Saturday, 31 December 2011

So long 2011

I admit I failed pretty miserably at keeping my blog going after I came back from India, maybe one day ill go back and fill it all in.

Heres one last post for 2011 and a fresh start for 2012..
I left you guys in the Thar desert, I wish I could tell you me and Giselle loved it so much we couldn't leave and have been riding around on camels ever since....In my dreams. Though it would of meant we would of  missed out on riding Connors motorbike in Jaisalmer, going for tea at Michael Jackson's (aka Sonu's) house in Pushkar. Having and Indian cooking class with the Indian version of Jamie Oliver in Udaiper. Being seriously grumpy in Mumbia (humidity beyond belief). Being even grumpier on the nearly 24 hour bus journey from Mumbia to Goa. Arriving at Palolem beach in Goa looking and feeling like the most disgusting person to walk the planet but in time to watch the Royal wedding at a beach bar. We spent the last ten days of our trip in a beach hut which cost around £3 a night between the two of us...crazy I know ! Despite a family of ants who tried to make home in our bed it was the most relaxing ten days of my life. We even managed to with the help of a lovely young man called Sanjay rent out a moped and go explore and play a game of cricket with the locals on the beach...of course both me and Giselle were pretty horrific! On our last night our friends Sanjay and Vijay set off some fire works on the beach for us ( the local dogs were less impressed by this). We got up before sun set and got in the taxi in the pitch black, unable to hold back I looked at Giselle and was like fuck man this is it, Im not sure if im going to be able to live in England after seeing this amazing country. Looking back I laughed, 2 months ago i was cursing Giselle for bringing me to this place, telling my self i just had to make it to the other end alive. Now I was dreading going back home. We arrived in England with no sleep and serious culture change, only to find our parents thought we were coming home the next day. "WHAT!?" I was about to have a breakdown, with £10 left to my name we headed to get the tube to Giselle's friends house. To make it worse half way there my shoes  that had lasted me the whole trip broke, I mean the whole sole of one of my shoes fell off. I sat on the tube with one shoe on thinking how the day before had been spent lazying on a beautiful beach. People asked me was it life changing. I thought for ages probably not, it was fun though, now im not sure, nearly 8 months later Im still babbling on about it. The most mental 2 months of my life ! So thanx Gis for dragging me along.

The Summer was as always packed fall of festivals and amazing people old and new. Trying out naked sauna's, Sky diving, flooding tents and getting dreads. Mine and Giselles last festsival was greenbelt, hanging around in Cheltenham we went for a meal at a gorgeous Turkish restaurant. Just as we left the man told us to wait and gave us both a turkish/ cyprus good luck charm. It was the same charm Giselle had insisted on taking to India that I spoke about in my first blog post.  What a nice way to end an adventure packed gap year.

So long 2011 you were pretty intense.....(do you know what else is intense???....Camping !)

"I could keep a fish alive under my arms today" Giselle (15th April)

Back in Jaisalmer, My bag seems to have most of Tharu desert in it.  We tried to change to a more expensive room with an en-suite but was unsuccessful, so am still have to run across their living room to get a shower.

Woke up missing the desert and not enjoying the return of mosquitoes. After asking if my hair looked ok Giselle replied saying I looked like a female version of Russel Brand, but I could work it. I'm sure there was meant to be a compliment in there some where.

The day was spent wondering round a folk museum, folllowing a family of pigs and trying to get away from staring men on boats on the tiny lake jaisalmer has to offer.

That evening we met up with Connor and some French-Canadian guys (they possibly had the most attractive accent any one could ever have) That night instead of treking back to our hotel room we just slept on the roof.

This is carzy, as if I'm sleeping on the roof of a massive fort in the middle of a desert for free !?  Have got less than a month left of this amazing adventure. But right now i couldnt be any more content :)