Thursday, October 05, 2006
Holidays-behind the Iron Curtain!
While on the topic of "Holidays", I must tell you about some of the lovely times I had thanx to daddy & of course AI.
The most memorable one was to Moscow. I always had this absession to look behind the 'Iron Curtain' & had psyched daddy so much to take me there that when he was posted there for a few months, he did everything he could, to make it happen.
It wasnt easy, he had to literally bribe the floor-girls at the hotel(Russia did not allow spouses/family gratis and the 5 star tarrifs were crazy, not to mention the exchange rates of the rouble which was officially = US$4 but was available in Singapore @ 4 Rou to a US$). To my joy the posting came in Winter(just what I wanted) & I spent 2 glorious weeks there during XMas.
Everytime he came to Mumbai, he would take gifts for the hotel staff (tea, hand bags, sandals & such nick nacks). So much so that when I landed there, I was literally welcomed by all of them- they had so many tickets for me- for the circus, the ballets etc that we had to distribute them to all the crew!
My experience on landing was something! there were hardly any tourists and the temperature was -15 or something- as I breathed, my breath came out as a white cloud in front of me! The immigration area appeared sinister, bleak & unfriendly just like the officials whose gaze could bore a hole thru you. Fortunately being wife of the crew helped & I was out soon enough.
Then came the tricky part; I had to pose as AI hostess at the hotel! Fortunately, I had carried Ravis parka and somebody's uniform coat & boots so I passed off as a hostess.
Guess who came to visit me the next day! Air Commodore Rakesh Sharma who was training for the space flight! He came with son and wife brought me a cake she had baked. This was in return for all the methi, adrak, hari mirch that dad took for them from india! Since we could not visit them (security reasons), they had come over to the hotel. So sweet of them. And he also organised passes for us for the Bolshoi Ballet(box seats)!
When he asked about you, I told him that I had two astranauts ; one named after Neil Armstrong and one before Rakesh Sharma! He had a hearty laugh!
I dont know if you remember Anil Havaldar & his russian wife! He too arranged trips for us to some of the spots on the outskirts of Moscow, we passed by some of the Dachhas(country houses) of the rulers! His wife inducted me to the sauna/steam/massages in the hotel.
Moscow was something else altogether! Everything being state owned, was gigantic! The buildings just ran from one end of the street to the other; the parks never ended!
The economy also being state driven, lakme and lancome products were available at the same price!
If you remember we bought our first AC from there, it was japanese made with a russian name stuck on it and came for the price of 2 fans!
Being christmas time, we had parties galore! Vodkas chased down with wine! And the cold helped! Also eating ice cream candies on the roadside in the freezing cold!
The Moscow experience at that time was unique! Much more exciting to the tourist at least, than Moscow post Glastnost and Peristroika.
The most memorable one was to Moscow. I always had this absession to look behind the 'Iron Curtain' & had psyched daddy so much to take me there that when he was posted there for a few months, he did everything he could, to make it happen.
It wasnt easy, he had to literally bribe the floor-girls at the hotel(Russia did not allow spouses/family gratis and the 5 star tarrifs were crazy, not to mention the exchange rates of the rouble which was officially = US$4 but was available in Singapore @ 4 Rou to a US$). To my joy the posting came in Winter(just what I wanted) & I spent 2 glorious weeks there during XMas.
Everytime he came to Mumbai, he would take gifts for the hotel staff (tea, hand bags, sandals & such nick nacks). So much so that when I landed there, I was literally welcomed by all of them- they had so many tickets for me- for the circus, the ballets etc that we had to distribute them to all the crew!
My experience on landing was something! there were hardly any tourists and the temperature was -15 or something- as I breathed, my breath came out as a white cloud in front of me! The immigration area appeared sinister, bleak & unfriendly just like the officials whose gaze could bore a hole thru you. Fortunately being wife of the crew helped & I was out soon enough.
Then came the tricky part; I had to pose as AI hostess at the hotel! Fortunately, I had carried Ravis parka and somebody's uniform coat & boots so I passed off as a hostess.
Guess who came to visit me the next day! Air Commodore Rakesh Sharma who was training for the space flight! He came with son and wife brought me a cake she had baked. This was in return for all the methi, adrak, hari mirch that dad took for them from india! Since we could not visit them (security reasons), they had come over to the hotel. So sweet of them. And he also organised passes for us for the Bolshoi Ballet(box seats)!
When he asked about you, I told him that I had two astranauts ; one named after Neil Armstrong and one before Rakesh Sharma! He had a hearty laugh!
I dont know if you remember Anil Havaldar & his russian wife! He too arranged trips for us to some of the spots on the outskirts of Moscow, we passed by some of the Dachhas(country houses) of the rulers! His wife inducted me to the sauna/steam/massages in the hotel.
Moscow was something else altogether! Everything being state owned, was gigantic! The buildings just ran from one end of the street to the other; the parks never ended!
The economy also being state driven, lakme and lancome products were available at the same price!
If you remember we bought our first AC from there, it was japanese made with a russian name stuck on it and came for the price of 2 fans!
Being christmas time, we had parties galore! Vodkas chased down with wine! And the cold helped! Also eating ice cream candies on the roadside in the freezing cold!
The Moscow experience at that time was unique! Much more exciting to the tourist at least, than Moscow post Glastnost and Peristroika.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Holidays, Friends, Relatives, People!
We were 8 of us at Dandeli and we had a wonderful time- nature walk, safari, white water rafting and of course being together with like minded people and making new friends in the process.
At this stage in life, you really feel the need for friends. At least I do - Ive always been a
"people-person"! Wondering what that means? Well, I just coined the word- what I mean is, Im happiest when among people- I have other interests-I read, cook,sew,embroider,listen to music, watch some TV- but these bring a feeling of lonliness, I guess I hate being with myself or I get bored with myself.
So I love people, people whom i can relate with!
And my other love is being amidst nature- the hills, rivers, mountains,oceans, jungles et al. And of course seeing new places-this in some ways fulfils an intellectual void- u read and hear about so many places- but the real thing is being there first hand!
Dandeli did both!
When you were young (and so were we), we depended on the AI passes. Hence we had to take our vacations during the exam time (off season) when there were less hassles for getting seats.
So most of the times you both stayed behind, but we had no choice. I always feared what would happen if the flight went wrong and both of us went up in smoke or something! That fear led me to make you both independent in everything, your studies, looking after yourselves, etc.
That had its own spin-off!
Of course we had some good holidays together- I remember Matheran, Mahableshwar, Panchgini, Bangkok and the numerous trips to chiplun and songaon!
You may also remember the drives we took in Bana mama's ambassador- 8-10 of us in the car driving to Goa, Kolhapur, Belgaum. His was the only car in the family and he and mami were most happy to be with us! Those days he was a regular visitor to Bombay and stayed with us at least once a month. We too enjoyed his company and looked forward to them.
We had lots of guests, relatives visiting, staying with us-our house was open to all and itwas taken for granted that anyone coming to Bombay was staying with us. And this was in addition to the extra member who was already part of our family- Meera, Vidya, Ameet who came for their college education, Sumati kaki for her medical treatment. We were equally close to the other aunts and uncles and cousins (from daddys side, I had none) and fortunately, they were as comfortable with me and close to me, if not more, as daddy often says! And you two were not affected one bit. You took it in your stride and adjusted; I know it wasnt easy!
All this was possible because of the Great Help I had in Govinda. Without him all this would have been difficult. I remember one of Bana mama's friend who had accompanied him commented-
"Your house is like a well run factory, both of you are not present but everybody is looked after and everything works like clockwork! " I was very proud and attributed it to my remote-controlling prowess and ofcourse Govinda.
I always believed in Systems and Processes and kept individual intervention to the minimum-whether it was the right approach where family was concerned I do not know, sometimes I have self-doubts. I think you became too independent; when I see other children dependent on their parents for so many things, I feel a little 'J'. But the feeling is dispelled soon as I realise that it is the parents' duty to look after the child's interest and not their own. What kind of upbringing would it be if the child remained emotionally dependent?
At other times I see children/grandchildren living with parents and a pang of envy passes thru the mind- but again I shake it away quickly- its much better to see our children more successful, and surpassing us in every sphere; for that is the ultimate achievement and joy for a parent!
At this stage in life, you really feel the need for friends. At least I do - Ive always been a
"people-person"! Wondering what that means? Well, I just coined the word- what I mean is, Im happiest when among people- I have other interests-I read, cook,sew,embroider,listen to music, watch some TV- but these bring a feeling of lonliness, I guess I hate being with myself or I get bored with myself.
So I love people, people whom i can relate with!
And my other love is being amidst nature- the hills, rivers, mountains,oceans, jungles et al. And of course seeing new places-this in some ways fulfils an intellectual void- u read and hear about so many places- but the real thing is being there first hand!
Dandeli did both!
When you were young (and so were we), we depended on the AI passes. Hence we had to take our vacations during the exam time (off season) when there were less hassles for getting seats.
So most of the times you both stayed behind, but we had no choice. I always feared what would happen if the flight went wrong and both of us went up in smoke or something! That fear led me to make you both independent in everything, your studies, looking after yourselves, etc.
That had its own spin-off!
Of course we had some good holidays together- I remember Matheran, Mahableshwar, Panchgini, Bangkok and the numerous trips to chiplun and songaon!
You may also remember the drives we took in Bana mama's ambassador- 8-10 of us in the car driving to Goa, Kolhapur, Belgaum. His was the only car in the family and he and mami were most happy to be with us! Those days he was a regular visitor to Bombay and stayed with us at least once a month. We too enjoyed his company and looked forward to them.
We had lots of guests, relatives visiting, staying with us-our house was open to all and itwas taken for granted that anyone coming to Bombay was staying with us. And this was in addition to the extra member who was already part of our family- Meera, Vidya, Ameet who came for their college education, Sumati kaki for her medical treatment. We were equally close to the other aunts and uncles and cousins (from daddys side, I had none) and fortunately, they were as comfortable with me and close to me, if not more, as daddy often says! And you two were not affected one bit. You took it in your stride and adjusted; I know it wasnt easy!
All this was possible because of the Great Help I had in Govinda. Without him all this would have been difficult. I remember one of Bana mama's friend who had accompanied him commented-
"Your house is like a well run factory, both of you are not present but everybody is looked after and everything works like clockwork! " I was very proud and attributed it to my remote-controlling prowess and ofcourse Govinda.
I always believed in Systems and Processes and kept individual intervention to the minimum-whether it was the right approach where family was concerned I do not know, sometimes I have self-doubts. I think you became too independent; when I see other children dependent on their parents for so many things, I feel a little 'J'. But the feeling is dispelled soon as I realise that it is the parents' duty to look after the child's interest and not their own. What kind of upbringing would it be if the child remained emotionally dependent?
At other times I see children/grandchildren living with parents and a pang of envy passes thru the mind- but again I shake it away quickly- its much better to see our children more successful, and surpassing us in every sphere; for that is the ultimate achievement and joy for a parent!
