Stranger in a strange land

Nov 8-9

The (India) machine works?

TV broken just went dead - repairman called round (screwdriver in hand) looked at it scratched his head switched the 'on' button - still dead unplug plug switch scratch head depart stage left hilarious.........Basic synopsis: The TV broke because we used it.....?......!

Toilet broke just stopped flushing for a while then surprisingly started again - plumber turned up after it was working again (i'd flushed it) scratched his head flushed the handle and said it was working.....?.....! apparently we shouldnt be flushing paper.....nice to have known (we've only been out here 6 weeks) Basic synopsis: The Toilet broke because I used it......?.....!

Bed Bug genocide - The wee smell was in the mattress guard, and had transfered its pungency to the pillows and sheets...and me! - eau d'peepee the new fragrance for MEN!. Bed bug's last guard wiped out by vicious cleaner with vacuum - bite's stopped and healing. The smell was caused by my body-heat and the current damp climate. Basic synopsis: The bed smelt because i used it.....?......!

The cook that cant? (juries out!) - 6 days straight served 'aloo dish led me to regret my comment that 'I like spicy potato (errive aloo)' - we have been treated to mash aloo curry; aloo gobi; aloo korma (mash & boiled); bombay aloo and lastly 'not f'n aloo again!' - all served with rice. Basic synopsis: My mouth....I shouldn't use it!

Blame it on the weatherman? - well, no actually because he said it would rain all week....and it has! - apparently the rain should ease up around the middle of the month and then it is the best time of year to be in Kerala.....we'll see!

in the chord of Cm

Nov 6 - 7

Never sure if i really like Sunday's. Such a different vibe to the rest of the week and so dependant on one thing that governs whether the day will be good, or bad....

Today it Rained (surprise!)

TV is fixed; Jam is back + new housemate Lizzie has arrived from UK. Also can play the following on the guitar (well on Sham's guitar anyway):

Oasis - Live Forever (Maayybbaaay i doont rreeeaallyy waannna nnaaawww....)Green Day - Time of your life (f'n Gr8)Nirvana - About a girl&Libertines - Time for heroes (!!!)

Also picking up on Libertines track 'Music when the lights go out' which has a nice chord change from C to Am....(listen to me going all Bert Weedon!) Trying to learn the chords to Jam fave 'Love Generation' by Bob Sinclair but it's proving quite tricky - will get there though!

All the way to Kovalam for a bite to eat as lightning flicked the sky the waves a photograph of negative to positive light.

Bed at 3am (cube 2 : Hypercube proved too much!) couldn't sleep. Fan not working so room = oven saw 5am + the dawn chorus kicked in (wanted to kick out) - finally drifted off to be awoken at 8am by loud conversation right outside my room. Blokes jabbering away without a care then 'clipclipclip' a monotonous but no less continuous tone as they preceded to 'trim the verge' - LEAVETHEFAKIN'EDGEALONEIMTRYING2SLEEP! - suffice to say i'm not v.well rested.

I also think that in a past life i must have wet the bed (i'm mostly house-trained now.....mostly) as the smell has come back to haunt me - I changed bed-sheets yesterday & woke gagging to the hum of stale urine a not pleasant aroma of at least 3 years maturation in a dusty dark Indian cupboard. Also seem to have bed bugs as my feet are a minefield of itchy sores so need to sort that pronto!

Sleep deprivation due to heat/gardeners/bugs/wee smell = feel oppressed. Must get out + do something next weekend!

This weeks featured soundtrack DJ.....
Zane Lowe

Fancy a pint!

Nov 4 - 5

What to write, what to write - apart from the usual, it's been a quiet couple of days. (hilight is the post about Elvis! U-huh-huh!)

Friday woke late rushed around jumped in cab worked - i showed some photos of the holiday; Ali; Friends + family to the office. (Ali - sorry the one snorkelling was included!) (Also had one of Ginger legend (with baby) who i described as 'my friend' & 'the funniest man alive!!' - see ledge, i'm even spreading the word worldwide...H'aight!) returned home for spicy aloo curry which Aji cook has been perfecting. I had meant to plan something for the w/e, but it's here! - nought planned so i guess i'll just have to see what happens.

Saturday Rain! (MAYA!) still darn hot though, but the beach is a no so I spent time on photoshop prepping some shots for my stock photo contribution. Then decided to read (Dark Tower vi!) + before you know it i'm asleep (again!). Went to the Muthout hotel in town for a Sat nite curry buffet which was pretty good (+ pretty xpensive @ a tenner), then back for footie; guitar + beer & .......

Funny how what was so strange + unusual six weeks ago has now almost become frustratingly predictable. Where the constant powerouts + things just not quite working right were somehow quaint, now they are tiresome (sigh) well, let me explain - last night half the power was still out, Trivandrum on a Saturday night (well, on pretty much any night) sleeps after about 9pm. TV sound went (Jam fixed by hitting the top of the box - seriously!) then the modem decided to conk out (interrupting an exciting Saturday nite Lemmings session! (GOD for a drink session + loud music!)) which led to TV followed by the satellite which transmits the signal to the TV abruptly deciding to end transmission. 'OK then i'll go to bed' - cruel world!.

This week has been the festival of Divali - The guys in the office have all had a couple of days off to celebrate + the sky at night has been alight with fireworks and the usual quiet has been littered with dull thuds as fireworks & thunder compete for attention.

Divali, known worldwide as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by Hindus in India and around the globe. Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to Lekshmi (goddess of wealth.....+ light!). Gifts and cakes are exchanged and festive meals are prepared during Divali. Click to learn more

Being indoors, I have missed Ali a lot. At home if it's raining, nothing to do, she can always manage to make me laugh (mostly by accident!) or drag me down to the cinema + she never tires of my teasing.....OK, so she's probably sick of that! (in fact whilst im sat over here pining, she's on a well earned break after 10 years of it!) I thought it kind of apt, being the festival of light, that i've thought about her most this week.......................

(i was going to post the one snorkelling, but i guess i'll keep it up my sleeve haha!)