Belated Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

We've been very busy this last week or so playing hosts which has given us a great excuse to become tourists ourselves and get out about and visit some of the places we've been told and read about, and we still haven't done it all yet. With just a day and a half left with our guests and having been hampered by illnesses we'll just have to save some sights for next time. Off to the beach today for a play.

Our Christmas day was an extremely relaxed affair thanks mainly to the 'Takeaway Christmas Dinner' we all enjoyed. One 12lb turkey stuffed and roasted to perfection with all the vegetables and trimmings. All we did was order it from The Park Hotel, specify a time, collect it, carve it and dish up - Bootiful, really bootiful! We've only just finished eating it all up now.

Father Christmas found us in India thank goodness, even though the kids were all so tired that we forgot to sprinkle the magic reindeer dust on the driveway, he's so clever that man.

Snakes Are Like Buses

Nothing for ages then they all turn up at once. It's the time of year I'm told.

There were 5 or 6 this morning, non venomous but can inflict a bite apparently and they are teeny tiny, if you didn't know what you were looking for you'd miss them.

When I mentioned the big one that Dileep had seen to the Head Guard, he laughed, 'Dileep a good actor Madam'. Hmmmm thought as much.

SNAKE!

Apparently our first (that we know of) snake was spotted in our garden....errrr about 15 days ago! Thanks for telling us guys, would have been nice to know.

DH and assorted drivers, gardener and guards (I'll bet he's just loving all that help!!) are today building our climbing frame in the garden. I went out to offer refreshments and morale support, for about 5 minutes and Dileep, one of the guards says to me 'Snake Madam, one night by the generator, THIS BIG', he says with arms outstretched very wide. So girls, we all know that it was, in all likelihood, actually just a small snake don't we? That's what I'm hoping anyway.

In Answer to Your Questions Part II

Yes, the England v's India test match was here last week, no we didn't see any and yes it was as hot as it looked on the TV, in fact so far I don't think the daytime temperature has dropped below 28degrees, night time low is around 24degrees. All the Indian's think it's really cold -If this is their winter, I don't think I'll survive the summer!!

Dinner is whatever I cook, so all our usual stuff really, adapted slighty depending on ingredient substitutions, but not that many as you can get most fresh things here and we have a well stocked store cupboard. The meat is OK here, could be worse anyway and I think there are a few suppliers who have cottoned onto Western wants and needs. Imported stuff like cereals, ham, bacon, cheese, pasta sauces etc is VERY VERY expensive, even by our standards. It's always nicer to eat out though which we do at the weekends. We've also found a good Indian, Chinese and a Thai takeaway!

Yes, it is very weird not driving in the sense that you can't just hop in the car anytime you like, for whatever reason, you are always reliant on someone to take you and you have to have a reason to go out to get out (does that make sense?) You know how sometimes you might go for a drive and just see where you end up and what you might find, it would be soooo nice to do that. Mind you, I'd only be brave enough to drive in the middle of the night when the roads are quiet if I could. Some Ex-pats drive themselves on Sunday's but unless you know exactly where you're going and where you can park I wouldn't risk it every day.

Can we walk in the park? Errrr no, not really, well we haven't found one nearby yet. I'm sure there are some - note to self must look harder for a park! Will let you know what I find.

Yes! We have Skype - where have you been??! Will email you our address (again, I'm sure). Yes! We do now have an international phone but the time difference (5.5 hours) makes it difficult to slot in a decent time frame to call to chat. When it's good for me you're either all in bed, at work or school, and when it's good for you, we're tired, going or gone to bed! In the next couple of weeks we will have some new fantabulous phone with a UK number that'll only be pennies for you to call. Must try harder at the weekends.

The answers to this one could change over time...at the moment
Five things I Like About India - The people (some of them), the weather (this month), Our house and staff,....errr I'll get back to you on this one. Living here is very different to holidaying here.
Five things I Hate - Men constantly using the street as a toilet, the dirt & rubbish, the poverty, lack of privacy, the constant race against time.

TV? What do we watch on TV? That'll be a whole new post in itself.

The Dreaded Lurgi

It always happens doesn't it? You finish work and school for the festive season...and everyone becomes ill...just in time for Christmas. The very same happens in India.


First down was me, nasty throat and cold. Second was DD with a sickness bug and high temperature, and then me again with the sickness bug, aches, pains and dizziness . A hairy couple of hours were spent in limbo while we waited chewing our nails to see if DS was going to develop the same bug. Thankfully we think his 'minor' (compared to the rest of us!) technicolour yawn was just a case of gulped bedtime milk. We are now much, much better, DD has slept and watched alot of Christmas DVD's, I've slept...alot but my cold has returned.

Maid #2 has been a treasure with DS and all the washing. DH took a day off work to help out too. I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that nobody else develops anything nasty either before or during our visitors stay...including them!

My sympathy goes out to anyone here,or there who has or develops The Dreaded Festive Lurgi...keep well.

Deck The Halls

We spent Saturday morning 'getting festive'!

DS was very intrigued by our 'naff' dancing tree and thought it was hilarious as did Maid #2








DS was napping when DD and I decorated this one thank goodness.





And, when we did this one funnily enough!







And after all that hard work, what better way to chill out than down at the beach with a bucket and spade and an ice-cream to cool off!

Kumar & The Chef

I can't believe that I forgot to mention this, but Kumar and his friend Suresh had a rather nasty motorbike accident a couple of weeks ago and we have been without him for the last 10 days, they're both much better now but I must admit that their injuries really gave me the shivers. Thankfully he is fit and well again and has returned to us today and DS was so pleased to see his best friend again...and so was I, first stop Farm Fresh for some 'good' fruit n veg. The relief driver was never going to find it and I decided it was best to avoid the frustration!

School's Out

Friday was the end of term for both DD & DS, no-more school until 5th January.

They both had Christmas parties at their schools with the obligatory visit from Father Christmas. DS cried when he saw him (see above) and ran to me to hide and DD noticed that he wasn't as fat as when she last saw him!

It is now a week and 1 day until my sister and family arrive and we are all looking forward to their visit. Particularly as nearly all the other families we know excitedly flew out of Chennai to either go home for Christmas or to go on some fantastic adventure, which made me a bit homesick. But is is still too early to come home...I still might (might!) struggle to come back here again!

Another One Bites The Dust

Maid #1 - Left
Maid #2 - Doing Well
Maid #3 - Sacked on Friday

Maid # 3 was a tough one as she was very good with the children, hygienic, English good and always on time, however she was slow, good at looking busy and pushy, after just days she asked if she could do her family's washing in our machine and after 3 weeks started sounding me out for a loan for her son's schooling! The minute she started Kumar warned us that he had asked around and she had a reputation for being dishonest...we thought we'd give her a go as her last employers (of 3 years) reference was very good. Maid #2 had also voiced her concerns to Kumar as she also knew of her before and was worried that any trouble would reflect on her.

Two weeks in and a friend told me that she had heard something about her from another ex-pat and so we dug a little deeper, turns out that there are convictions for petty theft in the family and when you begin to hear things like this it is terribly hard to trust someone.

As time went on Little Miss Pushy became pushier and I was getting really tired of finding her rooting and sifting through our rubbish, we were told she wouldn't comply with the guards on bag searches and a couple of times I found her in places in the house that she didn't need to be in.

The crunch began when we were getting ready to go to the BBSC Ball and DH discovered his dress shirt studs were missing and then one of the kids advent calendars disappeared, after 4 days of searching high and low and me ranting and asking no-one in particular, 'Where on earth can it be?' It turned up, she found it, behind some books but it was strange how nearly all the doors had been opened and re-closed and I swear I'd already looked in that place!

So, on Friday evening we confronted her and she left, much to the relief of all the staff and also to me....today is a much calmer day :-)

Tut Tut! It Feels Like Rain

Tut Tut! it Feels Like Rain (AA Milne, Winnie the Poo, for those not reading or watching his adventures e-v-e-r-y day).

So? What do you think you do when it feels like rain in Chennai? Answer: You adorn the very latest in designer head gear to keep dry - THE plastic carrier bag, and you very delicately and carefully roll the handles up so as not to cover your ears (v important for hearing all the traffic and horns). This year's colour is definitely white, although there are the odd one of two fashion rebels I've seen wearing blue and black.

This chap really could have given his wife on the back of the bike (sorry, photo not good as we were on the move) his rain hat...poor girl, another bad case of Humidity Hair for her today!

The War Against Mosquitos

Do you like my bat? I LOVE this bat!

This is THE BEST invention since sliced bread and the wheel. This bat is my main weapon in my personal 'War on Mosquito's'. There are loads of the little blighters here and there are even more since the monsoon season descended. They are mean, vicious and cunning and will find the one spot of skin that the repellent didn't get to. They are dangerous and carry untold nasty diseases. We have all had our vaccinations but the one disease you can't protect yourself from is Dengue Fever, the first time you have it, you apparently hardly notice...you run a temperature, your limbs ache and your feet and joints swell, could be flu...only it ain't. The mosi's that carry it are the ones that bite in the daytime. The next time you get it, you apparently really know about it as it increases in intensity. I had a grand total of 15 bites the other week and felt really lousy for about a week, slight temperature, swollen limbs and aches and pains...but you keep going, because you have to, not even the beloved Piriton helped. It's only now being a little more informed that I think I know what the problem was.

Anyway back to my bat! We have about 4 of these, one upstairs, one downstairs and one in each car. You plug the bats in to charge them, you spot a mosi, you grab the bat, press the button, take aim and swipe.....the little devil doesn't stand a chance (as long as you've managed to keep track of him that is) There then is a very satisfying electrical crackle and the little mosi falls electrocuted to the floor. Great Sport....like I said, I LOVE my bat!

A Busy Christmassy Weekend

On Saturday evening DH and I attended the BBSC (British Business & Social Club) Christmas Ball complete with Roast Turkey and all the trimmings! A great evening enjoyed by all and as a result there were certainly a few tired and sore-headed individuals (DH being one) who headed out for the next Christmas event of the weekend - the OWC (Overseas Women's Club) annual Santa Brunch.

Father Christmas had also been to the Ball, wonder how his head was?!

Present Time

After all the excitement DS needed a little lie down!

There were lots of craft tables and all the kids had a wonderful time, icing and eating Christmas Cookies, making Pot Pourri, drawing and colouring and playing together. Everyone felt quite Christmassy I think, until we stepped outside again into the warmth and the sunshine.

The Elves and the Furniture Maker

The one big mistake we made before coming here was to get our loose cover furniture upholstered, the mistake being that we took wrong advice about the quality of Indian upholstery fabric and decided to get it done at home rather than waiting until we got here. The result was the 'new' furniture looked OK in the UK but looked like it belonged in a care home when we got it here, way too dark and depressing.

We decided we couldn't live with it, so we went in search of fabric and at first it was a tough job as there was nothing that we liked then we stumbled upon a couple of really nice shops. All the time in India you hear tales and stories about bad service, delays and bad workmanship, well I'm going to tell you of a very good experience that we had.

At 4pm one Saturday afternoon we placed a fabric order and on the following Tuesday morning we got a call to say it had arrived. On the Wednesday morning the 'Tailor' and his band of merry men (varying in number between 2 and 6 depending on the day!)arrived at the house and began their work. I was curious as to their initial estimate of 2-3 days to complete the work as it sounded very optimistic (and it was!) especially there being 3 sofas, 2 chairs, 2 pouffes and loads of cushions, oh yes and they were also making us curtains for 3 large windows and 3 large sets of French doors.

They set up their sewing machine, just the one, on a mat on the floor and got to work. Over the next week they stripped our sofas, they cut and they sewed well into the night, most nights which wasn't so good, because if they'd started earlier each day they might have left our house, perhaps by 7pm leaving us to have some sort of evening together, but no, and on the evening that DH had a trip to Delhi they were here until gone midnight and I finally just had to boot them out or I was never going to get up the next morning.

And so, just over a week later, hampered by the bad weather and floods, power cuts, a motorcycle accident and a needle through a finger we are the owners of a swish set of lovely new sofas - again! And the total cost for all this work, fabric and curtains...well we got a few pennies change from £grand, not bad eh?

Lovely Weather

2 days after the rain had stopped

Since the cyclone moved on the weather has actually been very nice, and everywhere has been drying up nicely. The humidity has disappeared and all told it feels really nice here at the moment, it could pass for a nice English Summer day. I was playing at guessing the temperature yesterday and thought it felt abround 20 degrees. I was actually very shocked when Murasoli told me that the car was registering the outside temperature at 29 degrees! Either it was wrong or I am finally getting used to this climate. Like I said though, virtually no humidity I'll probably struggle again when that old friend returns.

I Have Legs, I Can Therefore Walk

Madras Club Christmas Tree

Believe it or not, I can! I miss walking. Before India I walked whenever and wherever I could.

Today I decided there was an event I wanted to attend at the Madras Club, which is all of about 500 yards away from our house and so, at Midday I set off down the drive towards the gate. The guards got into a bit of a fluster as I approached, so I explained where and why I was walking. 'Car Madam?' NO.CAR.NEEDED. Comprende?

The Madras Club

They weren't sure and even as I glanced back as I rounded the corner at the top of the road there were two guards standing watching my progress, while shaking their heads. They were probably even more shocked by the fact that probably 5 minutes or so later one of the maids left in the car to run some errands. Hmmmm? Madam walking and Maid being driven - not quite right to them, but for me it was very liberating to walk even just a short distance...on my own, without being watched. I did a little hop, skip and a jump and felt like I'd escaped!

On my return, being the other side of the gate was strange, no-one heard my knocking so just to tease them a little more I made loud BEEP BEEP noises, to which they all came running and found amusing, but only after apologising profusely for the 20 second delay in opening the gate! It's OK, I can live with that, and many other things...including my legs, I found them today and they still work.

Is It Cold in Blighty?

Oooooh, I just posted that entry and noticed the temperature over there. Is it a little bit chilly at the moment?! I'd actually really love to feel the cold. Ah well, there's always next summer!!

Feeling A Little Bit Christmassy

I've been very busy tonight and it's late so forgive me if I ramble.

I got a tip-off that a shop had some Christmas cards, so I jumped in the car this morning, leaving DH and the kids behind to man the pumps that are currently working flat out to remove all the flood water from our garden (several hours later most of the water and the frogs have disappeared, it's actually very quiet tonight) and went in search of Christmas...and I found it, sort of.

There was no tinsel, no music, no Ho Ho Ho! or twinking lights, but there were no crowds and there were some cards so I bundled a load into my basket along with some gifts. At the checkout I was asked if I would like to use their 'free' gift wrapping service....OH YES PLEASE! I enjoy wrapping up presents, or rather I did, before children. Now it can be rather a painful excercise and the hours between their bedtime and mine are short at the moment, so anything to save time. I left the shop feeling very satisied!

So, this evening those short hours actually became longer hours as I endeavoured to write lots of cards while yawning and humming along to the odd one or two Christmas songs on the radio with everyone else sleeping soundly...I hereby officially bagsy the lie-in tomorrow! You see it had to be done today/tomorrow because a friend is flying back to the UK on Monday and has very generously offered to post things for me. Good job because I still haven't found the Post Office yet!

Now, let me just say that I've really tried my best...if you don't receive a card it is for one of the following reasons...
a) I've run out of cards and may not be able to get back to the shop in time for more.
b) You've moved recently and I can't quite just at this minute lay my hands on your new address.
c) You've moved and I know where your house/flat is but I don't know its number.
d) You don't deserve one because you haven't emailed or got in touch to share your news (just kidding, but it might prick the odd concience!)
e) I used to rely on the Boy Scouts and their powers of deduction to deliver yours and they knew how to find, for example 'the red brick house with blue window frames on Spring Lane', and, unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it to Talisman Square any Saturday morning in December to drop them off to them this year - so very sorry!

It's Raining Frogs!

It is, I swear!

So far, all the time we've been here we've only heard one, it was in a drain and protested big time on one of the occasions the pool was emptied.

Since it's been raining I reckon there are 100's of them out there in the garden because there is a noisy old chorus going on out there tonight. Not surprising because the garden does resemble a lake. They sound BIG, very BIG. I went on a frog hunt in between downpours but I couldn't see any and they all went quiet when I came anywhere close....If they're not frogs then I don't know what they are!

Safe & Well

Thank you for your concerned emails and texts after the dreadful events that occurred in Mumbai yesterday.

Mumbai is about a 2 hour flight away and on the opposite coast to Chennai, so we are not close to what is happening there although we are of course keeping up-to-date on all the developments. Most of the hotels in Chennai that we visit have all been very diligent since the Islamabad Marriot hotel bombing in September and while the level of security checks worried me at first, we have come to expect it.

Our current concern in Chennai is Cyclone Nisha who is still doing her stuff and depositing vast amounts of rain over Tamil Nadu and the forecast looks as though it'll continue until Sunday. Parts of the city are under several feet of water and people in some areas are being evacuated. At one point during DH's journey home last night his car was actually floating! I think we'll stay at home today. Here is a link to some photographs...

http://www.thisismyindia.com/pictures_of_india/chennai-pictures.html

Still it Rains

http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/cyclone-nisha-hits-tamil-nadu-and-chennai-64-people-dead

Waterlogged

http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=12312%20&%20section=7
There is a Big Bad Cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and we have been watching the big fat wet rain for the last 24 hours. Trees are down and many of the streets are waterlogged, all government schools and offices are closed. The guards are knee-deep again - the pump installed last week just doesn't seem to make a jot of a difference. All the staff had excuses for being late/going early. Our phone (just when we finally get International Direct Dial and I was planning on calling you all) and Internet are intermittent and my trip to the corner shop was interesting this morning as I waded to their door in the hope of finding some fish fingers. The mosquito's are getting bigger, fatter and more thirsty by the day, but, I did manage some Christmas shopping today in between downpours. Christmas is another topic altogether, because at the moment it is lost, I can't find it anywhere...I think I need to look a bit harder...which perhaps means a little more shopping? What a shame!

What Do We Miss?

In answer to this question I conducted a quick poll...
DS - ??? don't think he understood the question!
DD - England, Imogen, Thomas, William, Aunty Sally, Nanan & Grandad, Daisy, Snow, Milkshake TV, Hatton Farm Village
DH - Driving
Me - Friends and Family, Walking, Waitrose & Sainsbury's Ready to Cook Range(!) Washed and bagged salad, Autumn, Feeling Cold, Aqua Aerobics.
Hmmmm, us girls seem to be missing the most things!

In Answer to Some of Your Questions Part 1

DH is settling very well into his new job. There will be even more challenges ahead for him now that this recession is snapping at all our heels. We knew his commute to the factory would be a tough one, and it is. At least he doesn't have to drive it himself, and although he denies it, I'm sure he catches 40 winks here and there. He's working hard and has been fantastic in organising and getting things in place at the house.

The kids are adjusting. DS has been like a duck to water, he's everyone's best friend and has everyone wrapped around his little finger. He loves all the attention and has been throwing the most spectacular tantrums known to man - if there was an Oscar to be had he'd win it - and he's still 6 months of being 2. Help me! Three mornings a week I take him to a U & Me session at a fantastic Indian school http://www.kidscentralchennai.com/home.html and he really loves it, I tell him we're off to school and he runs to fetch his shoes and when it's time to leave I literally have to drag him away kicking and screaming.

DD started off fine, embracing everything with gusto and energy but then I think she lapsed into a case of Culture Shock as it dawned on her we weren't going to be going home sometime soon and she began questioning everything around us. She enjoys her school http://www.aisch.org/ but found the size of it daunting at first (ages 3-18) especially with so many 'big kids' around. She now goes 3 full days and 2 mornings, the mornings tend to be very focused with no time for play with others, whereas the afternoons are pretty free, so for the last couple of weeks she has been staying all day and has been making some friends. She has a brand new swish haircut since Saturday and the salon even painted her toe-nails for her. She was so good and was as pleased as punch. It was a joy to see her very wide grin as she sat in the chair beaming into the mirror. As we were leaving she comes out with, 'Shall we go for a coffee now Mummy?' But the best 'out of the blue' question she has come out with this week, was today as we're on the way home from school, 'Mummy, how old will I be when I wear a bra?' I choked on my water and Kumar had a chuckle. You are 4, not 14 sweetheart!!

The school run to DD's school in the morning takes an hour there and back, traffic and weather permitting. 45mins at lunchtime and in the afternoon. DS's is just 5-10mins away.

Yes, our house in the UK has been let, tenants are moving in either before Christmas or early January.

As for Hair and the Monsoon....let's just put that under a banner title of Hair & Humidity! Good and bad days. Many more good (well, acceptable) than I first thought thanks to John Frieda Moisture Barrier Hairspray - thanks for that great tip Michelle! Yes, I brought what I hope will be a year's supply.

Now for a biggie...Do we notice the different culture? Oh yes, big time, all the time and I really don't quite know where to start on this one at the moment. Just fathoming out the people and how they tick is a minefield. As the weeks have gone by, and I pinch myself that is just weeks, we have seen/heard/encountered so much that it seems like a big sensory overload. I think I've switched off for the time-being, just to survive getting us up on our feet. Either that or I've de-sensitised to it already, but I don't think so as things still surprise and shock me but I'm tending not to dwell on things as much and concentrate on us as a family. It will be interesting when we have fist time visitors to India, here to stay at Christmas. I wonder if I will notice the things they notice?

Mr Fixit Does Ice-Cream

My kids love Ice-cream and it's always a handy stop-gap to have some in the freezer. Some shops here have freezers with lots of the stuff inside them but with all the power cuts you wonder how safe it is to buy and eat so tend to give it a wide berth.

Ice-cream parlours are also quite common and it was as we passed a rather downbeat looking Baskin Robbins (others look great, it was just that this one prompted my thought!) that I asked a question...'Kumar, do you know of a good place to take the children out for Ice-Cream?'

'Madam, my brother's son works in an Ice-Cream factory, anything you want I will get for you.' He makes a phone call. 'Madam, my brother's son has told me to come this afternoon and he will take care of you.' Ok then I think, let me see, some vanilla and some chocolate would be good to help maintain my 'Best Mum In the World Status' in the eyes of DD (she's 4 and will realise one day that I'm really not that good!), and give him my freezer bag, ice-packs and some Rupees.

We sat, we waited. The kids had dinner and ate it ALL up on the bribe that Ice-Cream was on it's way, and still we waited. Bath time was looming and DD begins to get agitated, I call Kumar and he tells me the traffic is very bad, and it is, ALWAYS.

Five minutes later he screeches up the drive and deposits not only a box of vanilla and chocolate but a huge array of ice-lollies, tubs, screwball type things without the bubblegum and tells me these are all free samples and anything else we order will be given with a hefty discount and that any Ice-Cream will be freshly made and frozen on the day we buy. He read my mind.

DD was so impressed that she even gave Kumar an ice-cream as a thank you, I didn't like to tell him that it was because she grabbed the first thing she saw and then saw something better and quick thinking as she is, found a way to off-load the less interesting one! She then redeemed herself by giving our new maid, who started this week, a choc-ice for her two year old son.

When it Rains

It really rains in Chennai. Big Fat Wet Rain, there's no such thing as drizzle or a light shower here. This is what happens to our driveway. From where the picture is taken the water is ankle deep. Top left is the guard's hut and they are knee deep. On this day, I left for school at 8am, and it had just begun raining. When I returned at 9am this is what I found. Our landlord agreed that the driveway drainage needed addressing. Lots of digging, lifting of paving etc happened last week, fingers crossed it's now sorted.

How Many Men Does It Take To...

Whatever job is being done, whatever service you require it takes an awful lot of men to make it happen here in India, here are some examples...

To Install and Check a Phone Line - Answer 4
One to hold the carrier bag of bits, one to do the work, one to give opinions and one to stand around and gawp at your house and belongings.

To Install Broadband - Answer 3
One to fiddle, one to scratch his head and one to realise that the wireless switch on your computer is off (whoops! mea culpa!)

To Measure Up For Curtains - Answer 5
One to bring and hold the fabric samples, one to measure, one to write it down and two to stand around and gawp at your house and belongings.

To Fit Kitchen Window Blinds - Answer 4 (two separate occasions)
One to carry said blinds in, one to hold the blind and leave dirty fingerprints all over it, one to
fix it, one to stand and gawp at your house and belongings and one to ask for a tip - he didn't think dirty fingerprints were a problem, we did.

To Argue that You're Kitchen Blinds DO Fit and it's your windows that are wonky - Answer 2
This one was a classic and a perfect example of how the majority of Indian men won't listen to anything a woman has to say. The bottom of the blind is 1.5" shorter at one end to the other, he swears it's the window that is squiffy...I am there with tape measure (this goes on for an hour by the way) I measure the window, then measure the blind and each and every time he offers to hold the tape measure and then moves it to his advantage and tells me again and again that the walls are not straight. PLEASE! I do now how to measure a bloody window. They leave. DH removes the blind, we take it back to the shop, the owner looks at it and agrees it's wrong and needs replacing. 1 week later two different men arrive to re-fit, I tell them to wash their hands first, they take forever to re-fit it and then blatantly ask for a tip. So do you think they got one?

I have more evidence and incidents...but you get the picture, right?

What Chef Rustled Up

To my complete surprise it wasn't just one chef that turned up...but 4!!

My kitchen descended into what looked like chaos but was probably well organised as they set to work on our 'trial run' . From the shopping list and a few other things raided from my fridge and store cupboard they came up with the following...




For the kids - fish fingers, vegetable rissoles and sandwiches(Do I look THAT hopeless!)

For us - a large quantity of the most delicious Dahl, yummy chicken curry, a ton of rice pilaf, pan fried fillet of beef with spinach and mushroom salad, herb breaded lamb chops with mashed potato and Chicken Tikka....err also there is a container of cashew nut paste that I'm not sure what I should do with! The only dish that we're not quite sure of was their version of Chicken Strogonoff....it's very green, like pea green which I think is lots of spinach, thick ,and well, it doesn't have any cream or yoghurt, mushrooms or the merest hint of nutmeg in it. We will reserve judgement and try it again!

DS and his Very Best Friend 'Mr Fixit' watching everyone hard at work

Only one problem, chefs being chefs wherever in the world they may be... don't do washing up. I was left with every single pan, baking sheet, roasting tin, saucepan, frying pan I own...and oh yes (how could I forget!)after they left and the floor had been mopped for the upteenth time we realised that the drain had got blocked up by all the remnants of their chopping and preparations and water started pouring out of the cupboard under the sink! My Mr Fix-it, Kumar...fixed it with the help of the guards, thank goodness and eventually normality was restored. The kids had fish fingers and rissoles for dinner and we had curry, dahl and rice. The freezer is stocked. Now we have to talk terms.

Indian Cooking in my Kitchen

not by me, not yet anyway.

While here we decided that we really want to sample South Indian cuisine, lack of babysitters prevents us from getting out to sample as much as we'd like and the kids would not thank us for taking them anywhere unless they could just eat plain rice and chappati.

So Mr Fixit, Kumar, has arranged for his very best friend, who happens to be a chef at one of the big posh hotels to come to our house to do a trial, if it goes OK he may come here each week to prepare dishes that we can store or freeze. He will also make European dishes for us if we want - that could free up some of my time spent in the kitchen, where the endless washing, sterilising and preparation of anything fresh is a bit of a chore and bores DS to bits!

So, tomorrow he comes. The only critera I have specificed is low fat, low salt. I have spent this morning criss-crossing the city in search of all the ingredients on his shopping list and am really intrigued as to what he is going to rustle up, here's the list...
2kg chicken, 1kg of Sear fish fillet, 1kg lamb chops, 15 eggs , 100g green chillis , 2kg onions, 500g beans, 20 lemons, 2kg potatoes, 5 leeks, assorted peppers, coriander, alot of garlic, ginger & garlic paste, 1kg spinach, 1 litre of cream, 1kg basmati rice, 5 loafs of bread, cashew nuts, 1kg moong dahl, 2 kg maitha flour...and a whole raft of spices and herbs.

Will let you know what he magic's up!

Auto Rickshaw Rage

The weather has been wet again this week and one afternoon both the kids and I were climbing the walls. On the spur of the moment I decided to bundle us all into the car and sample a children's play centre for the first time which is located nearby.

Kumar said he would return to the house to finish some jobs and I told him we'd only be about an hour, 'OK Madam phone me'.

As he drove off splashing through the puddles it dawned on me that in my rush to get out I had actually left my phone at the house. Oh well, I thought he'll probably return in good time...only he didn't. The play centre was OK as these places go in India but DS needed watching like a hawk - doesn't he always!

After 50minutes, one of the staff came up to me and told me that we had to leave as we'd only paid for the hour, OK but the hour's not quite up yet! 10 minutes later I take the kids upstairs to wait by the door and look out for Kumar, only it was a little hard keeping them out of the play area now that they knew it was there and much frowning from the staff followed. I tried to explain that I had left my phone and was waiting for our driver to return but they weren't impressed. Half an hour later after DS has gone into meltdown, dinner is spoiling in the oven at home and even more stony stares from the jobsworth staff I decided my only option was to try and get an Auto-Rickshaw to take us back. Knowing I was about to get ripped off big time for the fare I enlisted the help of the only soft faced and helpful member of staff to get one, and bless her, she dashed off into the rain to hail one and agreed a price of 30rps. One of the other jobsworths tries to get me to pay another 300rps! What? For standing by the front door?! Perhaps she'd rather we had stood out in the rain.

Just as we bundle outside, Kumar arrives looking worried. 'Madam you left your phone?' Yeah, yeah, I know! I explain my brave attempt to get home and give him 20rps to give the Rickshaw driver for the HUGE inconvenience of pulling over his vehicle, who by this time has caught sight of us and obviously sees a meal ticket disappearing before his eyes....And. He. Goes. Ballistic! Kumar literally throws me and the kids into the car locking the doors, meanwhile the Mad Rickshaw driver has now turned on the kindly girl who'd helped me. I felt so bad, even the 20rps wasn't going to appease him.

Moral of the story...NEVER leave home without a phone. Put a list of emergency numbers in purse and don't try and have bright ideas!

Sounds From Home

Along came our broadband internet and so did the wonder and JOY of internet radio.

How fantastic it was to tune into Smooth FM again and listen to some great tunes that evoke great memories and music that lifts your spirit. News and weather, even traffic reports that mean almost nothing now, but I do feel your pain! I suppose they are hardly going to tell you all about the Auto-Rickshaw that has broken down on Anna Salai or the HUGE puddle in Kotturpuram that is making everyone late for school and is causing the whole city of Chennai to gridlock, but just listening makes you all feel not so far away! Granted in the UK I listened to the West Mids station ...but the London version is not bad either and over the years I've listened to all the Smooth FM DJ's in one guise or one station or another.

So over happy was I, that I did something that I've always wanted to do but never had the courage to do....don't know why, it was so easy....I sent in an email and within minutes Lynn Parsons gave us a mention, to you guys, from us. All the way from Chennai.....Ah the wonders of the Tinternet oojamflip thing! Hope you heard it?! Feeling happy happy this evening, with lifted spirit!

Still listening....

"Ooooh , let me tell you now, when I had you to myself I didn't want you around....oh baby give me one more chance...I want you back...ooh ooh baby....all I need...all I want...baby, baby etc etc
(they can sing alot faster than I can type, OK? So a Prize to the first person who can tell me what song that was!)

2nd prize for this one...
"Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone, I hear you call my name and it feels like home, when you call my name it's like a little... it's like a dream to me, oh yeah...

Still listening *sigh* but cut the Xmas adverts, because it's too warm for Xmas, Xmas feels like a year away and sorry to you people stuck on Holland Park Avenue due to a burst water main, you'll get home eventually.

Night Time Fun & Frolicks

The State of Tamil Nadu needs 12000 mega watts of electricity per day but only 9500 mega watts are actually available, therefore there are alot of 'enforced' power cuts. These are more frequent and last longer the further you are from the city, in some rural areas they have cuts for up to 8 hours per day. So far, we have been relatively unaffected but this week the government announced that the City would now have power cuts for 2 hours per day. Many properties have back-up generators as do we, which sense a power cut and cut in after a minute after loss of power. Well, they do if they're full of diesel and the battery hasn't gone flat.

The power went out one night last week at 11pm, just as we'd gone to bed, we waited but the generator didn't do its stuff. DH went out to check it and as he stepped outside he was greeted by the Guards, 'big problem Sir, generator not started', DH thinks 'No sh** Sherlock', and goes to investigate. He finds the battery flat and thinks it best to leave it until the morning...until I remind him we have a freezer with a meat delivery in it, so he goes back outside to try and start the generator with the battery from the car, he removes it and installs it on the generator, with the help of the three guards, DH describes their help as like having three toddlers around him trying to help but making the job 10x harder.

The generator would now crank over but it would not start so DH then suggests to the guards that the generator has run out of fuel, 'No Sir Plenty of Fuel'. He was having none of it so eventually the guards show him the fuel gauge, 'Ahhhh (lightbulb moment) big problem. Empty Sir'.

So, then began the great fuel hunt, unfortunately the car which was suitable for the job was the car he had removed the battery from, so he went through the painful exercise of reinstalling the battery and he then got into the car to go and fetch the fuel. To his amazement all three guards clambered into the car, two of them trying their level best to squeeze themselves into the kids car seats. Getting ever more exasperated DH asked, 'Do I really need three guards to fetch fuel? Who is going to stay behind and guard the house which is in complete darkness with Madam and the children inside?' Blank faces. He resorts to a more direct approach, 'OI, YOU TWO OUT'.

After trailing around Chennai for fuel, as it turns out that most fuel stations shut at 11.30pm, he finally returns with some diesel (are you bored yet?) Then had to do some technical thing to the engine 'bleed the air out of the fuel injection system', means nothing to me, but it was apparently another painful exercise with the hindrance of the guards. Once again he removed the battery from the car and installed it on the generator, and hey presto we had power, not that I knew about it as I'd fallen asleep ages ago, (as you may have also done by now) he then reinstalled the battery on the car for the morning so that we could get to school, and he finally came inside at 1am and unfortunately for him he was back up at 5.30am for work. Our food stayed frozen and the power didn't return until 8am, so I guess that marrying a person who grew up repairing tractors on a farm has BIG advantages!

Maid In India

Excuse the naff title, I'm feeling a little 'naff' myself!

I have mentioned that I had a bad week, well Jayanthi (aka Mary) contributed big time to my woes.

She asked for her salary last Friday, I thought DH must have forgotten pay day, so I shelled out without checking. Big mistake, as it turns out we have actually been paying her in advance, this was so that we could secure her to work for us from another family who were leaving before we arrived in Chennai.

On Monday morning, Pushpa, our second maid was due to start work and I was looking forward to finally getting the house straight this week with 2 staff to help, and she dutifully arrived in good time. I returned from the school run to find Pushpa alone and no Jayanthi. No phonecall, no nothing, so I wait until 10.30am and then try to contact her. No joy. I ask Kumar to call the number we have and he has some sort of luck and gabbles away in Tamil to someone and then informs me that 'Jayanthi, she is sick madam'. Oh OK then fair enough, a phonecall would have been nice though.

Tuesday morning, still no sign, still no phonecall so I ask Kumar to call again 'Still sick madam, going to hospital for blood test', OK fair enough, but please ask her to keep us informed.

Wednesday, still no sign and I'm told that a woman turns up at the gate asking for a job because, 'Jayanthi not coming back'...???? Panic. OMG why not? Are we horrible? Have we treated her badly in some way...she kept telling me how happy she was to work here and how she enjoyed the children - very confused.

Kumar calls again and is told there is a 'big family problem' he immediately places his bet on a new job and doesn't beleive a word of it.

Wednesday evening, DH decides to pay her a visit to see if there has been a misunderstanding or something and the story we get is that she lost her house when the Tsunami hit and the government gave her a house that is 16km away, so she decided to stay with her family in Chennai where the work is, now the government are threatening to repossess the house, which she can't afford to let them do and has to go away to live in the house.

Kumar still doesn't beleive a word of it, 'Madam, she is a widow, 2 children, she has to work, she needs money. She has another job and I will find out where.' OK Kumar, and when you do, let us know becasue she owes us a months salary!

Anyway, that's the jist of it, there were other factors in this including her sister who was not actually able to 'swear on the bible' when asked to confirm that she didn't have another job. Woman at the Gate returning again to chance her luck with more hearsay.

Pushpa has stayed the week. She is very good with the children and loves playing with them, more so than doing the housework, but everything has been so much at sixes and sevens this week I haven't complained - yet.

Postscript - A few hours later, we have it confirmed that she does indeed have a new job. What a palava and a sack full of untruths!

Finally,,,

WE HAVE WIRELESS BROADBAND AND A TELEPHONE!! WOO HOO

Such very good news after a challenging week. Just when you think things are settling down and you're finding your feet, the rug gets pulled from under your feet.

As things go in India I am certain that my week was actually nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it just felt like it as the problems encountered were all new situations to me and I don't think I handled things very well. Live and learn.

I have also been unwell the last 3 weeks which I put down to climate/food/water adjustment but it turns out it was a rather nasty dose of food poisoning. On the brightside...it was good for the waistline!

Where's a Fairy-Godmother When you Need One?

We are going to a company Diwali party tomorrow...we all need to wear Indian dress DH tells me. Huh huh OK. The kids are already kitted out so no problem there although the orange sand stains have not come out of DS's trousers but we'll just have to deal with that tomorrow.

Now the easiest thing to do would have been to have visited somewhere where you can choose fabric and have something made up, but we've been very busy this week and just haven't got round to it, plus it's difficult lugging the kids to and fro and then expecting them to sit like statues while you make choices. That's just never going to happen and it's too stressful to boot!

I thought I knew what I wanted. And so today I left the kids with Jayanthi (aka Mary) for the afternoon and went to see what I could get 'off the peg'. As far as I can gather there is a modesty theme going on in most types of dress, any curves are streamlined and b**bs are flattened to oblivion. That's all well and good if your b**bs can be flattened, mine aren't the flattening type.

Whilst zooming around and to and fro I found some of the most beautiful outfits (I wanted silk and sparkly) but they were all just that little bit too tight on the chest area to be comfortable for about 5 hours of a Diwali party.

What is a girl to do? I need a fairy god-mother job I think.

Immersed In India

http://www.globaladjustments.com/?q=node/930

I've been meaning to tell you about a very interesting Culture Immersion evening I attended last week that was hosted by the re-location company who helped us with our move to Chennai but haven't got round to it as yet. However, the link to the article (above) appeared in the newspaper today and explains it all probably a whole lot better than I could!

Spot me in a Sari! Wish I'd been quick enough to get the turquoise one!

We Have a Pool...Oh No We Don't

Well we do, but we just can't swim in it yet. It was finished last week, it was filled with water and then they drained it. At 11pm one evening there was loads of activity in the garden, we thought there was a security issue but it was just a water tanker delivering water for the pool. The chemicals were added but by the morning the water looked as murky as a swamp. On Tuesday they drained it again, which plays havoc with the drains, and alot of peering into the pool took place. Yesterday another tanker arrived, the pool was filled again and another 2 oil drums of chemicals were added. This morning it looked gorgeous, crystal clear and very inviting. On the way back from the zoo I was imagining how nice it would be to have a cooling dip...until I saw the lovely murky waterwas back again. Better watch that no crocs take up residence because they'd be very much at home.

Exhibits at the Zoo (us not the animals!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arignar_Anna_Zoological_Park

Today a friend and I took ourselves and our children 'out of town' to visit India's oldest Zoo.


I was quite excited as it was the first time we had actually been anywhere apart from school, playgroup, shops and house!


The temperature has dropped to a more manageable 26 or so degrees and so has the humidity so it was really pleasant being able to walk around and not be in the car. We even had a picnic. Most of the animals looked very well cared for, they had the most amazing and beautiful tigers I have ever seen (not that I've seen that many!). Only the bears looked a bit stressed. DS was fascinated by the Tiger and 'roared' all the way home. DD was particularly taken with the chameleons, snakes, fish and hippo.


What wasn't so pleasant was all the attention that the children attracted from the local visitors and if we only even stopped briefly for a few moments we were immediately surrounded, photographs were being taken and a lot of touching of cheeks was going on. We had to be very firm before the attention moved to a more acceptable distance, then we were just followed! My friend commented that she could understand and somewhat sympathise with our so called celebrities, and so could I.


Sorry, no photos folks as the camera needs new batteries

Snap BANG Crackle & Pop

The fireworks continue. Although we had a rest from them today they began again in earnest this evening, the kids are so unphased by them now they even sleep through them. How they do that?!

I thought after yesterday that would be it, there couldn't possibly be any more fireworks left in the whole of India, but someone found a whole lot more somewhere on a shelf in the corner. Now, I don't know if I've got this right or whether something got lost in translation but Kumar told me that today is the day that non-vegetarians celebrate with their fireworks, yesterday it was the vegetarians. If that is the case then our neighbours on all sides can't make their minds up whether they eat meat or not!

Kumar also told me of his firework experiences last night. Two stray rockets entered his home at different times while he and his family were watching TV and started fires.
'Coconut roofs is a BIG problem Madam'.

We Have Our Stuff

Ooodles of it! Amidst the unpacking it dawned on me how much I had actually enjoyed living a 'clutter' free life these past few weeks, but it's good to have some familiar stuff around us, even if antique pine 'doesn't go' in an Indian house. And...neither do our sofas!



Some of you will remember that HUGE Pickfords lorry that virtually blocked Priory Road for a whole week, so here is the Indian version of that lorry. This one went backwards and forwards 6 or so times over the weekend ferrying our belongings from the dock to our house, thank goodness we're on the coast.


The kids thought Christmas had come early and were delighted to see their toys, particularly the outside ones and DD was off on her bike up and down the drive closely pursued by DS in his pedal car (pushed by the guards!) then they swapped over, then there was a tussle, a paddy and a tantrum...and it was time to come inside again to calm and cool down!


So, we've been very busy this weekend attempting to unpack, get straight and have even added more debris to that Skip we had sat on our drive in Kenilworth for a month before we left. Funny how some belongings become surplus to a new life.

Happy Diwali! Festival of Light

AKA Firework War Zone!!

If you thought the UK run up to November 5th was noisy...come to India to celebrate Diwali! (Click on title for full info on this noisy festival)

The firework and firecracker build up began in spits and spats about a week ago and every night since then in the vicinity of our house the volume of fireworks has increased. To begin with we oo'ed and ahh'ed just like us Brits do at anything sparkly in the sky. But as time went on we became a bit blase about them, hardly even noticing...until last night that is.

There have now been fireworks going off around us solidly for the last 36 hours, there was a short interlude between midnight and 3am but otherwise they just keep on coming...and coming. They are being let off in gardens, in the middle of roads, off roofs, out of trees, with confetti, without confetti. Colour and without. Loud, louder and loudest. I heard shattering glass earlier somewhere nearby, hope we won't discover it's one of our windows when a million mosi's seek solice from the party going on outside.

Party!

DS's playschool held a Diwali Party on Friday, Indian dress compulsory. DD's school had a day's holiday so she was able to come too. Firecrackers and sweets galore!

Lovely white trousers, before he found the sand pit that is!

As per anything to do with 'dressing up' DD has embraced Indian dress with gusto, Bindi's are especially valued, we had to visit 3 shops before the party to ensure her outfit was complete with a complementary Bindi!

ஹாப்பி தீவாளி எவேர்யோனே!
Happy Diwali Everyone!

Today is the Day...

Fingers and toes crossed, that the bulk of our sea shipment will allegedly arrive at 10am (ish).

The heavy monsoon rains we have had this last week (I think half the volume of the Bay of Bengal has fallen in Tamil Nadu this week) have abated this morning and we have sunshine. The massive puddle that has flooded the end of the drive and threatened to drown the poor guards and their sentry hut is receding.

The maid is late, the kids are being painful and it's now 10.15.

10.20 - Joy oh Joy they're here!!!

Got to go - lots to do!!! Still no maid though - can't have it all!

School UN Assembly

Guess what? I'm in the school library again!

This morning DD very proudly flew the flag for Great Britain in the school United Nations assembly which took place this morning. In the rush to get here on time, with her in costume I left my camera at home again but hope that the ones I took on my phone will be OK...errr when I can work out how to transfer them to computer!! There were teams of three to flag carry for each country and luckily DD had two older girls with her to actually carry the flag. She was really brave at first but then slightly overcome as the enormonity of walking through a room with a noisy cheering audience of 600+ dawned on her. She did so well and undertook her duty with great aplomb. Photos to follow, fingers crossed.

Scrap Last Post - I Lied...

...albeit unintentionally. Our sea shipment didn't materialise, it's "allegedly" ready for delivery now but I'm beginning to realise that you have to learn to expect things when they actually happen. So, whenever. Whatever.

We moved into the house a week ago and as of today we have been here 4 weeks. We have no Internet connection and probably won't have for at least another week. I dropped DD at school and one of the other mums suggested I use a computer in the library - way hey! Didn't realise I could, so at least I can do a few things like check email, check the news, weather, blog etc

It's been great being in the house, even though we are sitting on boxes. I can at least cook meals other than pasta now, don't get me wrong pasta is one of the best culinary inventions EVER but after 3 weeks solid of the stuff and exhausting all the sauce variations I could think of even DS was beginning to complain!

So, 4 weeks in and we're settling down, we have a routine, we have more settled stomachs, we have a red meat/wine/beer supplier, we have the rainy season and I'm beginning to find my way around this city...well I can get from home to school to shop to bakery to deli to fruit and veg shop via a shoe shop...not bad going! I'm going to attempt to get to a Mall this afternoon as I need some books.

And the Good News Is...

Our sea shipment could be with us by the end of the week!!

We weren't expecting it until first or so week in November but it turns out that it reached Colombo in Sri Lanka last week and has been re-loaded and, all being well the ship docks in Chennai tomorrow. Originally it was going via Singapore and then to here but I'm not complaining! DH has had a good go at talking round the bureaucracy that rules the Port Authorities of Chennai and if we're canny we may be able to go and do all the necessaries and have some home comforts by the weekend! OK so now I'll just take a reality check and admit to myself that 1) We're in lovely India. 2) Things never go according to plan. 3) There will be a 'Jobsworth' or three to contend with. 4) Indian Customs & Excise are allegedly b*****s for red tape and extremely thorough - hmmm could take time.

Whatever happens sooner rather than later will be a REAL BONUS!

Tomorrow is D Day

We have....
Curtains (upstairs anyway) - Check
Fridge, oven, water & coolers, all doing their stuff - Check
Air-con - Check
Beds, rented - hard as nails - Check
Some towels and linen - Check
TV - Check
Cbeebies on Tata Sky - Check
Playroom with some toys - Check
Well stocked store cupboard - we can enjoy pasta with various sauces and can do beans on toast - Check
Basic cooking utensils - Check
Some cutlery & crockery - Check
Diesel for the back-up generator - Check
Insect screens - Check
Something hard and impracticle to sit on until comfy furniture arrives - check
Somewhere to sit and eat, draw, colour and stick - Check

So, what, you may ask are we waiting for? I think we should take the plunge and move into the house tomorrow as I just want to get this show on the road and settle into the house. We just need pest control to come and do their stuff which will hopefully be tomorrow.

And now I feel bad....Bindu, our housekeeper/caretaker/maid in the apartment has just asked me if we are leaving tomorrow and I've told him yes, and he's now very upset. :-(

Our Little Housemate

Hope you can see him/her!

This is one of our little Gecko's that periodically run up and down the walls and ceilings in the house much to the delight of DS who tries his level best to catch them but they're way too fast.

I found a baby one in a box in the playroom the other day and as they are good housemates to have (they eat the nasties ...err well, I hope they do) I carefully took it to the front door and popped it outside...where it sadly lay on it's back with feet in the air. While I was peering at it in disbelief because I'd really been so careful, one of the security guards wanders over and declares "Dead Madam". Oh b***** I thought.

5 minutes later it's time to collect DD from school and as I come out of the front door I guiltily glance down to my left and the little blighter was nowhere to be seen, gone, disappeared! What a wise little chap it was and must have been 'playing dead' to save itself. Clever little Gecko!

Coming Through, Coming Through...TV on a Bike

This time I had my camera at the ready when our TV was delivered yesterday. It did not look as ridiculous on the back of the bike, just imagine a 6ft High , 3ft wide fridge on the back!

This is such a good example of India, the land of contrasts, the latest technology being delivered by old technology.

Work In Progress

I finally found the camera cable and I will also insert some photos into a couple of older posts.
In the meantime here are some photos of the house and the on-going work in the garden.

The front is now looking quite tidy

Working on the pool. They had made great progress this week but things slowed a bit again today after 3 of the workers ended up in jail after a boozy holiday day and a brawl!

These ladies are sorting out the 'good' grass for planting

Durga Puja Festival

Tomorrow and Thursday are a national holiday in India.
Durga Puja (pron poojah) is an important Hindu Festival celebrated all over India with different rituals and festivities especially in eastern India. It is celebrated in the month of September/October every year.

A great deal of decoration and preparation can be seen at shops and houses as you go about your daily business in Chennai. Please click on the title to find out more about the legend surrounding the festival and the rituals involved.

Still No Email

Unfortunately I still haven't got outgoing email. There was a brief interlude when I managed to fire off a couple of replies, but since then nothing. Hopefully it'll be resolved when we move into the house. XX

Bureaucracy at it's Best

This morning at 9.30am we had our Immigration appointment to get our permits and paperwork etc all in order and rubber stamped.

Now, I've never been to an Immigration department anywhere in the world before so the experience could be standard practice the world over but somehow I don't really think so! This is India after all!

You start at an open entrance hall with rows of chairs on either side, imagine a clock, you join the queue at 1'O Clock and move down and round to 11 O'Clock. At 12 O'Clock sits a stony faced official who directs the charade that is 'musical chairs' but without the music. Let's also just mention that he was VERY particular on where the pushchair should be placed as we made our way round.

We get to about 10 O'Clock in the musical chairs game and all of a sudden there's a flurry of activity and we are marched up some steps to a desk where the first Official checked through all our paperwork and signed each application. Into another room, with yet more chairs but this time in rows, apparently this is a queuing system but no-one else seemed to know what or where to sit either, and besides Indians don't do queues! At the front of the room is a 'Helpdesk' but they didn't look very helpful and were the only ones in the room lucky enough to have a fan on them, and the temperature was rising.

We then join a line of chairs against the wall and it looks like this could be the homeward straight as we inch along from chair to chair as and when the director comes in to tell us to do so. We've now been doing this for an hour, it's hot, the kids have exhausted every toy I have in my possession and are beginning to play up. Today was one of those days when Cute Kids Don't Help!!

Then GASP! We're told it's our turn next, This is it we think, it's nearly all over. The director instructs me to wait with the kids outside and sends DH into a room where the paperwork is checked through yet again and a second Official signs the paperwork.

He comes out of the room and goes to the 'Helpdesk' where a third Official checks through the paperwork and another signature is added. He is given four plastic tokens and then directed to another desk.

Into another room where you must hand over the plastic tokens before they will do anything with your paperwork and then a fourth official checks through the paperwork and finally it gets stamped and you're free to go.


Hooray, after an hour and a half it's over as we emerge back out into the daylight and heat, we call Kumar and get back into the A/C car and I breath a sigh of relief, until DH tells me that he and I have to return in 1 weeks time to collect the permits and paperwork. Deep Joy.

And, just to top the experience off we drive round the building to exit and we have to pay 10rps to leave! How come? There's is nowhere to park, there are NO PARKING signs everywhere and Kumar bless him has spent all the time driving round in circles waiting for us. Like I said, Bureaucracy at it's VERY best! And the best part...we in fact only have ourselves to blame, it was the years of British rule that put the big wheels of Bureaucracy into motion in India!

Custody Battle

We are certainly extremely lucky to have two beautiful and engaging children but I'm finding that fact a little bit of a double edged sword at the moment. The Indians LOVE children full stop. They particularly LOVE blonde, blue eyed children and they therefore love ours.

Wherever we go we are practically besieged by people and everyone wants a little piece of them, sometimes it has its advantages...faster attention and service when you're holding a cute kid, more often it can be a hassle and DD is becoming a bit self concious and wary, which in turn is making her clingy, something she has never really been.

Our caretaker/housekeeper/maid in the apartment is a point in case and I feel I'm in the midst of a custody battle! He is a lovely man, (those of you who have Skyped with us have probably seen him as he is very curious and hovers in the background!) his wife and year old daughter live 2 hours away and he won't see them for another two months. He misses them. He lives here day and night and I realised the other day that he actually sleeps on the kitchen floor, so for these things I can actually forgive him, BUT sometimes, just sometimes I wish he would leave DS alone just for a minute. He actually takes over and interferes with meals, gets him out of his cot in the mornings when he doesn't have to, want to or needs to. He has even taken him from me when we are having a cuddle or a play! His English is minimal so I can't reason with him and I don't want to get upset with him...so, just for the timebeing, because we are not going to be here forever I will try to stay calm and put up with it. On the plus side it does mean DS is always occupied and busy!

Last night I nearly lost it. We took the kids to a hotel that does the best fish n chips that DD has ever had, even better than England apparently. At the next table was probably the most annoying man I have ever met, he was probably even more annoying for the pitcher or three of beer that he and his companion were drinking. He began quite politely by offering his compliments on the children and then quite literally began circling the table "Cootchy Cooing" the children. Constantly. Touching them...errr smelling their hair, all while we are trying to give them their meal. I was tired, emotions got the better of me and tears of pure frustration poured out of me...and do you know what he did?

HE KEPT COOTCHY BLOODY COOING THEM, all the while telling me how BLOODY cute they were, and I'm crying my eyes out and he doesn't even seem to notice!!

We got the bill and left, no dinner for us, and the last thing I heard as we took our leave and the door was closing was a final Cootchy. Cootchy. Coo.
So, that's my rant over! If I'd posted last night it wouldn't have been quite so polite!

Monday Already!

Well last week flew by and before I knew it the weekend was upon us. Most problems at the house have been ironed out now, to be replaced by others in time I'm sure but we'll just have to wait and see what crops up.

Our drivers, Kumar (mine) and Murasoli (DH's) are worth their weight and have been fantastic both at driving and sorting some of the issues that arise, as Kumar told me this evening, he is not just a driver and anything we need he will sort out for us...OK Kumar, fine by me!

Jayanthi (aka Mary) is also great, fab with the kids and gets on with things even before I have to say anything. Granted we're still not in the house and things will run much differently when we are but from what she has demonstrated so far, I think we'll be OK.

Saturday was spent curtain and blind choosing and ordering, most will be fitted later this week so at least we'll sleep OK. Am waiting to do the downstairs until our furniture arrives in the sea shipment in a few weeks time.

Saturday evening DH went.....OUT FOR DINNER!!! Woo hoo!! Jayanthi babysat and we enjoyed good food and a panoramic rooftop view of Chennai here..
http://www.raintreehotels.com/
Check out the Above Sea Level Restaurant!

On Sunday DH and I were eaten alive by mosi's while looking at furniture. Moral of the story...wear repellent at ALL times.

Coming Through, Coming Through...Fridge on a Bike

I really really must remember to take my camera out at all times because there are some really comical sights you see both out and about and even at home, as we witnessed today.

DH was still not satisfied with the fridge, I was losing the will to live so on our shopping expo (sorry H no bracelet for you today, not that kind of retail therapy I'm sorry to say!) he popped in the shop and persuaded them to exchange it for another one with basically more gadgets for him to play with.

5.20pm was delivery time and sure enough, along came 4 men but no fridge.
"Fridge is coming Sir, no worry", we were told with a wobble of the head, and sure enough a couple of minutes later a man on a bike with a small trailer behind him, shakily pedalled down the drive pulling the fridge behind him. It then took the four men an age to actually get the thing off the trailer and struggle with it to the kitchen. Now consider...This fridge had come perhaps some 2.5 miles through the notorious Chennai traffic on a push bike and got to our house in one piece and working...whoever said that India was not an enviromentally friendly country?! In some respects at least.

An Update on Our Challenges

The fridge is now cooling.
The cooker is no longer leaking gas.
The shower curtain rails have been lowered.
The doors have been adjusted.
Some of the Boots shop has been located.
The pool is half full of water, not sure it's safe water...think they may be just checking for leaks.
Grass is now being planted.
Temporary furniture has been delivered, it just needs assembling.

Not bad for a days work in India.

Tomorrow is a National Holiday in respect of Ghandi's birthday so no school and no work. I'm thinking that a little retail therapy may be the order of the day.

Challenges, Challenges

OK, so we knew we'd have them, good people warned us we would but hey, not so soon if you please.

All of them at the moment revolve around the house and getting it habitable, and here's the list to be going on with...

You know that address I gave you, well scrap that COMPLETELY, one of the drivers heard me giving out what we were told was our address but errr well apparently not. So, I hope you haven't sent too many gifts and food parcels this last week because we won't be getting them in the near or distant. I'll let you know corerct one as soon as I have outgoing email.

Some good news...Our food shipment arrived beautifully packaged and wrapped - hats off the the guys at Allied Pickfords, it was so beautifully done that Indian customs obviously couldn't bear to break the perfect parcel tape before them, so everything arrived and nothing was broken, apart from a dent in a flour box. I've heard tales of food shipments arriving in a terrible state so we were lucky there. Our Air freight boxes arrived yesterday in pretty much the same way.

The bad news...I'm hoping that it's just been mislaid or put in the wrong room but I have had a worrying feeling tonight that one of the boxes from our air shipment, the one containing all our first, aid, medicine, bite stuff, toiletries, sunscreens etc etc etc etc may not be there, oh I hope it's there or that'll be my £300 Boots shop lost. Fingers X'd.

Our brand spanking new fridge freezer, which looks great doesn't work. Well the freezer works, the fridge isn't cooling. The service engineer arived today and we were expecting him to just change a part but no, not in India...Out came a hacksaw, then a blowlamp and the butchering began. After 4 hours he tried to convince us that he'd repaired it but DH was having none of it, then began a very lengthy discussion about what the normal operating temperature of a fridge compartment should be. Did you know that in India it is apparently above 10-15 degrees C - I don't think so! Luckily the manual clearly states 3 Degrees. Anyway he's returning tomorrow with his thermometer to prove that it's cooling and DH is contemplating placing that thermometer where the sun doesn't shine for the service engineer.

Our brand spanking new cooking range has a gas leak - our driver greeted me in the kitchen with the following "Major Problem Madam Gas Leak", yep I sort of gathered that when I was finding it difficult to breath. We called out another service engineer, he spent 10 minutes looking at it and he told me everything I already new "Major Problem Madam Gas Leak" bless his cotton socks, anyway he is meant to be back to repair or butcher the cooker tomorow, luckily for him DH will be at work all day tomorow I don't think his blood pressure could take the strain.

There's no hot water in the bathrooms. Fantastic insect screens have been placed on all the windows but nobody had thought to do something about the half inch gaps where all the patio doors open and close. The shower rails are so high up that any normal shower curtain will just about cover your modesty, if you're tall.

There was a summit meeting with the landlord yesterday and they tried to convice us that the house was completely ready to be moved into, yeah for sure...no hot water, generator still being installed, open well in the garden, a small army still working on the garden and pool, 10 tonnes each of soil and sand sitting on the driveway, the odd mosquito in most cupboards and countless other things.

I think we're going to have to extend our stay in the apartment.