Holidaze, Part 2



A model of the train we did not take-located at the Botanical Gardens

And now, the rest of the story….it is Thursday, October 25 and, instead of nestled in the beautiful area of Coorg, we are safely back in Bangalore. What happened to the remaining two days of our adventure?

Yesterday, we rose at 5:00 a.m. to meet our driver for our 6:00 a.m. departure. We thought that the trip would take some six hours to travel from Ooty to Coorg. That was what we had been told. And it didn’t look that far on the map. 

Map of India created with plants in the south and model mountains in the north

 

However, the driver informed us that it would take ten hours. Little did we know that the trip would include a return trip to Mysore, a place that we had hoped to evade since the Dusshera Festival was in full-swing. That was not to be…

We arrived in Mysore just in time to be completely caught up in the festivities; traffic was impossible and our driver appeared to have no clue how to get where we were going. In addition to that, he wanted us to pay for the diesel fuel, and his driving skills seemed to be deteriorating.



Dusshera Festival

In a state of frustration and discontent, and despite trying to laugh it off, we decided to pull the plug on the remainder of the trip and drive back to Bangalore. On the way we stopped at a very pleasant restaurant and were treated royally.

You may ask what the down side of cutting our holiday short was. We would miss two night’s accommodation in Coorg as well as the beautiful landscape that it promised. My husband had hoped to go fishing and eat pork, while I was looking forward to seeing the coffee plantations. Alas, it was not to be.

What about the upside? We are home earlier than expected, and as I wrote on Facebook, we are safe and in one piece. Quite honestly, there were times during the drive that I thought we might not make it past the next oncoming bus or motorcycle or three wheeled vehicle. 

We have many new pictures to upload on to Facebook and with each one there is a lasting memory.  In addition to being alive and well and our heads full of memories, we still have another four days before heading back to school. This should give us time to try some of the local restaurants in Bangalore as well as get some necessary planning done for school.
 

Just one of the photographs reflecting life in Tamil Nadu.

 

I am truly thankful.  Not only did we see some of India's beautiful countryside, we were able to meet many new people from around India and the world.   


Until next time, may all of your journeys be peaceful and safe,


Bee Rich

Words of wisdom...

 

Holidaze

Making an offering to Nandi, the granite bull.

My husband booked this little get-away early in September through a travel agent whose office is close to where we live.  From the beginning we were “trying out” the agent, hoping to find someone as reliable and honest as our man Ali in Cairo. The six day journey would take us from Bangalore to Mysore, to Ooty, to Coorg and then back to Bangalore. A final price was agreed upon and paid in full in early October.  Simple, or so we thought.   

Starting a week before our trip we were sent emails detailing further expenses that we were  still to pay. Perhaps when calculating the final cost the agent forgot to include the driver’s costs, cross border taxes (we travelled from one state to another and then back again), parking fees, etc. etc.  The initial price rose by 25%.  My stubborn husband did not budge on his agreed upon price and we refused to pay any extra.  So, no problems, right?  Wrong!

The morning of our trip came and the driver called us to tell us he wasn’t coming because the travel agent had not paid him.  This resulted in a very serious discussion with my dear sweet unflappable husband losing his temper and threatening the agent with a lawyer.  Although I was not privy to the 6:00 a.m. meeting on the street in front of our apartment building, I do know that it was not a pleasant gathering.

All in all, despite the shaky start, the trip went well for the first three days. On day one, the experience of driving outside of Bangalore to see the Mysore Palace (fantastic), the Charmundi Hill Temple (where I was evangelised by a Hindu) and the Nandini Bull, carved from a single piece of black granite, added to a pleasant stay at the Ashwani Residency in Mysore, made the pre-trip jitters relax. 

The highest peak in Soouthern India!

Day two took us uphill to Ooty, a resort town in the state of Tamil Nandu.  Because we were travelling on the Desshera Holiday we met many other travellers, fought crowds and evaded hawkers selling their wares.  After finding our hotel and a nice place for a late lunch we drove further uphill to Doddabetta, the highest peak in southern India and over 8500 feet above sea level.  It was a treacherous trip, as it began to rain during our ascent.  The view wasn’t exactly what we expected because by the time we reached the summit, the clouds had rolled in aplenty.

Upon our return to the hotel, we agreed that the weather was too bad for further travels, and settled in for the afternoon and night.  We couldn’t believe how cold it was up there. Our hotel room, which had no heating, was chilly and damp during the entire stay in Ooty. 

The highlight of the trip was the third day.  The sun came out and we took in the most of the sights of Ooty.  Unfortunately, the train ride that we looked forward to was cancelled due to the weather, and the road to the next stop of the train ride was washed out.  Plan B included breakfast at the hotel (idly, dahl, various sauces and a side of toast and jam made for a delicious start to the day).  Following that, we made a return trip to Doddabetta to enjoy the sunshine and the view from the top of the hill, visited the Tea Factory and Museum and bought some green and black tea from the area. 

Tea, tea, tea!

The tea sales room, decorated for the Dusshera holiday!

 

Driving down the hill to the Botanical Gardens, I thought, this is what people mean when they say Incredible India. The gardens, laid out in 1847 by gardeners from London's Kiev Gardens,  were beautifully kept and we took many pictures of the flora.
 

 

One of hundreds of pictures from the Botanical Gardens in Ooty

Indians love having their picture taken with foreigners!

 

After lunch we thought we would try the Rose Garden.  Unfortunately, the flowers had passed. Fortunately, the lady at the gate told us that it was not really worthwhile for us to pay to enter, so we turned around and came back the hotel to download pictures and reflect on our trip so far.

Since leaving Bangalore we have enjoyed one another’s company and finally had time to simply relax…early to bed, late to rise…we have read, written and even watched part of the seventh game of the National League Baseball series, where the San Fransisco Giants appeared to be winning over St. Louis Cardinals.

Until next time, with details of the rest of the story, 


Bee Rich 

 

Second October Post

A new business opening up right around the corner from where we live!

 

They are looking for Canadian Teachers

           I just realized that it is well past the middle of October and I have remained too busy.  Fortunately, today is the first day of a Hindu celebration (Desshera) and we have a mid-term, one week long break ahead of us. 

          This will be my second trip outside of Bangalore.  We are travelling to Mysore to see the palace tomorrow, then heading to a place called Coorg (famous for its pork), followed by Ooty, where apparently we can go fishing.  I am looking forward to some time away from the city and more time with my husband. 
          What has kept me so busy that I haven't had a moment to write?

          School- teaching in a British International School for an entire year is very different from occasional teaching and taking over a classroom for nine weeks, as I did in the Spring.  There is planning units in Literacy, Mathematics, History, Geography and Science; marking children's work in spelling, reading, writing, math, and the other three subject areas; meetings of the primary staff, special education department, parents, Christmas concert committee, musical committee, staff training events, and then of course special events, like assemblies, football (soccer) tournaments and field trips.  I am also helping with the Primary swimming program and leading swimming and spelling Extra Curricular Activities. And, sometime during the next month I will be formally observed.  The whole experience is exhilarating but tiring!



One of my initiatives at school...and yes, it should be EVERY day!

          Housekeeping, eating and sleeping- although we have a woman coming in to clean once a week, I try to keep the apartment presentable.  We now have a clothes washer!  It is a wonderful change from buckets and because we are fortunate to have such a luxury we often have other teachers dropping in to put in a load. It is great to sit and visit over a cup of tea while the wash cycle does the work.  Preparing meals is pretty simple as we have breakfast and a generous lunch meal at school...total cost is equal to $1.50 a day.  Suppers include soup, sandwiches, salads during the week and then regular cooking or take out on the weekends. Bedtime comes early so that I can get up for the next day.

          Activity- I am trying to do something active everyday.  Three or four times a week I am outside by 5:00 a.m. and walking around the apartment complex.  I have recently added water bottle weight training and a stretching regimen.  This activity has helped to alleviate the stress of living in a foreign country and has enabled me to indulge in another of my favourite past times- eating! I am hoping to soon join the local pool for some lap swimming after school.  The cost is a mere 700 rupees a month, which works out to just $15.00.

          Reading- my Kindle is getting a good workout this year.  I have discovered a favourite India author, Ruskin Bond, who writes both children's and adult books. He writes mostly about his life growing up in India and I am finding it fascinating. I am also reading Eat, Pray, Love, the story of a woman who finds herself when she spends time in Italy, India and Indonesia. 

          Exploring- We do enjoy walking around the village where we are living.  Everyday we see something new and interesting.  The area is developing quite quickly with new businesses frequently opening (and sometimes closing).  My husband has been out and about in Bangalore for practical reasons like banking, shopping for meat, buying fish hooks for our upcoming trip, and discovering new restaurants as recommended by one friend's nephew's company that is situated in Bangalore.  In fact today, my husband and a colleague are visiting a brew pub for lunch while I pack for our trip- we leave tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m.

The beautiful birthday girl!

           Living- Before signing off, I want to share a little story about living as an expat in Bangalore...yesterday we were invited to a colleague's apartment to celebrate their daughter's seventh birthday. We were among the invited adult guests, in addition to two girls from the apartment complex. When we arrived we noticed a lot of noise coming from the back bedroom.  The mom, who is expecting a second child in January, looked a little stressed. She explained that the two girls had arrived, along with their brothers and sisters and several other uninvited children...and they had all brought gifts! "I don't know what to do," she explained. 
          So, what would you do?  This very gracious lady managed to keep her cool while her daughter and seven other children romped around the apartment. They were served barbecued chicken, salad and birthday cake, and although they didn't speak English well, they also asked for Coke. As she loaded up the party hats with chocolate treats and sent them on their way, you could feel a sense of relief in the air.  The picture below was taken at the moment the hoard of children left...it was a fun and interesting evening for all!

 

I love these people!

Until next time,

Bee Rich
 

The First Post in October

Tea for Two at the End of a Long Day

Attitude is Everything!

          It has been said that Attitude is everything, and it must be true.  When I googled the expression there were, within 0.20 seconds a total of 14,300,000 results.  There are companies, books, pdf files, articles and many advertisements about the importance of having a positive attitude.  Easier said than done, though.

          Like yesterday, for example, when I was ready to walk home.  I usually rush around, gathering up my things so that my dear husband does not have to wait for 30 minutes or more for me to depart from the school.  So, I gathered the booklets for marking, tidied up the classroom and was just heading out the door when a colleague came in....

          Or the after school meeting that went over an hour in length and I caught myself glancing at the clock and thinking, "I have to get out of here...."

          In these situations, I have difficulty keeping a positive mental attitude.  I catch myself  thinking about wrapping up conversations, instead of  focusing on the moment.

 

         From my experience the most important step to having a positive attitude is to choose to be positive.  After all, we choose how to think about things.  Our minds are all powerful.  I need to use that power to step beyond the apparent stumbling blocks.  

 

         My mind flashes back to a song that I taught the children in my class last year.  It came from a colleague in Canada and was written by students in one of Simcoe County's schools.  "Looking on the Bright Side" reminds us to see the positive side of things. "Who knows what the bright side will bring?" it asks.  I know that it will bring less anxiety, a healthier self and a sense of peace.

 

         Message received.  From now on in these uncomfortable situations I plan to reframe, push the "happy button" and gain control of my thoughts and feelings.  After all, life is too short to not stop and appreciate all that we are given to experience each day.

 

Until next time,

 

Bee Rich

 

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.

 

Martha Washington- wife of George, first USA president.