India!

My last post is no longer valid! I have been to India and back!!


When I just said that I would travel "virtually", a beautiful gift from God came in the form of a wedding invitation in India! Just couldn't say no to that. So I made all arrangements necessary and I was off to India on November 25th for tree weeks...

A dream come true - well, partly, as I have not seen enough of India, really. I did not go to the usual touristy places but I got a feel of what living in India means and I'm not too sure I would be able to live there! For one, I missed... seeing blue skies! Maybe that's why Indians visiting Mauritius find it so beautiful - the light is definitely different - probably beacuse it is less polluted here.

Well, where did I go? Flew to Mumbai and caught a flight to Kochi where the wedding was taking place. Went on a houseboat round the backwaters in Allepey while in Kochi. Also went round to find a Jewish synagogue! Took a flight to Bangalore where I stayed with Sarah and Mathew at the Gateway - very posh - for a few days. Went to mass with them for their wedding anniversary on the 30th - was lovely as we went to the church where they had got married! Then, Mathew left for the States and Sarah and I started sightseeing and visiting some fo her relatives. We met Diana briefly; took a day tour to Mysore; then the next day, I had 'delhi belly'!! We checked out of the hotel and went to stay with Abe and Beta - I slept most of the time there!! Next day, flight to Trivandrum where we stayed with Elizabeth Auntie and her son, George and visited the other relatives close by, Annamachi and Molly.

There, I caught a throat infection and had to go see a doctor. Went to a private hospital. It was pouring that day and I had the privilege of riding in an auto rickshaw back to the house. What a ride that was!! Took it easy for the following days. Then flew to Chennai to be with Anita and John. Chennai was more shopping than anything else. Also helped prepare for the reception for guests in Chennai. Had the opportunity to visit Rani (Mathew's sister) and go shopping with her.

Missed opportunities were a trip to Delhi, visiting Veena in Goa and going to Pondicherry while in Chennai. I also regret not making it to Mumbai and seeing Bollywood but it will happen some other time, I'm sure. I also wish I had done more planning as I wanted to travel by train and ended up travelling only by plane!

All this has re-awakened my desire to travel now...

Indian Horizons

I have toyed with the idea of changing the name of my blog to 'Indian Horizons' but then I thought that given the explanation above - there is no need.  It's just that at this point in time, I am looking in that direction and looking persistently!!  It is true that both India and my own country share the same ocean - the Indian Ocean - but at the moment, I cannot see India on the horizon but only through films, books, songs, dances, Indians I am privileged to meet and in my own dreams...
I have just finished a beautiful book by Amitav Ghosh - Sea of Poppies - which delighted me because my little island is part of it - although it is called Mareech in there!  I am impatient to read its sequel... hoping it will be set here and telling us what happens to Kalua and Deeti and all who landed here...
I have also become an unconditional fan of Aamir Khan and have built up a collection of his films.  I have watched like twenty of his films.  Among the pre-Lagaan ones, there is one that I think really brings out the superb actor that he is - Ghulam.  I just love him in there!  I was glad to hear him say recently that he has no intention of leaving Indian cinema for Hollywood as some have suggested to him.
May we see more of him and his productions.  Impatiently awaiting 'Dhobi Ghat' and 'Delhi Belly'... Seems that I won't get my Christmas present this year as it was the case for Ghajini and 3 idiots... :-((