Reached Visitors' lounge of Terminal 3 of IGI at 10:45 a.m. Neha and Babua met us.Babua told me to take out a bottle of Tropicana juice from the refrigerator .I put a tenner for it but it was not sufficient. Instead I got half-a-liter bottle of mineral water. I must learn how to take out bottles from the refrigerator after putting requisite money into it so that I can meet grandchildren's demands. Said bye bye to Babua and Neha and checked in Virgin flight no.VS300 to London. As we were Upper Class passengers (There are 3 classes in the Virgin : Economy,Premium Economy and Upper class), a young girl filled up our immigration forms and guided to the lounge of the Virgin Atlantic.Pilku arranged the tickets for us with points, earned by him in air journeys now and then. We had light lunch and tea. Before that I had a glass of red wine (Berry's Shiraz 2009 California). Venita objected.In the meantime Pilku's phone came and he told his mother that I should not be allowed to take drinks as these did not suit me. I liked Sufyani paneer and mashed potato preparations. Kashmiri pullow was excellent. We boarded the plane at about 1 p.m. A good 5 minute walk from the lounge. I had apple juice in the plane.It took off at 12:20 p.m. The journey was quite comfortable.Stewardess Neha Choudhary took care of us.We had side by side cabins where we could lie down and sleep.I promised Neha to write a line to the Airlines in appreciation for her excellent service. We arrived Hethrow Airport at 6:50 p.m after a journey of a little over 7 and a half hrs. It was broad day light in London.My watch still had IST and showed about 0010 hours of 14th June. The temperature was 21 degree Celsius . Very pleasant. Pilku had arranged taxi which took us to Southfields where he lived. He himself was in Nigeria on the day.An hour journey to Southfields was pleasant. From the sky, London looked a slum but it is clean and well laid out on the ground. Met children and Ruchi.We were thrilled to see each other.Amolikaa took me to each part of the recently renovated/reconstructed house.She showed us the living room.Abhishree was busy doing her home work there. I sat near her on the floor and helped her in homework for sometime.Dining room has granite floor.There is a wide platform with water connection (hot,cold for washing & another tap for drinking), arrangement for dishwasher, power point for heating water, provision for preparation of tea and for children to take breakfast and meal sitting on especially provided chairs for them. A small sofa set is also there. Then there are drawers to store kitchen articles and other provisions.There is a small lawn with slide, monkey walk,a spongy platform to jump etc. After showing the ground floor, she took me to the first floor which had two bedrooms and a sitting room.In the second floor,there are two bedrooms, occupied by two grand children. Each floor has a well provided toilet as well as store rooms. The toilet in the 2nd floor is used by kids with a designer shower. I asked Amolikaa, "Could I have a shower in your toilet, whenever I liked?". She said,"Of course." I was quite happy with the conducted tour of the renovated house by her.Retired to sleep at about 11pm GMT, i.e ,5:30 am of 14th in India. We are retiring to sleep after more than 24 hours. We had got up at 4.30am on 13 in Delhi. Our biological clock will get adjusted to the new timings within a day or two.
14th :
Blessed Abhishree on her birthday. She was born on 14th June,2002(Friday)here in Wellington at 6.55pm GMT,i.e, 11.25pm IST. I had written the following poem on her 1st birthday, 14/06/2003 :
On the first Birthday of Abhishree
A granddaughter was born on this day a year ago.
We named her Abhishree.
In physical form she was like her father
In spirit goddess Lakshmi
With her came fortune, good luck and jubilation.
A Shandar Beti of Shandar parents.
She smiles like a mystic.
Her eyes are like black lotus.
She enjoys music.
Like fish she is happy in water
Stroll in her pram is her only hobby.
All of us love her, bless her on this day.
May she live long shining like the morning star forever,dazzling & beautiful away from darkness of evil.
(DNS Shrivastava)
14.06.2003
We planned to come here on this day to bless her.
Visited Amolikaa and Abhishree's schools. In Abhishree's school attended a music lesson being given by her teacher.Abhishree sang 'Rainbow' song to the accompaniment of the piano very well.She can develop this aptitude and be a very good singer. I was impressed with her effort to sing a song with a classical note. Went to the local post office near Southfields tube station and changed dollars into pounds. The rate was $1.81 for one pound. Changed $150 into pounds. Read out the news of the day to the children. It had been a practice with me to prepare a brief of the news of the day, which children could understand and read out to my sons when they were as young as Amolikaa and Abhishree . The urge to read out the news of the day to children has come back in me and I am restarting the process. When the sons grew up , I made them open a register each and write under the following heads.
1)News national/international.
2)Sports.
3)Thought of the day.
4)A joke.
The boy who consistently wrote well during a week was given a reward. It was quite often won by Babloo as far as I remember. It had created an awareness in the children about contemporary happenings and helped them later in life.I could lay hands on one such register,written by Babloo.I felt quite nice to see it. Pilku/Ruchi could follow this practice when children grow and can write the register on their own.
Watched children jumping on the spongy platform in the lawn. Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.
15th :
Abhishree did not go to the school. She complained of stomach pain. Amolikaa went to the school along with another girl of the vicinity. Amolikaa cried because Abhishree was sick. After a lot of comforting by Ruchi and a word by her teacher in the school, she was composed and sat in the classroom. Had a cup of tea in the cafeteria of the Wimbledon park. Accompanied Ruchi to the tennis club where Amolikaa and Abhishree were being coached. Went to Wimbledon court to buy an adapter so that I could charge my cell. International roaming in my cell has been discontinued. A new procedure has been introduced. One has to give a copy of the passport along with a security deposit of Rs.3000/- to activate it. I got my passport scanned and sent it to my daughter-in-law, Neha, with a request to deposit it along with Rs.3000/- for activating International roaming. It was activated on 22nd June. My cell was without network from 14th to 21st June.In between I got some calls but could not make a call or send a message.The receipt of calls started after my daughter-in-law made a request to the Vodafone customer care over phone .Vodafone activated International roaming in my cell when she deposited a copy of my passport and Rs.3000/-. Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.
16th :
Visited Mall at Wimbledon and obtained Orange connection in Venita's phone. Her phone also was without network before I got Orange connection buying a new sim for 10 pounds. After the Orange connection, I could make calls. But calls to Pilku in Nigeria were very expensive. A couple of calls to him exhausted 10 pounds. I had to recharge the sim by another 20 pounds within a couple of days.
In the evening when I was going out for a walk Amolikaa said, 'Why don't you put on wind cheater of your son. It will protect you from rain and cold.' The advice had come from her when she observed that it was cold as also likely to rain. I carried out her dictate. Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.
17th :
I accompanied Ruchi to children's schools. Venita could not go out today due to bad stomach. I had Starbucks coffee in the restaurant near Southfields tube station. Went for a walk in Wimbledon park. It was full of families with children playing in fountains of water,slides, monkey-walk, seesaw etc. It is a daily scene. You see more people on weekends. While I was taking round of the park two young white girls (probably in their teens or tweens)solicited if I needed their company. I replied in the negative and kept on moving. They two did not stop. In 2007 also a lady solicited me and I had said "Sorry, not interested". I was reminded of my wife's observation that these days young girls tried to woo older people for easy money and less trouble. I told my wife and my daughter-in-law about the episode. They heard it with quite a bit of interest with no comments or advice.It is a sorry state of affairs for the society where young girls solicit for easy money. May be our ethical fiber has weakened.Retired to sleep at 11pm.
18th :
Got up at 6.45am. Children were still sleeping. They get up at about 7 or 7.15am. It was broad daylight. Brought a copy of The Telegraph. Had a glass each of lemon water and later Sikkim tea. Went out for a 40 minutes walk in the Wimbledon park. Later I repeated it in the evening too. There was lot of activity in the park. Small tents had been put up by persons, who lived there overnight. They all had come for witnessing Wimbledon matches. The number of these colorful tents would be about 300 with about 600 people living therein. Improvised toilets had been setup. There was a moving canteen where you could get your breakfast, lunch and dinner. An elaborate arrangement for the safety and the health of the people living in the tents had been done. At least over 500 cars of different make were parked in the lawns. A police station had also been setup and parts of green fields covered with wooden planks for people to queue up to the Wimbledon courts comfortably. The Wimbledon matches start from 20th June. All these arrangements are for the matches.I had a keen desire to meet the police officer i/c but could not.In the tents were people mostly white,some black,some of mixed races and Asian origins,all living with complete harmony and understanding.They were speaking different languages.As immigration from European countries is unrestricted,you see a lot of people from these countries,speaking their languages.Majority of them,however,were speaking English.Abhishree and Amolikaa understand and speak only English.Football coaching to young groups was going on.People from the tents were also playing games to keep themselves engaged.
Visited Fun-Fare near Amolikaa's school.Could not go about in the Fare due to rains.There was a big park nearby with a Victorian style restaurant. It was fully booked. We could not get room. We went to the Southwest mall and had lunch in a Mexican restaurant.Children enjoyed food.I did not enjoy it so well.I was told its non-veg items were good. We are vegetarians.Bought some gifts for children,including a small aquarium.Tried to send a sms to Pilku.It bounced.Later I could send the following sms after evening walk:"Had walk in the park for 50 minutes.Having a cup of tea in the cafeteria.Amma went to Sainsbury's and brought some fruits and other things. Children are playing. Ruchi must have got up. On week days she has a tough schedule of work. Wish to watch Wimbledon matches on any day upto 3rd July. 4th we leave.PAPA." This sms could perhaps go because Neha had a talk with Vodafone service center at Gurgaon.
19th :
Read the following headline in a local daily,"Muslims integrating better than Christians." in British Society. All England club is celebrating 125 years of Tennis Championships. Visited Fun-Fare along with children. The children went about from one play/game to another. The Fun-Fare had all the paraphernalia which any Fun-Fare has.Had food in a Chinese restaurant. Went for a walk in the evening. Visited internet cafe, located in the post office of the area. Scanned a copy of my passport and sent it to Vodafone as well as to Neha. After receipt of the passport Neha could deposit a sum of Rs.3000/- and thereafter my international roaming was allowed by Vodafone. At 10pm there is still light in the sky.
Amolikaa was not sleeping even after 10pm. As they have to get up early to get ready to go to school, it was necessary for her to go to sleep. I went to her room. I said,
"Why are you not sleeping?" She told,"A monster is throwing water at me." I told,"I will sleep with you." Babua has a toy which, he says, throws water in great speed. He also points it towards you and you have to react as if you are drenched to the skin.The children have their own make- believe-world.To be able to tune with them,you have to be its denizens.Afterwards I noticed Amolikaa had slept while talking to me. I came down to my room in the first floor. Amolikaa and Abhishree have one room each for themselves in the 2nd floor, which are built in the loft of the house, besides some space for stores. Retired to sleep at 11pm.
20th :
Visited Oxford.It took us one and a half hour from Southfields tube station.Oxford is a historical city with 38 colleges. Ceremonies of all colleges take place in the Central Hall including conferment of degrees and other honors.Had a boat ride too.We had taken a tourist bus for a round of the city.We were briefed about each place by a taped description of the places.We got down near Trinity College and took a round of it visiting its four quadrangles, gardens, Chapel and the Hall.We had a cup of coffee in a nearby cafe.As we came to the alighting place near the Trinity college to join Miss Pratima Pandey,a tourist,to whom we got introduced during our journey in the train from King'S Cross station on the National Line to Oxford,we found her talking to a tourist guide.In fact we had asked the guards at the entry to the Trinity college about guides. Surprisingly they said that there were none. We took the guide to take us round the other colleges of Oxford. He took us to the New College, which is now nicknamed as Harry potter's college. The film had been shot in its premises. We were shown a big & old tree under which particular scenes of the film had been shot. He showed us its chapel, dining room, the restaurant & classrooms of the students. The students attended the classrooms with black gowns and ceremonial caps. We paid the guide £5 each. We walked over to Magdalen Bridge from where we took an half hour boat ride. It was quite refreshing. We boarded the the bus which had taken us round the Oxford city on way to the Railway station for journey to London at about 6pm. We arrived South-fields,London at about 8pm.I wanted to take the address of Pratima who owned a company and was located in Noida at King's Cross station when we changed lines in the tube station to different directions.In fact she looked into my eyes and silently communicated for it,but i thought Venita might take it otherwise and ignored her offer. Retired to sleep at 11.15pm.
21st :
Today was the longest day of the year. From 22nd, the day would start diminishing and night increasing. Visited South Side Mall,Venita picked up quite a few things from £1 shop, where we found that lower middle class and old people were shopping in big number. She purchased quite a few things. I sat along in the Costa Coffee shop and waited for her. Later in the evening I went for a long walk in the Wimbledon park. After I returned, Abhishree said that she would go for a walk with me.I took her to South-fields market.The weather is so good that you can keep on walking here without getting tired.Abhishree kept on hoping from one shop to another for over 45 minutes. At last she bought two Easter eggs.
During 2007 visit she would not accompany us anywhere without Ruchi or Pilku. Amolikaa did not allow me even to touch her pram if I wanted to push it. She would like her pram to be pushed either by Ruchi or her maid or Pilku. Now they are keen to go out with us. On another day I had come back home after evening walk and changed over to sleeping dress. Abhishree came and said that she would like to go out for a walk with me. I said that I had changed over to sleeping dress. She did not say anything.But I could see disappointment in her eyes. I said that I would change over to go out with her. She is now 9 years. She is understanding and retorted that it was not necessary. She did not want me to take the trouble of changing the clothes. She is so sweet. I did not insist and told her that we would go out together next day.
On another day she again hopped from one shop to another when she went out with me. She said whether she could buy anything she liked. I said she could buy the entire shop if she liked. The sales girl was amused. Abhishree was impressed. But she knew that I could not buy the shop as I did not have enough pounds. It was a good training for her as she would come across such verbose offers to her from her boyfriends. And she has to be careful and not be impressed with them. I wanted to train her up for future. She is an intelligent girl and understood it. Sent some emails from Pilku's laptop, a beautiful small light weight computer. Retired to sleep at 10.45pm.
22nd :
Visited Cambridge starting at 11am. At Cambridge we took the tourist bus which took us round the city. There was taped description of various places we passed through. It is a much bigger city. We got down near the Law college. But everything was closing. We could not enter the premises. We tried to get a guide to the city but could not. We had to board the tourist bus again and be satisfied with what was being told in the taped commentary of the places it was passing through. We were informed that over 80 celebrities who were alumni of the University had got Nobel prize. We were shown the places where Shakespeare lived and where Prince Edward studied. We saw the young men and women (some of them love_lorn)moving about as we passed through the city in the bus. We returned at about 8pm. Retired to sleep at 11pm.
23rd :
Went to Salisbury's and bought some provisions. Went for an hour walk. Visited South side mall. Venita shopped. I spent time in Costa coffee shop.Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.
24th :
Had a long walk. Visited Marks & Spencer at Wandsworth and nearby craft shops. Ruchi had dropped us there. On way back we entered the wrong bus paying unnecessarily for the journey back home. We got down and boarded the right bus to Wimbledon. But again got down wrongly at Wimbledon South. Had to pay bus fare again for the journey back home. We thus paid 8 pounds unnecessarily. Ruchi bought us debenture tickets for quarter final matches in the Center Court on 28th. She had to pay in all 1140 pounds for two of us which will be equal to about Rs.70000/-. This is the 125th year of the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon. Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.
25th :
Ruchi's friends came and stayed over for the night. They were class friends in Miranda house in Delhi. Kiran has a lovely daughter,Lakshmi. All children played throughout the day. Ruchi said that Kiran was a beauty of the college.We had a good South Indian dinner, brought from an Indian restaurant. Kiran stays in London and Priti Bakaya came from Brussels. Retired to sleep at midnight.
26th :
Had lunch with the children in the Cafeteria, Wimbledon park. Watched them playing tennis and other games. Venita went to South side market along with Ruchi and children and bought some gifts for them. Kiran and Bakaya went back. Prepared a brief on a Pharaoh, Cleopatra, for Abhishree, who is to speak on the subject as part of her home work in the class. Retired to sleep at 11.15pm.
27th :
Today was Ekadashi and I kept the fast as usual. The visit of Chinese premier to London was described by me in details to the children as news of the day.Retired to sleep at 11pm.
28th :
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29th :
Visited the tennis club of Abhishree and Amolikaa. I had to escort them from their school to the club and back home as Ruchi got busy with the Afgan guest. I noticed the instructors did not coach the kids properly. They were paid 18 pounds each for training them for half an hour. I informed Ruchi that I noticed one coach spending quite a bit of half an hour talking over his mobile phone leaving the children to play as they liked. After the children finished their coaching, they dumped on me their school bags, water bottles, changed clothes, tennis rackets and other things whatever they had. After taking all of them on me I found my both hands were full along with my shoulders and back. I took them to taxi but could not keep them inside and requested taxi driver to help. He took them one by one and kept in the dicky of the car.I was enjoying the ordeal. I did not have such an experience with my own kids. Perhaps I would never have carried the load had they given it to me. Probably I had a big ego at that time, which would not allow me to indulge and enjoy carrying the load of school bags etc. I had orderlies, but carrying the school bags etc. of grand children was exiting. They are great stress busters.
While going to the tennis club via Abhishree's school the taxi charged me 12 pounds. But for a much shorter distance from the tennis club straight to the house it charged 11 pounds. While the taxi driver,a Pakistani, was taking a longer route, Abhishree told him that he should have gone by a shorter route and that he had unnecessarily taken a longer route. He apologized to Abhishree and said that he committed a mistake. I was impressed with the awareness of Abhishree,despite her being quite uncomfortable with itching of her hair/head due to lice picked up during her visit to Delhi in April. I am informed that now she has no lice and that there is no itching of her hair/head. I told Ruchi to insure her against lice before she took her to Delhi in future.Retired to sleep at 11.45pm.
30th :
Visited Mark & Spencer retail shop at Wandsworth. Venita bought some articles. Ruchi went to escort the Afgan lady to the market and back. Retired to sleep at 11pm.
1st July :
Visited South side market along with Venita. Pilku came back from Nigeria in the evening after a stay of about 3 weeks there. It is good he has come. We are leaving on Monday the 4th. Children will not feel bad now after our going. Bakaya came from London University, where she was doing a course. She stayed overnight and would go back next day.Played a game of golf with Abhishree and Amolikaa in the Wimbledon park. Pilku also came. Wimbledon park has a mini 18 hole golf course for children to play. On way back home I asked Amolikaa if I looked as old as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,who was to celebrate his 90th birthday in a few days. She said,"Not at all. You look very young." I asked her if she was trying to please me. She said," No." I told her that her Dadi told me that I looked much older than my age. Amolikaa did not want to get into controversies and kept a diplomatic silence. Retired to sleep at 10.45pm.
2nd July :
Ruchi and Venita went to South side for shopping. In the morning we noticed that one golden fish had died in the acqairium gifted by us to the children. Pilku did not like to buy fish as he felt bad about their being confined inside a jar. He would rather like them to float in the river with complete freedom. But on insistence of children we had bought one big jar with 2 fish in it. The sudden death of a fish early in the morning was a matter of concern. We thought of children crying as soon as they come to know of it. So I thought of tricking them by telling that I had taken the fish to the Vet (this is how a Vetenary doctor is referred to in London) for medication as it had become sick. In the mean time they went to the schools and Ruchi brought another golden fish and placed it in the jar. The children were very happy to see it and praised me to their friends in the nearby houses for being kind and caring as I had taken the sick fish to the Vet and brought it back. Later I told the fish which I had taken to the Vet had died and Vet had given another fish of the same color. The children put up with the changed version of fish death and were satisfied with our explanation. Retired to sleep at midnight.
3rd July :
Witnessed Abhishree playing tennis. Pilku returned home and I stayed back with Abhishree who wanted to play around. Ruchi's friend George came from Washington along with another gentleman, husband of a class friend of Ruchi. All did a course on Information Technology in London School of Economics together. George must be 6 feet 3 inches, a Tamilian and jet black. He works in IMF.Retired to sleep at 10pm.
4th July :
Had a walk in the Wimbledon garden. Abhishree gave us 2 of her toys as gifts. These small toy horses were her most favorite toys. In fact she went along with us a day earlier to buy some gifts for us, but could not decide. I told her to give us something which was dearest to her. I kept her gifts in my briefcase. At the time of leaving for the Airport she wanted to see them again and asked," Where had I kept the gifts?". I told that I had kept in my briefcase and opened to show the same to her. She was happy to see the 2 small horses well kept in my briefcase. She is highly individualistic. Very often she would tell us to leave her alone. I don't know from where she has learnt this expression but it shows she is growing, intelligent and a loving child.
Left for the airport at 6.30pm along with Pilku. Pilku did the checking and saw us off at the final checking point. We had dinner in the lounge and went round the duty free shop selling expensive leather goods and men and women's clothes. Could not take dinner in the aircraft as we were full. Had a cup of green tea.Retired to sleep at 11.45pm.
5th July :
Got up at 4.30 am GMT and 10 am IST. The aircraft landed before time at 10.30 am. Its landing time was 11am IST. Neha met at the airport and brought lunch for us.. During the day did the unpacking and updating payment of pending bills. Retired to sleep at 9.30 pm.
