Early last week I had an unpleasant experience in a rickshaw on the way back from the library. I'm not going to go into details, but suffice it to say that whist I'm not easily freaked, I was well and truly freaked out by it and it's probably one of the few times that Maya has heard me really scream. As a result, we have decided to start acting like ex-pats (especially ex-pats with children) and, instead of tearing around the crazy streets of Bangalore in rickshaws driven by men with suicidal tendencies, we're getting taxis for anything other than very short journeys.
We put this to to the test for the first time today and were driven in a taxi to a hotel set in beautiful grounds to go and swim. Aren't we posh. Though I have to say, our taxi driver was a nutter who had no concept of slowing down over speed bumps and was far more enraptured with his mobile phone conversation than the road. But still. At least if he brakes suddenly we can't fall out of the side.
Anyway, the hotel and pool were wonderful and Maya, although she wasn't feeling well and was also tired and grumpy, was on brilliant form the second she was in the pool. What a change from the one year old who I took to swimming lessons in Godmanchester and, unlike all the other water babes who splashed about happily in the pool, she screamed till I got her out and then tried to drag herself off, as far away from the water as possible. Whilst there, we met a German man and his French step-son (aged 9) who Maya played football with. She also came out with a brilliant comment. When asked by the man where she was from, she chirped back in response 'I an Indian girl!' Now, looking at the photo I've put in of her above, she couldn't really look more English, could she. But still, when she dances she definitely looks more Indian than English and I'm pleased that India is slowly seeping into her indentity.
Nursery starts back tomorrow, but because of her urinary infection not having cleared up yet, I'll be keeping her at home. I have no idea how nursery will work out this time round but I'm crossing absolutely everything I have that she'll be okay. Watching Maya watch the little boy kicking his football around today, I realised afresh that she is just not spending time with other kids (apart from Lily) and that's hard for her. She was gazing at him and at the ball and you could see she was plucking up courage to go and play with him. Eventually she did, and she loved it and all aches and pains and tiredness were suddenly forgotten. So let's hope this infection clears up quickly and we'll see what this week brings.
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