Heylos people. The reason I was in such a rush yesterday was cuz I was on my way to Tirupathi. Since the day my dad discovered the South, it's been his wish to visit the place, and finally, finally, it came true. I was wary of the trip after my experience with the Kancheepuram temples earlier this year. Plus, for some unknown reason I just wanted to be at home.

The temple is actually in Tirumala, which is on top of a hill. From the moment you start your climb upwards, it's hard to believe your still in India. There are no writings on rocks, no people stopping to take leaks and the roads are so damn well kept. And that's not it, even once you reach the top, you find very very little litter around. And there are toilets, clean toilets everywhere.

Thankfully, the place wasn't too crowded, cuz of diwali I guess. The darshan was at 4 something today morning. So we left our rooms at 3!! Which means we were up at 2 getting ready. That's my normal bedtime. To think. People go crazy in there. The amount of faith they had, astonished me. And the lenghts people go through. I tto went for the paid one, so I didn't stand in q s for six hours and all in the line that goes on and on and on. And on. People stand for hours together, no matter what time of the day. At stretches you even have to run. It was funny in a way.

I'm back finally. Still in a muddle. But that's k. People have it worse. I hate that sentence actually. It makes me feel guilty about feeling down. Yep, I'm still me :)

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe diwali. May the year ahead bring you all loads of luck, love and joy!

Yours forever sthupitly.

Yuck. Feeling all mushy mushy. And sthupit. And dumb. And all the nonsense stuff. So I thought I might as well bore you guys with tales about my camp.

We left late and arrived to candle light classrooms, where we were to sleep. On the bare floor. Managed to not eat insects the first night, well at least as best as I could with only a candle as source of light :) The first morning was, to say the least, over whelming. Discovered the joys and techniques of bathing in fields and keeping your privacy at the same time... built make shift bathrooms so more people could bathe at the same time... Got electricity supply wires from the house of a friend, our seniors had made when they had come here last year, God bless the guy and his family, if it hadn't been for him we wouldn't have survived. Got late for roll call in the morning, and blasted for it... didn't do much that day. Was bored to death.

The second day brought with it actually rising before the sun, so as to make it to roll call on time. And that seemed to set the pattern for the days to come. Up and ready with coffee, what we called hot dirty water, by six thirty. Breakfast done with and rooms, two classrooms for 35 of us girls, cleaned by nine thirty, we used to set out to clean up the church, the hospital, the school, etc there. We'd walk the roads of the village, singing much to the delight of the villagers. And of course there was doing a little balle balle in my honour and pulling my leg over the tamil I had picked up and was trying to use.

Christined right about everyone present at the camp and got half of them into trouble with their parents, by teasing them with their "boy friends" when they were on the phone with their parents :) There was a Pedigree, because his surname meant dog food in Tamil; then there was V.P.S, vetti porkki senior (Jobless road side senior, when loosely translated); M.P. , mottai patel (bald patel, when translated); Siren, because he had one very loose fuse wire; Baldy, for the obvious reason that he was bald; Rudy, for obvious reasons again and there was a Mrs. Rudy too ;); a Miss. Drooly for the very simple reason that she was on the phone for half the damn night... and many many more. I'm not mentioning their real names, for I'm in enough trouble already... having hit a guy with a broom yesterday. In my defence he'd been asking for it all week.. Okay, so I was just kidding and apologised. And apologised. And apologised... He took it okay, though he'd going to get ragged like hell in the hostel.

The seniors were glad to see our back sides yesterday when the camp finally ended. They'd had enough of my singing nursery rhymes to the tune of tamil songs and trying my tongue at new words and sentences. Though, I did succeed and managed to ask the villagers questions, which they understood and answered, before you ask, during the survey session. While I was surprised to find that there was proper current and water supply in the region and that most of the village was educated and was seeing to it that their kids were being educated too, I was shocked to learn that they were content with what they had. Whether it was because they had given up on the governments and had reconciled with their fates or whether it was because they really were happy with their lives, I'll never know. They did have complaints about lack of street lights, police and the absence of a government hospital. I hope we can help them out.

We did collect funds, out of our own willingness, to provide fees and school uniforms for a guy for his 11th and 12th studies, which he had been willing to do without for the lack of money to buy uniforms and pay the fees. We also rushed a sick person, for a week, to the nearest hospital. Nothing major.. but yeah, work all the same.

We were divided into 5 units at the camp, and each unit had specific duties, which they did by rotation every day. Catering and cleaning. The catering units helped fill water drums for use everyday. Twice a day. Help the cooks with the kitchen work.. and stuff like that. It was the toughest of the jobs, because we had to walk with cans of water over a kimi or so with cans of 30 litre capacity to fill huge drums, a million times. Or that's what it felt like.

Afternoons were off for all the cleaning units.. We'd all again go cleaning in the evenings again. Late evenings were utilised in playing and making calls.. And feedback reports by each unit. And entertainment by the catering unit, that had stayed indoors all day. So it was basically cat calling, booing and making fun time.

The seniors that accompanied us were a huge asset. They arranged everything, looked and worked on even the smallest detail, and took care of us. And of course ragged us. Me. They also showed us their cupcake side by bringing in cakes from the city for the birthday celebrators. And a gift a piece. They're not as bad as they led us to think when we first joined. Two people had to be rushed to the city hospital at 11:30 in the night, and they did it. They took care of it all. I had to be given a tetanus shot... and though they made me walk 3 kimis with a foot that had just been pierced with a rusted nail, they took care of it. While the teachers sat and basked in the sun.

They nutured, taught, tortured and played with us. I'm a whole new person. A black, thin and with- rash- all- over- her new person :) It was an amazing trip... in spite of the fact that we didn't have electricity for a lot of the time.. we ran out of gas, due to lack of funds from the Govt... inspite of mosquitoes.. inspite of everything... it was one helluva experience.

And you can't blame me for thanking God.. it's the once- in- a-lifetime type :)

Yellows childrens. I am back. Shanta Bai, Kanta Bai, Ganga Bai, Murgarajankupaswamykamini all have to wait. Yep, we left the house at 8:30 AM. hehahahahahaha... So, I'm still me.

I had an awesome time, but I was glad to see my dirty room and bed and clean towels and proper food again. Sounds like I went on sanyas? I did! I did!! Not making sense? Let's take it from the top..

We hit the road by eight thirty, and for those who have over active imaginations we did not take the bullock cart, the horse cart, bicycles and we did not resort to Tarzan style of travelling either, we took the car. The roads are awesome, with the Toll and all now, so the drive was damn good. We stopped at a small hill station called Yercaud for the night. It's around 40 kimi from Salem.

I'd been there before, on a school trip in 9th standard. It was our very first day-night trip. Aah the memories.. I had a good time lecturing my sis on the way we sneaked up into our balconies (the doors had been locked) and spent the night out... about the camp fire and all that... Sigh. I also had to run to save my ass for half a kimi, because my dad wanted to spank me for spoiling the young child. Young child, my little toe.

And I can't believe how much the place has NOT changed. It's an awesomely dirty town. But if you can make it to the resorts, a little away from of the centre of the town, you're in for a treat. We stayed at a place called The Grange. It's tucked away on the hill, amidst a dense tree cover. Boating is about all you can treat yourself to over there.. and a few great veiws. The lake still stinks!!

Next morning we buckled ourselves in and left for our next destination, Coimbatore. Nothing much there... usual city type place. Pollution, traffic jams and people with their lungi's half way up :)

From Coimbatore, we left for Munaar, our final destination. The drive uphill, unlike that to Yercaud, is slow and across, at a vague guess, at least a 100 mountains :) It took forever! Oh! and before you go all the way up, do stop at this small stall, right on the road.. they sell fresh orchard mangoes.. it's hard to miss, it's the only shop on the whole road. Mom and dad went berserk!! It's all they did in Munaar. Eat mangoes.

Oh and yeah.. before that.. there's this huge field of windmills!! It's an amazing sight. there's around a hundred of these giants...

Around half way up, you're in for a treat. The air smells of tea and the view is amazing. There are tea gardens and tea gardens and some more tea gardens. Phew. What came as a shock to mum and dad and sis was the actual Munnar ( I've been there before too.. school trip). It's an amazingly dirty place (again). Brave it to about 20 kimi's from the town, and you're in paradise. In the midst of sprawling tea gardens and over looking the valley are The Mahindra Holiday Club Resorts and The Sterling Resorts.

We put up at Sterling... Had a cottage to ourselves. Two blissful days of long walks.. playing pool, reading and getting made fun of at party games, which the resort people hosted every evening... Aaah! Every man's paradise.

You DO NOT want to venture back into the city, or to any of the "sight seeing" points.. they're a waste of time. Take your own car, and just loitre around.. You're likely to see all these points yourself. For example, there's a point called "the hanging bridge". Sounds bery bery exciting and all.. but all it is, is a hanging bridge. That helps you cross over from one tea estate to another. Over NOT a stream ... but over some bery green grass :)

Oh and I almost forgot.. there's a National Park up there too.. I forget the name.. But there's nothing up there but Wild Goats. Apparently, there are only 2400 of them left in the world, and around 1500 of them are found here. The first time I made the trip up there, I saw zilch. But the view is awesome. You can see a million mountains.. and the whole valley. It's worth the 2 kimi trek up. This time, there were clouds everywhere.. but lots of goats. I think I have a pic of every goat that every tread on that mountain by now. Dad and me are capricorns.. I guess that's explaination enough.

On the way back, we stopped at a small place called Pollachi, instead of venturing straight into Coimbatore again. We also stopped at the Mango shop again, to find it closed. But that didn't stop me dad.. nothing comes in the way of fresh fruit and him. So, he gets the man to open up his godown, and buys 13 kilos of mangoes. Phew. That's my dad for you.

Now, the reason for this stop was to make a trip to the Annamali Wildlife Sanctuary. Dad's a wildlife buff. We thought we'd go up there and spend the day there, and be back by early evening. Ha! Good think no one spared a penny of those thoughts. We went there and found out that the best time to see animals was before 6 P.M and afer 6 A.M. In between which, no traffic is allowed. So, logically thinking, one would have to stay at the guest houses there, to actually enjoy the experience. Nothing comes between my dad and wildlife.

And voila! We have accomodation. No clothes, but the ones we have on and no toileteries. And we have a tree house to ourselves. Right on the lake. On a bloddy tree. Two trees.

So, we stayed in a tree house, saw the world's biggest Teak tree, saw no tigers, ate food made at an adivasi(tribal) settlement, and had alot of night time visitors. The not-seeing-tiger part didn't hurt, because we'd already seen proper ones at Kanah Kisli, which is another National Park in Central India, and India's largest Tiger reserve. So, we had an awesome time.

First thing we did when he reached Coimbatore, was run for the showers. My sis wasn't too keen on it though.. she's used to roughing it out for days without a bath. Yuck. Pig. We attacked the soft beds with rigour.

Dad wanted to make the drive back home in one stretch, so we were up to greet the sun next morning. And you won't believe it.. but we saw all our forest friends ka domestic relatives. domestic Bisons (buffaloes), domestic boars (pigs), domestic elephants (elephants) and domestic deer (deer).. and domestic goats (goats) so yay! Okie, I'm just kidding.

On the whole, the trip was great. So instead of running out of the country when you want a good vacation... visit India, again. It's the most awesome place on the planet. Not many places can boast of roads that will gaurantee to keep you awake so that you can enjoy the scenary and give you a very good physiotherapy at the same time. Not many places can boast of "chay wallas" (small tea shops) on the way and amazing views. Not many places can actually make you appreciate the change in air when you travel out of the city... and I can gaurantee that you get all this and more when you travel India!! I'm telling ya.. I've been through the west and the north and the south... and I'm amazed and I've loved every bit of it :)

What isn't great is that results are out next week. And that medical students have been pushed to go on a strike. And that Karuna Nidhi is back in power. And that there are people who actually support reservations. But that's for another time.. Hope you guys had a great and peaceful week.. because guess what?

I'm back!!

Oh and thankus for bearing with me, I've been a real BEAR at times... this is post number 150!!! Ok. Who am I kidding? I've been a BEAR most of the time... and best part is.. I'm still me :)