India

We're safely back from India after an absolutely fascinating trip. It is an astounding country; life in all its squalid glory! We travelled from Delhi to Goa; taking in the breathtakingly beautiful Taj Mahal, the majestic palaces and forts of Rajastan, the sights and slums of Mumbai and the white sandy beaches of Goa. It was a constant assault to the senses - bright colourful saris, beeping horns and hubbub of people, the pungent smell of humanity (and sewage!), the feeling of  hot, dry, dusty air and the taste of hot spicy, and delicious, food.

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The people we met really made a lasting impression -  always friendly, cheerful, upbeat and optimistic. Such ebullient 'joie de vivre', despite the obvious extreme poverty and hardship of everyday life.

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We travelled on local transport - rickety buses, sleeper trains, rickshaws, tuk-tuks and camels - and stayed in basic guesthouses, which allowed us to really get a feel for the place. Amazingly, we had no collisions (a few near misses!), so the incessant beeping must  be effective at reminding the wayward cows and pedestrians to get out of the way!

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We tried to eat 'local' food - hot vegetable curries with warm, squidgy 'naan' bread to mop up the sauces - and thankfully managed to avoid the inevitable 'Delhi belly'. It was actually really nutritious - lots of fresh vegetables, water and small quantities of meat or fish - free from all the additives that seem to creep into our processed 'Western' diets.

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We had plenty of time to read and in particular I was very interested in the daily 'Wellness' column in the 'Indian Times'- a short article that was full of useful hints and tips to enable people to optimise their health. I'm sure that if we had a similar column in our daily press, we'd all be much healthier!

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Although we've only been home a few days, it already seems a long time ago. However, at least I was able to have a holiday and make the most of the opportunity that arose when the clinic had to be closed because of the ongoing building work and renovations.  

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