I’ll not bore you with full details. But I have to apply for another business visa and my status in India is not secure as MAnjula died.
Next day visa issued. Now relax!
Travel again, to SW England, to visit Jony, Ruth and Sally
One for Kaveri. The pavement (sidewalk) is smooth enough for skating unlike in Mysore.
Later that day, outside Poppy’s flat
The three police cars with flashing lights have circled a woman pedestrian who’s lying on the road, injured after an accident with a two wheeler. Three police are directing the traffic, one is interviewing the two wheeler rider and two more are giving First Aid to the injured woman.
It’s all calm.
Everyone did as asked and all went smoothly.
I didn’t take photos of the immediate situation or hang around, out of respect.
For friends in India.
Occasional photos to show what it’s like in England.
Step one London.
Ben, Alice and Poppy live in north London
The roads are busy
First impressions on arriving on Thursday. Manjula realised how diverse London is on her first visit. The local shop near our friend Gina and Angus’s house was run by Punjabs
Here on Haringay Green lanes it’s residents include people from Poland, Turkey and Asia, including India.
Next: Shopping locally.
I’m remembering last years visit and thinking through what I’ll do this time. All rather last minute.
I’ll definitely go camping again this trip, hopefully with my son Oliver and Rachel.
In 2022 I revisited Dorset where we had a family camp on Manjula’s second holiday in England.
India stimulates all sorts of reflections like …. What’s the purpose of the line?
a boundary, a border, between in and out? Here and there? Normal and abnormal? The limen … an important guide, the threshold, between one world and another.
If India is anything to go by, it may have no use, other than helpfully creating ‘purposeful’ work.
On both our trips to England, Manjula was amazed and intrigued at how the traffic stayed within the lines that marked the lanes.
In Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire.
Catching up with friends
My first trip back to the U.K. in over two years.
The journey through the airports and flight went smoothly as fast as pre-pandemic. I had test results and certificate proving I’d had my vaccinations. No one checked anything.
Being entertained by and entertaining my granddaughter Poppy. She’s eight and I’ve missed seeing her for two years! All of us share that pandemic experience.
Exploring Hebden Bridge with Liz, the mum of my boys, big ex or as Manjula would say: wife number one. We remain close and dear friends of over thirty years.
Not……
It’s an update.
To reiterate. I’m required to leave India within 180 days of arriving every visit. Due to the virus that has been extended but I’m likely to have to leave in August. I hope they’ll let me back in
There are three obvious options: Sri Lanka, Canada and UK.
I’m openly discussing this with friends and family who might be affected or kind enough to let me stay, so that we’re as informed as we can be. I wouldn’t want to be someone who came to stay at the house or next door and not be open and honest about the risks and consequences. God forbid.
The first challenge (assuming there are flights) is getting health insurance. It’s available but there is the risk that if there are COVID 19 restrictions it might invalidate the insurance. I don’t need it for the U.K.
Sri Lanka might initially seem the best option. Shortest distance, clear polices and systems, no need for quarantine/self-isolation, open to tourists in August. BUT it might mean a domestic flight in India which I’d prefer not to do. I’ll be required to travel with a negative test result taken within 72 hours of the flight, which might not be obtainable. I’d have to stay in a government sanctioned hotel. Yuk?. I could pay any health costs directly but I wouldn’t get to see any family or friends.
Canada is a stronger contender. Means double the distance to travel than the UK, I’d have to remember how to cook, and I wouldn’t want Oll my youngest son to be tried for murder. Insurance maybe a problem and I couldn’t afford to pay health costs directly.
U.K. well clearly….
It’s a well managed place, no problems with the virus, competent leadership, no idiot behaviour and the country isn’t disintegrating. A safe haven.
I jest, of course, it provides the opportunity to catch up and be with friends and family which I feel that I need due to fragility, I would have to be 14 days in isolation so that and the risk puts a lot onto whoever is kind enough to take me in. I don’t need travel insurance and hope the Health service can cope. It does involve risky travel to and within the country.
I think you can see which way I’m leaning.
Camping is in the blood.
As a family we camped in South West Wales most years. I sold my first grown up tent, a classic Force Ten, to myself at age 16 when I worked in a camp store in Sheffield.
This year we had a grand reunion camp in Wiltshire and at the WOMAD festival.
So why am I telling you all this?
because we’ve found a wonderful tent, designed and sold by Hari in Bristol, England that is so good I want you to know about it.
This year as a 60th birthday present to myself I bought a new tent, the one that Hari built ;-). The first I’d bought since the early 90’s (our tents are looked after and last). It’s the one above.
I say small and it is if you compare it with it’s bigger family members but it can take two people, even a family and there’s space for lots and lots of gear. Its quite bulky and heavy when packed up but nothing more than you would expect of this type and size of tent made of canvas. It is however absolutely gorgeous, easy to put up, a great feel of round ness inside and with no centre pole!
My grandaughter reckons its a pumpkin or maybe Cinderella’s coach.
Everyone is attracted to it and want to know more. Its not cheap but fairly priced for what it is but then again what is cheap in the UK?
There are a couple of nice personal tie-ups. Lotus is of course a Hindu symbol, it was also part of my logo for my consultancy business set up in the early 90’s and is now even a tattoo on my arm! It is a bell tent, has a clever collapsible-poles-system, so there are no poles restricting the inside space.
I’m working on her.
Its perceived as a festival or Glamping tent and the big versions we’re being used at WOMAD this year
more details are at Lotus belle
its listed as a bud, and now they’ve got an inflatable one!
More photos are available on flickr
or come find us at WOMAD in 2018 where we’ll be using the tent
Madam English, as she’s known hereabouts is back from her BIG trip. We travelled the length and breadth of the country, for over six weeks, fitted VERY important family events in, had a reunion camp, got muddy in Wiltshire, met lots of Mysore Bed and Breakfast guests, spent a fortune and had a rare old time!
Thank you to the lovely people we know and love for making this such a super trip.
Presents (limited, of course, to sensible cost and numbers), include: spinners (mad craze in the west), nail varnish (highly sought after western quality), shiny things, and various other odds and sods are being distributed as I write. A really big hit for the guy who runs the veg shop (hi!) is Gordons Gin, from duty free. He’s paid for it (we’re not made of money, although many think, I am) and he’s ecstatic about the flavour, its clearly a notch above the local gin.
Well what a trip it was……
We’ve covered the North, South, East and West, wet old things in Yorkshire,
Dorset, Teesside, Tyneside, even Lancashire (there’s long-standing issues between Yorkshire and Lancashire), Derbyshire, Wiltshire, my son’s wedding to Alice,
sorry wrong photo (I’ll deservedly get into a lot of trouble for that!)
Madam English now knows why we Brits go on some much about the weather, we’ve had it all. She now knows about being prepared for it to change in a nano second, carrying endless clothing variations, layering and Hot Water Bottles when camping.
She’s so English, she has learned how to complain (Indians, generally not being big complainers and just tend to get on with it, really?) but still manages to have a great time.
we thank everyone… so much… for making this such a wonderful experience.
We’ve lost count of how many of our old and new friends, including so many Bed and Breakfast guests we’ve seen, met in London, visited their homes, bumped into at the music festival, its been superb…. and did we mention all the meals we’ve eaten….
all our photos (these and many more) are at the usual place at flickr
So what does Madam English think about the place?
How did Lucy manage with Eric?
Me and MYCycle 