Updates from India: 2019

HUGE blog this month.

A Visit to the UK.

Kris and I have just returned from a one month visit to the UK. Paperwork and passports were the main reason. We visited friends and family from one end of the country to the other. We travelled far and wide for a month

I have posted in favour of Brexit and immigration control for years. I have often told some people, who fervently disagree with my views to go see for themselves, give up the cosy little houses and get out into the big cities north of London; the midlands even Scotland and talk to the residents there. Go to the deprived areas of our country; talk to the many many homeless we have. See for themselves rather than just quoting what the media says.

So being in the UK I took my own advice. It wasn’t always easy.

I am not going to recite endless conversation, no point. I have come to two conclusions based on actually seeing for myself, and the answers to my questions. Some people objected to me asking them, less so when they learnt where I lived, in India, with Hindu, Muslim Christian neighbours in harmony (mostly). I promised no photos or names, let’s just talk. Most did.

Immigration.

Immigration isn’t a problem. Legal immigrants have always been welcome to the UK and most people (of all races) I spoke to had no problem with this. Colour isn’t an issue, ideology is, and an unwillingness to obey our laws is also quoted many times as a problem. If you come you must respect our country and our law.

Some hard right said ban them all. Some leftists said let anybody in no matter who they are.

The vast majority (again, of all races) objected to illegal immigrants, let them apply to be legal or send them home was a widespread comment.

Especially when they get state help that is not available to our own people, the homeless. The feeling I got was anger at the government for allowing the situation to get so bad, and a determination that things had to change.

This feeling runs from north to south, people are angry.

Talking with legal immigrants was difficult because of the fear and distrust they have. Most seemed to agree there was a major problem with some religious hard liners and it had to be addressed for the good of all before it became very dangerous.

Talked to a small group of illegals working in the cities. All the majority want is a better life. Some however were defiantly set on changing Britain, and not for what I would consider good.

Brexit.

This was very interesting. Leavers and remainers all over where we travelled.

Opinion obviously differed as to the main question, however there is a growing number who are both remain and leave supporters who just want it over with.

The three year delay caused by ‘corrupt politicians and self-serving bureaucrats’ was a common theme.

Some remain voters actually wished they had voted leave because of the harm this delay has caused Britain. And of course the same was true of some leave voters. A majority vote was ignored. Many people said because of this democracy in the UK is dead.

Everywhere, especially in the North East the Brexit party was felt to be almost the only hope for ordinary people, who have been betrayed by Labour and conservative alike and want change, and they want it now.

I don’t claim this is the feeling of all, I do know however that by getting out there and talking I have learned a lot, and my opinion has in part changed. I do still believe in leaving the EU, for reasons I have posted many times and I believe more now than before in illegal immigration control.

A very interesting visit.

I posted this on FB. Some of the replies were totally predictable ‘you didn’t go there’ or ‘if you had talked to whoever you would see things differently’

Interestingly these replies came mostly from people who had never visited the problem areas of our country to see for themselves. I am not saying this is anything but a personal view after visiting some of the many people who have to live in these inner city areas. Until you see for yourself it is very hard to imagine how bad the situation is for some.

From Kris

Well as we said last month we had to go to UK for our five year reapplication of our visa’s.

We would rather have stayed in Udaipur and used the money for something else but we had no choice so we decided to try and pack in as much as we could.

Firstly we hired a car at the airport when we arrived, didn’t really think it would be a problem but we could have had issues as we had been out of the country so long. We used Avis and their representative sorted us out with a really nice car a Ford focus ST at a very good rate.

The plan was for me to do most of the driving and Chris was insured just in case we needed to swap. That didn’t happen because of the extreme pain I was in due to the cold.

Leaving Heathrow with two suitcases nearly empty so we could bring stuff back we headed for the car which was located at Heathrow meaning we didn’t need to get a shuttle to their pick up and drop off centre. Blimey the controls were something out of a sci fi movie it took me twenty minutes to familiarise myself with the important controls, Keyless start and no conventional handbrake, this was a real adventure. The car was superb very comfy and full of features but the brakes were very very sensitive , which Chris found out when he drove.

Ford focus ST our hire car

The car for me (Chris) was a great big bonus to the trip. A Ford Focus ST. All the gadgets, adaptive suspension, auto lane tracking, cruise control, abs, intelligent road surface recognition, traction control very fast and very stable at speed as the aerodynamics become more effective the faster you go.

Jump on the throttle in any gear and it just takes off. You can feel all the aids working, the steering damping gets firmer and the wheel control prevents wheel spin. All this and much much more. It has three modes of driving. Economy, Normal and Sport, or as I call it warp speed. Guess which one I liked! From a standing start with the driver aids off and in sport it was by far the fastest car I have ever driven. Dump the clutch at ¾ max RPM without traction control and it laid ten yards of rubber as it launched. Amazing acceleration. With the driver aids on it was even faster, no wheel spin, suspension squats down and it fires itself down the road, Waaaaaaa. To deal with all this it has four whopping great vented discs and brakes that meant speed could be ripped off ridiculously quickly. Low profile tyres and alloy racing rims, It never felt out of control at either 60mph or 100mph, and it had lots more to give but you use it at your licences peril!! What a super car 3000 miles later and with less rubber than it started with we said a fond farewell at the hire return point. In a very real way I want it but no way could I ever afford the tyres, ah well.

We drove to Tunbridge Wells to stay with my brother Ian, Marti and the three kids as they had just returned from their holiday that day and driven down from Manchester.

Tunbridge Wells had not changed much, a bit more traffic but other than that pretty much as we remembered.

It was really nice to see them all again, we stayed till we sorted the Visa out with the help of Visa Genie who were superb. We had to have an appointment in London for our biometrics they handled everything and accompanied us to the appointment, making everything go smoothly. We had our visas in less than two weeks.

I had totally misjudged the things the kids would be into after all Sylvie is now 13, Alex is 11 and Emma is 9, but it was lovely to see them although limited as they were now back at school.

Marti’s food as usual did not disappoint we had Indonesian dishes as well as fish, chips and peas and full English breakfast to name just a few.

My brothers back garden, great place for the kids to play

Ian's house and our hire car in front of the garage

Tunbridge wells just outside Ian and Marti's house

English garden grown apples. Too hot in India to grow them where we are.

Marti, Kris, Chris, Sylvie, Alex and Emma

Marti, Sylvie, Ian, Alex and Emma

Checking out the wedding dress

We then headed to Stafford with a little bit of trepidation, Chris’s daughter Frances had traced him and we were going to meet her and her fiancé. We had chatted on message but were unsure of really what to expect would she put me in the category of evil step mother and how would she react to Chris. Well to say we prayed would be an understatement but we found the area she lived in and parked the car. I went to locate the house to give Chris some time to reflect. I spoke to a lady who told me yes it was the flat across from her, it turned out this was a close friend of Frances and she was expecting us. I approached the door to the flat and then Frances appeared, a bit like a bull dog she came bounding at me and put her arms tightly around me hugging me for what seemed like a long time. I was so relieved at the welcome then she looked around for Chris and asked were he was, I pointed to the car and she ran across and hugged and hugged him. Yes this was going to be ok.

We stayed a couple of days with Sean and Frances met her daughter Amanda who we had been chatting to via messenger and met lots of her friends who she had told them all about us. It was nice to get to know them a little so much to say so little time, they really made us welcome and part of the family. Frances friend made two rugs for us one for Chris of a Harley Davison bike and one with imogies in bright yellow with GEETA written across it. Geeta loved it by the way and has it hanging on the wall above her bed so it doesn’t get spoiled. Amanda bought Geeta a soft toy and lovely flower for her hair to go with the red dress she had requested. Would we see them again during this visit we were so unsure as so many people to see and little time.

Chris

For me it was also a life changing visit.

As many of you know from me personally or from my auto biography ‘a long and winding road’ I was not a nice guy back in the past. Before I let Christ into my life I was into bike gangs, drugs, violence and general mayhem. Women came and went from my life with some regret but little else from me.

One such woman bore me a child, a little girl called Frances. It’s been 48years since then and out of the blue an enquiry reaches me in India. Frances was looking for her real father. Now I have always believed that a father should be there for his kids, I hadn’t been. At best I was the sperm donor. The inquiry was from a company that finds missing persons. Very private and confidential. They assured me in there e mail that if I wished they would inform Frances that they had found me but that I had requested no contact, in which case she would be given no details of my whereabouts and that would be an end to it.

To say it shook me would be an understatement. I was confused and very unsure of my next move. Why was she looking for me after so long? To me it just didn’t make sense.

It took prayer and a lot of faith in the Lord to finally decide to contact her. At first we shared messages, both suspicious of the other but learning to trust. We finally met last month.

How to you greet someone in this situation? Shake hands? A polite ‘hello’? We were both thinking the same thoughts.

We parked the hire car we had and started to get out unsure of which house we wanted. Kris asked a woman who was in the street as she did this figure flew out of a house and embraced her! I was locking the car as she came towards me, it was amazing, after all the worry and ‘what ifs’ all we did was hold each other in a huge cuddle. We were both very emotional.

Frances has had a life that closely mirrored mine, drugs and violence. A mother that abandoned her to child care and foster homes. Partners who came and went, No stability, no real love.

Frances has forgiven me for the past, that’s who I was at the time. I am finding it more difficult to forgive myself.

We spent a few days with her and her fiancé Shaun, they have been together 15yrs and want to marry this year if they can. Personal circumstances have prevented them until now. He is her soul mate, they really are so happy together.

Shaun and Frances

So how do I feel about this? I’m Proud of her for having the courage to find me and so happy that we both now have a second chance to be Father and Daughter. They are coming to India next year to stay for a few weeks; we are all really looking forward to that.

I thank God for His guidance and love that has allowed two estranged people to find each other again and have the chance to love as they should have in the past.

Happy couple full of love and fun

Fran showing off her tattoo

Father and Daughter, lovely click

Night out at the local pub

Shaun and Frans dog giving Chris a kiss

Youre not having your photo taken without me guys

English roast dinner at the local pub. Oh yummy yummy.

I have a granddaughter, feels very weird but nice as well.

Frances had been attending an Alpha course with her friend and wanted to go to church so we all went together on the Sunday. It’s a Baptist church very welcoming if a little quieter than Emmanuel our home church but we are pleased we attended. Since then Frances and Shaun have been back every week except when they were ill. We watched their Sunday service on you tube and even got a mention one week, amazing.

Kris

Then we drove to Durham.

We stayed with Chris’s friends Paul and Lynne who made us so welcome and they bought Geeta an Asian doll as they are not available in Udaipur they only sell white dolls, its what the locals want although it baffles me. Melissa, Paul and Lynne's daughter bought her another Asian doll a Disney Princess and Geeta loves them both. Very fascinated that they have panties on just like Geeta.

Saturday Chris and I had arranged to meet my two nieces and their families, unfortunately Chris had been up all night with severe IBS so we had to reluctantly cancel, and they had other plans which coincided with when we were free.

Paul refusing to have his photo taken with a doll

Chicken (Paul) and Lynne here with the lovely doll they bought Geeta

We visited our home church and were given a warm welcome, people we didn’t know asked after Geeta and we were blessed when two families gave us some dresses for Geeta and yes there was a red one in among them. We want to thank you all so much for your generosity towards Geeta, especially Lucy and the girls, Raluca and Anna. It was a great time of worship, the word and of course breaking of bread, lots of old friends to catch up with and new ones made.

We had arranged to meet and have lunch with my brother Peter and his wife Liz after church on the Sunday but alas, Saturday, I received a phone call from my youngest brother Ian to say Peter had a heart attack early that morning and was in hospital. Fortunately following surgery he was well enough to come home a few days later. It was such a shock he was the last one of my family I expected to have a heart attack. We joked it was a bit extreme to get out of having dinner with us. It was great to finally meet my new sister in law Liz although we would have preferred different circumstances. He still had me worrying when we got back to India when he was admitted again for a minor stroke, fortunately nothing serious but it has shaken him up, he’s even missed several NUFC matches now that shows how unwell hes been. Not one for missing Newcastle United Football Club playing football without good reason.

Kings Church Darlington, we visited for a coffee one lunch time and were amazed some people recognised us, some had even bought Chris’s book “A Long and Winding Road”. Then off to our bank in Darlington to sort things out regarding online banking.

By this time my pain levels were sky high I was living on painkillers including anti inflammatory medication to try and relieve the pain but I was struggling with the cold and it was getting worse day by day

So we decided to bring our flights forward and we decided to head back to Stafford to see Frances and Shaun once more, after all we didn’t know if this might be the last chance to see them.

Again we were made very welcome a home from home and met more of their friends.

Kings church Darlington, they do great work for the
community and they even have a coffee shop, child's
playgroup and furniture scheme for the poor

Visit to Sunderland

to get some essential paperwork done and a visit to Burger King, fabulous my favourite burger a “whopper” it had been soooooo long awaited and was amazingly delicious even with broken teeth and painful mouth, but I persevered, yummy yummy yummy. Chris did say my home made burgers are better though isn’t he sweet. I use mutton in India. We didn’t have time to go to our favourite Chinese restaurant alas but then again there was a lot we couldn’t fit in.

Chris and I also enjoyed our pasties and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies oh I wish these were available in India. I’ll just have to make my own.

Who,s a happy girl then

Now this is a whopper from BK

OOOOOOOOH SO GOOD

Chris getting stuck into his burger

One of the Full English breakfasts we had.......Start the day the

breakfast way.

With all the driving and visiting we very often
didn't eat until evening so breakfast was a great treat.

Seen in Sunderland, we told Geeta its an English Elephant.
She didn't believe us.

Blast beach Seaham

Well this holds so many memories, the car park where Chris and I would meet at lunchtime him from work and me from University or home. It turned out that the locals especially a woman and her friend who walked their dogs there every day thought we were having an affair when they asked me one day where my friend was, I said you mean my husband, no your friend with long hair and the white estate car, Yes that’s my husband I said. The local policemen used to stop for their lunch there and they even said they thought Chris was my special friend, very funny as Chris arrived just as they realised their mistake ahh such memories.

The car park we used to meet in

Blast beach, a wild beach but wonderfully beautiful, enough to just sit and watch the sea.

Have painted this scene many times great for outdoor painting so long as its not windy

Cliff is unsafe in places but there is a path down to the beach here

A wander on the coast path deep in thought, such memories we have of this place.

For me Seaham has always been a place to go think, talk with friends, paint the scenery and have a short lunch with Chris at the beginning of our marriage so we just had to go for a visit.

Not a lot has changed our bench seat had gone but other seats were there and they have been trying to improve the area. Still get a lot of dog walkers but as the cliff was deemed unsafe we didn’t venture down onto blast beach itself just admired it from afar. The sea was calm but as normal looked cold but then what would you expect it is the North Sea and notoriously cold in the North East.

Just checking out the scenery and looking at the North Sea

Gales can blast sand and sea spray from the beach to the grasslands above, cold enough to freeze you to the bone.

Wild flowers abound.

Aircraft Museum

On the way back from Scotland we called in at an aircraft museum. Blasts from the past, some of these planes were at units I was posted to while I was in the RAF. Concorde was at RAF Fairford Gloucestershire while I was there. Really fascinating to see her again, lovely plane, form and function in perfect harmony. Great visit, purely by chance we saw the sign as we were driving back from Scotland and made an instant decision to visit. Scotland’s National Museum of Flight in East Lothian, we even got to climb aboard Concorde. It was a place I had tried to visit years ago but went when it was closed so this time we got to look around, well worth the visit.

Concorde and we got to go aboard, wow but much smaller inside than you'd think

Retired Red Arrows Airoplane

Kris

We went from seeing our Peter up to Scotland, should we go to Holy Island on the way or on our return, the tide decided we would do it on our return.

Welcome to Bonny Scotland just at the border with
England

Scotland.

We then headed to Edinburgh and stayed at the IBIS hotel, clean and functional but very impersonal, and parking was non-existent although we did get a discount at the main car park, but a very long uphill walk. The great thing was we were just a few minutes’ walk to Chamber Street where the Jazz Bar is.

One foot in Scotland the other in England and this time without
any crutches yeah

Scotland on the left as you look at photo and England to the right

English Border Stone

Edinburgh from our hotel, a box but near to the Jazz bar

Monday evening at the Jazz Bar some of the band were the same others new since we last were there seven years ago. Monday night is traditionally big band night and it did not fail to satisfy our Jazz craving. We also met a nice couple on holiday from Canada. The place is small but has an amazing atmosphere; we even recognised some of the regulars.

Yeah the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh

The Jazz Bar is located in a cellar these are the
stairs to descend

The band are just practicing before the main event it gets really packed out when the session starts

Early evening practice time, its fun to be part of it

A pint of proper English beer, one of several consumed that night

After the jazz bar we headed south again towards Holy Island

Difficult to get a hotel booking everywhere full so we stopped at The Dunmuir Hotel in Dunbar, what an excellent little place, good accommodation and superb food so much so we tried to book in on our return but they were full, however we did have a lovely meal there.

Dunmuir hotel dining room with open fire

Dunmuir Hotel in Dunbar

Very comfortable bed

Then onto Holy island

We stayed at the Lindisfarne Inn overnight as we were planning to visit Lindisfarne known locally as Holy Island. This was the first Christian settlement in the UK, and it was where Chris and I were first married at St Mary’s Church on the island.

We parked in the car park and as I went to pay for parking I met an old childhood friend Marion and her husband Philip who were visiting also. It was lovely to see her I hadn’t seen her for about ten years, and she knew we were in the area so was not surprised to see me.

I'm going to use this as my mantra (Kris)

Lindisfarne Inn

Comfy rooms nice soft bed

Open twice a day when the tide is out.
Many people have been caught out by the fast rise of the tide here.

This is us crossing the causeway water has just gone out. That emergency refuge tower is
all that stands above the full tide, this road is under 2mtrs of sea.

Wonderful shot of the causeway from Kris, its a lot nearer to the sea than it seems at first.

Could spend a long time here contemplating and painting

Our church where we were first married 8th Oct 2011

Lindisfarne Priory, the first Christian centre in Britain.

Lindisfarne Priory Ruins

St Mary's Church Holy Island

Very busy day lots of tourists visiting the island

It was so lovely to be able to return and pray in St Mary’s, it brought back such happy memories.

We spent a little time there before going to Chester le street to collect clothes for Geeta kindly donated by Lucy and her girls. Then off to church in Durham to collect clothes for Geeta from Raluca and Anna

Met the Vikings!

On our way down country we spent the night with The Viking motorcycle and sidecar club at their rally in Oxford.

Fantastic night lots of good company (and beer). This is where I was given my new hat by Ian since then I have put all my eight bulletiappa badges on it.

Bulletiappa, an annual event in India, been going since it began. It’s held all over the country by IBRMC. This year its Mumbai.

Spent a lot of time talking to guys there who run front suspension almost the same as I am building, lots of useful advice.

Norman relaxing with a brew

Ian and the guys just relaxing

Chris my sexy man, love the hat but where did the
beer come from?

Relaxing with friends

So many outfits to see and all so different

Deciding what time to go to the pub

So many different bikes and sidecars here for the weekend

Chris spent ages going around chatting to the guys and photographing the outfits

I still prefer our "Betty"

Just arriving in style

Very enjoyable night at a local pub, good food too but expensive, when Chris wasn't around
they told me several dirty jokes very funny but I can't remember them. All good fun,

Not sure its me but I like it

Returning to India.alas we tried to swop our flight at the end of three weeks but would have to wait as the price to change was nearly the equivalent to getting new tickets and far out of our financial ability. We spent a few more days in Stafford and then headed again to my brothers in Tunbridge Wells before our flight back.
It was lovely to see everyone again and Marti had sorted some clothes out for Geeta many of them new still with the tags on. We had to abandon our plan to bring some things back on our wish list to accommodate them all, we even ended up having to buy a new suitcase. Thank you all for your generosity.

Taken from airoplane window

On our return to Udaipur Amba and Dloo greeted us with the traditional indian welcome home ceremony, very thoughtful and sweet. Initially all I wanted to do was sleep we had been travelling three days with hardly and sleep. But friends came and we partied for several hours with a small two hour stop for a nap.

Crazy time for a party but our body clocks were saying it was evening
and friends had got up early to welcome us home
so we just had to partake he he.

It was a lovely welcome back and we also found out a friend Melissa from New Zealand had moved into our street whilst we were in England, wow.

Geeta was blown away by all she had been given

Bless you all for your generosity.