Monday, December 04, 2006
December 2006 Update from Bangalore
Friday, December 1, 2006
Our old cook, Vani, came over today with her 14 month old daughter, Priya, to visit and help train Rita as our new cook. Vani left just a little over 14 months ago to have her daughter, took six months off, then went to work for another expat, Ilsa. Now she's only 10 minutes by bus to her new job (it took her two buses and over an hour to come to our house in the old days).
In the evening Badri and I went to our friend Brigit's 37th birthday party at Taj West End's Blue Bar. What a bash! Lots of friends there I hadn't known were going: Marylouise, Kirsty, Gabriela, Nil, Jennifer. Partied way too hard. In fact, we were supposed to be there only an hour or two, and then go to a friend and neighbor's house for a dinner, but we never made it. We were having too much fun.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Paid for it the next day though. Serious sore throat. Had a nice easy day of it at the park with the kids. Went to Kirsty and Andrew's in Koramangala for movie and pizza night. They have a projector and big screen, and we watched "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" with Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Also there were a couple other Aussies, Sarah and Ben, who seem to be here for the long haul (2 1/2 years so far, and no plans to leave), Jennifer (who had to leave early because her baby woke up and couldn't get back to sleep) and Danielle, from Czech Republic, who is leaving India in a few weeks to move to Australia for her husband's job. Fun movie, great company.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
It seems like only yesterday that I wrote it was my sister Mary's birthday today, and here it is, one year later already.
Badri went to a birthday party with Maya, at Divya's house, and I stayed here with Charlie and Molly. Did the park again, where Molly had a colossal melt down and a Spanish friend, Anna, came upon me in the midst of it and sincerely offered to have Molly over any time to play with her kids when I need a break. She even called later to ask how I was doing and repeated her offer. What a gem!
Monday, December 4, 2006
Vani came over again today with Priya to help out. I told her about our extra crib (cot) in case Priya needed to nap, and she just looked around the living room ceiling, saw a hook, and said, "No need. I'll just hang something from there." She brought the ladder down from upstairs, called Cha cha in, and he hung a sari, knotted at the top, from the hook. When it was time for Priya to sleep, Vani wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the sari, swinging her back and forth. Looked just like the pictures of storks carrying babies with cloth tied around their beaks. Priya fussed and Vani said, "She'll quiet after two minutes, then sleep for an hour". And that's exactly what the baby did.
I picked up Molly from school at Neev and then we drove up to the Canadian School to pick up Maya. Drive went a lot faster than I expected.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Maya stayed home from school so I could take her for a follow-up appointment with Dr. Chinnappa. A mere formality. She's doing great. Already up from 15 to 17 kg (33 to 37 lbs). I allowed so much time for the appointment, assuming it would take forever, but we were in and out in no time. You just never know what the waiting time will be for doctors, no matter which country you're in.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Went with Charlie to the Max Mueller Bhavan Center in our neighborhood to get tickets for a Friday night jazz show. He was completely intrigued with the fully decorated and lit Christmas tree there and wanted to stay there forever and play with it. Once we left, he ran up and down the entrance ramp about ten times--had a really good workout before his nap.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Went to a holiday sale benefiting Belaku Trust up at Palm Meadows in Whitefield. It's a non-profit organization I first learned about it earlier this year at an event where lots of local NGOs came to the Overseas Women's Club event and set up tables so people could learn about what they do and see if they wanted to donate time or money. I met the director of Belaku and talked to her about their programs, mostly income generating projects so women can become more self-sufficient, and health programs.
Bought a whole bag of beautiful products made from recycled paper. A good cause and great gifts.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Kirsty came for our regular Friday playdate.
Badri and I went to Chowdiah Memorial Hall to see come excellent jazz sponsored by the Max Mueller Bhavan center. It was a German group--phenomenal performers, especially the drummer and lead man. The funniest thing happened: during the performance the people behind us were talking non-stop. I told them it was disturbing, and the woman looked at me in shock. At the end of the evening the emcee called up the director of the Max Mueller Bhavan center to say a word for the band. The director walked to the stage and was none other than the shocked woman sitting behind us.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Doesn't happen often, but had a double header today: the first was a birthday/going away party at Daniela's. There was a terrific music man there who got the kids dancing and singing.
In the afternoon there was a wonderful Christmas party at Marylouise's--with an appearance by Santa Claus! Marylouise really knows how to throw a party. Great fun.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Went to the Canadian school with Badri to see Maya give her report on lions.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Had an interview at Global Adjustments on Cunningham Road. They're a relocation agency that does cross-cultural training, working with expats coming to India, as well as Indians going overseas to other countries. I really liked the director and one of the lead trainers and would love observing some of their trainings and work for them part-time.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A pretty busy social month. Went to Olive Beach with Kirsty, Aarti, Jennifer, Gabriela, and Daniela. One Wednesday a month there's a "flea market" at that restaurant. I put that in quotes because the merchandise is quite pricey, but awfully fun to look at. A really young, fashionable crowd shows up around 10pm and makes us all feel terribly old and dowdy. But we had lots of fun nevertheless.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
A big milestone today: brought Charlie to Stella at M&W (beauty parlor) for a haircut, and he sat quiet as a mouse for the first time ever. No crying, no histrionics. Just a beautiful haircut. Finally!
Drove the 24 km (14 mi) to Maya's school again for her Christmas performance in the evening. Badri, Molly, and I went. You could tell Molly just wanted to be dancing on the stage with the rest of them. The performance was called "Christmas in Africa".
Friday, December 15, 2006
Went, yet again, to the school for Maya's Christmas lunch with her class. She's very happy at the Canadian School, but it's just so far!!
Nayeli, Maya's classmate, and Maya
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Went to Maya's friend Sashwat's birthday at Solarpuria Splendour apartments. Kids had a great time getting tattoos and jumping in the bouncy castle. Left when Molly got pretty overheated, very red-cheeked.
Amazingly, went to Jakkur for the fourth time in one week. Tonight, for dinner at my friend Nil's house. Nil is Turkish and her husband Anthony is Swiss. They're real globetrotters, having lived in Malta and Chile before coming to India. Nil plays a major role in Global Adjustments, where I interviewed earlier this week for a part-time job as a cross-cultural trainer. Nice dinner, with a third couple, Tanya, from South Africa, and her boyfriend Brian, from England and U.S.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Went to Westside with the kids to have a photo taken with Santa. Not an award winner. None of the kids smiled. Charlie took the photo off the fridge later in the week and threw it away. Not a big loss.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
In the early afternoon Badri heard from a grad school buddy that there'd be an impromptu performance by a jazz singer at a friend's house on Lavelle Road tonight. We met up with friends at Java City on Lavelle and walked over to 2nd Cross off Lavelle. The woman, Monique DaVose, recently performed at the Shangri-La in Delhi for a few months, and was staying in Bangalore before heading back to L.A. and San Francisco. Very fun gathering. Heavily scientists: Badri's friend who told us about it is a physicist, and the woman who hosted, Jyoti, teaches physics at Mallya Aditi.
Which is very funny, because today for the first time I went to visit the Mallya Aditi School to check it out for the kids. Very nice school, but very full. There's only one section of each grade, and Maya's grade is completely full, with a waiting list of 20 people. This is often the case in Bangalore: very few spots for many students trying to get in. If you know people in high places, it seems like you get bumped up the waiting list. Word is, too, that if you offer to pay in U.S. dollars (rather than the local rupee rate), you can get in.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Maya had a playdate at her friend, Adrian's, house. When Maya was sick in the hospital and the doctor asked her who her best friend was, she said Sophie. I said I thought Adrian was her best friend and she told me he's her boyfriend. Oh boy--first grade "boyfriend". I knew his mom, Bettina, before Maya knew Adrian, and they really have a lot fun together doing arts and crafts.
In the evening went to a Christmas party at Sarah and Wayne's house. They live in a big apartment complex and most of the children were from there. Really fun time--very tough breaking open the pinata Santa, though. After the kids all tried, each parent had a whack at it with a baseball bat until finally it gave way.
Tonight, while I was working on the computer, I heard Charlie yelling over and over from upstairs: "car and water please, car and water please!" His take home gift from Sarah's was a matchbox car. Don't ask me how he knew it wasn't in his bed: he has about five airplanes and four or five cars in his bed already and I'm not sure how he knew it was the one missing in the dark.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Charlie and Molly "performed" in the Neev Christmas celebration, Badri dressed up as Santa Claus and handed out gifts, and I coordinated some of the moms and dads singing Christmas carols between acts. We had one half hour rehearsal at our house before heading over to the school.
Molly the reindeer at Christmas performance
Maya had her friend, Kumali, stay over tonight for a sleepover. They've been friends for the last 2 1/2 years and will miss each other. Kumali's parents are German and Sri Lankan and live right up the street from us.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Badri and I went out to dinner at Blue Ginger, one of our favorite Thai restaurants, that's part of Taj West End. The most beautiful ambiance of any restaurant here--outside, with fountains, torches, nice music.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Just said good night to our friends, Kirsty and Andrew and their three kids. So that's six kids under seven years old between them and us. All in the same preschool, Neev, except their baby Chloe, and Maya. Had a chaotic but fun Christmas Eve dinner here, and tomorrow we'll meet them for Christmas brunch at Taj West End, where they have lots of fun activities for kids--bouncy castle, tattoos, fishing games, etc.
Nicolas, Maya, Angus, Charlie, and Molly
Badri, Kelly, Kirsty, Chloe, and Andrew
Badri and Kelly at Taj West End Christmas Day
Monday, December 25, 2006
Had a busy time at Taj West End. Too many places the kids can disappear. Little Nico (almost 3) came back to the table with his pants wet, accompanied by a Taj employee, who told us he'd been swimming! Andrew and Kirsty were remarkably cool headed about the whole thing.
Taj West End Christmas Day
Late in the evening we took off for Krabi, Thailand. Short flight (about 3 hours), then a couple hours in Bangkok, before a short hop to the coast. The vacation started out wonderfully. We stayed in a beautiful place called Peace Laguna Resort, a three star hotel, that was beautiful, with most of the rooms overlooking lagunas. We were about a five minute walk to the ocean, and even closer to three different pools to choose from. Maya tried goggles and snorkel for the first time. We had two adjoining rooms with bathtub inside the bathroom and an outdoor shower. A giant granite outcrop overlooks the resort, and is beautiful especially in the early morning and evening hours.
Peace Laguna Resort, Thailand
Maya's first time using snorkel and goggles
Krabi is a pretty touristy place, with lots of motorized boats (especially long tail boats that take tourists out to the islands), which makes the ocean where we swam not so pristine. I also experienced sea lice for the first time--at least that's what my friend Priya figured it was when I told her I felt some stings all over my body when I was swimming, then had a light red rash for a day or two.
Maya and I went for haircuts one day, walking about 10 minutes from the hotel on to the main street. We really liked how they turned out.
By day two, Tuesday, Molly was running a high fever that lasted a few days, followed by two days of vomiting non-stop. We called the hospital doctor in who surmised it was viral. Assured us it wasn't typhoid. Not the season. By day six, Charlie and I were both flu-ish, with temperatures, but thank goodness, no vomiting.
View from our room
The holiday wasn't a complete bust. Badri, Maya, and I took turns having massages at one of the many seaside massage places set up on platforms under thatched roofs. One afternoon Badri took off with Maya for a half day boat trip out to the islands. They had a wonderful time swimming in the pristine ocean. Badri got to eat his favorite Thai food every single day--yummy curries. We went for a few rides on the local transportation, which was basically a two wheeler with a side buggy attached.
View from Chicken Island, Krabi, Thailand
Badri and I went out for New Years Eve shindig at the hotel. The main front desk person who adored the kids babysat for us. Long before midnight we got a call from her saying Charlie was crying, so we called it an early night. After we settled him to sleep, Badri lit one of the floating candles and set it off to flight up in the air. I've never seen anything like it before: there's a candle inside what looks like a cylindrical kite, and at New Years these things are lit and set free in the sky, floating higher and higher until they appear as stars. Nice way to celebrate the new year. I'm just not sure where they end up. And with that, we ended 2006 and stepped into 2007. I wish you all a very belated Happy New Year.
Dinner out
Maya and Appa
Looking out for little bro
Autorickshaw in Krabi
Maya at breakfast, Krabi, Thailand
Our old cook, Vani, came over today with her 14 month old daughter, Priya, to visit and help train Rita as our new cook. Vani left just a little over 14 months ago to have her daughter, took six months off, then went to work for another expat, Ilsa. Now she's only 10 minutes by bus to her new job (it took her two buses and over an hour to come to our house in the old days).
In the evening Badri and I went to our friend Brigit's 37th birthday party at Taj West End's Blue Bar. What a bash! Lots of friends there I hadn't known were going: Marylouise, Kirsty, Gabriela, Nil, Jennifer. Partied way too hard. In fact, we were supposed to be there only an hour or two, and then go to a friend and neighbor's house for a dinner, but we never made it. We were having too much fun.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Paid for it the next day though. Serious sore throat. Had a nice easy day of it at the park with the kids. Went to Kirsty and Andrew's in Koramangala for movie and pizza night. They have a projector and big screen, and we watched "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" with Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Also there were a couple other Aussies, Sarah and Ben, who seem to be here for the long haul (2 1/2 years so far, and no plans to leave), Jennifer (who had to leave early because her baby woke up and couldn't get back to sleep) and Danielle, from Czech Republic, who is leaving India in a few weeks to move to Australia for her husband's job. Fun movie, great company.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
It seems like only yesterday that I wrote it was my sister Mary's birthday today, and here it is, one year later already.
Badri went to a birthday party with Maya, at Divya's house, and I stayed here with Charlie and Molly. Did the park again, where Molly had a colossal melt down and a Spanish friend, Anna, came upon me in the midst of it and sincerely offered to have Molly over any time to play with her kids when I need a break. She even called later to ask how I was doing and repeated her offer. What a gem!
Monday, December 4, 2006
Vani came over again today with Priya to help out. I told her about our extra crib (cot) in case Priya needed to nap, and she just looked around the living room ceiling, saw a hook, and said, "No need. I'll just hang something from there." She brought the ladder down from upstairs, called Cha cha in, and he hung a sari, knotted at the top, from the hook. When it was time for Priya to sleep, Vani wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the sari, swinging her back and forth. Looked just like the pictures of storks carrying babies with cloth tied around their beaks. Priya fussed and Vani said, "She'll quiet after two minutes, then sleep for an hour". And that's exactly what the baby did.
I picked up Molly from school at Neev and then we drove up to the Canadian School to pick up Maya. Drive went a lot faster than I expected.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Maya stayed home from school so I could take her for a follow-up appointment with Dr. Chinnappa. A mere formality. She's doing great. Already up from 15 to 17 kg (33 to 37 lbs). I allowed so much time for the appointment, assuming it would take forever, but we were in and out in no time. You just never know what the waiting time will be for doctors, no matter which country you're in.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Went with Charlie to the Max Mueller Bhavan Center in our neighborhood to get tickets for a Friday night jazz show. He was completely intrigued with the fully decorated and lit Christmas tree there and wanted to stay there forever and play with it. Once we left, he ran up and down the entrance ramp about ten times--had a really good workout before his nap.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Went to a holiday sale benefiting Belaku Trust up at Palm Meadows in Whitefield. It's a non-profit organization I first learned about it earlier this year at an event where lots of local NGOs came to the Overseas Women's Club event and set up tables so people could learn about what they do and see if they wanted to donate time or money. I met the director of Belaku and talked to her about their programs, mostly income generating projects so women can become more self-sufficient, and health programs.
Bought a whole bag of beautiful products made from recycled paper. A good cause and great gifts.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Kirsty came for our regular Friday playdate.
Badri and I went to Chowdiah Memorial Hall to see come excellent jazz sponsored by the Max Mueller Bhavan center. It was a German group--phenomenal performers, especially the drummer and lead man. The funniest thing happened: during the performance the people behind us were talking non-stop. I told them it was disturbing, and the woman looked at me in shock. At the end of the evening the emcee called up the director of the Max Mueller Bhavan center to say a word for the band. The director walked to the stage and was none other than the shocked woman sitting behind us.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Doesn't happen often, but had a double header today: the first was a birthday/going away party at Daniela's. There was a terrific music man there who got the kids dancing and singing.
In the afternoon there was a wonderful Christmas party at Marylouise's--with an appearance by Santa Claus! Marylouise really knows how to throw a party. Great fun.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Went to the Canadian school with Badri to see Maya give her report on lions.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Had an interview at Global Adjustments on Cunningham Road. They're a relocation agency that does cross-cultural training, working with expats coming to India, as well as Indians going overseas to other countries. I really liked the director and one of the lead trainers and would love observing some of their trainings and work for them part-time.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A pretty busy social month. Went to Olive Beach with Kirsty, Aarti, Jennifer, Gabriela, and Daniela. One Wednesday a month there's a "flea market" at that restaurant. I put that in quotes because the merchandise is quite pricey, but awfully fun to look at. A really young, fashionable crowd shows up around 10pm and makes us all feel terribly old and dowdy. But we had lots of fun nevertheless.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
A big milestone today: brought Charlie to Stella at M&W (beauty parlor) for a haircut, and he sat quiet as a mouse for the first time ever. No crying, no histrionics. Just a beautiful haircut. Finally!
Drove the 24 km (14 mi) to Maya's school again for her Christmas performance in the evening. Badri, Molly, and I went. You could tell Molly just wanted to be dancing on the stage with the rest of them. The performance was called "Christmas in Africa".
Friday, December 15, 2006
Went, yet again, to the school for Maya's Christmas lunch with her class. She's very happy at the Canadian School, but it's just so far!!
Nayeli, Maya's classmate, and Maya
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Went to Maya's friend Sashwat's birthday at Solarpuria Splendour apartments. Kids had a great time getting tattoos and jumping in the bouncy castle. Left when Molly got pretty overheated, very red-cheeked.
Amazingly, went to Jakkur for the fourth time in one week. Tonight, for dinner at my friend Nil's house. Nil is Turkish and her husband Anthony is Swiss. They're real globetrotters, having lived in Malta and Chile before coming to India. Nil plays a major role in Global Adjustments, where I interviewed earlier this week for a part-time job as a cross-cultural trainer. Nice dinner, with a third couple, Tanya, from South Africa, and her boyfriend Brian, from England and U.S.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Went to Westside with the kids to have a photo taken with Santa. Not an award winner. None of the kids smiled. Charlie took the photo off the fridge later in the week and threw it away. Not a big loss.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
In the early afternoon Badri heard from a grad school buddy that there'd be an impromptu performance by a jazz singer at a friend's house on Lavelle Road tonight. We met up with friends at Java City on Lavelle and walked over to 2nd Cross off Lavelle. The woman, Monique DaVose, recently performed at the Shangri-La in Delhi for a few months, and was staying in Bangalore before heading back to L.A. and San Francisco. Very fun gathering. Heavily scientists: Badri's friend who told us about it is a physicist, and the woman who hosted, Jyoti, teaches physics at Mallya Aditi.
Which is very funny, because today for the first time I went to visit the Mallya Aditi School to check it out for the kids. Very nice school, but very full. There's only one section of each grade, and Maya's grade is completely full, with a waiting list of 20 people. This is often the case in Bangalore: very few spots for many students trying to get in. If you know people in high places, it seems like you get bumped up the waiting list. Word is, too, that if you offer to pay in U.S. dollars (rather than the local rupee rate), you can get in.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Maya had a playdate at her friend, Adrian's, house. When Maya was sick in the hospital and the doctor asked her who her best friend was, she said Sophie. I said I thought Adrian was her best friend and she told me he's her boyfriend. Oh boy--first grade "boyfriend". I knew his mom, Bettina, before Maya knew Adrian, and they really have a lot fun together doing arts and crafts.
In the evening went to a Christmas party at Sarah and Wayne's house. They live in a big apartment complex and most of the children were from there. Really fun time--very tough breaking open the pinata Santa, though. After the kids all tried, each parent had a whack at it with a baseball bat until finally it gave way.
Tonight, while I was working on the computer, I heard Charlie yelling over and over from upstairs: "car and water please, car and water please!" His take home gift from Sarah's was a matchbox car. Don't ask me how he knew it wasn't in his bed: he has about five airplanes and four or five cars in his bed already and I'm not sure how he knew it was the one missing in the dark.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Charlie and Molly "performed" in the Neev Christmas celebration, Badri dressed up as Santa Claus and handed out gifts, and I coordinated some of the moms and dads singing Christmas carols between acts. We had one half hour rehearsal at our house before heading over to the school.
Molly the reindeer at Christmas performance
Maya had her friend, Kumali, stay over tonight for a sleepover. They've been friends for the last 2 1/2 years and will miss each other. Kumali's parents are German and Sri Lankan and live right up the street from us.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Badri and I went out to dinner at Blue Ginger, one of our favorite Thai restaurants, that's part of Taj West End. The most beautiful ambiance of any restaurant here--outside, with fountains, torches, nice music.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Just said good night to our friends, Kirsty and Andrew and their three kids. So that's six kids under seven years old between them and us. All in the same preschool, Neev, except their baby Chloe, and Maya. Had a chaotic but fun Christmas Eve dinner here, and tomorrow we'll meet them for Christmas brunch at Taj West End, where they have lots of fun activities for kids--bouncy castle, tattoos, fishing games, etc.
Nicolas, Maya, Angus, Charlie, and Molly
Badri, Kelly, Kirsty, Chloe, and Andrew
Badri and Kelly at Taj West End Christmas Day
Monday, December 25, 2006
Had a busy time at Taj West End. Too many places the kids can disappear. Little Nico (almost 3) came back to the table with his pants wet, accompanied by a Taj employee, who told us he'd been swimming! Andrew and Kirsty were remarkably cool headed about the whole thing.
Taj West End Christmas Day
Late in the evening we took off for Krabi, Thailand. Short flight (about 3 hours), then a couple hours in Bangkok, before a short hop to the coast. The vacation started out wonderfully. We stayed in a beautiful place called Peace Laguna Resort, a three star hotel, that was beautiful, with most of the rooms overlooking lagunas. We were about a five minute walk to the ocean, and even closer to three different pools to choose from. Maya tried goggles and snorkel for the first time. We had two adjoining rooms with bathtub inside the bathroom and an outdoor shower. A giant granite outcrop overlooks the resort, and is beautiful especially in the early morning and evening hours.
Peace Laguna Resort, Thailand
Maya's first time using snorkel and goggles
Krabi is a pretty touristy place, with lots of motorized boats (especially long tail boats that take tourists out to the islands), which makes the ocean where we swam not so pristine. I also experienced sea lice for the first time--at least that's what my friend Priya figured it was when I told her I felt some stings all over my body when I was swimming, then had a light red rash for a day or two.
Maya and I went for haircuts one day, walking about 10 minutes from the hotel on to the main street. We really liked how they turned out.
By day two, Tuesday, Molly was running a high fever that lasted a few days, followed by two days of vomiting non-stop. We called the hospital doctor in who surmised it was viral. Assured us it wasn't typhoid. Not the season. By day six, Charlie and I were both flu-ish, with temperatures, but thank goodness, no vomiting.
View from our room
The holiday wasn't a complete bust. Badri, Maya, and I took turns having massages at one of the many seaside massage places set up on platforms under thatched roofs. One afternoon Badri took off with Maya for a half day boat trip out to the islands. They had a wonderful time swimming in the pristine ocean. Badri got to eat his favorite Thai food every single day--yummy curries. We went for a few rides on the local transportation, which was basically a two wheeler with a side buggy attached.
View from Chicken Island, Krabi, Thailand
Badri and I went out for New Years Eve shindig at the hotel. The main front desk person who adored the kids babysat for us. Long before midnight we got a call from her saying Charlie was crying, so we called it an early night. After we settled him to sleep, Badri lit one of the floating candles and set it off to flight up in the air. I've never seen anything like it before: there's a candle inside what looks like a cylindrical kite, and at New Years these things are lit and set free in the sky, floating higher and higher until they appear as stars. Nice way to celebrate the new year. I'm just not sure where they end up. And with that, we ended 2006 and stepped into 2007. I wish you all a very belated Happy New Year.
Dinner out
Maya and Appa
Looking out for little bro
Autorickshaw in Krabi
Maya at breakfast, Krabi, Thailand
# posted by Kelly @ 8:57 PM 
