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India - a journey to me

January - February 2024
India - coming face to face with my heritage. Meeting old friends and new. A creative Odessa with a horse or two thrown into the mix. Read more
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  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
    Day 2

    Time to Fly …

    January 7 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ -1 °C

    Mad hair and packing nightmare - no going back now. Time to put the big girl pants on and embrace the adventure. Also need to learn to navigate this Finding Penguins app. A bit of a ‘mare for technically challenged. Watch this space for more!! I shall miss the tranquility of the Highlands - Mumbai will be such a contrast. I have no idea what to expect. A real visual and olfactory assault. Is that the word or am I being far too clever for my own good?

    Interesting first flight - currently in transit at Dohar. Standards slipping only my second glass of bubbles! Next stop Mumbai.

    Little My enjoying the Sushi and general hospitality.    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 3

    First day - Mumbai

    January 8 in India ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    It all feels surreal. It’s loud, noisy, hot, crowded, colourful, sensual, fragrant in many ways.

    The streets of Mumbai were incredibly quiet when I arrived at 4am this morning. Twinkling lights of the Indian flag punctuating the smoky darkness.

    Breakfast coffee at Leonard’s one of Mumbai’s oldest eating establishments followed by a late leisurely lunch at the Taj. Talk about a tale of two halves; wooden tables crammed cheek by jowl and over the top glitzy Christmas decorations. Crumbling doorways, majestic facades, intricate carvings, ornate balconies, dangling wires. Black and yellow taxis converging like a swarm of bees, rusty buses that should by rights be gracing the scrap heap, honking horns, big cars, bicycles, scooters. The sheer scale of India Gateway. A veritable mix. This is Mumbai and I am here.

    I got bindi-fied by a holy man. Goodness knows what was in those sweets he got me to eat! Karma comes in the form of cheap red wool and bartering.

    It’s a joy meeting people face to face after chatting online.    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
    Day 4

    A Whirlwind! Day 3 /4

    January 9 in India ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    More - a city of ‘More’. There must be a better word but I can’t think at the moment. Overwhelmed by noise, colour, people, sights, sounds, smells. It’s as if one’s senses have been shaken - scrap that. They have been crudely bundled and thrown into a blender on full speed and thrown into a glass. Not your average Martini - gently stirred, not shaken.

    Survived taxi ride in convoy. No
    passenger mirror and they don’t stay in lane. Let’s not go there.

    In Valparaiso we saw street dogs aplenty. Here in Mumbai there are cats. Scrawny little bundles.

    Spent the morning sketching - or attempting to sketch at the market. It’s the first day - be kind. I shall be sketching like a pro by the end of this trip in glorious Scrummylicious colour.

    People are curious. They approach, emboldened by their genuine interest and curiosity. The men interacted more. They tried their broken English with much jollity between themselves. . The women generally shied away. I didn’t feel threatened - but it was strange being the object of such curiosity.

    We also explored the textile market. Who mentioned fabric ?    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 5

    Mumbai - A cocktail of colour

    January 10 in India ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Reflecting back on yesterday’s urban sketch session. I was quite disappointed with my work. However, it’s a sketch not a masterpiece. Time to embrace the challenge.

    Morning spent exploring Mumbai. It has a really interesting history. Originally seven islands Mumbai now has a population of between 23/25 million.

    Mumbai is a heaving metropolis. A densely woven fabric; cashmere and silk; linen and cotton. However look and you will see imperfections in this fabric of life. A knot, a slub, a pull in the weave. I notice these imperfections at night. When the children who should be sleeping are still up. Young girls who should be in school begging for food. Bodies lying prone in the doorways. Rubbish as bedding. Life doesn’t stop at nightfall.

    I’m thinking I have a cheeky gremlin in my room. I definately turned the lights off - and they were shining brightly at 3.30am.    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
    Day 6

    Banganga

    January 11 in India ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Banganga. An incredibly spiritual place in the Malabar Hills area of Mumbai. Veranasi in miniature perhaps. The Banganga Water Tank forms part of the Hindu Walkeshwar Temple complex; single room dwellings surrounded on all sides by brand spanking new high rise hotels. People live their lives outside - get their haircut, eat, sleep, gather, pray.

    We sat on the steps by the water to draw along with children playing, families praying, inquisitive geese and the odd rat! Despite the heat it was an incredible experience. A sense of calm amongst the brouhaha of humanity.

    A temple lunch - banana leaves and fingers. A fascinating visit to the laundry where the absence of women was noticeable. A mountain of clothes and no obvious system. I don’t know how it works but it does. And a meet up with an old friend. I still can’t draw - but that’s for another day.    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 7

    The Chawl and Jazz Sitar!

    January 12 in India ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    It’s been quite a day. First stop Ambewadi Chawl. A narrow lane with small houses packed cheek by jowl on both sides festooned with all the detritus that punctuates daily life. Washing hanging underneath and over balconies adding a pop of colour. Plants too.

    A Chawl is similar to a tenement - compact with communal toilet facilities. Each Chawl has a water tank and every morning someone needs to switch on the pump for the daily allocation of water. It’s a bustling community where everyone looks after each other. Rent is nominal which means repairs are down to the tenants. We had a wonderful morning sketching, largely ignored by the residents who continued their daily routine. Although there was smiling and waving and wallahs hawking their goods selling chai and coconuts.

    Interesting evening at the Mumbai Opera House. Went to see a performance by world renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain and sitar player Niladri Kumar. An interesting mix of classic and jazz.    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 8

    Art deco Mumbai and Diva Delights!

    January 13 in India ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    There are many facets to Mumbai. This morning we explored Mumbai’s Art Deco sector, now recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site. Mumbai has the largest collection of art deco buildings after Miami. An interesting mix of Art Deco with Indian influences.

    We were treated to the most refreshing local drink courtesy of some random home owner. They were somewhat charmed by this crazy group sitting outside drawing their home. True Indian hospitality.

    Interesting taxi trip across a gridlocked Mumbai. A combination of blocked streets for Modi’s visit and the air show.

    We also had a tour of the BMC. Mumbai Municipal Council building. It’s an incredible feat of architecture. Imposing with real gold on the ceiling of the main chamber.

    Diva mini strop drawing this afternoon in the late afternoon attempting to draw part of the Central Station. I got there in the end! Tip from Zainab - need to stop over thinking. It’s certainly full on and challenging !

    Evening spent dining at one of Mumbai’s latest eateries. It’s in an old ice factory. Impressive setting. Great cocktails!    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 9

    The Spice Market, Mumbai

    January 14 in India ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    I’m still processing today’s trip to the spice market. There was a rhythm to the machines pounding the chili. You could almost dance to it.

    People really stare when a mixed group of strangers appear with sketching paraphernalia. Initially it felt almost threatening having groups of men staring and I mean staring at you full on. They are curious when we sit and sketch and come and stand quite close. Having said that we’ve met some lovely people and have had great conversations. I think they are genuinely surprised.

    We literally swam through a sea of people fighting our way through the narrow market lanes. Found a spot in an enclosed doorway after getting separated from the group. Thankfully with Joanie and Suhita who is hosting this tour alongside Zainab. . The two guys in the biscuit stall were charmed by Joanie’s drawing of them. Lots of smiling and nodding of heads and photos. It was very strange being photographed.

    Was largely ignored sitting sketching with Maria, Marcel and Judith. They are fair and therefore interesting. I guess I blended into the background for once with my very dark hair.

    Moved by Zainab’s generosity too this morning. Impromptu loo break at her home.

    Finished the evening with a much needed but expensive G&T after a very successful shopping trip! But not fabric this time !    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 10

    Little My comes out to play!

    January 15 in India ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Last day in Mumbai. Next stop Kochi.

    Little My came out to play today. She met the firemen, had a cuddle with an Indian grandma, followed by sketching, cocktails at the Taj and the best coffee in Mumbai. She’s exhausted.

    Really enjoyed today‘s sketching. The man from the banana stall came over with a friend to see what we were up to. Lots of curious people! Can’t believe I left my phone behind on the scooter - and it was still there when Elizabeth ran back for it.

    Marcelle completed her commission for the Fire Chief and got paid in chai. She drew there on her first day and promised to return. They were ecstatic and gave us a tour of the station. I got to sit in the fire engine and try on a helmet. Flip! they’re heavy!

    Thankfully we have group tickets. Indigo and Air India have a 15kg limit. I have 22kg. ! Let’s not talk about my hand luggage. I guess I don’t do light!    Read more

  • TravelerIndia - a journey to me
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    Day 11

    Fort Kochi an interesting start !

    January 16 in India ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Left the hustle and bustle of Mumbai today to fly south to Kochi, It’s very different here, tropical almost. The amount of rubbish is still staggering. We are staying on the island of Fort Kochi. Delays at the airport made sweeter by Zainab’s goody bag. I’m sticking close. Managed to do some sketching whilst waiting for take off. A man snoozing - saggy jowls and bushy moustache just begging to be sketched. Zainab took photos whist Suhita sketched me sketching!

    Shaky start to this part of the trip. I restrained from having full on hissy strop when confronted with the darkest mustiest room ever. I guess the humidity doesn’t help. You can cut through it with a knife.

    They speak Malayalam here - very different to the other Indian languages. The word may have originated from a local dialect. Mala means hill and Alam may mean depths of the ocean. So Malayalam may refer to the land lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Something to explore anyway.

    The main drag seems a bit of a dive. The Blackpool of India. Fort Kochi is a coastal place. More foreign tourists - or maybe it seems that way because it is more compact. It’ll hopefully look better in daylight.

    Went to watch a Kathakali performance this evening. Story telling through expressive dance. where the make up session is part of the performance. Colourful and expressive. Fun to sketch.

    Thankfully found a bar with excellent prawn tempura and beer. Much needed after a long arduous day. Can’t believe they’ve had four inches of snow at home.    Read more

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