Frustrating part two
I have had some problems falling asleep lately, it is taking me a few hours these days.. Every person in India has their own solution to all the problems in this world. I have already tried a few, and another solution, according to my friend was to have a massage. Well, even if that doesnt work, a massage is always nice. So off I went, to a nice and lovely spa in Koramangala and booked a fullbody Swedish massage. And when I say full body, I mean fuuulll body! my ears, my eyebrows and my armpits got what it needed. And to be frank, if it was not a lady giving me the massage, I would have felt very, very uncomfortable. I even had to tell her, please do not massage my thighs that high up, I am very ticklish.
Anyway, the massage was lovely and afterwards I had plans of going home and relax. I bought some mangoes that I was planning to eat while relaxing in my big and comfy bed. But little did I know what was coming my way...My ex-roomie texted me on my way home and asked me if we could book some traintickets for her friends who are coming to India in August. Nice as I am, I said I would do it. We had to book 4 tickets. 4. Not 40, only 4. It took us 2 hours! 2! And when we were finished, it turned out we had only booked 3 tickets! 3! So we still have one more ticket to book! And before this, ex-roomie had already tried a few days to book these bloody tickets. I mean, how bloody hard can it be to book traintickets in India! And out of a million sites, only 1 site works with non-indian credit cards! Cooome ooon,why are they making it so hard for foreigners to travel in India?
Me and ex-roomie needed a break after those two hours, we decided that Monday will be a good day to book the last ticket! Hopefully we will both have a long and relaxed weekend before...
Frustrating, oh yes!
I went to a liqour shop today, I wanted to have a bottle of rose wine at home. I dont really know my area very well yet, so I was walking around a bit before I found a small, quite shabby store. I went inside, where old men where drinking whiskey, and asked for a bottle of rose wine.
Me: Do you have rose wine?
Man: Full or half bottle?
Me: Full bottle.
Man: What do you want?
Me: Rose wine, full bottle.
Man: Okay. Red or white?
Me: Rose wine!
Man handles me a half bottle with red wine.
Me: Not red wine! ROSE! You have rose wine? Pink wine?!
Man: Sula (brand name) is okay?
Me: Yes. Full bottle please.
Man handles me a full bottle with white wine.
Me: Not white wine, not red wine! I want rose wine, it is pink!
Man: Sorry, we dont have rose wine madam.
Me: Aaah! Then please say that right away!
So home I went, without my rose wine. I have to ask my roommates for a better alcohol store...
Bangalore not so hot these days
Perfect temperature inside and perfect temperature outside. The only thing missing is the sun. I cant even leave the house in this weather. If only I had my own car...
I was served by who?
Haha, got this funny receipt when I was in Kolkata.. This girl better not move to Sweden. Her name is not a very nice word in swedish.
Keerthinas birthday
It has been kinda hectic since I came back from Kolkata. Since my werid day on Friday,I have been out for lunches and out for dinners and drinks with some friends. I have been out shopping, I rode the metro for the first time and absolutely loved it! I live just 2 minutes away from the metro so I can just walk there, hop on the metro and be on MG road in 5 minutes! I have been unpacking, hanging out with my new roommates, cooking food etc.
Today, I met some friends for lunch close to MG road, so I obviously took the metro, I left them around 2.30 pm and went for my second lunch - to celebrate Keerthinas 7th birthday!
Keerthina was still in school when I came, but her older sister Mamtha was there so I got a chance to talk to her. She was so happy to see me, I got the longest hug from her. She told me all about her wedding, her husband, her life and her house. When Keerthina came, it was fuuuun. She opened all her gifts, a badminton-set from a friend, Manicure-set from her sister and Walkie talkies from me. She had to play with all her gifts right away! I had to do Keerthinas nails, glue them on her fingers and paint them, every other pink and purple. Then Mamtha wanted her nails done also, so I did hers as well... When I finally finished, Mamtha went to get the cake, and eventhough it was not my birthday I was the one who ended up with most cake on my face! I hate the cake -on-your-face thing, I guess thats why...
It was a lovely, lovely day! I had so much fun and when I left, Keerthina hardly noticed because she was busy playing with her walkie talkies with her friends♥.
Mamtha, Keerthina and me ♥
A different day
This was a weird day. I was out shopping some stuff to the new house, like blanket and laundrybag etc. It was raining so I brought my umbrella that I bought in New York back in 2008. While walking around I got 2 compliments for it. When I got back home, I just left it outside because it was so wet, thought I would just leave it there for few minutes. I forgot about the umbrella and few hours later, when I needed to go out again, it was gone! Oh, I cant believe someone stole my umbrella!
Its a one of a kind umbrella, so if I see it I know it will be mine! And this is not all! I have been unpacking my bags today, my room is a total mess and I am still far from done. But I have gone through all my belongings and I see that candy is missing! One tablettask - Svarta katten and two packs of milkduds! Seriously, who is stealing all my stuff? My friend told me I must have hid it somewhere, but I have only had my two bags! Ah, well atleast I have my Grillchips, thats most important.
Sweet lassi and onions marinated in what tastes like vinegar. I looooove those onions!
Home sweet home
I am back in Bangalore again. As soon as I landed I took the airportbus to Indiranagar, where my new home is. I moved in last night and it is a huge house and I have my own huge balcony and there is a rooftop terrace as well.I brought the rest of my stuff this morning so I now have everything here. All I need to do now is unpack, which I hate, so I will do it later..
So I came home around 7 yesterday, left my stuff in the house and went to see my friend. We were supposed to go for dinner and drinks, but we decided to just have amazing dinner instead. We went to one of my favourite punjabi restaurants in Koramangala, Chandni chowk, and I had a sweet lassi, masala papad (finally, this is my all time favorite), murg bhuna - chicken gravy dish and a butter garlic naan! The food was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I dont think you realize just how awesome their food is..
I sent this picture to my old roomie, Chandni chowk was our place, and asked her; Where am I? She replied with; I feel like you are cheating on me!
My two days in Kolkata
What can I say? Kolkata is extremely hot and it is so humid that even when you are not moving you are sweating. And I mean REALLY sweating, it runs down your back and chest, your face is completely moist and you’re sweaty under the sunglasses. Due to this and due to some heavy rains, I didn’t do much! I went to see the Victoria Memorial, a British monument, walking around on Park Street and went to shopping malls. The malls were where I spent most of my time, unfortunately, but it was just soooo hot outside. And raining at the same time. So it wasn’t very much fun to be outside. And on the top of this, I was extremely homesick! It was way too early to leave my safe, beloved, fresh, cool and awesome Bangalore after just 2 weeks!
But if Kolkata ever gets little cooler, I can think of coming back just because I didnt see very much this time..
Even the flowers were so tired in Kolkata...
Reaching Kolkata
I slept most of the time on the train to Kolkata. I don’t know what it is with Indian trains, but you get really sleepy. It is rocking so nicely that you just can’t stay awake no matter how hard you try. It’s the same on Indian flights; I fall asleep in those too. When I was about to get off the train some older man helped me with my bag, he asked where I was going and when he realized we were going to the same part of the city we decided to share a taxi. He paid the full fare, I guess he just wanted my company and some help and advise on how to move to Sweden.
I checked in to the hotel, they had managed to oversee my online booking, but luckily there was still a room for me. Once I left the check-in desk, I heard that someone got a huge scolding! I just left my bags inside the room, went outside to have dinner at McDonalds, came back and slept for 12 hours! It was so nice to finally sleep without anyone waking me up with a; “Sara tea, tea, TEA IS READY!” Since I came back to India I have slept between 5-7 hours a night. I fall asleep very late, and I am woken up quite early with the “Sara tea, tea, TEA IS READY!” and have to get up right away!
Leaving Jamshedpur
When it was time for me to leave Jamshedpur, I asked the hotel owner how to get to the station. He said either I could take an auto or he could drop me. Since I don’t like train stations in India, I never know where to go and where my train will be, I asked if who ever dropped me could help me find my train.
No problem, the owner called the sweetest auto driver who didn’t speak a word of English, but he really tried and he was very nice to me. And as we were driving, all of a sudden I feel a hard push! An auto behind us had been hit by a big car, Scorpio, and pushed into our auto. Their auto was packed with 6-7 people, and as soon as they saw that I was sitting in the auto, they all came running out to see if I was okay! Which I was, it was not a serious crash. The auto that hit us had more damages.
After just a few minutes we were on our way again, there were no insurance talk between the drivers, it was just some small talk, like whose fault it was. The driver kept his word, he parked his vehicle outside the station, took my bag and followed me inside the station, found out which track, and took me there! I gave him some extra money and he got so happy..
Pre wedding
The hotelowner said he was a photagrapher, so he was having many photoshoots with us. Here are some of the pre-wedding pictures..
The Wedding
Finally the day arrived, July 14th the weddingday of Kathrine and Manish! All the guys left around 4, to go to Manish house and dance outside in the heat! Once they left, some girls came to drape our sarees. None of us knows how it is done, so we all needed help.
When I was draping my saree the words coming out of my mouth was "Down, not so high up, more down, this one higher, show more skin, under my belly, etc etc." They finally understood how I wanted it, and so I went out to the hall to have a photoshoot with the owner of the hotel, the sweetest guy who has been nothing but loving and helpful our whole stay at his hotel.
Around 7 we left for the wedding, as soon as we came there, we saw all the boys dancing their way to the tempel. They were all sweaty and tired since it was like 35 degrees and very humid. I love these kind of things so me and the three indiangirls I was hanging with started dancing with all the boys. After 10 minutes I was drenched in sweat and my saree had started to fall off, so I had to stop.
The ceremony was long, fun and it took many hours before the couple was actually married. But at 12.30, after 3 marriage proposals, countless of Pani puri and ice cream scoops, dancing, hiding for cameras and posing infront of cameras it was time for all the swedes to go back to the hotel.
The tempel was overcrowded with people so it was hard to get any good pictures. I will wait until I get some good ones from the photographer and show you then, but here are a few.
The getting ready
The bride is all nerves, and I do understand her. Standing infront of 800 people is nothing we do everyday. Sarees are being draped, make up is being put on, hair is getting done, nails painted. All the boys left for the grooms house and as soon as the girls are done, we are leaving for the wedding ♥
The mehendi night
Yesterday, we were all invited to the grooms house to see the rituals and have some food. It was a long, sweaty and fun day (Only 4 hours but felt like it was the whole day).
In the evening all the girls were invited to the Mehendi, putting henna on their hands. We were supposed to start around 8, but since it is India, and since our food came after 1,5 hours, we didnt start until 10.30 pm. And for those of you who have done mehendi, knows that it takes a long time. Specially the brides mehendi. Around 2 am we were all finished, and off to bed we went!
Beacuse the mehendi was finished so late, we all slept with it on our hands, otherwise you can start peeling it off your skin after an hour or so. I have always been told that I sleep like a dead person. I lie on my back, hands on my belly, and hardly breathe. Once I slept at my sisters place, she woke up in the night and had to check if I was actually alive! So it was a totally surprise for me to wake up and see that my whole bed was covered in peeled of henna. It was everywhere, and thats not all! I have had my hands in weird places, like my armpit, my chest and on my butt. How do I know this, you wonder? Well, I have henna in those places as well. Not as dark as it is on my hands, but I do have a light hennadesign in my armpit, on my chest and on my butt!
In Jamshedpur
When I arrived to Jamshedpur my friend and her husband to be, came to pick me up at the station. According to Internet, my train was late but I was actually right on time so I had to wait for half an hour for them to arrive. I sent a text to my friend "Help! Come fast! Im hiding in a corner!" I had forgotten just how much smalltown people stare and make you feel uncomfortable!
Anyways, we came to the hotel and I got the chance to freshen up a little after my stressful day. We all went out for dinner in the evening, the dinner consisted of awesome food (I had fish), and pictures being taken of the food! Not one, not two, but maybe 50 food pictures! I dont know what they will do with all of the pictures...
We came home around 1am in the morning (Oh, how I miss being able to have late and long dinners), and most of us went to sleep!
Jamshedpur seen from our roofterrace
The going to Jamshedpur
Before I begin my story, I will start to mention my timings. My flight was scheduled at 09.55 arrival time 12.25. My train was scheduled at 3.05 pm. The traffic between these two places are mad, so my friend had told me it would take between 1-1,5 hours.
As soon as I checked in, I asked if my flight was on time. “Yes madam”, was the answer I got. When I got my boarding pass he said “departure is at 10.15am”. So much for the no delay! Anyways, the flight was obviously later than that, 10.45 am we were in the air, so almost an hour late. I fell asleep and slept lightly the entire flight. Before landing I started talking to the guy next to me, to make sure how I would go from the airport to the train station. The best bet was to take a pre-paid taxi. And since the arrival time was 13.15 I had plenty of time to get a taxi and reach the train station. Oh, how wrong I was!
When the luggage finally started to come on the belt, it didn’t take long before it stopped! So there I stood, little stressed and without my bag. After 15 minutes, I was almost in a panicy mood! I ran after a Spicejet lady (The airline I flew was Spicejet) and asked her where the heck my bag was, I need it now! “Oh, some technical error is there” Okay, well change the belt then. I need my bag now otherwise I will miss my train.
Since I was close to panic (being in a situation I am not used to, and not knowing exactly what to do next and where to go, stresses me out if I don’t have enough time, which I did not have!) my voice got louder and told her that if I miss my train, I am going to take a taxi to Jamshedpur and Spicejet will have to pay my bill! And since my voice was louder, people started coming and wanted to help out. The time was now 13.55 and everyone told me there was no way I could catch my train! (At this time my bag came on the second belt, yeeey)!
The lady was not at all helpful (from now on, no more Spicejet for me) so I decided to give it a chance, I started running towards the exit, gliding in the curves on the slippery floor, pushed my way through the que for pre-paid taxi, ran out of the airport, ran over the street with my hand out, showing the cars to stop, pushed my way through the second que to get my pre-paid taxi. Ran like a crazy to find my taxi, yelled at the taxi driver “Jaldi, jaldi” (Skynda på) and when he realized we had only 50 minutes before my train left,he left in a hurry!
After the crazy drive in the mad traffic (which he called pagal traffic, mad traffic in hindi) I arrived at the station 15.00 pm! I was soooo stressed and I had no idea where to go! I thank God for India and the cheap labour, a man came up to me, put my bag on his head and started running towards my train while my driver yelled out my train number for him! We ran and we ran and we ran, and finally we reached! Oh, the happiness when I realized I didn’t have to go through all the hazzle with getting a new train and not knowing how the heck to do it! I was on the train 15.04 and the train left the station at 15.07!
Before the man left me with my luggage I thanked him and thought I was generous when I gave him 20rs. He looked at me and started to say something in hindi. Some guys on the train started talking to him and eventually, after laughing (at me or at him, who knows?) told me to give him 20 more rupees.
I left a cold and raining Bangalore and arrived to a humid, and extremely hot Kolkata! The run I did to the train, for four minutes, totally drenched me. Thank God I didn’t have to carry my luggage as well!
The farewell party
So tomorrow morning I am leaving for Kolkata, for my sweet, sweet friends Wedding! I will be away for almost one week, Friday to Thursday so we had a farewell party for me tonight at Arbor Brewery, which is my new favourite place. I had the best time, hanging with some new and old friends. We left at 11, even before they closed, because we all need to wake up early tomorrow.
Tomorrow I will be busy travelling, flight and train, so it will take me all day. When I have the time I will update here, but dont expect to much of it until I am back in Bangalore again.
A preview of my lovely saree
An attempt to break the rules
I went for a movie today, the only one they showed around the timing I came was Despicable me 2 (Dumma mig 2) so I decided to see it. But before all this, I had some chocolate cravings and was running around like a crazy in all the foodshops to find Twix (have they stopped selling twix? No one I asked seemed to know what I was talking about). After I eventually found it in Landmark, I carefully hid one in the sidepocket in my bag, and the other one I wrapped in my stole, also this one kept in my bag.
Reason for hiding it? Well, no eatables or drinks are allowed to be taken inside moviehalls in India. I was trying to beat their system! I was so looking forward to smile at me breaking the rules and eating my forbidden Twix! To my horror, the securitylady went through my bag inside out! She took out everything I had, makeup, socks, camera, stole, money, toothpicks, waterbottle, tasty nuts, toiletpaper.. I had to remove the battery from my camera, give her my waterbottle, tasty nuts, cheewing gums?! and my two Twix! Inside I was crying. And like the stubborn person I deep down inside am, I started arguing about the cheewing gums! I claimed they are not eatables, in a loud voice, took them back and put it back in my bag! I gave her an angry look and told her to take good care of my Twix! Poor securitylady.
Is it just me or has the moviehall security improved? As far as I can remember I have been able to smuggle some goods inside the moviehall before. Next time, I will put some Twix in my pants! Nothing makes me happier than breaking the "no eatables in the moviehall-rules"
When does one become a regular?
Yesterday I visited my favourite icecream bar, where they serve you in the car, for the third time. As soon as the staff saw me, they came up to the car and said, "1 bananasplit, and what else?" "Where are your friends?" So I guess the third time I visit a place, and have ordered the same things, they know me, my order and my friends. It feels nice to be recognised.
I did actually not order a bananasplit last night, because I can not finish it on my own, it has to shared by two. So now I guess I have confused them. I mean, what will be my next order?
The guy went home before we had finished our icecreams, "Goodnight madam, see you tomorrow"
Pff! I dont come there eeeeeveryday!
Lovely, lazy Monday
After a long and hectic weekend, I am going to have a lazy Monday! Im staying home all day, reading, writing, watching movies and eating swedish candy! Im not going to move from bed until evening when I have some work to be done.
The birthdayweekend
My birthday weekend has come to an end. It started on Friday, I forced my friends to come to Ice with me, since I havent been there in ages and I really liked that place! The music was great but the crowd was not as good as I remember it. After clubbing we went home to an all american house and celebrated 4th of July. We stayed up chatting till around 3.
On Saturday I went out shopping a gift for my birthday that my friends mom wanted to buy me. I found a lovely Salwar Kameez that I wore for my actual birthday. In the night me and some new and old friends went to Arbor Brewery Company! It was packed, but it was so much fun! I had the best time with my friends, and I also met some people whom I have known from before. Arbor is definately my new favourite hangout place! Food is good, ambiance is good, crowd is good, music is good! After being kicked out at 11.30, we went to Ulsoor lake where my sweet Nitin surprised me with a lovely chocolate cake.
After the mandatory "putting cake on the birthdaygirls face" cops came and asked us to leave! I gave them some cake and they let us stay for another 15 mnts.
Sunday I had decided that I wanted to go for gocart! It looks like a lot of fun, but I was very disappointed! I didnt like it at all and I wont do it again. I went for lunch with friends at The only place and we had dinner at Monkeybar and ended the night with a bananasplit at Lakeview! My friend Xavier bought me a lovely flowerbouque, and my sweet Nitin bought me a bunch of roses! A perfect ending to my lovely birthdayweekend!
Happy birthday me!
When I blew the candles on my wonderful cake I only had one wish, okay two. No cake on my face! For some reason my wishes never seems to come true.
My hands, my face, my (newlywashed) hair, my neck and my dress was covered in chocolat.
This is one tradition in India that I really dont like! And I told my friends that if I ever
celebrate another birthday here, I want white chocolate on the cake!
Ps. My second wish was as always a horse!
Why do I love India?
One of the most usual questions I get these days is "Why do you like India so much?" And I always have a hard time answering that question. It is complex and there are several different reasons. But today I have a good story for the question and it goes like this;
I was going to a huge mall, far far away to meet a friend for lunch. After chasing a few autos, someone finally agreed on taking me there. Traffic was mad, and after 30 minutes we had only come 3 kms. Anyway, after half the way the auto started shaking a little and I knew something was up. The autodriver stopped, went to the back, came back and said "sorry madam, no gas. Wait I will go and get gas". After a few minutes he came back and said that he will get me another auto. So I stepped out, paid him and together we stood next to the highway, trying to get another driver.
An older man on a scooter stopped and said "you are going to Orion mall, right? If your conscience says yes, then you can come with me, I am going that direction". I looked at the man and I knew it would be safe. So I hopped on the back of his scooter and off we went!
When we reached I thanked sweet Mr. Chandrashekar. He gave me his businesscard and told me if I ever needed help I could call him!
A day full of love
I keep on having lovely days. Yesterday was another of those lovely days. In the afternoon I met up with one of my friends, he had never seen my old house, and since we were close I decided to take him to Mickey Mouse house where I used to stay. The reason I wanted to take him there was because of my old maid and her, sweet, sweet daughter Keerthina.
When I called out my maids name, and she saw me, she was very surprised, and I think it took a while before she recognised me. She called Keerthina and I got a big hug from her! Me and my friend was invited to have some tea (which became coffee, and I hate coffee! Had to force myself to drink it, luckily it was a small cup), and got some snacks. We were both playing with Keerthina for some time and I had such a good time! I really missed her, she is so, so sweet! I just wanna take her home! My friend speaks Kannada, same language as my maid, so he gave her my number so that she can call me back when its Keerthinas birthday in a few weeks! When we left she thanked me for coming. I think we both made each other very happy yesterday!
After we left the house I was so happy, and I kept on talking about Keerthina and how lovely she is, and how big she has become! The only reason I miss living in Mickey Mouse house is because of her! And the location of the house, but mostly Keerthina!
Keerthinas new nickname for me is sunflower ♥
My daily life
"I want to befriend you..."
"I wanna make friendship with you..."
"Where you in that Viren Khanna party..."
"I saw you in that party..."
"I think I saw you the other day..."
"I want to know someone from abroad, lets be friends..."
"Why are you ignoring me"
"What are u scared of? Reply me..."
"I like you..."
"I love your eyes..."
"You are breaking my heart..."
And the list goes on and on and on... These are the mails and messages that I get on a daily basis. Lovely, yes sure. But, I cant be friends with everyone...
The day with all the plans
Plans tend to change in this country. I had made some plans with someone, and then I had a back up, and then I had a back up for my back up! And they all cancelled. Then I instead met a forth person, with whom I had not made any plans. I also had plans to go and see an apartment, but those plans got cancelled as well. Weird days in paradise!
I spent most of my day sitting outside reading, eating and drinking (not alcohol). The weather has been rainy, sunny, warm and cold! Oh, my saree was done today, so I went and brought it back home and tried it on. It is such a lovely saree! I cant stop looking at it. I wish I wore sarees daily, it looks so amazing. But I would only feel uncomfortable wearing it. I prefer my western clothes instead.
Doing a victorydance after my strike!
A lovely day in Bangalore
I have had the best day today. I met my sweet friend Nitin, who is the second friend I got in Bangalore back in 2010. He came to pick me up and we went to a restaurant to have lunch. He had bought be the best gift. It was so sweet of him to get me this;
So after the lunch and after the driving around in the rain we went for bowling (I won, of course) and after the bowling we went for snooker. I have never been playing snooker, so he had to taught me. I totally sucked. But the last game we played, I actually won. Although I think he let me win. Snooker is kinda fun, atleast if you play the Sara-and-Nitin-way, when you can move the ball a little so its easier for Sara to play!
We ended up having dinner and drinks in a place called Toit, which is a brewery with its own beer. We met two of Nitins friends there and we were kicked out at 11.30pm! It was a perfect date with a best friend.
My sweet babyNitin is all grown up now ♥
The daily conversation I hate
Indian person:What will you have?
Me: 1 butter-garlic naan, one juice and some gravy.
Indian person: 1 naan?
Me: Yes.
Indian person: Only one?!
Me: Yes.
Indian person: For lunch what you had?
Me: One naan and vegcurry.
Indian person:Only one naan?!
Me: Yes.
Indian person: Then?
Me:....
Indian person: What else you had? Rice?
Me: No, no rice.
Indian person: Why? Why you dont eat rice?
Me: I didnt feel like having rice. And I was full after one naan.
Indian person: Full?
And so on and so on!
The neverending conversation with EVERYONE!
