Friday, November 30, 2007

Day 5: Journey from Bangalore to Mysore

Trevor Lynn:

Quote of the week: Everyone onto the pavement, oh sorry there is no pavement.

Color, camels, elephants, inspirational people, controversial speakers, crows crowing, pollution sirens,strange birdsong,fruity massages, amazing architecture, cultural and spiritual experiences, planes, trains tut tuts, dogs barking, networking jungle spray, one Bollywood star one powercut and so far so good no Dehli belly.

Today the group was joined by the seriously jetlagged Clif prior. Our benefactor and financial guru. Its 6.50am in Bangalore and the group is preparing for a train journey leaving Bangalore (known as the garden city named after the year long show of sequential blossoming trees designed at the behest of the Maharajah) to Mysore to stay at the famous green hotel. But for me a special trip first to visit Unnati which helps educate underprivileged youths and preserve traditions in the city. I was invited earlier in the week by them as a possible partner to launch a Mow & grow India….The group have an incredible ability to train and employ 30 students every 3 months in English , tailoring, customer services and various other life skills.100% of students who reach the end of the 3 month course gain employment….its an impressive figure, and the students I met amazed me

One girl stood up and explained how good her teachers were and was incredibly grateful to be on the course, she then went on to tell me of her troubled life which caused her to cry. She recomposed herself, carried on and received and huge round of applause from everyone in the room.

On returning to the main group in the nick of time we experienced our first train station and a great train journey (3 hours to Mysore). Cliff grabbed a few ZZZZ’s as did much of the group whilst Steve charmed us all with his double Mandolin tape of Indian music he’d found and his own harmonica train tune…..At Mysore we travelled by jeep convoy, to the Green hotel where we were greeted with flower garlands, and a coconut!!!!!

That evening we were joined by Stan Thehaekara. His speech was to provoke a mixed response many heated going on into the night.

My lasting thought for today as I write this was how fantastic this group of social innovators are. I feel the benefit of 20 different opinions has magnified my learning 20 times..

So to she who never leaves her rucksack, seagull lady , liverpool kits duo, jetlag cliff, just do it, big camera,lady social filmmaker’castle accent gal, fruity boy, snake scared man, laptop lady (of whom this blog was created on, welshman, toy lady, and the compassionate and thinking couple, may \I must say you’re an amazing group….I thank you all for being the best companions one could ever wish to travel with…

Kind regards

Magic Uncle and his elastic bands……

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