Bangalore, Bangalore. What's the score? Bangalore. What's the score?

Jo & I have decided to do some volunteer work in Bangalore for the next four weeks with an organisation called Sukrupa. We both do bits of volunteer work here and there back home in Manchester and for a combination of reasons (that I'm not going to go into here) felt that should do some charity work for one of the countrys we were visiting.

We landed at Bangalore airport and picked our bags up and as I have come to expect from Indian airports now everything happens very smoothly inside the airport, without any hicups our delays. We make our way to the airport exit and the crowd of people waiting to sell us some tat, carry our bags, beg, borrow, steal or just hassle us isn't there? We're met by our charity organisation rep who escorts us politely to our waiting taxi. He explains that the police and airport security keep the entrances and exits clear and that Bangalore's one of India's modern cities. Don't get me wrong the waiting "Hasslers" are there but they're not right outside the exit, and they don't seem to approach you while you're waiting for a cab/tuktuk/rickshaw/yellow and black three wheeled thing.

At one point on the drive out from the airport to the project the car came to a halt at a red light. We were stationary for a few seconds when a girl, aged about 8, tapped on the window begging for money. I have been to some poor, deripived areas before but I have never seen anything like that poor soul at the car window before in my life. She was dirty from head to toe with a dirty bandage around her left hand. She just stood there at the lights crying her eyes out for what seemed an age. I didn't give her any money. When you read the guide books, or speak to the locals, they tell you not to. These poor kids are made to target tourists and are being exploited by adult gangs who then force them to hand over the money.

I wish I'd had some sweets, cakes or food to give her.

I wish the world wasn't such an un-equal place.

I don't think I'll ever forget that image.

I saw one of the most disturbing sights of my life in an area of the city called Commercial Street. Commercial Street is probably the busiest shopping area of Bangalore. As we were walking down the street I saw a lad, around 14 years old, lying spead out, face down, on the filthy floor. His body was all twisted (maybe from polio but quite severely disabled) and his left leg was twitching uncontrollably. His left arm was held up and open with a few Rupees in it. All he was wearing was a dirty rag around his loin to cover his modesty. He was absoultly filthy from head to toe. It made the girl I saw on the way into the city seem lucky by comparison. The thing is, and this obvious, that someone had to have put him there. And people were stepping over him. Including me. God loves all his creatures? If I would have been back in Manchester I would of never left another human being like that but the truth was I was caught off guard and I didn't know what to do.

The drive out to the project centre took around thirty minutes, as it's based in the city, and I have to say that if I thought the roads in Goa were Chaotic then in Bangalore they're crazylunaticamentalist! I just cannot seem to fathom what the rules of the road over here are. And to be fair if you speak to any of the born and bred Bangalorians they don't either. One of local the lads, that lives out in the US but does a lot of business in Bangalore, desribes driving in India "like having to complete a really hard level on a computer game". I've heard that if you can drive in India you can drive anywhere. Another of the sayings I've heard about driving in India is "you can drive without an engine in India but not without a horn". Actually the driving and the condition of the roads in Bangalore is one of the things that born and bred Bangalorians do complain about. And the condition of the roads ain't the best. The government's stance is that the large companies that have moved to Bangalore have damaged the roads with their extra traffic, so they should fix them. Great!

Staying with subject of the roads. If you come to India you have to have a go in one of the autos/rickshaws/dodgy yellow and black three wheeled thing. What an experence. It's like being on a fairground ride. For those of you that have been to Blackpool, the autos in Bangalore are a lot like the mad mouse ride. As a matter of a fact they're exactly like the mad mouse. You have to hang on tight, they can turn really sharply (without warning) and the first time you go on one they scare you witless. You do have to watch out when you use these autos. Some of them are piloted by less then scrupulous individuals. Make sure the auto driver puts the meter on when you set off or that you agree a price before you step into the auto. If they fail to do either of these walk away.

One of the other tricks they try to pull is when you get in and state your destination they will try and take you to some of their freinds shops saying that there is roadworks, or some lame excuse why he can't take you there directly, where you will be subjected to high pressure sales from people (usually men?) who don't seem to understand any phrases or words that have mean I don't want to buy anything. One bloke made Jo & I laugh out loud. We told him that we did't want to buy anything and that we were only looking to which he replied "only looking! Not buying! Where is the fun in that"? It reminded me of the scene in the Life of Brian where the bloke wants to haggle with Brian about the price of the beard. A lot of the shops will want to negotiate the price. A tip here if you've not done this before. Wait for the salesmen to start negotiations. Whatever price is on the item, or whatever price he says, offer half and work from there. If you don't get the deal you want then walk away. If you call back the next day he will remember you and he may be more ready to meet your price. And have fun. Smile when you're haggling. We both used to enjoy the act of haggling and it feels good to walk away knowing you've just picked up a right bargin.

There are quite a few big shopping malls around the city. I used to just go to these to get books for reading or for resourses for the kids at the centre we were working at. Jo used to go sometimes and just walk around them when she was feeling homesick. Shopping is quite good around the city and we both could have bought loads of really good quality craft stuff. I found myself investing in a dark rose wood budda which just puts a smile on my face every time I look at it. Commercial street's good for clothes, and just about any other form of goods.

Bangalore's India's fifth largest city and is growing at a very rapid rate. You can't travel more than 500 yards without seeing some form of construction going on. It's population is growing at around 1600 people a day and used to be known as the garden city, although one of the local lads told me it is more commonly known as the garbage city now. Bangalore is also referred to as the silicon valley of India as all the major global IT companys are represented here. One of the guys I spoke to in Goa compared it to New York (I've never been to New York so wouldn't know about that).

I love the way that the cows seem to rule the streets. It's not unusual to see cows lying down in the middle of a busy road, blocking the traffic. and they are massive. A local lad was telling me that a few years ago somebody shipped over a load of high yield milking cows (friesians) and that within a few months they were all dead. Killed off by the climate and various diseases. So the next batch they shipped over they cross bred them with some of the local cows and result was these absolutly massive friesians with horns. They are like what domestic cows would look like if there was no people to control the breeding. The cockroaches in India are massive as well. I'm not joking here. Our cats back in Manchester have caught mice the size of the cockroaches in India and the rats are the size of our cats.

We both had a few good nights out in the city. There are loads of bars and pubs to go to and a large bottle of good beer costs about 20p. We had a really good time at a jazz bar called Take 5. If you get the opportunity as well don't turn down an invitation to the Bangalore Club. It was great. The buildings, quality of service, food, drink hasn't changed that much since Winston Churchills time (he was a member and still owes them money which is something the club's proud of). We spent one evening having drinks on the lawn as guests of some really lovely people who were looking after us. We also went for lunch another day at one of the many eateries that are within the club which was excellent. One of the many city tours that are avalible is one that starts at 7am and takes you round all the churces around MG road and you get to find out about Bangalores history as a garrison town. The tour ends with breakfast on the top of the Barton centre which has got the best views of the city. While you are having drinks you see for miles and miles in every direction. Watch the eagles of the city circling beneath you. You must go here for the view truly is spectacular. One of the High points for me was going to Sikunder Restaurant, meeting the head chef and manager (both really good lads and complete professionals) and having a food tasting session. I had the best food I've had anywhere in India here. The head chef took me round his kitchen, which was really clean, introduced me to the staff. I had a go at making fresh naans which ended badly and we all had a laugh about it. He then tried to show me how to do it which he failed to do himself. And we laughed some more. The kitchen has a glass wall so all the customers can see in and the decor of Sikunder is very modern. He was a really good lad the chef. It's funny that wherever I go in the world all the chefs I meet all have the same sense of humour.

We also spent the day at the Safari Park which was pleasent and uneventful nice I guess if you like that sort of thing. We went because we wanted to reward some kids we'd been working with at the centre. We also went and ahd a look at the Royal Botanical Gardens and Bangalore Palace. Again nice if you're into that sort of thing.

I really loved India and I can't wait to come back. Jo & I are already planning where we want to go and what we want to see. I don't think India's for everyone. If your ideal holiday is to lie round the pool sipping cocktails I don't think India's going to be your cup of tea. If you're interested in fasinating places and people and learning about different cultures and expanding experiences and your understanding of different people you will love India. India has just been voted forth best destination on the planet to go to (by a Times survay) and I've found it very easy to see why.

One last thing. I was lay in bed one morning, just dozing, and I could hear the the call to prayer from the local mosque, the bells and prayers from a hindu temple and the sound of the children in the centre we were staying in singing hymns. In the background I could also hear the sound of an eagle screaching while circling on the warm morning updraft. Brilliant! Where else in the world would you get all that?