HAPPY HOLI!!! We have had the best day yet today-celebrating Holi! Not too sure exactly what it is we are celebrating but it's a national holiday where everyone throws paint powder around! It's hard to explain why its been so fun, but I think it's because the whole camp got the day started with a little lie in (very rare) and then gradually woke up to being splattered with paint as they stepped out if their dorm rooms! We were all multicoloured from head to toe and as soon as we saw a clean person we would all rampage towards them-hilarious! A couple of hours later and the hose pipe came out and it turned into the biggest water/paint fight ever. Meanwhile all sorts of Indian music was playing in the background and we all started cracking out the bollywood dance moves..so much fun! We then decided to take the fun to the beach or "go to fun and beach" in the words of our pal Mohan. We all crammed into the jeep and set off for the beach, all the way shouting out Hapy Holi to everyone we saw! We then bumped into a group of people from camp attempting to walk to the beach so we stopped to give them a lift! We thought it was a bit of a sqeeze and maybe a few too many people but it was only when we counted we realised there were TWENTY ONE people in there and one (Mohan) hanging off the back! Its a good job its not far to the beach. When we got there we all sprinted into the water, 30 of us all completely covered in paint must have looked so funny splashing around! It was only when we got back to camp that Vicky realised the colour dosent come out of blonde hair!!!!! 8 washes later and its still a wierd pinky purpley greeny colour! Not cool but very funny! It's not too bad as there are quie a few others with the same problem, were just trying lots of different things to get it out! Apart from that it's been a really nice chilled evening, we all ate tea outside, had a nice big campfire and more of our fave indian music (were really getting into it! ..bollywood songs...goan trance, its all really good!)

We spent the weekend in Baga (hour or so north of Majorda). To be honest it wasn't the best place ever, its bery touristy and noisy. Well its hard to describe exactly what was wrong with it, the atmosphere was just different to other places we've been. We stayed in the Fisherman beach shack which was very friendly-so friendly in fact that the owner decided it was ok to keep his food in our fridge so throughout the day he would pop his head round to grab some juice or a sandwich. The whole thing was made even funnier by the fact he was 4 feet tall and had a very high pitched voice.We all had a good time though, the first night we went out for a really nice meal at Burritos and somehow managed to grab a table for 14! However later we ended up at this disgustng club called Titos, where its free entry and free drinks for girls but 1500 rupees for men (you can imagine the type of men who would pay that much) We went inside for the free drinks but it was so sleazy we decided to leave. Thebest thing in Baga was the garlic cheese naan-there is nothing better at 2 o clock in the morning after a night of crazy bollywood dancing than a naan and these were the best weve ever tasted. The next day we had a bit of a problem finding accommodation but eventually we ended up at a place called Hotel Sea Wolves, definitley a quirky place and not the most comfy with 4 squeezing in one bed. Was worth it though because the money we saved we could spend in the night market in Arpora. Its crazy, the market opens about 6 and closes at one am. Its in this huge area next to a lake, in the middle theres a stage and we saw this amazing group of acrobats. They were juggling with fire and doing loads of really cool stuff. so much better than you would see in england- probable due to the very relaxed health and safety laws. we did lots of good haggling and bought some nice stuff. Vickys bartering skills really are something else. Next day we got the bus home (2 changes) which was actually pretty comfy and not too hot. A mere 50 rupees (75p) for a really long journey as well! Aparantly on some buses they have a load of goats and chickens so I look foward to seeing that!

Weve also been having lots of fun back at camp! The other night we had a traditional Goan night, the cap leaders got some goan dancers in, prepared traditional goan food with lots more indian music and then watched a bollywood film outside on a projector screen! We all brought are matresses out it was really cool! 3 idiots the film was called, not too sure what it was about, bollywood films are really unpredicatable, still really good though! Last night we went to the cinema in Margoa, at first it looked really grubbybut once we got inside it was quite luxurious! (it had the best toilets weve seen so far in India!!!) We saw a film called 'My name is Khan' which was really good/interesting. Its about an autistic Indian Muslim man living in America after the twin towers collapse and his journey to acheive justice after his son is killed in a racial attack! Well... this is what we gathered anyway, the film was in hindi so pretty hard to understand at times! Some of the dialogue in america was spoken in English but then there was a very helpful hindi voiceover which meant we couldnt hear it!!!

Volunteer work is becoming more and more fun! I think its because were getting to know the children better. Especially in the orphanage, we now each have one girl that we work with everyday and help them with their homework. Although Vicky and Mary, the girl Vicky helps, always have to work on the floor, Ellie often looks over to see Vicky led down nearly falling asleep! Vicky loves it though because she herself is learning, she helps her 10 year old student Mary revise things like where Squirells live ( a drey) and what a baby hare is called ( a leveret) and many other exciting things! Its crazy how good their english is and how clever they are when there so young. One girl is called ironically called anglica, but far from angelic! Vicky looked over the other day to see her about to attack ellie over the head with her pencil case, thankfully ellie managed to duck just in time!!!!

The other day at the fisherman school Vicky and Amanda (the girl Vicky volunteers at school with) took a load of bottles we'd collected at camp..it was like christmas! All the bottles ahd to be sgared out equally between all the children, they were so excited! Even all the parents came to the school to help collect them, it was really bizare! Ellie is enjoying her day care centre a lot more now. The kids have finally go used to her and the other volunteer, fiona, and the little bit of progress you see everyday is so encouraging! Today we had a "rice and advice" session which we thought was quite amusing. The parents come along and have their kids weighed and then take home a huuuge bag of rice...nice.