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My last post is no longer valid!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... :-((

Bollywood is still enchanting me. I came across this list of effects that Bollywood can have on non-indians and I could identify with so many of them!

• replacing the wallpaper pictures on the computer with pictures of Bollywood stars
• spreading the word to their loved ones saying how great the movies are
• considering Bollywood as their new Hollywood
• thinking about things which haven’t been noticed before in a different way
• becoming also fans of India
• willing to do something for the people in India to support them
• decorating their room in Indian style
• listening to Indian songs only
• feeling simply happier
• turning their life into a more positive one
• thinking differently when it comes to love
• looking forward of getting home to watch another new film release
• after six years of being online finally learnt how to chat with other Bollywood fans
• are able to show emotions more openly which was difficult in the past
• collecting DVDs, pictures, CDs and Saris
• learning how to cry which never happened in an Hollywood movie
• becoming more sensitive
• having finally found a great hobby
• wanting to learn Hindi
• shifting the addiction from Hollywood to Bollywood
• convinced that true love can really exist
• now respecting people more then they did in the past
  helping people if in trouble
• changing their attire to look more attractive
• listening to their heart rather than reason
• learning more about foreign cultures and being more open-minded
• considering life more beautiful
• filling the gap of a missing partner’s kisses and hugs
• becoming more aware and noticing more often Indian stuff on a daily basis
• improving their English due to the subtitles (!!!!)
• finding new friends through the internet
• smiling more frequently
• loving life much more and having more fun
• loving black hair women rather than blond ones
• becoming a fan of Indian food/jewellery and garments
• being used to collect stamps, while now saris are being collected
• getting to know new interesting like-minded people
• feeling inspired by dancing

10-Day Detox Plan

Day 1 (usu. Friday) Pre-diet day: Eliminate all stimulants (tea, coffee…) and all depressants (alcohol…). Avoid carbohydrates (pasta, bread, cereals) and make your last meal of the day a large raw veg and fruit salad.
Also start your home-grown sprouts (mehti, chick peas, lentils, millet, mustard) and mung beans can be bought.

Days 2 & 3: (Sat and Sun) Fruit fasting (one type of fruit each day or two with a minimum of 2 hr interval when you switch).
Choose from: apples, pears, grapes, papaya, mango, watermelon and eat as much as you want and as soon as you feel hungry. No need to have usual mealtimes. Fruit may also be juiced or spiced up with cinnamon, ginger, allspice or nutmeg.

Days 4 to 8 (Mon to Fri) Replenish.
Raw veg and fruit on menu as well as some steamed or stir-fried. Breakfast is fruit. One meal raw and one meal cooked.

Days 9 & 10 (Sat & Sun) Reorient
Fruit breakfast still. More cooked food and reintroduce meat. Focus is still fresh raw food but one meal is cooked.

DAILY PLAN:

5:30 Wake up. 5-10 minutes deep breathing in bed
5:45-6:10 3 glasses of water. Skin-brushing and shower
6:15 Mass
7:15-7:45 Breakfast
8:00-12:00 Work
12:00-12:15 Relaxation response
12:15-1:15 Lunch
1:15-3:15 Work
3:15-4:15 Exercise for 40 minutes then shower
4:30 Prepare dinner at Pa’s
6:00-7:15 Dinner and clean up
7:30 Free evenings
10:00 Sleep

Days 4-8 Menu: (Lunch and dinner may be interchanged)

Breakfast: Fruit. Straight or shake or smoothie or a salad (except bananas)

1. 2 oranges, 1 passionfruit
2. 2 kiwifruit, 300g green seedless grapes
3. 2 oranges, 1 red apple, 1 pear, a little honey. Peel oranges, juice fruits and add honey

Lunch: Raw veg with sprouts and a dressing and fresh herbs (basil)

1. Carrots, cucumber and red pepper topped with mehti sprouts
2. watercress, yellow pepper and tomatoes with lentil sprouts
3. beetroot, cabbage, mung sprouts and green pepper with chickpea sprouts

Dinner: Cooked veg with a little olive oil and soy sauce

1. Stir-fry beans, courgette and tom pouce with a few almonds and spring onions
2. Steam chou chou and serve with avocado dressing
3. Stir-fry cabbage and cashew nuts and some greens

Juices during the day:

1. Carrot and apple
2. 2 handful grapes, papaya, juice of ½ lemon

After exercise:
3. 2 oranges, 1 red apple, 1 pear, 1 tsp honey
4. 3 red apples, 1 mango, 2 passion fruit
5. 1 v. ripe banana, 250ml soya milk, 20g ground almonds, pinch of cinnamon, a little honey

Basic French dressing:

Oil/Vinegar (3:1)
Mustard
Honey
Veg bouillon powder and pepper
1 small clove garlic

Herb dressing:

Add a combination of basil, thyme and mint to above

Avocado dip/dressing

1 avocado
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp veg bouillon powder
Fresh herbs
1 small clove garlic

Blend all ingredients until smooth

Detox Diet

Last month I embarked on a 10-Day detox diet in an attempt to get back to fitness! After suffering from painful heel spurs for over a year, I felt that I had a low level of energy, had cravings for sweet things and was feeling sluggish and tired most of the time.
Well, it turned out to be a real blessing and so now I have set out to exercise myself to become the fittest fifty around for my next birthday!!
Friends have asked me about this diet so I'll try to post it here gradually:

Jodhaa Ackbar

Just been to watch this epic film. Beautiful... and the music just lingered on in my head so I thought I'd keep it on this blog!

There are so many movies that are so good. Maybe this blog should be about the movies that have enchanted me!

this is going to be a testing ground for other blogs...

Writing...

For most of my adolescence and part of adult years, I used to keep a diary. I think it used to keep my mind focused and alert. It also probably helped me develop a love for writing. But somehow I stopped writing for a long while but always had this urge to write. I would start something and never finish it until I wrote a short story which I submitted for two competitions!! It won both! Up to this day, I am unable to explain how I wrote that story within a week. All I can remember is sitting at my computer every evening at the same time even though I did not have a clue what I was going to write. I forced myself into that discipline and the result was quite astonishing. How come I never repeated the experience? I don't know. So here I am hoping that blogging will help me to do just that. I have a number of writing projects. Mainly about my work - with children but also I want to produce pertinent articles for the pro-life cause. And again, I feel "paralyzed" at the idea of even starting! Discipline - I think this is what I need...