Santa Sinatra

Something to get you into the Christmas mood...

http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf

(thanks Linda for sending this on!)

The North/South Divide

I am currently in America, and yesterday I got asked "Is Scotland near England?"...

I responded, (trying to hold back any patronising tone or laughter) "Yes...they actually share a border."

To which came the response, "That is so cool"

I love America.

Interactive Advent Calendar

Can I (Gareth) please encourage you all to go to https://www.worldvision.org.uk/take2 and download the new interactive advent calendar that has been created by World Vision (Jonny to be precise). For all you Scots, don't worry it is free! Thank you!

It is a great wall...

First off, let me apologise on behalf of my wife and I (cue wedding speech cheer) for how rubbish we have been recently at updating this thing. The past three weeks have absolutely flown by - between us we have travelled to Kerala, Calcutta, Chennai, Singapore, Beijing, and Singapore again - unfortunately the victim has been our blog. However you now have a bonanza of three posts to catch up on, so that should keep you busy for a while.

My trip to Singapore and Beijing went really well. It was a work trip and I had some really good meetings with retailers and publishers in Singapore, before flying out to China to look at the possibilities for STL out there. It is a really exciting time to be in China at the moment what with the Olympics in 2008 and the general opening up of market restraints.

Despite it being a work trip I also had the privilege of visiting Tiannamen (spelling??) Square and also The Great Wall Of China. It was breathtaking and also slightly surreal to think that I was actually there. I enjoyed some GREAT chinese food and met some great people, but I was happy to get back to my wife before she then flew off to Chennai.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans.

As Andi has mentioned in the blog below I am off to the USA next week and Andi is in Cambodia and Thailand. It never stops. We are SOOOOO looking forward to our first Christmas as a married couple though. Sometimes I can't believe we've only been married 6 months, it seems so much has happened.

Anyway thank you for your emails and keeping us in touch with your own news. We've only just realised that we are supposed to reply to posts on the blog, so please look forward to some two way communication from now on!

Next update will be a lot sooner than these have been....we promise!

A wee break

Our good friend Sam visited us after her trip around the golden triangle, which includes the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Delhi etc.. We met her off a long train trip from Delhi to Hyderabad and immediately whisked her away for a hot shower and pizza, two things she was looking forward to after back packing! Was so good to see her, share news and introduce her to our home. The next day crack of dawn we flew out to Kerala south of Hyderabad - this is a must if visiting India. Set on water the area is full of natural beauty, peace and tranquility it feels like an island, something we all enjoyed after the noise and business of the cities. We only had two days there but they were very special, one day was spent on the famous waterways, drifting along in a pontoon boat we also had a chance to experience the fabulous south Indian dishes prepared for our lunch, and have a turn at driving the boat!

A lot of our time there was spent relaxing, sadly Sam was not feeling too well after all her travelling and we were ready for a break - so it provided us all with a much needed rest. Sitting in the pool, which overlooked the water watching the sun set will be always be a special memory.

We then returned to Hyderabad Sunday morning, and only a few hours later we waved goodbye to Gareth who was heading to Singapore and China with work. Sam and I then spent the next few days having a girlie catch up, shopping, showing her the city, chatting for hours, bliss!

Then Weds after saying goodbye to her at the airport I headed back to work. This included a two day visit to the World Vision India HQ in Chennai a city I hadn’t visited yet. Was an intense few days, but very productive managing to assess their crisis and relief plans and get to know the team, plus pick up my laptop and camera. It also included a surprise meeting with two friends from the UK none of us knew we would be in the same city at the same time, but ended up having dinner before I flew back home.

All in all a busy past month, cannot believe it is Christmas so soon, before that Gareth has a trip to the States and I to Cambodia and Bangkok both with work. Christmas day will be together and then we fly to Oz to spend New Year with my family in Melbourne. 2007 looks a little more relaxed travel wise so far, but we can’t complain it is all amazing opportunities!

Calcutta (or Kolkata)

Gareth and I spent almost 3 days in this huge city, which houses 17 million residents. You feel the size of the city the minute you touch down it spreads for miles and miles and feels so much more crowded and busy than Hyderabad does and that is saying a lot!

We were travelling with our friend and guide Tony Sargent whose involvement with OM and the Emmanuel Ministries date back decades. His love for India and obvious passion for this country and its problems is evident, you can also see how long his involvement here has been by his friendships with the team, one of which is a former student of the theological school in Glasgow he is head of.

After he had spent two days in our home in Hyderabad we travelled together to Calcutta - Gareth and I particularly wanted to visit slum schools projects and other community schools and orphanage and the general work of Emmanuel ministries, which also includes a HIV/Aids clinic, counselling etc etc.

Initially met at the airport by Mahadeb and his wife (a couple who run an OM operated school and church project in the local slum), we first visited their home. Their home was so welcoming and we sat for a couple of hours chatting, sharing stories, asking questions and eating their delicious home made fried chicken. Tony had also had a hand in helping them design and build their home, one picture in particular stood out of a piper fully kilted up brought back by Tony from Glasgow.

We then went on with him to Emanuel Ministries headquarters, which also have a few guest rooms, and is where we stayed for our visit. Meeting the temporary head of the organisation, Primela and her assistant Jeng a South Korean, we were again made so welcome and spent time getting to know each other and understand their work in the city. This organisation’s drug rehab programme has been used a model by the Indian government. Later we went onto a light show at the Queen Victoria Memorial, which explains the history of the city and then dinner with the group in the centre of Calcutta. We were actually giving others advice on the Indian menu, we must be eating too many local dishes!

The next day bright and early we spent visiting schools, an orphanage and slum projects.
Was a busy day full of meetings with inspirational people dedicated to caring and giving their lives to providing an education, hope and future to so many children. We met so many amazing children so focused on their education, and in the orphanage a four-year-old-child came up to me - taking my hand he wanted to show me the plastic table and chairs someone had given him. Brought here after his father died and mum has Aids, all he knows is his big brothers and sisters in the orphanage and the lower bunk of the bed he shares. Yet this place has provided him with such love and protection it broke my heart – his innocence remains despite such a harsh start to life and I pray his life continues to be full of hope.

We also had time one early morning to walk a very short distance from where we staying to Mother Teresa’s tomb and visit the ongoing work of her convent. It felt very peaceful being there, also giving us time to reflect on all we had experienced and felt. Her words of wisdom resonated with us in particular statements such as, ‘It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.’ spoke volumes.

We had a short tour around the city by one of the team from Emmanuel ministries, now an adult he was a former street kid, one of ten children who managed to stay within the center’s support programme as the others eventually returned to the streets, as this was all they’ve ever known.

Leaving Calcutta lunchtime the next day we felt so many emotions - challenged, encouraged, sad and inspired. Sharing this experience as a married couple was also special as often I travel to projects with work unable to share this with Gareth, so this was a growing time for the two of us also.

Andi's back to work!

Good news! Andi has officially begun her role at World Vision as Regional Crisis and Relief Communications Manager. She will be working with World Vision Asia Pacific, so she will be interacting with and travelling to the different country offices as she analyses, supports and develops relief and crisis communications strategies across the region, plus in certain situations directly coordinating the comms response in emergencies, which take place across Asia Pacific. She will be in Cambodia in December for an emergency comms conference and then onto Bangkok for meetings.

We also need to update everyone on our trip to Calcutta and we'll be sure to post something this week - suffice to say it was a very impacting visit and really challenged the two of us.

We have our friend Sam coming over this week from the UK and we're all going away for a couple days to Kerala, which is supposed to be beautiful. We get back Sunday and then Gareth flies that night to Singapore and then Beijing on business - so it's all go!

Hairy Krishna

Before

















Many of you will be delighted to know that I (Gareth) have decided to grow my hair back. Keep checking out the website for updates.

After?

Diwali

Don't get me wrong, I like fireworks. HOWEVER, I am not so appreciative when I hear the neighbours' display lighting up at 10.30pm, 11.30pm, and this morning...6am!! Who wants to see a fireworks display at that time??

Hyderabad is in full swing in the run up to Diwali this Saturday. Diwali is "The Festival Of Lights" and is a mixture of Christmas (because people give each other gifts) and Bonfire Night/5th November (for obvious reasons). It's actually a great time as the city seems to have the air of excitement as the big day approaches - there are fireworks, fairy lights, marching bands, and dancing all across the twin cities (Secunderabad and Hyderabad, for those not "in the know").

We are heading off on Saturday to a party that our friends, Rajiv and Renee, are hosting - so we are looking forward to that.

We have now fully acclimatised back to the Indian temperatures, although Andi is still nursing a cold she picked up in the UK. Work has been busy for me and it looks like I will be in Singapore and Beijing in mid November.

Andi and I are also traveling up to Calcutta (or Kolkata as it is now known) for a couple of days next week, with a friend from Glasgow, Tony Sargeant. Tony works with many organisations trying to help those in need all across the world, so it is a real privilege that we will be shown the work up there.

We will endeavour to continue updating the blog a bit more regularly so that we keep things interesting for you all. See you later!

Around the World in 12 days!

Well we’re back, having had a great two weeks for Gareth and one for me in the UK.
The first week for Gareth consisted mainly of work and meetings, the week we were together we had a chance to spend a bit of time with friends in Milton Keynes, then flew to Glasgow for 2/3 days for a wedding Gareth was best man at, but also had fun seeing family and catching up. The wedding was really lovely and both bride and groom looked gorgeous - Gill maybe more than Dave! Congratulations again guys!

We also had time to pick up a few items in the UK we can’t get in India – furniture polish is not normally high on anyone’s shopping list but becomes a desirable purchase when you can’t get it, that plus decent chocolate and couscous made it a slightly strange list. If Gareth could have brought a Big Mac back he would have also added that to the list.

Then driving down on Sunday afternoon to York having to stop ourselves from beeping the horn constantly as per driving here, we spent a few days with Andi’s family, including a chance to cuddle our five-month-old nephew Noah. All in all an exhausting but really special time – coming home was lovely though and being back in our apartment we knew that Hyderabad now feels like home.

Being back in the UK after just a few months in India also meant we were able to evaluate some of the cultural and social differences between the two countries and appreciate or be challenged by those differences.

Finally getting off the plane after 11 hours of travel to sunshine was the medicine for the colds we managed to bring back - that and going to bed at 8.30 that evening also helped with the lack of sleep from the overnight flight. Drinking lemsip while in 30 degree heat, I can safely say is surreal. The weather is actually hotter than when we left when it seemed to start to cool down, we move into ‘winter’ soon so the temperature should get down to, oh at most 18 degrees!

We now also have gas to go with our hob, I’ve never been so excited about being able to cook! No more random microwave meals. Gareth’s gone back to a busy office and also looks like the HR things, which needed finalising are getting there for Andi who should start work in the next month prior to a conference in Cambodia at the end of the year.

Gareth has managed to begin playing football this weekend (on a very dodgy pitch) – albeit just for fun, we’ll let you know the score but if the MK Dons are anything to go by….

So there you go, we’ll post another blog with more news soon.

All Change...

Latest news… We are both now driving our new car (the uniquely named Tata Indigo), which arrived a couple of weeks ago. Gareth surprised me with it when he picked me up at the airport after Sri Lanka. We both feel fine about driving here especially if you remember to forget all the rules of the British road, never stop at roundabouts (no different from Milton Keynes then…) and avoid all cows. Haven’t hit one yet but we’ll keep you posted. When Gareth picked it up he had to drive it home with a big ribbon wrapped around and heart balloons filling the back seat – very romantic!

We have now moved into the apartment, yippee! Which has been our home for almost 10 days! Organising furniture and the practicalities of setting up the flat took a little time, but overall everything ran smoothly and pretty much arrived when it should! One funny moment was Andi surrounded by four dominant Indian men ranging from painters to delivery guys to the landlord all telling her to ‘come here’ as the word ‘please’ does not exist in Hindi!

Another memorable moment was being shown by the landlord how to lock a door and which way the key needed to be turned, we have a lot to learn! We also now have a phone and internet access, which is key as in the future I (Andi) will work from home a lot. We also have a hob/gas cylinder for Gareth to cook on, mango chicken here we come....

Really feels like a proper home for us and have met our lovely neighbours as the word spread that the whities had arrived, we have been invited to almost everyone’s homes and look forward to getting to know them better.

Our view over the city is very special and we have a little balcony to sit out on and watch the sun go down - here are some pics for you to look at…


The view from our balcony.

The master bedroom, looking very tidy (cleaning was done especially for the photo).


The Throne room (we do have two western toilets also)


The Dining Room.


The lounge. We have had Tata (same company as the car) Sky installed, so Gareth doesn't have to miss a minute of the Premiership action. Unfortunately, League Two and the SPL are yet to come on air here.


A few days later one of our close friends from the UK, Kate was over with a small team from STL for a week’s visit of the operations in India. This meant we had a chance to spend a little time with her on the Sunday after church and took her out to see a bit more of the city. It was so lovely to just chat with someone we have such an easy and close friendship with and for her to share in some of our life here as though you try to, you can’t fully explain. She was also a brilliant passenger as we drove her around Hyderabad, not once saying a word just clutching the handle of the door occasionally…

Another couple of events worthy of a mention and huge congratulations was Andi’s parents celebrating 40 years of marriage on Sep 17th and our nephew Kieran celebrating his 15th birthday on the 19th. So glad you all had a special day and look forward to seeing you very soon. x

We head off to the UK in the next week for both work and a wedding, we’ll also have a chance to spend time with family and friends, which we’re looking forward to and will post another blog on our return.

Adventures in an Auto

I am not completely sure this story is blog-worthy, but I found it funny...

A couple of days back we were travelling in an auto (rickshaw) back from spending time with some friends. All was normal for the first 70% of the journey. We then stopped at some traffic lights and the guys on a motorbike next to us became fascinated by the fact that there were a couple of "whities" in the vehicle next to them. At first they smiled a lot.

The traffic light went green and our auto moved off. (There are no windows or doors in an auto, this is an important fact in this story). As we were travelling the motorbike caught up with us and they started shouting in, "where are you from?"...depsite this being an unusal setting for such a conversation I told them we were from the UK. They liked this. However they sped up and went ahead of us.

About 2 or 3 minutes later, they pulled up along side the moving auto once again (unbeknown to us they had slowed down deliberately and come back for more). This time the passenger (I forgot to mention there were two guys on the motorbike) stretched out his hand as if to shake. Again, despite the rather dangerous conditions (i.e. two moving vehicles) I, not wanting to come across as rude, stretched across Andi and tried to shake hands. We held for a moment, but at that stage the auto slowed down and the motorbike sped up...meaning I was actually now pulling the passenger off the bike! However, we both managed to let go in time and any potential accident was averted.

You may think this is where the story ends, but there was still one final twist...

Once again the motorbike had slowed down and once again came from behind to draw along side us. This time, the passenger was brandishing a bottle of Kingfisher (the local beer). At first he drank it himself, but then he offered it to us. (Let me reiterate at this point that both vehicles are still moving and at quite a pace) The driver of the motorbike kept insisting that we drink and the passenger was forcing the bottle into the auto we were in. However, you will be glad to hear we politely rejected the offering of golden nectar and decided it best to ignore the terrible twosome from this point on. It worked and they sped off into the sunset.

Only in India. (and maybe Glasgow!).

Sri Lanka

I (Andi) spent five days last week in the World Vision Sri Lanka office based in Colombo. The country is seeing renewed fighting in Sri Lanka's 20-year civil war, which began in late July with air strikes on rebel territory amid a dispute over a blocked water supply.

A 2002 ceasefire between the government and rebels still technically holds, although both sides accuse the other of trying to force a full-scale return to war.

The fighting has effectively cut access by road to and from the Jaffna peninsula, leaving thousands of people trapped and running short of vital supplies.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced and the capital Colombo has witnessed two bombings in the past month. Many families/ mothers also fear for their children, as some have been captured by the LTTE to be used as soldiers, and with a number of aid workers murdered a few weeks ago, this is yet another tragic situation faced by a beautiful country and its people.

Staying in a hotel in Colombo and predominantly working in the office for the week, James my new boss and I were there as the Asia Pacific Regional Office, which due to the heightened humanitarian crisis meant we are there to support and advise the comms team. Helping them put together a communications advocacy relief strategy, establish clear messages and respond to the media etc.

It was a good though intense week, personally I learned a lot, met some great people and developed relationships, which is important as I will work with them at times in the future. Plus also had time to get to know James and discuss my future role.

It was also a nostalgic trip for me, as I spent a couple of weeks travelling round the country with a friend six years ago and I have some great memories. So on my last day as I had a little time before my flight, I revisited the Galle Face Hotel just down the road from where I was staying. Situated on the ocean this beautiful colonial building brought back the memory of two backpackers treating themselves to a slap up meal and swim in the seawater pool, which overlooks the beach. Sadly didn't get a chance to do that this time.



Coming back to Gareth was really lovely after a week apart and we spent the next day just catching up and relaxing, especially as I had brought back a special present with me – a cold! After church we met up with our Aussie friends for a late lunch at local cafe Mocha, going on later for a cuppa and visit to their new home in Banjara Hills for the first time. A relaxed end to a busy week.

Quick update

We spent an evening this week at Golkonda Fort a stunning example of past Hyderabad architecture dating back to the 1300's. After wandering through the ruins as the sun went down, we were treated to a beautiful light show explaining the history of the Fort and the city.

On a more important note it has been very encouraging to see that the MK Dons have won 5 out of their first 6 matches... Not only this, but Gareth has now found a way to watch all the games on the internet so he doesn't miss one kick of the ball... Come on you Dons!

Andi spent the last few days of this week organising her trip to World Vision Sri Lanka on 28 August. She has been invited to join her soon-to-be new boss James on a week's visit prior to officially starting her job. They will be supporting and advising the communications team and SL office during this difficult period of the ongoing crisis in the country. It will also be a good learning opportunity for her and chance to begin building relationships with this particular office in the Asia Pacific region.

She also spent some time one afternoon visiting a local street kids project/home/school with friends Sarah and Jonny. Run by a guy called Philip, this is a man who defines the word inspirational. Giving up his job he set up the small charity a number of years ago with little money but a sense of purpose and vision, to among other things provide an education and safe place for kids who've been abandoned. Most were living on the streets, a few disabled sent out to beg by their parents and in some cases children who had been bought and sold like animals.

Since then he has struggled at times to keep afloat, as he's seen hundreds of children come through his doors. However he's continued to be blessed and provided with resources to just keep the charity going. With a few volunteers and his family's support they continue to help change many lives. Jonny, Sarah and I were very moved by the children we met and the work Philip and his team are doing. In this photo Philip is stood at the back far right, Sarah is center back with an arm blocking her face, Jonny is taking the photo and just in case you're not sure I'm the one who's only a wee bit taller than the children, stood in front of Philip...

The "India" Effect

Since we posted the picture of Andi in her sari, many of you have been asking how living in India has affected me (Gareth). As you can see from below, I too have been impacted by this diverse and magical culture....

Andi's Very Sari

Ok, so it’s happened. I’ve done it, I’ve worn my first sari. Choosing the material from a dazzling array of materials, colours, and designs - in a store with hundreds of people pushing around you can be a bit mad. Then you have to take this material to the local dressmaker, one was recommended to me, and explain what style I wanted for the blouse, which is worn under the ‘dress’. I was welcomed by a lovely lady who though she spoke no English and my Telagu/Hindi is minimal we still managed to communicate, I felt very proud of myself for achieving this task! Some of the Indian ladies at STL OM books couldn’t believe I had done it!

Next came the part I wasn’t able to manage myself, putting it on… Thankfully an Indian friend helped me get ready and I couldn’t have done it without her. She tucked, folded, pinned and wrapped - until as you can see from the picture I was saried up! I loved it as the colours are so vibrant and the outfit feels very elegant, plus it hides your stomach after a curry!

This particular sari was more of an evening outfit, as we were attending an event that night with her and a few Aussie friends we’ve also got to know. However I will wear a day sari in a much lighter material and hopefully be able to dress myself at some point (I sound like I’m three-years-old!)

On another note we’re starting to learn a little Hindi, Andi’s been asked to speak at a women’s group and we have also found an apartment, yippee! We move in two weeks time.

More to come on all this…

Dhaba-ling with Cuisine

The Dhaba is an institution in India, an outdoor family restaurant which have playgrounds, local music and some great food. They welcome in people from all over the community for a low cost meal. It is definitely something you have to do while in India as they line the road in certain parts of the city and is a true local experience. Taking friends Jonny and Sarah - we caught the bus (another interesting form of transport) up the road to a recommended Dhaba.

Gareth and I have embraced the Indian practice of eating with our hands a few times, which is not necessarily a new skill we’ll bring home to the UK, but as our Indian friends say it does actually make the eating experience better! The skill is not to have too much gravy and use the rice or naan to soak up the meat, dal or sauce. For just £6 (in total) the four of us had a great meal. We must have had 7-8 dishes between us plus drinks, bargain! We had a great night and then decided we needed to walk off the food and as we weren’t too far from home wandered down the road where, we spent most of our time avoiding the ‘sacred’ cows blocking our path….

Independence Day

Millions of Indians across the country celebrated 59 years of India’s independence from the British on Tuesday, 15 August 2006. As it was a national holiday, Gareth had the day off work and we were keen to see some of the festivities planned and learn more of the history of this amazing and diverse country. We had been invited to the local Good Shepherd School where 200 plus students from primary to secondary age were performing a series of plays, dances, songs and speeches for parents, teachers, guests and dignitaries gathered in the playground.


Around 8am we wandered down and took our seats ready to witness the display. Just before 9am we got started. With Uncle Alfie sat beside us, an inspirational man who helped found the school eight years ago and whom everyone loves hence the term Uncle, we enjoyed an array of performances, some of which included demonstrating how they fought the British for their freedom (this is where I assumed my Australian nationality and Gareth pleaded ignorance, as hey, it really was the English to blame.)


It was a fantastic morning and actually quite emotional at times as the children gave speeches celebrating figures such as Ghandi, raised the Indian flag and sang the national anthem. Other parts were more light-hearted including a dance sequence by a group of 19-year-old strapping lads who all really looked around 40 years old, gyrating across the stage with tassles attached to their trousers and shirts. As Gareth said if you tried that in Glasgow you’d not live long…


The school is special for another reason, as 90% of the children are from Dalit families. Called the ‘untouchables’ these are children who along with their families are the poorest of the poor, the lowest caste in India and often not seen as worthy of any interaction - never mind an education. Part of the emotion of the day was witnessing these children and young people some of whom live in slums, speaking so eloquently, dressed in their smart uniforms donated by a local business, explaining what a difference the school had made in their and their families lives.

Late morning the event finished and a snack of Bombay mix was given out as a gift. Chatting with some of the other guests we eventually left to spend the rest of the day quietly, as westerners whether British, American or Canadian etc are told to be low key on that day i.e. don’t go into town wearing a, ‘I love Britain’ t-shirt. There is generally no trouble as most people are happy and excited during the day. But we heeded the advice and stayed in the vicinity of the campus, where the school and our temporary accommodation are both based.

In the news...

Well, it didn't take long - last week Gareth made it into the Deccan Chronicle, one of the largest selling newspapers in the region. At the exhibition he attended in Chennai, they had a 2km Bible, a hand-written Bible, and the smallest Bible (not in the world, just "the smallest Bible"). Gareth was asked to hold the smallest Bible and the next day his debut in the Indian press was captured on page 4 of the daily newspaper.

Floods

We mentioned in a previous blog that it had rained quite a bit in Hyderabad. It turns out that we have actually been very fortunate because the rain continued throughout our state and also in many other states on the west coast. In our state alone, over 100 people have died and around 250,000 families have been displaced. One city on the west coast of India is 90% under water. It really shows how under-developed the infrastructure is over here and, despite having monsoon weather every year, millions of people have been affected.

We didn't think this would be covered in the western news, so wanted to let you all know.

The Chennai Express

When I (Gareth) was told that I would need to travel to Chennai (formerly Madras) for a few days on business, I thought "great, I'll get to see some more of India"......when I heard we were taking the train, that the train was 13 hours each way, and that we were travelling in third class, I've got to be honest, my feelings were mixed! However, after travelling this way I can honestly say it was a great way to travel. Not only do you see parts of India that would normally be unseen from the road or air, but you also see more of Indian life and the way Indians interact and live. I've put a few photos up on the blog to give you an idea, but I would say that it's not until you have done it for yourself that you really know what it's like.


The train is divided into 4 or 5 different tiers - 3 of which have A/C. The A/C carriages are divided into First (where you get a carpet), Second (where there are 6 people to a compartment) and Third (where there are 8 people to a compartment). I was in Third.

The way the beds work is that during the daytime, everyone sits on the bottom bed as it is used as the seat, the middle bed is stowed away, and the top bunk is used for keeping the blankets/pillows/etc. Once everyone decides to go to bed, the middle bunk (pictured below) is pulled out and attached to the hooks from the top bunk. I was on the bottom bunk on each journey and was suprised how well I slept - it really was very comfortable. You are given a pack which includes two bedsheets, a towel, a pillow, and a blanket.



All throughout the journey, people walk through selling food, drinks, and even pirated DVDs!! Johny and I had bought some food previously so did not indulge in the on-board dining. However what we did have was amazing, and I am now totally sold on the offerings of the Indian bakery.

26 hours on a train was a long time - don't get me wrong. But, because the beds are really quite comfortable you sleep well and the journey flies by. It certainly won't be my last train journey - I have heard that there is one journey that takes THREE DAYS!!!! I'm not quite ready for that one yet.

Wildlife

In the true spirit of our blog along with the more serious updates on what we’re doing, we’ve also shared a few ridiculous moments, which go hand in hand with moving to another country and culture. This little exert focuses on wildlife (kinda) of Hyderabad.

Let's talk gekos (lizards). We have had a few running around our bedroom in the past week, they’re not bad for getting rid of mossies but they also have a habit of running across your face as you sleep.. They've generally eventually left by the bathroom window however on the evening of Gareth’s departure to Chennai for a few days with work, I was alone in the apartment…

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not a particularly queasy or girlie girl and quite happily cope with spiders etc, but that night there was just me and a fair sized lizard sharing our bedroom and one of us had to go.

Considering sleeping on the couch I decided no! this was our bedroom and I was tired after a long day so would take the 'little' beast on by myself. Grabbing a bowl we had a playful chase around the room as I tried to stifle screams anytime it crossed by my feet or over my head.

Taunting me with speed I couldn’t match it ran round and round the room, till at last after having pulled every bit of furniture into the middle I trapped it in the corner. Raising the bowl I went to close over its body however though my intention was just to trap it then release outside, I actually managed to chop its tail off while putting the bowl down.

This is where it gets a little nasty - the nerve endings in the tail were still active, which meant the tail was still alive and wriggled about for minutes after, so I had to get another bowl to cover that, while keeping the almost intact though tailless lizard under the other bowl. I felt like I was in a horror movie.

Following this little drama I stood there feeling like a murderess, red faced and exhausted, though secretly relieved. The next half hour consisted of me inching both bowls little by little across the carpet to the main door to get both bits of animal outside. Eventually I did this and locking the door went straight back into the bedroom, where taking wads of newspaper I stuffed every conceivable hole I could see with paper, the room looked ridiculous but I felt better and slept like a baby that night. Am sure in the future I'll be used to sharing a room with them, but am looking forward to seeing Gareth on Friday!

A few highlights from last week

I (Andi) spent a day last week with Lissy Jonny, the wife of Gareth ’s boss who is quickly becoming a friend and advisor on all things Indian. Back in March when we or actually I visited Hyderabad for the first time, Lissy and I met and she made the rash promise to try and teach me how to cook a real Indian feast, none of this jar rubbish! So off I pottered at 10.30 am and with her two girls at school and Jonny at work this meant we had the house to ourselves.

Lissy is an instinctive cook and therefore following her recipes for meat masala, chapatis and dal, meant I had to make up versions of the measurements used in the dishes. For example what she described as a pinch was in fact 2 tablespoons of some form of spice - this could be very dangerous... It was impressive to watch her throw everything together and the meal we were preparing was to be shared by the family and Gareth and I that night.

Occasionally allowing me the responsibility of stirring a pot or chopping a tomato, I mostly sat and watched the master at work. Sipping chai (tea) and taking notes as we went along, just as importantly we started sharing stories and getting to know each other better, with Lissy telling me about growing up in Kerala a city further south than Hyderabad it takes 24 hours to get there by train.

As the steam rose from the pots Lissy’s stories of her childhood flowed, she also shared with me how she became a Christian, worked with OM (Operation Mobilisation not OM Books/STL who Gareth works for) for two years, which is also where she met her husband. Her stories brought to life another part of India with its different cultural practices, food and language.
It was fascinating and she handled my many questions with patience. Lissy also has a great sense of humour and would often break out into infectious giggles especially as I tried to roll the dough, used for the chapatis, into a perfect oval shape as she had tried to show me, but didn't quite master ..

Around 3.30pm her two girls Brija and Silja returned from school and immediately dragged me off to watch a performance from one of their school open days. This mostly consisted of me admiring their dance moves and singing abilities…

Finally the day’s cooking was completed and with Gareth and Jonny back from work around 6pm, we eventually sat down to eat the amazing array of dishes Lissy had whipped up for us (unfortunately though I’d like to I can’t take any credit for them).

Now I just have to use the recipes myself, trying not in the process to subject Gareth to any serious stomach issues….

Lissy’s next lesson she has told me, is to demonstrate how I wear a sari properly so it doesn’t look like I've wrapped a bandage around my body (for those on my MK hens night this might ring a bell!)


The next day I spent some time with Leah Kadwell. Leah and her husband Kevin are from the States but have lived in Hyderabad for over eight years now. Their two children Clark and Claire were both born here and they give invaluable advice on how to settle in/integrate as expats and make it your home. Leah and I met up to walk round the community she lives in to see if any of the homes were available to rent. This is sometimes the best way to find somewhere to live, apart from word of mouth. However there was nothing for us to look at that day, but it gave me a good idea of the sort of area we’d like to live in and again had time to get to know Leah better.

We really value and are enjoying developing friendships with both Indians and some of the expats who we've met and are starting to feel more and more at home in Hyderabad and India.

Finding a permanent home is part of this process and we've spent a good deal of time recently looking for apartments and had thought we found the right place a few days ago. Unfortunately the landlord was unsure about renting to non-Hindus who may cook meat in the apartment. So there you go, we either convert or stop eating meat… Ok, so we couldn’t handle not eating meat....

Faux Pas Of The Week

Gareth in a telephone conversation with an Indian telecoms agent...

The agent introduces herself and the reason for calling

Gareth: "Sorry, could you please speak in English?"

Agent: "I am speaking in English, sir"

Gareth: "Carry on..."

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Let me start by saying that, we don't mean to only put stories up here that are more extreme or unusual, but let's be honest - it definitely makes for more interesting reading.

In light of which, we decided to go to watch the new Superman movie at the IMAX cinema in Hyderabad.

Once we had bought the tickets and had something to eat, we headed to the screen. As the cinema was an IMAX, it meant that the screen was massive...and it also meant that we were given 3-d glasses as we entered (something I was never given in a UK cinema) - every time the glasses logo came on screen, we were to put our glasses on and the images literally flew out at us. It certainly brought the film to life.

Another peculiarity of the Indian cinema experience, is that they have an interval half way through the film. The actor could be in mid sentence and the screen literally goes black, the sound is cut off, and the house lights go up. I (Gareth) had experienced this once before on a previous visit to India, however this time a very official looking man in uniform asked us all to leave the auditorium to allow the sniffer dogs in!

Although they assured us it was a routine drill, it turns out there had been an anonymous and, as it turns out, hoax (or bogus, for all you Americans) call that there was a bomb in the building. Every one of the 6 movie theatres in the building had to be evacuated.

To our relief we were allowed back in after about 25 minutes, but the experience certainly added a little more excitement to our cinematic experience than we had anticipated - and it made the front page of The Hindu Times.

Best Quote Of The Week

"Marriage is not all suits and saris" Rev Marcus Chacko

(meaning that, behind the smart suit and nice sari, marriage also has a lot of challenges)

Home Sweet (Temporary) Home

Here are a few pictures of the house we are currently staying in. The apartment is situated in the campus of my (Gareth's) offices. We are hoping to have our own place in the next few weeks.

The Cooker

Andi has already put this to good use and cooked a spicy chicken and spaghetti dish - the ironic thing being that has been the hottest (spicy) meal we have had since we got here!


The Choice - toilet paper or power wash?

It will surprise none of you to know that Gareth found himself in a shopping mall toilet in the predicament of having no toilet paper option...the seat of his trousers is still drying out.


The Lounge

Where we catch up on all the Bollywood gossip.


The Kitchen


Our Street

Also in the picture is one of the infamous auto-rickshaws.


The View From Outside

Our apartment is the balcony to the left of the "A".


We hope you enjoyed our guided tour, please stop by if you happen to be passing through Jeedimetla Village.

On a different note, we have found Tetley tea bags in the supermarket - there's no stopping us now.