27th February 2012

Up early to go by bus to Bardoli (40km) to try and finish all the banking tasks we had started before we went off to Sri Lanka. On the way to the bus station our tut tut driver told Savi where we can go and get fresh food for breakfast, so off we go on a small detour and arrive at a roadside vendor who sold samosas, kacholi, dhokra, sev and onion salad, all wrapped in newspaper parcels to take away and with a piece of newspaper and plastic sheet to act as a plate. Whilst waiting for our bus to Bardoli we ate a sumptuous breakfast ! We were lucky on the journey to Bardoli as the bus was a direct connection express (not calling at every village) and so we managed to get seats, (we weren't so lucky on the way back, Geoff had to stand most of the way). The bus journeys are really interesting you get to see people busy getting on with their lives. Just getting onto a bus can be a fight. There is no orderly queuing, just a massive scrum at the bus entrance door. Geoff pushes his way through then tries to save a seat for Savi which usually means that by the time she gets to the seat all other seats have gone and Geoff has to stand!

At Bardoli we arrived at the first bank, and straight away they told Savi that the transfer procedure had failed as their records, (tied up in bundles of frayed cards like the doctors used to have) showed her original signature did not match her current one!! This just highlighted the whole difficulty that Savi has encountered. It becomes very complicated what name she has to use when doing transactions with the banks regarding accounts that were set up a long time ago. Savitriben Nagindas, Savitriben Nagindas Patel, Savitriben Lalubhai Pema, or just Savitri Pema as on her passport. We are just grateful that we never formally initiated the Savitri Barkess-Patel that could have been a bridge too far for the banks!! However after this first small set-back all went well with the other three banks and at last we have active bank accounts. In Bardoli we found a place that sells the secure steel wardrobes that every Indian household seems to own, and so we carefully opened up all the different types and eventually settled on what we thought would be a nice one for Dani's family to have in their house in Navsari and bought this as a small thank you gift for letting us use their house. Stopped at a shop and tried to buy another local sim card for the phone. All seemed to be going well, but then we still needed some proof of an Indian identity. Savi does have a PIO (Person of Indian Origin )card, but not good enough: they needed an Indian passport, and proof of residency. Security seems to have tightened into a noose for the ordinary people, instead of tightening around the necks of the terrorists! Savi asked the shop owner to talk to Sunnil who has become a good family friend, and helped with all sorts of things. It turned out the shop keeper knew Sunnil and had gone to the same wedding we had attended when we first came to the Gujurat Somehow this obstacle again seemed to just disappear!! We then went and visited Sumitraben (Savi's phoie's daughter ) who just happens to live close to one of the banks. We stayed for a while and chatted before setting off back for the bus station and on to Navsari. On the way the tut tut driver after being quizzed by Savi took us to a place where you can get fresh "ponk". Now "ponk" is a family joke because very early on Geoff claimed he knew the name of some sprouting beans that Savi was cooking and said they were "ponk". Anesh nearly fell off his seat laughing and has been quoting it back to Geoff ever since. Well here is the proof that at last he does know what "ponk" is and further he now knows how it is prepared, which is a secret that he will only share with those who show the slightest interest or cannot run away fast enough!!

Back home in Navsari, wash, shower and out to do emails then evening meal. Sat outside restaurant and noticed the moon and just two very bright stars. Got out the IPad and looked up the astronomy app which straight away told me these bright objects were Jupiter and Venus! What a nice day! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Navsari