Adjustment period over!
We've settled into the school fully now - although the kids still do double takes every day!
Both of us are really enjoying Horse Riding in the mornings, despite the 5.30am starts. The first day was so much fun, being picked up on the bikes! It's already been accepted as a given that the best way to see India is on a scooty, it's such a laugh, but that morning Kirit and Mallay started up the real bikes to take us to the grounds. and O. M. G. It was terrifying! Ha. But so much fun! Of course my decision to go with Kirit was not at all strategic... Yeah - thanks for that! Mallay swerving round lamp posts, pot holes, donkeys! AND THE SHORT CUT!! Ha. Yeah... We have to "take turns" now...
So, coming up to the first fortnight... it's a challenge to remember everything that's gone on in that time! We're like brainstorming and just when you think you've remembered it all, there comes another flashback of something you'd forgotten.
Shopping with the girls was hilarious - aw, so much fun! There's two young teachers from school, Jagu and Vundenar, Jagu who we call Dolly (she's the smallest, cutest thing!) and Vundenar who we call Wunderbar... Wunderbra... Wonder Woman... the opportunities are endless! She hates it, so my nickname now is a chinese dish called Biryani :) its good :)
All this before we even pulled up at the market in our very own Little Yellow Bus. Shopping was so much fun - it's so cheap! I paid like a fiver for 3 tops and was amazed at this little habberdasherie type store where everything was 1 ruppee - thats basically free lol.
Every shop pulled out all their outfits for us to see, one at a time! In our favourite little hidey hole, we were given free drinks - celebs for the day! Locals even commented on how we were given drinks and they werent... felt a little bad but i guess celebs have to get used to it tooo :)
We also went to a beach nearby - nearby by Indian standards, which means an hour and a half away - with our driver (ha!), Ashok, and Mallay. Just walked along the shore, and chatted to this one Indian guy, oh yeah, he was non-stop! First he came over just wanting to meet us, get a quick pic or whatever, and then it was constant questions about our country, talking at us about the history, the attitude and we were like.... riiiight...by attitude we assumed either the war or womens attitudes and social status...
We went to our first lesson of Classical Indian Dance which is definately as hard as it looks! All being well, we'll have a little cameo in the production at the end of term in a routine with some of the beautiful dancers from the school. Can't wait for the costumes! Gotta get used to having bells round your ankles first..! Sounds pretty cool though, feet WILL hurt afterwards...trust...
Alang was interesting. I'm not sure if i've ever been more dirty in my life. Ha! That was hilarious, a solid line of dirt right down to her ankles! It's the biggest Ship Breaking... (Port..? Sure!) in Asia... we had a good look around at all the workers dismantling these ships all over the beach. We saw a team of men walking back through thigh high mud dragging some shipmen to shore on a dinghy! We should be going back soon to watch a ship dock...was really quite interesting, surprised to find a new interest in ship wrecking lol
The evening we spent at the Temples was probably the highlight though. Definately.
Another teacher from school took us to a number of temples within walking (uhh - trekking!) distance from his house. Such a nice atmosphere, you walk barefoot into these beautiful buildings decorated with so much colour, gold, flowers... We got our first Bindi's this trip, the little orange dots on your forehead, as well as Orange string bracelets, for... I keep forgetting... Vik..? PROTECTION AND WELLBEING! i keep saying happiness but i think thats asking alot... lol
See if that sinks in before the next blog... Unlikely! "TA TA"
