mumbai (no sleep), train (no food) goa .. we'll see :-)

So wrote my last entry had problems with facebook sent the invite to the first 100 people in my friends list twice. Sorry about that, in goa now going to try and send the invite to everyone else.

So.. Left the internet café and walked round the streets of Mumbai for a bit looking for some more trousers (the only pair I bought with me don’t have pockets) and some sandles (anybody who saw my shoes before I left realizes how desperately I need them!) didn’t buy anything though and went for some dinner in a café, sat there eating my dinner saw a few western faces so I though I’ll pick one and go and chat to them. Ended up having a beer with an Irish guy and were joined by some Norwegian girls was fun, they were trying to get us to go to a metal festival in Mumbai but we’d both already bought tickets to leaveL. Decide to walk back to the hotel and have an early night as I had to get up and get the train at 6.55 in the morning. Was a little bit pissed and full by now so thought I would sleep easy. Got back to hotel room and napped for about and hour then woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Was really frustrating, finished my book (kane and abel by jeffory archer ) got up when my phone said 5.45 got showered and went to train station. I didn’t realize I’d set my phone to the wrong time somehow and it was 25 minutes to slow so I had to walk very fast to get to my train on time. The train station was much different from any in England with people lying around in the main hall, I imagined there’d been there all night, was a nice jovial feel about it apart from some of the police who were trying to keep people in line at the platforms for the local trains. Had a small palaver trying to find my seat but got there in the end. Got a 3 bunk air conditioned sleeper which had 6 other westerners in it. Chatted for a little bit (although it was early and I was tired) then went to sleep for 5 hours. Was gutted when I woke up as I’d ordered lunch which came with my ticket but because I was asleep no body woke me up and I missed it.. Not the end of the world and I got over it very fast. Every body on the train was pretty nice although one of the guys was a bit of a tit and loved the sound of his own voice, was funny though because every time he started talking his girlfriend would do a silent groan (if that’s possible and stare out of the window!) Got off the train at tivin (?) with the intention of going to either vagator (Russian guy had told me to go) or arambol (irish guy had told me to go) hadn’t decided where to go when I saw these two girls (Austrian it turns out ) so I asked them where they were going and they said vagator so I said ‘me too, do you want to share a taxi’. Got a room in a hostel easy then went for some dinner and a drink. Nice evening apart from the fact we were all knackered. Got the best nights sleep I’ve had so far and the girls were pretty cool (and good lookingJ! Having really good time, liking India a lot still not got much of a plan might chill out on the beech or go for a walk to the next town. Going to hire a moped soon I think. Going to Halloween party tonight can’t wait.
Only paid my accommodation up until tomorrow so need to find somewhere cheaper (although its only 350r and its nice) oh!!! just saw a snake roaming around the grounds of my hostel and got attacked by a frog last night!! Not good made my jump …

Wanted to put a link on another post but forgot

Got my ticket from here (250 pound return) http://www.bestflights.com.au/

finaly arrive

So finally here! I am in mumbai writing this. . . exciting stuff!! So .. it took me 40 hours to get here, the coach from preston to London was uneventful got to London and got of the tube at the wrong station, and had to buy another ticket ;-( got to London city airport which is full of people in nice suits, my plane to Amsterdam was full of business men who’s seats I kept sitting in as I wanted a window seat and they kept moving me!! No biggy. Flying out of that airport at night is amazing by the way looking over canary warf and the millennium dome was quite a site. Got to Amsterdam and debated whether to go into the city or not, went near the train station then thought sod it I’m gona just stay in the airport. Didn’t have any euro’s thought and the rate was so rubbish I decided to use my card which I think may have been a bad idea as I must have spent 50euros on stuff in about 5 different transactions. Got the flight (north west airlines) very nice plane and crew, watched the incredible hulk (ed Norton) which was ok and Mongol which I have wanted to see for a while and I thought was really bad (read the books by colin igguden if you want a better story of gengis khan) anyway I digress. Funny moment on the plane though. There was this pissed up dickhead sat by the emergency exit shouting at the top of his voice every couple of minutes and was really pissing me off. I shussshhhed him a couple of times (along with other passengers) and he shut up for a while. He started again so I went to get the airhost person and they told him he to shut up otherwise he was gona get done. Would have been bad if we’d have had to make an emergency landing as we were over iran at the time. Anyway got my bags and booked a hotel at the airport. Was quite expensive but I new that was going to be the case should really have booked before I got here. Got a prepaid taxi, got outside the airporet and couldn’t find the taxi rank this guy came up to me and asked to look at my ticket. Remember at this time I’d been traveling for ages and was a little tired and very wary being in new city. Turns out he was the taxi driver but it took him a couple of minutes to convince me (gave him a tip as way of apology!:-) hotel was ok, met a Russian who owns tourist company and he said he would sort me out some cheap stuff (I’m sure:) if I make it to the holiday inn in goa (maybe not;)! Got up this morning couldn’t work out the shower (didn’t even notice it in the ceiling thought there was communal showers, looked like a right idiot (not the first time!) decided that I was going to get out of mumbai soon after speaking to Russian as he said there isn’t much to do and goa is very nice. Went to train station to book ticket and got accosted by touts and before I knew it I was walking back to near my hotel and he attemted to sell me a coach ticket. Guy was quite pushy but I didn’t want to buy anything off him till I’d spoken to official train people so walked out of shop and went back to train station to buy a ticket which was quite an enjoyable experience (hard to say why though!) then got a taxi to coloba staying in the sea view hotel although I think they could be sued for false advertising as it’s a bit dingy. Taxi driver is picking me up in the morning and I’m getting the 6.55 train to goa arriving at 8 ish. That’s about it I think. Its hot it smells but its very exciting! Getting good with the touts as I just smile and look daft (no comments please!) hope everyone is ok xxx

bristol

still haven't left bristol, went to london handed my passport in and was waiting for it to be delivered. had a message on my phone on wednesday informing me that there was a problem with the application. i hadn't signed it and i need to fax a signed copy back. what a bugger (understatement)! did that today lets just hope it gets there now. Just want to go

got stuff for traveling today. stuff like a torch, suncrean, moskito repelent (100%deet?) iodine for water purifiation, also got memory card for my phone so can store music and pictures on it as i'm going to take it to use as a camera and MP3 player.

got stuff from http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/, was ok although the stuff did take a while to get here and they didn't have the padlock i ordered so had to refund me

think i've just sent myself to sleep. night

Still in Bristol

what a pain in the arse, was suppose to get my visa from birmingham today only i didn't read the website correctly. Drove all the way to birmingham, got lost trying to find the visa place (should have stole friends sat nav, birmingham is a maze), had to park miles away then run to get there before the 2.30 cut of time, while desperately needing a wee. Waited there for an hour (i'd had a wee by now) got to the booth and the guys turns round and tells me he can't do anything to help and i have to go to london. nearly went mad at the guy but it wasn't his fault!

Also found out today they don't do same day Visa's so i'm not going anywhere very quickly. Difficult day.

on the positive side Krissy (my house mate) cooked dinner and i'm still alive!

so i've set up a blog

i've set up a blog because i'm going to india for a look around and would like to keep a record of my journey as i'm going, i may not update it very often (or even again) but i'll have a go.

yesterday booked my visa although i've got to go to birmingham to pick it up. going to london on friday i think then flying out on the saturday, would like to wait untill i've got my visa before getting my ticket but don't think i can... anyway need to organise stuff (..watch jeremy kyle:)