An on the road saga ! 4

After a fun filled and adventurous year in Japan, we landed in Taiwan. The on the road adventures here were limited to profuse use of expression and hand gestures to the locals and the taxi drivers in an attempt to make them understand our destination . Even the famous "TESCO" shopping mall had to be translated to "to-hi -ko" with right voice modulation and intonation : which used to be rehearsed again and again ....After staying in Taiwan for a year, we landed in one of the most picturesque and serene places I have stayed... South Africa.

Our stay in South Africa was fun and full of life. We stayed in a huge bungalow overlooking a nature reserve . A well maintained garden with bird baths, lush green trees and fragrant flowers would invite the huge birds, Hadidas, to land in our compound. The outside atmosphere was perfect for a walk ... and we would put on our walking shoes and venture into the lap of nature.... I would always wonder how and why people preferred to either stay in doors or just zoom in their vehicles......for we would be the only ones enjoying our evening walks.....And were often stared at by those in their cars.

It was only later that I came to know that , it was not safe to walk on the roads .... or even drive with out carrying knifes or revolvers....the crime rates in South Africa, even in a "safe" Pretoria neighborhood like ours, was high. From then on we started practicing "awareness"..... Even when we had the privilege of driving a Mazda offered to us from Pp's office.....It was in South Africa that I really drove.... Each moves , each turn, each stop .... each change of gear was practised with utmost awareness.

I was the chauffeur of the family ... as Pp was yet to master the driving skills on the road. I took up yet another job ... of teaching my husband driving. He was a good student flourishing under the tutelage of an able and experienced Guru...The confidence level in him was rising with every class ... that he finally drove on the roads with out my promptings.....He explored the different roads in Pretoria with the help of maps ..... and one day while taking a confident turn with his eyes surveying the map ... he dashed on to a near by lamp post crashing our white Mazda .....

........to be continued

Life is Relationships....................................

In this journey called life we come across umpteen number of people. We pause to exchange a "hi" with many.....with some we manage a shake hand.....with a few we sit down to chat and with a few others we hold a bond. Life is relationships......

The few countries I visited in the past seven years have enriched my life with beautiful bonds.....
when I tread back my memory lane , its these beautiful moments created by some wonderful friends that I am reminded of than the places I visited.

I would like to dedicate this post to four loving couple who made my days memorable in the four foreign countries I visited. There were many more lovely relationships which I still treasure today ....but these couples have surely etched their names with their infallible love and untainted friendship.

Kajiyoshi San and Sadami San of Japan

They were the most polite people I have ever come across. Sadami San was kind enough to prepare a full vegetarian course meal , when she invited me to her well decorated traditional Japanese home. Kajiyoshi San was one of the librarians in the library which was opposite to our apartment. How can I forget the knock at our apartment door at 4.30 in the morning....on our last day in Japan. We would have missed our flight , if he was not at our door step to bid a final good bye to us. He was in his seventies , but still helped us with all our luggage and dropped us at the railway station .

Mrs and Mr Jaison Shang of Taiwan

Our first day in Taiwan. My husband PP had already left for office and I was feeling homesick and far away from home. Just then the phone bell rang , and a female voice introduced herself as Mrs Jason , wife of Customer site Manager of PP's project.She was already waiting for me in the downstairs lobby , to show me around . She helped me purchase necessary groceries and fresh fruits and vegetables from the local market and I was already feeling very comfortable . The warmth and the kindness , we receive when we are far from home is so precious.

Mr Naas Ferriera and Mrs Wickie of South Africa


They were the most jovial and energetic couple I have come across. There enthusiasm and energy is so contagious , that they skillfully trap us in their magical web of love and friendship. My baby had started calling Mr Naas " abu"( meaning grandpa in our mother tongue.) Once they invited us home for dinner , which was an unique experience. Naas was cooking hot and fresh buns for us in his open hearth oven in his back yard. Each one had to prepare his or her own dinner.We were each provided with pans and small portable stoves. They had cut a variety of vegetables and cooked a huge casserole of rice and lined up a row of various spices. We could make a meal from the ingredients they had provided and eat from the pan. Each one came up with a different variety of rice which all savored in the warm embrace of friendship.

Mr George Chacko and Mrs Anuja Chacko of USA

I am glad to have met these wonderful people , who have made me and my family feel so much at home. Anuja 's support in exploring my artistic talents and also establishing a personal bond has made my life here more fruitful and enjoyable.

I feel fortunate to have been exposed to various cultures through my travels. If not for these experiences , I would have been like a frog in a pond.....leading a cloistered existence ....the nomad in me is thirsty for more travels and more experiences.....

Dear Sinnah , with Love !

Dearest Sinnah ,
" hoe hangeth methyo ?" I know what would be your answer ," hoot danky! , my sweetie!"

This is a letter that I always wanted to write to you , but never could.I was so much entangled in the ocean of life that I hardly found time to switch off my mind and relax . But better late than never . Though I know that you will never be able to read this letter , I'm sure that you will definitely get my message .
I remember my first day in South Africa , the day we first met .That first day our conversations just began and ended with a mere hello . My first assessment of you was that you were an unapproachable , distant , sober kind of a person . But appearances are deceptive .You turned out to be rather the opposite .We became fast friends , got along with each other . You never knew to smile but only laugh out loud. You always marked your presence .


I always secretly admired your insatiable energy ... you never stopped unless your job was done . Whenever I enter my kitchen , I think of you , dear . You were the best teacher ever !Though you had not seen University gates or ever dreamed of a bachelor's degree in education , I understood that it was the passion that mattered . You don't need the certificates for approving your merit . Yes , you taught me to bake ! You taught me to equally celebrate the successes and disasters .


Whenever my cakes insisted on keeping their rough hard demeanor, resisting to accept their natural fluffiness , you were smart enough to transform them into yummy desserts !Your fingers played the gimmicks of a magician ultimately tickling our taste buds !


I will never forget the day when you saved me showcasing once again your skills . One evening I got a phone call from PP declaring that there would be 8 people for dinner . How will I satisfy my guests at such a short notice? I panicked ! Then you took over . I saw you transform into a creative artiste with the power of an entrepreneur . I followed your instructions and with in minutes a big vegetable casserole was ready . You quietly withdrew from the scene leaving the whole credits to me . I felt like a puppet , but was relieved that you held the strings !



My baby was growing , and exploring the wide world around him , he was accepting every challenge of his new found mobility .The bungalow where we stayed provided an apt arena for his experiments and discoveries .I used to spend most of my time running behind him . I couldn't find him one day in his usual favorite spots , and was suddenly alarmed by a zooming siren .Then I spotted him pressing a red button which was a security alarm . I remembered what PP said , " All houses in South Africa had alarm systems as it was a highly crime prone area ."!

Our residence was surrounded by armed guards with fierce sturdy profiles .They had their rifles , all set for an attack behind the closed remote operated gates !
You were the one Sinnah , who came to my rescue when I hesitated to step out of the house , fearing a rapid fire .I peeped out of the window and saw you boldly explain to them the situation created by my young one , in Africans !


Your face trying to hold back tears is etched in my memory , dear Sinnah . When we shifted to a different apartment ,you never stayed back to say good bye . But I know why !I have known the child in you , avoiding bitter scenes . Then I also cannot forget the ever glowing face of yours when you payed surprise visits to me with a bunch of wild flowers . How you waited on my kitchen table asking for more "achar"( my mother -in-laws home made pickles), to smear on the bread instead of butter .


When it was finally time for me to leave South Africa ,you were thoughtful enough to tuck in a soiled paper into my hands with your phone number scribbled on it . My most valued gift which I carried along with me was the baby pumpkin from your kitchen garden !I'm sorry to tell you Sinnah , by the time I reached India , your phone number was incomplete . The paper had torn and I was unable to decipher the rest that remained .


But Sinnah , let me tell you something ! I believe there is a store house above us , like a satellite , its the thought sphere ! Both of us can tune to the same channel !And enjoy the broadcast in our thoughts !My antenna is well tuned to the wonderful moments we had together ! So I am not missing you Sinnah !I wish you all good things in life.May wonderful thoughts hover around you , dear..tune to them and enjoy life !

love,
Nanditha



My this post is a letter to my helping maid in South Africa . She started work every day at sharp six in the morning .She was an embodiment of energy and reflected through her simple deeds undeterred passion for life.We rarely come across such people in our life , who are content with their roles ;and accept life as both sides of the coin .