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.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Thursday, 2 October 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
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.
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.
First Day of School
DD really enjoyed her first day and settled in no problems at all and got stuck straight in as soon as we got there, I'd expected at least a little bit of a clingy episode but, no, she didn't even look back. Being at school seems to have really helped her settle and she's much happier, she's even back to singing her bizarre and wonderful songs, which is a blessed relief after all the whinging we've been listening to since we got here!
She likes her teacher, who I'll add is very nice and there are only 10 children in her class and the adult/child ratio is 5:1
She likes her teacher, who I'll add is very nice and there are only 10 children in her class and the adult/child ratio is 5:1
What has been even more earth shattering and amazing is that we've got there for two days on the trot...EARLY! I know, I can hardly believe it myself, and I must add that Mary hasn't been here to help in the mornings yet. So, I'll give myself a pat on the back from you all! I thank you!
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Happy Anniversary
It was our wedding anniversary on Saturday and in celebration of that, and our arrival in India we took ourselves off to Fishermans Cove for a well deserved relax. It would have been a whole lot more relaxing if we'd been on our own and there had been no tantrums but, you take the rough with the smooth don't you? DD is definately feeling the effects of Culture Shock and we are bearing the brunt of it. She is missing her friends and cousins aswell and I just wish I could make it all better for her overnight but it'll take time and alot of sympathy, me thinks.
Anyway, take a look http://www.tajhotels.com/Leisure/Fishermans%20Cove,CHENNAI/
It was a gorgeous place, quiet, beautiful deserted beach, good food, lovely pool. We stayed in a beachfront villa complete with family size hammock and the kids finally seemed to overcome their jet lag and were both in bed for 7.30 so we enjoyed dinner on the terrace with the sound of the waves (the sea is pretty rough at the moment probably the approaching monsoon season). The sobering thought was that this coastline was the only part of India that bore the brunt of the Tsunami.
After a lazy late breakfast we took a walk along the beach, albeit not very far as DS soon got tired out from walking on the sand and we caught the attention of some hawkers! After check-out we took a drive along the coast and then visited some fellow company ex-pats for some top-tips and chocolate cake.
We'll definately be heading back to Fisherman's Cove for a bit of R&R away from the City. It's only an hour away and is a little oasis.
Anyway, take a look http://www.tajhotels.com/Leisure/Fishermans%20Cove,CHENNAI/
It was a gorgeous place, quiet, beautiful deserted beach, good food, lovely pool. We stayed in a beachfront villa complete with family size hammock and the kids finally seemed to overcome their jet lag and were both in bed for 7.30 so we enjoyed dinner on the terrace with the sound of the waves (the sea is pretty rough at the moment probably the approaching monsoon season). The sobering thought was that this coastline was the only part of India that bore the brunt of the Tsunami.
After a lazy late breakfast we took a walk along the beach, albeit not very far as DS soon got tired out from walking on the sand and we caught the attention of some hawkers! After check-out we took a drive along the coast and then visited some fellow company ex-pats for some top-tips and chocolate cake.
We'll definately be heading back to Fisherman's Cove for a bit of R&R away from the City. It's only an hour away and is a little oasis.
Phew It's Hot...
Firstly, thanks to those of you who have sent me emails, you will get a reply as soon as possible but we have no out-going email at the moment.
It's been a very hot and humid first few days, no sooner than you step outside you want to step straight back into the air-con again but I think we're beginning to climatise. Not without the help of our caretaker/housekeeper/maid though, he seems hell-bent on chilling us out... we turn the air-con up to warm us up, and he turns it right back down again, it's certainly not for his benefit because when we arrived back the other evening he had his coat on and was all zipped up!
Things at the house trundle on, good progress was made on the pool and the garden last week with the help of a small army of 30-40 people. Our food shipment was delivered to the house Saturday morning and our air shipment (fingers and toes crossed) will arrive on Monday. All the appliances were delivered and installed. So, it looks like I've got a fair amount of unpacking and arranging to do over the next few days.
DD starts school tomorrow, DS has a preliminery visit to his nursery Tuesday morning, DH starts work Tuesday afternoon and it's a national holiday on Thursday so everyone is off again.
It's been a very hot and humid first few days, no sooner than you step outside you want to step straight back into the air-con again but I think we're beginning to climatise. Not without the help of our caretaker/housekeeper/maid though, he seems hell-bent on chilling us out... we turn the air-con up to warm us up, and he turns it right back down again, it's certainly not for his benefit because when we arrived back the other evening he had his coat on and was all zipped up!
Things at the house trundle on, good progress was made on the pool and the garden last week with the help of a small army of 30-40 people. Our food shipment was delivered to the house Saturday morning and our air shipment (fingers and toes crossed) will arrive on Monday. All the appliances were delivered and installed. So, it looks like I've got a fair amount of unpacking and arranging to do over the next few days.
DD starts school tomorrow, DS has a preliminery visit to his nursery Tuesday morning, DH starts work Tuesday afternoon and it's a national holiday on Thursday so everyone is off again.
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