I was waiting eagerly for the trip to India and the day finally dawned. After spending 11 months here, at work and in Germany, I had got a chance to go home and meet my folks back there! I was super-excited, but the thought of taking Tanay all by myself was also little worrisome, but we managed it well.
After a long flight and stop-over at Dubai and then after reaching Bangalore in the early morning, it felt like I had overcome a great hurdle and finally reached my destination. Tanay did not cause any trouble and he behaved like a good boy, he was either busy with the remote control of the TV set in the plane or was sleeping away to glory in a crammed, small seat, next to me!
My parents had come to Bangalore to receive us and they were extremely delighted to see us after a long time in real sense. We skyped every week, but then the experience of being there in person and in front of our loved ones is something else! Tanay immediately got hooked to his grandfather, whom he lovingly calls Aaba. I was feeling like a zombie as I hadn't slept for last 24 hours. I managed to catch up on some sleep immediately after reaching home and Sunday mostly passed in catching up on sleep. I also met up with my close friend and neighbor, Sonali and her daughter, Zara, who is 10 days older to Tanay.
Monday was waiting for me with a huge task list of the bank matters. We hired a car and went around in the city, doing chores! Tanay and my mom stayed back at home. In the evening, my best friends, Koustubh and John came to meet us. We talked merrily about the present conditions, books, Germany and anything that crossed our minds. Had a hearty meal prepared by mom and slept off. Next day was a visit to my other two best friends, Teju and Meenal, who both had kids, whom I hadn't seen yet. It was a great sight to watch a week old baby and another 11 months baby. All the days, which I had spent with Tanay as he passed this stage, flashed before me and I felt relieved that I was through all that! Tanay gelled great with Zara and wanted to go to her place all the time. They fought also, but also wanted to be together. It was such an endearing sight to watch these tiny tots into 2 year old kids with their own preferences and choices and arguments
I then went to Pune and spent a week with my in-laws. Construction work was going on and there was a lot of noise, dust and dirt everywhere. Tanay thoroughly enjoyed getting dirty in itand he fully enjoyed his grandparents attention and love too. From there, I went to Dombivli and spent good 15 days there. I wouldn't say they were relaxing, but I felt good being home after a long long time. I also met up relatives there, did bank related work, did my medical tests, applied for Aadhar card, and did a name change application for the PAN card. I ate most of the stuff, which I had planned to e.g. bhel, paani puri, vada paav, dosa, noodles, shrikhanda and what not!
Tanay had a blast in Dombivli. My dad took him to his friends, sans me! And he didn't mind it all. As long as he got into the rickshaw and my dad was there, he went anywhere. He made friends with the watchman of my building and he befriended a 5 year old kid on the second floor, where he went to play after bath everyday. He played with the daughter of my maid and he had a love-hate relationship with both his great-grandmothers. I wonder what was playing in his mind, when he behaved that way with them. He started loving bath in the big bathroom and he bathed thrice a day there! That too with his own hands and with a small vessel and a bucket. Fan was his biggest fascination there and wherever he went, he asked to switch on all the fans and in all the rooms which possibly had fans! He doesn't see one, here in Germany, and that might be the reason for his fascination. He also collected many gifts and blessings from my friends and relatives and well wishers! Shreya Ma, my kid sister was his favorite and he often vanished with her and her mom to see and start the fans in their home.
With a treasure of wonderful memories, we flew back on 15.03 and got back to routine from Monday. Tanay still misses the people he met in India and is reluctant to go to the creche now, but he will be allright in some time! He wants to meet his grandparents and other people whom he really liked. He will be able to understand soon that India and Germany are two different places, some thousand kilometers away from each other and that we can't get out of the house in Germany and reach Dombivli in 2 minutes!
How I wish!
:-)
After a long flight and stop-over at Dubai and then after reaching Bangalore in the early morning, it felt like I had overcome a great hurdle and finally reached my destination. Tanay did not cause any trouble and he behaved like a good boy, he was either busy with the remote control of the TV set in the plane or was sleeping away to glory in a crammed, small seat, next to me!
My parents had come to Bangalore to receive us and they were extremely delighted to see us after a long time in real sense. We skyped every week, but then the experience of being there in person and in front of our loved ones is something else! Tanay immediately got hooked to his grandfather, whom he lovingly calls Aaba. I was feeling like a zombie as I hadn't slept for last 24 hours. I managed to catch up on some sleep immediately after reaching home and Sunday mostly passed in catching up on sleep. I also met up with my close friend and neighbor, Sonali and her daughter, Zara, who is 10 days older to Tanay.
Monday was waiting for me with a huge task list of the bank matters. We hired a car and went around in the city, doing chores! Tanay and my mom stayed back at home. In the evening, my best friends, Koustubh and John came to meet us. We talked merrily about the present conditions, books, Germany and anything that crossed our minds. Had a hearty meal prepared by mom and slept off. Next day was a visit to my other two best friends, Teju and Meenal, who both had kids, whom I hadn't seen yet. It was a great sight to watch a week old baby and another 11 months baby. All the days, which I had spent with Tanay as he passed this stage, flashed before me and I felt relieved that I was through all that! Tanay gelled great with Zara and wanted to go to her place all the time. They fought also, but also wanted to be together. It was such an endearing sight to watch these tiny tots into 2 year old kids with their own preferences and choices and arguments
I then went to Pune and spent a week with my in-laws. Construction work was going on and there was a lot of noise, dust and dirt everywhere. Tanay thoroughly enjoyed getting dirty in itand he fully enjoyed his grandparents attention and love too. From there, I went to Dombivli and spent good 15 days there. I wouldn't say they were relaxing, but I felt good being home after a long long time. I also met up relatives there, did bank related work, did my medical tests, applied for Aadhar card, and did a name change application for the PAN card. I ate most of the stuff, which I had planned to e.g. bhel, paani puri, vada paav, dosa, noodles, shrikhanda and what not!
Tanay had a blast in Dombivli. My dad took him to his friends, sans me! And he didn't mind it all. As long as he got into the rickshaw and my dad was there, he went anywhere. He made friends with the watchman of my building and he befriended a 5 year old kid on the second floor, where he went to play after bath everyday. He played with the daughter of my maid and he had a love-hate relationship with both his great-grandmothers. I wonder what was playing in his mind, when he behaved that way with them. He started loving bath in the big bathroom and he bathed thrice a day there! That too with his own hands and with a small vessel and a bucket. Fan was his biggest fascination there and wherever he went, he asked to switch on all the fans and in all the rooms which possibly had fans! He doesn't see one, here in Germany, and that might be the reason for his fascination. He also collected many gifts and blessings from my friends and relatives and well wishers! Shreya Ma, my kid sister was his favorite and he often vanished with her and her mom to see and start the fans in their home.
With a treasure of wonderful memories, we flew back on 15.03 and got back to routine from Monday. Tanay still misses the people he met in India and is reluctant to go to the creche now, but he will be allright in some time! He wants to meet his grandparents and other people whom he really liked. He will be able to understand soon that India and Germany are two different places, some thousand kilometers away from each other and that we can't get out of the house in Germany and reach Dombivli in 2 minutes!
How I wish!
:-)
It's a very nice write up of your India trip. I suggest you read it after a few months and feel the gush of the good memories of this one month spent in India.
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