Topsy Turvy

We bought our plane tickets to be in England at this particular point in time four months ago. Planning that far ahead for a summer vacation has almost never happened. There is a day by day program to guide our fourteen day stay, itself created more than a month ago. That has definitely never happened. Germany is out of the World Cup, Holland was never even in the World Cup. The English have been transformed into a cycling nation of fit urban people since I last looked in on them, wizzing about town on their bikes, helmets and all, as if they're right up there with the Dutch and the Danes.
We're here for the graduation of one of our child progenies (authentic Indian teacher statement), touring her university town one last time, packing up her last belongings, in between wryly observing a world that seems to have gone topsy turvy.
It's our annual leave Mumbai behind family getaway, leaving behind the 24/7 Mumbai metro work, the monsoon that has finally hit, and yes the daily news on (mob) violence against fellow human beings.
India feels like it's in the middle of an upheaval that's going to last at least another twenty five years. Parts of society can do with going topsy turvy, it's the in between slow motion phase that's the bitch. Rahul the man child will have us believe that if we just elect him and a gaggle of ten other aspiring prime ministers to rule over us next year all will be well. It won't. There's an eruption of violence against women, children, minorities and political opponents on the right and the left that's starting to feel like societal entropy.
Anyway, progeny #1 graduates today and a year from now progeny #2 will be ready to set off for university. Once upon a time, long long ago, they went to their nurseries and play schools in Amsterdam and now here they are, ready to right the wrongs and to stand the world on its head. It needs it.