The Journey and arrival

Here are a couple of views from our house. One looks into the village and the second one looks out to the fields at the back. It’s a balmy 19C and going to get hotter.

We started out on our gruelling journey on Tuesday 31st at 3.00pm from home and got to Heathrow for about 5.00, on the plane for 8.30 and took off for Delhi at about 10.10pm. We arrived at Delhi nine and a half hours later, with another seven and a half hour drive to the Punjab ahead of us!

It’s always an interesting experience driving through India and the sounds, smells and sights that you see. It seems chaotic at first but then you realise that there is a natural ebb and flow to things (especially the traffic!). I have to confess that there were several times that I thought we were going to hit something (car, truck, the odd buffalo only to be saved at the last moment by someone giving way. (I’ve decided that I’m not going to drive while I’m here!)

We got home at about 7.45pm. Much to my surprise I remembered the way to the village and had a rough idea of where our new house had been built (my 78 year-old father had pointed it out on GoogleEarth to me. Wonderful thing, technology).

It’s an odd feeling really because although the new house is great, my grandfather’s old house has a special attachment for me because of the family history associated with it. I’m going to go round with the children to see it shortly and will provide some pictures of the type of then and now situation that has started to develop economically in India.

The family as always were very welcoming with my cousin Dala giving me the type of bear hug that only a Punjabi relative can (one that leaves your ribs ever so slightly cracked - but not quite broken). We stayed up quite late chatting and catching up. Then the toll of the journey eventually began to catch up with us (for me it’s when various bits of furniture start to dance inexplicably in front of your eyes for no good reason) and we fell into bed. More later!

We always travel lite!