Temples Garlore!

Hey, thanks for all the messages guys, sorry about being grumpy and a bit self centered there. Anyway we have made it to Gwalior today again on the train. We have been joined by a German couple who are on their fourth Intrepid trip in a row!
It's been a really blinding day weather wise the temperature is pretty hot, but not nearly as bad as what I thought and it's even getting a little cooler in the evenings now.
The Diwali celebrations are about to kick off tomorrow and the town is a bit of a buzz and I have heard a few firecrackers going off. We have seen another fort today with some pretty cool Bhuddest style temples and carved Bhuddas in a cliff face, but too be honest me and a few
others are a bit templed out of it. Fortunatly the 7am trip for more temple action is optional and about half of us ducked out. As ever I am always late for each meeting so it's probably for the best.

The Taj Mahal

Oct 30th

Got up at 5:45 today after not that much sleep it's seven in the evening now and I'm feeling it a bit. It's been a good day, started with a train drive in the morning with a breakfast of omelet served in the carriage. with two slices of white bread. I'm going to make this a short post as I'm starving and could do with some food now. Anyway drove a rickshaw myself, just thought it would be fun to take the driver for a ride! And saw the Taj Mahal, great!

Group hug

Oct 29th

 

I leave the Paharganj at 11:30 unaware that 6 hours later it will be bombed. After an eventful put put ride that involved several detours for the driver to ask for directions to "Hotel Goodtimes". I get to the hotel only a few minutes late. Some of the others are there and the hotel is surprisingly swanky, it's a real upgrade from what I had been used to (a decent lav and loo paper!) However I do have to share a room with another guy called Ben, who is to be my roomie for the rest of the 15 day trip. Fortunately he turns out to be a really nice chap about mid to late 20s and a primary school teacher by trade.

The rest of the group are: a young Irish couple with a case of Delhi Belly, who opt to miss the trips that day, two couples in their 40s from New Zealand and two girls travelling alone Andrea from Switzerland and Caz from OZ, they are paired up like me and Ben.

It's a really nice bunch and even the introductions bit when we say our names and why we are on the trip(?) is pretty painless. To be honest I'm glad to be amongst people again, I have realise than in general travelling alone in a foreign land is not that much fun if you don't have anyone to share the experiences with. We take a trip to the first fort/temple thing and it's quite good fun another busy market on the way up to the steps to the temple that are covered in beggars. There is a tower to climb with a great view over the city.

Its a packed day with visits to lots of sites in Delhi that gives a pretty good flavour of the place and Heather our American group leader does a great job, bless her, of dealing with all the sorting of rickshaws/taxis etc... so a lot less hassle. We have to really fight our way through the busy markets, the Diwali festival is coming up and there is just a sea of people buying stuff. Other highlights of the day was chi in the backstreet of Delhi a sort of spicy, milky, sweet tea. The spice markets from which we all came out coughing and sneezing from all the chili dust. My particular highlight was travelling on a rickshaw with Ben and our driver had a fracas with another rickshaw rider after he had collided in to our wheel. Our man had the other bloke by the throat, brilliant entertainment ;o)

On the way back in the Metro Andrea gets a call from her brother asking if she is ok, it's then that the news filters through about the bomb attacks in Delhi (one of which happened in Paharganj where I had left that morning.)

We find out a bit more at the hotel from the news and it's all a bit scary as we are not quite sure whats going on, who is bombing who, what is the motive etc... and were we in any danger.

As it happened most of us still decided to go for a curry and more importantly a quick beer. Went to a pretty fancy joint (this is a much better area) and had an absolutely stunning curry (mutton handi marsala - goat I think!) and the cold beer was soooo good. Strange day.

As a side note, no real word from anyone to see if I was dead, apart from my sibling(s), it's seems I was totally successful in breaking up ties back home... oh well

 

 

 

Escape the bombs!

I haven't time to blog now, but I have left Delhi after a strange day that ended in a bomb attack. The group  are really good, but the events yesterday was a bit of a shock to us.

Will update later...

Tough day

It's was a pretty arduous day yesterday, fending off con merchants and beggars. I had some breakfast on the hotel terrace restaurant. I say restaurant in the loosest sense of the word as I got to the roof and there was a load of Indian guys who worked in the hotel sat round one plastic table. When I got up there one of the guys got up and rapid looked around then told all the others to get up and pulled there table away and prepared it for me! I subsequently found a lot more cafes out front of the hotel and something tells me they don't get much custom on the roof.

After I had my lemon tea (my current drink of choice) and cheese and egg toastie. I thought it would be a good idea to wonder in to town. Within seconds of leaving the hotel I had a new friend a young Indian man called Annie(?!) I thought he may well have ulterior motives, but as it turned out he was by far the best of the bunch I was going to meet that day and although his goal was to get me to go and look at some shops and buy some Indian clothes, his advise was generally sound and probably if I had of bought the clothes and looked a little lest like I had just rolled off the boat I wouldn't of got hassled quite as much as I did. He also told me about his girlfriend that he was not going to marry as she got hit by a bus and has a withered arm, therefore his parents won't let him. Like I said this guy was the best of the bunch and that was just general chit chat and no scams afoot. I didn't buy any clothes and I parted ways with Annie by getting a tok tok (that's what they call them in Thailand I think it's just Rickshaw here, but there are also bicycle rickshaws to so what do I call them?)

I was trying to get to the main shopping area, god knows why I didn't want to buy anything, but I thought there was probably some cafes there and things to look at. The tok tok driver had other ideas and wanted me to go to some clothes shops. I had all this in Thailand and I am prepared to pay double the price if they just take me directly where I want to go. Anyway after a bloody age I get to where I'm going. After getting hassled a couple more times I go to the park to chill out a bit. Bad mistake.

I was only yards in to the park when a geriatric looking 15 year old shoe shiner was trying to get some business and followed me to the grass where I sat down. I'm wearing trainers and had no need for shining (perhaps he could have done my bald head!) He had some other methods of cleaning and gluing, I wasn't having any of it, but before I knew it some old guy was massaging my legs and the shoe urchin was trying to take off my trainers. Business had obviously been slow in the park and as new flesh I was surrounded, some f**ker was even trying to clean my ears, that was the last straw for me even thought the ear guy insisted "just looking", like I need a report on the wax content of my ears! I got up and hastily tried to pay the shoe and leg chaps, the urchin demanded 250 rupees, he quite frankly was taking the piss. Ok so it's only about 3 pounds 50p, but in India that's a night it a basic hotel. I gave him and the leg man 30 rupees each and got out of there as quickly as possible. I found a bench and sat down to read my book. The urchin followed me and sat down on the bench he now wanted me to go to a shop with him. I left the park.

I wondered round and had some hot sweet potato with spices and lemon served on a plate made of leaves for about 10p, quite tasty I managed to sit down and read my book for a bit hassled by a couple of beggars and a guy selling me postcards, I did buy some and who knows I might actually send some! After a metro ride that was probably un-required and a rickshaw ride that was overpriced and took the scenic route I got back to Paharganj and went to a cafe. I had some curry and bread and a lemon tea. Before I knew it a nutter was sat on the table next to me.

He looked like an Indian holi man and wore robes, but he is a Swiss apparently and goes by the name of Juan (Hwan spelling??) apparently that was one of his many names?! He had been drugged it turned out and all his money and passport and visas were stolen, he showed me the police report and was not after money, he now had some from the embassy, so this I can believe. He had been in India for 10 years and was drugged about 18 months ago spending 3 months completely insane. I don't think he was fully recovered to be honest, but I didn't tell him so. He has been abducted by aliens on more than one occasion he tells me. I took a photo of Juan. I left the cafe.

Off to meet the travelling party now, should be interesting.

Busmans holiday

So up today and in the Internet café, wasn't I supposed to get away from computers! Tried my first no paper poo last night. I thought I would just share that with you guys :) I don't think I have quite got the technique down yet.

Anyway had some breakfast on the roof, a cheese and egg toasty thing and a lemon tea, er yum. Off to the market now to take in the sights.

Place to stay

Oct 27th

The Plane to Delhi is full and the sun is setting over Mumbai as we await take off. I once did a personality test on the BBC website. It said I was spontaneous rather than a planner, and one of the things it rather strangely observed is I was in the personality type least likely to read a guidebook. I forced myself to read the guide. It was actually quite useful and informative. I worked out what kind of taxi to get (apparently with a prepaid taxi I was less likely to get ripped off) I had opted to give the Paharganj area a go. The hotel where I am to meet my first excursion group is not in the guide, but I don't think it is far from here.

Quite a journey in the taxi, driving in India seems to rely more on the use of the horn than the brake. Most roads don't have lanes marked and if they do they are ignored. My taxi drivers tactic were to drive in-between lanes and honk the horn furiously, it seemed to work for him. A little girl tried to get me to pay for flowers whilst the taxi was stopped at a traffic light, she pointed at her mouth to indicate it was to pay for food. I didn't buy any flowers I have to be hard.

I got a hotel sorted in Paharganj, which is a seedy hippy market street. It's pretty basic: bed, blanket, but it does have a rudimentary shower and a TV so it's total luxury for Indian standards and it's only 5 pounds a night so can't complain.

Airport Lounge

Oct 27^th

I had arrived in Mumbai. Flying over the City I could see that it was pretty big and like most of the Cities in the world it consists mainly of tower blocks. As we got closer to the ground I could see that in between most of these tower blocks there are hundreds of shacks.

All Airports look the same they are grey with yellow signs everywhere, Mumbai airport is the same, but it feels like it was built in the 60s and hasn't change since. Even the duty free shops don't look as if they have been restocked, there was certainly no one buying anything. There was a musty smell of the old, with a slight hint of wee, nice.

I had a 7 hour wait until my transfer to Delhi I could have done with that puzzle a day pad from Epic! On the plus side my phone has got reception and I was able to send a text to my sister.

I managed to find a free lounger thing and I was just nodding off when I was interrupted by this enthusiastic Indian gentleman, he informed me that lunch was being served for my flight number in the restaurant. That was quite an experience, I realized at this point I was going to have to get used to queuing in India it seems to be a national pass time! The meal consisted of a variety of unidentifiable curry things, a japati bread and a popadom all in a restaurant that was probably fairly smart in 1960. I couldn't find a plastic spoon that some others had so I got into the spirit of things and ate with my right hand (the non poo hand) it's not actually that easy with rice and curry!

I think I must have been amongst three whit men and not a single white woman in the whole building, I know skin colour is irrelevant really, but it did add to the feeling of unfamiliarity.

A Significant Sausage

Oct 27^th

I'm still on the plane, they just served breakfast so not long until the decent now. I remember once getting breakfast on a plane back from Crete, it had been the holiday from hell. We stayed in a really trashy resort with M's old work friend and her bloke, both of whom could be pretty hard work at times. Anyway it was a cheap package deal and inevitably the plane back had been at 3am and inevitably it was delayed, so with utterly no sleep I was feeling pretty bad. M had gone delirious and just as I nodded off she excitedly shoved a vegetarian sausage in front of my face.

It had been a little bit difficult to get hold of vegi stuff in Crete so I guess I can understand her glee in retrospect. I remember another time on a flight M babbling 'nuts nuts' thrilled by getting handed a small packet of nibbles. It was often in these small pleasures that M found such joy. I loved to see her like that, although at the time I was unable to fully appreciate the significance of the sausage.

The Journey Begins...

I have a note pad and for the last couple of days I have been using that to document my journey so far…

Oct 26th

It's been a long day it started in Brighton in Spud U Like in fact not even spud U Like, but some kind of cheap imitation run by the most surly Eastern European girls serving me my chicken, bacon and avocado spud.

I owed Epic some money for a crazy purchase of two computers on a company scheme. I can't be bothered to explain it, just accept that I was an idiot to have bought them in the first place and now I am paying the price!

I'm transcribing this word for word so far from my note pad, I have to warn you that it was a bit long, I spent hours on planes and sitting around and so got into the flow, I will edit it a bit…

Ok so I needed to get the money for Epic, but the bank was closed until 10am for staff training. I pop into the camping shop and spend the vouches I got for leaving epic on some random items, hiking socks, gloves and a waterproof liner for the back pack. I get the money and get some US Dollars for the trip and pay off Epic, saying goodbye to the girls in accounts and the receptionist who is lovely and a mother to us all ;o)

I get back to the flat and hastily tidy up the remainder of the stuff. I hot tail it over to Lewes to take some things to the charity shop and say my goodbyes to D&T. It's funny it's not until I leave that I realise how lucky I am to have such good friends it's a bit like when a celebrity dies and everyone says how great they were and what a special person they had been, hopefully unlike with the celebrities my friends weren't slagging me off the week before ;o)

I got to my sisters at 6pm the plane takes off at 9.30pm, if my ex was with me she would have killed me by now! I am always late for everything and understandably it drove her nuts. It's weird doing this trip without her, I traveled on business for my last company to Qatar in 2000 and that was the last time I flew without M. I was doing some work for Gulf Air and I got to fly Business Class which was great, free booze, loads of leg room etc. When I flew back I was on a seat next to one of their chief engineers, a real old colonial type. He started ordering whiskeys before I had even settled in my seat and half an hour into the flight I was totally smashed. Fortunately the Old Cornel had fallen asleep. I spent the rest of the trip watching the Sixth Sense with a stewardess from Virgin Airlines who was cadging a lift home with Gulf. I came rolling home about 7am, I think M was just off to work. Poor think I think she despaired at my behavior at times. I like to think that for the most part she found it endearing?!   

We get to Heathrow at 7.15pm there is no queue at check in and I even manage to get an extra leg room seat! I get on the plane and it is so weird there are only say 100 people on a 747 jumbo. There was a guy sat next to me his name is Tapesh I hope I got that right as he now knows about the blog! He saw me writing in my journal (the note pads status has been upgraded!) So I told him I was blogging and he wanted the address. I couldn't refuse the guy told me that his 18 year old daughter had died of ovarian cancer that year how tragic and heartbreaking is that. The funny thing is he seemed like one of the most jovial people I had ever met. Some people think the world has ended because their train is delayed or their dinner is cold or Coronation Street has been cancelled because the football has gone into extra time. It kind of puts it in to perspective.

He gave me some advise for my travels in India, I must not say sorry when people bump into or shove past me or vies versa. There are over 1 billion people in India that's a lot of people to bump into I'll soon get sick of saying sorry no matter how British I am.

 

Vantastic adventure

The last couple of days have been a mad rush to get all of my stuff out of this flat and get what I wanted to keep down to my mums. I drove down to Wiltshire in a storm, the rain was blowing sideways with the force of the wind and it had got dark by the time I got in to my journey. To be honest I wasn't enjoying it to much after the bumps I had had on Saturday. Also I couldn't get the bloody stereo to work! Nightmare, so I had to sing to myself on the way down, unfortunately I have such a bad memory that I can only ever manage two lines of a song and then repeat. Yes it is actually possible to annoy yourself.

Anyway got down to my old dears and we offloaded all the stuff pretty quick in the morning. She is still modifying the house, a new window had appeared since last time I was there, god knows whats next, perhaps a moat and drawbridge?

Stormed back in the van via the new forest to drop off my sofa with a friends mum, who is possibly one of the loveliest people in the world, got very well fed and sent on my way, just got the van back in time, unscathed!

Ok so now I'm sat in a virtually empty flat apart from bags of stuff to go to the charity shop and rubbish, a laptop and an inflatable bed. This will be my last post from England, the adventure begins...

Gifts from God

Just a quick side note to my leaving work. My gifts were a bunch of vouchers for the camping store at my request and very generous too. But also a few smaller gifts with the money that was left over. I have to point out at this point that they came from my boss, who is Swiss and a nice chap, but he would not be the first person I would think of to get someone a present. So bless him he came up with a puzzle a day pad and a little wooden puzzle, for my new office in India?? And a chocolate cigar!? is it just me or was he being vaguely suggestive!

Flying Frog

D came over today and gave me a hand moving my stuff I have got all the heavy crap in the van and all the stuff that takes two to carry, I'm just left in a messy flat now still a fair amount of stuff all over the place even though I am trying to be as ruthless as possible with what I keep.

My dad told me how I turned up to New Zealand when I was 12 with just a tiny back pack, it was the first time I had seen him really, he left when I was really little and visited once when I was 10. He had thought I must of had another bag as I only had one change of clothes for 3 months. As it turned out I didn't, my dad phoned my mum and she said "Oh yes well he packed his bag himself". Now anyone reading this might think this was obviously a bit of a joke to play on my dad from my mum, and maybe it was. In reality though I think knowing mum she would have thought that to let a little boy of 12 pack his bag for a 3 month trip on his own was a good idea and perfectly normal. I really wonder what was in that bag apart from the one clean outfit?

Earlier I popped in to see the hippy I have been sat next to at work for the last year or so, he is one of the gentlest and most pleasant people you are ever likely to meet. I dropped off a mini pool table and a computer game, just to get rid of them really, but also because its his sons birthday tomorrow so I hope he likes them. He very kindly gave me some food also a going away card and inflatable frog that he took on his travels round South America, I'm to take it to India, it is going to be one well travelled frog!

Crash!

Much drunken fun on my last day at work, to be honest I really can't be bothered to say what happened and some of it was a blur anyway and also I'm starting to doubt the blog now, how honest should I be, what should it document and who is this for anyway??

Enough of that, I will let you know what happened the next day, by the time I had half recovered in the afternoon, but to be honest I had been up til 5am and I still felt pretty wobbly. I had to get the van I hired to move my stuff back to my mums. I managed to have two accidents in that god damn van on the way back from the hire place, where I had hired the van from a dwarf, to be honest I was in no state to drive. I smashed the tail light of a parked car coming down one a really tight street with cars parked either side and just about room for one car/van to go between them and then minutes later parking outside my flat which is on the steepest hill in Brighton (I'm sick of hills, I think i might move to Holland) my foot slipped off the break and I flew forward into the car in front making quite a large bang. I'm in right state at this point and I get out of the van just as the bloke who's car it is comes out of his house. As it turns out to my amazement there isn't a scratch on either vehicle, I still have no idea why! This morning I get a call from the first guy I crashed into (I left a note) as it turns out the cars tax is running out in a month and then he is scrapping it so I need not worry! Brilliant :)

Eye of the Storm?

It was such a sleepy day today at work, it's hard to get to grips with the fact that there are going to be plenty of unfinished things when I leave and it's just not my problem. To be honest Epic is like a lumbering old dog that just keeps on going and in a few weeks I will be forgotten like a scratched off flea.

I spent over £200 in the camping shop today ready for Everest! Got myself some thermals, gloves, a sleeping bag and a Leatherman tool, which is just a posh pen knife really, but it's really groovy.

Oh the meal thing last night was really fun and ended up with some top grub, I almost had meat oozing out of my skin afterwards though! Had a pumpkin and prawn risotto to start that was utterly delicious. Then a middle course of beef with a plum and apple compote, I did this one and it was more like beef and jam to be honest, but still yum, then a beef and prawn stir fry rounded off with some baked figs and plums with cream and toffee sauce, fantastic!

Might have to make a speech tomorrow when I leave, pooing myself about that a bit, oh well! Tomorrow night should be good fun, going for a few beers after work with work folk and I have invited some of my friends, so it will be interesting to see who turns up. Must pace myself on the beers!

The countdown continues...

2 more days to go, finally sorted the travel insurance today, oh god this really is going to be on a wing and a prayer.

Saw another film last night! Night Watch totally overblown matrix style special effects and sense of self importance, but vampires and shapeshifters are always going to make for a good film. It's Russian too which gives the style and plot a totally unique spin to any other film I have seen. Good fun.

Going to a friends tonight for a ready steady cook evening?? I have bought a joint of beef, some plums and couscous. Everyone else also is to bring along a random item then we make something with it. Should be interesting and possibly tasty!?

Serenity

Saw Serenity tonight, all a bit daft, but really good mindless romp through space, cool special effects and real John Woo style over the top fighting sequences. For some reason got a real urge to see loads of films, it must be the fact that I'm going to be in the middle of nowhere or in cities that only play Bollywood flicks. At the risk of sounding like a bit of a dick - I love space

Bright lights, big city

Went up to Londan today to get the visas sorted, and after waiting for about 3 years (ok a few hours) I got the India one sorted. I still haven't done anything about the Nepalese one, oh well I'm sure I can sort that in India!? Oh I will look into it!

As usual I was totally unprepared, had to but a street map in the tube as the Indian Embassy wasn't that near a station, found it at about 11:30, they stop giving out the tickets to form the second queue at 12. Realise I haven't got any bloody photos or cash, run around to find money and a photo booth. I go into a newsagent nearby and ask if they know of anywhere with a photo booth. The Indian chap in there beckons his mate over and says "Visa, photos", I think this guy is going to explain to me where to go, but he guides me to the back of the shop and pulls down a screen in front of the soft drink stand and gets out an instant passport photo camera, genius! They must have people coming in every day asking, the queue was well out of the building and this is a Monday not the weekend.

I had quite a good day just wondering around in the big smoke. London though every time I get a mixed feeling of I really should visit here more and I'm so glad I don't live here it would drive me nuts. How many f**king Pret a Manger/Starbucks/Coffee Republics do you actually need, to be honest probably the countless number they have already to be filled up with all the t*ssers in suits with mobile phones glued to their ears.

Super Sunday

Had a really good day today, I went out for a walk with in the country with KD and it was very pleasant. Went to Alfriston a twee little village in Sussex, I can't believe what great weather it was considering it is the middle of October. Alfriston is hilarious it had two shops that both sold coconut ice, a sort of sweet bar that was popular probably in the nineteen forties, and about 5 sleepy Sunday lunch pubs that had all stopped selling Sunday Lunch by 2:30! Amazing that you probably need a million quid to live in those villages and it seems impossible that any of those businesses survive, very quaint though.

Had to return to Brighton to get a Sunday lunch in the No Name pub, damn fine beef yum, felt a bit sleepy afterwards. KD was blown out by her friend who she was going to meet in the Hanbury Ballrooms so I went along to watch some bands. They were the kind of thing I generally like quite sort of ponderous old mannish folkie indie stuff, more sleepy and sit down gig affair which to be honest was just about what I was in the mood for. The final band was a tad on the depressing side and although they might have been fine on CD but not really what you want for a rousing finale to and evening. Still left early enough that I got home to watch Match of the Day 2. Marvelous!

House Party

Well not quite, but a few people came back to mine last night after the pub and much drinking, smoking and general amusing natter went on. It was one of those nights where I was actually going home, but I thought oh well I will just go along for one, you know how it is, one unfortunately is never quite enough ;o)

It turned out to be quite fun, when I come back and get settled it would be cool to have a few evenings of "entertaining". The little Scottish bald chap from work, who my friend KD calls the Wee Man and I call Mini Me feel asleep within seconds of being in the flat and I gave him a cover and left him there when the others left at 4am. I heard him get up in the morning and go to the loo, Jasper (my cat) was mewing in the kitchen for his morning feed (It was probably around 9am) and bless the Wee Man I heard him feed the cat, before he left the building. Bit of an odd bod, but jovial little fellow.

Speaking of he cat I have to give him up this week, that is going to be a bit sad :(

Spent the afternoon playing cricket in Lewes with D, in the car park just at the end of his col-de-sac with some tennis balls covered in masking tape, apparently according to D this is how they have been training in India for years or something, bounces more like a cricket ball, but still no danger of getting knocked out by a rock hard cricket ball. I used to spend hours with my mates playing cricket in the road outside my mums house (one car/tractor every hour or so) when I was about 13 or something, it was absolutely brilliant halcyon days. Quite fun today too, even with a bit of a hangover ;o) Must stay in tonight!

Late lunch

Got dragged down the pub at lunch today, still suffering from a bit of a hangover from last night, oh god I have the motivation of a dead sloth this afternoon. 4 more working days to go...

That's Entertainment

My sister and her husband are coming down to visit tonight at about 6:30, which gives me 1/2 an hour to turn the flat from a smack heads den to penthouse suite. I have let the place go a little over the last couple weeks. (I haven't actually become a smack addict yet though ;o) )

So knowing K* and especially J* I will have a bit of a hangover tomorrow morning.

Other things to report. I have closed a few of my direct Debit's down in preparation for leaving and also cancelled the gym membership.

Gym membership £38 a month probably for around 8 months:

£38 * 8 = £304

I recon I have been a maximum of 10 times. So that's £30 a go then, brilliant! Note to self, never join a gym again.

Contractors - Useless overpaid idiots, discuss

This is a follow up to my last post. Why on earth am I worried about my job prospects. Some of the contractors we have working here are so unbelievably useless. 95% of being successful in this world is self belief, confidence and bullshit. These incompetent idiots have all these qualities.

Must work on my self belief.

Get me out of here

Flaming 'eck what a total disaster this place has become now (my work). It has been a plate spinning exercise for as long as I can remember with nearly all the projects, with the odd one smashing, but amazingly most of them just about keep rotating. I'm sure I can hear Zorba the Greek playing now and to be quite honest I don't give a f**k. I just have one more week to go after this and then I am free!

I know I'm going to be panicking when I come back from my trip not sure what to do with the rest of my life, but anything has to be better than this madness at least for a bit anyway. Don't get me wrong lovely people, great location and fairly good money and when I'm actually doing some interesting code (very rare) the work is good too. 6 more days...

Regret and heartache

I went to see the ex tonight. Just to drop off some stuff the clear out continues. She has set up her flat really nicely, very feminine and very tidy, just the way she always wanted our place to be I guess. It's all very sad and sometimes I really do miss her so very much. What a stupid boy.

Part of me really wanted to ask if we could try again etc...

bugger...

Sick

I'm at home today, I've got next Monday off too, so no more Mondays at work, fantastic!

I got very drunk on Friday and it was start of a totally wasted weekend, stayed in Saturday and then had a few more drinks Saturday night, since then I have been sick as a parrot, I thought it was just a hang over, but my stomach has been all over the place, probably good practice for India!

It aint half hot mum

Weather today in Dehi, 35 degrees C in the day 22 at night, oh my god I'm going to fry!

I can't wait to leave work now, I'm really just being thrown the crap to do, and I'm not sure if it is the change in the seasons, but everyone seems even less motivated that normal. I feel like I am leaving a sick old man to die quietly in his sleep. This is good as it's making me feel better about jacking it all in.

Run for the hills...

Did I go for a run this morning... Did I F**k

List No 1

Ok start slowly, things to achieve list no 1:
1. Get remaining music on MP3 player
2. Get remaining crap on the Intranet to sell (Desk/Sofa)
3. Never couch in front of crap tele ever again unless it is an absolute positive desire (why would it be?)
4. Stop fart arsing about on the computer (I think the blog is my new way of wasting time, but some how it seems more productive than stupid on line footy game, trawling amazon/play/ebay, porn and currently reading the space cadets web log. I actually did some work today on the machine and made some money, although G probably won't actually pay me for weeks)
5. Pack up or throw out/give away anything that's in draws/cupboards in the flat.
6. Cut down on the pork life and do some f**king exercise, I've got to climb a bloody mountain next month, shite!

That will do for now, I'm getting inspired, I'm going to take some photos of things to put on the Intranet at work and then get an early night for once so I can get up early for a run!

Touching the void

How stupid is this, I am so cronically bored, I have finally mustered up the will to turn off the TV although there hasn't been a single piece of joy coming from the giant grey light box all evening.

There is so many things to do, but its so god damn easy just to do sod all! I have spent most of the last two years or so (maybe more??) just rotting away, with highlights here and there. I have had some great holidays and enjoyable sporting days and drinking nights. But even some of those have been a bit monotinous.

Ok age of f**king aquarius moment! I am going to start doing things, I know I have this big trip coming up so I won't have a choice soon, but it starts now got to start doing things, I never want to be bored again!

Another day another dollar

Just done some very lovely code for an old mate from work who is now a free lance web developer, he is more of a GA than a programmer though so he sometimes needs to get me to do the fancy stuff. Drop down menu today, and if I do say so myself it looks rather nifty.
Was supposed to go to London and sort out these blooming Visas, but left it too late, oh well got the web work done, it will have to wait til Monday.
Off for 9 holes of golf this afternoon, I love the life of leisure ;o)

Happy Families

Ok so I told my sister about all that went on last night, and she has emailed half brother no.2! He is keen to meet up, but it's a bit early for K*. Watch this space...

A real sense of calm came over me today, I am finally feeling comfortable with the situation I have thrown myself into and got to start looking forward and not back. I almost can't wait to get on the plane to India now, but on a lovely crisp sunny day in Brighton I felt a sense of some of the things I will be missing.

I'm staying in tonight, 2 nights in a row! And I feel good about it at last. I know I won't be able to hold this in my mind at all times, but feeling good in life for me is just a state of mind and it's all to do with having a future, something to look forward to and that is a really good positive thing that I have to remember. It's very easy for me to slip in to the other ways of feeling happy and that is just immediate pleasures like going for a drink or getting some attention from the opposite sex, all good stuff and all well and good, but if I sort the long term happiness that's when life will be sweet.

Anyway that's all a bit serious, I have something to look forward to now with this trip and although there will be some tough times ahead I also feel quite excited about all the possibilities when I get back, rather then fretting about what the hell I'm going to do with my life.

You know I think it might be all the talk of Eddie, the guy has just cruised through life god knows how many kids and broken hearts etc... that he has left behind him. I'm not a bad bloke, so I'm not going to beat myself too much anymore, so here's to getting back to the happy go lucky chap that I think in the most part I am.

Anyway enough homespun philosophy I need to get some things sorted, I've got the day off tomorrow got to get these visas sorted

Strange Days

Well it turned out to be a strange evening to set up the blog.

I thought it was about time as I need to stay in contact with people somehow when I go off for my travels. However there are a number of other reasons:
1. Just to keep a personal record of what I'm doing to look back on.
2. I never document anything or have any order in my life, so who knows this could be a good start.
3. Hey maybe just a bit of therapy??
4. Blogging is the new black or something, everyones' doing it, even a thing on the radio about it this morning, hey I'm not ashamed to belatedly jump on a bandwagon.

So I'm fiddling with my oh so dull website that I set up a couple of years ago to get this blog going, getting the predictable texts from someone who has lost current plaything and wants something (i.e me) to fill a gap (litterally) until the next one comes along. However I'm determined not to get sucked into that situation again making more of a prat of myself than I already have and so politely end that conversation.

Anyway, so I'm doing this when I get a ringing noise from the computer it's that bloody Skype Phone thing that I have set up to call my Dad and my friend in NZ. Funny the name of the other user is also Conlan. I refuse to answer, I don't want to talk to a complete stranger even if they have got my name! So I hang up, but text the guy instead anyway here's how the conversation goes:

[03/10/2005 21:01:31] Joe Conlan says: Er who are you?
[03/10/2005 21:02:15] Other Conlan says: hello there i have never used skype before and was just looking to speak to someone who shares the same family name as myself
[03/10/2005 21:03:35] Joe Conlan says: Ok fair enough, I can't be arsed to get my head phones at the moment, Are you related to an Eddie Conlan?
Ok I'm just commentating here - Eddie Conlan was my younger sisters dad married my mum when I was a baby (not my dad but ironically I'm the only one left with the name!) I'm just idly asking this...
[03/10/2005 21:04:54] Other Conlan says: no, but i am trying to trace my father who left home when i was 6 months old i have something urgent to tell him, his full name is edward conlan
[03/10/2005 21:07:59] Joe Conlan says: Really! bloody hell. Strangely I am the only one in my family with the name Conlan left, he was my younger half sisters dad (left us when she was 3 I was 5) His name was Eddie, but I guess full name was probably Edward! How old are you Other Conlan?
[03/10/2005 21:09:22] Other Conlan says: oh my god, i am 34, him leaving me left me with many unanswered questions, i need to know about my medical history as i have a growth complaint.. please help find out more
[03/10/2005 21:13:19] Joe Conlan says: Ok well I don't really know much, my mum doesn't talk about eddie much, he left when I was 5 (I'm now 31 my sister K* is 29) We grew up in * in Whiltshire. My mum contacted him a few years ago to get divorced so she could re-marry.
[03/10/2005 21:14:59] Other Conlan says: the age is about right, i just spoke to my mum and he went on to have another 2 children, my mum said, she was in contact with his mum. this may be quite amazing.
[03/10/2005 21:16:28] Other Conlan says: i just need to check 2 things urgently, was he irish and was he corn in around 1948? I just need to get medical history as this is important. please speak to your mum I am really sorry to ask this but a big part of my life is missing
[03/10/2005 21:18:22] Joe Conlan says: ok well don't get carried away, but it is possible I think that all sounds about right, and yeah I think he was Irish. May have even had more kids later god knows?? Hold On I will just ring my mum, you got any more info?
[03/10/2005 21:20:12] Other Conlan says: oh my god, he married my mum, he told many lies in life, but i have 2 young kids now and i want to find out medical history from their side and just know if he is alive, i have spent a lot of money on trying to find him
[03/10/2005 21:21:04] Other Conlan says: he lived in wood green, along with his mother, my mums parents were in the army stationed in germany
[03/10/2005 21:24:42] Joe Conlan says: mum recons he was born perhaps 24th may 1948, in Clonmel in Southern Ireland, he has 3 older brothers
[03/10/2005 21:26:35] Joe Conlan says: mum also knew him as a lier
[03/10/2005 21:26:37] Other Conlan says: yes, it is him oh my god. the date is exactly right, i cant believe this give me five minutes to confirm with my mum the brothers
[03/10/2005 21:33:28] Other Conlan says: i spoke to my mum and the date of birth is similar there were 2 or 3 brothers one went to australia, my mum was born in 1948, we think as he was being chased by police and courts he changed his DOB,
[03/10/2005 21:34:09] Other Conlan says: Does this mean that we may even be related, only need one more bit of info to confirm, what was his middle name?
[03/10/2005 21:34:38] Joe Conlan says: did your mum kick him out and cut up his clothes?
[03/10/2005 21:38:06] Other Conlan says: he left without saying anything, he did say that one day he would come back and say why, i was only 6 months old at the time, his mother said that he went on to have 2 more children with one woman which is probably you, he then went on again and had more children,
[03/10/2005 21:39:47] Other Conlan says: he left without saying anything, he did say that one day he would come back and say why, i was only 6 months old at the time, his mother said that he went on to have 2 more children with one woman which is probably you, he then went on again and had more children, this whole situation has been on my mind for all my life, my life would have been a lot better if her had not done this, my mum even said the brothers were older. i am 99 percent sure we have the same person
[03/10/2005 21:44:08] Joe Conlan says: hold on a mo Other Conlan, just talking to mum
[03/10/2005 21:51:05] Other Conlan says: his mum always called him eddie, i am speaking to my mum to get more info. regarding the divorce he had to be found by courts, he refused to see me, stole money and was involved with drugs as well, i am not sure how much of this is true or sounds similar
[03/10/2005 21:53:33] Joe Conlan says: Hi Other Conlan, just got off the phone to my mum, and we really have a problem with communication in my family so it's difficult to tell but he did just disappear in to know where and I think my mum said he had a drink problem
[03/10/2005 21:54:31] Joe Conlan says: I'm not his son tho, he met my mum when i was a baby and they when to have my sister and get married, it only lasted about a year
[03/10/2005 21:57:50] Other Conlan says: it sounds like the same person, even if i could get some positive addresses or info, like what was his middle name to confirm, also do i have any relatives and most importantly any way of tracing him, is he still alive
[03/10/2005 21:59:05] Other Conlan says: my mum met him in a pub, he did have a drink problem,
[03/10/2005 22:01:03] Other Conlan says: my mum met him in a pub, he did have a drink as well as possible drugs issues. i hope i am not getting too carried away, but what did he look like, if i can establish that he is the same man and i have other relations, i would be very happy.
[03/10/2005 22:01:07] Joe Conlan says: Mum said that to get divorced (about 6 or 7 years ago) she contacted social security and they have to write to him by law, so I guess you could do the same? Funnily enough he was in Brighton at the time, that's where I live. I didn't want to speak to him tho as K* is still very upset about him walking out on her, I am in contact with my dad
[03/10/2005 22:01:44] Joe Conlan says: i think sort of curly black hair and beard
[03/10/2005 22:02:00] Other Conlan says: please could i speak to K*, my life needs to be sorted out!!!. i just have a part of my life missing...
[03/10/2005 22:03:31] Other Conlan says: i just need a bit of info on how to contact social security. i have to be very careful, if i ever met him i would find it very hard not to kill him, he seems to have messed up so many peoples lives
[03/10/2005 22:04:25] Joe Conlan says: I don't want her to get hurt and she knows no more than me in fact i think she pretends he doesn't exist, something I think she needs to deal with, but I think it would probably be really good if you did track him down and I will let her know, I mean if this is all true then you are her half brother too
[03/10/2005 22:05:54] Other Conlan says: i can understand all of this, i am hurt so much, it has also affected the relationship with my family alot, and yes he has black curly hair and a beard. i
[03/10/2005 22:06:31] Other Conlan says: If you could email me at some stage at....
[03/10/2005 22:07:06] Other Conlan says: i know we cant spend all night emailing each other but i think i have found a big gap in my life.
[03/10/2005 22:07:37] Other Conlan says: thanks so much for everything, i am very grateful to you
[03/10/2005 22:08:20] Joe Conlan says: I'm sorry Other Conlan I know the feeling, my dad left too and to be honest apparently although I don't really remember i was pretty upset when eddie left as I was 5 and thought of him as my dad i guess. My email is ....
[03/10/2005 22:10:14] Other Conlan says: thank you so much for this, i am not prone to crying but this all sounds too much like a coincidence, i know that this would be hard for K* to deal with, but i really would just like to speak to her, trust me i will find this man sometime. i will tell him what he has done, he has ruined my life...
[03/10/2005 22:10:27] Joe Conlan says: My mum didn't have much luck with the fellas ;o) But It helped me a lot finding my dad and speaking to him and I have always thought it would for K* too as she has a lot of anger, but its also that you just feel rejected i guess? I did, but it's not always that simple
[03/10/2005 22:11:25] Joe Conlan says: sounds like your ok though, you've got 2 kids you say?
[03/10/2005 22:15:16] Other Conlan says: yes i have two kids, a boy and a girl both lovely. but i have a lot of problems in my life which i blame him for. it has not stopped me trying to get on with things. before i get too carried away, any more info, his middle name will confirm the match although we seem to be there...
[03/10/2005 22:16:27] Joe Conlan says: francis
[03/10/2005 22:16:50] Other Conlan says: oh my god, yes its him i am crying now could we talk
[03/10/2005 22:18:33] Joe Conlan says: ok hold on im just going to go to the loo and then i will give you a call, how bloody amazing is this!

So I ring him and it is all a bit weird, but he seems a nice enough fellow.
So pretty strange really makes me realise how little I know about my immediate family let alone the rest of them, why have I not tried to dig deeper before? So lets see what happens...