Wildflower

[raven]

I'm very much stuck in "everything I have done over the last two years has been a complete waste of time" (while this is true, it is not my fault; this is supposed to help and sometimes does), which was partly why I impulsively decided to leave the country at short notice and drag A. along with me. (Which isn't quite as ridiculous as it sounds - I have, as ever, volunteered to work over Christmas, and given the general Brexit moratorium on taking leave until April after that, I suddenly realised I had to take some leave now or go ten months without.)

So A. and I are in Himachal, having flown into Chandigarh over the weekend. My parents are here, visiting my relatives in Solan, which was fine in a small dose, but we have paid our respects and departed and are now at Wildflower, which is a lovely place about four kilometres from Shimla. It's ludicrously beautiful - when it's clear, you can see high up into the Himalaya; down here is allegedly only the foothills but still 2500 metres above sea level - biting cold, and as of this morning, snowing heavily, which I have never seen in India before and it's magical. We have been advised to keep our windows closed to avoid having things stolen by monkeys and to come in from the mountain area by sunset to avoid being eaten by panthers.

(I have not seen a panther. The army of macaques who terrorise the place are kind of charming, however.)

I am enjoying being back in India after about a year away, even if this is a very short and impulsive visit. Before last January we somehow went four full years without, which in retrospect was a bad idea. Despite minor altitude sickness, the danger of being eaten by panthers and - once we return to the plains - the usual dust and unreliable plumbing, I feel better for being here and the architecture of my brain becomes less gnarly. Hindi comes back to me here - if I only had the time to stay a month, I'd return to fluency and A would probably learn more than than "namashkar", "hathi" and "chota bandar" (reliable phrases but not comprehensive of human expression) - and I'm so happy to have it back even if it does displace other things in my brain, so I've started to express myself badly in English and can't read Gaelic at all.

I don't need to express myself in English right now though and that's fine. I wrote my Yuletide, such as it is. My comment on the political situation back home is merely that Congress have done well in four state elections while I've been here and my family put on rasmalai for dessert in consequence. We are going back down to Delhi on Friday on the night Shatabdi, flying home on Saturday morning, a course of action of which I'm not in favour.

Comments

[lamentables]

This, and your pictures, have given me such a yearning to go back to the mountains. Especially in the cold. But my next two trips to India will be to the plains. I guess I'll have to start planning even further ahead.

I am sorry about the awfulness-I-can-only-imagine of your work in the current political mess. Just knowing the mess exists, fearing what lies ahead, and feeling stuck in limbo has made me ridiculously stressed this year.

[raven]

Thanks. <3 I hope you're enjoying Delhi - I very much regretted not staying another couple of days this time.

[alpheratz]

I'm really glad you've been able to take this trip! It sounds amazing. I really hope that someday you'll have the opportunity to go for longer and recover your fluency. I feel like this every time I go back to Russia and it really does make such a difference in well-being.

[raven]

It does, doesn't it? It's so difficult to up sticks for the length of time needed; when I went back during my school holidays as a kid, I didn't realise I'd miss it when I was older!

[umadoshi]

I'm glad you're getting some time away and that being there feels so good. ^_^

[raven]

Thank you <3

[rachelmanija]

No way, "namashkar", "hathi" and "chota bandar" encompass all necessary expression. ;)

I would love to see some photos if you want to post them. I've always heard that Shimla and surrounds are just incredibly beautiful.

[raven]

Here are a few! One from Solan; Wildflower; and the snow.

[catwalksalone]

Although seeing a panther would be pretty amazing, I definitely prefer you uneaten by large cats. Just for a data point, like. 😄

[raven]

Bah, humbug, cat, you're so unreasonable <333

[glinda]

I have Brexit moratorium in March too, I'm planning Dublin for Chinese New Year for much the same reason...

I have to ask given our shared attachment to railways, did you take the train to Shimla? (I dream of the Hill Railways the way other people dream of the Orient Express...)

[raven]

Not this time! But - I don't know if I've told you this? - my relatives I visited briefly live on the Kalka-Shimla railway at a place called Solan. I've been sitting out and watching the trains go past, which is, as you say, worth seeing. My whole family live on or by railways. :)

[glinda]

I knew that your family had a long-standing connection to the railways, but I think I thought it was mostly your grandfather in Delhi. Sitting and watching the trains go by on that line sounds delightful. :)

[goss]

Rasmalai! YUM! That and rasgulla are my favourite Indian desserts. <3

Your trip sounds amazing. Very cool that you're getting to experience the wintery parts of India. :)

[raven]

don't shoot me, I actually don't like rasgulla! Apparently I must needs have cream in everything. :)

[goss]

Hee! Pass it my way, more for me! *gobbles up rasgulla Cookie Monster-style*

[jamethiel]

That sounds lovely! I'm so glad you're taking time for yourself.

[raven]

It really was!

[lovelythings]

India sounds lovely. I'm glad you got a break.

[raven]

Me too, goodness.

[velithya]

I'm glad you're having a nice time!

[raven]

Thank you!

[selenay]

I'm so glad you're getting a break, even if it's brief, and that it's resetting your brain somewhat.

I'm so sorry that the country is doing even more ridic. things to what you're working on than normal.

[raven]

Oh, lord, it's a thing. I'm back now, but I might have gone completely mad if I'd been here through this week!

[selenay]

That week was something. I'm glad you weren't here for it!

[walkthegale]

I'm glad you've not been eaten by panthers, but if you do meet one, perhaps you could bring it back with you? It would be nice to have a panther.

(I'm so glad you got to go and be away and that your brain is feeling better for it. <3)

[raven]

See I quite agree. I wanted a panther. A. thought it might eat my face but what does he know. <3