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Published: January 30th 2014
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Scenes from around Cuttack town
Such sights, can't stop taking photos! Random cow(s) in almost every one! Life in Cuttack is unfolding. This is deepest, local India - I haven't seen a non Indian person since arriving so consequently I stick out quite a bit. I'm being well looked after though by the boys and Peter.
I've put up a lot of local pictures so you get the feel of the place. The traffic is crazy and there are lots, yes lots of cows. Think you'll find them in almost every street scene! They just form part of the local colourful picture. A lot of the photos are taken from the car so forgive any reflections or judders!
Vikram took me to the museum for Netarji, a local hero and resistance fighter. The day was a public holiday to commemorate him so it was mad busy, full of school children and families. Many of the kids wanted to say hello and shake my hand and one young man wanted his picture taken with me!!! Ha, oh to be a celebrity for a few moments hey!
Violas stay in hospital continued for a week post op and we enjoyed many hours and meals together At the hospital. I tried my hand at cooking a Spanish omelette
for the boys one night but the kitchen is the domain of the mosquito so it was touch and go! The boys must have enjoyed it as we repeated it a couple of nights later!
We took a trip to the Big Bazaar shopping centre... on sale day! I've never known anything quite like it. So packed and so jammed, you really could hardly move. The photos don't do it justice. Added to that, there are chaps yelling through megaphones too extolling the virtues of Tide or Sunflower oil and shouting (yes, it is possible to shout through a megaphone!) "Buy one get one, buy one get one".
We also had another wonderful experience, we went to the wedding reception of a relative. It was stunning. The colourful saris, the amazing food, the layout of the whole place..... just fabulous. I wore my new outfit and felt like the bees knees!!
Viola finally arrived home in an ambulance and all hands were used to get her safely into the house.... great moment, like the arrival of the Queen of Sheba :-) We celebrated with cake of course! Wonderful for everyone to have her back in the home.
She is so glad to be back after over two weeks in the hospital. She is so resilient and is lucky to have very little pain. There is, it seems, a constant stream of visitors so life is not dull around the place. Dayvarma (I can only think of her as Darth Vada though!) comes in to cook, a lady comes in to attend to personal care and the lovely Drinath is always around doing cleaning and sorting. One of his main jobs, however, is as 'mouse disposal' man! Hmm, my bedroom 'mouse' is now at a total of 4 caught on the sticky pad mouse traps and the downstairs total is past double figures I think. Brrrrrrr, but thank goodness he's here to 'do the business'. One 'funny' moment was during a prayer meeting around Viola's bed one evening, Steffi, the white dog, managed to pull out the sticky pad from under the cupboard and proceded to try and eat the two mice stuck to it, behind the pastors back too!! Oh goodness, laugh or cry???!!!
Had another shopping outing to the Pantaloons Department store in Bhubaneswar, also on sale day! The queues were just like Primark but
it takes so long to be processed. There are two people that serve you at the till and then when you leave the store, a security guard checks your items in the bag against your receipt.... blimmey, imagine the congestion! Some good bargins were had though - hurray!
Another addition to the menagerie, sorry household, is the 45 day old puppy dachshund, yet to be named (although it looks like 'Queenie is favourite at the moment). She's a cute little thing and so well behaved and brings the total number of dogs up to four!
I popped into playgroup again for a spell and I'm pleased to say that a teacher has been found to stand in for Viola. The kids come down every morning to her bedroom and recite nursery rhymes and their numbers and that way Viola can keep a tab on them all!
Sangram has left for a conference in Hyderabad and Peter has gone for two days up to his business in Ranchi, 9 hours away. Vikram and I are currently holding the fort and keeping Viola company and attending to her needs.
This is likely to be the last blog I
do from abroad, I think so anyway. On Sunday I fly with Peter to Mumbai and we meet up with middle son Parakram. It will be so so lovely to see him and will complete the set (of three!) and we have 4 days together sightseeing. Then it's my 14th and final flight of this awesome and amazing world trip - Mumbai to London for me on Thursday 6th February. It feels quite unbelievable at the moment to think that this time next week I will be sat at home.
I'll finish up the blog with Mumbai photos from home - I'm sure it's going to be quite an experience.
At this moment I'm not sure whether I'm glad or sorry to be on the final stretch. It feels strange to be thinking already about picking up life again at home. I am so looking forward to seeing Ally, Alice and Alfie and all my lovely lovely friends and work colleagues, many of you have kept me going throughout this tour. I am SO lucky to have undertaken this journey of a lifetime and to have actually, really, gone right round the world. WOW. It's has been stunning
and mind blowing and a privilege to have been part of so many peoples lives. Thank you Thank you Thank you.
More later - Mumbai ..... here I come. Bring it on!!!
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Hassina
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Can't believe you are nearly home already Pam. Have so enjoyed reading your blogs and sharing your travels - almost as good as being there. Really looking forward to having you back in Suffolk and hearing about even more. Safe flight home xx