Jaipur n Bharatpur

Well, since I spoke to you last, I have been vegging out in Jaipur indulging in a little christmas shopping and research into voluntary positions for the new year. My long stay at Shakuntalam has meant making a lot of good friends there, so I hope I CAN come back and stay for longer. I have been spending time at a place called Ladli which is a refuge for abused street kids -which is where im hoping to come back to for longer. The project is really wonderful - its NGO based and runs a shelter, an outreach school (a school on wheels in a bus!) and a 24hr helpline for children in crisis. Visiting is heartbreaking and wonderful all at once - you hear the terrible stories of the girls and boys there - many of them are orphans as well as disabled or mentally scarred from the horrendous abuse they have recieved on the streets, phisically, mentally or sexually. But you meet them now and it really gives you hope for these childrens future. They are laughing and joking, full of energy and smiles and obviously feeling happy and secure. Wonderful place. Anyway, Im hoping to come back in April and stay as long as possible. http://i-indiaonline.com/prog_ladli.htm

Other things that have been happening -well, not much really! I have taken up Yoga which is good as well as quite hard!! Mind you, I am already feeling different -more aware of my poor posture!! Im hoping to do more when im on the beach over Christmas.

Talking of Christmas - I have booked my beach hut on the beach at Patnem, which is one of the most Southern beaches in Goa. Sounds lovely and I cant wait!! If you would like to see my hut, have a look at www.parvatihuts.in I arrive there on 22nd Dec and Im planning on staying until March really! lovely/lazy!

Anyway, after leaving Jaipur yesteray, I bussed East to Bharatpur, which is famous for a large wetland area national park, where it is usually possible to see hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. Well, I jumped into a rickshaw this morning really early to go into the park, and was immediately told that due to low water levels (the monsoon was crap this year) there were no birds! hahahahaa! just my luck. I DID see a few - the best being some kingfishers and also a couple of owls, but mostly I had to make do with watching a couple of Indian Squirrels. It was well worth coming here for the park....nooooooooooooooooot! Oh well, as Chris used to be so fond of saying.."seeing wildlife is a privilage NOT a right!"

Tomorrow I whizz off to Agra to go and see the Taj Mahal by full moon! Hurrah for me!

OOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm