A pretty bumpy bus ride lead us into a dirt tracked tiny village where immediately we were flocked by screaming children. Straight away we began playing games, counting and already we were home. We got stuck into some back-breaking work, which no one quite expected, the next morning. The team work and spirit of the group made the work seem effortless, the time flew by and the toilets were up before we knew it.
The end of the day has to be everyone’s favourite part; all running into the reservoir, cooling down and having a laugh. Realistically though, it was the only way to get clean, even though the water was brown and full of reeds! One of the group’s proudest moments was when they swam the width of the reservoir and back.
The days were made interesting by the hospitality of the local villagers, giving us bindis, flowers and dressing us in saris. There was a language barrier at first, but through smiles, then the masons teaching us basic Kannada (the language of Karnataka), we soon learnt to adapt and enjoy what each moment brought.
The work began to relax as the masons took over the plastering which opened up opportunities to look around the villager's homes, bake some breads and cakes, gut and cook a fish and enjoy the evening sunsets from the top of a hill.
We are all leaving Hosekerasunda with a massive sense of achievement. All ten toilet units have been built and plastered. They look highly professional and we are proud we have managed to establish relationships not only with the villagers but the masons too. So the following groups to come will have an enjoyable stay.
Guy - did those hands really do all that? Glad to see all those smiles at the end of your Alpha 1 task.
ReplyDeleteAll of us here send lots of love to you there.
Darling Olivia - so proud to see the English Mason at work and I will always remember how you manage to get so much done with so little fuss. Another skill you must have picked up from years of building work at home. We all miss you (including Doggus) and it was so lovely to hear your confident, bubbly and relaxed voice today. All love, as ever, Daddon.
ReplyDeleteFor Georgia
ReplyDeleteJust seen the update on the blog! Well done Alpha one, you must all be SO proud of such a fantastic achievement! Loved the new photos of you all smiling by the loos. Am longing to see one of you in your sari. We got your letter today, it must have been sent two weeks ago..so lovely to get all your news and so lovely to get a letter...I think the last one I got was from Sauveterre!! I do hope you are feeling better, (am doing reiki)I know it's miserable being ill when you're away. Longing to know where you're off to next. Hopefully speak to you tomorrow. Get well my darling. I love you masses xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For Miss Sarah Frodsham :)
ReplyDeleteOmgosh this better work now!!! He he. I have just been trying to do this for over an hour so I hope this is the right place to write! SARAH!!! Omgosh it looks so amazing out there and I'm loving the photos and the blog, I have already saved the photos to show my mummy when I go home!! hehe. She'll love them! They are truly amazing!! I hope you've received my letter now! Yours was great, I'll write you another one after this! I loved the stamp you sent me, I'm going to start collecting :D I don't know whether to ask you any questions, I guess I'll do that in the letter! I haven't been up to too much mainly uni, I'm doing race for life so have had to start training hehe so me and nathan are every other day running to the bay and back (I know nothing compared to your activities tho!)I'm also sorting out the whole America stuff which is quite a long process; but I'll be home around middle of may to work solidly until august when i go! HOWEVER that means lots of partying too and seeing you!! Awww gosh sairr I miss you!! When I was out Enriquez Inglesias came on the sound system and that was one big tear jerker! Hehe. Okies well I'll write you a letter now and hope everything is the biz :D See you soony!! x x x x x x x x x x x x