On location

Finally, after two nights in a row of sleep lasting longer than four hours, I am starting to feel energetic and settled and a little bit in love with India. Actually, I felt in love even when I wasn't sleeping, but now I can enjoy it.

We arrived at around one in the morning on Sunday after 20 hours of flight time. Isn't that a hugely huge number? It strangely didn't feel that long, though. Taking care of a two year old made the time pass remarkably fast - what with meals, naps, playtime, and general preoccupation with someone else's needs. She (let's call her Mooshi, since I often do anyway) was great on the plane and managed all the upsets to her everyday life really well. The family had bought three first class tickets and two coach. Three first class seats because Mooshi's mom is pregnant and various logistical issues required two more. The original plan was that I would just sit in economy with whichever grandparent didn't sit up front with mom and baby. But then! But then, just before we took off Mooshi's grandma came and found me in the back of the plane to say that she thought we should switch seats, that I might be more helpful up front and she would just sit back here with her husband.

Guys. This means I totally flew first class on an international flight. Two flights. 20ish hours. It was almost as wonderful as I thought it would be. The seats really do lie almost flat! Meals come in courses! On tablecloths! Flight attendants are nice to you! Life list goal accomplished!

Flying home will be so ... so ... pedestrian. And way more crowded.

And now, after all that. We are here. Here being a colony of three houses on the same property with room for two more and some gardens and outbuildings. The whole property is Mooshi's great grandmother's inheritance from her father. A lot of the family lives here. It is really lovely to have everyone going back and forth between the houses.

 This is the front of the main house.

The small garden house/outbuilding. 

One of the garden shrines.

This is the house where I am staying.

All most all of my time has been spent in the colony, so far. Playing with Mooshi, trying to sleep, and eating. Oh the eating. There is a novel somewhere in all that eating, but whether or not I will be able to write it with snacks and drinks in each hand is questionable. And I'm not even trying to fill my day/plate with food. But you can only say no thank you so many times! Especially since everyone, truly everyone, is always trying to get you to eat or drink something. I do not think I have ever been so well fed and watered in the entirety of my life.

Anyway, now that the jetlag is receding, the touristing brainstorming begins ...