We got a bit lost today in the forest and met some very large monkeys blocking our path!
We arrived here in Mussoorie on Wednesday in a full torrential monsoon downpour! We knew it would be cooler and rainy - wow, does it rain!
Finding Maple Cottage Annex was quite an adventure. The lovely old Ambassador taxi from the station in Dehradun could take us only so far and then we had to get our rucksacks, suitcase and guitar down a long and very wet gravel path.
Maple Cottage Annex probably hasn't been used for a long while - (read between the lines) - so we threw open the windows, pulled sheets and blankets from the cupboard and began to make 'home' (quite good fun really!). Ken gasped as I began pulling chairs and tables and a chest of drawers around (he was remembering the re-organisation of our lounge at home every year for the Christmas tree - it always ends up in the same place!). Anyway, it had to be done and now we are beginning to feel 'at home' again.
We have spectacular views (so far through the mist and rain) over the forest and down to the valley. This afternoon about 30 monkeys decided to have fun and games on our corrugated iron roof - sounded like a thunderstorm was happening but very entertaining as they chased each other around our balcony, looking in the windows and leaping into the trees. There are lots of 'trails' and pathways leading through the forest so looking forward to some time to go exploring.
Before we left Delhi, we had a wonderful party with the kids and students at Ekta Vihar. It was lovely to see them all again and be back dancing!! Thank you, Shalini, for organising it.
Many of the uni students have been offered internships and are getting the experience of working in business and speaking English - we met up with Pankaj, Sunny and Sandeep and heard how valuable they are finding this experience.
It was also very special to spend the evening at Pankaj's home with his family and enjoy a Rajasthani meal his mum and sister had prepared. Thank you so much for your kind welcome and hospitality.
So now, back to Mussoorie - today we enrolled at the Landour Language School to learn Hindi - we start our lessons on Monday - 2hrs a day!! Hoping to make some good progress!
We are thrilled to tell you that the 'mountain' of books donated by St. Mary's and St. Peter's School in Teddington has now been boxed and is being shipped to Delhi. Simon and Katie have done a wonderful job in sorting this out within the budget of the donations we received. Thank you for helping to get these books to the children in the slums - they will so enjoy them. We expect the books to arrive in September and we should be back working with Asha again by then and able to help distribute them.
With no TV, or radio, Ken's going to be so glad I packed the cards and scrabble!!! We'll also have time to do our Hindi homework! (Sigh of relief - we managed to get wifi today!!!).
More news next week if we don't get lost on the mountain!
Love Ken and Heather XX
We arrived here in Mussoorie on Wednesday in a full torrential monsoon downpour! We knew it would be cooler and rainy - wow, does it rain!
Finding Maple Cottage Annex was quite an adventure. The lovely old Ambassador taxi from the station in Dehradun could take us only so far and then we had to get our rucksacks, suitcase and guitar down a long and very wet gravel path.
Maple Cottage Annex probably hasn't been used for a long while - (read between the lines) - so we threw open the windows, pulled sheets and blankets from the cupboard and began to make 'home' (quite good fun really!). Ken gasped as I began pulling chairs and tables and a chest of drawers around (he was remembering the re-organisation of our lounge at home every year for the Christmas tree - it always ends up in the same place!). Anyway, it had to be done and now we are beginning to feel 'at home' again.
We have spectacular views (so far through the mist and rain) over the forest and down to the valley. This afternoon about 30 monkeys decided to have fun and games on our corrugated iron roof - sounded like a thunderstorm was happening but very entertaining as they chased each other around our balcony, looking in the windows and leaping into the trees. There are lots of 'trails' and pathways leading through the forest so looking forward to some time to go exploring.
Before we left Delhi, we had a wonderful party with the kids and students at Ekta Vihar. It was lovely to see them all again and be back dancing!! Thank you, Shalini, for organising it.
Many of the uni students have been offered internships and are getting the experience of working in business and speaking English - we met up with Pankaj, Sunny and Sandeep and heard how valuable they are finding this experience.
It was also very special to spend the evening at Pankaj's home with his family and enjoy a Rajasthani meal his mum and sister had prepared. Thank you so much for your kind welcome and hospitality.
So now, back to Mussoorie - today we enrolled at the Landour Language School to learn Hindi - we start our lessons on Monday - 2hrs a day!! Hoping to make some good progress!
We are thrilled to tell you that the 'mountain' of books donated by St. Mary's and St. Peter's School in Teddington has now been boxed and is being shipped to Delhi. Simon and Katie have done a wonderful job in sorting this out within the budget of the donations we received. Thank you for helping to get these books to the children in the slums - they will so enjoy them. We expect the books to arrive in September and we should be back working with Asha again by then and able to help distribute them.
With no TV, or radio, Ken's going to be so glad I packed the cards and scrabble!!! We'll also have time to do our Hindi homework! (Sigh of relief - we managed to get wifi today!!!).
More news next week if we don't get lost on the mountain!
Love Ken and Heather XX
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| It was great to see our students again and celebrate their achievements |
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| The Bal Mandal - just as lovely and as lively |
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| A well needed haircut for Ken from Sadab (one of his students off to Uni this month) |
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| A special evening spent with Pankaj and his family in their home |
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| Two mums together |
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| Maple Cottage Annex - we have the top half |
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| Views over Mussoorie from our home |
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| The mist clears as the evening draws in on our first night |
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| On our walk down to Landour to do some shopping |
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The Kellogg’s Memorial Church is a Presbyterian
church that was built in 1903. The church was named after Rev. Dr. Samuel H.
Kellogg. He ran the Landour Language School where the British were taught Hindi
- (hopefully two more British will learn Hindi in the next 2
months!!).
Think of us as you eat your cornflakes.
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| Just 2 of the 30 or so of the monkeys that were running over our roof |
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| Can you see the joy on Simon's face as he packs up the books ready for shipping |
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| Happily handing over all the boxes to be shipped to Delhi |
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| Just making sure they are all on the van! Thank you Simon and Katie for storing them and finding a way to transport them too. Thank you to everyone who gave books and to everyone who paid for their shipment. |
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