Moving

I can't believe I've been here 5 days already! I've done almost nothing, but that was the point. I've sorted out my pack and thrown stuff away. I gave a beggar a pair of sandals that I've carried for five weeks and never worn, everyday he has followed me wearing them, smiling and telling everyone. I've also washed my pack and cleaned off all the things that have spilled into it etc. As a result of my clear out and rearrangement it now seems to be half the size and a lot lighter. Ready for buying heaps more shite to fill it up. Apart from going for a walk in the afternoons. The ghats are just great to walk along and sit and people watch if you get too hot. All I've done is sit and read. I've had an appetite that scares me! I was offered a thali in my hotel for dinner but I had to order it before 4pm. I thought I'd give the small one a go. If that's small you could feed a family of four on the special one. A thali is a selection of dishes with smallish portions of various things. On the first night I got rice, dall fry, veg curry, a potato/cauliflower/pea sambal thing, a proper mushroom bhaji with really crispy well fried onions in it (Indian onions are STRONG), two chapati, one nan bread, papadom and rice pudding for afters. A bargain at 75p! All I had for breakfast the next day was tea and I didn't eat again until I had that nights thali. I'm sure they're trying to fatten me up. I've enjoyed here but I'm ready to move. I'm going to Gaya tonight by train then on to Bodigaya which is a Buddhist region and I may see the Dali Lama. It's the start of the long trek south (at last I'm looking forward to beaches) and I reckon it will take me about 16 days to get down the east coast.

The sky was leaking here for about ten minutes the other day. It felt really weird! It was only ten minutes though and we're back now to a million degrees.

I think I'm staying in a monastery for the next few nights (dirt cheap) so I'll post more when I get a chance which will be easy in Calcutta.