This and That 4

I've decided to start another blog on my thoughts about the return trip to India. I'll let you know when it's up, I need to find the time first. Figured this blog is about my kids and there is no point meshing it with my rants. So you'll have to wait to know how I feel about coming back home. A teaser - Odd.

-x-

We celebrated Buddu's (my grandmother, I called her Buddu when I was a kid and the name stuck) 84th birthday. We had a surprise party for her and she was so choked that her usually steady hand trembled while cutting the cake as tears rolled down her checks. Buddu is a strong lady, she had been through much in her life and yet has a warm smile and charm that is hard to come by these days. I look forward to doing the morning crossword with her, she is far sharper than me. She cooks a zillion times better than my mom and has the energy to cook for us at her age. I am thankful the girls get to spend this time with her as I cherish the moment.

-x-

My mom gave us a fabulous weekend holiday at the Palm Meadows. It was sheer luxury and a break from the madness. S was supposed to get in at 9am but the new horribly placed and planned airport opened the day he arrived. Instead of reaching at 9:10am he got in at 3:00pm! Tara waited anxiously for him as she wanted to dive into the pool. Poor guy didn't even get a chance to eat as he was whisked away by the little eager swimmer. I finally got a break, it felt good being completely ignored by otherwise clingy Tara. We put Nisha in the heated pool for the first time and after the initial shock she took to the water. At one point S had both girls with him in the pool and I rested in an air-conditioned room, bliss.

It was so nice being away from the constant honking and noise that is the city. The first thing Tara said, Mummy it's so clean here (we all looked at each other shocked). Nisha stop rubbing her eyes and nose, she seems to be affected by pollution. It felt like we were in San Diego, the prices were the same too. 270$ a night for a tiny room, did your jaw just fall to the ground, mine sure did. Things are frightfully expensive here and now that I am a housewife (what me, ME, ME???) I am starting to feel the pinch. But enough about that, here feast on this!

Tara Talk 2

We reached Bangalore a day before the earthquake hit in China, we are well thanks for the emails. We've had either no internet connection, or no electricity or heavy rains or blistering heat so sitting in front of the computer has not been an option. I have much to say but I've told myself to remain positive for a month which has added to the silence.

In the meantime here's Tara's take on her first day in India, in her own unfiltered words:

11pm arrival: Mummy what's that smell?
1am ride home: Look there is a cow on the road! What's that smell?
4am: Mummy what's that noise? (birds chirping)
7am: I want cheerios, what's this? (mangoes)
10am: I hot take my clothes off! Rightttttt now.
11am: Ants! Marching ants!
Noon: I want to go bye-bye.
1-2pm: Zzzzzzzz
3pm: I hot. Water I want water.
4pm: I want to go in tuck-tuck. (three wheeled rickshaw)
At farmer's market: Mummy they throw food on the ground. That not clean. Dog cross road by self. I want banana, it's yummy.
5pm: I get awyee on leg. Ant bite me, naughty ant. (mosquito)
6pm while I talk to Nisha: Mummy no talk to strangers.
7pm: Where's Avi gone? I want to go to Avi's house. I want new playground.
8pm: I have so much nose kakah.(pollution = a lot of snort)
9pm: Please can I go home now, Mummy? (Sniff)

Goodbye China

Our holiday has come to an end and we leave for Bangalore on Sunday. The first week of my stay here was unbearably hard managing the two kids but like always my Mom saves the day and the past three weeks have been fab-ul-ous. My brother played the perfect host and the girls and I were the guests who would never leave if given the chance. Avi didn't let me spend a single dime for the entire stay, he kept filling up my wallet every night with cash and I wondered how the money never finished (doh!). I always said he was lucky to have me as his sister but that has definitely changed to I'm goddamn blessed to have him as my brother. He has grown into such a nice kid, I wish my dad was here to brag about him and pat him on his back (I can't reach his shoulder).

I'm so glad we made it here, with the fisco of the tickets I wondered if it was worth it, worth every second I tell you. The girls are even more attached to Avi now. I had a chance to unwind, eat good food, watch a movie a day, enjoy the girls grow, go shopping and buy clothes that was a size XXXL, let me say it out again triple-X-L, argh can I blame that on two kids in 3 years and get away with it? We arrive in Bangalore at midnight and waiting to be greeted by Buddu. The India madness adventure begins.

Sightseeing Shanghai

We go out every single day with the girls some days are fun while others are draining depending on Tara's mood. We've figured out a good plan in these last few days of our China trip - take Tara out for some fun activity (not shopping!) in the morning so it tires her out so she will attempt to sit quietly in a stroller while I check out some handbags later in the afternoon. Nisha is a gem, she is no trouble at all it's Tara who's the handful.

It's hard trying to sightsee with two young children. Half the time is spent putting them in strollers or taking them out and the other half is spent keeping them busy. I wish S had come on this holiday we really need 3 people to look after 2 kids. Avi has been working extremely long hours and he does his bit keeping Tara throughly entertained when we are at home but doesn't come out with us. By the time we return after an ntire day out we are exhausted and sleep off by 9pm!

We went to a 900 year out water town the other day and hell was it an adventure. The town was 2.5 hours aways which was tiring in itself as keeping the girls happy in a minivan without a dvd player is HARD. We finally reach the place and had to take a rickshaw to go to the town since the lanes are very narrow, built before cars exsisted. I felt so guilty siting in the riskshaw listening to the man huff & puff that I got down and helped him pull the cart along (afterall I'm the maid to the girls anyway). We took ages to reach the town. He drops us off in one ambigious alley and points to get out. We venture in thinking it's only an alley but NO, it's an entire town with small lanes with water on either side and miniature houses. We carry the girls with just one bottle of milk in my bag and walk around. Tara starts to get cranky and wants to run. I am frightened to let her walk as one step and she can fall into the murky waters. We decide to take a ride in a boat to take a break from carrying them. It's a pleasant ride but they drop us off on another part of the town and the sign that says exit points to the bloody river! We are completey lost the girls are crying by now, no one speaks english and we don't know which direction to walk. The town is full of mini islands connected by mini bridges so we don't know which one connects to the mainland. After an hour of walking aimlessly and crossings 5-10 mini briges and talkings to 345 chinese in sign language we find our way out. I had shouted at Tara about 500 times by then. In all that we didn't get to enjoy what was an absolutely beautiful place and I had left the camera in the rickshaw (not that I had the time to take a pic with a wriggling Tara on my hip)!

After that adventure we've stuck to more accessible surroundings and made sure we carry the diaper bag with us at all times. We took Tara to a water park and she had a blast. It kept her in such good spirits that she kept repeating We had a fun trip today! We've also gone on a jungle safari which was equally fun. Tara enjoyed riding in the bus more than watching the animals that followed us loking for food. We've gone to beautiful parks as all the flowers are in bloom and it's simply gorgeous. We've gone on boat rides and bumper car rides and managed to shop just a little bit. Just a little more than a week and we'll be out of here but we'll be back for sure.