We now have power and water all day long, a proper kitchen and modern bathrooms that don’t run out of hot water, it is so exciting! Our new home is in a newer community that is set in the middle of a golf course. It is absolutely beautiful, peaceful and clean.
The reason for the move culminated after various stressful factors started to spiral, which included constant interrupted power supplies, water being cut off and endless noise and dust, but the main reason was the traffic congestion and the travelling times for Milo and Andrew.
Milo had moved schools and was extremely happy and doing very well, his marks having increased substantially due to the new school and its suitability for him. Initially, his journey was 1 hour in the morning and 1- 1 ½ hours in the evening, still quite a trek. This was fine but the evening journey time started to creep up to 2 – 2 ½ hours, sometimes it was 3 hours! Then, one day, he didn’t get home until 7pm when he had finished school at 3 pm. It was getting ridiculous. He was so tired.
Meanwhile, Andrew’s journey was getting longer and bumpier as the roads were being ripped up and rebuilt to widen the main road. He was beginning to find it stressful too.
Therefore, we started to think about moving closer to Milo’s school and Andrew’s work once Max had finished school. He was doing his final exams and we didn’t want to move in the middle as that would make his journey longer.
At the same time, all the landlords around us were putting up the rent to extortionate amounts without modernising the houses, so more money to pay out but still the same unsolved problems which were actually becoming worse.
It was time for action, so I set about targeting communities in more suitable areas.
The estate agents were a nightmare. They wanted to know what the potential rent level would be. This is because they put up their fee to suit themselves, not the value of the house. It was quite amusing as I looked at various houses, some of them were so expensive and definitely not worth even half the money. They were old, grubby and not what we would live in. I enjoyed telling the estate agents what I truly thought, especially as they thought they had won me over. Their cries of this is India or“mam, you don’t know”, fell on deaf ears when I explained that I had lived here for 7 years and to cut all their rubbish and just show me houses that I wanted to look at and not the ones they wanted me to. They didn’t like that.
Anyway, I found that if you deal directly with the owner then the price is not so eye- watering so I started trying to find out houses to rent in this way.
I was getting nowhere because some houses were just as old and run down as the house we were in ( although I would just like to say, our landlord had asked us several times if we were going away for a couple of months so he could renovate but Andrew doesn’t have that level of holiday time for us to do that, so some parts of our house were not in such a good condition)
I found one community that was quiet but again the houses were older – and expensive…
Then, one day, while I was looking at another community close by, I went to a friend’s house for lunch This house was quite a way away from the main city area. We had been there for a party once, but it was an evening party and it had been dark outside.
I was absolutely star struck at the position of the house, now I could see it in daylight. The house was modern and overlooked a golf course. There were no renovations or rebuilding work nearby which meant no dust and no noise. In Palm Meadows, I had to sit with my earphones in all the time to drown out the drilling and loud noise while inhaling vast amounts of red dust. This didn’t affect the boys as they were out all day but they had to battle with the traffic instead.
This community just had the clink of golf clubs hitting the golf balls and lots of birdsong and insect noise (and not pesky mosquitoes)
Our friend told me she was moving back to Europe and so were some neighbours.
I told the boys all about it and persuaded them to come with me to look a few weeks later.
After our group viewing, we all agreed we liked the community, the club house served lovely food and we liked the houses.
We viewed several more houses and we decided on two, our friend’s house and their neighbour’s house. But I might add, Andrew did not actually go inside the neighbour’s house, only I had visited on another day, so he was relying on my judgement! We knew they were leaving but the house hadn’t been advertised. I had gone round on one of my visits for coffee but we hadn’t managed to contact anyone when Andrew went to look.
Our friend’s landlord didn’t seem interested and was slow to reply but the other landlord was like lightning. The offer went in Friday, we met him on the Saturday, the deal was done there and then, the contract was signed on the Monday!
But now came the awful bit we had been dreading. What about Arjun, Rashida and Momo ? This new house was over an hour away. They had all been good to us and very trustworthy and loyal.
We decided to tell Arjun and Rashida at the same time, a two -pronged, gentle approach.
Andrew was so worried because Arjun has been with us for the whole time we have been here in India and he is wonderful. We wanted him to come with us if he could.
Rashida is the best maid anyone could wish for, but she has a young daughter and son. We also wanted her to come with us.
Andrew came back and said Arjun had just said, ‘ yes sir. Ok sir ‘ No expression or clue to his thoughts. This made us very nervous.
Rashida cried for the whole day ! I felt awful!
The suspense was dreadful. Then, Arjun said one morning that the new house is better for Milo to go to school. Then, he continued, he would move with us, get a room and go backwards and forwards to his home. Yay!
Rashida tried persuading her husband but realised it was too far for her to travel or stay, so we set about trying to help her get another job ( which, happily, has happened)
Momo, our wonderful dog walker was just happy that Andy was going to get to walked properly. Andy gave him a mug with his photo on as a gift.
So, we were set to move and just had to wait for the current tenants to move out in August. This meant we had two months to sort ourselves out. It was going to be fun trying to change our address on everything, fingers crossed they didn’t block our bank accounts again.
Meanwhile, we were off to Sicily, Goa and the UK
As usual, I went to Sicily at the end of May to get all the tiny jobs done that Andrew doesn’t want to do. When he goes to Sicily, he needs a holiday, not a list of jobs to do (so he says)
I was really proud that I managed to leave India without any challenges or strange questions about why I am living in India. It can be interesting at times at the immigration desk, it is like another world with abrupt unhinged questions that you have to smile through so they don’t put you in a side room and you miss your flight. Coming back into the country is usually more challenging than leaving.
I was trying the new route again, Bangalore-Dubai-Rome-Catania. Three flights all in one day with a 2am start. Tiring but doable.
On the first leg, I managed to get upgraded to Premium Economy on Emirates, but I was so tired that I slept the whole way to Dubai and so didn’t take advantage of the “extra” luxury, although I could stretch out more. I only woke up because the guy next to me was snoring so loudly.
The flight was a bit late setting off from Bangalore which meant it was a dash across Dubai airport to get to the flight to Rome so I didn’t have time to test out the lounge area.
Then it was 6 hours to Rome.
I had to get my luggage and then check in again in the next terminal to get the flight to Catania. This wait of 3 hours meant the chance to find Italian food and coffee. Another hour’s flight and I was in Sicily.
Avril met me with the car and off we went to her house for pizza and decent red wine.
The next day, I was up at Vena early and looking forward to the prospect of three weeks to garden, shop and iron out any snags. Also, three weeks to stare at the view and enjoy the clean, clear air and eat Italian food. I really enjoy my freedom to drive, to go shopping and to walk along the sea front, all without having to be super alert to dangling electrical wires, gaping holes in the pavement, street dogs, rubbish ( and the accompanying rats) and mad traffic going the wrong way. Everything is so calm and organised -and this is Italy. People tend to think Italy is chaotic but it is not.
Best of all, I like to get my favourite pizza and drink the red wine that suits me the most.
Off I went to the local vineyard and stocked up on the wine that we liked and I got some for Avril too. It was a struggle to carry it all up the steps and into the house but I managed it after several trips. This is the problem with having a house on a hill and a local vineyard .
Meanwhile, Max had finished his exams and was busy being a student, partying in Goa until the early hours of the morning with his mates. He wasn’t exactly slumming it though, as he stopped in his friend’s luxury villa complete with staff and several drivers. Afterwards, back in Bangalore, Max continued to meet up with his friends before he came out to Sicily with Andrew and Milo. That’s why he didn’t come with me.
I managed to miss Andrew’s birthday (-again!) but our friends threw him a party (he claimed I had abandoned him, obviously looking for sympathy) They all had a fantastic time. They did facetime me as I sat with my pizza and glass of wine on my own.
As soon as Milo finished school, they all flew out and I picked them up from the airport. The jobs were done and we had plenty of food so they didn’t need to go round the shops. They stared at the view too!
Our nephew, Joe and his girlfriend, Elena, arrived in Sicily for a week, so we spent some time with them and it was our friend’s Ignazio’s 60th birthday. He had invited us all to a rural restaurant for lunch. It was a splendid Sicilian meal, relaxed and unrushed, as Sicilians like to spend time talking and enjoying themselves.
Andrew and I managed to celebrate our wedding anniversary together this year, so that was a treat! Last year, I was in Sicily and Andrew was out partying with the boys. This year we went to a new restaurant with our boys. Pizza, Pizza, Pizza! The wine was so good, so drinkable and so plentiful.
But this trip to Sicily was different as we had one week and then we were going to the UK for a wedding.
The boys didn’t have outfits for the wedding but I had visited the local shopping centres to find suitable shops. I think the shop that we chose thought they had won the jack-pot, we were in there for over 2 hours. The clothes fitted really well and the quality was so good – not like India. It is hard to get good quality clothes in India. Even though they produce lots of the world’s fabric, someone told us that they export all the good quality. We have found many clothes we buy here don’t last too long when washed, they shrink or fade quickly. Our plan of filling our suitcases with food was fading as we realised they would be filled with clothes.
The UK
We flew in on the Friday from Catania, landed in Luton and had a stress -free journey down to Hagworthingham where we were staying in the same cottage as our previous trip, two years before. It helped that we had lots of Marks and Spencer sandwiches to eat (proper sandwich bread) on the journey down!
After gorging on fish and chips in the evening, we went to see the bride and groom at The Elms, near Spilsby, where the wedding was taking place.
Saturday
The wedding was so wonderful. The venue is perfect for small weddings as everything takes place there. We were lucky with the weather as the sun shone all day. The recent forecast had said rain but we were pleased that they got it wrong this time.
Milo helped to give Diane (his Granny) away and Max did a reading.
There were tasty snacks after the ceremony and then a BBQ later in the early evening. The boys were pleased to have hot dogs with proper sausages, not the rubbery kind we get in India.(they try hard to make sausages but need some lessons).
It was nice to see all the family together after so long.
Sunday
It was time for the other side of the family and our first activity was a walk on the beach. We did miss Andy as he would have loved it. As he wasn’t with us, we made a fuss of Wilf, Mal and Julie’s dog. Abbie and Joe had come over too.
Then, we went to the pub in Hagworthingham to celebrate Derek’s big birthday that he had had recently.
Afterwards, Milo was pleased to see his old friends from school and disappeared with them. We went round later to Matt and Janette’s and sat on their patio admiring the view.
Monday
We popped into Skegness to see Grandma Fossey and then dashed round the supermarket to stock up on British essentials that we miss. We got a big supply of medicines too that we can’t seem to get in India.
In the afternoon, our friends Diane and Duncan came round and it was so lovely to see them.
Tuesday
That was it, UK visit over and we were our way back to the airport ready to go back to Sicily.
Sicily again.
Our flight back was early in the morning and we flew on EasyJet. We had the most entertaining steward who had the whole plane hanging on his every word. He was so funny.
Andrew’s uncle, Geoff, and his wife, Sue, landed 15 minutes after we did and we met them in the arrival hall.
They came over for a BBQ and we had a great catch up all day and late into the night. We even ended up dancing on the terrace. Much wine was consumed and we enjoyed the Italian food and the fine weather.
We continued to try the different local restaurants close to the house although the closet one had lost their pizza chef and so only offered pasta and meat meals. Usually, we find we need the pizza option as well. Fingers crossed they will have a new chef when go back next time.
Oh, my goodness me! Marcello, the pilot and Avril’s new friend, managed to hover above the swimming pool so they could wave to us from inside, then he swooped around and flew directly over the house. Talk about exciting! I thought he was going to clip the roof ,though.
For Andrew’s birthday present, I had arranged a trip on a boat where he could steer the boat, anchor up somewhere in the bay, we could all have a picnic and then swim in the sea. Unfortunately, on the days that we had chosen, the wind decided to pick up and the guy who owned the boat said that he thought it was be an uncomfortable journey as it would be too choppy. So, Andrew and the boys decided to go quad biking on Mt. Etna instead.
That was an exciting adventure too. They got to drive the quad bikes and to go hiking.
Mt. Etna erupts.
All was going smoothly and we were having a fantastic time. Then, it became even better. One evening, we were returning from the local restaurant when I saw, out of the back of the car, a huge mushroom cloud come out of the top of Mt Etna. As I had consumed quite a lot of wine and was rather happy, no one believed me.
Pulling onto the drive of our house meant we were facing Mt Etna and we could all see that it had erupted in a rather spectacular fashion.
The light was fading. By the way, it still is exciting to us that the days are long in Europe in summer- in India it hardly changes, its dark by 6:30 and light by 6. It doesn’t change. We miss the long summer nights but we don’t miss the short winter nights.
As the light was fading, we could see the red glow of a lava fountain coming out of the top.
We stayed up and watched the display. We could see huge boulders being thrown out of the top when we used the binoculars. Otherwise, it still looked like a lava fountain.
The next morning it had stopped so we carried on as normal but kept looking at the mountain. We could hear it booming every now and again.
Max IB exam results
While we were sunbathing, eating nice food and generally really enjoying ourselves, Max was getting more and more nervous as his IB results were looming. They are the equivalent of “A” levels but there are 6 subjects plus 2 research papers to do ( I think A levels are perhaps easier to achieve as you have to pass all 6 subjects in order to get the IB Diploma, so if you have applied to university and you get one low mark then that is it !)
There is no going to school, getting the paper and waving it for all to see. Oh no, you have to wait for the allotted time and then put in your code online, all on your own.
Max is in eagerness got the wrong time (easily done considering all the times zones we had been in) then he put in the wrong code and so he was blocked from the website for 30 minutes. All his friends were announcing that they had their results on their group chat. Max went back to his room and we sat patiently waiting downstairs, pretending that we weren’t anxious, when he shouted that he had passed!
Yay! This means that he has fulfilled all the criteria to apply to university with his total score. You get a mark for each exam and research paper which are added together.
We were all so pleased. We had some champagne and celebrated.
Sadly, it was almost time for us to leave and go back to India.
Etna
Etna wasn’t finished! At 4 in the morning, as we were about to leave at 8 for the airport, there was an almighty eruption and the fountain of lava went really high into the air. Our house is quite close to the mountain top, as the crow flies, and it was quite a spectacular site. Now, when this happens there will be an ash cloud and its path is dependent on the direction of the wind. The other day, the direction of the wind had gone the other way from us (but we still did a family dash and covered the pool, just in case) But this time, it was heading our way.
We knew that the airport might get closed again but we decided to go to the airport and see if we could get the flight.
We went down to Giarre to put the car into Avril’s garage and there was enormous boom. All the windows, doors and metal shutters rattled around us, as we were in the street getting into Ignazio’s truck. Off we went along the motorway and as we did, we went through an area where the ash was falling lightly on the roads and cars but we could drive through it. Luckily, we made it in time to the airport.
3 flights
In theory, we had plenty of time to get our first flight to Rome and then check in our bags to fly to Dubai.
But Etna was slowing down all the flights, as they restrict how many come in each hour, and we were delayed for over an hour.
When we arrived in Rome, we were at the furthest point that anyone could be from the next terminal and we decided that we might need to start running. We got to the baggage hall and no baggage was coming through - nothing, not one bag. We were getting very twitchy when after 40 minutes there were still no bags (and we had booked priority). An hour and nothing! We had run for no reason too!
It looked like we were going to miss the flight to Dubai. Then, the conveyor belt started to move. The bags slowly arrived. We had 5, one for the extra clothes and food! But one case (new and only 2 days old) had lost a wheel. Never mind, we started running again to the next terminal, we had 5 minutes until the check- in desk closed. It was rather a hot and sweaty arrival at the check- in desk and we were the last people to arrive. But we were on the flight. The check- in lady said to hurry to get through to the gate so off we went again at full speed (but not running anymore, just fast walking). In fact,I couldn’t run anymore because my beautiful new Italian sandals, which are not meant for running, had blistered my feet!
We walked through the airport and got straight onto the plane. Phew!
Back in India
Holiday over, it was time for some ordered and strategic packing. The last time we had moved, we had been invaded by all the men packing and I couldn’t keep track of where everything was, so this time I was determined to be in charge. I started to pack any boxes that I could, labelling them very carefully and having a list on the computer.
Oh, I thought I was so organised.
Milo’s birthday
Milo turned 15 and we went out to The Hard rock café in Whitefield and had some lovely food. He had money which he is hanging on to and he is still trying to decide what to buy, if anything. We didn't take any photos so he is the neglected child this time!
Singapore
As I carried on packing, Andrew went off to Hyderabad, Malaysia and Singapore for work.
Max internship
Max had got a small internship as he has taken a gap year. He had got it through our friend, Rikin, and he was happy to go and see how one type of business worked.
But ever since he had been in Sicily, Max had had a swollen big toe and he was limping. Max needed surgery on it. It wasn’t very pleasant and rather painful so it meant he had to have a week off so his foot could heal. Then, he was back at the office listening hard.
Max’s birthday
It was Max’s 18th birthday and the day before we had gone to Niska and Tarun’s lovely new home for a BBQ. They found out that Max was going to be 18 the next day and they quickly arranged a cake and everyone sang to him. They enjoyed giving him lots of shots of alcohol, but he handled it well.
On his actual birthday, it was quite a strange day. He had joined the driving school a few days before and was ready to have his first lesson. I tried not to think about all the mad traffic out there but he was really keen.
I had to go and supervise the cleaning of the new house so the plan was that I would come back and we would go out for lunch.
Meanwhile, Sidd came over to see Max and he had bought him a wonderful present of some designer trainers. Max was so surprised and extremely happy but they were too big. Sidd bravely let Max have a go at driving his Mercedes.Then, Andrew, Max and Sidd set off for the city centre to exchange the trainers and as it was late, they had lunch. I had taken an emergency sandwich with me and it was just as well because I couldn’t get from where I was to them, before having to return to Palm Meadows in order to let Milo in from his first day at school. So complicated. He had forgotten his key!
When Max got back from his boozy lunch, it was nearly time to go out again for his family dinner. It was quite mad.
Moving day
We realised that both houses were ready early and the packers at our end said that they could move us a week in advance.
This meant that Milo’s 3- hour home trek every day was coming to an end.
I set about packing even more boxes. The first day of moving arrived and because I had packed so much it meant that everything was nearly done on the first day, but not all.
It also meant that we had nowhere to sit other than our beds and watch our phones.
On the second day, the plan was for us to go across to the new house with Arjun with the main cases and, of course, Andy. Milo was at school and coming on the new bus.
But that plan had gone to pot by 7am as we realised Max had his driving lesson and Arjun couldn’t get back in time. Therefore, the new plan was that Andy and I would go with the main things. Andy could have a big sniff and settle down. Arjun would go back to get Max and Andrew, they would arrive and then the removal van.
Now, this is India remember and things rarely go smoothly. The driving instructor didn’t turn up! Andrew and Max spent ages waiting for him, only to be told he was busy/forgotten about the lesson, even though the lesson was booked the day before!
This meant that they were late coming to me.I had taken Andy’s basket and after 4 hours, I decided that it was actually quite comfy to sit in,I had no other furniture. We both sat on the balcony in the basket watching the golfers, avoiding the sun.
Finally, the boys arrived, about two minutes before the removal van arrived.
Then, it was pandemonium.
As the boxes came in, I was proud of my organised packing system. But it only worked up to a point. As I had left so early, I wasn’t there the supervise the final boxes. When the boxes came in, I had no idea where they were going. They were just labelled box 4, box 5 etc, with no clue as to what was in them and where they should go. My labelled boxes had the room they should go into labelled in several places on the box. At the other house, I had left some of my boxes open ready to close them at the last moment, but the men had just randomly shoved obscure things in the boxes that had no relation to the rest of the contents. One box I had packed with documents in, then had a candle in the top. It was like they had found things around the house and then gone and just filled up the boxes with anything, just anything! I reckon they had done it on purpose. It was as annoying as finding things in the wrong place in a supermarket.
It is now three weeks later and I still have mystery boxes shoved in either the maid’s room or under the stairs. I have no idea what is in them.
Our new house, snakes and monkeys and frogs
Our new house is absolutely beautiful and we have views onto the golf course. Andrew and Milo are more relaxed. Max is chilling and applying for universities. Andy likes sitting outside and watching the golfers, he sits outside more than he did in Palm Meadows. He also has more places to sit.
We have an area for one sofa and chairs downstairs and an outside table. We each have our own balconies and the master bedroom has along balcony that looks onto the golf course so we have our other cane sofa there. The house has large windows that do not have bars on them so it is much lighter inside.
Between 6-8 am and after 6pm, we can walk on the paths around the golf course and we can go for miles. On a Monday, the golf course is closed, so we can walk all day if we want.
We knew that there would be snakes and one night, when walking with Andy, Andrew got lost and had to ask a guard the way home. The guard was really insistent on not walking on the greens in the dark as the snakes might be there. We knew there would be snakes.
One afternoon, I opened the downstairs patio doors to be greeted by a very long rat snake a few feet away resting on one of the door window ledges. Andy was intrigued and shot forward as I screamed (I always scream with snakes as I am not keen). But Andy did come back to me as I called him in the house. Meanwhile, Max had heard all the kerfuffle and run downstairs but the snake had gone.
The next day, I was telling our new maid, Susheela, who had worked for the previous tenants, and she said a snake had been found along the inside of the patio door and that we must always close the mosquito nets. She also said that one day she had gone into the kitchen and a monkey was sat eating a banana on the kitchen sink! Our friend had told us about the monkeys invading sometimes. When we go around the community there are some replica tigers hidden in the foliage to try to scare them off. So, we wait and see with the monkeys but in the meantime the mosquito nets are all closed.
Although, I was rather shocked as I was writing this when a frog hopped out from under the sofa in the house. Where there are frogs there are snakes so I have my feet up !
Shopping
As we are further out of the city, there are not so many shops or delivery companies and the boys are devastated that they can’t have a KFC! I am quite pleased with that one. We can get deliveries from the club house and from the Marriott hotel nearby.They bring the deliveries in a golf cart. We think we are really posh now because of this!
I have been given all the other companies that deliver bread, meat, groceries etc. It just means being more organisation as they come on set days and are not there instantly like in other parts of Bangalore.
There is new mall 40 minutes away that has been opened a year but going there is an adventure in itself.
It is beautiful inside but no one seems to have thought sensibly about the parking and the roads leading up to the mall. The approach road is next to a housing community and there is usually traffic going the wrong way and cutting across the main traffic. It takes a while to get through. shutting your eyes means you don't see the near misses. I hope Arjun doesn't close his eyes!
Once inside, we also spotted an emergency exit chained so there was no quick exit.
Getting out of the car park is chaotic too and, in fact, on one day when there was a power cut, the staff couldn’t work out how to operate the barriers and all the cars were stuck. Andrew got out and went to kick away the flimsy barrier and yelled very loudly at all the staff standing doing nothing. I think this did the trick and they were able to escape.
We have decided not to go there on a weekend when the locals are going for their day out riding on the escalators. It is just too crowded.
Yesterday
We went shopping at the supermarket on the bottom floor and Arjun and I were subjected to a dreadful guard who tried to grab the cool bag off Arjun. As I tried to intervene, the guard completely ignored me and continued yelling at Arjun. I went to find the manager. I complained very loudly about how we had been going to their other branch and had never had a problem taking in the bag and that the guard had completely ignored me and was rude. I said I am paying for the shopping, not Arjun, and I have told him to bring the bag so the guard should deal with me. He really was an ignoramous. I kept giving him evils all the way round as I could see him watching us. The manager kept popping up beside me apologising as I shopped. He also said that the guard was new. I told him that didn’t matter, he was rude and a person who liked his moment of power and I don’t expect to have to have such a stressful time shopping. But in between, Arjun and I were laughing because more and more staff were following us to try to help.
I had had the same stupidity the other day when I went to another local supermarket. The lady guard wanted to tie my very small handbag up. I said no and refused. I got the head wobble but I walked off. Again, I complained because how was I supposed to pay for the shopping if my bag was tied shut? What was I going to steal with such a small bag? I did think about doing the shopping and then seeing what happened when I pointed out that the phone and cards were tied in my bag because of the guard, but I couldn’t be bothered, it was too hot.
But the really positive thing, is that there is a new Pret a Manger that has just opened up in the mall, so we can get 'British' sandwiches. Yay! No spice and proper bread, cheese and pickle. We went to the open evening .We just hope they don’t 'Indianafy' them by adding in spice.
We wait and see on that too.
Socialising
We have already been to a party here in the community in a “ get to know you BBQ”. It was a wonderful evening and we got to know a lot of people who live here, all very kind and friendly. We have also had some of our friends over for an lunch and the rest will be invited soon!
