Shaana goes west and south

30 May: Gujarat. "We travelled from east to west, West Bengal to Gujarat, and it took two and a half days!" Why bring her to the desert? "It's hot, dry, and there's sand everywhere. It's like a beach without the sea!" But she loves the colourful clothes. Amma gave her a surprise test, and she got 88 per cent.

7 June: the Narmada river, which flows to the centre of India, six hours away. They went rafting! "Wild and scary! I thought rivers were calm, but up close they're really fast." And again a grown-up's note: "Appa says there used to be a lot more water."

12 June: Goa, in the south-west, written at night while her parents sleep. "The plateaus look so nice. So many hills, and beaches too, and lots of tunnels the train goes through. I used to be afraid of tunnels, but not any more."

17 June: back in her own state. "We reached Chennai, and on the way to Puducherry we learned to surf. I'm good now: I only fell twice!" Her parents splashed each other "like children. Good thing I was there to control them!" The waves are rougher and the water browner than on her island.

22 June: "I just crossed the Pamban bridge. I could see the ocean on both sides. Amazing that a train can travel across the sea!"

24 June: Olaikaadu beach. Amma wanted to teach her to dive, but there was no diving suit her size, so she floated and watched the fish while her parents dived below. They collected pebbles to take home.

25 June: the last postcard is to her parents: "I can't believe we travelled across the whole country! We'll miss the forests, glaciers, deserts, wetlands, plateaus and mountains, and hearing all those new languages and meeting all those different people. I hope we travel like this again, and maybe next time take our friends."

Try making a card about your own state: which part of India is it in? Its capital, languages, rivers, sights and food?