merry christmas & happy new year

hope everyone has a great christmas season and a prosperous start to 2005

it is still strange getting used to the idea that it is winter here, aswell as back home.. and exciting that fiona and i are spending our first christmas together..

the days here on the beach seem to have a very relaxed routine, still being recognised by more and more locals on our bikes as we tour from our homestay in town to the beach. very funny, and will make it hard to leave.. especially as ramesh at our homestay is saying "this is your house now, really!"

travelling with another person makes it easy to laugh at the times, when otherwise it may be a bit too much.. like being asked "coming from? (which country)" 1000 times!

obervations on xmas in india: no holidays in most towns, only in smaller pockets of catholic communities. however, most houses have a star outside making the streets even more colourful.

in some of the bakeries there are xmas cakes, and papier mache santa claus masks (sunburnt) in stationery shops.. in a bar last night where we took some friends we have met here, there was a palm tree with dandruff (snow) on and some tinsel.

anyway, have a good one all!

jim and fi