Alibag

Using Divali and me as an excuse, Radhika managed to do something she hasn't been able to in years... take time off work! we decided to make the most of it and all (my aunt, grandmother, her and her younger cousin-Sumee) go to her Aunt- Meeka's farm/weekend home in Alibag- just across on the mainland. As we were waiting to get the boat across Sumee and Radhika were naming all the different types of boats and looking out for the ones owned by their boating company. Alibag is an amazingly calm and quite place, when I came back I found it odd to see other people around let alone traffic! The home that Meeka has had built is amazing. There are several separate bungalows spread across the area with little alcoves of ideas and imagination. I have a strong feeling she uses it as an excuse to collect loads of figures and statues whilst on her travels and then make a little area to show it off.

As we arrived the two rescued guinea fowl came pecking at our feet and the several dogs weren't far behind.

Sumee went dashing off to see the new calf, which wasn't old enough to join the rest of the herd grazing and so stayed-in in the shade during the day. The place was filled with butterflies and dragonflies as well as some more unwanted little critters. On several occasions whilst we were swimming we'd be joined by a frog or have to scoop out a spider or cricket. One morning a very large bee came buzzing around us trying to get at the jam ma was eating, we named it dragonbee as it was easily 10 cm long. Whilst preparing dinner one evening, a scorpian even made it's way into the house, scurrying across the area where Sumee's distressed bhai (I suppose the best way to describe is: live-in nanny) had been sleeping.

On the last night whilst I was in the shower, Radhika came knocking on the door, yelling for me to come out a.s.a.p. when she said the word butterfly, i was out, dripping all over the floor. A gorgeous iridescent white moth with gold lining was quite happily just sitting on ma’s hand and it stayed there for quite some time. Sumee was really excited and wanted to know all the stories of butterflies landing on people I knew! When we arrived Nandita wanted to do something in order to thank Meeka for our stay so we decided to clean the kitchen up a bit. Unfortunately we were sooo busy relaxing we didn't have a chance to do so until the last day. People who don't want to read about the grossiousities (i.e. mum) don't read on, then I can go into the details! Basically it was a mahusssive mistake to even begin. We started by finding a jar of sludge which on closer inspection was full of maggots. When we opened the fridge we found it lined with spiders and flies and the shelves to be crusty and coated in slimy black! Even the dish rack and washing bowl were coated in wierd and wonderful colours. So sat in our swimming costumes, we had everything outside and just scrubbed away! After completing the fridge, Radhika, Sumee and I decided to clean the rest of the abandoned kitchen and had great fun making loads of noise whilst all the adults were sleeping. Sumee's Bhai was appaulled at the state of the place, as she keeps their kitchen at home glowing and so joined in, even scrubbing the cieling! By the end of it, the kitchen was glowing and our arms aching! We did find some amazing dragonfly exo-skeletons which we inspected (Sumee is taking on an interest in seeing how things work and what they're made up of). Although whilst I was having tea she told me my custard apple looked exactly the same as frog guts and the seeds were infact beatles! I can't believe I forgot to add, for the journey back we had a phonecall from PNP ferries asking us what time we would be arriving in the captain's cabin. It turned out that Sumee's Dad (Radhika's boss) had pulled some strings to get us complementary seats in the boat. As we walked down the pier, Sumee recognised one of their yachts as it came in, so she called up to find out whether we could get a lift on that back. Unfortunately it was hired by a private client to take the guy back too and so the boat was waiting for him to return. Going in the captain's cabin however meant we had a great view, the glass was tinted in the rest of the boat, so that you couldn't see out. Again I will add photos later, once they've loaded.