Bangalore beckons

The past two and a half weeks have been a whirlwind of visiting friends and family - in fact, I don't think I've ever seen so many people in such a short space of time before. Maya has loved being re-united with cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents and old friends as well as meeting a few new babies but let's face it - it was pretty unlikely that this wasn't going to be confusing, not to mention tiring at times. There was, without a shadow of a doubt, a hint of weariness in her voice yesterday when we got into the car for the umpteenth time to reach our next destination. She eyed her parents from the back seat and said 'Where are we going now?' The poor, weary traveller!

Now that we're safely ensconced back at her grandparents house, we can say with all honesty that the next stop is Bangalore. She's been telling lots of people about her friend Aanya and her teacher Paula so I think she'll love being back at her school and being doled out tons of sweeties (grrr...but hey, what kid wouldn't?) She's been eating much better back in England though, so back to beating my head against a brick wall each meal time...and she's also loved being cold! I know I've mentioned this several times before, but our first born is a fair English rose who loves warm jumpers, thick duvets and welly boots. You may well ask what the dickens we're doing dragging her to the steamy climes of India but we realised a long time ago that if our lives were dictated by Maya's wishes then both Andy and I would wear a full pink outfit each and every day and our cupboards would be filled with cupcakes, olives and tins of sweetcorn.

One of the highlights of being back were the not one but TWO violin lessons my sister gave Maya on her own very first violin she started playing herself at the tender age of three. Naturally she showed precocious talent, her auntie declared her a mini virtuoso and she's already booked to play with Nigel Kennedy during his next tour. Ok, the truth? She scraped out a few sweet little scratchy sounds but she had a big old grin on her face and asked for the second lesson herself. She has been raised with her Mama banging about on the piano and both her parents twanging a guitar so I'm sure she'll have some appreciation of music.

We leave in two days time. Back to rude, early morning hocking awakenings (I will never, EVER get used to that), warm days and nights, rickshaws, cows and chickens, the smell of jasmine, rain, spices and drains, Deepa, Aanya and Paula. Maya's been a bit poorly with a cough and cold over the past week so let's hope that the hot air she'll feel at 4am when we exit the airport will blast away the residues of lingering germs. We have love, love, loved being here but we can't wait to go back. Maya has just walked up to my side and asked 'Mummy, what are you doing?' I told her I was writing her blog and asked what she was looking forward to about going back to India. Her reply? The aeroplane. Or 'elloplane' as she calls it. Ah well, it's hardly India. But it's a start!