Tag: UK

our last weekend

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The Grand Finale

It’s been a blissful mix of fun over five weeks. Well that’s my take on it anyway…

(Manjula’s perspective might become clearer after she’s settled back at home. I look forward to it! 😉 )

…. The last weekend was no exception, with time spent with Poppy (yes Ben and Alice did trust us to look after my granddaughter all on our own), dinner with Emma at Ben’s restaurant (carefully arranged so that he wasn’t actually working there …. doh!) P1060185and then on what was a our last public day a sunday ‘open house’ at our friend Angus and Gina’s in Brixton. P1060186

 

If you weren’t there, we’re sorry to have missed you. It was a great event.

 

 

Manjula prepares for the final few days with a serious threading at some shop or other….

and we go down Oxford Street to meet Indian (yes, more Keralans’ sending money back home) and have one last double decker bus ride to take in the key attractions: Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square… you name it, we’ve done it.

Saturday was reserved for bonding with the ‘pop’ (aka Poppy the granddaughter). we went to the park, swung on swings, bathed in the paddling pool and made friends.

I was also called upon to do other duties!

and the grand finale: ‘open house’ at Angus and Gina’s in Brixton to say our fond farewells to friends old and new, family and …. guests from that ..

.. Bed and Breakfast.

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at the event, we realised that Gina, Frances, Laura and me (Stephen) first met at University exactly 40 years ago!! blimey! 😉

How is that possible?

All this activity just allowed for one more day for a build up of sadness, a last meal with Angus, Gina and Frances to pack and prepare for the big trip, back home.

So that’s Manjula’s first BIG Trip out of India, we’re now back in Mysore and while Manjula gets to grips with what jet-lag is and I wonder

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what’s next?

 

well I don’t know about you but I’m keen for her to share her insights from what she’s seen, heard and experienced and maybe then we can start thinking about a few more adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

WOMAD

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No MUD WOMAD

Manjula’s Latest FIRST was a camp for the weekend at a music festival.

 

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Manjula once again brought the sun to England! There was cloud but very little rain. Changeable weather, absolute downpowers and all types of mud known to mankind are real risks at any English festival but not this time!

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One of many highlights was Anoushka Shankar!

It was full of new experiences for Manjula

We camped (in our own little village of individual tents, event shelter for a living room and our very own kitchen tent) with a great group of friends. Manjula prepared one of her signature dishes for dinner.

Manjula’s view on life

I have no idea what Manjula thinks of the experiences she’s had in the UK. Just look at her clothing! ….. a world away from her daily wear of Saree back in Mysore. It has been a very rich and varied experience and as with other things, she takes it all in her stride. She’s becoming a very western woman 😉

I look forward to hearing her reflections, once its all over and she’s settled back into Mysore.

Farrell Factoid

WOMAD, the World of Music Art and Dance is held annually in the South of England and in locations throughout the world such as in the Canaries and Australia. It was originally created by Peter Gabriel the original vocalist of the band Genesis. its a great mix of international music both contemporary and more traditional ‘folk.’ As a group some of us have attended the festival for over ten years.

Manjula’s BIG trip

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I wake alongside a babbling brook. It’s early and I can hear the trickling of the stream alongside my head. I quickly orientate myself. We must be camping although surely that’s planned for a few weeks later at the WOMAD festival.

It’s  Poppy!

we’re staying at my eldest son and his partner Alice’s, who are my granddaughters mum and dad and therefore personal assistants.

Poppy has brought her potty to the living room alongside the futon (I.e. close to the floor) just  to the side of my head to have her early morning pee 😉

So that’s me up, empty the potty, wash it out, welcome to Poppy’s world.

manjula manages to sneak a couple of extra hours sleep, her legs are aching after all the walking…..

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by now Poppy is an animal! 😉

 

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Manjula’s BIG Trip 2

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Manjula first impression of the UK……

 

its all about Shopping

 

and eating out…..

well it didn’t take long to find our first Indians at the corner shop near to Gina’s where we’re staying. Manjula can’t believe how many shops there are and seemingly constantly busy and she wonders does anyone eat at home?

The Stars dim over Europe.

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Don’t panic! Don’t panic!

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are the stars dimming over Europe?

let’s not panic. It’s not a crisis!

It’s a joke combined with a bad dream.

Unfortunately its not and a majority of people in the UK have voted to leave the EU.

The consequences are of course, completely unknown but in my darker thoughts I worry that:

  • the austerity focussed Tories will use this opportunity to shift the whole country even more into the nether regions of neo-liberalism
  • this will lead to the end of the United Kingdom
  • the EU itself may unravel and halt its progress in helping create a peaceful Europe since the last world war.

But I’m naturally an optimist and usually see the beer glass half full. In that case this might be a wonderful opportunity resulting in a new election, different leaders and a rejigging of the political map on the lines of the political movements we’re seeing in Southern Europe in Spain, Italy and Greece.

I see brighter stars… Participative democracy, people’s increased engagement, new inspirational leaders and the sack for the elitist gits who are our current political representatives who have the riches to surf through this turmoil and probably just see it as one big joke!

Rewards

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image.jpegI have three rewards!

No 1 is sharing the absolute joy of Manjula who seems to have won the lottery! Well she has got a visa for the UK… in her terms its a VERY  VERY BIG win.

Rewards 2 and 3 are the beers I’ve brought from the US and tonight my celebratory tipple will be the first since I returned from my amazing holiday in the US and Canada, with my youngest son Oliver.

But this affair has been a long and arduous journey, firstly (four months) sorting out the inaccurate and inconsistent forms of Manjula’s ID before we were able to apply for her first ever passport (three months) and the grand finale: two applications (six weeks, at least they’re fast!) for the UK visa

But all that quickly and quietly recedes into the distance as the appreciation of Manjula shown by the intensity of feeling bouncing around our home at the moment 🙂 makes it all worthwhile!

Its well and truly in…

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Manjula (53 Saris) Vellada, in her latest stunning blue outfit is seen out in the BIG city (Bangalore) with the accessory of THE season: a fetching green plastic folder complete with one hundred and sixty-five pages of documents to try and prove she lives in India and wants and has to return here after her holiday in the UK. Please note the smallest detail. That is the Indian passport for which blood, sweat and tears have been lost in an earlier ten episodes of this story.

 

Yes, the second application for a visa is now complete. The online from was submitted almost two weeks ago and the starting gun officially sounded on the 6th when Manjula went back for an appointment at the visa processing plant (assistants not allowed in, of course) in Bangalore (eight hour round trip with three hour processing).

Everything is crossed and we’re told we should probably know within fifteen working days if she’s successful. That sort of takes us to the 26th June and if we get it, we fly out on the 29th. Close eh?

We’re used to living close to the edge 😉  and remember those flowers?

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we are seriously invoking the Gods for their assistance in the matter of the visa. We’ve already reported on the astonishing display of these ‘one-night-only’ flowers that first came when we completed the online form and that kept coming out with more of these aromatic beauties for three nights. Here are some of the photos to show what an exceptional thing this is!

Each are probably larger than two of my clenched fists. (there is no significance in the chosen analogy) We counted a total of fifteen when mostly you’ll be lucky to get one!

So here in hope!

pip pip

Let’s give Manjula a Break

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Yes, let’s give her a break….. A new visa application is IN.

She needs one, who wouldn’t, after being with Stephen for OVER six Years?! yes Six years!

We’ve been overcome with the support, since the news got out about the rejection, from our wonderful friends, many of whom are visitors to us here at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

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Thank you, it means a lot to get that encouragement and emotional support. We’ve also had tons of invites for holidays elsewhere. Top of the list at the moment (from the no. of suggestions) are  UK (ha ha thanks for that ), Australia, Canada, Europe (we’re voting to stay IN) and Israel.

So the thing is, the new application is submitted and we think we’re providing firm evidence on the main issue. She just wants a holiday and she really isn’t trying to slip into the country and stay there!!! She doesn’t want to move to the UK

Can you send an Email to Manjula?

Maybe emphasising something on the lines of:

  • how she really is Mysore Bed and Breakfast and is critical to its continuing success
  • how and what you enjoyed about your stay
  • that you’ll be back
  • and any other way you can demonstrate your support

Every little might help, who knows?

Manjula@mycycle.co

She has an established life here, a job, she’s critical to the BnB, we have invested in our life here with a dog, a redecorated five bedroom house, a bike, a car, a successful business, a lovely garden that’s taken an age to create,  has dependents who rely on her, such as her mother and she doesn’t wish to move to the UK.

So why the photo of the Brahma Kamla flower?

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These flowers are very auspices. Each flower only lasts one night. It is at it’s best at midnight and the aroma is beautifully overpowering. They are not at all easy to grow. They are therefore considered very lucky. On the past three nights we’ve had a total of fifteen, yes fifteen of these flowers. So we hope the Brahma is with-us on this next bit of the journey of: ‘The Passage from India!’

 

 

all she wished for was a holiday

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Manjula doesn’t wish to move there, or rip of the NHS, become an illegal immigrant, apply for refugee status or go underground and try not to return to the UK.

Manjula is a really honest, straightforward, easy-going person that wouldn’t wish to play a trick or be dishonest.

Manjula’s home is here with me in Mysore, we have an established business that has bookings through to March 2017

Manjula has responsibilities here such as looking after her mother and doesn’t intend to move away and neglect her.

Manjula doesn’t need any money to go on holiday to the UK. I’d cover everything and many friends including plenty who have visited Mysore Bed and Breakfast have kindly agreed to provide accommodation

Manjula is an innocent

The visa system involves completing a form online and submitting supporting documents to an office in Bangalore. The form, bio data and info is then passed on. The decision is made without any dialogue or any form of two-way communication by someone at the High Commission. There is no opportunity for questions or providing additional information in case anything is missing, one has to second guess what’s required and get it right, the first time. There is no discussion, debate or opportunity to tease out the nuances of the bland guidance notes.

They’ve rejected her on the grounds that she might not return to India after the holiday.

The amateur, yes that’s me, who completed the form for Manjula thought that by  agreeing to be her sponsor for the trip and demonstrating that we had a thriving business and established life in Mysore to which we needed to return to, would be sufficient. Obviously it wasn’t!

so what to do!?