16 Oct 2009
Today was a holiday. It seems that there are various forms of Diwali. Most of India seem to celebrate Diwali on the same date but there are regional and religious differences associated with the days around the day.
I was in my room most of the day. It was nice to have some quiet time. It was also nice that later in the evening, Ashutosh and his family, along with the friends, took me to a fair ground. He said that this was the only time of the year that the fair was in town, so rather than go to the Rock gardens, this was a better option. It was a lovely evening. My legs were starting to tighten up with all the inactivity. (I didn’t realise how sore I was until I started walking around. The main spectacle was the motorbike ring. It certainly drew the crowds. It was this giant circular wall where the bikes would zoom around and do stunts. It took a while for our turn to come up to go up into the stands to watch. Ashutosh’s son Aramon would have preferred to go for a ride on the dragon train but he was really good about it. Then, once we were up there, it took about 20 minutes or so before the show started. I think they wanted maximum spectators. All this time the music was playing through the speakers at ear splitting levels. You could tell it was uncomfortable for the children. But, the moment came and the bikes started whizzing around the bowl. Some of the spectators would hold out some money for the riders to grab on the way past. Once the riders had finished their performance, the cars revved up and started whizzing around the track. Yep, cars. Four of them. The drivers got up to speed and then climbed partially out of the cars through the windows. They’re nuts, I tell you. Stark raving bonkers.
Once the show was over we headed over to the dragon train. By this stage Aramon and his young friend were not that interested. They chose instead to go for a ride on a jeep-go-round. There was this little girl on the ride just prior to Aramon who was absolutely ecstatic. She was beaming. (I think her parents will have to watch when she grows up.) The boys weren’t quite as animated but they did enjoy the ride. I had a go at shooting small balloons with an air-rifle. That was the most ridiculous thing I’ve done in a while. Be a marksman in the Airforce in my far distant past, you get to know how to point a rifle at your target and shoot. Well I think the rifle I was using this time had a bent barrel or something. It didn’t seem to matter how hard I tried to hit something, that balloon survived. (I was only three feet away. I could have poked it with the end of the barrel and hit it better.) I think if the barrel had been just a little more bent, the caretakers of the stall may have had a few wounds.
We didn’t stay long after the boys had finished their car ride. We headed home via an ice cream shop. This was about 9pm. Ashutosh dropped me off back at the hotel and headed home. The evening was still young for them.
It turns out that Ashutosh and his friend enjoy going to the movies. So I may be going along as well. Ashutosh told his friend that I wouldn’t like Indian movies but, I dunno. It could be interesting. There’s one coming up that’s called London Dream that could be worth taking a look.
17 Oct 2009
Well, if you think it can get fairly load on November 5th, you should try Diwali. The explosions are rocking the hotel room. If I didn’t know it was the festival season, I would think we were being invaded by the Teliban or something. I was thinking that I might go downstairs for tea. Now I think I might skip tea. I’ve got my Jaffas. (Thanks Neil.) That should keep me going until morning.
Well, the Indians love to celebrate. I’m not sure what time of the morning the fireworks stopped. It was well after midnight. The ones closet to me (Outside my room, in the garden, on the balcony in the next room, in the car park, on the landing) finished a little earlier. Thereafter I could hear the rumbling way of into the distance. It was a little like a good thunderstorm without the rain, or a clam day in Baghdad.
18 Oct 2009
Thought it might be safe to go down to dinner tonight. It was a lot better. Still sounded like world war three out there, but at least in wasn’t on the hotel grounds. I was glad that I did go to dinner. The meal was quite nice. Plus, they had icecream to finish. They are my best pals now.
Whilst I was having dinner the TV was on. It was playing one of the Music channels. It was actually quite interesting to watch. What amused me most though was they were playing an Indian version of rap. Would you credit it.