Anu Dhabi: To India and Back

“India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.”
― Shashi Tharoor

Shashi Tharoor--you are TOO wise!

Pickle's prep

We prepared a great deal for our trip to India (April 17-28). We tried to get Malarone for everyone, but the drugs were very difficult to procure, even with a prescription, and the only pharmacy in Abu Dhabi (possibly the UAE) carrying it was out. I really appreciated when the receptionist at SKMC (our best hospital) looked at me and said "Why are you worrying about malaria in India? You should be worried about coronavirus! We have had six cases in this hospital and one person has died!". Suffice it to say, the next time we visited the hospital, post-holiday, we went like this:

MERS free zone

Our OCI cards arrived just in time, and we got our jabs painfully up-to-date (I probably have enough Hep A vaccine running through my body to last me two life-times, as I don't give the same care to my own vaccination records as I do my children's).

We spent a whole day shopping for Indian clothes--the Label 24 shops in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai got to feel the smooth swipe of my Visa, as we bought everything we needed (I ended up with one extra saree--no matter--I will find a place to wear it).

The kids seem to be seasoned travellers now, and were very patient in the lounge and in all the lines to get on the plane. I had to chuckle when I realized that we were the most "Indian" looking people on the plane, as everyone else seemed to be in jeans and t-shirts (apparently the NEW national dress of India).

Archie, Betty and Veronica go to India

When I was very small, I remember watching a movie about an Indian westerner (like myself) who returned to India. Upon disembarking from the plane, the traveller questions "what is that terrible smell??", and is informed, that smell is INDIA. Suffice it to say, for many, many years I have prepared myself for that mystery smell (which I have always assumed will smell like sewage waste), and I was sooooo thrilled when I got off the plane in Delhi (and onto the bus that was shuttling us to the main building), to only experience the smell of jet fuel and rubber tires. Shame on that movie, which also gave me the phrase "ulla ka patha", which I never needed to bust out on this trip.

The Delhi airport was very clean and we managed to circumvent the line-up and go through the special assistance line. With three children, they did not question us--possibly wanting to get us out as fast as possible. They did, however, give grief to the Indian lady behind me who showed up with ONE child (and about 8 adults). I enjoyed translating the argument. Ultimately, after some pleading, and grouching, they all went through the line behind us. They were told not to do that again. This discussion made me realize that I had a much better grasp of Hindi than watching Bollywood movies in the 1980's (VERY briefly) had led me to believe.

We had a driver waiting, from the Shangri-la hotel in Delhi, to take us back to the hotel. We drove through some construction, past the India Gate, the embassies area and the house of the Prime Minister. The British influence in design was quite blatant. The driving (also British-style on the WRONG side of the road) was crazy (though probably the most civilized we would see in any of the cities we visited). We discovered quite early that horns were used to say "I am behind you and want to get past--move OVER!", instead of as an expletive (as they are often used in the west). Most of the trucks were painted with the words "Horn please" to indicate that they would move over and give way, if someone was in a hurry (which we apparently were, wherever we went!).

At the Shangri-la, I was welcomed with red roses (for my birthday!!), a reunion with my friend Aum, and meeting my cousin Bittu (ahem--Manohar Lal Vasdev), his wife (Kavita) and son (Saurab) for the first time. They had taken a train from Punjab (an entire day's travel in India) to come and see me. He was the only member of my family I would meet on this trip (which was not meant to exclude anyone--however we were not prepared to travel with our three small children to the village areas of India--and thus purposely kept our visit low key). We had birthday cake and tea in the lounge, and I tried my best to act as a bridge between my Punjabi-only relatives and my English-only family.

Family Reunion

After a night in Delhi, we head off the next morning to Agra, where we stayed at the Oberoi hotel. Everyone was blessed with a tikka at the door. The children all learned to say "Namaste" and "dhanyavad" to everyone they met.

Welcome to the Oberoi

I must confess, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque has spoiled me for the Taj Mahal. I know--one is a mosque and one is a tomb--but they are very similar architecturally--and the mosque here is so sparkly and new...and I see it almost EVERY DAY...but I do appreciate the history (or...the story?) behind the Taj.

I think possibly the highlight of my Agra trip was seeing the monkey on our balcony. I LOVE monkeys, and we coaxed this one down from the roof with an apple, which he promptly ate and discarded the peel down below.

One day, I will take my family back to the Taj and make a sunny-day memory there.

The road from Agra to Jaipur was bumpy and slow--but our driver Samer Singh (who had his arm bashed in by the overzealous workers at the Shangri-la hotel) got us through safely and quickly to his home turf--Rajasthan!! The greeting at the Fairmont--with drummers, trumpets and rose-petals floating from the heavens--was fitting of a Bollywood movie. The kids were sleeping in the van (all three of them)--what a wake up call!

Upon our arrival, we had the lounge to ourselves, and made ourselves at home. Sandeep (and Ashwini the next day) made us feel very welcome and the children warmed up to them very quickly. The next day, we head out to this FANTASTIC elephant adventure. We got to be up-close-and-personal with two elephants, Muskaan (who I considered "MY elephant) and Musakali. Musakali was definitely the most active and playful of the two and even managed to give a few belly-slaps to Pickle and the Magoo. We had elephant bonding time, riding, lunch (which was very hygienic and tasty), followed by painting and bath-time. We were even able to modify the activities to fit our schedule for the little ones. Thanks to my husband--for researching and discovering this amazing activity in Jaipur--and thanks to Rahul for creating such a unique, safe and touching experience for us in India!

Belly smack!

The next day, Ajay's family started arriving in Jaipur (Peter managed to spot out his brother AND sister when they were registering--good eye!). They were a really nice group, and took Aum and I along on their trip to the Bhappu Market, where I picked up a few last minute items for our trip (shoes for Peter and dresses for the girls). We rushed home, only to discover that the event was operating on IST and that our evening party at the Maharani Bagh Farm (just the extremely decadent farm that has been in the family for generations) was starting at 9 (instead of 6:30). Unfortunately, by the time I put the kids to bed and got dressed, Peter had undressed and was lying with chills and a fever in his bed. Had it been just me, I might have packed it in--but my 'date', little A, was all keyed up to go!

I booked the hotel car and was touched to learn that Ajay's dad had sent a driver for me (b/c he knew we would be later than everyone else putting the kids to sleep). He drove us (and dropped us back) safe and sound from the pre-wedding party. The highlight of my evening was being asked by a little girl if I was Chinese (apparently Ajay's family was on alert that there would be some Chinese foreigners at the party--I can only imagine she was thinking I was Mandy--my new Asian sister-in-law).

Maharani Bagh

Aided in part by the Motillium I packed, Peter made a speedy recovery. The next day we moved over to the Rajasthali hotel, the venue of the wedding. Our tent room was beautiful, and it put us closer to all the wedding activities.

Welcome to the Rajasthali!

Mehndi

Handsome Indian Men

Prince of Rajasthan

All the little Indians

Sharma girls

The following day, we spent recovering from the wedding night, and moving back to the Fairmont hotel. Though we left around 11:30, the party itself did not end until 3:30--and we got to listen to it, in all it's bhangra Gangnam Style (twice) glory--through the walls of our tent. We were quite bleary-eyed in the morning (especially those of us--me--who got up with Pickle and Magoo to go for breakfast at 7!).

We took some time to relax, and sleep at the Fairmont. Upon learning the Kids Club was 'closed for repairs', I requested a pizza making session for my kids (who were once again the only kids around--since the entire wedding group had moved to the Rajasthali hotel). Chef Gauruv told us the story of the Margerita pizza, and the children 'helped' him make a pizza (by watching very carefully in their hairnets to the side). They enjoyed themselves regardless, especially when they got to take the pizza upstairs and eat it!

Making Pizza with Chef Gauruv

That night we dolled ourselves up, and left the kids with Aunty Aumi, so we could attend the final function--a second reception, at the family farm. Although he looks 'damn handsome' in Indian-wear, Peter opted for a more western look for the evening.

On our last day, we toured around the Amer Palace, the Hava Mahal and back to Bhappu Market for some more Indian dresses for the girls (at 3000 rupees....even getting the bait-n-switch like I did didn't hurt so much!). It was HOT (but not as hot as Abu Dhabi) and we enjoyed one more drive around with Samer Singh.

Hold onto your hats--Amer Palace

A snake-charmer in India--
it does not get any better than that!

I had a wonderful trip to India (despite some bumps along the way). I was not a poverty tourist--though I saw a lot of it--and did my best always to look for beauty while I was there. I found it abound, in the indomitable spirits of all the people we saw living there. It has been 38 years since I left India (in 1976). Had it not been for Ajay, and his connections to the motherland, I likely would have not returned so soon. I am so grateful to Ajay and Isha, and their families for making us feel so welcomed and included in all of their activities. We met some great people, and had some amazing experiences. Thank-you to Peter who took the time to organize everything so well, put up my family in the hotel along-side us, and took amazing pictures of our holiday. Thank-you for your patience, and for loving me so much.

At the risk of sounding like Alanis:

"Thank-you India! Thank-you Peter! Thank-you Ajay and Iiiiiii-sha!
Thank-you Aum--for all the babysitting!
Thank-you El-e-fan-tastic!"