Outta here.

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As we know—— Travel brings so many benefits—- broadening horizons, being challenged, learning outside our comfort zones, time for reflection, meeting new people….. blah blah

One overriding lesson, is from comparing and contrasting the two countries. I now know India is way ahead in so many ways.

At the airport as I await my flight, there’s women in sarees, and shalwa but just one man (me) in Kurta.

As Indian kids would say Hi-Bye.

Grief and grieving

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I have to say something about this….. but I’m not ready to yet, beyond the following…

… I’ve just had helpful discussions with my sons. It’s critical to be heard.

Other friends have fedback that they’ve recently seen a real difference in me.

“Grief is not one thing, and it is not linear. It looks and feels different for everyone, and it can hit you at any point – even months or years after the fact.” From this article in the Guardian Newspaper.

In my view it keeps coming in waves.

The Guardian feature writer Emine Saner reports on the acceptance of grief as a medical condition

I don’t recognise this, but as I say — it’s different for everyone.

There is the risk of ‘pathologising” ie to ‘label’ things unhelpfully and somehow blame the individual.

But back to the first point, I believe grief after we lose someone is always with us, as I’ve said before it’s a new life-long-friend that we have to learn to live with for the rest of our lives.

We don’t get over it, yes it changes particularly through the process of grieving but it remains with us.

I say again .. we don’t ‘get over it’ and such statements can be at the very least unhelpful.

I understand however that there are some situations when the raw roughness of grief can be absolutely debilitating. At times it has been for me.

I have however valued the opportunity to share my feelings online and directly with friends. To celebrate Manjula and shout about her from the virtual treetops. That helped.

To reiterate … the bottom line is that this situation is unique for everyone and we all deal with it differently.

and … It never goes away.

More later.

WOMAD.

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The world music festival in south England

There’s a group of us that meets and camps together each year. Sharing cooking and news of our lives, supporting each other.

WOMAD 2023

Some of the same group eighteen years before… on the front row from left … youngest son Oliver, me, friend Louise, Liz mum of my boys, Ben, my eldest.
July 2023
My son Oliver was visiting from Canada with his partner Rachel. Wonderful and rare opportunity to catch up.
It often gets muddy
This year I’ve been fortunate to meet a few friends, who are previous guests at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

We’ve lost two from our group that’s MAnjula and Peter but they’re still in all our hearts.

‘Til later…

Manjula after cooking one of her gorgeous meals and overcome by the appreciation from our group. Wonderful memories from 2016 and 2017
There’s always time for new friends and stories.
Cool things to buy for the forever shopper. You’ll see this and similar around, as they’re significant.

Wales

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South West Wales, a wonderful location, where we spent our annual camping holiday for many year.

Ramsey from Whitesands

A boat trip around Ramsey
My son Oliver and his partner Rachel, visiting from Vancouver
St David’s, the cathedral that makes the village, the smallest city in the country.
Manjula and my beautiful tent makes it’s first appearance of the year.

Gale force wind and rain then sunny Unpredictable British weather. Normal camping and holidays in the U.K.

Trips to the beach often require heavy coats! whitesands
Our favourite pub, the Sloop Inn in Porthgain.

Parks, people and other things in London

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Another update for friends in India, showing similarities and differences, same and different.

Clean.
Sports
Last week a music concert here for thousands. No sign of it now.
Finsbury Park. people and no litter.
Sleeping policemen aka road bumps
Here too
Portable toilet for construction workers. No other peeing in the street
No builders waste in the street. All goes in the skip.
Mobile cycle repair.
On one back street I saw three dumped plastic bags and this sign. It a limited problem but I feel it’s cultural hence the different languages.
Dog poo is also picked up
We’re taught this as young children. It’s reinforced by parents, at school, on the TV.
Different
Bicycles
Bikes
And people
Gorillas pop up everywhere. I’m here with my sons oliver in the middle and Ben on the right.

Back home in Mysore

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What’sapp between Ani and I

Manjula keeping her watchful eye, caring kindness and wonderful presence.
Ani arrives back from the US en route to Bylakuppe. After retiring as psychologist in the US she became a Tibetan Buddhist nun

Sowbaghya is in charge, looking after the house and menagerie while I’m away.

Waiting to go for a walk, together.
Even growing cucumber
We’ve been waiting to see the beautiful flower, Manjula’s favourite but missed its full glory.

So here, from a few years ago, are the two beauties together

She loved it and we her.