London is different. After getting off the plane, I need to kill a few hours before any of my ex-housemates get home to let me in (they’ve very kindly offered to put me up for free), so I decide to visit my favourite location in the city – the Southbank. Read more
On the main junction connecting the road to the Goan capital of Panjim to the tourist strip of Candolim, a calf sat happily on the road. It wasn’t in the middle of the road, just to the side. Of course, this is a common sight in southern Asia but that Read more
To Live It’s been a merry month, has May. Merry and humid. While the temperature has been in the bearable low-forties, the humidity has pushed that to feeling somewhere in the low fifties. Even the locals are finding it hard. Intense, violent thunderstorms shake the evenings up with intimidating god-like Read more
Its Monday. It’s youth camp time! I’m sat in the junior boys home where 50 teens are having an amazing time. Over the 2 and a half day event put on by the church, there will be games, worship, teaching, team challenges, delicious food and lots of sweat. I’m about Read more
Week 8. Has it really been that long? I’ve been living in India for 2 months. In some ways I feel ingratiated into the way of life here and in others I still feel like a fish out of water… a very white fish. Candolim, where I have my apartment, Read more
It’s time to show you a little bit of what I’m involved in. Are you ready? My voluntary work is for an Indian NGO (non-governmental organisation) in Goa called Bethesda Life Centre, founded and run by Martin and Beena Philip. This charity has been taking in abandoned children for 17 Read more
Fishermen always put themselves at risk. The seas and oceans of this planet are affected by oft-unpredictable weather patterns and a big, round rock in the sky. Sometimes they go away for a day, sometimes months. Sometimes they can land that big catch straight away, sometimes the waters offer them Read more
It’s Monday and I’ve spent the entire day cleaning the apartment. After a wash I relax and watch one of my favourite movies on my black and white TV. It’s Tuesday and the electricity has gone off 6 times. At night. It’s Wednesday. I’m on the bus, off to work. Read more
My naivety was the only thing supressing my laughter. ‘Surely he can’t be doing what I think he’s doing?’ It all started with the question “how old are you”. It’s an honest question, but still a question best played with children, most of whom have no distinction between 20, 30 Read more
It’s 10am. I’m drinking coffee with my head swirling. The sun begins its defrost cycle, the neighbours white and ginger cat has been let out and begins its morning prowl, and I really begin to miss my mum. Yes, that wonderful wench has gone back to soggy Blighty to begin Read more