Arvo all avid readers of the blog!

First of all, thanks again for the messages, loving the posts.

Nige, the journey to Eastlands seems to be eventful whatever the angle of attack - the blues however are looking invincible - "we're all going on a European tour…."

Smudger, the latest epic tale from the Heymaker is really not surprising - overjoyed though he's found a new function in Excel, should keep him happy whilst the fish aren't biting.

Dad, I think you should give up on Town, there's going to be no more glory days with the likes of Shankly, Law and Worthington. Has Mother worked out how to read this blog yet? (Hi Mother, if you have - your blue-eyed boy is well [despite a near death experience with a 10ft cobra - details to follow])

Right then, on with the latest status update. We've been unable to get to a PC until now so we're doing a couple of posts at once (we are actually in Kathmandu at the moment waiting to go to Everest base camp! God I'm excited!). Wee Belle is sat beside me in high spirits as the hotel we're in more importantly has a concrete ceiling rather than just leaves, hence no spiders the size of Watford.

Before I do continue, several requests for a bowel movement update have been tabled. I can assure you that we have encountered a definite change in consistency as we've traveled through India. The first few days saw Belle and myself "high fiving" every time we returned from the toilet following the successful passing of a solid. However, more recently, a 'McDonalds chocolate milkshake consistency" has come into effect. Will keep you updated.

Right, so we left Orchha on the overnight train to Allahabad (although characteristically late, the journey was a good one and pretty comfy - us Brits should be proud of the Indian rail network!).It was a short stop in Allahabad just to visit the home of Nehru and Ghandi before heading off to meet our boat on the river Ganges. The Ganges is a very sacred river in Hindu religion and we spent two brilliant days sailing down to the city of Varanasi.

I won't go into why the Ganges and Varanasi are so sacred, but I can tell you that the Hindu religion sees the dead either cremated next to the river, or in some circumstances, the body is simply set free into it.As a consequence we've seen a few carcasses floating by, and more interestingly, one where we were supposed to camp on the rivers edge which forced us to move the camping spot along a hundred metres or so (after thorough dead body surveillance). Nice!

Can't really get over how cool the Ganges was, accompanied by dolphins we saw amazing sunrises and sunsets, ate great food (we even had a food boat which pulled up alongside us every couple of hours to either provide us with chai and biscuits or lunch/dinner - fabulous!), and generally lazed around on either deck 'dead-body-spotting', or imagining being at work! He he!And when we get hold of the picture you will all be very interested to see evidence of me doing yoga on the bank of the river at 6 o'clock in the morning - load of tosh if you ask me, but had to do it as all "the guys' were doing it! Rubbish!

Anyway, hope all is well at home. Off now to get brew! Belle will update you with the Varanasi 'experience'……

Over and out