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.