Sunday

On Sunday Nick and I decided to go to Bangalore...
Looking back we're not quite sure why - But Koos (lecturer and researcher on Bees) Mette (my supervisor) and Anders (her son) we're getting a taxi in, and on the spur of the moment we decided to join them. While we were there it was pretty uneventful, having a look at Tippus palace, a Mango exhibition and having a few more people requesting photos of Nick and I. It was when were leaving things got a little exciting.
Nick and I decided to get a TucTuc to IISc (Indian Institute of Science) to eat at their restaurant there while Mette, Koos and Anders were heading back to NCBS. We set off, not really recognising anything and after about an hour of travelling he pulls into the Indian Institute of Management - we promptly pointed out his mistake. Trying to work out what/where the IISc is, he queries the guard, during which time someone starts fumigating the area around us with fungicide - with our driver failing to realise we probably shouldn't be in this cloud of death. Finally he turns round and sets off back down the road we came (back past an open river of sewage). Then the monsoon hit and today happens to be the day where I didn't plan on doing anything so I failed to bring my waterproof. By the end of the hour long journey back to our starting point - I was very wet and getting wetter, however we were probably doing better than the guy we saw fall of his bike, and the two blokes who had crashed and knackered their cars (but were well enough to shout at each other in the middle of a "motorway"). Now someone decided it would be a good idea to drive into the back of us on a motorbike, cue much shouting in the middle of the road. We finally pulled into IISc, in a very moist state, 3 hours after setting off amid thunder and sparking lamposts. Settled down with a curry and a coke. Laughed.

Day One/Two (It's now tomorrow and I haven't been to bed)

5am is too early to get up.
Animals seen: Cows, Dogs
Football managers sat next to: Big Sam Allardyce

After only losing Nick twice we managed to make it on to our flight from Heathrow. Arrived in Bangalore and having first been checked for Swine Flu Nick and I jumped in one taxi and Mette and her son jumped in the other. Then followed the whiteknuckle ride of driving in the middle of two lanes and honking a lot. After some time of this we realised the taxi driver was lost and we continued driving around the back streets trying to find our accommodation. Finally after much shouting at passers by we arrived, got given our rooms and realised we had lost our supervisor. Cue an hour or so of lying about waiting, we finally went for a wander to find a Bee Hive as big as my chest dangling outside the window (photos later). I have promised Nick £1 if he pokes it. We managed to track down another Student (Kate) who became our guide and has brought us to the labs here.

I make no apologies for typing/coherence -> I'm very tired )but it is nice and hot though)