Perfect picture blog time - a visual update

Happy New Years all, it was a quiet night for me, a couple of drinks and a walk up Rajpur Road.. I had considered going to bed before midnight but in the end thought “screw this I’m not dead so I will have fun”, so I danced around the room to P!nk Raise Your Glass until about 12:30.

With school out and not much happening, it has been an interesting, reflective and speculative time and a sometimes lonely time, which I have enjoyed and I think needed. I could share these thoughts but I do not feel I could articulate them adequately to encompass the emotion that accompanied the thought flow. Not that I believe these thoughts are unique in any way its just, hmmm… one of those things I guess. I think that there is a moment when no one else will understand your process and I think at that moment your true journey begins.

 The following are a series of pics over the last couple of weeks with short explanations. Though no pics ever do justice they may provide some context 

Raphael Xmas

* Santa was out kissing babies at the Christmas Pageant just before school closed

 * Nativity scene, though I think Mary might have had a bit too much makeup on to be considered that virtuous.

 * The three wise men taking a chill pill

Some shots of Raphael

 * Volunteers building, the bottom left is my room and the little cottage thing on the right is the "mess hall". Tiny little brown and grey squirrels run up and down the walls, v cute!

 * Part of the school building, standing on my porch I can see straight across, there's no escape :) 

* My classroom and it's "dusting" time. This is during vocational activities, Sonal is doing an outstanding job and is known for her prowess with a floor rag :))))

 * In this building is some of the housing for residents and the main kitchen, despite its outward appearance it's damnably cold, dark and there is no glass in the windows to keep the cold out and no heating and believe me it gets effing cold with concrete floors! Sometimes they set up a little fire just in the front corner of the building. Seriously these guys will set a fire anywhere! Just like peeing and spitting...

 *A panoramic view from my porch, so a little warped but you can see the main kitchen/residence to the left and the school on the right, plus my washing as I chase the sun around the yard after getting frostbite doing my hand washing.

*Mess hall - ironing time, little did I know the iron has no thermostat and needs to manually switched off and on, goodbye nice white shirt :/

 * My room, again more panorama warped goodness. Me being me, couldn't help but buy a sari and some yak shawls to add a little character. The mirror/vanity thing has my minibar ;)

r/

 *A typical lunch as served by Dhan or Hari - Rice, Chapati, some sort of vegetables and of course Dhal. Lunch and dinner are pretty much the same. Notice everything is in the oranges, yellows and reds you would expect of India.

 *You can see my favourite person here, Khanti, in maroon, they are painting the names of the residents to the underside of the Thali with cotton buds and enamel paint. Still not quite sure why though but I guess it helps keep an inventory.

 * Lunch starting to be served outside to some of the residents who had noone to return to over the short break

* The new volunteers who arrived a couple of days ago, Anita (speaks some Hindi, yay), Gen and Keely. They're about 19 waiting and waiting for Uni entry etc, they had come from spending warm beach time in Goa, very jealous!

Sumit and Kishan - Seoul warming (I have to have a Dad pun somewhere!)

 * Sumit on the left and Kishan on the right. Sumit has been selected for the Special Winter Olympics in Seoul. He had little wear that was not provided by the state for competing, David petitioned the Lions Club in Ballarat, who donated $200 plus added some of his own money and with a little extra from Jo Evans (thank you my darling) we managed to kit him out. 1 x Ski style tracksuit made to order with padding and lining, 2 x thermals, 1 x spare trainers, gloves and a reasonable amount of spare spending money so they can head out to get a burger or something when there, so freaking awesome to be a part of it...

I met with Keishan, Sumit and Sumit's father to do the shopping, Sumit and his dad shared a a bicycle down, whilst I braved crazy Indian traffic, helmet-less on the back of Kishan's scooter. The touching of the feet in thanks was a little uncomfortable,

* We even got his surname printed on the back. The maker was happy to throw in many extras to help out, it was heart warming not to be swindled for once.

Rishikesh - A holy city, no alcohol here :/ This was after leaving Mussoorie, where I beheld those stunning views before heading back to Dehradun

* The view from my room over the the Ganga

* And more

 And yet more

* You know the drill by now

* Because I am child, that's why... there were lots of different herbs at the hotel but couldn't help myself. The naked Ayurvedic massage here was a little different but that's another story for another time.

Back in Doon

* How cool, posing for the pic, this is on Mohini Road (Rahael's street) on my way to my morning Chai Masala.

Tapkeshaw Temple

These were taken today, the temple is set in a cave and said to be the walking place of Krishna when he was on earth, over 5000 years ago, it's old! I even got a dot on my forehead, see my selfy below, feel very local now. Tried not to take too many pics as did not wish cheapen other people's faith.

Well there you have it. It's taken hours to upload these photos and try not to write too much crap. So I'm off to bed, up at 5:30 for some exercise to try and wear off some of this ever expanding, chapati filled belly of mine.

Many blessings to all of you!

xoxoxo