Birthday by the beach

William and Oliver had been planning their 8th birthday since being in the UK at Christmas.  They had decided that they fancied a trip to Legoland while we were home for the summer.  Unfortunately, due to the length of time it is taking to get Emily a passport, we found ourselves residing in Chennai for the long, extremely hot summer.  After a moments disappointment, they took the news on the chin and defaulted to their usual birthday destination, a beach!  

After opening presents and breakfasting on masala dosa we headed off to Ideal Beach Resort, a mere 30 minute drive from our house.  

Having spent the previous three birthdays in a five star resort in Sanya we warned the boys that the Indian beach may be a little different.  However, our worries were unfounded.   Although the resort was a little less polished, the pool was fantastic and deep, therefore actually cool!  The actual beach was much better in that although it was a little rough to actually swim, the sand gently sloped making it much more accessible. It also had much more character with fishing boats and locals selling their wares.

We arrived and set up on the beach Sam went off to order coffees.  While he was gone I was approached by several local men and women asking me to come to their shop along the beach.  They showed me some glorious fabrics and I instantly promised to pop along!  I then set about decorating the cup cakes.  I had had to freeze the icing and transport it in a cool bag in order for it to be just right by the time we wanted it!   Our coffees arrived and we sang happy birthday and ate cake.  

Oliver and William then spent the rest of the morning in the sea and playing in the sand.  

Emily enjoyed the scenery too and the sea breeze meant that it wasn't too hot.

Periodically during the morning the men and women from the shop popped along to remind me that I had promised to come.  

Eventually I went to look and was sorely tempted by some wonderful bed spreads.  The boys ended up buying a couple of shells but it was hard as there were 4 or 5 shops (goods laid out on the sand!) all selling similar things and all desperate for the sale.  In the end I sent Sam along to buy what I'd seen, as I was too weak and would have bought loads! 
We are also finding it hard to barter here as the poverty is so much greater than in Shanghai and as little as £1 can feed a family for a day.  I was pleased with my purchase and we will definitely go back, especially as I have promised!

At lunchtime we got out of the sun and went to the beachside restaurant.  Whilst ordering lunch it became clear that William and Oliver truly are third culture kids.  They ended up eating fish and chips with a paratha and noodles! Quite the fusion food.

After lunch we headed to the pool, which Oliver and William were really excited by as it was 9 feet deep in one part. In fact the shallowest section was 4 feet which meant that the water was pretty cool and refreshing.  This time of year most pools are like a warm bath. 

The afternoon was spent swimming and spotting wildlife after which we headed home to watch Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.  

As we arrived home the boys spotted that Indumati had made a rangoli outside our house for their birthday.  Rangoli is a form of Indian art in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or outside using materials such as coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand or flower petals.

Arun, our driver, made a huge fuss of the boys.  He even stayed up until midnight to text Sam to tell them Happy Birthday as is the tradition out here!  When he arrived at our house he bought them a lowly birthday cake which we sang over, in English and Chinese!

Chilling in Chennai

The end of the school year arrived quickly and it is amazing to think that William and Oliver have now done five months of schooling in Chennai.  Whilst it has taken us a while to acclimatise to the more informal nature of the American school system, we were pleased that the year ended with a performance.  Each Grade 2 student wrote and performed a poem on the stage of the theatre in front of parents.  The theatre is huge and one would think a daunting place to perform ones own work, but none of them were phased at all.  The subjects of the poems varied greatly and particular favourites were a poem about a boys laptop and one which began "my mother is like a volcano"!  Some poems, the girls ones in particular, were more emotional about fights with friends and falling out with siblings but they were all great.  William explored a great love of his life with his poem entitled 'White Chocolate' and Oliver gained huge amounts of kudos with the mothers with his acrostic poem 'Emliy'!  

Whilst the last few weeks of school were in progress the temperature began to soar and with it the humidity.  Gradually other than in a pool we have been spending less and less time outside although the boys (including Sam) have still managed to take part in neighbourhood football and cricket games. Albeit with frequent water and air con breaks! We have also explored other pools in the area.

                                 

     

                                 

                                 

Chennai is a much smaller expat community than Shanghai and if you have children the school is pretty much the centre of it.  We have met and made some wonderful friends in the short months we have been here.  Such is the nature of expat life that you cover several years in a few months!  There have been a couple of good parties, nights out and sadly leaving dos.  In tems of nightlife Chennai is completely different to Shanghai.  Because of strict alcohol laws most of the places to go out and have a drink are in hotels.  However, Sam managed to sniff out a pretty good bar near our house and we have both been for drinks there, although what they have in stock is a bit of a lottery and forget it if you want wine in a wine glass!

        

As an end of term treat before everyone heads off we got together with three other familes to have brunch.  This was only the second brunch we had done and we were half expecting Shanghai prices.  However the cost was half and the children were all free.  The food was excellent and we even got wine in wine glasses!

      

For the first couple of weeks of the holiday the boys attended the school Summer Camp.  It is not something that we would normally think to do, however there is less to do here than in Shanghai and it is even hotter.  Also it is looking increasingly likely that we are going to be here all summer as Emily has not yet been given a passport, but that's a whole other blog!  At first the boys were not too impressed by the idea of school in the holidays, even though it was half days.  However, after a morning of swimming, theatre, dance, craft and making new friends, they couldn't wait to go back.  It certainly helped fill our days what with Sam being in the States for two weeks and lots of people gone home. Emily and I enjoyed dropping them off each morning and then doing a bit of shopping and going for coffee!  One morning we were invited to join Sarah and Treena at the Park Hyatt for breakfast.  I had coffee, eggs benedict and could then eat from the buffet if I wanted all for £7.60!  We were also lucky that Monica and Giovanni, our neighbours, were still around and the children all enjoyed playing together although gradually it has got quieter and quieter.