Namaskar ji!
It's currently about 35 degrees, 2.10 in the afternoon & we've spent all day so far shopping in Jaisalmer market. I've sent my post, been chased by fighting bulls (no joke, me and Rox had to leap on a wall to escape) and haggled my head off.
Ok, been here about 2 weeks, sorry for the lack of info - it's not easy to get online for any amount of time here. Here's what i've been up to so far, i'll elaborate at a leater date.
Dehli to Jaipur -
6/7hrs on the hottest coach you've never seen with 47 other people I barely knew. Warm water, balls of curry potato in foil, out of date pepsi. The IDEX office and all the people that work there are lovely, really, very helpful. We had a makeshift Hindi crashcourse with Amit then spent 3 days with our host families. I was with the Sharma's who were very nice, especially Shashwar the little boy who made sure we were never wanting for anything. In Jaipur we saw the fort, took an elephant ride, shopped, got stampeded by a SWARM of monkeys, and ate more 15Rs butterscotch ice cream than is considered healthy.
Jaipur to Jaisalmer -
Sleeper trains are AWFUL and terrifying to try and catch. I had some creepy indian man beneath me all night putting his hand through the bed :s but Chelsea and the girls were there for some strength in numbers. Guarav and Pramod accompanied us all the way. 10/11 hours later we arrived in Jaisalmer.
CAMP IDEX.
Oh my goodness, when they said we'd be in the middle of the desert they were not messing. It's incredible, hot, sweaty, beautiful and blacker than black when the leccy cuts out. Which is all the time. The food is kinda the same every day with some variation. Rice. Chapati. Dahl. I havent got dehli belly yet (thankyougod) so thats good.
Jodha Day Care Centre.
Is where I now work. We get between 0&5 kids a day, with the odd passer by drifting in when they hear something fun happening. They're all ages up to 15 as they dont get to go to school alot of the time as they have to tend the family farms. My new favourite is Duri - the sweetest little sugarlump of a boy, about 5yrs old and loves having his nails painted. Nexy week we get to get the paint out and jazz it up a bit. Clearing the geckos and crickets out was a choooore.
The peeps.
Are incredible :) I've got 47 best friends here.
I am missing home alot, when it's dark and everyone is off doing thier thing or when the mice are running up and down my mosquito net. I miss my bed, the clean water out the tap, the air con. My goodness - you'd vault your own mother for a cold coke out here. And it's always out of date! But for 25-30Rs (40/50p) a bottle, it's cheeeap.
Viki, I bought you a bag today.
Mum, Georgey, Fliss, you have post coming!
Ami - Got another 3 pairs of pants today, one has camels on. 3pounds. HAAA. I've got you some but i canny find any like you said because they dont do fancy pants like that here - it's more conservative. I'll try and get you back some Marinda Akra Fizz, it's lemonade, with attitude.
Clare - Got your statue, haggled him down from 1000Rs to 200Rs but it's still only the size of a coffee cup so don't worry you're getting something else too (on the proviso you dont top my hamster.)
Mumma - Buy an international calling card and ring the camp phone. Ask for meee! But remember i'm 5hrs ahead.
Love from Rajasthan. xxxxx
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
The departure
Off in an hour, eeee!
Driving to Uncle Phil's house in Windsor then he's taking us down (up?) to Heathrow. Quick munch at the airport then off I goooo!
I'll be in Dehli by tomorrow - good lord.
Friday, 8 October 2010
My life in less than 23kg
Packing limits are the most worrying and annoying invention. How can I predict what i'll be needing in my 10weeks away? How much shampoo do I get through? Will I be able to buy things like toothpaste and showergel when I get there? Eurgh!
On a test run of throwing things in and sitting on it to zip it shut my suitcase weighed in at 4st. 5kg over the limit. After a ruthless cull from my mother and I it was a more agreeable 20kg, but has since had a fantastic hand puppet, 3 giant dice, 2 sheets of stickers and 3 tennis balls lobbed in. Oh God I hope it's not too heavy...
On a test run of throwing things in and sitting on it to zip it shut my suitcase weighed in at 4st. 5kg over the limit. After a ruthless cull from my mother and I it was a more agreeable 20kg, but has since had a fantastic hand puppet, 3 giant dice, 2 sheets of stickers and 3 tennis balls lobbed in. Oh God I hope it's not too heavy...
Here's the lowdown.
Here's a makeshift, airy-fairy explanation of what on earth I'll be doing for the next 10weeks.
On Tuesday night at 10pm GMT I will flying from London Heathrow to Dehli where I will be met by IDEX (an indian organisation set up/run by Platform 2). From Dehli we make out way to Jaipur where we will be placed in a homestay with 2-3 other volunteers to get a feel for the indian lifestyle. After 2 nights, 3 days, we set off again for Jaisalmer, a 13hour sleeper train ride away that I have been told will utilise my handy pack of dettol wipes.
From Jaisalmer we tuktuk/taxi/rickshaw the 2 kilometres to Dabla where we spend the remainder of the 10weeks in an encampment, sharing a room with 5/6 other girlies where we are allowed the privelege of 1 western style flushing toilet & a big cold tap. Hurrah!
In the day we have morning and afternoon placements, mornings are mostly manual working on community facilities, renovating a playground and building a school and nursery. Obviously, being the last group to go I think we'll be afforded the nicer jobs of painting and decorating. one can hope. I'm looking forward to the afternoons where I could be anywhere including womens empowerment and education, teaching english and maths to primary and nursery children, teaching sports, or mums and babies health clinics (just let me at those cuties!).
Our weekends are our own when we will be allowed to go into Jaisalmer, or explore other parts (I've had a recommendation to visit the fort at Jodhpur). We have been promised a Camel safari with sleeping under the stars of the Rajasthan desert and an elephant ride to an ancient temple. Score!
On the 21st I make the journey in reverse, flying from Dehli back to London just in time for Christmas with my friends, family, and beautiful boyfriend. Who I will miss like nothing I have ever missed before. I have however been promised regular correspondance in the form of pre-written letters to be packed prior to my departure and opened at the appropriate time. There had better be lots of kisses in my birthday card.
On Tuesday night at 10pm GMT I will flying from London Heathrow to Dehli where I will be met by IDEX (an indian organisation set up/run by Platform 2). From Dehli we make out way to Jaipur where we will be placed in a homestay with 2-3 other volunteers to get a feel for the indian lifestyle. After 2 nights, 3 days, we set off again for Jaisalmer, a 13hour sleeper train ride away that I have been told will utilise my handy pack of dettol wipes.
From Jaisalmer we tuktuk/taxi/rickshaw the 2 kilometres to Dabla where we spend the remainder of the 10weeks in an encampment, sharing a room with 5/6 other girlies where we are allowed the privelege of 1 western style flushing toilet & a big cold tap. Hurrah!
In the day we have morning and afternoon placements, mornings are mostly manual working on community facilities, renovating a playground and building a school and nursery. Obviously, being the last group to go I think we'll be afforded the nicer jobs of painting and decorating. one can hope. I'm looking forward to the afternoons where I could be anywhere including womens empowerment and education, teaching english and maths to primary and nursery children, teaching sports, or mums and babies health clinics (just let me at those cuties!).
Our weekends are our own when we will be allowed to go into Jaisalmer, or explore other parts (I've had a recommendation to visit the fort at Jodhpur). We have been promised a Camel safari with sleeping under the stars of the Rajasthan desert and an elephant ride to an ancient temple. Score!
On the 21st I make the journey in reverse, flying from Dehli back to London just in time for Christmas with my friends, family, and beautiful boyfriend. Who I will miss like nothing I have ever missed before. I have however been promised regular correspondance in the form of pre-written letters to be packed prior to my departure and opened at the appropriate time. There had better be lots of kisses in my birthday card.
You can post me things...
At your peril, apparently packages are often robbed but letters (birthday cards...) should be ok.
Saath Sansthan,
Near Villiage Darbari,
Post Dabla,
Distt: Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan - 345001,
INDIA
Write sender address on the back and SARAH MILLS somewhere obvious so this chap Saath doesn't think he's gotten popular all of a sudden.
I will get homesick without letters :(
Saath Sansthan,
Near Villiage Darbari,
Post Dabla,
Distt: Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan - 345001,
INDIA
Write sender address on the back and SARAH MILLS somewhere obvious so this chap Saath doesn't think he's gotten popular all of a sudden.
I will get homesick without letters :(
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