Culture Shock, Christmas and all that jazz

I made it back, alive, in one piece, with all my belongings and a lot of memories!

It was a pleasant flight, thanks for the good 'Indian' chat Andy. I was rather nervous about coming back to the cold streets of London but as I boarded the tube from Heathrow a London Underground employee kindly told me to never lose my huge smile, I don't think I will. Very jetlagged, I arrived home with a fever and yet more Delhi Belly. As with Hotel California - you can check out of India but you can never leave.

It was an even bigger culture shock arriving back here in the height of Christmas shopping season, however it did not take long to warm to the streets of Edinburgh again. What happened to my fame, why do people not greet me in the streets, where are the handshakes .. instead of the usual 'Welcome to India' they couldn't atleast say 'Welcome back'? I have made a big effort to strike up conversations with strangers (even more than usual) and although they are weary at first it always ends well. Citizens of the first world have way so many expectations, people in the developing world accept they have been given a bad deal so they get on with appreciating what they do have. I told an Indian I felt guilty for owning many possessions and getting the chance to see more of their country than they do (many people in India have not travelled more that 20miles from where they were born), he told me I was being rewarded for good deeds in past lives, they are learning a different lesson to me this time round.

This has been a grand year for me, I set myself a goal, did all the fundraising and had a life-changing holiday ... even survived Christmas with no turkey or any other meat!

I took over 600 photos whilst in India, to see a few of my favourites, click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/32697644@N00/sets/1665871/

As the 2006 approaches so will new projects therefore this is my last post on this blog, thank you for joining me on my worldly adventure!
A massive thank you to EVERYONE who sponsored Mind through me and to Mind who made it all possible and who will continue to do the work of angels. To every one of you who is reading this, you have encouraged me in your own way and words cannot possibly describe how much that means to me.

From a very happy and appreciative Shirlz

All the best for the new year!

THANK YOU, YOU ARE WONDERFUL!