Made it to Darjeeling and thankfully there was someone at the airport. The view on the plane from Dehli was amazing flew over snow capped mountains on oneside and flat dessert on the other. I am staying in a palace it has a blue dome. Sharing a room with three young girls all in there early twenties. I am the oldest volunteer it is funny hearing them all speak of forty as old. I am at a special needs school well it is actually on the balconie of a church and the desks and chairs have to be put out and tidied away everyday, the children are from ? 3/4 to 26 all with mild to moderate learning disabilities. There is NO RUNNING WATER! which makes it a challenge. I am there with another girl Grace who is Irish she is a qualified secondary Geography teacher and is there for 10 weeks. She does the teaching I do the arts and crafts, would like to help more with the physio or positioning but have never seen the way they do it. Think they are going to dislocate the childrens arms. Everyone is really nice you get such a warm welcome every morning. Had to laugh the teachers keep telling me with my round face and dark eyes I look Nepalise. So I am going to get a traditional scarf Scottish Nepalise. Thanks Malise for telling me about Darjeeling it is beautiful so high up all on huge hills. The mountains are huge my dad would love it. Not seen much of the mountains due to mist am 8000ft up. It is very different from the rest of India does not feel as if I am still in India, everyone is so polite and it is much cleaner. Had quite a lot of power cuts and had to buy an umbrella as lots of hailstones. Going to a Tibetain girls orphanage for an hour in the afternoon, the girls are lovely so polite, we danced in their tiny room the other day they only have 3 cassette tapes between 40 of them. They love pop magazines so if anybody could send me some girls magazines they are aged between 3 and late teens my mum has my address in Darjeeling. Going to try and put a photo on with the help of Elspeth.

Okay have 2 pictures on will try for some more later this week. Volunteering going good. Trying to stay one extra week and go to wildlife park but changing my flights is proving difficult. Hopefully travel agent can help, flying with Jet airlines who are normally not included with the airlines I am travelling with. The trip to the wildlife pak will be very expensive as it is just me. It is very more expensive when you are solo, would love to meet someone who would like to go with me. Have decided to book tour from Singapore to Bankok, makes it easier, but again expensive. Would like to know where all these travellers are that you can travel with I seem to always be on my own. Nobody going the same way or wanting to do what I want. Well just have to do it all myself. Could someone please ask mum to email me, lost her email address and deleted last one. If anyone would like to send Paper or pens or art stuff or Young girls magazines or pop magazines or hairclasps ask my address is co Ms Nandini Mahtab, Burdwan Palace, Rose Bank, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India 734101 put my name at top. It will probably arrive after I have left, but I will leave instructions with the other volunteers to take it to the school or Orphanage. Many Thanks to anyone who sends anything it will be really appreciated and well used. Yes I am staying in a palace with a blue dome. But we don't have hot water all the time so having very cold showers. O its a hard life!

Went to Tiger Hill you can see huge mountain range including Everest got up at 3am the sunrise was lovely but unfortunately Everest was covered in cloud. Mountains were in Nepal and the Indochina border. Iam staying on an extra week. Eventually got my flights changed. Had my first real traveller experience yesterday went off to explore on my own walked miles around hilly Darjeeling (practise for Machu Picu). Went to Tibetian Refugee Centre met a man there with Lapso dogs he gave me information on how they were treated in Tibet told him about Aunty Agnes and Brodie. Then went to Bhudist monastary it was beautiful sat and chatted to head monk for half an hour. Then had Tibetan Noodles for lunch. Then went to Japanesse Pagoda very peaceful. Joined in with there prayers chanting and beating drum. They were very interested to hear I was from scotland. Mary would like it hear they have little ponies you can go for pony rides. Realise it is Hugh, Euan and Una,s birthdays this week have now got presents will post tomorrow sorry they will be late. But I am sure you will have great birthdays, its times like this you realise how far away you are. Tomorrow I shall have been away a month I need to try and savour every momen, because I know it is going to pass so quickly. Before I know it I will be back tanned but penniless. Are you out there Rory? You are very quite. Went on Toy Train today it was fun. Will try and put more pictures on later this week. I have realised I am really missing music, some of the young volunteers are trying to charge the ipod. Will have to try and get music somehow. Saying that a Taxi driver gave me a Nepali pop music tape last night I said I liked it and He gave it to me and would not take any money for it. I am going to give it to the girls in the orphanage. (Old Sister as they calll me will be hip with the latest Nepali Tunes). I do miss everyone but the internet is graet would be lost without it. Will fill you in soon with more of my tales. Thankyou for all the lovely messages it so great to hear from you all, please keep in touch. Forgot sent some postcards on of the girls posted them with only 4 rupee stamps. I had to go to the Darjeeling postmaster who opened the post box in the post office and I got to add the extra 4r stamp. Don't see them doing that at home. Not had hot water for days psyching myself up for cold bucket wash tomorrow, we don't realise how lucky we are having so much water and taps. So many people here have to carry water to there houses and wash clothes on the street in a very small basin. Iwill never again take for granted a shower and a washing machine.

It is Easter weekend have Friday off school, really enjoy doing art work with the children and the teachers are so nice. Cannot go to the wildlife park this weekend it is fully booked. I am so dissappointed but nevermind I am sure I will get lots of other chances in other countries. Going to explore around Darjeeling. Showing postcards of Scotland to the kids at school and teachers, will show to the girls in the orphanage later today. It is Hugh's birthday today, I am going to try and phone him later and will call my mum this weekend. I am making up 40 envelopes for the orphanage girls each with some sweets, stickers and hair baubles. Sending home my sleepingbag, it is to heavy to carry and I have not used it. Terry told me you can hire them clean for Machu Pichu hears hoping. Going to book accomodation in Singapore for 5 nights so looking forward to a hot shower and really clean clothes. I think the ipod is not working, so I will have to get music in Singapore as really missing it. All the girls sit with there music at night and I so miss having it.

Well tried to get a firewire in Darjeeling could not get one. Going to attempt to phone Singapore. Decided to splash out and have my own room and bathroom with a shower, I dream of a hot shower. Had a very cold one this morning, but at least I had water. Went for a drink with volunteers last night, wish there were some people about my age I feel so old. Rory sorry The phone does not tell me people have left messages. Also I cannot phone Una and Euans landline. Also cannot get cheap calls to Singapore and have still not recieved a text to say how much credit I have.

One of the teachers at school invited me for a cup of tea to her house this morning. They still say I look Nepalise. Saw 2 guys carrying wardrobes on their backs today. Going to go on my own to Kalimpong tomorrow for day as noone else wants to go. Don't no what it is but nobody wants to go with me, the others take a long time to decide what they are doing, but they have weeks I only have days left. I have to go on an elephant in Thailand as I am so dissapointed I could not do it here.

It is Una's birthday tomorrow I really miss everyone, wish they were hear with me. When I see people in groups travelling I think of everyone at home and how I wish they could be hear. Happy Birthday Una and Happy Easter to Everyone. Thanks Aunty Agnes for the parcel the children will appreciate it. Try and add some pictures soon it takes quite a long time. Will write before I leave India. Tried some interesting nuts this afternoon very refreshing. The lady we are staying with is having a party on Tuesday evening. I do not have anything smart to wear, might have to improvise. It is cloudy and raining in Darjeeling today. 2 of the volunteers leave tomorrow for Nepal. Ryan and Kate , who are brother and sister, they know Bessie Webbs son's Rory and Michael, it is a small world. Not bumped into anyone I know yet, guess I will have to wait to Australia and see Jan. Need to speak to Jan on email as I think we only have 10 days in New Zealand, but I could be wrong. Realise I am gabbling on will go now. Promise to speak to my mum soon. Love to hear from everyone.

Learned something new today, tried to upload pictures and the memory card has a virus. It is a pity as it was the pistures of school and the orphanage. Will try again this week. Have decided to buy a carpet from a fairtrade shop, will go tomorrow and see about it. It is made by local poor women from local villages and all the money goes to support them and their children. They also educate at the project, feel it is better to buy from some where that helps people rather than getting ripped off in a tourist shop. Tasted tea today if drinking black hot water poured over leafs straight away. If taking with milk and sugar leave for 5 to 6 minutes. Yet to get a picture of people picking tea, everytime I go they are not there they must see me coming.