Good Morning!
Had a great first day in Bangalore with the Whites. After a lovely sleep in we went out with Matt, Ruth and Jill (Matt's Mum and Auntie) to see their local shopping places. Shareesh drove us expertly through interesting traffic, no lanes and no rules or at least that's how it felt! Fiona pays $7 a month to have these beautiful fresh flowers hanging in her car EVERY day... A little Indian lady drops them off to the house each morning. Just beautiful.
We went "Esteem Mall" to buy bread, then another stall on the road to get banana's ...$1 a kg!!! We found a bottle shop for some beer for the boys and Bombay Sapphire Gin for the girls! Another stop at another hole in the wall for Matt's favorite cereal. There are no supermarkets here, like you told us Mum. No wonder the Whites ask for all the luxuaries with very visitor.
My impression of Bangalore so far is not too different than an under developed Jakarta. It is dirty and busy with lots of goats wandering around. It takes forever to get anywhere in the car!
Fi and I went to get the kids from school which she does each day morning and afternoon and it took us 40 mins. The kids were happy to see a familiar face and Eliza showed me around her school which is a restful green haven in a busy city.
That evening Fi,Renata (good friend and neighbour of the White's) and I went into the city (50 mins) to meet the boys for drinks and dinner. The bar was stunning (Prue u would have loved it), open air with red tiny lights hanging from the ceiling and giant buddah's sitting in fountains, several G&T's were had. We had dinner in the Resturant attached, a delicious Asian comtempary menu...duck pancakes...yum!
It is fabulous being here and experiencing life as an expat. Today we are off to do some shopping. I am lying here typing this on my iPad listening to the mosque...it is a lovely temp, windows all open, cool and humid.
Thanks for all your messages. Ariana and Reg's hope your sport went well this morn. No doubt you are being angels for Grandma and Pop.
Love you all so much,
T