkg/s320/PC180545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feast</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjevvjjptFhyphenhyphenEOgXl9n5b6R39ye2q8ZEYueyFQAX3Y7pMmxFPbk5_WOo9SWT4NXmToh3u3t4mQkXQAk7rp7TjCtjLRNiWGn8AeKTmAebs1Shd61WZLHw9kElFHXjOkA0pjLE_B3s0TKo/s1600/PC150441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjevvjjptFhyphenhyphenEOgXl9n5b6R39ye2q8ZEYueyFQAX3Y7pMmxFPbk5_WOo9SWT4NXmToh3u3t4mQkXQAk7rp7TjCtjLRNiWGn8AeKTmAebs1Shd61WZLHw9kElFHXjOkA0pjLE_B3s0TKo/s320/PC150441.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bride and groom about to walk around the fire.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprg-7BGmvfhqBCpsC2ezEUovJDaUJAw0Vt1bsXrEnAgcPj29_jp8zWGQ9FtrYjlHXLVUysAc4lHrl3ZdrIwTHoOKSfUhDRGbgL3bTeh0ilYrNm-HGmFp95QmvUoAxPLoJINbOfZf3TIA/s1600/PC190560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprg-7BGmvfhqBCpsC2ezEUovJDaUJAw0Vt1bsXrEnAgcPj29_jp8zWGQ9FtrYjlHXLVUysAc4lHrl3ZdrIwTHoOKSfUhDRGbgL3bTeh0ilYrNm-HGmFp95QmvUoAxPLoJINbOfZf3TIA/s320/PC190560.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the house lived the mother, her husband and the husband's mother. The family spoke only a little English which was enough to get along with everyday needs, though it sometimes brought some misunderstandings! In their garden they had coconut trees, banana trees, areca nut trees, pepper, tapioca, pineapple, mango trees, papaya trees, cashew nut trees and various vegetables. We got to harvest both coconuts and papayas, most food cooked in the home contained coconut and we were feasting on a papaya a day plucked straight from the tree ourselves! The mother cooked the most delicious meals and we all ate together sitting on the floor and scooping the food into our mouths as they traditionally do - with our fingers only! The father of the house was a man of few words and every evening he would call us to dinner by an obscure grunting sound! </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNea2AYg3C4NOYCK9y1TFp6T6MGgZrlu9C8FhYl0TTaKTLpruqLvg9WNUNDawSguV1Yk5DPjApOmXPg95YNaoealo7Bt44a_k5M2E-No6kOcg1hU3C_dcZzeDzXwnGkLrHY0VbiKUHVQ/s1600/PC180528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNea2AYg3C4NOYCK9y1TFp6T6MGgZrlu9C8FhYl0TTaKTLpruqLvg9WNUNDawSguV1Yk5DPjApOmXPg95YNaoealo7Bt44a_k5M2E-No6kOcg1hU3C_dcZzeDzXwnGkLrHY0VbiKUHVQ/s320/PC180528.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG7qLCPjUiDFweleOkd7EQrA305D6O1558Pyg29ohxgRYjWx5bZ4FGn9OB8wMcl6Uo9vcZbri_oyUs3HkNGq6mWaWKtkd9q8iEJY1ppvNEnCp5MkWE-6DyC1kgl1WGpYsnNZocPTlOI0/s1600/PC180516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG7qLCPjUiDFweleOkd7EQrA305D6O1558Pyg29ohxgRYjWx5bZ4FGn9OB8wMcl6Uo9vcZbri_oyUs3HkNGq6mWaWKtkd9q8iEJY1ppvNEnCp5MkWE-6DyC1kgl1WGpYsnNZocPTlOI0/s320/PC180516.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who needs soap and a brush when you can wash up with ash and a chunk of coconut husk</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="left" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A thing that strikes you in India is people's good personal hygiene, which can seem surprising in a country that otherwise is dirty and dusty and a grime-free spot is hard to come by. Being nicely groomed and respectably dressed is of utmost importance, especially for the women. Women wear brightly coloured <i>sarees</i> and dresses, often alternating with a different one everyday. Dressing nicely is very important to everyone, even poorer people and people living on the streets will have a nice dress (which can sometimes be confusing to distinguish the poor beggars in fine clothes). People bathe and wash their clothes everyday.</div><div align="left" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All this became evident to us when we were on our first wwoof farm. As we were getting dirty everyday it seemed pointless to give too much attention to getting clean, thus showering a little less frequently then one normally would do. So one morning our host inquisitively pointed out why we had been wearing the same clothes for three days straight and indicated that she herself changed hers everyday! Funny to think that us coming from countries of utmost cleanliness have what is considered to be bad hygiene in India!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Z3__9vzeY_0lAQYuCJSTOMddwuCg211tAV1tbADeAOYkP-Cj2YUgluPp27oTl73ArgplIicCpUIFm06yV6osRH74Eu1T3epVn4l14F9yc87I8qimqDklAjHyqJ7enW2vU-SqI2zwTPo/s1600/PC180537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Z3__9vzeY_0lAQYuCJSTOMddwuCg211tAV1tbADeAOYkP-Cj2YUgluPp27oTl73ArgplIicCpUIFm06yV6osRH74Eu1T3epVn4l14F9yc87I8qimqDklAjHyqJ7enW2vU-SqI2zwTPo/s320/PC180537.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick get to the centre of a coconut</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLK8m4bTOqmBGoe31Cne5KLzvR46hxt5pk-7JqczJJ-OhgtmVtSorULDujLIGwkjh5-CZqKVeNGDCz0TijHxdIj0mm9hSMX2uocy2l1C5CN91khwSdgp8PGvAkR-_pEcLEEq6z-X4AqM/s1600/PC120346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLK8m4bTOqmBGoe31Cne5KLzvR46hxt5pk-7JqczJJ-OhgtmVtSorULDujLIGwkjh5-CZqKVeNGDCz0TijHxdIj0mm9hSMX2uocy2l1C5CN91khwSdgp8PGvAkR-_pEcLEEq6z-X4AqM/s320/PC120346.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara grooming a small banana tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hDLBXi89LEwbIEWxfAzhQBTyEztCgO7auwJlFUPb09JojopW5Odh0h7pdOF7TgGTtDjYym9P4h81hhjAyvJlamE8FflHdaGs7TU1XngQWTiBmAqhBSiM_QmvME9eUPJO3xpj3hYKiSo/s1600/PC170502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hDLBXi89LEwbIEWxfAzhQBTyEztCgO7auwJlFUPb09JojopW5Odh0h7pdOF7TgGTtDjYym9P4h81hhjAyvJlamE8FflHdaGs7TU1XngQWTiBmAqhBSiM_QmvME9eUPJO3xpj3hYKiSo/s320/PC170502.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neighbour harvesting Banana leaves for plates</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGIKkGofAUNqhCONv3eW0oD3dx7UVfmtz947XVgTYhMK8FD_DZh5A3pD2PKZeLdj-AN81ygiehi4E1KdnCFU5egfyc4hY92jGV2N0Z7o8kxMDb63p60E4DMYSuEEmx05hYdE6CbVNe50/s1600/PC120353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGIKkGofAUNqhCONv3eW0oD3dx7UVfmtz947XVgTYhMK8FD_DZh5A3pD2PKZeLdj-AN81ygiehi4E1KdnCFU5egfyc4hY92jGV2N0Z7o8kxMDb63p60E4DMYSuEEmx05hYdE6CbVNe50/s320/PC120353.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young pineapple</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eUvc7US5d17GCzxQitWJ6ZttwkuXym8J-ve4oJNDYKghofXbkyaUKpxrEUimPKFONkoUroKmfBJuthv3ToPUeG4FQ-tyolOSFCxGdOOvzoN-Vs-WpJOaKl4fyYC21gHnN93C1m5y8Hg/s1600/PC180529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eUvc7US5d17GCzxQitWJ6ZttwkuXym8J-ve4oJNDYKghofXbkyaUKpxrEUimPKFONkoUroKmfBJuthv3ToPUeG4FQ-tyolOSFCxGdOOvzoN-Vs-WpJOaKl4fyYC21gHnN93C1m5y8Hg/s320/PC180529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara planting a Papaya tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgTr_eObCDFB9IP67d5lywhrs_-zZuAae546MGNOtif7iGsE_IFPxnUMz_6fxYqXsy7BspNXpZyQzZcxYWIRWZShLB0X2-5lCkX8z10WdvopdC0AxL7PqJiFHdiJUKlHMyd_aPm2XV6g/s1600/PC130359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgTr_eObCDFB9IP67d5lywhrs_-zZuAae546MGNOtif7iGsE_IFPxnUMz_6fxYqXsy7BspNXpZyQzZcxYWIRWZShLB0X2-5lCkX8z10WdvopdC0AxL7PqJiFHdiJUKlHMyd_aPm2XV6g/s320/PC130359.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick having rice with tasty <i>sambar</i>. Yum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aMUBV54M11iBaA8ZGkqWTfalbOuTVpRugDm7SW07Ii3BrbgStQRNSSeR7Yrg2FkLYs1ze7xCKA82qGVjj9IU244Cebz2q_lJymeuqrbBFY-2SwuSf9rfiAvE0FTWudtfE4bWemiO3Q0/s1600/PC130362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aMUBV54M11iBaA8ZGkqWTfalbOuTVpRugDm7SW07Ii3BrbgStQRNSSeR7Yrg2FkLYs1ze7xCKA82qGVjj9IU244Cebz2q_lJymeuqrbBFY-2SwuSf9rfiAvE0FTWudtfE4bWemiO3Q0/s320/PC130362.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara having some<i> dosa's</i> and coconut chutney</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5yHaa6GgWq8Bx-bSF-dp8T8lgA6TRhZMJDsYfXlGzHoG_t8a-3vpnQ3KfOIX56dTJjkwRS5eB45QkIuTejKJWBJsNEeNilbYtNsmygHnFhR2Dv-vEwY-JOHFBX3aQVOP64Ed_oXG730/s1600/PC130369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCOVLuPHSf-FGIcO-Yrtmd8Xky5fTd3kW31iqa49YjMdoHOZROpd5nZ43HOkYdFnC4zYSmX30p60sZYt74GTLgYjW2VsAQ6z7bMCZVGbN_Te8w2q9JGbiMKRSCXXFL97dohsnVnpX1Zk/s1600/PC140391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCOVLuPHSf-FGIcO-Yrtmd8Xky5fTd3kW31iqa49YjMdoHOZROpd5nZ43HOkYdFnC4zYSmX30p60sZYt74GTLgYjW2VsAQ6z7bMCZVGbN_Te8w2q9JGbiMKRSCXXFL97dohsnVnpX1Zk/s320/PC140391.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick with some rare orange coconuts </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our host Mahadevi, getting the husk off a coconut</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl79UZ0epyokRQfMU4VQYtiUxU5sbxCplRHUFU38ceOpLx5TvFtE_hGQwcLbZ2zNDGkcKV_lyNqpBz_VDp-Fk0ZJJtSSamzxuxpdre5WkPu_Csc3AgvdfT1d7UxpmVrz0WlDGqpHVJDZU/s1600/PC170495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl79UZ0epyokRQfMU4VQYtiUxU5sbxCplRHUFU38ceOpLx5TvFtE_hGQwcLbZ2zNDGkcKV_lyNqpBz_VDp-Fk0ZJJtSSamzxuxpdre5WkPu_Csc3AgvdfT1d7UxpmVrz0WlDGqpHVJDZU/s320/PC170495.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Areca nuts. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqBJPb3YLAB2jRchz3WP4t_NNQmOaZihcNfeNDG4TjnK5ZDuEUVuxBqLMhTBG2fP68H5aLJa2nwX-rYHk6rOQ2OfdOhHs9R5DYbplIe2x0QedXX8Ffz-Rvfv7n1NuyliKy-_Y-zHiLFs/s1600/PC130376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqBJPb3YLAB2jRchz3WP4t_NNQmOaZihcNfeNDG4TjnK5ZDuEUVuxBqLMhTBG2fP68H5aLJa2nwX-rYHk6rOQ2OfdOhHs9R5DYbplIe2x0QedXX8Ffz-Rvfv7n1NuyliKy-_Y-zHiLFs/s320/PC130376.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the grass, the old fashioned way</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tamarind</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick poking down a papaya</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXKTJlRmHz0H5CQTR57Y_fpYsXi2pojJZJnx_2GUeLGfu14riXskZY0G3gHtQHUTjZ8OFIdtDxHbBsikN0DKU14Xq6ahwTgyac-MSl-BI2U3QkVRH36jS6FNBAcz_H40dNhI8ZCPONTM/s1600/PC140395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXKTJlRmHz0H5CQTR57Y_fpYsXi2pojJZJnx_2GUeLGfu14riXskZY0G3gHtQHUTjZ8OFIdtDxHbBsikN0DKU14Xq6ahwTgyac-MSl-BI2U3QkVRH36jS6FNBAcz_H40dNhI8ZCPONTM/s320/PC140395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzUs4nqnRm3g4l8CGpwS27A6QXRAcbedsKeGsbMdUudKDcvc3VOim1EtdVfeEeNIuUk8t5-uNITgnbA6GBijKzYxqTLa0G_fjBayZoIDvEBI-5U1Unlnaz5jUSTH2r85a7EzmIIfkZxg/s1600/PC170473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzUs4nqnRm3g4l8CGpwS27A6QXRAcbedsKeGsbMdUudKDcvc3VOim1EtdVfeEeNIuUk8t5-uNITgnbA6GBijKzYxqTLa0G_fjBayZoIDvEBI-5U1Unlnaz5jUSTH2r85a7EzmIIfkZxg/s320/PC170473.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding another layer to the pavement. Yet another great use for cow shit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJtEAi-4-wP3WqNR-miUug-EKkw1Fpr4w6X4egS7xt0mZ6jOdRxnAa0RU_PltNx22LPfMO0ZY5ZZJR8o5HfhraFqo7mzXgrRa-cgDSns78BV1cI4UOFsNbX0s8278cyZia4VT242-ihE/s1600/PC180547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJtEAi-4-wP3WqNR-miUug-EKkw1Fpr4w6X4egS7xt0mZ6jOdRxnAa0RU_PltNx22LPfMO0ZY5ZZJR8o5HfhraFqo7mzXgrRa-cgDSns78BV1cI4UOFsNbX0s8278cyZia4VT242-ihE/s320/PC180547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara about to be devoured by the 'Malabar Giant Aloe'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyh2vcrSrUF42yHIvc3tCngtvQtE3F-7uWMUqaMZAlrQN7eItbnJAc1RLc_wm3YHWjnEf60QKP0vdpASi-WV-nkR9cJjZLpoKYWzLtW_hXhvC5ZhLgzdJj81zUeZkQQTYDftURGARArs/s1600/PC140390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyh2vcrSrUF42yHIvc3tCngtvQtE3F-7uWMUqaMZAlrQN7eItbnJAc1RLc_wm3YHWjnEf60QKP0vdpASi-WV-nkR9cJjZLpoKYWzLtW_hXhvC5ZhLgzdJj81zUeZkQQTYDftURGARArs/s320/PC140390.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black pepper vine climbing a tree </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX7FR-q5ijg4DN5pIqGo1tANfulQThT2pEYEsjG-o6a5TPehFgN7pzrpKRWkw-5sAnGTeWOIWyOAkgr3s7URYXVwFdpOmIlZQz81KNIMiJAT_lin6tqeSrL7yN-yPPitnbl3lZYEkAmM/s1600/PC170507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX7FR-q5ijg4DN5pIqGo1tANfulQThT2pEYEsjG-o6a5TPehFgN7pzrpKRWkw-5sAnGTeWOIWyOAkgr3s7URYXVwFdpOmIlZQz81KNIMiJAT_lin6tqeSrL7yN-yPPitnbl3lZYEkAmM/s320/PC170507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papayas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf9o_BKwuXlO5SFrMtkk8zznGjdaDSMmfQV-1W8GUWPL4bQdCVC6E89M1dlqeJyc-8Lp4BGvEEJi2PgUQN6An7XWxWXsDja1Vh4-E8kFFmwI7RjFbo8geXOggfGg3TOh48QZ0Dinn1gg/s1600/PC140404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf9o_BKwuXlO5SFrMtkk8zznGjdaDSMmfQV-1W8GUWPL4bQdCVC6E89M1dlqeJyc-8Lp4BGvEEJi2PgUQN6An7XWxWXsDja1Vh4-E8kFFmwI7RjFbo8geXOggfGg3TOh48QZ0Dinn1gg/s320/PC140404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaff from rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf9o_BKwuXlO5SFrMtkk8zznGjdaDSMmfQV-1W8GUWPL4bQdCVC6E89M1dlqeJyc-8Lp4BGvEEJi2PgUQN6An7XWxWXsDja1Vh4-E8kFFmwI7RjFbo8geXOggfGg3TOh48QZ0Dinn1gg/s1600/PC140404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-17989001568641735412010-12-09T17:37:00.000+01:002010-12-09T17:37:52.010+01:00Goa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSkn6PoUovveEIJjmc7tyyESGwvn6sPBt8pAc6QPFZsYsC451oeDWLTwX0nUUGVJ2gwegwi-Tb0oRXth3Ypu4NV7Km8IscLtuFhiatlyB4hbzpbOsNlm6L0cJxocG5SnPih4NUu0KimY/s1600/PC090340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSkn6PoUovveEIJjmc7tyyESGwvn6sPBt8pAc6QPFZsYsC451oeDWLTwX0nUUGVJ2gwegwi-Tb0oRXth3Ypu4NV7Km8IscLtuFhiatlyB4hbzpbOsNlm6L0cJxocG5SnPih4NUu0KimY/s320/PC090340.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick digging into <i>idli sambar</i> rapped in a jackfruit leaf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Generally Speaking, India's roads are largely dangerous, undeveloped, and pot-holed, with the traffic appearing unbelievably insane to the uninitiated. So traveling by India's excellent railway system is usually advised, giving a much more comfortable and rewarding experience. But when we booked a sleeper compartment on a 16 hour overnight bus journey to take us from Udaipur in Rajasthan to Mumbai, the booking agent assured us that the highway was modern and smooth - "no bumps". Why we were gullible enough to swallow this bullshitting one can only wonder, I guess as this was our only option, the trains being all booked, we were only too eager to believe. This night on the bus gave us no sleep but on the contrary, aching bodies, grime from feet to face (the seats had scarcely seen any kind of cleaning probably ever) and red bleary eyes from scarcely an hours sleep. All night long there were bumps causing us to constantly be flung up in the air and come smashing back down. At times the driver would slow down indicating that a great massive monster of a bump was coming up ahead, it was we could do to prepare ourselves for those ones...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1je0DSY0O2PpO85bbjqWNfA0EP6WboYkXxP6AK9FEca5EurDNJiO6dSaJx7Pcn1O9m6dwhJJ3TFJ9FH3W3L_DAhfipvQB6CkexptpIJzR1jP7llZN3DF6rMkpxGvRnH49zs0sBOsR_A/s1600/PB200230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1je0DSY0O2PpO85bbjqWNfA0EP6WboYkXxP6AK9FEca5EurDNJiO6dSaJx7Pcn1O9m6dwhJJ3TFJ9FH3W3L_DAhfipvQB6CkexptpIJzR1jP7llZN3DF6rMkpxGvRnH49zs0sBOsR_A/s320/PB200230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleep compartment. Never again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Getting to the train station outside of Mumbai where our train to Goa would depart from was another story. Mumbai local trains are nothing less than hazardous as the concept of a full train does not exist. It was quite terrifying to see how people violently pushed, shoved, elbowed and used any technique to get themselves on the already overcrowded train. It was the closest thing I've seen to a riot or a murder. 3500 people die every year on Mumbai's train system, with people falling off, getting caught under trains, etc. The only way of getting off is to start making your way through the mass three stops before your own.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJA2o80CX6SU-H-fv2MVPB0TCs8M78DyaETOEFT18Y5j6MVs3QQI2oaTEr6tOMZbn-cO97cPNGGuehu7Okn4NjeLTcMwZg1Mm5_7bxfklfEuVUEGPZG7DzncsGzoDRiCJOL70TEvdLpI/s320/PC050312.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Goa's biggest train station, Madgaon, we saw an excellent setup. A restaurant split in two with a 'veg' and a 'non-veg' (meat) section, both with separate kitchens!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotyoBxjVX_V1TTsBG1J06r2MH6DZUR2q02juXq2UhS3MOEa4isC55tMVVA3Eg5WKnfVbAe2IdjPP7otg2G4pm_vIGNiHh2vykzlCvdvgdYCYwBDwS-TG0BJllYJiAYseklAg0hDwxKto/s1600/PC050314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotyoBxjVX_V1TTsBG1J06r2MH6DZUR2q02juXq2UhS3MOEa4isC55tMVVA3Eg5WKnfVbAe2IdjPP7otg2G4pm_vIGNiHh2vykzlCvdvgdYCYwBDwS-TG0BJllYJiAYseklAg0hDwxKto/s320/PC050314.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHVWPZbuEOV6g8KQcFUiN1t2kEHvgWrU4_zbabCkAPMw0d7fZeFNe-VubrNFCtkX0aoGUCelZ2SHyVCZlJu81hrvtUeNw3mznsqN63SEnSI32H90COre4lVTFIsoT1XAgSmozlhqbTs8/s1600/PC060318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHVWPZbuEOV6g8KQcFUiN1t2kEHvgWrU4_zbabCkAPMw0d7fZeFNe-VubrNFCtkX0aoGUCelZ2SHyVCZlJu81hrvtUeNw3mznsqN63SEnSI32H90COre4lVTFIsoT1XAgSmozlhqbTs8/s320/PC060318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild banana tree. Spot the bananas!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMxw-nGZ2jrWAfsqTFafX-jB1x8vuz3acLeINchHMbZzQot_dKuo8b_En2TOWJ5RztSWH0MU_NUDf1W2E4I_E2nFwUxTMDM3pGC7JEVxpf2ALDwH_-QCu-eQiXJxIb0RQodyYJ3Op1Gc/s1600/PC060327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoa_ecHbgBjXixZ2TpAqTZcIPU60MIFUfgjfvO6Wp5mHTikuHtYvEKWdwXfLL7PVpBCmzC5j17yI_XYERtjtFNu89CykYbl-v7FVxUqMgLEDHyqguZ-Z62wiQs1hRa9gMxILf5B_XmGbE/s1600/PB240233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoa_ecHbgBjXixZ2TpAqTZcIPU60MIFUfgjfvO6Wp5mHTikuHtYvEKWdwXfLL7PVpBCmzC5j17yI_XYERtjtFNu89CykYbl-v7FVxUqMgLEDHyqguZ-Z62wiQs1hRa9gMxILf5B_XmGbE/s320/PB240233.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo beach hut in Goa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyWlSgWpHxiUMowus3pgjaoHQorA_DuuoD3HkUJXzWIBRts5SzndesRkIY2-s8yLlVWHgHDUoFor6K1Ve7WO5r9FT4awMgFNv0inAaJ62eZ4iQgmQ715RS4jtYiJjaHkE8V4Nv8ziWFs/s1600/PB240238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyWlSgWpHxiUMowus3pgjaoHQorA_DuuoD3HkUJXzWIBRts5SzndesRkIY2-s8yLlVWHgHDUoFor6K1Ve7WO5r9FT4awMgFNv0inAaJ62eZ4iQgmQ715RS4jtYiJjaHkE8V4Nv8ziWFs/s320/PB240238.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo beach hut in Goa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After an uneventful day in Mumbai we headed south for lazy beautiful Goa. With palm trees and sandy beaches, we didn't do much more than eat, sleep and bake in the sun.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjti0TXXdpQ0qrZmjI3zNSDI5f_QK2RR612ozf_dysTJ1Mpalahl1WKVQxHxvzEINBCddu_vp0PuZnaU4tycm9dYhX0DWS8A94xFuvnGHUHHTCwDMq0cSknU-rz250IuNg-BvN6NAlA0o/s1600/PB250242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjti0TXXdpQ0qrZmjI3zNSDI5f_QK2RR612ozf_dysTJ1Mpalahl1WKVQxHxvzEINBCddu_vp0PuZnaU4tycm9dYhX0DWS8A94xFuvnGHUHHTCwDMq0cSknU-rz250IuNg-BvN6NAlA0o/s320/PB250242.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7zT9f33PXFhwEM4CMY_-foK2PqVICFCwwSODSpRoyM5J40AJ97Z9SQMHmDolquTmLMeiWnhyphenhyphen8sA9LRfZ76mGpvN1kvYzbVCOtO3bfaXZcVVc-Rvk7YJXXomxhjKxxnZxTxPxYF5teuA/s1600/PB250240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7zT9f33PXFhwEM4CMY_-foK2PqVICFCwwSODSpRoyM5J40AJ97Z9SQMHmDolquTmLMeiWnhyphenhyphen8sA9LRfZ76mGpvN1kvYzbVCOtO3bfaXZcVVc-Rvk7YJXXomxhjKxxnZxTxPxYF5teuA/s320/PB250240.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goa</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH8tFNWu3cDC5bVXBiC-9QYecLQTMjq94m2oT0cWyoe162nMlcH1VfvQk_uiJUFlJO4m5W-eZ0uQ2C1i1QhmHk3_MQZydxQv166v19K011VrDzH6l1XCKj3yEXsZnpTy6M6eck6Gl8kE/s1600/PB260251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH8tFNWu3cDC5bVXBiC-9QYecLQTMjq94m2oT0cWyoe162nMlcH1VfvQk_uiJUFlJO4m5W-eZ0uQ2C1i1QhmHk3_MQZydxQv166v19K011VrDzH6l1XCKj3yEXsZnpTy6M6eck6Gl8kE/s320/PB260251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rented a scooter and whizzed around Goa's backroads</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara next to a young pineapple. Spot the pineapple!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick ready for Thali three</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on our tans</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hell room<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD_qFUWFu-vfgdPazjdKyJwlD1XWdi_xEoyACZvcSJpDNiWHnIxvFmfVTUi3VAcKTJ3uNaYvYKaVd7ik7qP3qCebmmbXXdcyOkV1zLAe7TEdo-_bqXE5TE9ah7SwDGXQUFl-8D09NSgk/s1600/PC030299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD_qFUWFu-vfgdPazjdKyJwlD1XWdi_xEoyACZvcSJpDNiWHnIxvFmfVTUi3VAcKTJ3uNaYvYKaVd7ik7qP3qCebmmbXXdcyOkV1zLAe7TEdo-_bqXE5TE9ah7SwDGXQUFl-8D09NSgk/s320/PC030299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara and Ahmed cooking up some delightful dahl</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finishing off our lazy days on the beach in Goa we got our senses going with a bit of traditional Indian cooking. Our teacher was a lively young Indian chef called Ahmed, he rambled vast quantities of recipes from memory and claimed he had about 4,000 recipes stored in his head! We spent 7 hours in the kitchen and learnt to cook many mouth watering dishes such as dahl, channa masala, aloo palak and Indian breads like chapatis, naan and puris. Afterwards we were stuffed so full from everything we cooked. The food was excellent, using a vast variety of spices; usually up to 10 in every dish. On our homecoming some of you may end up victims to our attempts at the recipes we have learnt, beware or rejoice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-63399934211387224482010-12-06T17:37:00.001+01:002010-12-07T14:54:36.329+01:00Two months in India...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it's two months to the day since we arrived in India. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWwjP4kBturKtawGjNJsTIDlbe4Rz8nGIqSoEsKF5eMjfXSKrizT48v4WUL1fYEIIawDhImM4mjrdM0sH6nWUV40pAYpoxScdlIEHLBouH4F1vrpkWxB8p7YifiGOW3grNO3WYDyD-VE/s1600/PB300277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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We've been through many different climates, Himalayan foothills, desert, rice fields, beach, polluted urban trashheap. We've travelled about four thousand kilometers by train, bus, metro, rickshaw, taxi, jeep, motorcycle, and camel (not really.) We've seen some stuff, taken some pictures, eat some food, and did some other things we forgot about. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGCblNqYtPgqk-bCO1B4ZVpduDamZ9BepmHs1HvisWGk_5TzJnD-DTdu5GEJAnUqnf7MtL1bcgjrZJ5QOeujr9xxTk7vd7AuU5uDEWBiE4f_VXQgUmaiAsG2Xh_XKeZzFy6uIgrbkoeM/s1600/PC060331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGCblNqYtPgqk-bCO1B4ZVpduDamZ9BepmHs1HvisWGk_5TzJnD-DTdu5GEJAnUqnf7MtL1bcgjrZJ5QOeujr9xxTk7vd7AuU5uDEWBiE4f_VXQgUmaiAsG2Xh_XKeZzFy6uIgrbkoeM/s320/PC060331.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To celebrate we searched long and hard for the cheapest room to stay in, which turned out to be the worst room of our trip - save maybe for our filthy cockroach infested room in Delhi. The room is a depressing shoe box sized prison cell-like concrete hole. On the upside we have a mosquito net to save us from the merciless flying bastards of the South. The room is also equipped with a less than decent fan, but working nonetheless - what more you you ask for?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhONEQwbbyZY3nlWDfLZ_8TmP5Y2YbhWNrzgiDb1qeYx5CdQ1y5ieDd5w0UckmWriK8GonlKN8giC38YMjAZzS5nKl3122p4qvIxAfunAIVA9tFn3FOEOPVGQQYwhggCWRKI72U_6SYc/s320/PC060326.JPG" width="320" /></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-57343327120963666552010-12-01T19:14:00.001+01:002010-12-06T16:07:00.243+01:00Adventures in Rajasthan - rain, chapatis and missing trains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xJ8G4D1OOki7-81j1u_Bi7mCPCIy2Wfo3py6d7_AnRWqyMl2hZkDsZV7pEy0oEJ1S6RRyqFwRbItX8fQDui0hyMnQLR8tyWcuLkNS8d9vxpvW0rU3YFSy0aI0Fd2VipMFzqYsGXX-CI/s1600/PB070123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xJ8G4D1OOki7-81j1u_Bi7mCPCIy2Wfo3py6d7_AnRWqyMl2hZkDsZV7pEy0oEJ1S6RRyqFwRbItX8fQDui0hyMnQLR8tyWcuLkNS8d9vxpvW0rU3YFSy0aI0Fd2VipMFzqYsGXX-CI/s320/PB070123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QRsXRwgfdEiOVDrYa5FQuwPk1K3jHgeKj84PFv_tWHc1dgiRqY45d-aDrF9E3pStKTAXSv649ENCmK8Fz9WvOchzpepbCgvKTBLd8htUxX5anEDwD1aHFH4aUOP2ZWiXwEpM18tYx8k/s1600/PB200224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Heading out of the hills of Dharmasala, a very windey bus journey took us back to the state of Punjab to Pathankot city, where our train southward was due to leave the next day. After a few unnecessary trips crossing the city (going to the wrong railway station) we found the railway station's retiring rooms. For 250 rupees ($3) we got to enjoy dripping taps, grimy walls and a many legged little friend crawling on the floor. After the slightly stomach-sickening bus journey it was nice to lie still and horizontal. However the festiveness of <i>Diwali</i> (light festival) celebrations outside did not bring much peace. It literally sounded like there was a war going on outside with fireworks exploding in all directions. We have definitely learnt by now that Indians greatly enjoy making a racket.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick using the handy side-street amenities</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Set for Rajasthan we hopped on a night train. What was kind of unclear was when the train was to arrive in our wanted destination of Bikaner, as we were told everything between 12-3.30 am. Waking up as we unknowingly just pulled away from the station of Bikaner we spent 3 odd hours of the late night squinting out of the window hoping to see our stop. When we finally realised our stop had long since gone by we resolved to get a few more hours of sleep and get off in the major city of Jodhpur. All was not in vain, we got 5 hours free train ride.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUc6FsJeBVW6_GlH-HL9nqCHjxdncb5k8zIwT6lIlX51EbEdGYIPjV9T2Viq4g1Mp0pM_9oIZrx_VnAGrD2532wP6x4X8z8qmkZcuTtshyFQodBRdTmjOFH2eY0iUbCt5Mz87ktTgFiY/s1600/PB090135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUc6FsJeBVW6_GlH-HL9nqCHjxdncb5k8zIwT6lIlX51EbEdGYIPjV9T2Viq4g1Mp0pM_9oIZrx_VnAGrD2532wP6x4X8z8qmkZcuTtshyFQodBRdTmjOFH2eY0iUbCt5Mz87ktTgFiY/s320/PB090135.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pushkar</td></tr>
</tbody></table> On the train journey we experienced the very humble generousity of the Indian people. At dinner time all our neighbouring passengers insisted on sharing with us of their chapatis (Indian flat bread). In the end it seemed almost to turn into a competition of who could give us the most, and after stuffing down 5 chapatis each we made our best efforts to refuse more (which is very hard as Indians take this to think you are being modest and don't take no for an answer).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dSk9D6-ckGeMHQUqrJ3rEVwGStw0l3B2tnB5i-6O1KBeNvolW8kHAxtd3ZQN4BzFPULg0LhneZQSuybqV7-nJnhXA1AlakmJE_x9qN_Skg68D9XcE3SGvdozvpEzVXf3pGFSa4N4wAU/s1600/PB070130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dSk9D6-ckGeMHQUqrJ3rEVwGStw0l3B2tnB5i-6O1KBeNvolW8kHAxtd3ZQN4BzFPULg0LhneZQSuybqV7-nJnhXA1AlakmJE_x9qN_Skg68D9XcE3SGvdozvpEzVXf3pGFSa4N4wAU/s320/PB070130.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick having a bat in Jodhpur</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">One scorching hot afternoon in Jodhpur we took a stroll around a big public garden, stumbling upon a group of children playing cricket. With some persuasion they insisted on us having a bat each. Luckily we didn't quite disgrace the Western world of sports and managed to hit the ball. On retiring to a park bench we became such a novelty to the Indian visitors in the park that we had a continuous hoard of people crowded around us quizzing us on everything from our sports interests to our piercings. Taking advantage of the gathering around us a local snack vendor set up his stall right next to us so as to snap up some extra customers. We felt like demanding a cut of the profit...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCnrzuOw3lJRAoKm_4Ul1CmaBFtoPFnb1_tTKQCZcISwE0pFgQQThe0MjzW4Es0g1PsEPB1fcc-9uIuy19ZXbvrMzMRzWc7ue9obXOordbUNbsoBQ31C2zU7tq71CqK2KYuhJtQ_YLJs/s1600/PB100146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCnrzuOw3lJRAoKm_4Ul1CmaBFtoPFnb1_tTKQCZcISwE0pFgQQThe0MjzW4Es0g1PsEPB1fcc-9uIuy19ZXbvrMzMRzWc7ue9obXOordbUNbsoBQ31C2zU7tq71CqK2KYuhJtQ_YLJs/s320/PB100146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel fair in Pushkar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr1JITp5v4b9CCRzTrxcbEYgxoexYowl5AzHtS0RrvpBb7YrZiGVbCzylINkRR7hgj321J3IlqFDrADoL01thHH2egRkhcra4am3KDLYVRcfwxxQBfYzOxyWF07wn4kcX_XeAa6bCLz4/s1600/PB100142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr1JITp5v4b9CCRzTrxcbEYgxoexYowl5AzHtS0RrvpBb7YrZiGVbCzylINkRR7hgj321J3IlqFDrADoL01thHH2egRkhcra4am3KDLYVRcfwxxQBfYzOxyWF07wn4kcX_XeAa6bCLz4/s320/PB100142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel fair in Pushkar</td></tr>
</tbody></table> From Jodhpur to Pushkar we took a bone rattling bus ride where it felt like the bus driver tried to take a short cut over a field rather than on the road. There were copious amounts of holes and bumps in the road and we were literally flung half a metre up in the air every time we went over a bump. We also made the mistake of sitting on the back row of the bus, not only because this was an excellent place for three extra people at liberty to squeeze themselves in, but also because we had to battle our way through the crammed bus to get off. It was, to say the least, not an easy task with alot of jostling and stepping on people's feet even resulting in a part of Tara's bag getting torn off. To top it all off, they dropped us off 2km after the bus stop, out in the middle of nowhere, pointing to a speck in the distance to indicate which way to the town. It was definitely a bus journey we won't forget hastily. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkeys in Pushkar</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The desert state of Rajasthan brought us some unexpected turns, one of which was the torrential downpour of rain, which is very uncommon here. Many people told us it was like the monsoon - only 3 months later. The city Jaisalmer has an average of 1mm of rainfall for November. Some places got 17mm in one day.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrRU1IrY3ExOWOo4uZY1ybeJT5X8ey7Uvf1XZDkosc1PVhmnVQuN2dXHeeWcoE0s2mJ_PFk-bDlIWVCAVRWoTvpn_QmpJGwoFHoA_MnXQj3otiQsj9IjGLlW4W72JD-GqnElfVPlraNE/s1600/PB160195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrRU1IrY3ExOWOo4uZY1ybeJT5X8ey7Uvf1XZDkosc1PVhmnVQuN2dXHeeWcoE0s2mJ_PFk-bDlIWVCAVRWoTvpn_QmpJGwoFHoA_MnXQj3otiQsj9IjGLlW4W72JD-GqnElfVPlraNE/s320/PB160195.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Rajasthan has a big folk culture from music to fashion. We loved the intricate Rajasthani murals (paintings) that clad palace walls as well as houses in the street. Rajasthani men wore traditional colourful turbans, we spotted many different styles in the street and even got to see the worlds largest turban at a museum in Udaipur.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbRX4mayGJn1K4uEm06pi-h5im35dllih11CZ_rs9IupiyoS2ZmVVWz1g88PoX28AX3brgqvV1AZLEwLWbpLVQmwsYCr7s_83W4J7SlktYamc1R9FST27h94iI_Hj8KpTqx1EY3U90kg/s1600/PB190215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbRX4mayGJn1K4uEm06pi-h5im35dllih11CZ_rs9IupiyoS2ZmVVWz1g88PoX28AX3brgqvV1AZLEwLWbpLVQmwsYCr7s_83W4J7SlktYamc1R9FST27h94iI_Hj8KpTqx1EY3U90kg/s320/PB190215.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDgp6ILHd1U6wwWZ1mdap5IdzGFt51tni9VqT1doAToT0BKCItijqYC7Tx86XID3XVGVxaju4x3A0g9Fz_uVMIO4ZVgpWHs7B0ca6jfNUYOjUVqD6ScQ46EeQHEEya59pagX-gxrKTEY/s1600/PB100152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDgp6ILHd1U6wwWZ1mdap5IdzGFt51tni9VqT1doAToT0BKCItijqYC7Tx86XID3XVGVxaju4x3A0g9Fz_uVMIO4ZVgpWHs7B0ca6jfNUYOjUVqD6ScQ46EeQHEEya59pagX-gxrKTEY/s320/PB100152.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick enjoying a <i>bhang lassie</i> in Pushkar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oqF4cIQ4FhJI33cQrVHfumc03_-O1YN3b9L60aQZBHVtmHeQNbcGvK4mZaWQXDJc9HQvE_OZiQqYGiTZ_XcLrMtNKkOhHW1yxpw2aX_44tY85RWoe0rFLLQGk_IQ2WdyeusVyqs3FVg/s1600/PB140162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oqF4cIQ4FhJI33cQrVHfumc03_-O1YN3b9L60aQZBHVtmHeQNbcGvK4mZaWQXDJc9HQvE_OZiQqYGiTZ_XcLrMtNKkOhHW1yxpw2aX_44tY85RWoe0rFLLQGk_IQ2WdyeusVyqs3FVg/s320/PB140162.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace in Bundi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqRcKVR_wjar82KlO9miwfKoKlwaNSW8ITnyzod7w4YIqzWZ-CwWpOc3rl3m1v_id6YkYIaSDpIj68TkT2PrGVoY9gvlS_c6_plZj2QEetRsR8T0jykMkr5pwYKh2NWB4qd53Vf2_0D0/s1600/PB140160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqRcKVR_wjar82KlO9miwfKoKlwaNSW8ITnyzod7w4YIqzWZ-CwWpOc3rl3m1v_id6YkYIaSDpIj68TkT2PrGVoY9gvlS_c6_plZj2QEetRsR8T0jykMkr5pwYKh2NWB4qd53Vf2_0D0/s320/PB140160.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace in Bundi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeqYIfv9NIp9xbyFykPrNzNkR7HunHddcavVZseI_TCP4i_59L8wuG8o7YshzakBlZAb_IJEi2HGon6f0TZWdeZyXWBE5sRmXQuCGTOp-ZlwoX4m9GLfNb9HP3k4UP2_V8G7WWxTH130/s1600/PB140167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeqYIfv9NIp9xbyFykPrNzNkR7HunHddcavVZseI_TCP4i_59L8wuG8o7YshzakBlZAb_IJEi2HGon6f0TZWdeZyXWBE5sRmXQuCGTOp-ZlwoX4m9GLfNb9HP3k4UP2_V8G7WWxTH130/s320/PB140167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace in Bundi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp6IZBP33NbLC4A2QuaXYUWWnFuBuqFYVtGTQd_R0QgD1Zb9h-xxITJRWi7Aw90eligCm-4asOvFe21lGeqEFDgMJJKcFytErl6GeB6oo1ur4NZVYPDB2eUye6HZMNInK97zfIFB4Ekc/s1600/PB140173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp6IZBP33NbLC4A2QuaXYUWWnFuBuqFYVtGTQd_R0QgD1Zb9h-xxITJRWi7Aw90eligCm-4asOvFe21lGeqEFDgMJJKcFytErl6GeB6oo1ur4NZVYPDB2eUye6HZMNInK97zfIFB4Ekc/s320/PB140173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace in Bundi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qG7egKF0ngfB8d_BB9UGlLKxiHzNHWZ6o60MxWWMKnmUoxcaQD6huUU9h1xCcYjckSKkuyViNushO71VYw3BOhi95lVt7EEcLeedUrPsRfXWDAc3cCtfWA7gbyktVHxYOt8MFLXZLMc/s1600/PB150177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qG7egKF0ngfB8d_BB9UGlLKxiHzNHWZ6o60MxWWMKnmUoxcaQD6huUU9h1xCcYjckSKkuyViNushO71VYw3BOhi95lVt7EEcLeedUrPsRfXWDAc3cCtfWA7gbyktVHxYOt8MFLXZLMc/s320/PB150177.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick buying freshly roasted peanuts off a street vendor</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT8oLv_m7bqqV0UU-JyW1m6zCWf0oJ5VJG11c3CQuxjo7z5Yrs75fGlJbR1hrmr4iiJSbgt9gZi1YLhRekGJpe5l70RZiRkjpCa-ZGwKGbjnPlPty_z6KBFzRly2-9k3K4vqeS42N4W8/s1600/PB160184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT8oLv_m7bqqV0UU-JyW1m6zCWf0oJ5VJG11c3CQuxjo7z5Yrs75fGlJbR1hrmr4iiJSbgt9gZi1YLhRekGJpe5l70RZiRkjpCa-ZGwKGbjnPlPty_z6KBFzRly2-9k3K4vqeS42N4W8/s320/PB160184.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arun (next to Patrick) and family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While checking out the abandon palace in Bundi, we befriended an Indian man from the nearby city of Kota. We accepted his invite to come to his home to meet his family and took the bus out the next day. He met us at the bus stand and drove us all over the city on his motorcycle, showing all the city's landmarks and parading us in front of his surprised friends. We met his family and 3 other families, and got stuffed with so much food, sweets and chai we thought we were going to burst. As the evening got late, they insisted that we stay the night and the put us in the largest bed in the house. Everyone was so nice and friendly. Definitely a highlight of the trip. Thank you Arun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkBRhRNw56NQxQN3CqDdhb43knu8R4oB-g5WeHs0HU1bCQM4a5qdSVdq-OjFVT7SgkSifTjEIBkcsSa4JLybQTbDGjOa7Su7Sjl6o7o_uIoNExvc2YXGgdq8moE8Rgsr2lhBfKobmYos/s1600/PB200217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkBRhRNw56NQxQN3CqDdhb43knu8R4oB-g5WeHs0HU1bCQM4a5qdSVdq-OjFVT7SgkSifTjEIBkcsSa4JLybQTbDGjOa7Su7Sjl6o7o_uIoNExvc2YXGgdq8moE8Rgsr2lhBfKobmYos/s320/PB200217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast in Udaipur</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPz-i4J24bHH4NpfndGUWWayLTdffmWc1ae0R0GgvS_DSq02ScDTY8quRbEMNOcJW5cMP1NQkLysTjTwoiB8LjwZ7v14VJTUkyPz-oYcDNR04_CYzdju0ud96sR-3nWGPsv46V_aFTjc/s1600/PB200222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPz-i4J24bHH4NpfndGUWWayLTdffmWc1ae0R0GgvS_DSq02ScDTY8quRbEMNOcJW5cMP1NQkLysTjTwoiB8LjwZ7v14VJTUkyPz-oYcDNR04_CYzdju0ud96sR-3nWGPsv46V_aFTjc/s320/PB200222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QRsXRwgfdEiOVDrYa5FQuwPk1K3jHgeKj84PFv_tWHc1dgiRqY45d-aDrF9E3pStKTAXSv649ENCmK8Fz9WvOchzpepbCgvKTBLd8htUxX5anEDwD1aHFH4aUOP2ZWiXwEpM18tYx8k/s320/PB200224.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorms in Udaipur</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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</div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-59762290724946341022010-11-17T15:47:00.000+01:002010-11-17T15:47:26.689+01:00A break from India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9fhnVS2THjOulzL4nybnMeRtPAiwi52kLkNVUuc943QwM8x4UG90wGkPK9-t_pAifTFV92MfKKlGvUYUdJKm27d1z0GmPymYY6ddwfHDUJOzjmkjwfFBmt9AcaVD1ugUfy9prE_YmHM/s320/PA280067.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tying the bags on the bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwmtMD74GEypdBxZy4eATfjDo2PluCCVecYLHOPzBsqhNBZgFxUwmtsX8HXx1iO9CcCS1_dOP_SwGqOqv6OBt91QcJRjxp6-5q-umqZ7lSAGrg8NATFB5NsncDwYOhQUWo5oZJR-XzA8/s1600/PB050114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwmtMD74GEypdBxZy4eATfjDo2PluCCVecYLHOPzBsqhNBZgFxUwmtsX8HXx1iO9CcCS1_dOP_SwGqOqv6OBt91QcJRjxp6-5q-umqZ7lSAGrg8NATFB5NsncDwYOhQUWo5oZJR-XzA8/s320/PB050114.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddhist temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KSb1kOzvuJqhY9MV74U1D2S52QAv1amY2124zcoclMWGfo1QIM7XXeSZbCpX916HCdCSzr2iwEeIbgY9quQ-SNuIq1ANNKpEfXUCDuEAaj976bdeCQfHzBgZeb0zec70HtVFTxjeFag/s1600/PB010087.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KSb1kOzvuJqhY9MV74U1D2S52QAv1amY2124zcoclMWGfo1QIM7XXeSZbCpX916HCdCSzr2iwEeIbgY9quQ-SNuIq1ANNKpEfXUCDuEAaj976bdeCQfHzBgZeb0zec70HtVFTxjeFag/s320/PB010087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjua8bcTsDb3Chavbm23mXgUeX8f3SWunUJOyQ0IzRSY1-2q0YuBd8LVItXDX0oFY_hVzDCFcIhEHfKrdAZiRqxjqKmZoBsjZb1vDrA-dgpVqBjanwjjeHjADUAw9s1Qv7LVLErWxKV2g/s1600/PA290074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjua8bcTsDb3Chavbm23mXgUeX8f3SWunUJOyQ0IzRSY1-2q0YuBd8LVItXDX0oFY_hVzDCFcIhEHfKrdAZiRqxjqKmZoBsjZb1vDrA-dgpVqBjanwjjeHjADUAw9s1Qv7LVLErWxKV2g/s320/PA290074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vU6MBgVJiaOlRtd-SRXOkZbq8Crcy_qlPGES5Pm-PErHGgizU3XMwiPGMok4bu1qIREN4lRjV_BQM4eQ26KAcJT9Hyi9XT93lZ6DNduGcsYQeJRgmf6bqzQqtTe6sRSGmGpk7rvYiVs/s1600/PB050111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vU6MBgVJiaOlRtd-SRXOkZbq8Crcy_qlPGES5Pm-PErHGgizU3XMwiPGMok4bu1qIREN4lRjV_BQM4eQ26KAcJT9Hyi9XT93lZ6DNduGcsYQeJRgmf6bqzQqtTe6sRSGmGpk7rvYiVs/s320/PB050111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Himalayan foothills</td></tr>
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</div>Escaping mosquitoes, inquisitive stares and busy India, we instead embraced chilly nights, powerful mountains and humble Tibetans as we landed in Dharamsala in the far northern province of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj is the home of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan refugees fleeing Chinese oppression in their homeland. So in many ways it felt like we were more in Tibet than India. Tibetans largely populated this town with plenty of Tibetan culture and food. Tibetan food consisted of things like <i>momos </i>(similar to dumplings; dough balls stuffed with veg), <i>thankthuk</i> (noodle soup),<i> tsampa</i> (barley porridge) and <i>tingmo</i> (steamed bread).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxsCgoI2eiLM7IGy1GBUZV5sHDd2xhf89LTH3kPRuXw6jIE3jLW3eCzLvMj3mCn-MgxmNd65km8ceXT3THtJ_t2C-EOH3WTXJeg35OCiYZRAKKaH7RoUMQxlYXir01dBcQrFkMKYLWG4/s320/PB030092.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive Buddha in the main Gompa, with offerings of cookies and Tropicana Orange Juice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWsJUv1y8S9FXk0jzYIz-t3SnrRhhQIk3cA1LoS0l0vH0_yJ1UKOtWHIzvh1JuKpl41qr0cZ0Dh3p_s61VVdXMLkawpz4ceCn_CUBU7M8wK-i5VfKuI2_RO97S3_IdFMKVM1KpkdS214/s1600/PB030099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWsJUv1y8S9FXk0jzYIz-t3SnrRhhQIk3cA1LoS0l0vH0_yJ1UKOtWHIzvh1JuKpl41qr0cZ0Dh3p_s61VVdXMLkawpz4ceCn_CUBU7M8wK-i5VfKuI2_RO97S3_IdFMKVM1KpkdS214/s320/PB030099.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prayer wheels</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWsJUv1y8S9FXk0jzYIz-t3SnrRhhQIk3cA1LoS0l0vH0_yJ1UKOtWHIzvh1JuKpl41qr0cZ0Dh3p_s61VVdXMLkawpz4ceCn_CUBU7M8wK-i5VfKuI2_RO97S3_IdFMKVM1KpkdS214/s1600/PB030099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We spent our days watching documentaries about the genocide in Tibet, walking in the beautiful scenery and detoxing in the crisp mountain air. The Dalai Lama made a brief appearance and the Children's Village where he held a teaching which we sadly, slept in and missed.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFelFPsdUS6ZdS69ZeZlOb9ygqw83BEB4yB35prCBlFWtnuY2shxbwRUAEj5sPtdbi6YfYdhRDQfhxHDbFucz1uz9yk3sKlXsJGspH-eFmISgbyEt8C9BYohRmokxDhDeRc0HBj9Zcl8/s1600/PB010083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFelFPsdUS6ZdS69ZeZlOb9ygqw83BEB4yB35prCBlFWtnuY2shxbwRUAEj5sPtdbi6YfYdhRDQfhxHDbFucz1uz9yk3sKlXsJGspH-eFmISgbyEt8C9BYohRmokxDhDeRc0HBj9Zcl8/s320/PB010083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We also took part in a clean up effort of the Bhagsu waterfall which was, like most places in India, covered in plastic rubbish. We cleaned up at least 20 large bags of trash, with Indian and foreigners alike helping out.Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-28796947964747780562010-11-04T06:22:00.001+01:002010-11-04T06:22:29.599+01:00Golden TempleFrom Rishikesh near Nepal in the north-east, an 8h train journey brought us to Amritsar in the north-west. The city is situated just on the border to Pakistan in the state of Punjab. Famous for the stunning Golden Temple, a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqfnI63Jhojmu5cAvM2Trs3dcOmDYyHPOqMQbdVbl-U-x0HKQ0D-NcvlF5fSpYmb4IhoLkfBVrhnnxoZPN4qGQaxyhzg07ueAzPUEpwnz6EgrMrNDWJeKOHRVtFXpP2vzVYf2yc22KJg/s1600/PA280061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqfnI63Jhojmu5cAvM2Trs3dcOmDYyHPOqMQbdVbl-U-x0HKQ0D-NcvlF5fSpYmb4IhoLkfBVrhnnxoZPN4qGQaxyhzg07ueAzPUEpwnz6EgrMrNDWJeKOHRVtFXpP2vzVYf2yc22KJg/s320/PA280061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDV1-yA-P2HtCBxqzRA9AFwh1l0LeRwZltD4rJPqPp-px31D_lTjrhDvivIphyphenhyphenH6_qHaZVv8T4JyEWWoIawb7Dq4qf2Ifni5x8vgpufZvQp_RRzYknhXKOOhiW5JrpANFNdvEr7jCPkk/s1600/PA280062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDV1-yA-P2HtCBxqzRA9AFwh1l0LeRwZltD4rJPqPp-px31D_lTjrhDvivIphyphenhyphenH6_qHaZVv8T4JyEWWoIawb7Dq4qf2Ifni5x8vgpufZvQp_RRzYknhXKOOhiW5JrpANFNdvEr7jCPkk/s320/PA280062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNi86FGvnKc0hwVej10-boA8LpmtAitK2-if0M-rkUxOZdIQ2eDLujg2R8XJNG5DLlhHMBX8iNMopZFNgKHPkZmr4tHr1HGZBvkvoy-rfaZF-CIQsZWtsonlkLrXlo0rkMs0yNJamMyw/s1600/PA270022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTvUfxYoOCsKRsvnvvWBrU1w55pWmbbh7iGaYYirkVzShe_aPSGKgjjiYvqEaif_s8PGpo4LhOont05pC2Tmaq0mM49yXq1PLoJD37q99kvHRpBI3WkCKfmv0EYgU6nzzEhRoDZU9njA/s1600/PA270028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black;">We found the Punjabis to be unbelievably friendly, honest, and generous people. All the facilities around the Golden Temple were free of charge, including the sleeping accommodation, toilets, shoe cubbys and last but not least the free kitchen. The best experience was without a doubt the 24h open free kitchen which served over 10 000 portions of dahl, rice and chapatis <i>every</i> day! All hungry souls were welcome to eat there and we sat in rows on the floor as efficient Sikh volunteers went around serving up food. The system there was absolutely amazing. Huge couldrons boiled lentils day and night, groups of people sat chopping thousands of onions and yet more helped with the frantic chore of sorting and washing up dishes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgujmmycKkNVrmfrKJhXpRakQbOfRJTUIyTwSC8M6k4O3TqQ4pExGL0wH0s-SbDuRzGCWnElBxwocsqRYxoby-fV8RKzs83nndZ2UtIMsj4D2cEb44CRH5JKrsMrl-nXeZKx1V6zs_L4/s320/PA280064.JPG" width="320" /></span></div><b style="color: black;"></b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallianwallah_bagh#cite_note-3"></a></sup></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Free Kitchen<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQDACHp_qrbPScW9o2cs7BKngKh4KASueFfqJMGbfYB0uCYBBUWg49Qx2do8-nm1-GmghWdH6oQfC7faxL4UFxRB3214oDw-fnmph-3QlFT_3SmZHxusRweQjfKM0flvOr2w-y103vuw/s1600/PA270040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQDACHp_qrbPScW9o2cs7BKngKh4KASueFfqJMGbfYB0uCYBBUWg49Qx2do8-nm1-GmghWdH6oQfC7faxL4UFxRB3214oDw-fnmph-3QlFT_3SmZHxusRweQjfKM0flvOr2w-y103vuw/s320/PA270040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Man serving food<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEeW1lwCdVkCLa8R-AkpxQEGQL6sJvH4cw1KdYUj9k3G050AzfRZ_O5Ok8vYGJAMbV5f6Ag_D35Rxu-ZqImQT5845Z5GJT0_tw7SpmtOdQtxt0xNXfrB96mIfD95SmYB6VW3DY_pQGvg/s1600/PA270043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEeW1lwCdVkCLa8R-AkpxQEGQL6sJvH4cw1KdYUj9k3G050AzfRZ_O5Ok8vYGJAMbV5f6Ag_D35Rxu-ZqImQT5845Z5GJT0_tw7SpmtOdQtxt0xNXfrB96mIfD95SmYB6VW3DY_pQGvg/s320/PA270043.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tara tucking into a nice curry</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjUvUsG0SIPiBJB8KlKt52wszhP0WKu0RaibynyS2rzLzRcTY8WAJ12teo4mQTRUsxhajz4-svxhE_brdVy5de0aC7joYb4HzXmsNjZ1gjL4sglS1OeYJuPMaHnuCt-qXurCYoPftJ1M/s1600/P1010014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjUvUsG0SIPiBJB8KlKt52wszhP0WKu0RaibynyS2rzLzRcTY8WAJ12teo4mQTRUsxhajz4-svxhE_brdVy5de0aC7joYb4HzXmsNjZ1gjL4sglS1OeYJuPMaHnuCt-qXurCYoPftJ1M/s320/P1010014.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> Patrick eating in the Free Kitchen<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3vfK10uJCVuEbxS9d-mPiJGZqcZ4scOORYFW9OIylT6PGTCKnYaKZxpItH1Yo37sqOr668zQljAld0OQklzVb9NMWP9S2cbKEdx5vf3Ztj4Z7lt-hNI0CDzs1xtucHmlicePV_KgR7w/s1600/PA270045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3vfK10uJCVuEbxS9d-mPiJGZqcZ4scOORYFW9OIylT6PGTCKnYaKZxpItH1Yo37sqOr668zQljAld0OQklzVb9NMWP9S2cbKEdx5vf3Ztj4Z7lt-hNI0CDzs1xtucHmlicePV_KgR7w/s320/PA270045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Extremely organised Sikhs sort dishes sending them flying through the air and landing with precision and a bang<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IJklVWPfUmdcx2CyVgQR1NzDASpnZTflvCiLd0775c4g46Nt_ZCWk6ZsKTv1X3WJ0hyxPheebOeJHocmizyBTkjrIlRA-oYLdv1jHu3cQbJPqCiMi37sexZlys9C9-yczdB-5kiTwuY/s1600/PA270044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IJklVWPfUmdcx2CyVgQR1NzDASpnZTflvCiLd0775c4g46Nt_ZCWk6ZsKTv1X3WJ0hyxPheebOeJHocmizyBTkjrIlRA-oYLdv1jHu3cQbJPqCiMi37sexZlys9C9-yczdB-5kiTwuY/s320/PA270044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Volunteers washing up<br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Around the Golden Temple complex there were <i>guruwaras</i> places for pilgrims to sleep. We stayed in a dormatory for foreigners that was small, packed and stuffy but nonetheless the atmosphere was well worth a few sweaty nights. The first night we arrived all the beds were taken and we were resolved to sleeping on the floor with people clambering over us all night long.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyzXm4y03a6rY75YZZQMwkCTT_IFWeKH8FSBzxC1bqUQXcEzqR_UuxjJ-7K1nxIjLSGOfeZv99BC7MyV-Y5k8CGB8w5kgIO_sNPjBjKdftZs9dIZyGH4fv0wLN_oOBPo4fr4Sy4zi60U/s1600/PA270059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyzXm4y03a6rY75YZZQMwkCTT_IFWeKH8FSBzxC1bqUQXcEzqR_UuxjJ-7K1nxIjLSGOfeZv99BC7MyV-Y5k8CGB8w5kgIO_sNPjBjKdftZs9dIZyGH4fv0wLN_oOBPo4fr4Sy4zi60U/s320/PA270059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dormatory<br />
</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44synD7NBnhrbKXkNC-eun2NcSSlzGVJEydW8Kub-Yv0pwYDU2IKUQayE1wIAm85Cqrj65hvLSAcNG51A2cfa0xB7eAWfYWXda264Lnr-WVJJ0tUXUmQQpJFRuOh-qMUDoovAmrvSx2g/s1600/PA270057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44synD7NBnhrbKXkNC-eun2NcSSlzGVJEydW8Kub-Yv0pwYDU2IKUQayE1wIAm85Cqrj65hvLSAcNG51A2cfa0xB7eAWfYWXda264Lnr-WVJJ0tUXUmQQpJFRuOh-qMUDoovAmrvSx2g/s320/PA270057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pilgrims taking a nap</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNi86FGvnKc0hwVej10-boA8LpmtAitK2-if0M-rkUxOZdIQ2eDLujg2R8XJNG5DLlhHMBX8iNMopZFNgKHPkZmr4tHr1HGZBvkvoy-rfaZF-CIQsZWtsonlkLrXlo0rkMs0yNJamMyw/s1600/PA270022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>On April 13, thousands of people gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh (garden) near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, to discuss the non-violent struggle for independence from British rule.<br />
An hour after the meeting began as scheduled at 4:30pm, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer marched a group of sixty-five Gurkha and twenty-five Baluchi soldiers into the Bagh, fifty of whom were armed with rifles. Dyer had also brought two armoured cars armed with machine guns, however the vehicles were stationed outside the main gate as they were unable to enter the Bagh through the narrow entrance.<br />
The Jallianwala Bagh was bounded on all sides by houses and buildings and had few narrow entrances, most of which were kept permanently locked. The main entrance was relatively wider, but was guarded by the troops backed by the armoured vehicles. General Dyer ordered troops to open fire without warning or any order to disperse, and to direct fire towards the densest sections of the crowd. He continued the firing, approximately 1,650 rounds in all, until ammunition was almost exhausted.<br />
Apart from the many deaths directly from the firing, a number of people died in stampedes at the narrow gates or by jumping into the solitary well on the compound to escape the firing. A plaque in the monument at the site, set up after independence, says that 120 bodies were plucked out of the well.<br />
The wounded could not be moved from where they had fallen, as a curfew had been declared - many more died during the night. There were more than 1500 casualties and about 1000 killed.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTvUfxYoOCsKRsvnvvWBrU1w55pWmbbh7iGaYYirkVzShe_aPSGKgjjiYvqEaif_s8PGpo4LhOont05pC2Tmaq0mM49yXq1PLoJD37q99kvHRpBI3WkCKfmv0EYgU6nzzEhRoDZU9njA/s1600/PA270028.JPG" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTvUfxYoOCsKRsvnvvWBrU1w55pWmbbh7iGaYYirkVzShe_aPSGKgjjiYvqEaif_s8PGpo4LhOont05pC2Tmaq0mM49yXq1PLoJD37q99kvHRpBI3WkCKfmv0EYgU6nzzEhRoDZU9njA/s320/PA270028.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-G5xv5zC9e5Dq4qH7cvm-aWubUw9jm1IIylPEUi7855UpkHv6vDDWgrWhkAZ-FBnC05ReY8vzsrlPBQvtnsXJ2HhyF7RP_WbHmC52HjG_1iFG_cp-qh80o2by4OYtMihJTEY99A90po/s1600/PA270025.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-G5xv5zC9e5Dq4qH7cvm-aWubUw9jm1IIylPEUi7855UpkHv6vDDWgrWhkAZ-FBnC05ReY8vzsrlPBQvtnsXJ2HhyF7RP_WbHmC52HjG_1iFG_cp-qh80o2by4OYtMihJTEY99A90po/s320/PA270025.1.JPG" width="247" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscajj0KLgvjjrbUvPW5IsjNkCkPE_MtdOhO2EMQ6irv3XKsm1x3ryAnMkJQu7vYgclRRmsdrCzHY7ypg5Y_Wk8nAM_DC0ODhDCIOW1K2KG9rlFZXexLYBy7SjKl0i38HQfjl8vvX7YD4/s1600/PA270023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscajj0KLgvjjrbUvPW5IsjNkCkPE_MtdOhO2EMQ6irv3XKsm1x3ryAnMkJQu7vYgclRRmsdrCzHY7ypg5Y_Wk8nAM_DC0ODhDCIOW1K2KG9rlFZXexLYBy7SjKl0i38HQfjl8vvX7YD4/s320/PA270023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-87630069167678797362010-10-24T17:39:00.000+02:002010-10-24T17:39:59.864+02:00Rishikesh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwmV1ykmvjpp2dHgXldHkxUcrREsf40ZTZXeotBQtQ15ltSB77V2QqOsZxKX9wNUK-mhSkoiGXMW544vyvzIU3RfJvf43Y9zqlKnBVDf0P8S3A4N7xQVWWkAPy4Qovy3tiQiK2ZEdfPU/s1600/P1010487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwmV1ykmvjpp2dHgXldHkxUcrREsf40ZTZXeotBQtQ15ltSB77V2QqOsZxKX9wNUK-mhSkoiGXMW544vyvzIU3RfJvf43Y9zqlKnBVDf0P8S3A4N7xQVWWkAPy4Qovy3tiQiK2ZEdfPU/s320/P1010487.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
We arrived in Rishikesh after a few days in Haridwar. Found an Ashram (place of Meditation, Yoga ect) to stay at. The next morning we decided to eat our breakfast of bananas on the roof and got robbed by one mean monkey. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA1tqbK2qUVE40kw0ayVUeFVOerHKpwXKeu3Af-4evo7yykS31KGtGHXyHpQoyZfevLx3KoChefa8BBKqY7FbVq7GWV3QALc5hnbod8c4t9x-BHicOhe-aZAAI_wwkrpE-nI8CEhdoY4/s1600/P1010438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA1tqbK2qUVE40kw0ayVUeFVOerHKpwXKeu3Af-4evo7yykS31KGtGHXyHpQoyZfevLx3KoChefa8BBKqY7FbVq7GWV3QALc5hnbod8c4t9x-BHicOhe-aZAAI_wwkrpE-nI8CEhdoY4/s320/P1010438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Went for a hike up a mountain and at the top found terraced rice fields. The workers were so nice, they gave us cucumbers and guava fruits. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKsS6YlVlQQg3E9JDICAR-vXeQLhEjeLHPfYTZ3WUBwbj8FkIHQ8ev9Appu_t1jp8UWtAgUONohbcuE7YXZE8OgfF8noSaSFlMzT5xowdC-rLLnUI_VDBslLOpOQPpZ8sv3mdyC5tPj0/s1600/P1010451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKsS6YlVlQQg3E9JDICAR-vXeQLhEjeLHPfYTZ3WUBwbj8FkIHQ8ev9Appu_t1jp8UWtAgUONohbcuE7YXZE8OgfF8noSaSFlMzT5xowdC-rLLnUI_VDBslLOpOQPpZ8sv3mdyC5tPj0/s320/P1010451.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU4ZpwL0tKhwKSpbTV6el4yXUwDw1Z7tecPBpK3e_FbiLdM89AdG8l_JYAO58pH6WXTn0Sl2-JLNjOYy4qc5hKVun234kPPjBrqY9CVGYRDW7CtaAx7-ZmQr1ksYho4tikPRgRWUqbxg/s1600/P1010466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU4ZpwL0tKhwKSpbTV6el4yXUwDw1Z7tecPBpK3e_FbiLdM89AdG8l_JYAO58pH6WXTn0Sl2-JLNjOYy4qc5hKVun234kPPjBrqY9CVGYRDW7CtaAx7-ZmQr1ksYho4tikPRgRWUqbxg/s320/P1010466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Festival in Rishikesh. Music, dancing and deafening EXPLOSIONS! First we thought the earsplitting blasts where due to dynamite used in roadwork but discovered that Indians merely love the chance to make some noise (even if it means nearly damaging your eardrums).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEv6bFm4avzpG-V70KDNCfEkrDqvJtbmWOVXb2WAmljPnCw3jJXUmqK9w2X0dy2S9OvofN7qAc5OWBPOS9TfH2bPg-KsHAAurDSBbYtXRYISaRnAiM0ObnI_6m1S5fso1osN40D4mtkc/s1600/P1010483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEv6bFm4avzpG-V70KDNCfEkrDqvJtbmWOVXb2WAmljPnCw3jJXUmqK9w2X0dy2S9OvofN7qAc5OWBPOS9TfH2bPg-KsHAAurDSBbYtXRYISaRnAiM0ObnI_6m1S5fso1osN40D4mtkc/s320/P1010483.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-64407689341548460502010-10-16T13:08:00.001+02:002010-10-22T12:04:26.349+02:00Sadhus on Mobile PhonesEscaping crowded and polluted Delhi we headed north to the holy city of Haridwar. This is where the sacred river Ganges emerges from the Himalayan Mountains and it is busy with Hindu pilgrims. We followed suite and did as most visiting Indians here do and took a dip in the fast-slowing Ganges (it is said to wash away your sins).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZFpXaMtAarkq24TYkkIA9H-_7NlOiMPzOPE3C9mzNYqWHVlwsml-dXnbFKHThGtsBYhzqtdZYvbSMb0YhnJcuVn7g3pdHte2v0OzgWEXmX-nSY5OaASzKIQUlGB5h1oNvy_sYK98iuw/s1600/P1010433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZFpXaMtAarkq24TYkkIA9H-_7NlOiMPzOPE3C9mzNYqWHVlwsml-dXnbFKHThGtsBYhzqtdZYvbSMb0YhnJcuVn7g3pdHte2v0OzgWEXmX-nSY5OaASzKIQUlGB5h1oNvy_sYK98iuw/s320/P1010433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Patrick in the Ganges</div><br />
Every evening there is a ceremony, <i>puja</i>, where people put leaf baskets filled with flower petals and a burning candle in the river. The belief is you make a wish and it will come true. An Indian boy swam out to put our basket in the middle of the river also managing to put the candle out. In all the excitement we even forgot to make our wishes. Better luck next time.<br />
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The world of technology is evidently hitting India and mobile phones and tvs are increasing in popularity. We even saw an orange-clothed <i>Sadhu</i> (holy man) chatting away avidly on his mobile phone!<br />
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Next stop Rishikesh...Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-27570134076563967602010-10-16T13:04:00.001+02:002010-10-22T11:54:36.862+02:00Delhi Part 2Testing the limits of our cheapness, we found this dilapidated hovel in Pahar Ganj. For only 250 rupees we got to enjoy the company of mosquitos, cockroaches and all the filth we could handle.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4shh6uHUY9EmXR025EBg1Ba7T4yILdUS5pPWQ05xzyvSDhJ4-b1DbyUfDb6jIv8HXZwWI6pMYEEK7aIG3XyKxiaZf-mGCscSh7I22rqfWwXlJlEPv8DMuW9LjpVTE184e1TrUWS5F2Q/s1600/P1010376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4shh6uHUY9EmXR025EBg1Ba7T4yILdUS5pPWQ05xzyvSDhJ4-b1DbyUfDb6jIv8HXZwWI6pMYEEK7aIG3XyKxiaZf-mGCscSh7I22rqfWwXlJlEPv8DMuW9LjpVTE184e1TrUWS5F2Q/s320/P1010376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hotel Mohit, Delhi</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gandhi Smriti is the place where Gandhi was assassinated. It is now a museum filled with quote's from Gandhi and depictions of his life.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq12imWYhk0LxOYOclbt1CiNwUebyhXDWXBycyGtLgc08endB2I0T7Gx4x6FhC3uhRk6916652smWQs6jh1NLFjFZdS3tZ6-keBXxrqkp4TwRIhyjqIMrAiRt9iziFIwt6GU6f6Xf5Tg/s1600/P1010358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq12imWYhk0LxOYOclbt1CiNwUebyhXDWXBycyGtLgc08endB2I0T7Gx4x6FhC3uhRk6916652smWQs6jh1NLFjFZdS3tZ6-keBXxrqkp4TwRIhyjqIMrAiRt9iziFIwt6GU6f6Xf5Tg/s320/P1010358.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-81077801133466233302010-10-11T11:22:00.000+02:002010-10-11T11:22:09.695+02:00Acclimatizing to IndiaIndia is India alright. A unique crazy existence of life and colour. It all hits you from the first moment you arrive at the airport. The heat, thick air full with the smell of spices, noises, bustling of people, honking of car horns. Take the busiest street you know and times it by five and you have Delhi. Pure, but wonderful, chaos. The weather is hot and humid and we go around constantly sweating like we just got out of a Bikram yoga session.<br />
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We are in vegetarian heaven. Eating a delious variety of lentil dahls, currys and rice everyday. Luckily we have only yet had one incident of too spicey food;<br />
a <em>bharta</em> (egg plant/aubergine) curry that made us sweat, snivel and the waiter smirk at our bland western taste buds.<br />
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Tara had her ears cleaned out by a friendly local man at Connaught Place who told us that it has been his profession for 25 years!<br />
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Forget deseases and the like, dodging the traffic here has been the most life-threatening as crosswalks are unherd of, traffic laws ignored and using the horn a general method of getting through the traffic. Our tactic has has been to discretely tag along behind the locals who are experts at weaving through the traffic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGQ8AGsj5hfnCudbwNrSBbhVS-HlnGDF-P-HjAr2lrveEF699SoSwApwgLY2Lgoyxo1MYY8Nae9HQSH5TQlsH4ZqRkCbD4DxQSfjmFUvB5CKa1PwyVABu7fdpE82VJNRFtWSVzKjfJ6w/s1600/rickshaws.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGQ8AGsj5hfnCudbwNrSBbhVS-HlnGDF-P-HjAr2lrveEF699SoSwApwgLY2Lgoyxo1MYY8Nae9HQSH5TQlsH4ZqRkCbD4DxQSfjmFUvB5CKa1PwyVABu7fdpE82VJNRFtWSVzKjfJ6w/s320/rickshaws.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Rickshaws at New Delhi Train Station<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aRcxiJyEIkuEYK1_4Kbsy8rEqRU_zgBv7GI9ChvECjMgD-3n74BHnj0x3r1oTe1xGGpzZfdBwNh10Vc5LCImruEp8TEAaiUgQtzMaweyEvltewIEEOJQrP3g81RKkvniPIgTIPAsZH8/s1600/first.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aRcxiJyEIkuEYK1_4Kbsy8rEqRU_zgBv7GI9ChvECjMgD-3n74BHnj0x3r1oTe1xGGpzZfdBwNh10Vc5LCImruEp8TEAaiUgQtzMaweyEvltewIEEOJQrP3g81RKkvniPIgTIPAsZH8/s320/first.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> First night in Delhi<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbjINjhc7M5qZa6sxX3Cw1M_drzn5Z5c3HVFPvsEoAufCT-5HaP54vedv8GdxUQRb0bnT6IA7o8NRjsM4SJsG-RROv_cJtL4hgJvOWo6-Dwn4et-jm90Oc8S2nx6SE2E5vLgFpbdrqJc/s1600/street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbjINjhc7M5qZa6sxX3Cw1M_drzn5Z5c3HVFPvsEoAufCT-5HaP54vedv8GdxUQRb0bnT6IA7o8NRjsM4SJsG-RROv_cJtL4hgJvOWo6-Dwn4et-jm90Oc8S2nx6SE2E5vLgFpbdrqJc/s320/street.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Pahar GanjPatrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-56682283295427365452010-10-04T14:56:00.000+02:002010-10-04T14:56:53.400+02:00Wwoofing in Sweden; Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Åke´s Farm</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUvBgPRZd5CmdJ9IKhtGwYlAKZQLwx94O9MOIMwlCDZZB_yeoaBZZQ1iR-fajEbQriBNHigNm17oK2gHHuhm2p0ewj0T_PQC_rbuqp2SNioRMnJvlrBUotUuR4nqsmQwgcvKSixwI8_4/s1600/P1010168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUvBgPRZd5CmdJ9IKhtGwYlAKZQLwx94O9MOIMwlCDZZB_yeoaBZZQ1iR-fajEbQriBNHigNm17oK2gHHuhm2p0ewj0T_PQC_rbuqp2SNioRMnJvlrBUotUuR4nqsmQwgcvKSixwI8_4/s320/P1010168.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Epic garden, met some nice people, never ate so good.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCoib_Kmf2DMYo4Zc8k2h8iXhbKq_bTr5O_1R-byrwF8yQvVylYwMywCSMSo9_jLloAU4zrAVe96AonktKt6ZKnZwjLVFfMiiY6NdNtMiLY82fl_jk3L5OonyIZQ4Vqxw1Hmc0CSiDcE/s1600/P1010167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCoib_Kmf2DMYo4Zc8k2h8iXhbKq_bTr5O_1R-byrwF8yQvVylYwMywCSMSo9_jLloAU4zrAVe96AonktKt6ZKnZwjLVFfMiiY6NdNtMiLY82fl_jk3L5OonyIZQ4Vqxw1Hmc0CSiDcE/s320/P1010167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara and Magdelena, the Wwoofer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-xKXYsNTpMNsgatL4HEBSnPevNWq0DLKVOrgPVJqodOBhd-S3frhXHEdJ2HyUWkXMCJt7NxSQualMsr9Zu5Wp5PBGuf7Jg3EgwT2On0Z7QwR4DaBxHZbOIyz3BVd4F1hkGQDAuxe2O4/s1600/P1010272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-xKXYsNTpMNsgatL4HEBSnPevNWq0DLKVOrgPVJqodOBhd-S3frhXHEdJ2HyUWkXMCJt7NxSQualMsr9Zu5Wp5PBGuf7Jg3EgwT2On0Z7QwR4DaBxHZbOIyz3BVd4F1hkGQDAuxe2O4/s320/P1010272.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick and Guus from Holland.</td></tr>
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</div>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-12368003218686684392010-10-04T14:37:00.000+02:002010-10-04T14:37:14.399+02:00Wwoofing in Sweden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZU9_vcneeVlRyEoJ50ZZUBh2qmutsxgqjprSFUwqy33L4rKajSmMuYZsEx70d6Z0MRWDyEt6A27ipJIvmtsYIFc-gUqfFwJl0-H4432dTJR-SC_BRaBryOnVnlWyaxntEFFTwtXkW4WQ/s1600/P1010034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZU9_vcneeVlRyEoJ50ZZUBh2qmutsxgqjprSFUwqy33L4rKajSmMuYZsEx70d6Z0MRWDyEt6A27ipJIvmtsYIFc-gUqfFwJl0-H4432dTJR-SC_BRaBryOnVnlWyaxntEFFTwtXkW4WQ/s320/P1010034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hello! there...</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've just returned to Gotland after a few weeks of wwoofing near Göteborg/Gothemburg. The first bit we spent at an Eco-village called Utsikten Ekoby on an island called Orust. There we spent our time helping our host, Sivert, build his strawbale house. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWAhjGIoDDji_gZMuLbzkhKvEWzUGj8QyUImt2Fk4qFg94CDncgsj50T1v9RyDz66qxzmZnncAMfYKgbEFsdtvY3r1TrPVepEU59ekFkgj2tCQ_BVG_uKGZIzkbzF4a8-d55TA-iAN0s/s1600/P1010008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWAhjGIoDDji_gZMuLbzkhKvEWzUGj8QyUImt2Fk4qFg94CDncgsj50T1v9RyDz66qxzmZnncAMfYKgbEFsdtvY3r1TrPVepEU59ekFkgj2tCQ_BVG_uKGZIzkbzF4a8-d55TA-iAN0s/s320/P1010008.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Patrick gives a thumb's up next to the plaster's secret ingredient.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pxoof7GHQka3YgXa4KvUVu_OW4ZtTAAXq-5h55ePkR8nOuWKlXMnk1ThqLqkFqI8AayOEM82MKMnJv-xNtct4Oi6mx_28AVQJtEG-JYBy2XjJTk-sDRazS0c556ZBEe7Ynj6pEmIl1g/s1600/P1010031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pxoof7GHQka3YgXa4KvUVu_OW4ZtTAAXq-5h55ePkR8nOuWKlXMnk1ThqLqkFqI8AayOEM82MKMnJv-xNtct4Oi6mx_28AVQJtEG-JYBy2XjJTk-sDRazS0c556ZBEe7Ynj6pEmIl1g/s320/P1010031.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tara plastering the straw with a mixture of clay, sand and 'bullshit'</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102886501883222974.post-21000483495438299252010-09-24T21:51:00.000+02:002010-09-24T21:51:45.712+02:00Hello there! Welcome to our travel blog!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVx3uC5F8_L7vlZL9kWX7OKQypfSlpm6k0E94SLPIgku9j5vofCk2oN8cJMietUSJqDfScUQud2N0zF_AUNk1_Vpvsjt6nMYgpvVB6ke1yQwk7xoopFxqMhyH97kYba79MlzoX9lJZns/s1600/P1010488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVx3uC5F8_L7vlZL9kWX7OKQypfSlpm6k0E94SLPIgku9j5vofCk2oN8cJMietUSJqDfScUQud2N0zF_AUNk1_Vpvsjt6nMYgpvVB6ke1yQwk7xoopFxqMhyH97kYba79MlzoX9lJZns/s320/P1010488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This is dedicated to all the nosy people out there; family, friends and everyone else that stumbles upon this exceptional blog. A few months ago we found ourselves in the stunning nature of British Colombia, Canada and in the moment of writing this we are 9 time zones away on the west coast of Sweden. In merely 2 weeks we will be another 3.5 time zones away in the land of freely roaming cows, curry and Neem. That is to say, hectic India.Patrick and Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16803191784480429935noreply@blogger.com0