Thursday, 17 January 2013
laras emails 4th jan 2013
Hey Dad,
Just wanted to wish you Happy New Year! Sam and I went out on a boat for New year's eve and watched the Sydney fireworks from the water, it was quite an experience. One of Sam's mates knew a guy who was renting out a boat for the night for about 120 people, and we were among the lucky few to get tickets. It was so much easier than last year, everyone around the harbour gets packed in like sardines for hours waiting for midnight to come around. But this time round was a breeze, we just got picked up at Manly Wharf and then it was a half hour journey to the area of water where we were going to set up camp for the evening, amongst all these fancy multi million dollar yachts. There was a barbeque included too. We watched the sun set behind Sydney, which looked incredible, and before the sun went down there was a little plane doing daredevil stunts and loop the loops for everyone's entertainment, and another plane was writing words in the sky. Anyway Dad thanks so much for your last email, I really appreciated it and wish I could have been there with you for Christmas and New Year, although it would have been even better if you were over here!
Love you lots and lots
Lara xxxxx
PS- Let me know if you can open the photos I attached
Hey Dad, 28yh dec 2012
Hope you had a good Christmas, I'm so happy we got to chat a few days ago, I always think that because you guys are so far away I won't be able to reach you or there are extra phone charges or something! Sam and I had a good day apart from all the rain, and it's cleared up again now. I have a daily weather report on my computer desktop showing the contrast between Torquay and Sydney, and it ain't pretty! So far it's 7 degrees and rainy in Torquay versus 28 degrees in Sydney. It's not nice working in the heat, though, I can tell you that much. Sam's working today, did I tell you he's hopefully getting sponsored by his removals boss? So we can stay here longer and save money, I can legally work full time because the sponsorship entitles me to work too. We're not planning on staying forever, at most 3 years, and by then we can actually get citizenship, and eff off back to the Uk, or come back and live here if we want to. Also, it means it'll be easy for you guys to come out here to live if you ever get fed up of England! This would have been a lot easier if we had relatives out here already. But I'm getting ahead of myself, who knows, anything could happen that might change our plans.
Anyway Dad, glad I got to talk to you, and Nan and Grandad too, have a good New Years eve and I'll try to call again soon
Love you lots
Lara xxxxx
Friday, 3 July 2009
RIFLES 1993
I met Ray Winstone on a hot July day in1993 I had just returned from living in America I hadn,t been back for seven years so I arranged a reunion with my old London geezers from Tottenham and Edmonton we met on a sunday lunchtime at Rifles pub in Enfield Lock maybe 30 or 40 blokes ray was among them. I,d seen him on the telly but he didn,t act like a big shot TV actor he was just one of the geezers. Bullit,Rocket,david hatt,peter collins,micky hall,keith hook,ronny hill, we drank till 10pm
Sunday, 19 April 2009
message to Kate on Facebook
John Ruscoe Hi Kate,I enjoyed my trip with you and the boys down to Gokarn,it felt like being on a film set,what with all the hidu pilgrims and the temples and although I missed you on Kootle beach the boat trip back was fun.Best cinnamon ice cream too.How bizarre the cops coming into our room with their camcorders and electric leads.Their smiling faces asking 20 questions and examining all my stuff it didn,t help that I didn,t have my passport with me,I thought I might spend a night in the cells,it turns out there was a guy dead in the next room probably from a drug overdose.Well I thought our deluxe hotel room was a piece of shit with the mosquitos and cockroaches I can only imagine what a night in the local police cells would have been like.The memory of that bloated dead dog floating in the fecid water of the lagoon next to the beach still lingers,with people eating in the restaurants only 50 foot away.I was glad to get back to Goa exausted but See you in Devon in May Dadxx
Monday, 2 February 2009
MY DAUGHTER SARAHS 18th BIRTHDAY PARTY
The first pictures have emerged from inside a massive party where 2,000 gatecrashers arrived after a Radio 1 DJ mentioned it on air.
Thousands of revellers descended on the country manor, smashing windows, ripping up carpets, destroying chandeliers and ripping doors off their hinges.
Grammar-school girl Sarah Ruscoe had invited fellow sixth-formers to the fancy-dress event at her 21-bedroom family home, and was said to be "inconsolable" when 2,000 gatecrashers arrived after Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong mentioned it on his programme.
Scroll down for more...
Chaos: The party-goers rip apart a sofa
Today Rebecca Brooks, Sarah's mother said that parties at the mansion for her three daughters - who are 24, 17 and 19 - would definitely be a thing of the past.
"The daughters will not be having anymore parties here," she said. "That is off the agenda for the next 10 years.
"The daughter is in the doghouse but I don't blame her entirely. "I blame the modern means of communication.
"She feels terrible, she is absolutely mortified by the whole thing."
The party hostess: Sarah Ruscoe in her dominatrix outfit
But yesterday Sarah admitted she had known the party would get out of hand and chose not to warn her mother of what might happen on Friday night.
Sarah, who dressed as a dominatrix for the evening, said it had become clear to her that crowds would descend on her Georgian mansion, Colehayes, near Bovey Tracey in Devon.
The house, in 20 acres, is used as a field study centre for schools and universities and is also a popular venue for weddings and parties.
It is run by Sarah's mother and stepfather, Rebecca and Bill Brooks, and has accommodation for 70 plus a licensed bar.
"To say things got out of hand is probably an understatement," said Sarah, who is not 18 until October but decided to have her party early after a booking for Colehayes was cancelled.
"I put up a poster at school inviting everyone".
Little did I know that almost everyone from Torquay Grammar sixth form would attend and invite "everyone" from different schools and the surrounding area.
"A large circle of friends, social networking sites and even the radio make communication that much more efficient."
She continued: "I soon realised it was spiralling out of control but tried to reassure myself with the fact that people can decide for various reasons not to attend.
"I spread rumours in other schools that the party was cancelled, which obviously didn't work.
"By the last day I felt physically ill with worry but chose to keep my mother in denial for her own sake.
"Nothing could be done at this point. I was dreading the night but didn't expect it to turn out as bad as it did.
"When it seemed like people would never stop coming and there was a line of headlights up our drive, I knew how out of hand it really had become.
Scroll down for more...
Fancy dress: The youngsters are intent on clowning around
Read more...
VIDEO: Watch footage from the raucous party
24 hour party people: Everyone from the Village People to Vikings look to be in attendance
"By this time I had gone into hiding for a while until my mother took me to see the state of the house. I didn't want to see and just wanted to go straight to bed but she insisted."
Scroll down for more...
Anyone for tennis? This youngster is looking to make a racquet
You looking at me? These two look to have come all the way from France
When police arrived at the house they were pelted with glass as they tried to get the revellers to leave.
The family had hired four bouncers for the evening but Mrs Brooks, 54, said they did not stand a chance against the invading hordes.
"I can only liken it to a rock festival. They were jumping up an down with cans and bottles, spraying them around as if they were at a rave.
Scroll down for more...
The swarm: Police arrive to deal with gatecrashers outside Colehayes. It was not until they brought the dogs in that they all dispersed
The revellers: Boy in a fat suit leads the entertainment
But there was no music because the DJ we had hired did not even get a chance to set up.
"The people that came were a bunch of strangers behaving like they had been invited because Pete Tong had told them that everyone was welcome.
"Half of them arrived here drunk ? there were girls walking around with bottles of vodka, drinking them like normal people drink bottles of Coke. It was awash with alcohol. And they were smoking cannabis spliffs.
Scroll down for more...
Rebecca Brooks begins tidying up after gatecrashers leave her house a wreck
Mirrors were smashed and pictures torn off the walls as the party got out of hand. Bouncers hired by the family were said to have 'no chance'
"Some people were taking pictures off the walls and just breaking them.
"I just don't know what gets into these people. They began behaving like animals.
"One charcoal portrait of my husband's great grandfather was just smashed. It is a family heirloom with enormous sentimental value.
"We saw various garments everywhere ? trousers, knickers and underpants. I was also told there were streakers down the drive.
"These people didn't take any notice of anyone. It was only when the police dogs arrived that they took any notice."
Scroll down for more...
Hundreds of gatecrashers turned up uninvited at the family's manor house Colehayes Park in Newton Abbot
The sumptuous interior of the huge house was left in tatters
She and her 75-year-old husband are considering suing the BBC for allowing details of the party to be broadcast across the nation ? especially if it affects their business.
Tong's mention of it was an example of what is known on the programme as a "shout-out".
The 47-year-old DJ's name is popular rhyming slang for "gone wrong", as in "It's all gone Pete Tong".
He told listeners: "We're getting ready for a huge mansion-house party, 500 plus people going. It's in Bovey Tracey, Devon.
"Anyone who's listening can come along apparently ? just say Hi to Marilyn Monroe on the door."
Scroll down for more...
Rubbish was strewn throughout the house
The carpets were ruined and picture frames smashed
Mrs Brooks said: "I was flabbergasted and astonished that the BBC could be so irresponsible. I was aghast at Pete Tong.
"I am furious and beside myself with anger and rage. The BBC are going to seriously have to look at their policy.
"This is ridiculous. This was supposed to be a party for all my daughter's schoolfriends and it should not have been announced on Radio One.
Damage: Bottles fill bins and recycling containers
"I'm amazed that the BBC has not been in touch to apologise and I am expecting an apology from Pete Tong in a personal phone call.
"It was totally negligent of the BBC to allow a statement like that to be broadcast"
A BBC spokesman said: "Pete did not specify the name or address of the venue, but read out details of a mansion party taking place in Bovey Tracey sent in by a listener.
"He gives shout-outs on his show every week and he would never knowingly give an identifiable address for a private party.
"It's also worth noting that details of the party appear to have been posted on the internet several days before the party."
Thousands of revellers descended on the country manor, smashing windows, ripping up carpets, destroying chandeliers and ripping doors off their hinges.
Grammar-school girl Sarah Ruscoe had invited fellow sixth-formers to the fancy-dress event at her 21-bedroom family home, and was said to be "inconsolable" when 2,000 gatecrashers arrived after Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong mentioned it on his programme.
Scroll down for more...
Chaos: The party-goers rip apart a sofa
Today Rebecca Brooks, Sarah's mother said that parties at the mansion for her three daughters - who are 24, 17 and 19 - would definitely be a thing of the past.
"The daughters will not be having anymore parties here," she said. "That is off the agenda for the next 10 years.
"The daughter is in the doghouse but I don't blame her entirely. "I blame the modern means of communication.
"She feels terrible, she is absolutely mortified by the whole thing."
The party hostess: Sarah Ruscoe in her dominatrix outfit
But yesterday Sarah admitted she had known the party would get out of hand and chose not to warn her mother of what might happen on Friday night.
Sarah, who dressed as a dominatrix for the evening, said it had become clear to her that crowds would descend on her Georgian mansion, Colehayes, near Bovey Tracey in Devon.
The house, in 20 acres, is used as a field study centre for schools and universities and is also a popular venue for weddings and parties.
It is run by Sarah's mother and stepfather, Rebecca and Bill Brooks, and has accommodation for 70 plus a licensed bar.
"To say things got out of hand is probably an understatement," said Sarah, who is not 18 until October but decided to have her party early after a booking for Colehayes was cancelled.
"I put up a poster at school inviting everyone".
Little did I know that almost everyone from Torquay Grammar sixth form would attend and invite "everyone" from different schools and the surrounding area.
"A large circle of friends, social networking sites and even the radio make communication that much more efficient."
She continued: "I soon realised it was spiralling out of control but tried to reassure myself with the fact that people can decide for various reasons not to attend.
"I spread rumours in other schools that the party was cancelled, which obviously didn't work.
"By the last day I felt physically ill with worry but chose to keep my mother in denial for her own sake.
"Nothing could be done at this point. I was dreading the night but didn't expect it to turn out as bad as it did.
"When it seemed like people would never stop coming and there was a line of headlights up our drive, I knew how out of hand it really had become.
Scroll down for more...
Fancy dress: The youngsters are intent on clowning around
Read more...
VIDEO: Watch footage from the raucous party
24 hour party people: Everyone from the Village People to Vikings look to be in attendance
"By this time I had gone into hiding for a while until my mother took me to see the state of the house. I didn't want to see and just wanted to go straight to bed but she insisted."
Scroll down for more...
Anyone for tennis? This youngster is looking to make a racquet
You looking at me? These two look to have come all the way from France
When police arrived at the house they were pelted with glass as they tried to get the revellers to leave.
The family had hired four bouncers for the evening but Mrs Brooks, 54, said they did not stand a chance against the invading hordes.
"I can only liken it to a rock festival. They were jumping up an down with cans and bottles, spraying them around as if they were at a rave.
Scroll down for more...
The swarm: Police arrive to deal with gatecrashers outside Colehayes. It was not until they brought the dogs in that they all dispersed
The revellers: Boy in a fat suit leads the entertainment
But there was no music because the DJ we had hired did not even get a chance to set up.
"The people that came were a bunch of strangers behaving like they had been invited because Pete Tong had told them that everyone was welcome.
"Half of them arrived here drunk ? there were girls walking around with bottles of vodka, drinking them like normal people drink bottles of Coke. It was awash with alcohol. And they were smoking cannabis spliffs.
Scroll down for more...
Rebecca Brooks begins tidying up after gatecrashers leave her house a wreck
Mirrors were smashed and pictures torn off the walls as the party got out of hand. Bouncers hired by the family were said to have 'no chance'
"Some people were taking pictures off the walls and just breaking them.
"I just don't know what gets into these people. They began behaving like animals.
"One charcoal portrait of my husband's great grandfather was just smashed. It is a family heirloom with enormous sentimental value.
"We saw various garments everywhere ? trousers, knickers and underpants. I was also told there were streakers down the drive.
"These people didn't take any notice of anyone. It was only when the police dogs arrived that they took any notice."
Scroll down for more...
Hundreds of gatecrashers turned up uninvited at the family's manor house Colehayes Park in Newton Abbot
The sumptuous interior of the huge house was left in tatters
She and her 75-year-old husband are considering suing the BBC for allowing details of the party to be broadcast across the nation ? especially if it affects their business.
Tong's mention of it was an example of what is known on the programme as a "shout-out".
The 47-year-old DJ's name is popular rhyming slang for "gone wrong", as in "It's all gone Pete Tong".
He told listeners: "We're getting ready for a huge mansion-house party, 500 plus people going. It's in Bovey Tracey, Devon.
"Anyone who's listening can come along apparently ? just say Hi to Marilyn Monroe on the door."
Scroll down for more...
Rubbish was strewn throughout the house
The carpets were ruined and picture frames smashed
Mrs Brooks said: "I was flabbergasted and astonished that the BBC could be so irresponsible. I was aghast at Pete Tong.
"I am furious and beside myself with anger and rage. The BBC are going to seriously have to look at their policy.
"This is ridiculous. This was supposed to be a party for all my daughter's schoolfriends and it should not have been announced on Radio One.
Damage: Bottles fill bins and recycling containers
"I'm amazed that the BBC has not been in touch to apologise and I am expecting an apology from Pete Tong in a personal phone call.
"It was totally negligent of the BBC to allow a statement like that to be broadcast"
A BBC spokesman said: "Pete did not specify the name or address of the venue, but read out details of a mansion party taking place in Bovey Tracey sent in by a listener.
"He gives shout-outs on his show every week and he would never knowingly give an identifiable address for a private party.
"It's also worth noting that details of the party appear to have been posted on the internet several days before the party."
Sunday, 1 February 2009
EMAIL TO MIKE 31 JAN
Hi Mike,it was good to hear from you son. Yea everything is OK here with me in Goa I.m staying here till the end of feb then leave for Thailand on 1st march and stay for a month. I will meet up with 3 friends from Goa in Pataya then on to one of the islands It was lovely to see Kate when she came to visit me so we spent 10 day together then she went south to Hampi with cris and his two brothers then they travelled on south to Kerala and Kate came back to stay with me for 3 days,it was a nice surprise as I wasn,t expecting it. It was nice as we spent the 3 days together. I went with her to Tivem train staition to catch the 7pm overnight train to Bombay. She said she wanted to have her last bus experience in India so we took the bus to Mapsa half an hour then another bus to Tivem half an hour and said our farewells on the platform.{see you in Devon in May} now I,m back to my normal lazy routine. I,m glad to hear your doing OK I miss you and Tommy give him a hug for me and say hello. Email me back with your home phone # and I will give you a call the calls are cheap to England from here,my # in India is 9960554435 all the best for now son. Love Dad
Thursday, 22 January 2009
EMAIL TO KATE 21 JAN 2009
Hi Kate,I enjoyed my trip with you and the boys down to Gokarn,it felt like being on a film set,what with all the hidu pilgrims and the temples and although I missed you on Kootle beach the boat trip back was fun.Best cinnamon ice cream too.How bizarre the cops coming into our room with their camcorders and electric leads.Their smiling faces asking... Read More 20 questions and examining all my stuff it didn,t help that I didn,t have my passport with me,I thought I might spend a night in the cells,it turns out there was a guy dead in the next room probably from a drug overdose.Well I thought our deluxe hotel room was a piece of shit with the mosquitos and cockroaches I can only imagine what a night in the local police cells would have been like.The memory of that bloated dead dog floating in the fecid water of the lagoon next to the beach still lingers,with people eating in the restaurants only 50 foot away.I was glad to get back to Goa exausted but See you in Devon in May Love Dad xxxxx
Thursday, 25 December 2008
EMAIL FR KATE 24 DEC
This is an email from kate to her mum Hey mom
Just got to an internet cafe as the power cut finished. Don't worry about me mom, im sure im really just over reacting. I seem to be the only person here that isn't in love with this city. Its growing on me more and more though it is pretty amazing. We took a boat ride at sunset yesterday and watched this huge celebration the "PUJA"...a prayer ceremony which lasts an hour with about 2 thousand people watching on the ghats (steps) of the ganges and from boats and it happens EVERY DAY! Today we walked for about 3 miles allong the ghats which last 4miles and got a fisherman to take us to the ceremony which happens everyday at 6pm. It was a little row boat and i asked if i could row so i was rowing down the ganges for 10 mins..chris had a go and he was terrible! I guess i remembered from when we had our rowboat. But thats probably the highlight so far...rowing down the ganges!! The streets are amazing too. about half a mile from the river is the old city which no cars only tiny little allyways full of preists, cows and little chai shops, they're really cool to wander round and i feel so happy in them so the only problem is that were on the south end of the ganges where the burning ghat is.
So our hotel is about 50ft away from this area on the ghats with about 15-20 bonfires going burning a body on each. and were on the main street from the town square where the body is ofloaded from a car, put on a bamboo stretcher and carried by about 6 men chanting and a precession of the family members chanting behind. So every 2 minutes you here the chanting going by which to everyone is really peaceful and happy. (Im getting used to it now) but yesterday it was scaring the living daylights out of me, everytime i would hear the chanting i would just freek out cas i knew there was a dead person coming straight at me!! And the thing is all the westerners love it! all the hotels and tourist area is at the burning ghat becuase thats what people have come here to see. I really couldnt think of anything worse than sitting on steps watching a corpse burn for an hour or so and then the remains thrown in the river!! But im coming to terms with it know and the fact that its not such a bad thing becuase the hindus believe in reincarnation etc. But death in my eyes has always been this awful thing, and yeah i guess no one in the family except tommy has died and ive only been to a couple funerals in my life so i think that has a lot to do with it do.
So yesterday began awfully...i woke up hearing trumpets and there was a big parade with loads of people. went out to see what was happening and the body went by and usually theyre covered in a cloth but this guy was really important so his head was uncovered and i nearly fainted i was so shocked to see the head of a dead man!!! Its the most shocking thing i'd ever seen so i just couldnt contain the tears and then whenever i saw a corpse i just wanted to cry uncontrolably!! It was so embarrasing!! i know i was just being irrational but i've never been faced with death ever in my life and it was pretty hard to handle. So chris had a really hard time understanding and just put it down to culture shock and saying its a great thing to be so shocked and it's the reason why you travel etc. So i guess if you look at it like that he's right. Im having an easier time as i spent the whole day away from the burning ghat area, back here now and seeing the dead just being carried past the window every few mins and getting a little more used to it. Chris thinks i have to get over this fear of death sometime and i shouldnt run away from it. The fact that he loves everything about varanasi and thinks people who act like this shouldnt come to India doesnt help!! But i guess most people would agree and im sure if you were hear you would love it too.
Well i speak tomorrow but thats basically an update so far. Merry Christmas. lots of love xxxxxxx
Just got to an internet cafe as the power cut finished. Don't worry about me mom, im sure im really just over reacting. I seem to be the only person here that isn't in love with this city. Its growing on me more and more though it is pretty amazing. We took a boat ride at sunset yesterday and watched this huge celebration the "PUJA"...a prayer ceremony which lasts an hour with about 2 thousand people watching on the ghats (steps) of the ganges and from boats and it happens EVERY DAY! Today we walked for about 3 miles allong the ghats which last 4miles and got a fisherman to take us to the ceremony which happens everyday at 6pm. It was a little row boat and i asked if i could row so i was rowing down the ganges for 10 mins..chris had a go and he was terrible! I guess i remembered from when we had our rowboat. But thats probably the highlight so far...rowing down the ganges!! The streets are amazing too. about half a mile from the river is the old city which no cars only tiny little allyways full of preists, cows and little chai shops, they're really cool to wander round and i feel so happy in them so the only problem is that were on the south end of the ganges where the burning ghat is.
So our hotel is about 50ft away from this area on the ghats with about 15-20 bonfires going burning a body on each. and were on the main street from the town square where the body is ofloaded from a car, put on a bamboo stretcher and carried by about 6 men chanting and a precession of the family members chanting behind. So every 2 minutes you here the chanting going by which to everyone is really peaceful and happy. (Im getting used to it now) but yesterday it was scaring the living daylights out of me, everytime i would hear the chanting i would just freek out cas i knew there was a dead person coming straight at me!! And the thing is all the westerners love it! all the hotels and tourist area is at the burning ghat becuase thats what people have come here to see. I really couldnt think of anything worse than sitting on steps watching a corpse burn for an hour or so and then the remains thrown in the river!! But im coming to terms with it know and the fact that its not such a bad thing becuase the hindus believe in reincarnation etc. But death in my eyes has always been this awful thing, and yeah i guess no one in the family except tommy has died and ive only been to a couple funerals in my life so i think that has a lot to do with it do.
So yesterday began awfully...i woke up hearing trumpets and there was a big parade with loads of people. went out to see what was happening and the body went by and usually theyre covered in a cloth but this guy was really important so his head was uncovered and i nearly fainted i was so shocked to see the head of a dead man!!! Its the most shocking thing i'd ever seen so i just couldnt contain the tears and then whenever i saw a corpse i just wanted to cry uncontrolably!! It was so embarrasing!! i know i was just being irrational but i've never been faced with death ever in my life and it was pretty hard to handle. So chris had a really hard time understanding and just put it down to culture shock and saying its a great thing to be so shocked and it's the reason why you travel etc. So i guess if you look at it like that he's right. Im having an easier time as i spent the whole day away from the burning ghat area, back here now and seeing the dead just being carried past the window every few mins and getting a little more used to it. Chris thinks i have to get over this fear of death sometime and i shouldnt run away from it. The fact that he loves everything about varanasi and thinks people who act like this shouldnt come to India doesnt help!! But i guess most people would agree and im sure if you were hear you would love it too.
Well i speak tomorrow but thats basically an update so far. Merry Christmas. lots of love xxxxxxx
Friday, 19 December 2008
EMAIL TO KATE 17 DEC
To: "Kate"
Date: Dec 17 2008, 01:27 PM
Subject: IS MY LITTLE GIRL LOST
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008
Subject: IS MY LITTLE GIRL LOST
Hi Kate Darlin,Where are you? send me an email if you can or call me,my # in India is 99605535 Love Dad xxxxxx
Date: Dec 17 2008, 01:27 PM
Subject: IS MY LITTLE GIRL LOST
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008
Subject: IS MY LITTLE GIRL LOST
Hi Kate Darlin,Where are you? send me an email if you can or call me,my # in India is 99605535 Love Dad xxxxxx
EMAIL TO REB 17 DEC
Hi Rebecca,I,m managing just fine for money really on a day to day basis I am probably spending more than I do at home as I am doing more i,m eating out every day once maybe twice a day and taking taxis sometimes five times a day usually my breakfast is two fried eggs on toast and a cup of tea 60 rupees 90p with a 10 rupee tip and my dinner may be prawn biriani or chichen fried rice 80 rupees plus 10 rupee tip about £1.30p I have treated myself to a couple of excellant fish dinners that would stand up to a good restaurant in Paris or Barcelona for 280 rupees about £4 like a 2inch thick filet of white kingfish covered in cheese/mornay sauce on a bed of spinach and a baked potato and broccoli smothered in melted butter yum,yum delish am I making you hungry.I,m still handing out 10 rupee tips like confetti about 15p.The little boy who works behind the bar at Molly Molones in Calangute said he wuold like to go to London to live and work but it could be difficult for him as he only earns 3,000 rupees a month, thats like £1.50 a day for a ten hour shift thats 10 rupees an hour,poor little sod, so every time I give a 10 rupee tip its like giving an hours wage.I had an Indian haircut it cost 140 rupees about £2 the canny barber pulled out a laminated price list out of his drawer a local boy told me haircuts cost 20 rupees = two hours wages so they jack the price x 10 for westerners,I don,t begrudge it a bit I,m more than happy to pay their inflated prices. Will write more soon. Love John xxxxx
Thursday, 18 December 2008
EMAIL TO JAN 18 DEC
Hey Jan,Yea I,m in India having an easy life down here in the tropics I have a four room apartment just up from the beach my money goes a long way in Goa it used to be a Portugese colony and the Goans are mostly catholics,they rase pigs so its sorta different from the rest of India they call it a tropical paradise and they are not far off.lots of coconuts,bananas,mangos and fish I will be leaving in march though before the monsoons hit.Google John Ruscoe in Goa to read my blog my email is johnruscoe@fsmail.net
EMAIL FR JAN 10 DEC
it's jan. how are you doing? i heard u were in india! what the heck are you doing there? dodging terrorists?
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
EMAIL FR REB 17 DEC
Hi John,
Was so happy to hear from you. Yes, I figured your long silence had something to do with the internet. Do you have a pay as you go pen drive thingy for your lap top? I've never used one but hear they are great but can be really expensive if you use them outside your "home" country. Had some Norwegian guy who was at Colehayes for a wedding that had used his in Hungary and Austria, and ended up with a £2,500 mobile phone bill!!!! Yes, computers can be very frustrating and I've lost letters too and had to start all over. Just awful. Makes you feel like you want to smash the thing to bits!!!!
Your apt sounds fantastic ----- the way you describe the surrounding countryside is just how I imagined it to be. I know exactly the kind of vegetation you are talking about. So interesting about all the little cafes, shops, etc along the way to the beach. Have you discovered any new haunts? Are you still hanging out at Bob's? I read about the big table that people can sit at. That sounds a great idea ----- they should have a table like that in every restaurant for the people who hate to eat alone. You'd have company and make new friends at the same time. You've been there a month now ---- can't believe how fast the time flys. What do you think of it generally? Do you like India?
Everything is ok here. Even tho we don't have the schools we are still very busy with a million things to do everyday. I just want to run away. I'm not very good at coping with all the pressure these days. Oh well.
There was a party in Brighton that had 400 gatecrashers and was big news and that of course dragged up our story and we had some guy from the Daily Express come to interview me and Sarah for a retrospective type angle for his article. A week later they sent around a makeup girl and photographer for more photos!!!!! It hasn't come out yet but I will let you know when it does.
Kate and Chris arrived the 10th and had to stick around Mumbai till Kates bag turned up. Poor Kate couldn't get any info there ----- because of security, unless you had a ticket you couldn't even get inside the airport. She was so pissed off. She phoned me and I got onto Kenya Air baggage services at LHR and gave them the reference # and with the miracles of modern technology and a few clicks of the mouse, was told the bag was in Nairobi and would be on the 17:15 flight to Mumbai and that Kate could collect it after 4:30am. I called Kate back and told her the happy news and she was reunited with her bag the next day. They were staying right next door to the bombed hotel. Kate said the devastation was severe but the worst thing was losing such an architecturally beautiful old building. Never mind about all the people!!! Ha ha!!! They have been travelling by bus and have already been to a lot of places. They were in Jaipur and Udipur then Jalis ---- something and going to Pushkin or something like that. Sorry I haven't time to check spelling and I don't have a Lonely Planet guide for India to check her route. I think I should get one. Anyway, both Kate and Chris have been sick with the flu ---- not Delhi Belly ----- not yet, Kate said. They were feeling terrible but they still kept going ---- I thought that was stupid and told them to stop and rest and they did and after staying in one place for 12 hours they were feeling better ----- thank God. I do worry about them ---- but not too much. Shit can happen here just as easily as there. Only there, life is really cheap and you have to be careful and not put yourself into any dangerous situations. Don't ever get into a fight with someone. It just isn't worth it. Kate knows all this tho and I hope and pray she takes good care of herself. Are you getting antsy? Might you want to join them? As you see Kate is still using her UK # but will hopefully get an Indian sim asap. It costs an arm and a leg to talk to her so best to send a text.
How are you doing for money? Are you managing or are things really tight? Let me know if you get into trouble and I will help out. Oh ---- I wish I were in India for Christmas. Its so cheesy with all the Santa's singing carols coming into the bars etc looking for donations for heaven knows what. Do they have those guys in North Goa?? Maybe they only do it in the South. Oh ----- the weather. I wish I were there. I hate the cold. Just enjoy yourself.
I better go now. Have fun and be safe. Lots of love xxxxx
from Colehayes Park
Was so happy to hear from you. Yes, I figured your long silence had something to do with the internet. Do you have a pay as you go pen drive thingy for your lap top? I've never used one but hear they are great but can be really expensive if you use them outside your "home" country. Had some Norwegian guy who was at Colehayes for a wedding that had used his in Hungary and Austria, and ended up with a £2,500 mobile phone bill!!!! Yes, computers can be very frustrating and I've lost letters too and had to start all over. Just awful. Makes you feel like you want to smash the thing to bits!!!!
Your apt sounds fantastic ----- the way you describe the surrounding countryside is just how I imagined it to be. I know exactly the kind of vegetation you are talking about. So interesting about all the little cafes, shops, etc along the way to the beach. Have you discovered any new haunts? Are you still hanging out at Bob's? I read about the big table that people can sit at. That sounds a great idea ----- they should have a table like that in every restaurant for the people who hate to eat alone. You'd have company and make new friends at the same time. You've been there a month now ---- can't believe how fast the time flys. What do you think of it generally? Do you like India?
Everything is ok here. Even tho we don't have the schools we are still very busy with a million things to do everyday. I just want to run away. I'm not very good at coping with all the pressure these days. Oh well.
There was a party in Brighton that had 400 gatecrashers and was big news and that of course dragged up our story and we had some guy from the Daily Express come to interview me and Sarah for a retrospective type angle for his article. A week later they sent around a makeup girl and photographer for more photos!!!!! It hasn't come out yet but I will let you know when it does.
Kate and Chris arrived the 10th and had to stick around Mumbai till Kates bag turned up. Poor Kate couldn't get any info there ----- because of security, unless you had a ticket you couldn't even get inside the airport. She was so pissed off. She phoned me and I got onto Kenya Air baggage services at LHR and gave them the reference # and with the miracles of modern technology and a few clicks of the mouse, was told the bag was in Nairobi and would be on the 17:15 flight to Mumbai and that Kate could collect it after 4:30am. I called Kate back and told her the happy news and she was reunited with her bag the next day. They were staying right next door to the bombed hotel. Kate said the devastation was severe but the worst thing was losing such an architecturally beautiful old building. Never mind about all the people!!! Ha ha!!! They have been travelling by bus and have already been to a lot of places. They were in Jaipur and Udipur then Jalis ---- something and going to Pushkin or something like that. Sorry I haven't time to check spelling and I don't have a Lonely Planet guide for India to check her route. I think I should get one. Anyway, both Kate and Chris have been sick with the flu ---- not Delhi Belly ----- not yet, Kate said. They were feeling terrible but they still kept going ---- I thought that was stupid and told them to stop and rest and they did and after staying in one place for 12 hours they were feeling better ----- thank God. I do worry about them ---- but not too much. Shit can happen here just as easily as there. Only there, life is really cheap and you have to be careful and not put yourself into any dangerous situations. Don't ever get into a fight with someone. It just isn't worth it. Kate knows all this tho and I hope and pray she takes good care of herself. Are you getting antsy? Might you want to join them? As you see Kate is still using her UK # but will hopefully get an Indian sim asap. It costs an arm and a leg to talk to her so best to send a text.
How are you doing for money? Are you managing or are things really tight? Let me know if you get into trouble and I will help out. Oh ---- I wish I were in India for Christmas. Its so cheesy with all the Santa's singing carols coming into the bars etc looking for donations for heaven knows what. Do they have those guys in North Goa?? Maybe they only do it in the South. Oh ----- the weather. I wish I were there. I hate the cold. Just enjoy yourself.
I better go now. Have fun and be safe. Lots of love xxxxx
from Colehayes Park
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