Round the World

Dear JIAGGJ,
"Gateway to India" - so called because everything that came into India came through this port and from this port spices were exported around the world.
People, traffic jams (55 thousand taxis) beautiful buildings , sky scrapers and slums, all packed tightly together into this city.
We escaped to Elephanta Island on a luxury boat ( plastic seats tied on, holes in the floor and a barefoot Captain.There was a huge cave dug out of the hillside and filled with stone carvings - 1500 years old. Fabulous! There were 121 steps up to it and if we wished , we could travel up in "palaquins" just like the Rajahs did years ago. But as they were kitchen chairs tied onto 2 poles and carried by 4 assorted Indians - we declined. We want to get home to you all in one piece!
Lots of love to my little darlings,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
Not what we expected!
Although a bit cleaner than Cochin - our guide said that people caught "smoking, spitting and piddling" in public were fined, it still looks pretty grotty.
In Old Goa , 2 churches have been restored and some of the old Portuguese houses are in good repair and preserved but there are lots of shanty towns and poor people. The markets are loaded with fruit and spices and smelly fish and people.
Grandad doesn`t want to leave the ship in Mumbai but the tours are booked!!
Love you all,Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
The old town was Portuguese, then Dutch, then English and now Indian for 60 years. There are beautiful old buildings going to ruin,the whole town is very dirty with rubbish everywhere (in streets, trees, gutters, grassy areas - absolutly revolting!) Yet the women go around in spotless saris.
It was once a port for exporting spices grown on the hills above but there are many warehouse along the shore with English names that are now delelict.
We went to a Palace with beatiful paintings on the walls telling the story of Diwali - the festival of light. The lights were to welcome home the King`s son.

The snake charmer in the street had 2 cobras that came out of the basket when he played his pipe - it looked very easy but we didn`t get too close!
Love to you all and lots of xxxxxxxxxx
Grandi

Dear JIAGGJ,
Very, very hot!!
We cruised around the" backwaters " of Cochin to see the fishing boats and the rather run-down communities along the banks on a small boat (just for a change!) There were huge Chinese fishing nets over the water which were dropped down and then were pulled up with levers when they hoped they were full of fish. One caught a dolphin but lowered the net again to let it out - not allowed to catch them. Then we saw 2 dolphins swimming close by which made my day.
A special Indian dance was performed for us in a hotel and they pulled a lot of faces to tell a story. It takes 8 years for them to train to do this and I bet you could all do that already!
In India for 3 more days.
Lots of love ,hugs and xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Grandi

Dear JIAGGJ,
This sky-scraper city is very clean, no graffitti and no crime. Punishment is very harsh for wrong-doers but it has made it a safe place to be. It was a showery day.
We went to a famous old hotel called"Raffles" for a "Singapore Sling" which is the thing to do in Singapore.Also we had whole peanuts on the tables and everyone threw their shells on the floor - which was also the thing to do but don`t ask me why! This was after we had been to the Changi War Museum with photos, drawings and first hand stories showing the conditions there during the last world war( which was going on when Grandad and I were little. )
The day finished with shopping - well looking really but it still finished us off and we were glad to get the shuttle bus for the half hour journey back to the huge working port we were docked in, not a pretty place!
Missing you all and enjoying hearing what you are up to,
Lots of love and big hugs,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
We met a friend of Grandads (yes he does have one!) We met them at a Thai Restaurant overlooking the beach out of Pattaya and his Thai wife chose all the food so it was really good. They had a little girl called Lucy who was 4.Paul has been in Thailand for 12 years and still doesn't speak the language. In the afternoon we sat in a bar on the beach which had a breeze blowing through and just sat listening to the sea.
Today (on Paul,s recommendation) we have been to the Blind Institute for a massage, a first for Grandad, which was much better than Whittlebury Hall tell your Mums and only cost 5 pounds each! Even after a shower we are like a couple of oil-slicks!
Now we are going to collect Grandads glasses because he had to have them repaired as Grandi had sat on them.
Again very, very very hot.
Love you all my little ones,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
I am in a internet place but unfortunately I am in the darkest corner (rather like writing in a cupboard!)
It is very, very hot over 100 degrees so we are walking very slowly. It has a very busy beach area not very wide and full of deck chairs and people and locals selling food and drinks etc.
Tonight we are meeting a man who used to work for Grandad at a restaurant near the beach but we dont know who is coming as well. We think his daughter Lucy will come - more tomorrow.
Pattaya is not really very nice but there are some beautiful hotels.
We like to hear the news of what you are all doing - in 34 days you can tell us yourselves. We do miss you all but we are seeing so many different countries and people. When we see how some families live we think how lucky we are.
Love you all lots and lots
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

DearJIAGGJ,
We lost the first "blog" we sent from Hong Kong, in it Grandad thanked you all for his birthday wishes. He enjoyed his day, the waiters sang "Happy Birthday" and he was surprisingly embarassed!
Today more temples, pagodas and palaces - very interesting but very hot. We went on a boat on the perfume River, so called because the water comes down from the mountains and collects the perfume of the flowers on the way.
People live in shacks, small houses and large houses but mainly shacks surrounded by dirt but some even have TV. It is a very poor country and we were a bit shocked at the way they have to live..
There are very few cars on the roads, lots and lots of bicycles or scooters or rickshaws which is a bicycle with a seat on the front for 2 people.
The rice was growing well in the paddy fields and nearby were the water buffalo used for pulling the ploughs etc.
Love to all,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Dear JIAGGJ,
Lantau Island is very different from the sky-scrapers of Hong Kong. There are wooded hills and one has a huge Buddha on top ( it has a nose taller than Grandad!) Lunch was at the Monastery but was vegetarian and not our favourite meal! We came down the hill by cable car which reminded us of the skiing holidays we had - but without snow or skiis!
The fishing village we visited was very different - the houses(shacks) were built on stilts over the river. There were buckets of fish everywhere and shops full of dried fish and even a shark`s fin which was worth a lot of money. the people here live to a very old age which makes me think that our homes are much too clean!
We enjoyed seeing the sea from a sandy beach for a change but for the first time had to use the "hole-in-the-floor" toilets twice. Not too bad going down but the knees lock and it is harder to get back up!
We had a little shop in Kowloon at the all-night market, lots of stalls, people and noise - but fun.
Lots of love and xxxxx,
Grandi

Have found the missing one from Hong Kong As it was in Chinese I had pressed the wrong button (draft)!


Dear JIAGGJ,
It is late at night and I am using the internet in Chinese!
Today we toured round Hong Kong and went up Mount Victoria on a funicular (like the one we go up in Llandudno)., when we got to the top , it was so foggy we couldn`t see a thing. The market was fun and very crowded but the most enjoyable thing was going on the river on a sampan which is an old Chinese boat..
Tonight we are wandering in the night markets but anything I really like is very expensive and Grandad has sown up my pockets!
Grandad enjoyed his birthday, at dinner he had a cake and our waiters sang "Happy Birthday" which surprisingly embarassed him - not like the usual Grandad! Thank you from him for all your birthday wishes.
We have a long walk back to the ship and another trip all day tomorrow.
Lots of love to you all,
Grandi xxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
A super day! We visited a school for gifted children where the little ones were trained in music , dance and art ( like Stage coach) . Then to an old Chinese garden with Pavilions just like the pattern on a willow plate.
The Jade Buddha, in a special temple, was white and many people came to pray.
The river that runs through Shanghai is a branch of the Yangste and has lots of cargo on it. It was very "smoggy" so difficult to seefar.
A lot of sky-scrapers and many new ones being built as they pull down the old more traditional areas.
Very cold.
Grandad nearly bought 7 watches fot 10 pounds before I dragged him back on the coach. ( probably had no insides in them!!)
Time is flying, 43 days to go.
Lots of love, hugs and xxxxxx
Grandi

Dear JIAGGJ<
After another day of sight-seeing - Grandad is fading fast!
Osaka is a huge port and a large city of sky-scrapers. Kyoto is known as the "old city" but the special buildings are among the other blocks (some not very pretty) and not in a separate area as I imagined.
We visited a Golden Pavilion, (actually covered in gold) which was beautiful, surrounded by Japanese gardens - very peaceful aparet from a few thousand visitors. Then a Shogun Palace with painted walls, rice paper windows and "nightingale floors." These are made of wooden planks with special nails underneath so when they were walked on , they "sang". Very good for catching children out of bed at night!
Sayonara (good-bye)
Love you all lots and lots,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
There is not a lot of old in Tokyo - but we found some, a Shinto Shrine and a Buddhist Temple.We were allowed into the Plaza of the Imperial Palace but were not invited in for tea!
Super Japanese BBQ for lunch, we all had to wear little white pinnies and had our own chef. We heard that those waving cats we see in the windows in Brighton are to bring good luck to customers in restaurants and are placed near the door.
It is getting cold.
We saw the little children being collected from school by Mums on bicycles - the children wore helmets and sat in chairs on the front. Some Mums had 1 at the front and 1 at the back! It made me miss you all.
Lots and Lots and Lots of love,
Grandi xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear JIAGGJ,
Yesterday we had a hot, dusty mimi-bus ride around this island of volcanoes. As one was still smoking, we were glad to be back on ship!
13 years aogo, a volcano spewed lava out which distroyed the town of Rabaul, there were few houses left. Also the rain causes land slides which wash away the roads..
This is a very poor country - many people came to the port to see "the big ship."
There are schools and the children are very happy and want to talk to you. A lot of the houses are just shacks on the edge of the thick jungle. ( Only snakes and wild pigs in there!)
They have so little and we have so much.
Today we are sailing the Pacific again (4 days to Japan) We marked the crossing back over the equator with a whisle this time - I think they had run out of spaghetti!
Lots of hugs and miles of xxxxxxxx
Grandi.