Apologise for being a little lax with my posts of late. I am back in work now and like many businesses I am sure we are winding back in slowly. We have only bought a few staffs back onto site to begin with as we gage need and demand. That and as responsible employers Thl wanted to minimise the risk of our extended bubble. Despite not having a large number of customer contacts we have all been super busy. We have a huge amount of vehicles to delivery and very few staffs, we can do it but it would be fair to say we are all spinning a lot of plates right now. Our online store continues to be busy and vehicle sales are picking up too, Thl will be fine. We might look like a different operation once we come out the other side but we will keep going.
Anyway the point I was making about my lack of postings in my blog is I am shattered. I am spending upwards or nine hours a day, organising jobsheets, communicating with customers, sourcing and checking vehicles. Along with stock checks, more spreadsheets than I care to remember and all the while trying to sell a couple of motorhomes. By the time I get home I don’t want to speak let alone look at my computer. Don’t get me wrong I love what I do and do feel very honoured to be back in work. But I am glad it’s the weekend. I dare say I will still have a few emails to deal with and I know I have some clients to speak with but right now, it’s early; I have my coffee and I will spend a few moments speaking to you all.
The world cleaning championships must be nearing the results stage. I came home the other evening to a very excited wife. As well as the normal plethora of cleaning, polishing, dusting and floor scrubbing. Today’s adventures of the mop and bucket had taken an unusual turn.
I had barely stepped through the door when I am excitedly whisked into the kitchen. “Look at this” she exclaimed and my head is thrust into the dishwasher! “I have cleaned it”. Now I have to admit it did look very clean, but I have always considered the inside of the dishwasher to be clean. I mean it gets a good coating of soap and water once a day when it does the dishes. Giving it an extra little clean had never crossed my mind. Little Miss Olympic cleaner however had done a number on it and was very pleased with herself.
As I am straitening up I catch a glance of her smug little face and with a nod she says; “yup and I have done the washing machine too”!
One of my friends was asking me about India and if we had seen the Taj Mahal. The answer was of course yes. You cannot in my opinion go to India without seeing it, especially if you are so close.
We were lucky enough to travel the fabled golden triangle. India’s golden triangle is a tourist circuit which connects the national capital Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Taking in the most amazing countryside in between. From our base in Delhi we headed first to Agra, home of the Taj. The idea was to travel down, spend the night in a hotel and go see the Taj Mahal first thing in the morning. The Taj Mahal is open from sunrise to sunset every day except Friday, but the absolute best time to go is right at sunrise. So this is our plan, we want to be there just as the sun is coming up.
We have booked a little treat for ourselves in a rather nice hotel. After our long journey we settle into the comfortable surrounds of the bar, enjoy a drink and peruse the dinner menu.
Our early night is rewarded with the most beautiful building I think I will ever see. You approach the Taj through a vaulted tunnel, for want of a better description; through the outer wall and into the gardens. At the end of this tunnel is two very large wooden doors, which are swung open at sunrise. It’s a real breath taking moment when out of the darkness you are greeted with pure brilliance of the Taj. The serenity and beauty of this place I really struggle to put into words. You really really must go.
Taj Doorway
Taj Mahal
We also have here another examples of Indian’s loving to have their picture taken. We had done the touristy bit, re-enacted the famous Princess Diana photo. Walked the gardens, been inside the Taj and where just walking around the perimeter of the Taj itself when we stopped for another picture opportunity. My wife sits herself on the wall with the Taj behind and I snap a picture. Just to her left I can see a little girl in a beautiful blue saris. She clearly wants her picture taken with my wife so I usurer her in. My wife is happy and I snap another picture. Then her sister comes into view in another brightly coloured sari. She wants in on the action too. She sits herself down the other side of my wife and click another picture. Then we have a third sister, then a mother and to follow a farther and another elder gentleman I took to be some grandparent. Each time they would take up position to have their picture taken. We ended up with a chain of seven pictures, showing the growth of this Indian family around her. I thought it was hilarious, my wife less so. The best bit was when we got home. We started looking back through the pictures and there was this procession of changing expression on my wife’s face. She goes from all happy smiley to somewhere between uncomfortable and very annoyed. The last is one of this chain is my favourite pictures, but sadly I am not allowed it in the house and certainly not to be posted in here.
From Agra and the Taj we head to Jaipur. Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state, more commonly known as the Pink City. Tomorrow we will go and see the Amber Fort. But today we will experience Jaipur and Hawa Mahal or the Pink Palace. Made with the red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women’s chambers. The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen, since they had to obey the strict rules of “purdah”, which forbade them from appearing in public without face coverings. This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effect to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer. Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but in reality it is the back of that structure. Either way it’s a stunning piece of architecture. We spent the afternoon exploring the city and then retire to our digs. Slumming it again we have found ourselves an original Jaipur palace. Purportedly once stayed in by Bill Clinton. I find this a little hard to believe but it is an experience and as it’s out of season so we have it all to ourselves.
Naila Bagh Palace, Bill Clinton
Naila Bagh Palace
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