Hey Guys,

Hope you are all well and looking forward to my eminate arrival, hehe. Had good last week same as the others. Doing loads in surgery including torturing the odd patient with a minor procedure and suturing. ALso managed to catch up with Kayden (remember Abi's cousin who had the bike accident) for a night in Purple Haze. That place still makes me giggle. The cricket was on (India Vs West Inds) and man they make our football pub watching look tame. Have to admit did have a couple of beers (which went straight to my head- Brilliant, drank approximately a pint and half!!) then India lost but it didn't result in a decrease of the enthusiastic headbanging and singing along to led Zep at the top of their voices!! Went Saree shopping on friday which was quite an experience. Seeing as I usually manage to shop like a bloke (i.e. walk in see what I want, try it on, buy it- 10 minutes max) saree shopping turned me into a right girl. Theres sssoooo many different types, thin, thick, silk, polyester, embroidered, plain, traditional, modern, every colour of the rainbow and everything in between. I'm not kidding, I went to a Saree show room (this is the same size as a car showroom- full of sarees) it took me a fair while to selection which one I wanted finally but settled on a gorgeous silk hand embroidered pink and green number. Thought I can't really leave India without buying one as a memento! Currently it's being stitched, the thing is you don't just buy a saree, oh no, there's a hundred and one things to do afterwards. The blouse must be stitched, you need to find a matching skirt. a tailor has to hem and fall (no idea what this is but apparently I need it?) then theres the matter of actually learning how to put it on, theres 20 different ways of doing this too!! Blagging the girls to teach me on thursday night. Those of you on the course, think we should have a 'dress as the traditional dress of the country of your elevtice night' purely so I can wear it. With no excuses about staying at home, cornwall- pirates, devon- farmers and plymouth well it has to be the janner massive!!

Went to Hampi at the weekend and it's possibly one of the most beautiful places I've been in my life. I jumped on the sleeper train on friday night. This was after a hell raising journey to the station. I popped into town to see a friend and grabbed a pre-paid auto. On exiting the auto I found myself at the bus station not the train station (I had no idea how far apart they were) so worried I would miss the train jumped back in frantically trying to explain that I wanted the train station and to step on it, Indian style. Stupid, stupid Alex, the auto guy then procedes to slam the auto up the embankment seperating the two sides of the road, we then become grounded at the top and teeter forward and back (similar to the scene in Intalian job!) with me saying frantically I'd rather walk. However before I know it, we're hurtling down the other side straight into an oncoming bus!! Jesus I thought, great last bloody week in India and I'm at the mercey of tuktuk's answer to the hell's angels. We go flying around this roundabout with 2 wheels (remembering tuktuks have only 3) on the ground and skid into the train station which turns out to the the other chuffing side of the road from the bus station. OH well, you live you learn, however was slightly concerned at one point the earlier might not apply!! Anyway the rest of the journey was a lot less eventful, and arrived at hampi about 8am following morning. The first thing that hits you about hampi is the amazing scenery (pics will be on tomorrow so you'll be able to see what I mean. There's random boulders everywhere, it almost looks like God made loads of mountains, decided he wasn't happy, demolised and left the piles of rubble everywhere. Some of the stacks of boulders seem to defy gravity even!! There's no know geological explaination as to how they are like this. But it certainly gives a mystical feeling to the place!!

When I arrived Jules and Kay were just surfacing from bed so we had some brekkie and were off. We spent saturday cycling around the 'otherside' of the river and went up to monkey temple where I learnt to high-five monkey style from Ragu! Another temple with it's own massive lotus pond and a guy paddling round picking lotus in a rubber ring! Then went to this stunning restaurent called the mango tree. Which looks out over the river and you sit crosslegged on all these ledges going down the bank, food was great too. Best part about it was a huge swing which hangs from the mango tree, which swings out over the restaurent. Needless to say the big child I am it kept me amused for hours!! Then Sunday we spent looking around the ruined temples. I got up real early to see the temples that jules and Kay did on thursday. The result being I got to look around some of the most spect6acular buildings I've ever seen, in the first light of the day, with the most beautiful back drop and withouy another soul around (I did start at 6.30am) Nicko was my little dude of a tuktuk driver, very knowledgable and knew a good place to stop for chi! Back to Jules and Kay yawning their way out of bed about 4hrs after me!! We went for a lush breakfast at Mango tree (had to see it by day too) and then saw the rest of the temples. They were bloody marvelous!! Favourite had to be the most famous which is a massive temple with a stone chariot inside and the pillars are all hollow and play different notes when hit in the right way. Had a slightly embarassing moment when I was merrily trying to play the pillars (never thought I'd say that) and turned round to see a bus load of indian tourists behind me. There was loads of other amazing sights and i'll let the photos speak for themselves!! Had a generally awesome weekend with Jules and Kay. They're such a sweet couple and real easy going. No doubt will stay in touch. Got train back last night next to two of the poshist women I've ever met. Lots of 'oh darling you're going to be a doctor, how marvelous' 'oh you're not honestly telling me you usually travel second class' and 'what do you mean you have a bucket shower, sounds simply aweful' yaada yaada yaada. Needless to say I was suddenly very tired and retired to my bunk. Where I proceeded to freeze my jubblies off all night as was right under the bloody air con.' Back yesterday morning at 6am and went straight to OPD for 9am.

Last night went to see '7 brides for 7 brothers' with Dr Rajan, his daughter and one of the interns Anju. Was really good actually- a few dodgy accents, and rather comical dancing but the singing and majority of the scting was really good. The only thing to spoil the last few days is that in the epic war of waffy vs. mosquitos in the last battle (i.e. saturday night) the mosquitos took advantage of my lowered defences (forgot repellent and no free mosi net at guest house) and in one united front hit a deathly blow of 50 (yes 50!!) massive mosi bites!!! On my face, my neck, arms, legs, earlobes!! The b******s got me everywhere!! Hopefully will not look like lizard when I get back!Will put one final entry on thursday will my top ten things (ie. things I've loved, quotes, things I've missed, what i'll miss about India, what i WON"T miss about india ect. ect.) well thats deffinately enough for one day! Take care all

Alex

xxxxxx