Greetings from India folks!!!!

There is a sign at Mumbai airport that says words to the effect of "Welcome to India home of commerce and opportunity"... if anyone ever comes to Mumbai please bring a large marker pen and change it to "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter"....

Well I arrived at 1.a.m and got completely shafted on the taxi fare to my hotel however I didn't really want to hang around Mumbai airport and it was still only 8 quid to go about 30 km to my hotel! Have been on a taxi tour of Mumbai around all the main sites and gardens which was awesome. The taxi driver took me to one garden and said "In here you see animals like cows, camels and elephants.....oh boy did I see 'em except for the fact they're all bleedin topiary!!!!! One has to laugh!

Checked out the Gateway to India from a boat and went over to Elephanta island which has some amazing caves...the hill up to them is steep and patrolled by monkeys who are quite agro! One of the little sods came up to me all growly trying to snatch my water but a nice Indian bloke chased it off with a stick!

Mumbai is seriously frantic and there are literally millions of people around and believe me you can always find a taxi! The pollution levels has meant that there has been no need to smoke as you get about 50 a day from walking around!

I am on the 7 a.m. train to Colva in Goa tomorrow and I have to say I'm looking forward to chillin' on a beach as Mumbai is amazing but exhausting and a real assault on the senses. The spectrum of people is incredible and the poverty and squalour disturbing...beggars on the street at night with babies or small children drugged by sleeping pills..

So Goa and fresh air calls me...I will hopefully be able to see some amazing scenery on the journey down and have got little else planned other than being a complete cabbage for 10 days or so before the journey turns northward again.....

So what's the goss with yous lot then? Jenny a massive thank you for the photo of the little fella....

Loadsa lurve...

Lisa/Lillie

xxxx

ps no time to spell check almost outta time!