The China Diaries // Day 1
We reached last night at around 9 pm
CST. The society my dad lives in is like the typical big societies in India--with lots of trees, good roads, tall buildings, good security, etc.
As
soon as we entered, we saw bicycles parked in the lobby. My dad’s apartment is
on the ground floor itself. After we entered it, we saw lavish sofa sets, a big
dining table, a big TV, and a strange electronic device—the heater. Heater is
like one of the necessities in Chinese homes. It is only 19 degrees here, yet
it is so cold. I’m feeling like I’m in a Mahabaleshwar hotel in monsoon. The
heater is set on 23, I don’t know how well that is. My dad is on work, and it’s
only me and mom cuddling up against each other right now.
Anyway, after reaching home yesterday at
9 and touring the apartment to see the interiors and furniture, we at last sat
on the chairs of the dining table. My mom prepared tea, while I was unpacking
the food items and keeping them in the refrigerator. Later, I cooked myself Maggi in an oven,
while munching on a chocolate flavoured cereal bar side-by-side. We had tea, biscuits,
Maggi, croissants and cereal bar, and that was the dinner for the night.
As soon as the dinner was over, we spoke
on phone with my brother and told him how badly we missed him in this vacation.
(I am seriously missing him a lot; we would’ve been doing something totally
different right now if he would’ve been here.) After that, I went straightaway
to bed, not to sleep, but to chat with my friends in India. Then my parents
cleaned the house, and they went off to sleep. It was the first time when
I had a completely different room for myself, and also that my parents were in
a completely different room themselves. (The apartment I live in India is a bit
strangely constructed.)
As soon as I thought it was getting
late, I took out dad’s laptop, and started writing blog. I finished writing it
at 10:30 pm IST. The day ended, and we all dozed off, peacefully and cozily
under the quilt.
DAY 1
I got up at 1 pm CST. I needed sleep badly. So after I got up, I brushed teeth and breakfasted on chocolate flavoured cereal bar and a big glass full of tea. (The proper eating will start in few days.) Later, I had bath under a hot shower (blissfully hot shower).
As soon as I was done, my mom started preparing Dal Khichadi for lunch. We had it at around 3 pm CST. The best thing was watching a Pakistani serial with mom. My mom never watches Hindi serials, so it was funny how we watched a Hindi serial. And the funny thing is, we both inculcated an interest in that serial. Maybe we will watch it daily for a month from 3 pm to 4 pm.
From 4 pm we started cleaning the house. Then at 5, we rested in my bedroom. My dad called, and we got ready till 6:15. At 6:10, my mom prepared tea for dad and us. My dad came home, and was quite happy to see someone in his house. He has been alone for 9 months in this apartment.
After the evening tea and cereal biscuits were done, we went to the Wall Mart which was nearby. And surprisingly, all the local Chinese people were looking at us, just like we Indians look at foreigners when they visit India. I felt so good.
When we were just entering the mall, we saw two groups of elder women dancing on western beats, near the mall entrance. As we entered the food section in Wall Mart, there was a strong smell of chickens, ducks, fishes, snakes, etc.; and as I am an eggitarian, it was very, very difficult to breathe there. The most difficult part was choosing eggs. There were so many types of eggs! At last we selected a packet with a hen on it. I still however was suspicious, whether they were the types of eggs we eat in India, or some other eggs. So later my dad WeChatt-ed his secretary to find out the same; and yes, we had chosen the right packet of 'normal' eggs.
I had never seen such a vast variety of non-vegetarian food ever in my life. Though the raw food section smelled, the frozen food section was pretty okay. So while my parents were selecting vegetables, I was peeping inside the open refrigerators to see which animal is frozen inside. I acted so nosy, that I actually translated the Chinese names to English, to see what was there inside the fridges.
After picking up grocery items, we paid for the bill. The cutest thing for the day was, a cute little girl in pink, saying 'Hello, hello' to me and mom while we were waiting for dad. She was so cute!
And finally after reaching home, mom prepared Misal, and we munched on the tasty and spicy Misal topped with chopped onions, coriander leaves, a squeeze of lemon, and farsaan, with a slightly sweet pav.
After the dinner, right now, I am sitting in my room, and writing the remaining post. It is 12 pm CST.
So, I will hopefully see you all tomorrow with the happenings of Day 2. Till then, goodnight!
xoxo
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