WRITING IN MUNNAR

I said goodbye to Kai and was on the bus to the Tea plantations of Munnar. Sadness was my traveling companion, though there also a sense of release. Not from Kai but from the pattern we had formed together. We had lived in each others pockets and knew what the other would say before they said it. Like brothers. Now I was heading off on my own into the unknown again. Unnerving, exciting and it felt right.The bus journey was horrendous. It started off well. Calmly climbing the steep mountain edge, it was only on the descent that devil took over the driver and reminded us all how close to death we all really are. I was stupidly sitting in the back, experiencing the full force of this runaway bus. Flung from side to, a literal white knuckle ride. And they were. The little boy in front of me was sick and still we powered on, the bus conductor angry at the boy's father for letting him puke. A frightened western woman sat rigid next to the boy, too scared to move away from the vomit that had seeped into her Aladdin trousers. What a joke. We were so close to becoming another statistic, yet none of us said anything. Too scared to confront the culture, to loosen our grip or to be seen as weak? Whatever it was, I was pissed for not listening to my instincts, which were screaming....Get off of this bus !!!! We arrived at Munnar having zipped through some stunning landscapes. Lush plantations, blankets of green. I was exhausted through fear and stood at the back of the bus searching for my rucksack. I was not in a good mood. My best buddy had gone and I was there, with no one to share my experience with, so it was bottled up....that is until a dumb ass hippy western bloke told me to hurry up with the bags. Whoops, I lost it and told him where to go. We stood facing each other and luckily both realized that we had endured the same fearful ride and were speaking the same angry language. There was a look of apology and we got off the bus. No fisticuffs. Thank god !!!!

DEW DROPS was where I asked the cab driver to take me. A small hotel, series of cabins really, isolated, a little expensive and my home for the next 7 days. Well, it was stunning. It was quiet, set in a beautiful part of the world and I wrote every day, surrounded by trees and the constant bird song . I was a happy man at the end of it and a little sad to leave. Apologies to Kai who had asked me to try and remain detached from the other guests. We had talked about the ease at which I made contact with other people. Nice Richard getting along with everyone. So his challenge was to stay separate. I failed. Miserably !!!! I knew all the other guests by the end of the week and even found myself talking for 2 hours, with a delightful older couple, about their sightings of little plant people. Little people who looked after mother earth and all her plants. Who knows. They believed and I believed they believed. Just wonderful. Sorry Kai but a Leopard and spots and all that !!!!!! Thank you Munnar xxxxx

ARYURVEDA and FAREWELL WONDERFUL FRIEND

Kai and I took Georgie to the bus stop and said our farewells. What a wonderful time we had. And if it wasn't enough to spend 3 days gliding down the Kerelan waterways, doing nothing, Kai and I decided that what we really needed was an Ayurvedic treatment in Kumily....and for 10 days. We arrived in Kumily after a 5 hour bus journey. A very tame bus ride compared to the one I was about to take up to the Tea plantations of Munnar. Kumily had nothing special to offer apart being very close to an established Tiger reserve, that had hardly any Tigers. It was a medium sized town and it's real beauty lied in it's temperature. Cool evenings and pleasant days. A welcome relief from the heat of Varkala. We found ourselves a very decent home-stay and the best tali restaurant in town and cheapest! Our main focus though was Santhigiri Ayurveda & Siddha Hospital. I was expecting a rather plush establishment, what I found however was a basic building housing 6 staff, 1 suspect director of staff and cable TV showing movies, 24/7. That was treatment enough for me. So, let me explain the Ayurvedic programme. Kai booked in 6 days and I had decided to do 3, so that I could go to Munnar and write. In these three days, I would be massaged by two men, steamed, put into a deep state of relaxation by having warm oil poured over my forehead [SIRODHARA] and last but by no means least, have warm oil funneled down both nostrils to clean out my sinuses. The treatments were very good and very cheap, £40, for the 3 days. The massage was out of this world with four hands working the muscles on the whole of your body. Masses of oil was used for this and the only downside was the stress undertaken in order to climb off the high table without causing an injury. The best treatment was the warm oil on the forehead, which was the most relaxing treatment I have ever had. And a common treatment for Insomnia, so they were working with the right man. The full body massage would last about an hour, then the Sirodhara would take 30 mins. Just amazing. I can't explain how relaxing that treatment is. TRY IT !!

Now the plan was to spend 10 days doing the treatment but I had been having a battle with my conscience and knew that I needed to get away and write and was unable to justify being pampered for too long! The hardest part of this trip for me has been finding the discipline to write my script and so taking myself away for seven days to somewhere isolated, was paramount. So my mind was made up and I knew it was going to be hard because I was going to have to say goodbye to Kai, my wonderful traveling partner. We had traveled for three and a half months and I had made a wonderful lifelong friend. The morning of my departure came too soon and Kai and I walked down to the bus stop and stopped at the local Chai hut and had a cuppa. We talked but not much. There was nothing that could be said to express our feelings. We had been through so much, had talked about so much and with a hand on my heart can say that I loved this man. We stood by my bus and started to say goodbye but words would not come. We hugged, held back the tears and then I told Kai to 'fuck off'. He smiled and walked away. I got on the bus and waited for the driver. Kai and I decided it was best not to do the waving goodbye thing. The driver appeared and I was about to go on the scariest bus journey of my life.......

A BOAT TRIP on THE KERELAN WATERWAYS

Kai and I headed to Alleppey to meet with an old family friend of mine from Petersfield. The lovely Georgy. We hadn't seen each other for quite a few years and it was a blast to catch up with her again. We caught up with George at a rather disappointing hotel and made plans for a 2 night boat trip, for the following day. We were expecting a damp, pathetic looking vessel to be greeting us, but to our amazement were ushered on board a spankingly clean, spacious, luxurious rice barge. Just beautiful. The beer was brought on, the music system on full and we were off. Cruising like royalty down the waterways of Kerela. Just pure guilty bliss. Food was prepared for us and was excellent. It was the best way to connect again with George and a real treat after traveling in India. Bloody gorgeous. When can I do it again. Ahhhhhh..................

8 WONDERS

Having been Ashrammed, it was time to hit Varkala again and the 8 Wonders. Basically, we were going back to the same beach resort to drink copious amounts of coffee, eat eggs and meat and for some of the gang, have sex. Not me of course...hey ho. 8 Wonders is run by Harri a fantastic fella, who like most Indian men is supporting his mother and family, with little left over to support his dreams. As I was partner-less, I nabbed the best room at the guest house and just imagined ....! Beautiful views out over the ocean. There were four of us, Polly [gorgeous English gal who works for BBC Radio] Kat, equally gorgeous, her friend from Scandinavia, who also works in radio, Kai and me. Early morning swims were the order of the day, followed by fruit salad and the coffee. Just delicious after two weeks of herbal tea. Polly and Kai were blissfully happy and Kat and I coped very well in the presence of such affection, love and night tremors. Harri our host was very kind, making the most delicious fish dinners and I spent a wonderful afternoon on the decked area singing and playing the guitar with him. A talented musician waiting for a break. I hope it comes to him. My writing was painful, the crashing waves just seemed to put me to sleep. We all had a chilled out time, which was much needed. Thank you Hari !!

THE ASHRAM

Hmmmmm. I loved it, well, not all of it but overall, yes, I loved my time in the Ashram. I mentioned earlier in the blog that I had visited Anand Prakash Ashram in Rishikesh and had a bad experience. I also said that Ashrams attract a certain type of person who are perhaps, struggling with life's questions and may be a little odd! Did I say damaged? Oh dear. Just goes to show that things in life never remain the same. Change is ever present. This Ashram was full, almost, of the most centered people I have ever met. They are also some of the thinnest people I have ever met. I expected to walk into a place full of healthy, vibrant looking faces. Gaunt faces [especially the men], tired eyes and sweaty foreheads were the order of the day. On the whole they were really cool people, here to have some time out, practice yoga and spend some reflective time in a safe environment. The Ashram is run with military precision and there are rules, which of course are there to be broken. It was refreshing to hear one of the leaders say that the Ashram was a place to escape the real world, to recharge and question our truths. What they didn't say was that it was also a place of high sexual energy, that you would loose over half a stone in weight, get little sleep yet still feel amazing, reduce your stomach size by half and be ruled by your motions and their need at 10am sharp, to leave the premises, whether you liked it or not.

The day went something like this. Wake up at 4am, not because that was the time to get up but because that was the time when some of the Indian residents would meander through the dorm to the washrooms and begin their orchestra of phlegm ejection. CrrrrrrK TuuuuP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The waking bell would sound at 5.20 am and it was off to the washroom, approaching the sink with care, so as not to disturb the absurdly large spider that had obviously found a new luxury organicfood product to consume, left in the sink by the vocal Indian gentlemen ! A quick shower, on with my Yoga pants and out the door in the dark, with Yoga mat under the arm. 6 am was Satsang. Nearly two hours of meditation, chanting and some readings from the Sivanada handbook. Because of the Yoga teacher training course, the hall was full, with over two hundred people, sitting in darkened silent meditation. It took me a while to build up my stamina for the meditation but I reached 50 mins of stillness by the end of the two weeks. That's in one sitting by the way, not over the two weeks.!!! I am sure the Swami would have something to say about my need to show off my record time. After the meditation we would begin the chanting. Now this I did have a little problem with. Firstly I had no real idea what I was chanting about and secondly I couldn't get the bloody tunes out of my head. It was the rehearsals of Mamma Mia all over again. "Jaya Ganesha , Jaya Ganesha, Jaya Ganesha Pahinam, again and again...you get the picture! After a good 45 mins of chanting we would then be given a talk from the director. Something spiritual of course and usually worth listening to. A short meditation would follow, then sweet tea and sesame balls in the courtyard. The sun would be shining on our rather pleasant tea party and the general atmosphere, soothing and warm. After the get together, we would split into two groups, beginners and intermediates and start our Yoga practice. Having done a few hours in Rishikesh I thought it only fair to join the beginners and show off. That didn't last long as we were under strict orders to follow the routine given. Some people tried to push ahead but were quickly and firmly brought back to earth. It was a good lesson for me. Starting at the beginning of something that I thought I already had a grasp of. Sure enough I learnt more about the Asanas and my limitations the second time round than I did the first. A little bit like my screen writing at the moment. I embarked on a story that I have been working on now for 4 months, excited about the idea of writing something quickly, with a message, well, more a lecture on societies failings etc....The failing being that I have forgotten the one rule of screen writing, write in order to touch the audience, not teach them. So, it is back to the beginning with the story and a slow burn to realize and orchestrate a story that is original and dripping with truth. Back to the Ashram. Yoga would be followed by breakfast, which consisted of veg and more veg. Actually bloody nice. Food was eaten in silence or at least that was the idea. When seconds were served we would have to say Om in order to get the servers attention. It was rather fun ! Karma Yoga followed food. A practice of servitude, selflessness and commitment. Mmmm. I was stupid enough to put my hand up when they asked for 6 strong men. 6 strong men to work in the Boutique! I spent 2 weeks folding and refolding the same T-Shirts, trying desperately to keep out of eye contact with Ananda, who ran it. Ananda, not her real name, her given Indian name, was not pleasant and I am sad to say that by week two, she and I came to blows. The Boutique was full and I decided that that was the best moment to throw my weight around and tell her what I thought of her attitude. I can't tell you how many supportive faces I had staring at me and the next day I was praised by many for standing up to this woman who had such a bad reputation. However, on reflection, I realized that my outburst would not have been necessary if had nipped her bad attitude in the first days of my first week. Next time. Another Yoga session would follow Karma Yoga, then a break, then dinner. Satsang, the same as the morning, less the meditation would end the day and so to bed. 2 weeks of Sivanada Ashram. Am so glad I followed Kai and made the journey here. I have met some really wonderful people, whom I may never see again but will certainly remember. I have a clear idea on my thoughts of religion and as they are my thoughts , I'm going to keep quiet, because it is not important. What is important to me and a lesson I have been taught by Kai, is to not judge something or someone until you have experienced it/them yourself. Oh and if you need to loose weight, 2 weeks of veg food, 3 hours of Yoga a day and some sexual tension, then this place is for you. Om.....

VARKALA to SIVANANDA ASHRAM KERELA

Kai and I decided to fly to the western coast of India to Trivandrum from Chennai and from there take a bus to Varkala, a small resort perched high on a cliff overlooking the Arabian sea. I was suffering a very bad chest infection and ojn arrival had to make my way to the hospital to pick up some antibiotics. Drugged up, Kai and I settled into a lovely hotel that had hammocks in the garden and direct views to the ocean. We needed some rest so spent the next 5 days lazing in hammocks and writing. We found the only espresso coffee house and made it our daily destination for a break from writing. It was relaxing at Varkala and we were surrounded by some tourists and of course never far from Indian reality, ie the dumping of rubbish down the side of the cliff. Spotless from above but venture onto the beach and behold an avalanche of plastic. The sort of thing you might see in the Tate modern. Time was up at Varkala and not much had happened, which was the plan. We were rested and encouraged by Kai, we were about to embark on a 2 week course at the Sivananda Ashram near Nyeer Dam. 2 weeks of Satsangs [chanting], meditation, early mornings, Yoga and veg food. I was a little apprehensive, yet intrigued to discover Ashram life. And so it was, we left Varkala, caught a train, then a bus and headed into the hills to the Ashram.

TO THE HILLS !!!!!!

OK. I started well on this blog but India has bombarded me with so much, that the brain has needed time to digest and regurgitate. So, I talked of my time at Baby Sarah's Orphanage in Pondicherry. I can't stress enough how lucky I feel to have been a small cog in this place. I am the first to admit that I enjoy the attention of others, a deep seated need in me to feel loved. In all of us no doubt but sometimes this need gets in the way of me living honestly. And that is what I experienced at Baby Sarah's Home, pure beautiful honesty. Yes I was sort of adored every time I walked into the building but I was also confronted with the worst hygiene I had ever seen and the thought to leave was at times strong. But the place was alive with laughter and the family of children just so happy to be in a safe place, with good food, shelter and a little love. And this is where I felt so at home. To give myself fully to these children was a great gift, not from me but from them because their longing to be touched, held, interacted with allowed me to loose myself and my needs and what a bloody joy that was !!!

Kai and I spent 3 weeks here, our duties, playing in the playground [we are ace swing pushers!], planting plants [replanting plants !], comforting the bed ridden, helping at times in the toiletry department, teaching them songs and a little bit of English. I could go on about this place. These children were remarkable. Especially the handicapped ones, many of them helping to keep the place running and doing such a brilliant job, from working in the kitchen and handing out medicines and always smiling. That is what really made me stop and think. These children were so strong. They had nothing yet seemed to be so happy. I know it is because they felt safe, safe from their past. Maybe it will haunt them in the future but for now there is some peace. If you could see their smiles, their longing to be held. Such a cruel fucking world that not every single one of those kids has a loving, nurturing mum and dad to tuck them up in bed and tell them how special they are. I really miss them. And of course I really want to make you laugh and talk about all the poo and pee stories but I just can't. That's my dark side and need to shock !! It would demean these beautiful, intelligent, kind spirited kids.

I made friends with a wonderful boy called Andaraj and if things were different I would adopt him in a heartbeat. He was the lad who had learnt how to administer medicines and treat the infections. He is only 14 and wants to be a doctor. He is physically disabled and as bright as a button. He's the man and I hope to be in his life for a long time.

Kai and I struggled at times but we both agreed that it was a major highlight of our trip. You could catch us after lunch, standing under a palm tree, looking slightly exhausted, smoking a fag but you would see in our eyes real contentment. We were known as Uncle and it was an honor to be so.

Karthi is the young man who runs the home and all I can say is that he is a legend. He grew up as an Orphan in the home, was bright and probably could have chosen any number of careers but he chose to stay with his extended family. There was no choice for him, his path was set and he has overseen the home grow from strength to strength. I have much respect for this man.

I must spend a little time talking of IVC, the organization that placed Kai and me. It is run by Mr. Arasu and his team, most of which wouldn't be out of place in a miss India competition. Sophia, who was to look after us was just stunning. I kid you not when I say that every single time we walked from the IVC home to catch a rickshaw, mens jaws would drop, work would come to a halt and every man would turn and stare. Sofia wouldn't bat an eyelid, clearly used to this mass adoration. Was atruly remarkable sight. I am surprised she wasn't considered a health risk and banished. Hate to think about all those broken hearts. Anyway, Kai and I stayed with the other volunteers and were introduced to Andrea, a lovely gal of 19 who had already been working in SA. She and I began to work closely at the remedial school on a play that was to be presented later in the month. The house was a lot of fun to be in. The days were hard but we would find ourselves most evenings hunting down the many recommended restaurants that are scattered across Pondicherry. Andrea mentioned the restaurant 'Hot and Cold'. We went, I ate chicken tikka masala and I got very sick. I mean very sick. Yes I am a man and we don't do sick well but you have to believe me when I tell you it was bad. Puking and the toilet stuff, no problem but the bloody muscle aches and spasms...good grief! Boy was I happy when that was over. So, not much else to tell about the house except we met a lot of lovely people and were very well looked after. There was even some love in the air, sadly none for me.