Yesterday was Eid-ul-Fitr, the day that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims gathered at mosques across India to offer prayers. And thousands gathered on the NH8, the Delhi Gurgaon Expressway, and offered their prayers there too. Traffic is often at a standstill on this road, but not usually caused by human gridlock. Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Things you don't expect to see on the motorway
I've been in India over a year now, and I'm much more used to seeing things I wouldn't have expected to see than I was when I first arrived, a novice traveller who'd only lived on two continents. I've seen people living in buildings that didn't look like they would withstand a light puff of wind. I've seen people surprised that it rains in the monsoon season, and all the roads wash away. I've seen trees growing in the middle of roads. But I've never seen this:
Yesterday was Eid-ul-Fitr, the day that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims gathered at mosques across India to offer prayers. And thousands gathered on the NH8, the Delhi Gurgaon Expressway, and offered their prayers there too. Traffic is often at a standstill on this road, but not usually caused by human gridlock.
Yesterday was Eid-ul-Fitr, the day that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims gathered at mosques across India to offer prayers. And thousands gathered on the NH8, the Delhi Gurgaon Expressway, and offered their prayers there too. Traffic is often at a standstill on this road, but not usually caused by human gridlock. 
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Wine glass 1 - Keir nil
Sunday evening we were provided with the reason why we have carried a Boots First Aid kit around for years. For on Sunday evening Keir decided to use a wine glass as a football. In case you're wondering, wine glasses do not make good footballs. Especially if you have hard marble floors...
First Keir kicked the glass with his foot (actually first Rod said, mind out for my wine glass, but considering what followed, that bit is a little redundant). The glass slammed down into the marble floor, bounced back up and then glass shards scattered over a large part of the living room. Rod yelled "stop", to prevent Keir walking on any of the fragments. I saw blood on his feet, yelled "blood" (I'm good at stating the obvious in an emergency) and scooped Keir up and carried him to the dining table. At this time all we could see was blood. Quite a bit of it. After cleaning up his feet we discovered Keir had a cut about 4cm long (1.5 inches) on the top of his right foot. Rod applied pressure to the wound and we hoped it would stop bleeding. Because a trip to the local emergency room was not really how I'd planned to spend my Sunday evening.
Here's where the first aid kit came in. Surprisingly, considering Keir is part of our family, we've never really had to use anything from the first aid kit before. But it contained enough steri-strips, wound dressings, bandages and micropore tape for us to avoid a trip to Max hospital. Max is the best hospital near us, and one of the best in New Delhi, but we weren't convinced they'd be as well stocked with sterile dressings as we were. I'm even more convinced today, as we were unable to refill the first aid kit after visiting three chemist shops yesterday. None of the pharmacists had ever seen steri-strips before.
Keir spent yesterday on the sofa pestering Rod, sorry playing Farkle and Farmville. He went to school this morning, proudly showing off his well bandaged foot. He has bragging rights today...
Monday, September 7, 2009
a further bathroom break
A little more to add on the bathroom situation. Yes there’s more. I just didn’t want to say it yesterday because:
a) I already had cramp from writing all that, and know there are published novels out there that are shorter and,
b) I was afraid if I made the post any longer some of you would look at it and decide: too many words, I’ll wait until Readers Digest bring out the abridged version. Yes Julie, I mean you…
I now know why Indian houses have lots of bathrooms. It’s not because Indians all want an en suite, it’s because they won’t all be fully working at the same time, and having lots of bathrooms means there’s a chance whatever you need will be working somewhere. See, our master bathroom has the best bath. Actually, it has the only bath. This worked even when we had no hot water, because we could carry a couple of buckets of hot water through from the kitchen. But the shower was cold, so Rod would use the shower in Keir’s bathroom, which is the best shower in the house. But Rod couldn’t use our bathroom to shave, because we had no hot water, nor could he use Keir’s bathroom for shaving, because Keir’s mirror is so bad you can’t see anything in it. That left Thalia’s bathroom for shaving. Thalia’s shower can be dodgy at the best of times, but she has the best mirror.
That of course was last week, when the master bath hot water cylinder was on the blink. Rod has had to go to London for 10 days, so at the moment, no one needs to be able to see their face in a mirror to shave. My hot water is now working perfectly (touch wood). Keir’s hot water cylinder worked last week, but now only gets to lukewarm. Keir had cold showers for a couple of days before he said anything. I know that cylinder was working last week because Rod would never have done that! And we don’t seem to be able to get any hot water out of Thalia’s hot water cylinder. Actually, we don’t seem to be able to get any water out of Thalia’s hot water taps at all, not hot, not cold. Fingers crossed my hot water cylinder lasts until Rod gets back on the weekend!!
a) I already had cramp from writing all that, and know there are published novels out there that are shorter and,
b) I was afraid if I made the post any longer some of you would look at it and decide: too many words, I’ll wait until Readers Digest bring out the abridged version. Yes Julie, I mean you…
I now know why Indian houses have lots of bathrooms. It’s not because Indians all want an en suite, it’s because they won’t all be fully working at the same time, and having lots of bathrooms means there’s a chance whatever you need will be working somewhere. See, our master bathroom has the best bath. Actually, it has the only bath. This worked even when we had no hot water, because we could carry a couple of buckets of hot water through from the kitchen. But the shower was cold, so Rod would use the shower in Keir’s bathroom, which is the best shower in the house. But Rod couldn’t use our bathroom to shave, because we had no hot water, nor could he use Keir’s bathroom for shaving, because Keir’s mirror is so bad you can’t see anything in it. That left Thalia’s bathroom for shaving. Thalia’s shower can be dodgy at the best of times, but she has the best mirror.
That of course was last week, when the master bath hot water cylinder was on the blink. Rod has had to go to London for 10 days, so at the moment, no one needs to be able to see their face in a mirror to shave. My hot water is now working perfectly (touch wood). Keir’s hot water cylinder worked last week, but now only gets to lukewarm. Keir had cold showers for a couple of days before he said anything. I know that cylinder was working last week because Rod would never have done that! And we don’t seem to be able to get any hot water out of Thalia’s hot water cylinder. Actually, we don’t seem to be able to get any water out of Thalia’s hot water taps at all, not hot, not cold. Fingers crossed my hot water cylinder lasts until Rod gets back on the weekend!!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
In hot water...not!
How many Indians does it take to change a hot water cylinder? It's not a joke, I'm just asking. Because it's taken days already...
A little bit of backstory first: The hot water cylinder in our bathroom stopped working while we were in Australia, and Rod got it repaired in time for our return. For Rod is a good husband, and knows how important a bath is to me all of the time, and even more so when I've just got off a plane. Fast forward six weeks, and the hot water cylinder stops producing hot water again. Now as far as I'm concerned, this makes it not a very good hot water cylinder. So we went to the same repair shop in the local market and asked for a repairman to come and fix it again. It was late in the afternoon and the owner was not in, so the man behind the counter said he would come tomorrow morning.
The following afternoon, the shop owner and his repair guy came to our house. Unfortunately they had chosen to come while there was a colony wide power cut, so they could not test the electrics on our hot water cylinder. Why did they come when they knew the power was out? They want us to call them when the power is back on. When power was restored we called the number they had given us. The man said he would come in half an hour. At six o'clock, three and a half hours after the half hour, I get Raju to call to find out when the repair guy will arrive. I don't want anyone saying I don't understand... Raju calls, and tells me it is Tuesday and they are not working today. Now I knew it was Tuesday, and I know many shops shut here on a Tuesday, but it was Tuesday four hours earlier when they stood in my house in the dark because the power was out. But it's not Raju's fault, so I just have to accept that they will do as they say, which is come to my house to fix my hot water cylinder the following day at 10.30-11.
Wednesday morning comes, and while I have hopes that the hot water will work today, I have no expectation that someone will be in my house at 10.30 fixing it. But I need to go out around lunchtime, so I'm going to need the repair guy to have an un-Indian approach to time-keeping. At 10.45 I explain this to Raju, who goes around the corner to the shop to make sure they understand I need them working in my house in the morning. The shop isn’t open yet. So Raju calls the mobile number he has been given, and is told we are the repair guy’s first job of the day.
Repair guy and his toolbag carrying sidekick arrive at D59 at 11.45, and repair guy sets about checking the cylinder. He decides to disconnect the water supply to the cylinder. At least I think that’s what he does, for copious quantities of water pour out the side of the cylinder and all over my bathroom. Sidekick stands in the bathroom holding a screwdriver. Raju stands in my bathroom holding a bucket. Repair guy takes out the scorch marked heating element, and two rods, one of which has a melted hole in the side I’m sure the manufacturers hadn’t intended.
A little bit of backstory first: The hot water cylinder in our bathroom stopped working while we were in Australia, and Rod got it repaired in time for our return. For Rod is a good husband, and knows how important a bath is to me all of the time, and even more so when I've just got off a plane. Fast forward six weeks, and the hot water cylinder stops producing hot water again. Now as far as I'm concerned, this makes it not a very good hot water cylinder. So we went to the same repair shop in the local market and asked for a repairman to come and fix it again. It was late in the afternoon and the owner was not in, so the man behind the counter said he would come tomorrow morning.
The following afternoon, the shop owner and his repair guy came to our house. Unfortunately they had chosen to come while there was a colony wide power cut, so they could not test the electrics on our hot water cylinder. Why did they come when they knew the power was out? They want us to call them when the power is back on. When power was restored we called the number they had given us. The man said he would come in half an hour. At six o'clock, three and a half hours after the half hour, I get Raju to call to find out when the repair guy will arrive. I don't want anyone saying I don't understand... Raju calls, and tells me it is Tuesday and they are not working today. Now I knew it was Tuesday, and I know many shops shut here on a Tuesday, but it was Tuesday four hours earlier when they stood in my house in the dark because the power was out. But it's not Raju's fault, so I just have to accept that they will do as they say, which is come to my house to fix my hot water cylinder the following day at 10.30-11.
Wednesday morning comes, and while I have hopes that the hot water will work today, I have no expectation that someone will be in my house at 10.30 fixing it. But I need to go out around lunchtime, so I'm going to need the repair guy to have an un-Indian approach to time-keeping. At 10.45 I explain this to Raju, who goes around the corner to the shop to make sure they understand I need them working in my house in the morning. The shop isn’t open yet. So Raju calls the mobile number he has been given, and is told we are the repair guy’s first job of the day.
Repair guy and his toolbag carrying sidekick arrive at D59 at 11.45, and repair guy sets about checking the cylinder. He decides to disconnect the water supply to the cylinder. At least I think that’s what he does, for copious quantities of water pour out the side of the cylinder and all over my bathroom. Sidekick stands in the bathroom holding a screwdriver. Raju stands in my bathroom holding a bucket. Repair guy takes out the scorch marked heating element, and two rods, one of which has a melted hole in the side I’m sure the manufacturers hadn’t intended.
I may make this sound like a quick job, but in fact this takes 45 minutes. During the 45 minutes, water continues to drip out the side of the cylinder. Maybe repair guy hasn’t been as diligent in turning off the water to the cylinder as he should have been. But he leaves with the three broken pieces and a 1000 rupee advance, saying he will be back to fit new parts later that afternoon. With more forethought than the repair guy, I balance the bucket on the loo seat to attempt to catch some of the drips. Why bother at this stage you may think, considering how much water has already gone on the floor? But it feels like the right thing to do, and when I returned home after my errands I found the 22 litre bucket close to overflowing.
Repair guy returns at 4.30. He empties the now again half full bucket and attempts to fit new replacement parts. He’s finding this a little tricky, because there’s a stream of water coming from the hole he’s trying to plug with one of the rods. He can use a cloth to plug up the hole. That stops the water, but he can’t get the rod in with the cloth in the way. He can take the cloth away, but then the water stream comes back. Hmmm.
Eventually he manages to get the hole plugged with the rod and he can close up the side of the hot water cylinder. He tells me it works, and asks that I test it that evening, and he will be back tomorrow to check all is well. I tell him I will check it that evening, because I’ve been looking forward to having a bath where I haven’t had to carry the hot water in from the kitchen in my 22 litre bucket. Unfortunately, that evening I was not able to have a bath, as there was no water coming out of my bathroom taps at 8pm as the roof tanks had run dry. This is not uncommon, and it often does not last for long. It might not even have been connected to the water feature that was my bathroom earlier that day. But I checked again at 9pm, and then at 10 and 11 and midnight. When the water came back I do not know. But I’d lost the urge to bathe by then!
Repair guy returns at 4.30. He empties the now again half full bucket and attempts to fit new replacement parts. He’s finding this a little tricky, because there’s a stream of water coming from the hole he’s trying to plug with one of the rods. He can use a cloth to plug up the hole. That stops the water, but he can’t get the rod in with the cloth in the way. He can take the cloth away, but then the water stream comes back. Hmmm.
Eventually he manages to get the hole plugged with the rod and he can close up the side of the hot water cylinder. He tells me it works, and asks that I test it that evening, and he will be back tomorrow to check all is well. I tell him I will check it that evening, because I’ve been looking forward to having a bath where I haven’t had to carry the hot water in from the kitchen in my 22 litre bucket. Unfortunately, that evening I was not able to have a bath, as there was no water coming out of my bathroom taps at 8pm as the roof tanks had run dry. This is not uncommon, and it often does not last for long. It might not even have been connected to the water feature that was my bathroom earlier that day. But I checked again at 9pm, and then at 10 and 11 and midnight. When the water came back I do not know. But I’d lost the urge to bathe by then!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Television 101
I don't think Keir has quite grasped how television works. This surprised Rod and I, considering how many years we have worked in the industry. And what led us to this conclusion...let's start at the very beginning, it's a very fine place to start...
Back in 2007, one of Keir's absolute favourite TV programmes was "Any Dream Will Do", the search for a new West End star to play the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was must see television in the Fairweather household, so much so that I made him his own dreamcoat for his birthday. That dreamcoat came with us to India, and it's still one of his favourite things. (Will I continue with the musical references? Maybe this time...)
Back in 2007, one of Keir's absolute favourite TV programmes was "Any Dream Will Do", the search for a new West End star to play the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was must see television in the Fairweather household, so much so that I made him his own dreamcoat for his birthday. That dreamcoat came with us to India, and it's still one of his favourite things. (Will I continue with the musical references? Maybe this time...)
When we returned from Australia we discovered one of our satellite channels, BBC Entertainment, was showing re-runs of the show. Keir was very excited. But after a couple of weeks, he said something that didn't quite jell with us. He was surprised when Craig was voted off the show, and said he hoped Keith would win. Now, I had hoped Keith would win, back in 2007. But he didn't win then, so I wasn't expecting him to do so in the repeat. Not even maybe this time...
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