Rude mother and Uncle Bill

Son on phone to me today accused me of being rude. "Nanna and Gran'pa and Granny are the politest people. Why are you rude?" I don't think I was being very rude, but it did set me wondering where I'd got my rudeness from - I can't have inherited from such polite parents. But I did have a rude uncle.

Uncle Bill was deliciously rude. For example, when I was around seven years old, I remember him eating spaghetti - this was something that my Nanna, with whom he lived, would cook for him in a Bolognaise sauce. He would take some very long strands of sauce covered spaghetti, and slurp and suck them into his mouth, and they whirled round and round in the air before disappearing down, and his mouth would blow out into a big 'O' and his eyes would open wide as if surprised and Nanna would say, "Bill, behave yourself in front of the child!" Perhaps it's from him I've got my rudeness.

He never married - perhaps he didn't find the right person - perhaps it was the war. His wartime memories are up on the BBC history web site. See for example, Training completed - a letter home and Overboard

Does anyone else remember stories of Uncle Bill? Can you add them as a comment here? And I should find a photo of him too.

New Zealand contacts

I've got a few friends in New Zealand, and someone from there has sent me an anonymous letter!

A hand addressed envelope arrived today with a full page spread from the Dominion Post newspaper on step-son's latest book. The envelope was post marked New Zealand, but no city, no covering note inside and I'm not sure whose the handwriting is.

Thank you, friend!

Quiet house

The only sound in The Mount today is husband and me rattling around in it. Daughter's gone skiing with school in half term, son's at uni, lodger's in Spain, and cat is in the garden, where it is staying.

I came back from tutoring yesterday evening, and found it weird because there were no children. I took on this tutoring job in 1989 because I could do it while their father looked after them when I had to go out on Saturdays and evenings, but now it doesn't matter any more - no-one needs to look after them the same.

Empty nest.

However, to my delight, eldest step-daughter and family were here. New baby smiled, nay - she laughed with me. The older two were in the garden playing. We've got a new toy out there - a rubber horse to swing on that we got from Luca's garden design. It must have gone down well as they stayed out for over an hour playing on that and with the toy kitchen that we have out there while their parents and grandparents had tea and chats in the warm kitchen.

Their company is something to enjoy now the youngest children are so often out of the nest.

Visiting Bath

Daughter and I went to visit Bath University where she had an interview in the maths department. There was the usual milling around of enthusiastic youngsters, the pleasant experience of finding someone else who is as interested in maths as you are, and the almost-always-male lecturer who provides an explanation of the course and eulogises on the department and the university.

Unfortunately, they did seem to emphasise Bath's great sporting facilities, and there were a lot of very sporty looking people bouncing around with their kit - probably because it's Wednesday afternoon when many universities take the time off studying for sport. This didn't go down too well with daughter, even though they apparently have a good tae kwondo club too.

Two other things put her off:

• the university doesn't have arts or social science faculties and she would like to meet other than scientists, mathematicians and technologists.
  
• after first year you have to live on the other side of the city and it takes 40-50 minutes to get across to the university
  

She quite liked the city; we spent a happy hour exploring the shops in the centre, including a magic shop where we found a birthday present for small cousin, and a chocolate shop...

We got back to the station in time to catch a train just after 5 o'clock.

Taxed

The assertion from the HRMC that their on-line filing system is secure taxes my beliefs.

I enthusiastically signed up for this some years ago, but to my horror found that they emailed me with my unencrypted password. That is not a secure action because anyone with access to my email server or their email server will have access to read my email, and the password in there. Consequently I have not used their on line system and will refrain from using it until I know that it is secure. Today's news that VIPs are barred from using it does not reassure me.

Heath Robinson

Heath Robinson eat your heart out!

We (daughter and me) being fed up with the rain dripping in through the conservatory badly designed roof have decided to take the task in hand. Waiting for architects and builders and planning permission from a tyrannical conservation officer meant damaged wood furniture, puddles of water on the play mat and slippy tiles.

So we've rigged up this Heath Robinson-like covering contraption over the parts that let in the most water most often. It's a £3 tarpaulin from B&Q, weighted down with water bottles.

Proud of step son

Step son is away on a tour of the states to promote his new book, The Logic of Life. He gave a copy to his father for Christmas (it's not published in the UK until February), and to my somewhat biased mind, it's good. My initial reaction was from the experience of having read an awful lot of research literature in the last year, so I thought I could see that he had researched his field (economics) and could provide the academic proof and references if required. It is a solid piece of work, written for the serious but inexpert reader. It is easy to read, fun to read, enjoyable even on holiday. I've ordered a couple of copies for people I thought would enjoy it too.

The critics are already at work, here for example, commenting on son's remark about Adam Smith never visiting a pin factory. But the comments just make me realise how interesting it is and how it's worth reading to see what the critics are commenting about.

What he's done to make me feel proud!

Son's going to Switzerland!

After an on-line application, a face to face interview and never giving up, son spent most of Christmas break preparing a three minute video as part of an application to join a student business forum that involves team work, including a day's skiing in Switzerland run by Deloitte. The web site looks inviting.

Naturally, son is not only on a high, but incredibly grateful to those friends and family who advised and supported him in making the video. I thank them too.

Photos of Kerala

There should now be photos and even a video of our stay in Kerala. See

• Homeward via Mumbai
• Kumarakom continued
• Houseboat & lake
• Houseboat (Jan 6th continued)
• Kummily to Kumarakom
• Our driver
• Kumarakom
• Lazy day
• To Thekkady
• Tea plantation at Munnar
• To Cochin
• Kerala - Cochin

Any other photos not published here (or not publishable such as the demonstration of the outside shower) will be available elsewhere.

spare Jan 8th liz

It was lovely to see Sunil at the airport, even though he wasn't able to drive us from the hotel. I hope it didn't put him out too much to come to the airport. I wonder if he lives in Cochin? near the airport or near where the Radisson hotel is?

That hotel is like another world, a compound quite cut off from the rest of India. One day there we borrowed a couple of bikes and husband and I went out for a cycle ride, to see what it was like outside. Inside was quiet, with perhaps few guests strolling round, but more often you saw security guards, especially near the lake where the houseboat arrived. And there were gardeners there in the day time, with little green hats like sunshades on their heads while they worked in the sun. The bathroom in our cottage had a bath and two showers, one in an outdoor courtyard and even if the electricity went off there was a generator so that the hotel still carried on with light, sound, or whatever electrical use was required. One night there was a presentation of India classical dance, followed by Indian classical music, but for a few moments when the electricity cut, before the generator came in, the sound did not echo round the amphitheatre (yes, there's a small amphitheatre in there too!)

As you can imagine, outside the compound, there was no evidence of electricity, running water, plumbed sewage and I realised that women riding bicyles was a rare sight too. One girl of around 15 on her way home from school hid her eyes in shock when she saw me riding along.

-- 

Photos of Ahmedabad

I've added photos to:

• First impressions
• Adrian's first impressions
• How we met
• The Navjote
• Adrian's report on the Navjote
• Monday shopping

I've also changed the layout so that the post titles appear on the right hand side - I've been up since 4.30 this morning doing this. No I'm not working hard, just jet-lagged because 4.30 UK time is 11 o'clock in the morning in India.

I'll do the Kerala photos later....

Altars and symbols

In Kerala, not only were churches and shrines (Hindu & Christian) everywhere, but also symbols of communism were present.

In Ahmedabad, we noticed the patterns on the floor - now meant to bring an auspicious day, but originally, made of lime, were to keep the ants away.

And in the Parsee homes, I saw altars. Here's one with the candle burning that I saw in a sitting room, but in a kitchen I was surprised to see that even kitchen tiles display Zorastor.

Poverty

I was saddened and surprised to see an improverished family at the side of the road on the way to Cochin airport. Squatting together, three children and an old man, while another adult worked nearby, they were thin and dusty with matted hair, but the six or 7 year old girl was totally naked. When she saw my white European face looking through the window of our air-conditioned Toyota, she rather listlessly held out her palm, more from habit I think than hope, as she didn't move from her squat for another few moments.

Our driver said they were north Indians. It's the first sign of poverty I've seen in Kerala - people here might have little or nothing, no sewage, no electricy, few goods, but they are clean, healthy, nourished, the children in school uniforms and free schooling provided. The Luce book indicates that there is a lot of school truancy, but in Kerala I think the education and state support for education means that a high percentage of this population is literate, healthy and employed.

Homeward via Mumbai

Jan 9th Homeward via Mumbai

We had to arrange a last minute hotel room for our overnight stop in Mumbai, and found the prices surprisingly London-like.

As we drove away from the Radisson and towards Cochin and the airport, wife noticed a group of villagers clustered around something – which turned out to be a large snake, probably a python.

As we approached Cochin Airport, there were some Vodafone sponsored driving rules, many of which were sensible, but I enjoyed:

• “Avoid rash driving” - stay at home?
• “Avoid over speeding” -just speeding’s ok?

Daughter texted:

"We've a leaky radiator, i caused 9sister) to panic, the house is a mess, and i'm hungry. How are you?"

Guess we'd better get home.

Kumarakom continued

Jan 8th
Wife was recovered today but we took things easy to enjoy the facilities here together. And up early enough to photograph the sunrise from our room across the lagoon.

In the late afternoon, we ventured outside on the hotel bikes - this was okay while we were on the by-roads but when we reached a busier road, with buses, taxis, cars, transporting children home from school, which we turned off at the first opportunity. The sight of an (adult) woman on a bicycle seemed unusual to the locals, although I have seen women riding motor-scooters.

In the evening we enjoyed Indian musicians and classical dancers while sitting on the amphitheatre outside the restaurant after dinner. Two girl dancers with a singer, flautist and drummer for some traditional dances, followed by music, with a second type of drummer (instrument looked like a large spherical jar) replacing the singer. (See file later on family site). It was all very lively and more accessible to my ears than my previous, limited hearing of Indian music. This was southern (Karnatic?) tradition, I believe there is a distinct northern tradition (according to the young man serving us whisky and mocktails in the bar).

Liz writes
The Raddison hotel is like another world, a compound quite cut off from the rest of India. We borrowed a couple of bikes so husband and I went out for a cycle ride, to see what it was like outside. Inside was quiet, with perhaps few guests strolling round, but more often you saw security guards, especially near the lake where the houseboat arrived. And there were gardeners there in the day time, with little green hats like sunshades on their heads while they worked in the sun. The bathroom in our cottage had a bath and two showers, one in an outdoor courtyard and even if the electricity went off there was a generator so that the hotel still carried on with light, sound, or whatever electrical use was required. One night there was a presentation of European classical music (saxophone and cello?) followed by India classical dance, then by Indian classical music, but for a few moments when the electricity cut, before the generator came in, the sound did not echo round the amphitheatre (yes, there's a small amphitheatre in there too!)

As you can imagine, outside the compound, there was no evidence of electricity, running water, plumbed sewage and I realised that women riding bicycles was a rare sight too. One girl of around 15 on her way home from school hid her eyes in shock when she saw me riding along.

This was the best hotel that we stayed in whilst in India, not just because of the amenities, but also because the staff were so helpful especially when I was ill and dehydrated, well trained, not just courteous but friendly as if they were really interested in you. In the evening we mentioned to the barman that we'd been for a ride, and he enquired if I had gone too, side saddle behind my husband. He gasped in surprise when I explained that no, I had ridden a bike too, and said that in India, the girls were homely, so wouldn't ride bikes. This was the barman who created a mocktail for me and asked us to name it - we chose Maiden's Blush because of its pink colours - apple, mango, pomegranate and something else. And then the same barman went on to discuss music with us trying to find what CD to put on would best please us, and in the end, serenading us himself with classical guitar music.

Houseboat & lake

Jan 6th - Liz
We spent only one night on the houseboat, but it was a splendid experience because of the

• views
• food
• people
• sounds

The views included a splendid sunset across Lake Venbanad, with birds flying into the dusk.

The food included a delicious ginger and lime drink offered as soon as we arrived on the boat, as well as huge fresh water prawns, delicious curries, and coconut water and meat presented to us fresh from the tree, hewed in front of us. We're delighted to find that our chef, Gireesh Kumar P. C, has his own web site with some of these recipes.

From our boat we could see fisherman, children playing in the water, women washing clothes and crockery at the edge of the backwaters, their houses, queues of people waiting for the ferry.
We heard the children calling, "one pen, give me one pen", and the water lapped around the boat, lulling us to sleep.

Jan 7th - Adrian
The final leg of our houseboat trip took us across the width of the lake to a sumptuous Radisson hotel resort. Unfortunately wife's stomach took a dislike to something so we were confined to our room, which had a small balcony, a large bathroom with a bath (the first encountered in our trip) and in-built shower, as well as two other shower units, one inside and one outside in a private court-yard, which was irresistibly inviting.

Houseboat (Jan 6th continued)

Eventually we reached the coastal area again, which is an extensive area of lagoons, interspersed with canals and settlements, sometimes described as like Venice (but without that city's urban beauty). The largest body of water is Lake Venbanad, which extends south from Cochin and is separated into a fresh water part by a bridge, which we crossed on our way to Allepey. The lake is marked by a floating lily plant which is thickest at the edges (see photo) where is delicate lilac-blue flower intensifies its appearance. Abundant fish life too, so that fish-eating birds flock to it – white herons (and an occasional black one), kingfishers, cormorants (the cormorants looked like grebes when swimming but I saw one pop up with a catch (an eel or a long fish) which took some time to process. Grebes are perhaps vegetarians?!) And an egret which was a drab pale brown on the ground but miraculously in flight has white wings and a black back (Also a pair of golden-brown white-tipped winged fish eagles)

We met up with our houseboat – covered in a bamboo framed, rattan covered roof, like a Chinese river boat – and said goodbye to Sunil, our affable driver. The crew of three – engine –driver, captain and chef (not cook) – were to take us on a cruise through the canals and across the lake, with meals prepared and eaten on board. We stopped to purchase six plate-size prawns (fresh-water) on route (1000Rs per kilo, which was the weight of six of them).

Officially leisure traffic should moor at six pm, so that the locals can go fishing, but there is continual ferry traffic for the locals, which goes on much later. As we passed some of the can’s children would run alongside shouting, apparently, for ‘one pen’. We assembled a few old biros, but too late to see if they were what was wanted.

We moored slightly off shore overnight and feasted on our prawns – grilled in spices – but also some fish curry and ‘boatman chicken’. The chef has a web site with recipes.


The dwellings by the canalside were small, but permanent in the most part. As washing of clothes and persons was done in the canal, it would seem that running water, and electricity are not available to most. In addition to the well-stocked lake, coconut tress (and cashew trees) there were paddy fields where water could be fed in from the lake and waterways.

Rules and Customs for road users in India

1. Vehicles on a roundabout do not have priority.
2. Sound your horn as often as you like. Nobody will take offence.
3. Slow vehicles should not keep to the left. Anywhere in the road will do.
4. If there is a white line in the middle of the road, it should be used for guidance.
5. Pedestrians should walk in the road as it has a better surface than the pavement – assuming there is one.
6. Pedestrians should walk in the direction of traffic and should not walk in single file.
7. Pedestrians waiting at a zebra or other crossing should wait for a gap in the traffic – no vehicle will stop.
8. Pedestrians can cross the road anywhere they find convenient especially if slow or pulling a hand-cart.
9. If a motorist strikes a pedestrian it is bad luck for the pedestrian, but if he hits and animal it probably means a heavy fine or jail.
10. It’s ok to join a stream of traffic, or to cross it, at any time as long as oncoming traffic can stop in time. This also applies to: - making U-turns, stopping to set-down or pick-up passengers (which need not be done in the left-had lane), changing lanes, etc.
11. Do not get angry at other road users – you’ll not last 10 minutes.
12. It’s ok to carry as many people as you can crowd into or on your vehicle.
13. As per 10, it’s ok to go in the opposite direction for a short way.
14. If a policeman signals you to stop, do so, get out and find out how much he’ll take to let you go on. He needs to make a living too.

Kummily to Kumarakom

January 6th (Kumilly to Kumarokan)

Before breakfast two pairs of birds stayed long enough in a near by tree to enable us to have a good look. First was the red-crested cuckoo with red stripes to its wings and a mustard yellow back. Then the blackbird which had a surprisingly clear and resonant song, and was distinguished by a tail appendage of two long stalks with a small feather at the end, 10 or 12 inches from the end of the tail proper.

The roads were full on a Sunday morning with buses and pedestrians including many long distance pilgrims, singly and in groups, with their belongings in a bundle on their heads, trekking to some religious destination. Looking out for the variety of Christian churches I espied a Bethany Bible Institute, which Douglas Fairman would have known about, I surmised.

The descent to the coastal plain from around 4000 or 5000 feet was predictably vertiginous, and the occasional group of bus passengers whose stomachs were not up to the challenge were seen by the roadside – another reason why the more basic Indian buses have no glass in the side – windows – I had thought it was just for ‘air-conditioning’. Musing on the journey, I started a list of rules for driving in India.

Our driver

Sunil was our driver for nearly all the ten days, and was excellent. His English was good, and what he had to say was worth listening to, so, for instance he told us various Malayam meanings, like Periyar - sweet water and Kerala - land of coconuts.

Driving on Keralan roads meant the usual avoiding of other road users, but also of numerous potholes and ramps as we passed from one stretch to another, built by different contractors presumably. Sunil slowed down and negotiated each without damage to car wheels or our tummies.

He also directed us away from over expensive shops and restaurants. The day that he started with a huge bee sting from sleeping in the car park near big bees, was also the day that he missed breakfast because our start time was before the staff canteen was open. By lunch time he must have been so hungry. He took us to a small town restaurant - we'd never have found it - but it was clean, simple and had typical Keralan food. So we enjoyed our lunch - a sort of smorgasbord of vegetables and tuna curry, washed down with water boiled with a herb that made it go red - very good for digestion apparently. Finally, he insisted on paying for our meals.

Sunil found the Kalari for us, helped us book it. He knew the spice garden was worth visiting, because he had obviously been there lots of times before because he knew a lot of the information that the guide gave us - they had become good friends. And he also found us a cheaper massage parlour outside the hotel, pointing out that these masseurs - a husband and wife team - were very experienced, and explained that hotels tended to use trainees. Sunil was the one who realising that I was enthusiastically photographing everything pointed out interesting things to photo.

Sunil dropped us off on the eighth day at Lake Venabad, and we hoped that on our last day he would be free to pick us up from the hotel and take us to the airport - we'd really enjoyed his company, but in the event someone else turned up - his English was not up to conversation.

However, after we'd checked in, Anesh, our rep from Distant Frontiers, pointed at the door - there was Sunil waving at us. We couldn't go out because we'd checked in, and he wasn't allowed to come in to the airport - so we could only chat through the gap by the guard as people came in. We have - had his email and meant to keep in contact, find out how his two children do at school and hope to hear that his wife keeps well. But I've lost the email. :-(