Leigh and Erwin left for Delhi this morning so here I am now holing up in my room spending some alone time with the Carpenters on iTunes. Woke up particularly early and had a long hot shower before walking two rounds along the school compound with my iPod plugged in, giving me temporary comfort in the familiarity of the songs.

Kash and I are as ready as you can get here with the planning of our 6-day trip to Udaipur and Mt Abu. Bought bus tickets and called up budget guesthouses with not too much trouble, except that there's always that lingering sense of uncertainty. A guesthouse I called up assured me that there was no need to leave my name or contact number for the booking of a room...all I needed to say when I got there was that I am from Singa-poor.

It helps to reassure yourself by reducing it down to the essentials: Cash, passport, handphone. As long as you've got those, it should get you places.

Now I've got to practice my "don't mess with me, I'm not even gonna give you ten rupees more than the market rate" face. Romain has been very helpful in imitating difficult autodrivers so we get practice haggling.