A YetiHoliday® - TheOne® visits India for the first time.

[TheOne®]

Second day:

We are supposed to leave very early on the second day in order to drive to Pune, spend time with Sam’s family and go for the holi party. However, it takes a bit until I am out of bed – not enough sleep and a slightly uneasy stomach hold me back! I had been warned by many people not to overdo with the spices in the beginning as our stomachs are not used to it, but hey – the food just tastes so damned good lol. Plus we had quite a bit of champagne for dinner so that did the rest I guess.

We finally leave the house at about 9 am, I know I was supposed to drive to Pune but I simply do not bring up this topic anymore haha. Maybe Sam has forgotten about it? I keep my fingers crossed because there is no way I will get behind the steering wheel! I am really not prepared yet for that though I love driving. Sure enough, he brings it up after we have left Mumbai behind but I just wave off, no no that is fine my dear! You are doing excellent hehe.

On our way to Pune I truly have my first real strange experience. After 1 ½ hours:
How long still, Sam?
We are about half way my dear.
Oh, well in that case, sorry but I need to go. Can we stop somewhere?

Hmmm, I can see him thinking, I repeat that I really really need to go, so he says ja, there is a place. Shortly after he stops at some gas station with a restaurant next to it, points out where the toilets are and I rush off.

There is a long queue, a common thing to see at ladies’ restrooms, so I wait patiently. Ah, my turn! I get in, I pause, I look, I look again, I don’t believe my eyes – Oh dear, what the heck? What to do? Shall I leave again? I am a bit in shock. No, I can’t turn back – first of all, I really need to go, second, how would that look like? I take a deep breath – I am wearing flip flops and the entire floor is wet, really wet. I carefully make my way and do what has to be done.

I return to our car, Sam is waiting. I look at him accusingly you could have told me!
- What? What is wrong?
- What the heck was that?
- What are you talking about?
- I got into the toilet and all there was was a big hole in the ground! I mean it looked somehow like a toilet but IN THE GROUND! What was that and what was I to do?

Sam bursts out laughing then says I am so sorry, I did not even think of that! Those are old-style Indian toilets.
Well, I was looking for something to hold on, I tell him, I remembered somebody once told me that old French toilets were also like that but had handles on the side to hold on – but that was not the case, so I did as best as I could.
Hahahahaha, Sam cannot stop laughing, he is literally shaking with laughter – in the end I laugh with him. I found out later that there are always two sorts of toilets at public restrooms, I was just unlucky and didn’t know I should have taken another cabin lol.

We continue our drive through the mountains and reach Pune, where we are warmly welcomed by Sam’s cousin, his wife and their kids. After some nice lunch, we get ready for the party. I put on some old clothes – I had been warned. And after seeing all the people on the streets, full of bright colours, I agree this is a good idea. We get to the party and WOW – my first thought: those Indians are crazy!
All I see is a wet crowd, reflecting all kinds of different colours, dancing to the beats of the music that Yusuf, Sam’s cousin, plays as he is the DJ. It’s Indian style music, I quite enjoy it. We are only there for a couple of minutes until somebody comes by and rubs colour onto our faces, haha. It is hot, so we choose to dance close to the guy who splashes water with a hose onto the crowd. Soon we are fully soaked with water and brightly covered in pink, purple and orange. Good lord, we look like zombies, even Sam’s teeth are fully purple hehehehehe! The party is great fun. Some guys try to teach me how to dance the Indian way. Hmmm, I am not a bad dancer but I think I need more alcohol for this – however, I want to give my stomach some rest, so this is only a short dancing lesson lol.

After a couple of hours we take a rickshaw back home. At the house it takes us about an hour (!) to get rid of all the colours. It is a desperate run back and forth between shower and mirror! Schrubb schrubb schrubb, sponge and soap for your face – to the mirrow: oh no! Doesn’t look any better, back to the shower, schrubb schrubb schrubb, this time with sponge, soap and some kind of body brush! Back to the mirror: still not gone?! Arrey? Schrubb schrubb schrubb schrubb schrubb – oh my God, we’ll never get rid of it. Schruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubb, please, come on!!!

In the end we are almost back to normal, skin red and hurting but mostly free of colour again. We still carry the evidence in our hair though, mine has turned slightly purple – it only washed off after a couple of days.

In the early evening we go downtown with Yusuf’s wife – a bit more shopping. They turned the main street in Pune into a pedestrian area, super. This time we hunt for shoes – again lol. I am slightly uncomfortable with the way they make you try on the shoes! In Germany they hand you over the shoes and you do the rest. Here, they get you the shoes, they put them on – they tie them for you etc etc, they are always around your feet lol. Hmmmm…

In the evening we have a lovely dinner at the “Kapasi restaurant” – excellent food again with some superb red wine. A nice and relaxed way of ending a great day!

[TheOne®]

Originally Posted by navin

I thought they were your brother's kids.

Lol, Sam is like me I think - my nephew and nieces are also my kids, and that will always be like that! My sister and brother-in-law learned to share haha.

[eclectix 1st]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

Second day:


There is a long queue, a common thing to see at ladies’ restrooms, so I wait patiently. Ah, my turn! I get in, I pause, I look, I look again, I don’t believe my eyes – Oh dear, what the heck? What to do? Shall I leave again? I am a bit in shock. No, I can’t turn back – first of all, I really need to go, second, how would that look like? I take a deep breath – I am wearing flip flops and the entire floor is wet, really wet. I carefully make my way and do what has to be done.

I return to our car, Sam is waiting. I look at him accusingly you could have told me!
- What? What is wrong?
- What the heck was that?
- What are you talking about?
- I got into the toilet and all there was was a big hole in the ground! I mean it looked somehow like a toilet but IN THE GROUND! What was that and what was I to do?

welcome to Indianisation. This is exactly the stuff I was waiting for.

I've never met any foreigner who hasn't had this reaction on their first visit to the public (or sometimes private) Indian toilets.

Keep it coming TheOne & Sam

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

I return to our car, Sam is waiting. I look at him accusingly you could have told me!
- What? What is wrong?
- What the heck was that?
- What are you talking about?
- I got into the toilet and all there was was a big hole in the ground! I mean it looked somehow like a toilet but IN THE GROUND! What was that and what was I to do?

Sam bursts out laughing then says I am so sorry, I did not even think of that! Those are old-style Indian toilets.
Well, I was looking for something to hold on, I tell him, I remembered somebody once told me that old French toilets were also like that but had handles on the side to hold on – but that was not the case, so I did as best as I could.
Hahahahaha, Sam cannot stop laughing, he is literally shaking with laughter – in the end I laugh with him. I found out later that there are always two sorts of toilets at public restrooms, I was just unlucky and didn’t know I should have taken another cabin lol.

Look for the keyhole in the ground my dear. React with respect, shock and awe.

If you guys could have only seen her face.

WHAT WAS THAT she asked me, all wide eyed THAT... THING!!.

HEY, I didn't even realise that she might encounter an Indian toilet. What fun.

Here my love, this will rekindle your passion.



Ah. the finer things of life.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Sir, those are interesting to you. Because you have already eaten every kind of dessert in India. Now picture a lass who has never had rabdi, kulfi, rassagulla, cassata, malai chap, rajbhog, kesar pista halwa, sheera, gajar ka halwa, kaju katli, laddoo, pista roll...

Are you getting my drift? lol

Gott Inn, Himmel! How come you missed Malpuva in your list, Sam? On second thoughts, perhaps it figures in '...'.

Good to know that TheOne is enjoying her visit to Mumbai and Pune. I enjoyed reading her posts on this thread.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

S
It’s Indian style music, I quite enjoy it. The party is great fun.

Her new favourite song. Bhool Bhulaiya. Hare Ram Hare Ram, Hare Krishna Hare Ram.

Originally Posted by TheOne®

S
In the early evening we go downtown with Yusuf’s wife – a bit more shopping. They turned the main street in Pune into a pedestrian area, super.

Originally Posted by TheOne®

S
This time we hunt for shoes – again lol. I am slightly uncomfortable with the way they make you try on the shoes! In Germany they hand you over the shoes and you do the rest. Here, they get you the shoes, they put them on – they tie them for you etc etc, they are always around your feet lol.

[wheeler]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

I got into the toilet and all there was was a big hole in the ground!

If only we had a pic with the look on your face on seeing this. That would've been priceless!!!

Originally Posted by TheOne®

Sam bursts out laughing then says I am so sorry, I did not even think of that!

The Yeti strikes!!!

[netchef]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Touche' pussycat. You got me there.

Son-of-Sam: good to see your, Sir.

[TheOne®]

Originally Posted by wheeler

If only we had a pic with the look on your face on seeing this. That would've been priceless!!!

I would have liked to see my own face, I think my mouth must have fallen wide open.
All I remember is that I stood in the doorway for a few seconds, not knowing what to do - trying to mentally handle what I see - while slowly getting conscious of the other women behind me watching me, so I quickly stepped inside and closed the door lol.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Her new favourite song. Bhool Bhulaiya. Hare Ram Hare Ram, Hare Krishna Hare Ram.

Ja, that was cool lol. Btw, you promised to send it to me along with the other music - I am still waiting!

[normally_crazy]

Sam,

refer the picture in post # 79.

how does anyone use the handle if the handle is "behind" the back and almost at the level above the head when one is err.. "squatting" ??

Do a 180 ?

[TheOne®]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Sam,

refer the picture in post # 79.

how does anyone use the handle if the handle is "behind" the back and almost at the level above the head when one is err.. "squatting" ??

Do a 180 ?

There you go! See the problems women have to face, and even more so this firang who has no clue lol.

[spadival]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Sam,

refer the picture in post # 79.

how does anyone use the handle if the handle is "behind" the back and almost at the level above the head when one is err.. "squatting" ??

Do a 180 ?

Oh.. so u squat into an Indian toilet in reverse gear????

Actually, thats the correct way.. just wanted to confuse u for a moment

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

There you go! See the problems women have to face, and even more so this firang who has no clue lol.

Originally Posted by spadival

Oh.. so u squat into an Indian toilet in reverse gear????

Actually, thats the correct way.. just wanted to confuse u for a moment

All said and done - I love and prefer the INDIAN style.

[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

In the evening we have a lovely dinner at the “Kapasi restaurant” – excellent food again with some superb red wine. A nice and relaxed way of ending a great day!

Hmm interesting now where is this Kapasi restaurant

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Hmm interesting now where is this Kapasi restaurant

Koregaon park. It's called the Mad House Grill. It's a barbeque and steak house owned by my cousin and his wife.