365 Day 76 ~Friday 27 June

2008-08-03T11:50:00.002+01:00

Pangong Lake.

This lake lies between India and Tibet (China) and the military presence is quite high. We had to obtain special passes to be in this area. I've never been anywhere so remote! The lake changed colour depending on what time of day it was.

Day 75 ~Thursday 26 June

2008-08-03T11:45:00.002+01:00

Went to morning puja at Thiksy monastery before driving to Pangong Lake.

We were surprised to find that the majority of monks are just boys.

Day 74 ~Wednesday 25 June

2008-08-03T11:43:00.002+01:00

Driving back from the Nubra Valley.

Day 73 ~Tuesday 24 June

2008-08-03T11:41:00.002+01:00

Drove through the world's highest motorable pass, Khardung La today en route to the Nubra Valley. It's at 18,380ft and the lack of oxygen makes you feel slightly drunk.

We stopped for tea, picked up a traveling monk and delivered him to his monastery, where I took this photo.

We also saw/rode bactrian (2 humped) camels, and hiked up to a deserted monastery.

Being limited to one pic a day is frustrating sometimes. :)

Day 72 ~ Monday 23 June

2008-08-03T11:30:00.002+01:00

Spent the morning white water rafting on the Indus River, and most of the afternoon trekking.

This is the Shanti Stupa in Leh.

Day 71 ~Sunday 22 June

2008-08-03T11:15:00.002+01:00

Lord Buddha, Thiksey Monastery. He is 40 feet tall! :)

Day 70 ~Saturday 21 June

2008-08-03T11:09:00.002+01:00

After a harrowing night time drive back to Delhi, and 3 hours of sleep, we flew to Leh, Ladakh.

We were given the traditional white scarf upon arrival at the hotel and about 10 minutes after I took this pic I was fast asleep. Now in the "Cradle of Buddhism" in the Himalayas, we are at an elevation of 11,483 ft. and visitors are advised to spend a day acclimatizing to the elevation to avoid headaches.

Day 69 ~ Friday 20 June

2008-07-29T18:18:00.002+01:00

Midway through our strange journey, we took a 28 hour break at Ananda. Meaning "bliss", it is one of the top spas in the world. This was the only point in the trip where we brushed our teeth with tap water, and ate fresh fruit/salad without worrying.

This is Robin modeling the kurta that we were each assigned to wear around the resort.

http://www.anandaspa.com/

Ahhh! :)

Day 68 ~Thursday 19 June

2008-07-29T18:09:00.002+01:00

Sadhu at the banks of the Ganges. (Rishikesh)

Day 67 ~Wednesday 18 June

2008-07-29T18:07:00.002+01:00

Everyone uses the same bridge. :)

Rishikesh

Day 66 ~Tuesday 17 June

2008-07-26T14:23:00.002+01:00

Today we drove northeast from Delhi to Haridwar, which is a very holy city on the banks of the Ganges. We arrived during a full moon festival and it was wall to wall pilgrims. There was a fab festival atmosphere and since our hotel was inaccessible by vehicle, we got to trek through a narrow maze of streets filled with vendors selling everything under the sun.

We attended an Aarti (light)ceremony on the riverbank, which is what the pic is. I stuck my foot in the Ganges but held back from the full body plunge that most Hindus go for. :)

Day 65 ~Monday 16 June

2008-07-26T14:14:00.003+01:00

Baha'i Lotus Temple, Delhi.

We spent the day touring old and new Delhi. It's hugely crowded and feels somewhat like most large international cities.

We visited Humayaun's Tomb, (which was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal), Qutub Minar (tallest minaret in the world), the Baha'i temple, Ghandi's house, Chandi Chowk (main bazaar), our guide's Hindu temple, Nizzamuddin's shrine (Muslim), and Delhi's largest mosque.

That night we found a restaurant called Piccadelhi which was London Underground themed. A bit of an eye roll as it had half of an old Routemaster bus inside along with red phone boxes and other Londonesque decor, but it was heaving with families and the food was quite nice.

Day 63 ~Saturday 14 June

2008-07-26T13:48:00.002+01:00

The famous Taj Mahal!

It was hot, crowded and amazingly beautiful!!

It was my turn to be ill, although not nearly as bad as Robin and silly me forgot to take my sunglasses. The white marble was blinding even though it was overcast.

I'm not sure if it was the way I was feeling, and even though it's really cool, the Taj Mahal simply was not the highlight of the trip for me. Still, I can cross it off my list of things to see. :)

Day 62 ~Friday 13 June

2008-07-26T13:42:00.002+01:00

Taken from the backseat, this is a flooded intersection we drove through.

We were originally scheduled to drive from Jaipur straight through to Agra (usually a 4.5 hour drive), but that road was closed due to Gudjurat terrorist activity. Instead , we were routed back through Delhi, but the flooding caused roads to be closed and we were diverted twice.

To make it even more interesting, the air conditioning stopped working, we had to change cars/drivers and Robin developed Delhi Belly. At one point, we were stuck in a traffic jam and a random guy jumped into our car to move it out of the way of a truck since our driver had wandered off to see what the holdup was.

12 hours after we left Jaipur, we arrived in Agra. Robin was running a low grade fever, popping Immodium, and moaning a lot. It was all very dramatic but done in the spirit of making light of his illness. Luckily he was better by morning.

Day 61 ~Thursday 12 June

2008-07-25T06:59:00.002+01:00

Taken at the Amber Fort in Jaipur (Rajasthan) .

The monsoon arrived 2 weeks early in this part of India for the first time in 108 years and we awoke to flooded streets. We carried on though and toured the Amber Fort, the Water Palace, City Fort, and the Observatory. I also had a fantastic 70 minute aryuvedic massage for about £12!!

I'm going to cheat a bit and add a link to a more clever person's YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTpCVVevTeI

:)

Day 60 ~Wednesday 11 June

2008-07-25T06:45:00.002+01:00

We finally decided on India the morning of 10 June and booked our tickets for that evening. It was an overnight flight on Virgin Atlantic and we arrived in Delhi in the late AM.

This sign was near the immigration queue and I found it amusing. Little did I know how it set the tone for much of the trip. ;)

Day 58 ~Monday June 9

2008-07-25T06:37:00.002+01:00

Still trying to decide if we are going to India. I am stressed and can't be bothered to cook so we go to Mexifresh for dinner. Good food. Still overpriced.

Don't give up on me just yet!

2008-07-23T21:06:00.001+01:00

I know it's been a while since I last updated, but I am almost done with uploading and sorting all my India and beyond pics. Life has been rather busy since I got back but look for updates soon!

:)

Day Fifty Seven ~ Sunday

2008-06-09T18:13:00.002+01:00

What a gorgeous weekend! This is where I live.

Day Fifty Six ~ Saturday

2008-06-09T18:12:00.002+01:00

Snogging peacocks at Warwick Castle.

Day Fifty Five ~Friday

2008-06-09T18:11:00.002+01:00

Under the sink in the special stains area. Today I went through the entire department and checked every label to make sure the inspectors won't catch us with any expired stuff.

Day Fifty Four ~Thursday

2008-06-09T18:08:00.002+01:00

Stuck in traffic coming off the M4. *sigh*

Day Fifty Three ~Wednesday

2008-06-04T18:17:00.002+01:00

Two immunizations and £33 later, I have the basics covered for India. Now to wait for the visas!

Day Fifty Two ~Tuesday

2008-06-04T18:15:00.002+01:00

Leaving for work in the morning.

Day Fifty One ~Monday

2008-06-04T18:14:00.002+01:00

So tired. :(

Day Fifty ~Sunday

2008-06-04T18:13:00.002+01:00

After a day of sitting around trying to plan our trip, we finally escaped to Richmond for a walk.

This is Ham House.

Day Forty Nine ~ Saturday

2008-06-04T18:11:00.002+01:00

Oh dear!

Day Forty Eight ~Friday

2008-05-30T20:52:00.002+01:00

Pretty! :)

Day Forty Seven ~Thursday

2008-05-30T20:51:00.002+01:00

I wasted too much time here and forgot to take a picture. Pah!

Day Forty Six ~Wednesday

2008-05-30T20:50:00.002+01:00

I was at the Hounslow site today so I popped into Aldi. Found this for £1.29. :)

Day Forty Five ~Tuesday

2008-05-27T19:56:00.002+01:00

I'm too tired to take a real picture. Nuts anyone?

Day Forty Four ~Monday Bank Holiday

2008-05-27T19:55:00.002+01:00

Sign at Crank's in Dartington. Good advice no matter where you are.

Day Forty Three ~Sunday

2008-05-27T19:53:00.002+01:00

Statues at The Eden Project. Can you imagine these being allowed in the US?

Day Forty Two ~Saturday

2008-05-27T19:52:00.002+01:00

Stoplights in Totnes, Devon. You can almost see the smiley on the green. :)

Day Forty One ~Friday

2008-05-23T18:34:00.002+01:00

The underside of the M4.

Day Forty ~ Thursday

2008-05-22T21:25:00.002+01:00

From a book of Simon Drew postcards I scored on Freecycle. It reads "Anne Boleyn gets a new tattoo". ;)

Day Thirty Nine ~Wednesday

2008-05-21T20:52:00.002+01:00

When I ordered this helmet, I thought it was plain silver. But no. It has these ludicrous pink and blue graphics and I HATE HATE HATE it!

Seriously hate it.

You know you're PMSing when something this ridiculously silly upsets you. :(

Day Thirty Eight ~Tuesday

2008-05-21T20:47:00.002+01:00

The book club meeting was held at Mestizo.

Day Thirty Seven ~Monday

2008-05-20T05:19:00.002+01:00

New toy. Haven't been on one since 1995.

Day Thirty Six ~Sunday

2008-05-18T17:53:00.002+01:00

Race For Life 2008 to benefit Cancer Research UK.

This is my first cheat since I didn't take the pic, but it represents my day. I managed to run it through with no walking breaks. I am thrilled! :)

Day Thirty Five ~Saturday

2008-05-18T17:49:00.002+01:00

Robin and I tried to re-create a black rice, prawn, and yogurt curry starter I had sampled in Trieste. The original was much more artfully arranged, but we got the taste just right! :)

Day Thirty Four ~Friday

2008-05-17T12:13:00.002+01:00

Date night! Although not planned, I like that it came out blurry.

Day Thirty Three ~Thursday

2008-05-15T19:45:00.002+01:00

My colleague Saj and her recent fantastic fabric finds. Her outfits frequently brighten my day! :)

Day Thirty Two ~Wednesday

2008-05-15T19:43:00.002+01:00

I drove all the way to Bournemouth and forgot to take pics. How bad do I suck?

Day Thirty One ~Tuesday

2008-05-13T20:28:00.002+01:00

My quads are so sore! :(

Day Thirty ~ Monday

2008-05-13T20:26:00.002+01:00

Bellydance night!

Day Twenty Nine ~Sunday

2008-05-11T21:37:00.002+01:00

Lost at Kew Gardens.

Day Twenty Eight ~Saturday

2008-05-10T19:50:00.002+01:00

I was supposed to attend this today. But I just could not summon the energy to get out of bed because Robin and I went to a dinner party last night and didn't get in till an ungodly hour. Oops!

Day Twenty Seven ~Friday

2008-05-10T19:23:00.002+01:00

The bank holiday pushed our HPV assay to Friday. With the exception of the left row (which are controls), each of the dots is a patient sample. We run a test to see if certain types of Human Papilloma Virus are present. If the test is positive, the patient will then know if she is at a higher risk of developing cervical carcinoma.

Day Twenty Six ~Thursday

2008-05-08T19:28:00.002+01:00

I think I killed it. :(

Day Twenty Five ~Wednesday

2008-05-07T16:24:00.003+01:00

This is the corner where I had my boxes full of stuff to flog on Ebay. They have been there since I moved into the flat in November. Six months later, I have listed it all on Freecycle and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted! Out with the junk!!! :)

*Update: Everything has found a new home and I have my clean space. Very zen. ;)

Day Twenty Four ~Tuesday

2008-05-06T20:21:00.002+01:00

My first stealth spotting of the next door neighbor's laundry. Summer is here? :)

Day Twenty Three ~ Monday

2008-05-05T20:25:00.001+01:00

Coming home is a mixed bag. :/

Day Twenty Two ~Sunday

2008-05-05T20:20:00.000+01:00

Sunday morning we awoke to lots of conversations and chatter. The street in front of the hotel was a sea of red in preparation for for the Trieste Marathon. Very cool!

Day Twenty One ~Saturday

2008-05-05T20:18:00.000+01:00

The view of the Adriatic from our room.

Day Twenty ~Friday

2008-05-05T20:15:00.005+01:00

This is what 6oz of feta cheese looks like. I made a dish with farfalle, green beans, mushrooms and feta, but ended up cutting back a bit on the feta. It was really good!

Day Nineteen ~Thursday

2008-05-01T20:27:00.005+01:00

Homework. :)

Day Eighteen ~Wednesday

2008-04-30T17:39:00.004+01:00

This is Angela.

A few months ago, I was convinced that I had damaged my knees. My chiropractor took a look and told me that the pain was not from an injury, but from adhesions and fibrosis. He referred me to Angela, and she fixed me by stripping my muscles and breaking down the knots and adhesions.

Don't let her friendly smile and slight frame fool you. Her massages are amongst the most painful things I have endured, but they always leave me feeling fantastic after the fact. I saw her today and will continue to go as long as I can afford her. I am addicted! :)

Day Seventeen ~Tuesday

2008-04-29T21:58:00.004+01:00

An evening out with friends and Thai food. Good combo.

Day Sixteen ~Monday

2008-04-28T20:36:00.003+01:00

The sky over Gillette Corner was very broody tonight. Light, dark, pink, and grey all at the same time.

Day Fifteen ~Sunday

2008-04-27T21:23:00.003+01:00

Baby showers are luvley. Seeing a friend wearing rose quartz was luvley as well.

Day Fourteen ~Saturday

2008-04-27T21:19:00.003+01:00

After a fantastic lunch here, (http://www.sircharlesnapier.co.uk/), we took a 4 hour walk in the woods behind the pub.

Day Thirteen ~Friday

2008-04-26T09:22:00.004+01:00

My Lush haul from last night. There was a grammar snafu in the email announcing the "Party", so the manager made sure I walked away happy. I didn't realize how much he had given me till I got home. Customer service at it's best!

The email contained the statement "Each shop will be giving away a Retro Box Set worth £24.95 as well as customised skincare sample packs when you spend £20 or more." My interpretation of this was spend £20, and get a Retro Box Set + goodies. What it should have said was that each store was giving away a Retro Box Set to one lucky customer and when you spend £20, you get a few goodies. I hadn't printed out the email but the manager listened to my assertion, and took me very seriously. He apologized in advance, and told me he would "put together a little something" for me since I had come all the way into the city. The stash is fab, but more importantly, it was great to be treated as a valued customer!

Day Twelve ~Thursday

2008-04-26T09:13:00.006+01:00

I love to see the bubbles in my olive oil when I first pour it into the carafe. This was taken with the morning sunshine streaming through my orange curtains.

Day Eleven ~Wednesday

2008-04-23T16:46:00.019+01:00

Yes. I dye them.

Day Ten ~Tuesday

2008-04-22T20:09:00.010+01:00

How come the goat's cheese never lasts for very long?

Day Nine ~Monday

2008-04-21T19:37:00.004+01:00

I am really tired of winter skirts and pantyhose.

Day Eight ~Sunday

2008-04-20T15:48:00.003+01:00

Sunday is the day I am most inclined to cook. Today I am making Sweet Potato and Coriander Soup with crusty bread for dipping.

Day Seven ~Saturday

2008-04-19T17:25:00.002+01:00

My £1.50 charity shop find.

Day Six ~Friday

2008-04-18T17:05:00.002+01:00

Some days, I bring Saj a piece of fruit since I know she can't be bothered to think about it. Some days Saj brings me food since she knows I can't be bothered to cook. Today, it happened on the same day. :)

Day Five ~Thursday

2008-04-17T18:21:00.002+01:00

Thursday at the FNA Clinic.

Day Four ~Wednesday

2008-04-16T17:56:00.002+01:00

The Cork contract feels endless. :(

Day Three ~Tuesday

2008-04-15T22:16:00.002+01:00

Today I got my car back from the garage, where she was having her bumper repaired. Whilst I am grateful to have had a courtesy car, I really missed my little Honda!

Day Two ~Monday

2008-04-14T15:50:00.002+01:00

It's not arty, but it's the reality of what awaits me in the morning when I can't be bothered to do the dishes the night before. This happens a lot.

Day One ~Sunday

2008-04-13T11:15:00.001+01:00

Urban garden ruin, as seen each morning from my bedroom window.