I'm leaving on a twin-prop little plane

..don't know when I'll be back again.

I'm really sorry to be leaving here in the morning and flying to Delhi and the heat. Then on to Bangalore and Mysore the next day. I've heard the monsoon has arrived in Mysore so I'll be moving from a delicious warm climate in the mountains to the heat and humidity of the plains.

I've met some lovely people here and am started to be recognised. I'm greeted in the street and three people yesterday asked if I was Simon. Word spreads when a stranger's in town.

I finished my last day with a wonderful tiring slow walk up into the hills and along forest tracks with Alok and Isabelle and their 8 year old son Mridula. They know the tracks so well and we found percupine quills, leopard droppings and other signs of invisible life. Our picnic was in a glade with just the wind and he pines that swayed to its bidding.

I'm beginning to feel that I don't want to keep on leaving...done too much of it in my life.

My three hour taxi ride to a little airport with the little plane starts at 9 in the morning...but that's for tomorrow. Now it's a last walk round the Ghandi Chowk and back to the cottage.