2nd Update!

Hello again. as promised here is another hopefully less jam packed update. im my last blog i signed off hurriedly as the computer clock read 10 40, but when got back to the flat found the time was 8 30! so couldve kept going. oh well!

havebeen doing more sightseeing since my last update. this is because the chennai co-ordinator becky is up in mumbai at the moment attebding a conference for something or other. as shes back on monday ill prob start proper work then. yesterday went out of chenaai to a zoo, which was pretty run down but had some cool animals, the best being able to get as close as one metre from a panther which was walking up and down its barren cage. then went and climbed some cool huge rocks, with great views of the sea (south of chennai), and last;y to a scripture union camp that was really nice and relaxing. right next to the beach, which reminds me of thailand. this coast was also hit by the tsunami. interestingly chennai has the worlds 2nd longest beach, so im proudly told. the day before yesterday we went to the beach in the city, which was also very relaxing. the sea is nice and warm, and quite blue. though being next to an indian city worries me slightly! will go back and have a swim sometime. it is much easier to get about in chennai than in mumbai, though it does get very very busy. most people drive motorbikes here, and there are much less taxis than mumbai. there are a few old fashioned white taxis though which are air conditioned and not to bad for space.

a/c is very important here, as everyday is equivilent to the uk's hottest summer day. imagine those days where the heat outside is just unbearable, and there is heat coming off everything around you.......well thats what its like, everyday!! it really tires you out.

another thing thats difficult is the whole indian personal space thing! while becky is away the guy in charge is swarmy, who i think i mentioned before. he is a great guy and has been really trying to make things nice for us. however....as some of you will know indian men tend to walk around with one guys arm across another guys shoulder, and due to the fact i am a lot more responsive and talkative than the other guys, swarmy occasionally feels the need to do this while sharing some peice of information with me! which isnt a problem, but after a while i feel i would rather walk but myself thanks! h talks to mke a lot more than the other two. they are a lot more quiet than me and i try to make an effort in getting to kow the guys and this is the side effect!

ate properly with my hands today as wasnt provided with a spoon at lunch. meal is difficult atm as you get given a huge portion and then another unconsulted helping when youve managed to finish the first lot! at least they are giving us less spicy stuff so am thankful for that!

today spent the morning visiting a new slum community where we will be setting up a project in future. got to play some cricket for the first time. however, my little game with the kids was soon disrupted as the other kids decided they wanted to bowl very fast bouncers at the white guy. got clipped on the ear a few times! and got hit for 6 (and lost ball) when attempting some english stlye off spin! shouldve remembered that the indians are rather good at playing indian style spin, let alone tame english finger spin. for all you cricket fanatics out there (steve!) i have found the reason for indias poorish bowling attack: all the young kids have illegal bowling actions! they all end up throwing it instead of keeping thier arms straight. you heard it here first!

tomorow is my day off, and need it, as i have been going at full pace these first 2 or so weeks. am very tired, so finding it a little hard to continue adjusting to things like the food and the heat and the incessant honking of horns! but all ais good apart from my tiredness.

hopefully next update will be sometime during next week. however the internet cafes here are very inconsistant and not always open! again, as thereare less new things to describe i will start riting more personal thoughts etc etc (again, nb steve!).

thanks for reading,

josh