We're Here!!!

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Those above the line are out of order, sorry.

The apt was furnished with everything we could have needed or wanted, including 2 baskets of fruit and 2 flavors of icecream.

bath area ( no tub) stool for sitting (above #2)


Bathroom (notice water - they provided every drop of water we drank or used)

dresser, with lots of room for suitcases Very nice bed, big screened windows, light weight curtians let light and air in.

Frig and table for work space, glasses, silver and a toaster oven
(at top #5, sorry)

gas stove - the countertops and floors are marble
sink next to big, sunny window, dish rack above and microwave and stove. Marble tile on wall.



View from our balcony #1 (notice 2 wheel hand cart and shiny new auto)
* If you know how to fix this, please let me know. I'm sure it's very simple, but I'm even more simple)

across the street from our building - another 4 story apt on right (redish with small garden) and a small family dwelling on left - another contrast right next to eachother.

Our balcony #4

Looking from the livingroom to the balcony

This (#3) is the view as we first came into the livingroom of "our" apt. - to the right, the balcony and bedroom. To the left, the kitchen and dining area.
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We landed in Mumbai a little ahead of schedule Fri Dec 12th about 12:10am and waited on the runway for a few minutes. Nikhil had told me to request assistance, so I was given a wheelchair and a young man to push it. His name is Ganish, and he took very good care of us, retreiving our checked baggage, walzing us straight through customs and out of the airport. We saw Nikhil and his dad almost as soon as we exited the door. I was never so glad to see him! Ganish rolled me right to the car and Nikhil and his dad, Ashwin, tipped him for us. The Parikh's driver loaded our bags in jig time, and we were off for our 3 hour trip to Pune. We visited and laughed and answered eachother's questions. PC and I watched out the car windows as Mumbai slipped past us. It reminded us of Mexico City. The roads are good, and there are plantings in the medians - in pots!!! It looks really nice.

"Home" is an apt on the 4th floor on the same lane as the grandparents live. Nikhil and Ashwin showed us all around the apt and made sure that we were comfortable. At about 5 am they took their leave, and we went to bed; I slept til 3:30pm, PC was up earlier. The bed is better than ours at home. We took our time, and Nikhil came for us about 6pm, taking us to his folks home which is not so far away. Sunita answered the door and welcomed us warmly. We sat and visited and had a little icecream (PC's reputation preceeding him) before we went out - first shopping for me some a cool cotton top and a traditional 3 piece silva, which was more than I pay for clothes, but I had some birthday money and decided to splurge. Sunita says I look "very smart, very Indian". Next we went right next door to an up scale Chinese place for a lovely dinner and interesting conversation and getting acquainted, such a sweet family, very kind to one another.

Sat we were suppose to go for tea at the grandparents home at 4pm and slept right through til 6:30. I was so embarrassed. Not to worry, they said. We needed our sleep, they said. They brought dinner to us, and Nikhil served it. Sunita had made the spinish dish I like with rice and a couple of side dishes. Sunita had a wedding and Ashwin needed to check on his patients. After Nikhil left to go out with his 7 friends from kindergarten, walked to the main street and looked around and bought a paper, came home and enjoyed our first newspaper in a few days.

Sun the plan was for all to have breakfast with grandparents, and drive to Ashein and Sunita's "farm" in the country, which we did. The breakfast was the largest I've ever had, even including Sally Coy's in Lubbock.