Mumbyebye!

We are sat here in what feels like an attic room with air-con, mecca and virgin mary effegies above us. And ship portholes to look out onto a back room. Ahh India!

This is our last blog from India, but we promise to keep telling you how good India is when we get back. And will also blog about our other adventures we have planned for 2008. Watch this space!

I have just spent some time in Benetton and bought a few rather nice items. Fi has been trying on silly hats and wheeling those annoying bags around like you get at the airports!

Now we are going out for a drink and to toast to our latest 'holiday' here.. It's been really good to catch up on our favourite things here, and in South India. India is growing as a power, with changes in the last 3 years when were here last.. Fi: There are now tv monitors in the big stations (with all the new stickers still on them), billboards in big cities are now no longer painted but made from print but you know what the people are as lovely as ever and the only thing to do in India especially if your not sure or if it goes a bit wrong - smile................ Jim: and dont forget if you look lost, someone will say "yes?" or "Can I help, coming from which country?"

See you soon Mother India!

Tamil (Nadu) Tastic

We are now in Mamallapuram and relaxing by the pool and beach - heaven.

Catching up with the locals again and great to see how things are improving after the tsunami. Although the numbers of orphans have increased, but they still smile so beautifully. It is amazing to see that all they have been through life still goes on.

We are staying back at the same place again - hotel Lakshmi and have a great room. The staff remember us which is incredible as so many people pass through here, mind you Jim does have a reputation to keep up as he is always joking with the local staff.

I have to say that our hard core traveling days are not happening during this holiday - taxis and luxury all they way - well not as luxurious as you would expect, but good for us and its not a tent or the back of the van!!!

The food is still great although we have both been ill - it was our pay back for rescuing a fellow traveller who was very ill on the train - we took her in our taxi and found her somewhere to stay and then we caught her bugs - nice......

We are still enjoying the sunshine and its back to Mumbai tomorrow for SHOPPIN.... YIPEEEEE (says fifi).

Jim here: There are times everyday where it feels like we are million miles away from europe, the smells, the sound of indian music one minute and temple music the next.. Just venturing out of the hostel/hotel/beach bar your senses are overloaded with the colour of India.. Something which we truly both love and almost definitely will crave after our trip.. just like the last time..

And to all cider fans: The Revolution is here!!!

Over and out, will do a blog post in Mumbai once we arrive. Hope everyone reading is well!

South India and into 2008

Well, it had to happen, we are only back in India-aahHH!

I must say it was very exciting getting off the plane at Mumbai this morning. Fi and I nudging each other as we notice things that can only happen in India.. 40 staff doing each others job, and the customs hall with a dust cloud from the 'ongoing improvements' to the airport.

Getting out into the city was a breeze, taxi 3006 took us direct to our hotel in the Coloba district of Mumbai . Passing Chowpatty beach and Fi's favourite shopping malls on the way there.

Now we have truly acclimatised by having a lovely Veggy Indian meal and a few Kingfishers at Cafe Mondeal.

And tomorrow it's off to Kerala, where again we have been before, so we intend to relax and eat, then relax and maybe cycle, then eat again.. Very good therapy indeed!

Fi will be shouting "Masala Dosa!" as we enter the true south of India, and where food is all 'Pure' Vegetarian.

India hasn't changed much, but then deep down neither have we. We get into this traveling lark very quickly and it amazes me how Fi and I get on so well when we do it..

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR AND GOOD LUCK FOR THE START OF 2008

Fi and Jim, signing out (for now). Catch up in a few days, once on the coast of Kerala