I moved

.. my blog. To http://markustraveling.wordpress.com/
- pretty much the same - but they have slideshows, which excite me.

Chau

Christmas

Long time no see. I am alive, the e-coli was not fun but pretty quickly over. The course have ended, I have left Udaipur, and I have been spending time with my friend the beach.

The last weeks of the stay in Udaipur was hectic and slightly crazy, and even if we missed exams back home, we got our fair share of stress with writing final reports and making final presentations. In the end it all went well, like it normally does, and we had some great last nights with other volunteers and people we know. My marvelous father came down two days before i left, and was literally just in time for my presentation. Left for Mumbai, with sitting seats in a bus, this went fine, and we met up with the brits from Seva there. Had some fun days as tourists again, saw the absolutely amazing thiefs market, less amazing meatmarket, and bought old bollywood posters bigger than I am. Also 'starred' in a Bollywood to come, with some of the biggest bollywoodstars, Kareena Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan. Look out for RA ONE, coming out in 7 months, starring Dad and I as festive dancing people in a london club in the final song, 'ta ta'. Left for Goa on train a couple of days later, got bumped up, so we had blankets and pillows, and ac! Fun and comfy. Said bye to brits again and left for anjuna beach after some quick consultation with travelbooks, and had some really nice days there, and spending a day on an Royal Enfield, driving around trying to find anything else than beaches that would be interesting. Since Christmas eve we have been with the brits, just south of goa, where there is almost no tourists, and a very laid back atmosphere. We have had some great days here, introducing the brits to aquevit and trying to celebrate christmas, even if we do spend half the day in the sun or water on the beach, and spent christmas eve eating barbecued fish and sitting around a bonfire. Dad and I will stay here until I leave, he'll go south, and ill start on my hometrip.

I'll do some photoes when i have time, but this just might be the last post from India, see YOU soon.

P.S. Merry Christmas & a Happ New Year!

Work and babies

I got diagnosed with ecoli the other day, so did Karianne, so its been some lazy hazy days. Instead of talking about that, i have put out photoes. The first are from work, and the other ones are obviously not.

Camels and Peacocks

I have

- Used up a big tube of toothpaste that I bought in India

- Been in Incredible India for three months

- Seen more Bollywood movies

- Read 'In spite of the Gods' by Edward Luce, and i think you should too

- Been on a two day camel trek while riding Raju the camel

- Slept under the stars on sand dunes during the said camel trek

- Been dressed as a peacock (Indias national bird) during the most kickass halloween party India has seen so far, hosted by lovely vb-people (and won the award of best partygirl)

- Probably landed an extra role, in a french movie, as an officer. Will be given horseback riding training and will be flown from Goa to Tamil Nadu (South India) and back for the last day of shooting, in late december, with Greg.

- Gotten quite acquainted with imodium

- Bought my ticket from India in early January, when I will meet this guy. (Can you blame me?)

I don't really like writing but i am well, and all is fine, will try to upload some photos soon instead.

Random photoes

First pics from working, a coulpe from mount abu, and the two last of a visit to a deaf school that we are visiting when we have time.

Haa means Yes, Nahi - No

The last weeks have been great, working a lot and being out in the field, which means in rural areas of Rajastan. Because of the moonsoon being so recent, and lasting so long, most areas are still green and beautiful, and there are still some small rivers. Most of the year, these areas are arid and yellow, so we have come at the right time for pretty scenery.

I have divided my time so that this month is dedicated to the Balsakhi program, where I will follow young women working with neonatal and infant health and nutrition. I did so some days of the past week as well, but now i will not have any of my comentors with me, just me and Sanjay who will translate for me. Last week I spent two nights at the block office in Kotra, the area furthest away from Udaipur. Beautiful place, great people, and fun traveling with a gearscooter. I slept under the stars on my balcony there, and I am looking forward to going back!

Other than work we have had a couple of fun parties at the VB guesthouse, where a great group of volunteers live, we went to Mount Abu and got sunburned last weekend, and yesterday some of us went to lake ravi, that has crocodiles in it, swam across it and back, and got even worse sunburns. Johan and Lachlan are in Dehli this weekend, to watch games from the commonwealth games (who knew about them, hm?) and we are moving rooms, because tomorrow we are getting six new guys, one Danish volunteer, Henrik, and five Indian college guys. Will be fun!

Hindi is slowly getting somewhere, but because our teacher has fallen ill we have not had too many classes. I can say my name, where i am from and some lines from different hindi popsongs, but a conversation is still hard. Yesterday I bought a movie and my second movie soundtrack, and I am still loving my bollywood. Did i give you the link to the eighties greatest song?

Dad is coming to Goa to spent christmas with me! And so are four of the british volunteers living in VB (as is a gang of their friends), and possibly Maria from Boliva, Lachlan and Fredrik, and I also know a guy I met while traveling thats going there. So christmas in Goa looks like it will be a BIG hit. Woop whooop.

Finally got to put out some photoes, they are not amazing, but its a glimpse of whats happening.