Five weeks in India

So tomorrow morning we can mark five weeks in India onto our calendars. I promise myself now that I will stop counting as soon as this place stops amazing me with its antics.

What can you say each morning as you pass black sheep, goats, oxen and carts, wild street dogs, children begging for a living, Unichs slapping your car demanding money, Lepers asking for spare change, auto rickshaws being pushed to the next fuel stop by a guy poking his foot out of his own poorly maintained auto-rickshaw and kicking his fellow man along the way?

Needless to say traveling with a camera or your eyes wired firmly shut is a necessity here. T'other day I found myself taking a photograph of 'nothing'. The smog was so thick that a landmark bridge - the Worli Sea Link - easily seen from my trek to and fro school was not visible at all. It may have disappeared - that would not surprise even me after a few weeks here - but no it was just the smog of the day.

Our apartment is nearing readiness for us. The compromises have been numerous and they continue. Each day brings a new set. I have learned now (maybe) that compromise is a sport to be taken lightly and that, unlike cricket in India, it is OK to lose once in a while as there may be an upside. Even just helping someone else save face.

Did you know there are several (at least five) television stations devoted to playing Cricket matches new and very very old around the clock? Nor did I until now!

Food and tummy bugs go hand in hand. I cannot wait until I get into my own kitchen and have the facilities to properly wash all the fruits and vegetables, work with clean utensils and heat and cool things without wondering what bacteria I am giving catalyst too!

So do we like being here? It is hard to say! The school is great and Ada and Lucy are doing fine, although Lucy's environmental excursion to a National Park north of Mumbai this week was a little too confronting for her. She does not take kindly to unkept squats and plans on avoiding any future excursions for the good of the environment or anyone else.

Chris is enjoying work and finding the cross cultural interactions easier by the day.

I have a masters swim class, some good yoga and lots of IT education through the school to keep me busy.

We are going to make the most of our time here and are looking forward to a trip to Goa in Just one months time.

Photos to come!






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