The Macdonald files

Hello all..well we continue to be amazed by India..I will start with interesting news clips(the news and papers here are most entertaining).In our first week here there was a story of a baby who was born on a train and slipped right through the toilet onto the train tracks of a moving train(see previous Indian toilet picture..to fully imagine!!All goes straight onto the tracks)well they had to stop the train and find the poor baby…who had a rather shocking start in life! and ‘happily ever after ending’ the baby was found ,taken to the hospital and pronounced fine!!the doctors in the hospital said they would fund any medical and school fees the child would need throughout her life..wow what a great story!!lets hope it doesn’t start a trend! Another child had fallen down a bore well..covered with carpets..after 16 hours of digging the 2 yr old was rescued unhurt after a 40ft drop. Another news article..very shocking and sad..it was reporting on the fact that still 6000 children under six in India die every day due to malnutrition and starvation..a sobering thought.

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Auntie Kirsty brought a surprise for the children to the flat!!the kids ran down to see what it was and all I heard was ELEPHANT! apparently Flora went and asked Kirsty what the surprise was with the elephant standing next to her!!They all had a ride..enjoy the photos! We went to a restaurant which does a carnival night..it was mad, weird masks..King Mamo..micky mouse..an all singing all dancing night..the kids had their faces painted and enjoyed the magician and balloon man..it was ended with African dancers limbo dancing and eating fire!!It was quite a night though totally bizarre!!Today we went to old Goa to see some big churches and a Hindu temple..then onto a spice plantation which was beautiful..seeing how all the spices grow..it was in a lovely place…mangroves with loads of water snakes(Seth was SO thrilled..at least 100 photos of them!)then we all sat on an elephant who gave us a bath and we scrubbed him….fantastic experience..(Enjoy the photos)The kids also rode on a dancing cow this week along the beach..there is nowhere quite like here!!Bus journeys are quite something.. we thought central America was crowded…but we were on a bus that said it could have 11 standing..and there were more than that in the first couple of rows..it was nose to nose squashed…and there was always room for more..I have a pretty high tolerance of uncomfortable and dangerous travel..but I had never seen anything like it..then Kirsty said…if we were in the big cities you would be hanging off the sides and on the roof! its fairly tame here because of the tourists!!We are enjoying the most delicious food and a fab meal for all of us with drinks rarely costs over a fiver..which is a blessing at the end of our trip!!Enjoy the photos..looking forward to seeing you all very soon…love Rachel Hamish and children!!

Ps..it rained last night we got soaked and it was so refreshing!!Soon the cool!!

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Hi, a little spare time to keep you updated of our adventures, the children are watching a film and are quiet (a rare moment) oh they have just come through..asking for food(tea was only an hour ago!) and tell me the movies over. Why do kids know to hassle you the minute you sit down to do something..kids are so talented at it!!Well we started the week visiting Coco bay..we ate at a beach shack with sun lounges in the sea..trying to read proved difficult whilst being engulfed in waves..so funny..but what is funnier..it was business as usual for the shack..serving lunch to people ankle deep in water..India is certainly entertaining..you could people watch all day long and never get bored. We went for a boat ride to see the prison and a diamond smugglers house and the main point of the trip was to see dolphins..We were on the lookout!!During the trip the driver stopped the boat to talk to his mate on the phone then asked if we wanted to drive..Hamish jumped at the chance to try and capsize us and make us all sea sick..then the guy asked..(still on his mobile trying to locate flipper and his mates!)does your boy want to drive!!can you imagine the scene in England..tourists pay for a boat trip but driver too busy talking to mates on the phone asks 11 yr old English boy to drive..and giggled with delight as he rocks the boat and terrifies other passengers!!!it is another world and you can imagine this land of no health and safety is a delight to many a mischievous boy(and girls)the kids are loving India!!We eventually saw the dolphins which was fantastic..but glad to have feet on the ground once again. On the downside of lack of health and safety..a young man lost his leg today being hit by a motorbike and 9 people have died in the sea in the last 2 weeks..including some brits..really sad…we enjoy the sea but it is a treacherous strip of coast and we are very careful. There are no life guards and most of the fishermen are non swimmers..also people are very reluctant to help anyone in trouble or help in an accident for fear of being incriminated by the corrupt police if you are there it is generally your fault!!and prison is a likely outcome. On a brighter note Kirsty took me for a most amazing massage..for two hours..steam baths the works…I could have slept for two days..we were massaged with tons of this sweet herbal oil which reminded me of comfort food like butterscotch sauce on sticky toffee pudding..gorgeous..and you could smell it on your skin for ages…all for 12 pounds…it would of cost a fortune in England..lovely. We have been helping at the lighthouse children’s home this week..doing a kind of holiday bible week with them..lots of stories ,crafts ,and games after lunch. It has been lovely to meet all the kids and see such a well run place..They do a great job of making it feel like home…wont show any photos of the kids on the net but will show friends at home and church. We will pop in again over the next couple of weeks..and tomorrow we are going swimming with them..should be fun. Hamish has gone for a cut throat shave..which is great..they do a fantastic job and it is about 50pence..I am enjoying the lack of stubble! Yesterday evening was spent looking round a market ..haggling for the best price is fun…we discovered a stall which sells chocolate brownies..We gorged and felt sick..it was worth it!!Enjoying lots of sunny days at the beach..it is the only way to keep cool..it has suddenly become very humid..last night I took a midnight shower with my PJ`s on to try and cool off. The beach has a good breeze so it is more pleasant than anywhere else. The evenings on the beach is livelier as the Indians come out then..they don’t like the sun..its ace to watch them bathing and washing in thier saris..and see the fishermen sorting out their nets watching the sun go down. Seth found a dead sea snake on the beach..check out the disgusting photos of them draping the poor creature round their necks! Went to church today..great place but again entertaining and typically Indian..love it…great place..tell you about it soon. In all of Asia I have noticed skin whitening cream…moisturizer..with whitening!!and at home its with a hint of tan!!How we all want what we haven’t got!!People make some money off people’s insecurities big time eh! Anyway need to go enjoy the pictures, and soon I will do a blog of Seth’s animal pictures..He has a great eye for it and has taken some great shots so in a few days I will do gallery of Seth’s animal pics!!Love to you all looking forward to seeing you all again our love Rachel Hamish and children. xxxx

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Sunset over Mumbai

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Hi blog readers..We had a safe trip to Singapore for our onward flight to India…we had planned to sleep in the airport but ended up being amused by all the wonderful things in this superb airport..football on the floor with a laser moving football..doing rubbings of animals for the art gallery…and watching a programme about shark attacks in Brazil on chairs with personal speakers in them..fantastic (was quite relieved we weren’t off to Brazil!)I phoned home for about 2 pound and we had free internet everywhere…we could also check bags about 24 hours before..and nobody was rushed busy or hassled!!Everything just runs without a hitch in Singapore! You could come on holiday just to the airport!!!!it is so far removed from those” holiday from hell “programmes..we then relaxed in the transit lounge called the Oasis..which had lounge chairs and soft whale music(am I dreaming or is it jet lag induced hallucinations?)They even had an alarm set in your chair!!Good job ..if we worked on Macdonald time we would have missed the flight! as it happened it flew and hour early!!Why does that never happen whilst waiting in a cue at Manchester airport..amidst angry holiday makers and scousers who have lost their sense of humour? Singapore airlines were so good with the kids and gave them their food first which is so helpful especially when you are at the back of the plane and know you will get the choice of leftovers when they eventually get to you..the kids said yuck..ate the crackers and went to sleep..So Hamish and I helped ourselves to our fussy kids breakfast..and had ours about an hour later..All the staff are so gorgeous..They would be more at home on the catwalk than an airplane… would make more money….bliss! On our way to Mumbai (Bombay).We were relieved to touch down in Mumbai flew over some shanty towns which I told Flora were houses which she replied no they are not silly!!Fantastic to be greeted by Kirsty and Javid (Hams sister and her boyfriend) lovely to see them..we were all very excited and so grateful they had done the gruelling trip to meet us. We had arrived in the midst of a Hindu festival called Holi..which celebrates colour and the coming of spring and they fling coloured powder over everyone….quite something to see…every Indian in sight an array of bright colour!!Hamish got blasted with purple as we got to our hotel..quite suited him!!It was very hot in Mumbai..very colourful..extremely noisy..extremely dirty and smelly…though some of the smells were lovely..incense..and spices..India is quite an assault on your senses…..it is like nowhere else..poverty is everywhere…and on mass…quite a shock and upsetting….though we didn’t venture into the really poor areas….cant quite imagine how people can be forced to live like this..but think it will be an interesting place..We went on a boat trip to elephant island..where dome shrines/caves were the kids were impressed with the monkeys..everywhere and very naughty. A band of them ran up to me looking none too friendly..not fancying a bite I generously gave one my fanta orange to my relief he seemed satisfied to play with that rather than me..and drank the lot!(see photo of the crime).We also visited the towers where one religion leave their dead for the birds to eat them..novel! but cant get too close. We walked around markets ..temples..and a park..with lots of chipmunks in..we had a lovely time there. We ate great food did some shopping..replaced clothing..and bought Flora a drum(just to add to the noise!)The next morning we arrived at the station for our 13 hour train journey to find it was running 6 hours late! Sounds like Honduras..Doesn’t sound like Singapore!!oh well we sat on the platform..smelling of poo(the train tracks are the toilets….it is quite another world)we made our own fun as it where and eventually we were allowed on the train..which was great a sleeper!!!Darcy started to vomit..just to add to the mess on the train tracks..was quite unwell for a couple of hours then after a sleep made a dramatic recovery…thankfully. Once we got going it wasn’t quite so hot..we had a good time..food was cooked on the train and brought round..very good service really….we arrived in Goa at midnight feeling exhausted..off to Kristy’s flat to sleep..wonderful. It is lovely here..beach…palms..and very laid back atmosphere..it is still very much India but not as harsh as Mumbai….we will enjoy just relaxing for a while. We have all been poorly with colds fevers etc this week Hamish got muscle shaking so bad he went for a malaria test..thankfully negative..so we have all been miserable..and in bed lots…all been on antibiotics and various medicines..gone through the whole family..nasty but we are all feeling a bit better now..we hope the worst is over. Been in touch with a Paul Hallam’s work here will go and visit soon and help out if needed…..went to a Christian church on Sunday ..it was really great..very lively..good to see. So, I am now going to join my family on the beach..and read and swim..just read Peter kays auto biography very funny..Could barely breathe with my runny nose and laughing so much….met so many people here from Bolton for the winter..so many Northern accents…always amuses me..cant wait to get back to good old England! Anyway!!!will write about our adventures again soon..love to you all Rachel and gang .xxps has anyone had trouble getting our emails?my parents have and we are wondering if it is theirs or our end..we query this as someone this week said that their emails weren’t getting through..we try to reply to everyone’s emails..so let us know..Ta.

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