12th Jan: Dream a Dream and down to Madurai

We went to another NGO (non governmental organization) called dream a dream. Their mission is to work with children from poor or abusive families to teach them life skills, these can be anything from learning to fit in to society to playing sports to dealing with money.

It was founded by a corporate banker eight years ago who was fed up chasing the money and wanted to try with the hardship and poverty that many children in India suffer from. And believe me they suffer we've seen and smelled where these families are living.

Other big achievement today was buying a sim card so that I'm not roaming with a UK sim. All went well I had to take photographs, passport, photocopies of passport, photocopies of Visa that was in passport. So I got a sim and it doesn't work in my useless c****y blackberry or Lesley's phone that I stole from her doesn't work either so I'm going to go and buy a phone tomorrow. Maybe I should have taken her iphone.

Before we left to the airport to fly down to Madurai I had a great meeting with Sham from adopt a business this was to fill me in more on India and her customs. It was really interesting and mind opening as the are lots of dos and don'ts. What people say is not necessarily what they mean they just never want to offend you as it is disrespectful to not agree with your seniors (age) or people who are more learned than you. I'm as prepared now as I can be I think, thanks for the meeting Sham I really enjoyed it.

Its also going to be quite different going to Madurai then going up to Lucknow as culturally they are far apart from each other. So I'll need to get used to one set of things then it will all change.

I've just noticed that five people are following my blog how cool is that. My wife isn't though. Nor is any of my family.

Coming here made me setup skype and last night I saw Lesley Kirsty and Stuart on video which is amazing as Stuart and I are going to do his homework tonight. It will definately be easier being away from them knowing that I can see them most days.

I don't think they are eating curry though.

I'm now down in Madurai where I'll be for the next few days it is in Tamil Nadur which is in the south, it is far more rural than Bangalore which had its own hard rock cafe. How I got from the airport to the guest house I'll never know we were driving along when the bus driver decided to overtake a rickshaw who was overtaking a motorbike so we were well and truly on the wrong side of the raod when the bus coming towards started to overtake something else you have never seen driving like this I could have shaken hands with the people on the bus going the other wat we were that close.

Madurai is mostly Hindu so last night was my last chance for a beer for a while as well so even if I avoid any interesting side affects form a dodgy curry I'm going to be eating vegetarian food and not drinking alcohol. It will soon be skinny dude.

I did however have a cheese curry for lunch today it was magic, Paneer Pasanda, I'll try asking for it again as it was really really good. I've also been trying to eat like the locals, so no knife or fork. I'm getting the hang of it but the laundrette is going to take a pounding as it all gets a little messy. You only eat using your right hand as the left is used for toilet business so is unclean. This isn't easy when you are left handed but I'm going to keep it up.

I'll be starting to do real work tomorrow so I'm nervous of how the day will go. Now that I've left Julian in Bangalore the Indian experience starts for real. He'll be up there in pizzahut and the hard rock cafe but I'm not jealous.

Off to bed now, curry for breakfast, mmm.