with lips and teeth to ask how my day went, boots and fists to pound on the pavement

(bikes, our garden, the first day back)

Having spent a lovely 21 days in the land of bikes, snow and familiar faces (although, strictly speaking, I spent 10 of these 21 days in a country of baguettes, snow and family faces), I am now back and in the process of re-tanning over here in India.

After a disastrous journey due to ‘severe weather conditions’ (according to BA’s phone line, which also told me ‘we are experiencing a large mass of phone calls from angry luggage-less customers much like yourself, therefore we shall keep you on hold for another half an hour’ or something to that effect) Lenn and I arrived at MUWCI a lay-over in London and a day richer. Upon arrival, everyone was throwing themselves at one another, excitedly gabbling on about how much fun they had parting/shopping/eating/travelling/sleeping. It was really nice to see them all again, although admittedly the prospect of the drab rooms (although mine is cheered up with sky blue paint and pretty pictures) and hard beds slightly dampened the spirit.

School started on Monday, and it was business as usual. Sure, people looked refreshed, neater and more awake after their haircuts, shopping sprees and sleep, but by about Wednesday it was all same old, same old. Having spent the last term getting to know everyone and everything, I feel (at least up to now) to be slightly more in control of things (sleep/school/timewise). It is a shame that my luggage (not the metaphorical, but the actual physical sort) had a longer delay in London than I, but rumour has it that it will be arriving today, which would be brilliant.

For the rest, I’m still alive, still enjoying the sun (although I’m worried about the prospects of the temperatures hitting the forties and fifties), marvelling at the monkeys (there was one by the cafeteria today) and attempting to teach children from the neighbouring villages about concave and convex mirrors.

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