Home in India!!

Hi all…

I’m sipping on a black beetle nut while writing this…Just had dinner; nice typical Indian dinner, spicey :-)

I arrived well. My flight was very good..India already started when I entered the waiting room for the plane in Londen. All Indians! Maybe 8 foreigners, but not much more. Songs, colours and talking where there. So I started to feel comfortable! I flew with Jet Airways, Indian company and Indian service. So also the first Indian meal served! Even catched some sleep so I was feeling ok when I arrived in Delhi. I immediately felt like “home”. While driving towards Paranghi, I even recognized some streets from the last time.  Dabis and I went to see a big famous Hindu Temple (of which I can’t remember the name) but it’s a slightly new one. And inside it’s beautiful. After that we went to Cannaugh place-inner circle, the buzzing parc in the middle. Always something to see or to experience. After dinner there we went for the Dakshin Express, 20 hours in the train to reach Chandrapur Saturday night. Everything went ok. I even stepped out the train in Nagpur (leaving bags, money etc. inside) to buy bananas and wait till starts moving to hop on again… (!) We reached Chandrapur with only half hour delay, so that’s quite good… There Suluman was waiting for us and took us to his home where Channoo (his wife) was waiting for us with food & Chai and even their little boy was still awake to see us. Also a bucket with hot water was waiting for a bad. (no shower here, but I’m getting handy with the bucket now).

After a good sleep and breakfast (chapati’s met Anda Curry) we went out to buy Sarree and Salwar Khamaz… (probably don’t write them properly). And Margo…I can tell…there is a lot choice!! But I  liked the purple/pink/blue colours, so picked to Salwars in that and a Saree of purple, yellow and blue. Now they are with the Tailor and will be ready next Wednesday! Can’t wait!! For the meanwhile I bought some Indian blouses on jeans, to look not too different here. (see pictures)

For the rest of the day we just talked somewhat, I tried to explain my job and showed them the magazine of my team. That must look strange to them. But it seems that even in Chandrapur they do some town planning, as the city is growing fast and will get an airport in two years from now. Also talked a bit about how to explain what work Suluman does to people around, and especially every time different foreigners staying in there house. How do you explain? This time we told that we were working for discovery Channel. Have to say something…but that’s strange of course to not be able to talk about it freely when people ask. For the rest Shannoo and Suluman are so kind and friendly and treating us so well…I really like it here!

Chandrapur is a mid-size town, It recalled some memories with me about Nasik, where I went last year. Also no foreigners here and same small streets, shops and so. But I’m glad that Shannoo helped when buying all the stuff and do the talking and so! Because without nowing a word of Marathi, I don’t have a clue where they are talking about. But I’ll learn some now soon. Also learned the method for eating with hands. Getting better now…and will practice next 6 weeks. And practicing sitting on the ground…kleermakerszit…goed voor mijn stijfe lichaam!!

So that where some of my first expressions. I’m just experiencing and enjoying really now… Tomorrow we will leave for Mohurli by bus and a first Jungle round in the late afternoon…som maybe I’m going to see my first tiger! Ok..hope you are all doing well in Holland…enjoy the cold and so ;-)

 Greetings Marloes