Barry says Hi

Over the past several months so many of our friends from the U.S., Europe (post life in the U.S. we can’t recognize countries in Europe anymore, it’s just one big land mass of strange sounding places for us) and South East Asia have continued to stay in touch with us via e-mail and phone, which means a lot.

What has been especially nice this weekend though is that the President and Michelle Obama dropped by to check in on us. Both families used to live in Chicago, Obama and I are both tall and lanky, we both have two daughters, he’s President of the United States and I am a mid level Director in a shipping company: we have so much in common.

Michelle Obama was a big hit on Indian breakfast TV today after she spontaneously joined Indian children in a dance for the second time in two days, displaying quite a matak, or shake of the hips.

The President joined in too, and proved within the first five seconds on the dance floor that he is indeed, in case that was ever in doubt, half white. Another thing we have in common.

Malabar Hills this morning. Went cycling as the body is not doing too well with the running

Beirut is starting to sound attractive

Much as we have enjoyed celebrating Diwali in India again after many many years, the accompanying noise level of fireworks etc is starting to get SERIOUSLY annoying. I am having a very primeval and non peaceloving desire to go and inflict serious damage on the exploders of fireworks. If only my M56 submachine gun weren’t out for repairs I’d be out there now.

In any case, that Time Share apartment in Beirut is starting to sound more and more attractive.

De-compressing in Kerala

We took a much - needed five day holiday in Kerala, “God’s Own Country” by the Kerala Tourism Department’s reckoning. Perfect place to decompress: sun, sand, greenery and excruciatingly slow service.

Mira says, “I liked the peacefulness and the cleanliness, and the greenery, which is often hard to find in Mumbai”.

Tarini: “It’s good to be back”.

---