It's a quiet day today in preparation for a long overnight train journey in three tier sleeper from here to Hospet. We have been chatting about Britain's legacy in India and focused on the positives! We came up with a list of five: democracy and political system; English language; railway network; education system; legal and judicial system. Oh, and what about cricket as a sixth? I used the ATM at the local bank this morning and was reassured on my security by th...

Last night I stayed in a really wacky hotel right at the top of Ooty. Everyone thought it was a 1930s hotel because of the style but in fact it s only 16 years old and owned by a Bollywood film star. It has a huge picture of Napoleon on the wall and has an enormous atrium as you enter. It also has a discotheque downstairs called 'Midnight Cowboy' which six of us discovered later in the evening. There were only three Indian guests but the DJ was playing all sorts ...