So I've been here nearly 2 weeks now! I can't believe it!!

Work has been really busy, but I think I'm settling in ok. Its just completely different to the type of work I do at home - but its all good.

Last weekend I spent Saturday shopping with Kathie (a Canadian secondee who has subsequently gone home, but might be coming back out here), the Indian landlady of the bed and breakfast she was staying at called Laika, and another guest of the B&B (a Singaporean girl called Fiona). It was an 8 hour shopping extravaganza! I think we spent 2 hours in one jewellery shop!! I ended up buying some lovely topaz items (beads, pendant, earrings and also had a ring made for me). I also tried to buy some pashminas - but gave up after 4 shops after being told so many different stories by the shopkeepers!

At lunch time we went to a really cool south Indian restaurant where you use a banana leaf as a plate. The food was really good, and I even ate with my hands (well my right hand anyway!).

That Saturday night I unexpectedly went to an ex-pat party at a hotel. It was good fun. I then ended up going to an after party party! I didn't get in until 5:30 am!!!

Last Sunday I met up with Emily (a good friend from Uni who happens to be living out here with her boyfriend) for a coffee. It was great to see her - it was about a year since the last time I saw her. We went to a cool little coffee shop near UB City (a posh shopping mall). I had been invited to go to a Bryan Adams gig that night, but after the late night I had on Saturday I decided to stay in. Also Jenny wasn't feeling very well, so I went over to check on her.

Unfortunately Jenny had to have a couple of days off sick at the beginning of last week, so I was on my own - but it gave me good practice! Outside of work l had a fairly quiet week. Which was good - gave me a chance to catch up with myself!

Last Friday was Jenny's last day, and the day which Lucy arrived. Lucy and I will be working together for the next 2.5 months - its a bit scary though that Jenny won't be here!!

On Saturday I took Lucy around the city to some of the places I knew. We had a lovely lunch at the Leela Palace (a posh hotel up the road), then went over to UB City for a coffee. Later on we went to a shopping mall, then for dinner and a few drinks. I also caught up with a couple of the guys from the previous week. But this time I made sure I went home at a reasonable hour (I didn't want Lucy to get a bad impression of me after all!!).

Today I had a quiet morning, then did a bit of shopping (again!) in the afternoon. I found the M&S in Bangalore!!! So if I ever get home sick I know where I'll be going!! I also asked the jeweller I bought my topaz stuff off last week to make me some ruby earrings and a pendant (I wasn't intending on buying anything - it just happened!!).

Tonight Lucy and I went for a little exploration near to where we live and ended up at a restaurant called Barbeque Nation. Its a fantastic place - there is a mini bbq on each table, the food is cooked in the kitchen until it is almost ready, then it is brought out to you and you choose whether to put marinades on it while it finishes off cooking!! Fantastic idea!! I'm not sure it would work in the UK due to health and safety issues - but if you could get everyone to sign a waiver on the way in, it would be a great place to go to!!

Anyway, off to work in the morning, so bye for now.

L x.