Am writing this post from Hebron School high up in the mountains of southern India…Having an awesome trip so far – so much to take in – my head is at near bursting points with sights, sounds and crazy experiences.
Mumbai was our first stop-off (after traumas with missing bags and a missed flight!) It’s an amazing place – arranged around a coastline - and from a distance could almost pass for an American city. But then on closer inspection everything changes. Crazy traffic, people everywhere, delipidated buildings, colourful markets, glaring poverty, flashy wealth. To walk around the city is to experience its in-your-face nature with its distinctive and sometimes oppressive smells while all the time stall-holders vye for your attention.
One story that stands out was a little girl who pursued me up up the street, weaving through the crowds with me for about five minutes, tapping me on the hand, asking me carefully primed questions, looking for money. It was pretty obvious she’d been trained to do that. In the end she pointed to my water bottle and I gave her that. But it gutted me to think that this is her life and that as a child she faces countless rejections every singe day as she pounds a pavement tagging on to passing strangers.
AFter Mumbai we moved on to Hebron to see Louise after completing the most breathtaking but hairy journey high into the mountains. Up here it’s a different world – a bit of an oasis where we’ve reacquainted ourselves with rain!
Feeling pretty drained today – I guess there’s just been so much to take in and it’s all been pretty non-stop. But I am loving the adventures along the way. Tomorrow we move on to face a couple of mega train journeys before we end up in Goa.
More updates and stories to come when i get home….
