We almost missed out flight

So we got to the airport 3 hours early, but we went to the wrong airport (Frankfurt-Hahn is actually NOT in Frankfurt). So we had to wait almost an hour to get the bus to the other airport. Finally, we get on the bus. The bus took 1-1/2 hours, which was longer than our flight to London.

We got to the airport, which was in the middle of nowhere (RyanAir) and it was only 30 minutes before our flight was leaving. So, we split up. Dad went to the Check-in desk and Mom, Pema, and I went to the luggage drop-off place. And we made it, after security of course. But when we got to the gate, people hadn't even started boarding. Oh boy!

The Rich Maharajah of of Magador

[This is Daniel, Simone's dad talking...]

The bad news is I have been having more technical difficulties and have not been able to work on video footage since Italy. The good news is I have a video of Simone and me performing in a Community Share at the Universal Hall in Findhorn last night. Monique didn't record the intro or the beginning of the song and the video is a bit grainy, but it's still fun. The lines you miss at the beginning are:

There was a rich Maharajah of Magador
Who had ten thousand camels, or maybe more
He had rubies and pearls, and the loveliest girls
But he didn't know how to do the Rumba

Enjoy!

The City Life

Just so you know, I wrote this in Europe, in France, in Paris, up six flights of stairs in an apartment, on the deck, looking over the city, able to see just the peak of the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre. Today, I went up the Eiffel Tower. Yesterday, I went to Montmartre. The metros are lots of fun. Some metros are double-deckers. Here in the city, everything is so close, but everything is all smushed together with barely any grass or trees and the parks are so small which just makes me homesick for the countryside.

What Cats Do

You see, my dad has been taking pictures of cats all over Europe. It all started when he got a perfect shot of a cat hissing in a tree. Well, anyway, I had this idea for a children's book. It would be called "What Cats Do." There would be a picture of cats all doing stuff and below a sentence like "We play" or "We nap" - something like that. I have always dreamed of being a writer. I would mostly write fiction because I love to make up stories in my head. It helps to walk and see the story unfold.

Traveling in Europe

We have been traveling around Europe. We went to a really cool underground temple (at Damanhur) with tons of trap doors and beautiful paintings. Then we went to a mountain where a ruin has been done over, so we got to stay in it. It's called Torri Superiore. Then we stayed on another mountain where me and Pema got to sleep upstairs and mom and dad slept downstairs. Then we went to Barcelona where we had a tun of fun with people that dress up and pretend to be statues. It was fun.

Going to Europe

We get to the airport and wait. Then a man walked up to me and my family and said our flight was overbooked, so he asked us if we would go on another flight for some money. So my mom and dad said yes. He went to confirm that either we go to a hotel for the night and fly the next day or we go in 3 hours. Soon, a man wisks us away in a taxi to the hotel. While we were in the taxi, the man gets a call and turns around and then takes us back to the airport. It turns out were were going in three hours, first to Qatar, and then to Frankfurt. Starting at Chennai. It went perfect from there.

Sliding into disaster

It was a hot day when Dad said it was time to get out of the pool. Soon we were on the motorbike going back to Aspiration (our home). Then we were at the three-way intersection. There was barely any traffic, but a big truck was turning the corner. Dad slowed down, but there was oil and sand on the paved road. Then we began to slide. The whole thing felt like it was in slow motion. I felt the bike falling. After the bike fell, it took me about two seconds to decide what happened. I had expected my right leg to be under the bike. Then I noticed my Dad had pushed me and Pema out of harm's way. One hour later, we were bruised, but it could have been worse. Dad got the full blast of it, but still we were all fine.

Best Dinner

We went to the best dinner ever! I had lemon chicken. It was the best and I had a basket of french fries. We watched a game of Cricket on TV. Then when I thought Dad was going to ask for the bill, he asked for the menu and ordered 1 piece of lemon pie and 1 piece of caramel custard. When they came, we ate so fast it was like it was there one second and gone the next. Then, to my delight and surprise, he ordered two more!

Under the waterfall

We went to see this waterfall near Mysore and got in these boats. It was a ton of fun!

Back from travels

I have some serious catching up to do.  I went on a big trip.  First I went and lived on a farm.  It was the best.  I milked a cow and helped build a "capsule" (a house built out of poles and palm leaves).  Then we went to a city where a palace is.  I rode a camel there too.  Then we went to a Tibetan town that many Tibetans fled to after Tibet was taken over by China.  Then we went to a range of mountains and hiked around.  We even swam in pools and rivers.  In the end, we went on the first train ride of my life.  It was even a sleepover one!



Helping lay the floor of a "capsule"

Homesick after discovering a "Subway" in Bangalore

Visiting the Mysore Palace at night

Riding a camel at the Mysore Palace

Our Tibetan host family at Bylakuppe

Pema showing off the Golden Buddha at Bylakuppe

Hiking at Honey Valley

Loading the bus to drive to the train station

Crazy jeep ride in the mountains

Staking out the top bunk on the train

Arriving at the train station in Chennai

He shoots. He scores!

So, there was this basketball tournament.  Actually, it was the Auroville Basketball League 2010 Finals, so it was pretty intense.  The team we were rooting for was behind for the first half.  Crowds were cheering.  It was crazy.  After half-time, we started climbing back up.  It was a really close game, but in the end, the team Rock & Roll won, which by the way was the team we were rooting for.  When they all came off the court, they were all sweaty and covered in dirt.  I wanted to dump the jug of lemonade on their heads (but I didn't).

Big Waves

The beach is the awesomest and waviest place in the whole world.  If you stand in the water for like 20 seconds, a wave will knock you over.  Next thing you know, you're underwater covered in sand and maybe a shell or two.  So cool.  I try to jump the waves, but let' just say I'm not the best jumper.  But still, it is so fun.  I still feel the waves hitting my back.

Weekend in Tiruvannamalai

 A few weekends ago, we went to Tiruvannamalai.  I had so much fun there.  The hotel was the awesomest.  We had hot water, which you can barely ever find in India and the hotel room, it was pretty much like an apartment - a really fancy apartment.  It had a big screen TV, a couch, a kitchen, everything you could want.

We didn't totally eat Indian food when we were there.  We ate in the best breakfast buffet place in the world!  It was so fun.  I think even the monkeys had fun while we were there.

Being a photographer

Photography is really cool.   I kind of want to be one when I grow up.  I figured it out when I was at a Japanese flower arrangement show.  I must have taken like a hundred pictures.  It was so awesome.  Some plants looked like they were from another planet.  Even the vases were totally awesome.  I couldn't stop clicking.

 

  

  

 

Tour Of Deepanam School

Here I am showing off my school.

Monkeys are Good Robbers

I saw... well, this is what happened.  So, there was the victim and there was the thief.  The victim was a baby.  The thief was a monkey.  The thief swooped down and saw the innocent victim and a milk bottle in his hand.  The thief runs and the victim is overcome.  The thief grabs the bottle and runs away, escaping while the victim cries.  So, I rest my case that monkeys are very good robbers.
 

Electric Rickshaw

Hey!  My dad was hoping we could use an electric rickshaw as our family vehicle, but it was a REALLY bumpy ride and my dad said it was difficult to drive, so we ended up not using it.  Here's a video of us trying it out.

I never pictured me in Army Camp

I know what you’re thinking, “Army Camp?”  Well, actually, people here call it “sports”.  After school, we get our different colored vests on and then line up and get in attention.  Straight back!  Straight legs!  Hands at your sides!  Then the coach yells at you for a couple of hours.  I know it sounds fun, but keep listening.  Then we get our butts worked off with racing and wrestling.  The worst part is that people push and kick and even throw people on the ground and nobody cares, meaning the teachers.

Elephants are great blessers

I got blessed by an elephant.  Isn’t that cool?  They take their trunk and tap you on your head.  I got blessed twice.  I petted his trunk too.  Oh, and before, I fed a goat.  I picked leaves and threw them at him.  I threw them closer and closer and closer, until he was eating right out of my hand.  It was really remarkable.  I also saw a monkey open a bottle.  It was even a baby monkey.  It had the bottle.  Then it began to twist it.  Then the top just popped right off.  Then it began to lick the cap, just like I do.  Then it began to try to drink out of the bottle.  It was so awesome.

Trash in Style

So, I saw a “Trashion Show”, which is pretty much a fashion show except all clothes must be made out of trash.  Some did not look like trash at all.  Plenty of them wore rain gear.  There were also many dresses, lots of recycled CDs, and one set of jewelry.  Some of the models were kids.  I sat right at the end of the runway so I got to see everyone close up.Preview

 

Polar Bears – Really?

The one thing I did not think I would see while I am here.  Actually, it was the cutest puppy in the world.  It was white and fluffy – the cutest little thing.  And these kids were holding it.  They said the puppy’s name was “Puppy”.

I saw the puppy at Mamallapuram, where we went to pick up the college students.  Here's a video about our time there.

It's PONGAL!!

It's Pongal!  Aren't you excited?!  Aren't you?  Aren't you?  Oh, I forgot.  You don't know what Pongal is.  It's a harvest celebration that goes on for three to four days.  It's kind of like Thanksgiving.  And that's pretty much it.  Oh!  I forgot.  You get to eat sugarcane.  It's so...  so.... good!  It tastes like ... well, like ... SUGAR!  People also wear new outfits each day of Pongal, even jewelry.  Happy Pongal!!
 

I have never sweated more in my life

I ran 2k - more formally known as two kilometers - yesterday.  We actually kind of ran 3k because the people kept sending us in the wrong direction.  My dad ran with me.  He came in first among the grown-ups.  He also came in last, because he was the only grown-up to run.
 

Visiting Pondy

• P = People (lots)
  
• O = Odd
• N = Neat
• D = Damp (it was raining)
• Y = Yummy (food)
• C = Cookoo
• H = Hot
• E = Everything
• R = Rumbling
• R = Rupies
• Y = Yelling

That is what Pondycherry is - people and yummy food.  There's a really cool fish market.  It is so cool, with squid and shrimp and all these flowers.  A man gave me a rose.  So did another man.

I was Pema's servant and brought her clothes to try on.  It took forever for her to pick out an outfit.

We got lunch in Pondy and I got a "Rocket Dosai"and some spicey stuff.  Dad got all these spicey things and Pema got a regular dosai.  For dinner, I got this chicken thing that people said wasn't spicey, but it was.
 

Catching up on Videos

Hi.  This is Daniel, Simone's dad.  I've been taking some videos and would like to share them with folks reading this blog.  Enjoy!

Morning Prayers


Traveling to Auroville


Puja for New Kitchen


Tour of our Home Space


Afternoon in Pondycherry

First day at school

Today was my first day of school.  First, we went in a big circle and prayed.  After that, I went to the library for 20 minutes.  Their library was actually pretty nice.  You go up these windy stairs and they have a lot of great books.  Then we went to music.  We sang these really cool songs.  One of them was "Hey, ho, nobody's home.  No meat, no drink, no money have I none..."  Another was "Let it be" by the Beatles.  Then snack.  For snack, we had some sandwiches and something else I forgot.  Then we had spelling.  I worked in a spelling book.  It was pretty easy.  At math, I worked in a book.  It was easy too.  Then we had lunch.  For lunch I had spaghetti and chocolate cake.  Then Dad picked me up.  It was great day.  I think I made a good friend too.  Goodbye.
 

New things

A few days ago, some new things happened. 

1. I rode a motorcycle for the first time.
2. I went to the awesomest pool in the world.  Tt even had a diving board and I dove like a 100 times.
3. I went to a dog and puppies center and I may be able to work there.
   

First observations

Here are some first things that I notice are different in India.

1. The houses are different.  I walk out my bedroom door and I see a garden in the middle of the house. 
2.  People drive on the left side of the road.
3. There are no lines on the road.
4. Not many people listen to the speed limit.
5. Their money is different than ours.
6. Some Indians carry things on their heads.
7. Dogs, puppies and cows roam the streets.

I'll share more observations later.