Today had many parts and not many of them good! This was a bad day so please excuse my negitivity and cross your fingers with me that it is one of only a few.
Simon went into work today so after dropping him off at the office I asked the driver to take us to Bandra, I place I had read was the hip up-coming place to be filled with boutiques, restaurants, cafes and old Catholic architecture and Churches. First point I had missed was that our very nice driver does not speak much if any English. I asked to go to Bandra and he was a little surprised, so I showed him the little map and blurb about it I had picked up from reception, but I guess maps are for wimps...
After about 15 min he pulled to a dead stop on the freeway (motorway, 3 lanes in all) to talk to Mitra (our car & driver supplier & general Mr Fix it) to get a general idea where he was going. About 45 min later we make it to Bandra after 6 more direction stops. If people dont know the way, so they are not impolite, they will direct you anyway, so you have to go for the mean average. Bandra is the cool place, where Bollywood stars and Heros live in splendor, unfortunately to me it still looks like most of Mumbai. I am sure that this will change and that one day I will see the infinitesimal changes that show the difference in the quality of residents but not today.
Finally we find a cafe on the map and we pile out.
Had a lovely cherry iced tea and ordered choc brownies with ice-cream for the kids and Max wanted a milkshake too and I was feeling generous... I ended up eating Darcy's brownie after she had thrown her shoe into it, every 5 min she takes them off usually in the most inappropriate circumstances(and there I am washing her feet with alcohol gel and trying to explain dirty - you haven't seen what happens on the streets here!). She had Max's after his milkshake turned out to be another choc brownie ice-cream thingie just in a cup this time. After about 10min Max has woofed his down and is asking to leave as its too hot outside (a place he had begged to sit)! I call the driver and he arrives quickly, too quickly as it takes another 10 min for the bill to arrive, as we get back in he asks hopefully 'Hotel Apartment?' and I am to tired too explain shopping and browsing in hand signals and mime so wearily agree. Spend the rest of the journey needing a wee, singing the Grand Old Duke of York 20 times over and trying to get Darcy not to suck her filthy big toe.
Later, after trashing the apartment that some poor guy prob on 10 rupee an hour had tidied both kids refuse to eat my lovely home made dinner. Max making gagging faces behind my back and Darcy choosing to sit on the step 3 times rather that eat forcing the issue home. In the end I bin it and produce a bowl of Pringles and go to have a bath to calm down and have 5 min to myself.
I guess the reality of being on my own to entertain 2 children in a place where I dont know where to go or even start has hit home. There was a park by the road but there were also scabby dogs -which kinda put you off. Where do I go that is safe or safer, at least to my European sensibilities ... and I'm not that fussy at home.
Ah well tomorrow is another day, I hope.
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