Hey Ali, how are things? Where are you now and what have you been up to? I am all excited to hear about you and Pete. I am lunching with the ladies today (aka Claire and Shirley) and they are going to up date me with your escapades. Can't believe you sat and took all those photos of the kids, they are great. I have not managed to organise anything yet as I have been at home poorly and now I am studying for my exams but I will get on the case. How long will you be in India for? When do you go back to Oz? We are preparing for a family Christmas in our new house this year, Shirley is right it is freezin here! Just awaiting the snow! I hope you are having a wonderful time on your train journey with Pete, seeing the delights of India. Can't wait for the next diary installment. Take care and travel safe, Love Nina xxx

Hi Al...you are amazing. Just got your text and went straight to the website...it's fantastic. Making my feet itch aleady and we're not long back after seeing you in UK. You certainly are living life to the fullest. Our holiday plans are nowhere near as exciting as yours....we are thinking of sailing the Whitsundays again next July with my Scottish cousins who are coming out again. Then scuba diving in Palau the following Feb....something to look forward to. I expect we will catah up before then when you are back in Oz.....New Years Eve is at our place in Docklands if you are back by then! Cheers Ev. xx

Alli, wonderful news about you and Pete,congratulations to you both, more details please. When you phoned me on Friday, I had just left work and was Christmas shopping, winter has started with a vengence, minus 5 degees at night and very cold in the day, no snow yet though, expect you are both missing an english winter, yeh right. The pictures of the children are wonderful, impossible to pick any one of them, they are all so deserving,I will let everyone in the office have a look. Is Pete able to help you in the village?I hope you had a great time in Bombay, you deserved a break after all your hard work.Life in the annexe is changing fast, we are all moving around to accomodate 9 staff from Clarence House including Tina and Julie.I was hoping to use the space for Santas Grotto but will now have to think again.Take care of each other, keep well, love Shirley

Hi, I have just created a new Photo Album called 'Kids to be Sponsored' and have uploaded 122 photos for you to look at if you're interested. There are currently about 190 students in 2 schools, so I will have to get cracking and take the rest of their photos soon ! Some of the most intelligent students that I am teaching include : Poonam, Chandnee, Preeti (7 years), Ravi (6 years), Sathyam and Varsha ... but of course all of them have lots of potential and this is what I am trying to help draw out with each of them.

Hi girls, great to hear from you again so soon ... and you can ask Claire for more info, I am now ready for her to spill the beans ! Sounds like you're causing a riot there Nina, although not as bad as in France (whatever that's all about ?), great to hear you and Carl had a good bonfire night. Shirley, good to see you're still expert at organising lots of leaving do's, make sure Claire has at least as many as you planned for me ! Re helping the kids, my mum is sending a box of school bags and other goodies for the kids, so probably the best way would be to donate money if you are interested, because I can buy lots of things in India very cheap for the kids ... for example, I bought them all reader books to learn to write and spell, they only cost 40 pence each, whereas in England when I was going to buy books to bring over they were at least 5 pounds each. What I would ideally like to spend money on the kids for next is to get them a warm jumper each for the winter, as they don't possess anything other than the same set of clothes I see them in every day and lots of the locals are already noticing the colder weather here now (whereas I still think it's hot!), so I think this is the most deperate need they have right now. Basically any help would be appreciated. If you can use my bank account details that Claire has, that would be the easiest way. Of course, I will write to let you know how the money has been spent. The other option is for people to take on sponsorship of a child's education, which costs Rupees 500 (6 pounds) per month, which will pay for school supplies, uniforms, shoes, a warm meal every day and toiletries. We will provide the photo and details of the child and regular reports on their development. I am going to upload the photos of all the kids onto this website in the next few days, in case anyone is interested in choosing a child to sponsor. I am already planning to sponsor at least one child myself. Thanks. Love, Alli xxx

Very intrigued about the special person arriving on Saturday, anyone we would know? Nina is right about folks here wanting to help, Claire said she has your bank account details so we could transfer funds to you, let us know how we can help. You have expereinced so much in such a short time, keep well. love Shirley

Good Morning Ali. Whats with the cryptic ending of the postcard, you can't just leave us hanging like that, who is the mystery person??? The teaching sounds like great fun and I am sure you are teaching them heaps, you sound as if you are their very own fairy god mother! We enjoyed lots of fireworks here whilst you were celebrating Divali. Carl and I went to a friends house were we made a guy for the bon fire and set off what were supposed to be garden fire works but they were a bit larger than we expected and we almost blew up the neighbours with a stray rocket that landed and exploded outside their back door.... oopps!!
Divali sounds like an exciting celebration, its nice that they invite you to experience every aspect of their lives. I like the idea of the school books, I used to love getting school pens and pads each year, which leads me to the thought of what we can do over here?? Is there anything we can contribute to your works and if so how?? Are we able to send stuff out to you or is it best to raise money that you can spend over there?? Please let me know as I would love to contribute and i'm sure others would too. Stay happy and well and keep up your ever so good work. Miss you xxxx

Hi, thanks for the messages, they have kept me going when I wasn't feeling so crash hot the past week or so ! Anyway, feeling good again now and have just updated another week's worth of diary, with the main event being Diwali (their version of Christmas) where I got to dress up in a Sari again. I will get these pictures loaded on the website in the next few days, whenever I can be bothered to go to Jhansi and do this ! Anyway, I have to prepare today's lesson for the students, so I will keep moving and chat another day. Love, Alli xxx

Hi Alli, your latest photos really show a side of life most people can only imagine, thank God for people like yourself who are actually doing something practical. All most of us can do is donate money and hope the money benefits the people most in need.Glad to read you are better now, keep taking the tablets!!!!!.You seem to be doing so much everyday, certainly puts flexi time into perspective. Wednesday lunch club still goes on but you are missed. Going bowling next weekend as part Claires round of leaving nights, will try to copy your 4 strikes in a row,easy peasy.I think you will find it very difficult to leave India even to go home, I bet you will return to see how things are in the village.I look forward to your weekly update, keep well and happy.Thanks so much for your card and snaps,everyone in the office saw them and I have taken them up to Graham and Richard.Take care. Love Shirley

Hey Alli,
My name is Darren and im a friend of your mum and dads.I know your dad through the sport aircraft . He has helped me out over the years with his outstanding abilityto machine metal. Since then we have become good friends. I just spoke with you proud dad and he put me onto your website. Looks like you are having fun and really seeing the world. Those pics you posted of those sick people make you think how lucky we really are.

I hope you have a great time and i know your mum and dad can hardly wait until you get back to Australia. Stay safe and enjoy your trip.

Regards
Darren
Hastings Victoria Australia

Hey Alli, its only been four weeks and it feels like a lifetime, I can't believe how much you have done already! Reading your weekly postcards has brought tears to my eyes and the photos too!! Graphic maybe, but as you say a true picture. Your work with your new friends sounds amazing, you are certainly making your mark, though that is nothing new, you are being sorely missed over here, the civic annex looks so different now (overtaken by the male contingent - he he!!!). I am glad to here you are feeling better now, make sure you take care of yourself and eat properly even if you do miss the old diet coke he he!! I, as shirley and claire, am eagerly awaiting pictures of you dressed up in a sari, with the children grinning from ear to ear at how they have transformed you!!! You sound as if you are in your elemment out there working your magic, the pictures of you look great, you look so happy in spite of the trials you must come across each day. Keep in touch and keep us updated, I will look on with a watchful eye. Wishing you and all your troops the best health and happiness, take care and keeping similing that big old smile that brightens everyones day!!! We miss you xxxxx

I have now posted 47 photos onto the website for you to look at, they are split across 5 different photo albums : Maya Schools, Medical Treatment, Destitutes, Cultural Show, Friends & Other. Enjoy !