bye bye Bangalore

Bangaluru last stop on our India part of the tour. Again arriving in the cover of darkness we fended off hordes of taxi drivers to make our way to the airport shuttle and started the 40km journey into town.

The conductor oh so kindly let us off at our stop - about 3km away from where it actually should have been. Lucky the locals seemingly knew where we were going (quite unusual in India) and pointed us in the right direction - again inundated with taxi and rickshaw drivers insisting on taking us and it being very cheap (particularly if we just stopped at their cousins sisters brothers shop for a look!).

Brindavan Hotel appeared in the distance and we gratefully dumped our bags and headed off on the search for some dinner. As it was Saturday night it was really quite busy and Bangalore appears to be a bit of a party town. Lots of people out and about and plenty of drinking going on, more so than any place we had been so far - locals drinking that is, have seen plenty of trashed foreigners (from a very pious albeit very jealous enforced non drinker)dinner and drinks at Coco Grove and then back to crash.

To be honest we didn't really see a heck of a lot of Bangalore apart from the square mile from our hotel. Spent the next day on a technology trip, getting a new camera - so photos to start again soon, and a handy wee mini laptop. Headed to the movies, unfortunately all Bollywood films not in English or subtitled but still was a laugh. (no sweets for sale though, most disappointing and an intermission, most annoying).

Last day has been tidying up bits and pieces ready for our departure to Vietnam. An interesting sojourn to the Bangalore Central Post Office and a day full of testing Indian bureaucracy - full ID and DNA for internet use, pick product at one point - pay at other - collect at another for simple statue purchase, parcel has to be sewn into special Indian cotton blanket before it could be sent and of course we had to pay for the privilege - at a different counter of course....and breathe.

Needless to say we are a little relieved to be sitting at the airport waiting for our flight. Have enjoyed our time in India, has been interesting but trying at times, magical and totally unforgettable.