Woops-missed a few days so a few things to write.
After the travel agent and card fiasco still no luck in paying. My bank say my cards are fine and the travel agent's bank say my cards are at fault and not their machine. Will sort that one out tomorrow.
Yesterday went to another school, Bluebells and met some children who do not go to school because their parents send them to work. They are probably between 5 and 11. One girl, maybe 6 works on a construction site and one boy had been living on the streets since he was about 4 because his parents died. There were also women making bags and scarves to set up their own local business and women learning to cook so they can earn 3,000INR a moth rather than 300. Never would have believed there was so much good going on under one roof but still made me sad that people are in this situation.
We had a bit of trouble finding the place because the slum kind of areas here don't really have proper addresses. You kind of find the area and then follow your nose! Another school today to do a bit of work with the teachers, lets hope we can find it. I think it's the one I went to the first week I was here not Daisy but Azalea.
Every time I have been to the schools they have offered me food and every time I have declined for two reasons. One I am worried that it might make me ill and two I am rubbish at eating with my hand. It makes me feel a bit bad to say no. I drank some water yesterday that they gave me and i was a bit concerned about this and finished it before I left as I did not want them to think I was rude but was still slightly concerned.
I offered the teachers a ride because Kumar had taken me there and I think he though it was funny that I reappeared an hour or so later with three Indian women in saris who all hopped into the back of the car! I knew that they had a bit of a walk home so it was the least I could do. They all jumped out as some junction on the road, not quite sure where they were going but they joined the other line of people walking up the road some carrying rice, some barefoot , some leading cows along!!
So on Sunday we made the drive to Mysore which has got an absolutely stunning palace that is lit up at night. It's a bit like Disney!! We also visited the Tippu Sultan's summer palace, the dam which has gardens often used in Bollywood films, an impressive cathedral and a silk shop. Oh and a bird sanctuary too. Boy we packed it in!
I left the silk shop as the man was too pushy and to be honest I feel bad about spending when you see so many people with so very little. I was tired and a bit grumpy! I have also seen enough pashminas now and have gained enough knowledge to last me a lifetime! I much prefer the fact that I have gone to the local store where we are living to have some clothes made. Which reminds me I am supposed to collect my new Indian outfit today. Will see if I have time after the school.
For breakfast on the way to Mysore I ate this sweet thing that I can only describe as a steamed pudding about the size of a poached egg that has got currents and pineapple in it-yum!!! Also by this point, half way that is, I had counted 91 dogs!!
Despite the fact we saw some really amazing sites I felt so sad by the time we arrived at Mysore. Why? Just the people and things I saw out of the window as we were driving. So many people looked dirty and no shoes and they were carrying water from the communal tap, men peeing nearby and kids playing in dirt and it just was rather distressing. There was also the sheep that had just been killed and had been hung up-I watched them doing it.
It actually made me want to cry not the sheep, I can deal with that sort of. In some ways I wish I had just slept for the journey but hey welcome to the real India!!
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