Visit with the cousins

My sister and family left a couple of days ago. The house is a whole lot less chaotic but far too quiet. Their visit didn't go as planned, we didn't end up going to Belur-Halebid-Chikmaglur so they spent most of their stay in Bangalore. This was primarily because Sindhu and Rushil got the 48 hour flu and my cousin met with a very serious accident and my parents and my sister all made a trip to Hyderabad to see him.

Highlights of their visit (took this idea from Teju's blog)

• Last year Rushil gave Sachin a really hard time and they didn't really get along but this year, the boys played on their own and they bonded, what a relief!
  
• Visit to Wonderla (waterpark), everyone was really impressed with the park and I was told it is a must-see and it is better than Innovative Film City and better than other waterparks they had been to.
  
• Kids swam almost every day, something they had not done till now at the apartment complex.


• My sister, mom and I were able to see the theatrical production of Mamma Mia.
  
• Keshini is a big fan of the Mamma Mia songs so she taught Sindhu some of the songs and the girls put on a show for us and sang songs from the movie
  
• We sampled multiple restaurants over a span of a few days.


• Innovative Film City visit
  
• Sindhu and Keshini got along as usual and had a great time together. They both like to make crafts and have similar interests. Keshini however said at the end of the trip that she didn't think she spent enough time with Rushil. Sindhu said when they left that she really misses Sachin. Sachin as mischievous as he is, is just so cute


• Visit to Leela to go bowling and our standard visit to the book store and Anokhi. My sister, mom and I also window shopped at all of the jewelry stores as my sister bought a new sari and needed a set to go with it. They have an excellent selection of jewelry, more expensive than the artificial jewelry on Commerical Street but far less expensive than buying a gold set.
  
• The cousins spent quality time together and with their grandparents. My father is in Hyderabad right now and Rushil asks about him every day and wants him to come back to Bangalore. He and Sindhu are happy that my mother is with us and are glad they still have 3 weeks with them.
  
• Rushed shopping trips, the guys could not understand how we could feel rushed after being away for so many hours. I think I got my fill of Commercial street for a few months.


• My sister picked up 2 outfits from a lady who just moved to our apartment complex and has an established designer clothing store in Chennai. While waiting for the outfits and her sari blouses to be tailored, she shopped at a local clothing store minutes before she had to catch her cab to the airport and picked up a couple of kurtis. Is that last minute enough for you, I guess it runs it our genes.


• Not sure if I would count this as a highlight but they also saw the aquariam, an art gallery, the government museum and Cubbon Park. All were somewhat disappointing, what do you expect for a 4 rs entrance fee. The aquarium was touted as India's 2nd largest, and was abysmal. Cubbon park claimed to have a train ride, horse rides and play structures. The train was almost at the point of collapse, the horses were too sick to give rides and the play structures were rusted and dirty and not fit to play on :-(
  

Anyway, we all had a good time catching up, gabbing, eating, not cooking and cleaning, shopping, and sight seeing. I wish I didn't have to work but I did manage to take a few days off. I wish Prasad didn't have to go to his conference in the US and miss their 2nd half of the visit. I wish the kids didn't get sick and my cousin didn't have his accident but things always can't be perfect. The end goal was however met, we all got together, and the kids bonded with each other.