First impressions - India is an assault on your senses.

Just made my connections from Delhi via Mumbai and finally Goa but only by abandoning the queues and rushing to the immigration and security officers asking to be fast tracked.

From the air, a giant haze of pollution hanging over Delhi and Mumbai.

Relief to see my driver with my name placard after 2 days exhausting travel.

Soldiers with machine guns hanging out of a small jeep with a hole in the roof outside the airport at Goa.

Taxi ride to yoga centre at night through incredible amount of trees with tiny shacks all strung with lights for Deepa Vali, manic roads with honking, death defying, weaving scooters. Barrage of smells thru open taxi window - Woodsmoke, incense, swampy water...


Arrived about 8 pm, got shown to my room which hadn't,t been cleaned. Beyond exhaustion, I set to work, thankful I never travel without a sponge cleaner. The room smelt of my rat infested hovel in Bulgaria and I wondered why I put myself thru this travel lark, vowing to stay at home forever.

However, thinking of my friend Pamela Settrey and her Detol wipes, I did her proud and finally unpacked, wondering what I.d let myself in for.