hey all,

So this isnt a proper blog entry but i thought id give you a quick update on our plans. We are currently in Darjeeling after a 14hour overnight train (on which we had to argue for our beds as an Indian family had decided to go to sleep on our bunks! Very inconsiderate) followed by a 3hour taxi ride up very steep and winding mountain roads with no barriers to stop you falling off the side. Unfortunatly i thought this is exactly what would happen as it was misty and our driver was rather lacking in driving skills! But alls well that ends well and we eventually arrived safely in Darjeeling. Its nice here when the sun shines, but unfotunatly that is not all that often and today we had to by fleeces because it is so cold! Last night was just 3 degrees centigrade and tongiht is meant to be colder. The evenings are just as bad and our hotel oly has hot water between 4.30pm and 6pm - what a stupid time!

So our plans for now are:

> 3day trek around Darjeeling starting on friday

> fly to Calcutta on wednesday 31st October

> spend a week in Calcutta and hopefully a trip to the sunderbans during that time.

> fly from Calcutta to Chennai and the following day get a bus to pondicherry.

> Spend a week in Pondicherry then a week in Chennai

> Fly to Trivandrum (very south of Kerala)

> Spend the remaining month or so travelling up through Kerala and Goa by train to Mumbai where we fly out from.

Bear in mind that these plans are liable to change but thats our current itinary. So if we disappear (touch wood we dont!) at least you have a rough idea of where we are meant to be!

Hope you're all well,

love fran xxx

p.s/ dad, i will add more photos after when we arrive in Calcutta - hope thats ok! xxx