Sorry there has been such a long gap since my last entry!!Have just returned from two months in the UK, seeing family and friends. What did we love about being back in the UK ? Obviously catching up with those nearest and dearest to us was the highlight of our time there but also the amazing fresh air and sunny spring weather; walking through the rolling , green, lush countryside with our dog; the cleanliness of everything; peace and quiet; English newspapers; English puddings and cakes; sausages and roast dinners. These are just a few of the things that stand out to me now as I write this.
What things did we miss about India? The crazy hustle and bustle of life on the streets; the colour, noise , smells all around ; the whirr of ceiling fans; spicy food; the passion and resilience of the people and the unpredictability of life.
The first thing that hit me as we exited Delhi airport was the smell of India! How I love that smell that's so hard to describe! To me its a distinct smell that you don't find anywhere else. I was trying to explain it to a Venezuelan friend recently and she said that her sister who came to visit her in April said exactly the same thing about England. That it had a distinct smell too!! Fancy that!
The second thing that assaulted us was the June heat- at one in the morning it was still in the high thirties and humid too as the monsoon is approaching! We feel like we are in a continuous sauna all the time- even walking up the stairs in our duplex brings us out in a sweat. Yesterday apparently there was 96% humidity! There is talk that the monsoon rains will be early this year as we have already had the odd welcome shower – I brought my flowery wellies out with me just in case everywhere floods! I don't really fancy paddling around in flip flops knowing what the roads around here are like !!
Another thing we've noticed since our return is that the hot weather has brought an invasion of insects into our duplex. A huge lizard came down our stairs the other evening and a baby lizard jumped on Tim's foot as he was in the shower! There is obviously a family of lizards that have taken up residence with us. Lizards don't really bother me but the emergence of cockroaches and giant ants do!!! We will have to find ways of exterminating them me thinks!
Well we have unpacked , settled back in and am writing this in out in our little courtyard just as it's getting dark. Tim has cooked a wonderful curry and I wonder what the next six months will hold for us?!
