So what was the name of your school, again?

Bye bye, India. Hello London

What Tidgy won't miss about Bangalore

Stinky smells, spicy food, cowpats

What Tidgy will miss about Bangalore

Noelene, Tania,Rosie, the moped, autos (tuk tuks), school, all my friends

Asleep on the moped

For about 5km and along the noisiest street in Bangalore

That's a hairdo and a half...

Oh, no it isn't!

Odd dog

Just seemed like an odd place to hang out

Chocolate pancake chow down

Tidgy's favourite character in Modern Family

 All is well with the world!

At a poetry night with Anoushka and Ash

Awww

And here's the beautiful poet

Tidgy watching the the mechanic clean out our moped's carburetter

Very manly - phew!

Napping in the fast lane?

Silly cow...

Oops

I SHALL go to the football!

Cinderella in her new donated football boots

Du-ude!

OH MY GOODNESS! Only two weeks until we come home.

Road resurfacing

OK so I kind of promised I wouldn't post this...

Hulk Hogan

Tidgy has grown-up teeth! And here's the proof...

Top teeth on left, bottom teeth on right - you can see his big teeth, though they are not coming through yet.  Also he has to grown up molars that have come through at the back of his mouth - hurrah. 

Hijras

This is a Hijra.  'Traditionally' they are eunachs.  But many of them may just be marginalised gays/transgenders.  They are thought to have special powers for good and bad luck, so they beg and people give money for fear of being cursed.   They are also paid a great deal to attend weddings etc to wish good luck to the couple.  This Hijra wasn't very smiley, but did bless Tidgy.  Phew. And I gave her 20 rupees.Just in case.

Sunday in Bangalore

This is Arnold - he was at Magic Bus football training, where Shaona runs sessions for slum children.  Arnold wasn't enrolled but he had a fantastic shirt. You can't tell from this photo but it's very shiny.

On the way to Smurfs 2 3D we found ourselves in the 19th century - very poor traditional Muslim part of town. It's not obvious here but almost all the women were wearing burqas.

These chickens were a little nonplussed, but not seemingly aware of their fate.

Most of the waterways are like this. And very smelly.

Sunday fruit and veg market.  The Hijras go along with large bags and help themselves to the food. They know people will be too scared of being cursed to say anything.

We really liked this bull

Totally still and totally cool

Tidge and his friend Nianthara making a noise

Back home - work guard dog

This is the guard dog at my work.  The clipped ears mean he's disease-free and vaccinated. He's one of many street dogs adopted as a guard dog

Inflight meal - yummy

The boys were a constant source of fascination

Major vousjh alert!

Playing snakes and ladders at 4,000m

 While Mountain Boy and Mountain Dad scale another peak:

 Then we all walked 10km back to the hotel

Thiksay Monestary

Making an elf village