Sammy G has made it to Day 100!!

So, I've somehow made it to Day 100 alive and well. I've had to evade rogue rickshaw drivers after our money, rabied dogs, rabied monkeys, countless near death experiences on India's notorious transport system, and the odd marriage proposal thrown in for good measure. I've flooded my room (Indian taps!!), met some of India's rich and famous, witnessed the truly breathtaking Taj Mahal and bathed in the Ganga. I've lived somewhat of a Slumdog Millionnaire experience for the last 100 days - hell, I've even met Anil Kapoor!

Firstly, this long-awaited blog entry (sorry guys, didn't realise anyone was actually reading this!) is finally possible because I've left rural India and finally have decent access to the internet. So here's a brief account of my experiences so far...

Chapter I - Bangalore/Bengaluru, Karnataka

Bangalore was the first destination on my quest to save India (from what I don't know). Before I arrived I had barely looked into what I would be doing here. Turns out I had to write a proposal for eco-sanitation toilets for rural communities around Bangalore, to help put an end to open defecation. Yep, they've been crapping and pissing on their own farms, and you can imagine what disease this has been spreading. In fact, I learnt in detail the riveting and inspiring science behind crapping and pissing in fields... but thats a story for another day).

Being in a modern city such as Bangalore (the new IT-capital of the world) made the transition to India much easier. Its the pub city of India, everyone spoke English (I'm presuming they still do) and footy is pretty huge there. The only time I got ill was after a drunken night out at the Xtreme Sports Bar (Arsenal won 6-2 I believe) and I foolishly ordered the 'Devils Lamb'... go figure! Every morning I'd have my helping of 3 pooris and the type of chai that leaves you with Diabetes... its no wonder that everyone in India has Diabetes by 40. Sugarcane is grown absolutely everywhere by the way. Anyway, a massive shout out goes to the guys we were working with (Big up the VK Crew!)... they treated us like their own and were great banter (Nags, Sush, Viji, Jalaja Shekar and of course SAAAIIITRAMAAAA!).

We celebrated the end of our month in Bangalore with a fancy dinner at the 5-star luxury Leela Palace Hotel; a dinner at an authentic North Karnatakan restaurant (where we ate off banana leaves); a visit to the famous Bangalore Club (wining and dining where Winston Churchill once did); and took a final opportunity to see a Hollywood movie (Inglorious Basterds - 8/10!) before our next stint in Rural India. There wasnt gona be any shops where I was going, let alone cinemas! The last I heard, my proposal for eco-san had already managed to rake in some sponsorship, so I left a happy (and still unmarried) man.

Chapter II - Let me give you a taste of travelling in India...

We left for the notorious Uttar Pradesh (anyone who knows about UP knows its not a place one should visit!) at the beginning of October, via Delhi where me and H were able to link up with another uni mate, the one and only Keno. Our one night here would prove to be legendary, it happened to be the one night that Hed Kandi were playing in Delhi! The all-nighter that ensued didn't disappoint, and the journey to UP the next morning was inevitably a bit of a bosh-up.

So, onto the travelling experience. We took a 5am taxi to Old Delhi Station. Only to end up at New Delhi Station. The argument that followed with our rogue taxi driver (allegedly Keno's best friend... aside from Alpesh (but thats another story!)) was the most pointless ever and somehow we were forced to part with our money having been taken to the wrong station! We eventually arrived at the right station with 10mins til the train left... 10mins to navigate our way through crowds of early morning commuters, touts, beggars, chai-walas - the typical Indian railway station scene. And we had all our luggage with us. The right platform turned out to be the wrong one, and finding our carriage, then our seats was one of the most stressful experiences we've ever endured... only to find our seats taken. We were forced to sit on our bags next to the toilets, the only space left. And what a surprise, the train left 45mins late! To top it all off, some woman had clearly fallen foul to poorly cooked food, and was to violently vomit out the open train doors every 20mins or so.

I did manage to have a Slumdog moment, hanging off the side of the train as it sailed through te scenery at a good 70mph. It was great to once again feel the fresh air after a smoggy, polluted Delhi. The all-nighter was proving too much and I soon fell asleep, only to be shaken awake by train wardens 4hrs later at what was apparently our stop! H had gotten off in the nick of time, but by the time I got my bags to the door we were once again hurtling away towards the next station. With no phone signal, no loose change (I spent it on one last beer last night!) and not an ATM in sight, I had to blag my way by rickshaw and bus to the little village of Amarpurkashi, with the generous help of local cops (clearly delighted to meet a foreigner in these distant parts!). By now I was absolutely knackered, and upon arrival slept the rest of the day. My troubles provided great entertainment for the villagers and other volunteers when I got there... my adventure in Uttar Pradesh was well and truly underway!

I'll leave it at that for now, Chapter III to follow when I can be bothered... peace!

Sammy G

Day 60... Hed Kandi, a wedding and some applied chemistry amidst all the chaos here!

So it turns out our time at APK has so far been as much a holiday as it has been intense volunteering! But things are picking up, and Operation Shakumbhri (named after the rogue papermill here - see the Wiki page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amarpurkashi_Project) is looking good for an early December finish - when we head to Mumbai and Goa... life is tough!!!



APK produce yet another family to add to their family tree...



Us donning the finest Indian fashion...

The girls absolutely love us. No change there then

The cutest kids we've ever witnessed. Raman and Kanishka



These are the thugs we're trying to take down. Our tactics so far have been to learn Hindi, play footy with the local kids, watch the India-Australia series (damn Aussies!) and sunbathing. And of course...



... Applied Chemistry at its best! Unfortunately, our applied chemistry isn't exactly great. Can anyone shed any light on BOD/COD/TDS/TSS?? Any chemists out there? We're kinda at gridlock right now...



Meeting Mahesh Uncle at the awesome Bangalore Club... as V would say the galdems were Basavanagudi!!

Hed Kandi happened to be performing the one night we were in Delhi

It was good to see a white face again, especially these ones...

Keep me updated on the news back home!!

Our Claim to Fame...

We've been in UP for 2 weeks, and already made it into the paper twice! Here's my favourite, and for those of you who can read Hindi you'll see that we are very clearly mentioned... apparently

I'm the one in the blue hoody giving a live demonstration of our crappy model at the College Science Fair. We didn't win any of the 10 prizes up for grabs, but I'll take the moral victory for making it into the paper...

(Click on photo to enlarge!)

My First Wonder of the World...

We've been in rural UP for 10 days now. and its gotten too much, so we've come to see the real India. And its situated in an absolute hole!!



You may know it...





Peace x

Day 30... The end is near for Bengaluru and I

Too much to say. Wayyy too much. So i'll cop out and do some shout outs for some October peeps. Aimz, Minkoo and Shepp - Happy 18th Birthdays (average taken!!). Aimz don't get too drunk (I know what you're like!), Minkoo make the most of your 21st cos you'll never turn 21 again!! (and Watford...what a place to celebrate!) and Shepp I'll be there in spirit for another mashup night out Hong Kong for your 21st.

Other than that, I've consumed at least 200 pooris and 500 cups of chai so far. (and even managed my 10th KFC yesterday!). Yet i've still been laughed at by malnourished local slum kids for having wrists smaller than theirs!! Ahh things dont change wherever I am in the world...

Leeds are top. Love this city. Life is good. Peace
x

Day 20... lets put some pics up!

Firstly. This is the big bad boss, Nagrajji. He's actually a big softy, and we reckon he's the Indian Peter Griffin! We call him Naggie. And he luvvvvvvs it!

We've added some style to the Vidyanikethan cause, they show some seeerious respect now

The kidlems...

The VK school bus... they fit around 30kids into a small minivan (apparently here its half-full! So someone please sponsor VK for a new school bus!!)

Recognise this anybody? Yes yes, my favourite... bhinda (you may know it as ladies fingers)



Now if there has been a Kodak moment, this has certainly been it...

Wait til you see the sunset sped up on the VK fil-m... yes, FIL-M!

The lads in action

Presenting the kids at Marga Susi (a hostel for kids of CSWs) with a gift... these kids certainly left an impression on us, VKs got it spot on with this one!

Taking a breather at the Extreme Sports Cafe with a bit of karoeke... Wonderwall has never been sung so well!!

Day 17... WEAR HELMET OR MEET HELL

Went to the school today, Vidyanikethan... watched some 8 year old kids being taught maths. It was at this moment that i realised i could no longer remember how to do long division maths!! ohh the shame...

Not to worry, i drowned my sorrows in a delicious sweet lassi. Another thing i've learnt - when the say sweet, they mean sweet. and when they say hot, THEY MEAN HOT!!

everyone here reckons i will be massively suffering courtesy of the sweet lassi today, delhi belly and all that - we shall see tomorrow morning! off to interview some "night workers" (CSWs)tomorrow with the filming crew (will explain all soon!), this trip certainly hasn't been short on experiences!!

Apart from that, the rickshaw rides continue to entertain us (some of the signs have been classics... a helmet is probably wise even in rickshaws!), and of course the big game everyones been waiting for is on in under 3 hrs... but i wont know the score til tomorrow morning. here's to another 4 goals from the new viduka to knock out the liverpool... the man we snatched from harrow fc... its all about the beckford!!!

keep me posted on happenings in london town.

peace x

(STILL LOST MY BELOVED LEEDS SHIRT!!)
(BUT THE BEER IS CHEAP!)

ps could you all leave your msgs for me on here or on facebook, i dont check my hotmail or LSEmail anymore!! saaaafage x

Day 13... i should probably start writing...

...but i'll be brief!

things i've learnt about india:

when it rains, it pours.
when things are going well, they are going well. when one thing goes wrong, everything else seem to go wrong too.
if you can do something yourself, do it yourself!
everything is sooo damn cheap that you cant help but rinse your budget on things you can do without (like mango milkshakes and a month's worth of internet browsing on my phone (hey it only cost 98 rupees - like a quid!!!)
there are lots of people. lots. everywhere. cant escape em
all the bars and clubs close at 11pm!!
bugs are bigger and badder than back home (wait til you see the photos!)
NEVER EVER EAT PAV BHAJI IN INDIA!! you'll regret it...

so what do i like about this country?

THE FOOD... just remind me to not be too adventurous!
the school kids are amazing... so full of energy (PS PLEASE SPONSOR A SCHOOL KID FOR A YEAR... JUST GBP65!!)
the weather is immense
the beer is cheap
the banter with the locals is freshlike uhhh
festivals are RAWWW!!!
riding on the back of a scooter with only a flimsy piece of metal to hold you

what dont i like??

PAV BHAJI
I LOST MY LEEDS SHIRT!!!! FRICKKKK!!
rickshaw drivers... but once you agree on a price the journeys are something else!
a good night out is hard to come by

SO. all in all, im not complaining... mum, dad, nani, nana, ba: my health is all good, ali: i have stayed away from tapwater, everyone else: i have yet to be married off, YET, parmy army: the industrial toilet role MUCHOS APPRECIATED!! uni: see you ALL in goa for new years!!

ok so not so brief. i will upload some pics soon, i wana see some comments next time i log on... especially on tuesday night when the mighty leeds knock out liverpool! hope all is well back home. peace :D

ps my india number is +919538294354

Leaving Party this Friday!!

EVERYBODY we leave the country on 5th September, join us for a leaving party in my garden on Friday 28th August, 12-12 lol, details on facebook!

If you can't make that and want to catch me before i take to the skies, get in touch!!

Sam