Chris's first E-mail home

Well flight here was brutal....31 hours. Then i went straight to train station for 4 hour train right to Daman.......ocean side town.
Bahrain airport was cool seeing woman all covered up except for their eyes and sheiks w/robes. and the veil or others w/red checkered head piece..............very middle eastern and cool to see
Saw my first rat in airport parking lot w/in about 45 seconds of leaving the airport.......haha suprise surprise. We were crammd like sardines in the 2'nd class train but my taxi brought me to the wrong station so i just sucked it up and actually kinda had conversations w/locals squeezed up next to me, never mind all the people riding in the luggage racks. Got here and walked round a bit then finally slept for about 6 hours only to wake up at 11:00 pm wide eyed and had a few beer on balcony of hotel . Went to a bar and met some other people....1.00/ 650 ml beer so all was well. Free snacks as well at table.
Today went for nice long walk met some locals and had a meal so spicy i could hardly eat it............good but wayyy too spicy .Went to beach i was sweating like a pig and most locals just sat on beach as they say it is too cold as it is winter here . Had to been 25-27 deg cel so i went for a nice swim w/whole ocean to myself aside from about 6-8 other local men swimming odd but as i sat on beach some locals would sit next to me and just stare then others walking by would stop and stare......kinda annoying after a while but what could i do untill just tonight i didn't see another white tourist at all. Beer is quite tasty here and they sell it everywhere as this is resort town.
3.00 hotel rooms 1.00 giant ice cold beers and really fresh seafood everywhere think i may turn into a shrimp as i ate 3 times today and all were awesome (aside from the spicy meal)
Locals are very nice here and very interested in tourists almost too much, as i walk down the street people will just say hi or ask what country i am from.....even had a few guys come up ask my name, country then shake my hand even today on beach. A lot of the guys that were just standing staring at me came up to shake my hand before finally walking on. Honest i am not making this up again. kind of a novelty at first but quite annoying after a while but hey how can i be rude......so i just smile, nod my head and shake the hands. Different as well how everyone just sticks their finger 1/2 way up there nose in public and always has to examine what they found when they remove their finger............really kinda disgusting a bit but such is the culture. Also today....not a single woman was swimming and almost all of the guys went in fully dressed.......pants/shirts and all????????
Interesting place this india is, bad thing is i am not use to the heat yet and find it quite hot..........and I am on my way to the desert in Rajastan . Each day it slowly gets hotter as March approaches and slowly i am going to the desert.......i must be crazy. But it'll be awesome and a very unique part of India i have researched.
I Don't wanna leave this place but sadly in 2 hours I'll take an overnight train to Amhmebad or Jaiselmer........got 2 hours to decide yet also 1 person told me Ahmedbad was a 3 hour train ride another said 7-8 , so with out a travel book i really do not know how long a night train it'll be........nor weather there is a seat w/bed(sleeper class) or if i'll be stuck in 2'nd class like a sardine again like the train ride here .
Definately see some interesting people here faces painted, brighly coloured clothes and on a holy pilgramige somewhere.....plus the cows everywhere is crazy too..........watch out for cowpies when u r walking in the dark w/sandals and tring to drink a giant beer. Y,eah sad to leave this place as the ocean is beautiful, well aside form the tonnes of garbage/plastic everywhere and a town canal that flows down the beach into the ocean wreaking of sewage....................yes india is dirty is some ways but crazy and shocking all the time all the time. Sad to see the horrible poverty and lots of crippled/disfigured people everywhere.........never mind the homeless that just sleep in the dirt or on the sidewalk everywhere.
The chai(sweet tea) is awesome and 7 1/2 cents/glass. Today i had 7 of 'em......gettin my fill. hmmmmmmm I know I had loads to tell but what else has happened so far???????????????????
glad i came already and Laura.............wow, r u in for a real shocker..sorry but u really have no idea what u r in for! it'll be good but bring lots of patience and maybe noseplugs haha........it really is freindly and unique though. You'll never forget this trip as long as u live...........that i promise even myself, riding the train here crammed all in looking out window just seeing people going to the bathroom(number 2) and the smells and the garbage, I almost wondered why the heck i came back, but musta been the jetlag cuz i sure am smilin now and already don't wanna leave in 6 weeks.
well guess i should go pack up and look at map to decide where i am heading and try to plan next 17 days, exciting to think the decisions i make in next hour will totally change the outsome of my next 17 days.................100% will change my trip till i gotta meet Laura in Bombay March 3 try to write at next place w/internet.
Luv u all sawka