….My view this morning from our dining table. Out that shutter is a view of the Baner hills, treetops, tops of bungalows, and a garden that my mother-in-law created on our long balcony. This balcony stretches the length of 2 rooms and is what makes this home feel like a bungalow. Birds are chirping outside. I should probably identify a few. I hear a koyal, some parrots and a crow.
We moved back to New Jersey in November 2013 after a year in Singapore and 5 years in Pune, India. Being able to make this precious, much needed trip to see our friends and family is priceless. The children have met some friends and some family thus far. Its been wonderful except for some allergic colds.
We had an adventurous start at the airport on our way to India. It took us 36 hours door to door (Somerset, NJ to Pune). Quite a long, impatient, tiring yet safe journey to our home in Pune. This is my view this morning from our dining table. Out that shutter is a view of the Baner hills, treetops, tops of bungalows, and a garden that my mother-in-law created on our long balcony. This balcony stretches the length of 2 rooms and is what makes this home feel like a bungalow. You can see remnants of last night’s Carrom session with friends. (What is Carrom? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrom) Zoya has been playing this classic Indian childhood game almost everyday since we arrived. She is enjoying how easily she is able to pocket the men. My mother-in-law and my dad at various times patiently played the game with her.
Today we will take a train to Indore from Pune Train Station in the afternoon. We should be at my sister-in-law’s home by 10 am tomorrow. We will get to sleep on berths in the train. Zoya is not too excited by the prospect. Raghu and I are feeling quite excited. My mother-in-law and her sister will be travelling with us. They are seasoned train travelers and are excited to share the experience with the kids. During our years in India we did a few train journeys but mostly preferred air travel as a family. Why be on land when you can fly was Raghu’s point of view.
I have to go pack. I will buy a SD card reader in Indore and then upload some more pictures. I am inspired to write this travel segment into my blog because of my friends Britt Wagner, Bob Englander and Sylvia Woodman. They have expressed an interest in different aspects of our travel. Thank you for your interest, its making me want to write and show pictures again on this blog that lay quiet for far too long.
For those who are following: I have merged my “The Bharadwaj Shine” blog with this older blog. So now everything from the early journeys to who we are today is in one place. It feels like the right decision. Peace, Hema
thebharadwajshine.wordpress.com 