Hi Everyone,

We are in Mumbai at the moment but we do not like it. Not one bit. There is n.o.t.h.i.n.g to do apart from look round shops that sell nothing that we want. this is why we are now spending as much time on the internet as humanly possible before our eyes fall out! We just tried to go and see a bollywood film but none of them had subtitles. But we had omlette sandwiches for breakfast which were delicious!

However, we have had a really good past week. After Bangalore we took a train to hampi. Hampi was spectacular. Definitely one of the best places in India so far. Check out the pictures (rocky hills and temples) because it is hard to explain what hampi is like but they do not do it justice at all. You have to be there to completely undertstand!

Next came some extremely tedious and long and confusing bus journeys to Gokarna (including a very bumpy 12 hour overnight bus). We stayed in areally nice hotel in Gokarna with a balcony and everything =D. We had one evening at a nearby beach and the next day we took a very long and very very hot walk to a beach called Om beach. But it was worth it because the beach was gorgeous and we stayed there all day and had a lovely beachside meal.

Next came Palolem in Goa. Very touristy!! Nice beach but more of a holiday destination than cultural experience.

Then we moved on to Anjuna (further up Goa). Anjuna beach was alright but the sea was very rocky and unswimable in. But we had some amazing veg burgers and chips (non western food is hard to come about on the beach). Next day we went to a nearby beach called Vagator. This was THE best beach for us. The sea was amazing to swim in! Neil played football and some cricket with the locals and the girls got hit by a flying cricket ball (not from Neil). Goa was basically just a lot of sunbathing but we are all turning a nice brown!

Our train from Goa to Mumbai was also a bit of a trauma. 11 hours of no seats and more crammed than the tube in rush hour. We managed to dangle our legs out the side of the doorway of the train and sit on the metal step (this is relatively normal in india don't worry! its not too dangerous although a slight head injury was obtained by a flying bottle to julia). We got off the train with no blood left in our legs, flat bums, very empty stomachs and bursting bladders! We found out the extreme busyness happened every sunday because people were trying to get back for work and school and apparently that day was even worse because it was the end of a week long holiday.

Tomorrow we are leaving to go to Jaiselmer to do some camel trekking in the desert which we are all really really looking forward to. We have all our trains to get back to Delhi booked up so we won't miss our plane to sri lanka on the 5th.

Bye for now. Btw Andy should have circulated that you can ring us this afternoon (Tuesday) so hopefully speak to you later.

x x x