Hello again.

Just a quick entry today (ok it never is) ; I'm loving reading all your birthday messages. It's been weird but quite special having a birthday in India. But first!

Last Friday was Shyla's birthday and we had a great party with all the kids - we got them to learn a new dance for their graduation day to "I can see clearly now the rains have gone". The girls (obviously) loved it and me Shyla and Lopa, a new volunteer from Kuwait, had loads of fun trying to choreograph them. They learnt it so quick! Then we had cake and birthday celebrations. In the evening me and Kim went to Shyla's party at her Aunt's mansion which was also a big social for loads of her aunt's friends who were all really nice. We were expecting a little do but we walked in and all the trees were lit up, there were waiters with canapes - it was like stepping out of India into a movie. Everyone there was really down to earth and we met loads of interesting people. I also met Shyla's friend Ricki who lives in LA so hopefully the three of us will meet up again when I go to California and go with Shyla to San Francisco.

There was also an open bar which was really good and well used by all :). Then we had some of the best food I've tasted in India. Then a group of us went to a very cheesy nightclub and I thrashed Shyla at table football (sorry Shyla :p). It was an awesome night.

The next day me and Kim relaxed and hung out round Pune, watched a movie and chilled. The next day we tried to do the Pune sightseeing bus thing. We had reserved it on the internet but got lost trying to find which bus stand the bus left from. So at 8 in the morning we ran round central Pune with no idea which bus stand we were going and discovered that it was full. We got so annoyed. So we tried doing a few sights ourselves but they were a bit rubbish so we went to this energy park place, gave up sightseeing as it was 40+ degrees and we were exhausted and so got a rickshaw back to the main area. Was walking down the street and suddenly it got really windy. Walls and signs were blowing everywhere and everything was being sucked into the sky. We got covered in dust. That evening there was a very long and pretty scary (I am on the top floor with nothing much around me) thunderstorm and loads of rain. So Sunday was pretty disasterous.

Monday to Friday I spent teaching and it was great fun as ever. We all got really into preparing for the graduation days. The boys are still really naughty and we're a bit worried the 26th is going to go a bit wrong. On Friday I got up, went to the boys centre, got exhausted, had a 10 minute lunch break and then went to the centre again early with Shyla, Prabha and Lopa to set up. We all got nervous. The girls arrived with their parents and there were loads of them. They did True Colours brilliantly and then played the games. The horrible lady from the office did her best to change all the games and make them worse but luckily we got rid of her after this . Then we gave out awards to the girls and watched a slideshow of Shyla's pictures. It was Shyla's last day so the girls got her lots of presents. Then all the girls, parents and teachers sang happy birthday to me which was such a great moment. I brought some cake and the bonbons I'd got from the U.K and the other didi's make Indian snacks and we all sat in a circle and had a party. The girls didn't really know what to do with my bonbons and were freaked out by how chewy they were . So that was a cool birthday (even though it occured a day earlier than usual). Afterwards Shyla said goodbye to the girls and we both went with Prabha to her house. I felt pretty overwhelmed and so did Shyla I think. Prabha gave us some tasty snacks but I was too full to eat them all. Then I said goodbye to Shyla and will hopefully see her in California in a few months. Was such a strange and brilliant day but I was a quite sad as it means my teaching time is coming to an end. I only have next week .

Today me and Kim have gone by bus to Aurangabad to visit the Ellora and Ajanta caves on tomorrow and Monday. I feel a little depressed because you're all in Exmouth and want to see you for my birthday. The bus was really early and I got stupidly anxious at the last half hour because we didn't know where to get off. (The Bollywood movie shown on board also had a scene of a bus careering of a cliff with everyone dying - brilliant choice for a bus journey over mountains). So I'm just thinking my birthday was yesterday as it was the day we really celebrated. I changed my flight to Sri Lanka so I have another week in Pune to do Osho so I feel a lot better - I'd rather do that than wonder aimlessly in Sri Lanka for 10 days :). Later this night we went for a meal in a lovely restuarant where the food was really good and the service exceptional so my actual birthday wasn't a complete disaster. We also have a brilliant hotel room for a lower rate although the bathroom as usual has a funny smell.

Missing you all lots. Tom

Tom