I am unhappy about Hyderabad and don’t want to think about it, so let’s jump in straight into this new place.
My impression of Kochi so far? Wet, cramped, wet, lots of traffic, wet, potholes, boiled rice, wet, no pavements, wet…oh, and did I mention the wetness? Seriously though, I guess I’m too much of a dryland person (The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics is situated in my hometown). I suppose we’ve missed the bulk of the monsoon, though.
Haven’t done much sightseeing, as we’ve been settling down instead. You know, I’d really love to know what goes on in a designer/architect’s mind when he (most architects for the government in India would be male) designs quarters such as these. The flat is large, the largest room by far being the kitchen! (with poor ventilation and little actual storage space). I tried to convince the husband that we could move the dining table into the kitchen, but he thinks it wouldn’t look good when we have visitors. And of course it would leave the dining room without a function.
What sort of families wouldn’t require cupboards? None of the rooms has any at all, and only two bedrooms have a couple of afterthought wardrobes added. In Vizag, all the wall decorations we’d packed in Bombay remained packed, because we didn’t want to defile the nice walls of the civil flat we were renting. Instead we decorated with stuff in the showcase. Here, on the other hand, there are absolutely no shelves anywhere, but at least a million nails driven into the walls by the previous occupants, so all the showcase stuff has remained in storage and out have come the wall hangings.
The husband indulged in some semi-forbidden activity by getting an extra loft-tank installed, as there isn’t any running water except for 45 minute intervals twice a day. Thankfully the kitchen has a loft tank and one of the bathrooms.
The furniture is mostly good, and after a lot of elbow gunk, the cabinet doors in the kitchen are decent now (the amount of ick on them was unbelievable and I didn’t think on first impression that any of it could be removed, but faithful Scotchbrite came to the rescue, along with lots of soap and water). Apparently the previous occupants didn’t care in what shape they left the house. There are two rocking chairs! Good for watching TV while knitting (of which there has been some).
Am I sounding incoherent? There’s lots of things to blog about, but I find the longer I wait to talk about something, the less likely I am to talk about it at all. Does that happen to you too? I somehow feel after a gap that whatever it was doesn’t matter any more.
To be an interesting blog, though, I think it is important to be regular as well as current. Hmm. No wonder this blog is so poorly read. 😦
Today I enrolled as a member of the Eloor library here which is chock full of the kind of pulp/pop fiction I read and should keep me happy. Got two Heyer murders, one Ian Rankin (my first) and for old times’ sake, a Betty Neels (Kimberly, you’ve read her? You know, mushy chick lit of the traditional kind). The library isn’t close by, but maybe that will keep my expenses down. Also spotted a book sale, but the husband didn’t want to stop in the rain.
Before we left Vizag, the MIL and I had a romantic getaway at Araku. The husband was supposed to join us, but couldn’t as the trucker (try spelling that minus tr plus f) let us down but he joined us the second day for the actual sightseeing. Since it was a “suite” meaning a double bed and a diwan, no room rent was lost. I’ve uploaded pictures at my Flickr account. It was very green and lush. No actual rain, but cool. Also saw my first coffee plantation (drive through).
Off to watch Law & Order: SVU. Ta!
8 comments
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September 9, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Deneen
I hope it can become more like “home” for you soon. I never understood the lack of cabinets/storage in places , but I guess, depending on when it was built, people actually had less crap years ago as they do now.
September 10, 2007 at 12:42 am
Eva
I have been looking out or news of your move and am happy to hear that you have settled in. Totally agree that the people who design kitchens have very little idea of what would actually be practical for the person using it, but feel sure you’ll soon get it organised to your liking.
I came across your blog after your visit to London and really enjoyed your reflections on your stay in the UK. It made me remember my own excitement when first coming to live in London nearly 40 years ago. These days I enjoy reading about faraway places instead!
I understand you like mystery/crime novels – have you come across PD James’ books yet? And Ruth Rendell – who also writes as Barbara Vine? Lindsey Davis has written a string of enjoyable detective novels, mostly set in ancient Rome which I can recommend.
Good luck with continuing to settle into your new environment and I look forward to reading more about it.
September 10, 2007 at 1:59 am
Pearlin
I hope you will get settled soon.I hear you on the wetness, hear you on the lack of storage.
September 10, 2007 at 3:51 am
Kimberly
Lots of luck on settling into the new place! My first apartment here in Brussels was horrible, but at least it was clean! And not a cupboard to be found in that place either aside from a few in the kitchen which had to hold the pots and pans.
Yup, I’ve read Betty – have a bunch of her stuff from the 70s that she wrote – lots of Nurse type books set in Holland and England – very “chaste” reads….lots of hidden looks and hand holding =) Let me know if you like her and I’ll see which of her books I can dig up next time I’m in the US and send out to you…..might as well have them go somewhere other than my parents basement!
September 10, 2007 at 9:41 am
Andrea (noricum)
Bummer about the downsides of the new place. But it’s great that the ick washed off, and that you can see you wall hangings that you haven’t seen in ages. 🙂 I guess the architect expected you to use freestanding shelves and cupboards.
I have that same thing about blogging… if I don’t blog about it right away, I lose all interest in blogging it. I’ve had to overcome that a bit for Travels With Swatchy, since I can’t always post things while I’m travelling. (Or I’m just lazy… I’m bad!)
September 10, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Debbie
No shelves or closets (or light fixtures)? Welcome to Germany! Seriously, hope you’ll adjust to the climate soon.
Yes, Scotchbrite is fantastic, and yes, I know exactly what you mean about having a hard time blogging about past events.
September 11, 2007 at 10:14 am
Cindy
Is this what I have to look forward to when we get to Bangalore?! Oh joy.
I hope that it dries out for you soon!
September 11, 2007 at 1:17 pm
LenaL
Good luck in your new place! It seems to have been quite a hard start there, but I really hope you soon will feel at home.
I really enjoy reading your blog, and looks forward to follow your life in the new place! India is so very exotic to me, and reading abour your everyday life is really facinating. No table in the kitchen? We couldn’t dream of eating anywhere else, even when we have visitore. And do you rent the house with furnitures? Is it common?
Looks forward to your next post!