Gandhi's Ashram

Dr Anne had the privilege to visit Gandhi's Ashrem in Ahmedabad.  

Recipes

Dr Anne had dinner with a group of Rotarians in Bikaner.  She asked them for their favourite recipes.  She shares them with you.

Stuffed Tomatoes a la Bindu

Beef tomatoes

Boiled potatoes + salt, coriander, chilli, black pepper.

Remove seed and flesh from tomatoes.

Mix potatoes with salt, pepper, chilli, coriander, cumin to taste + oil

Add potato mix to tomatoes, arrange on plate. 

Cover and cook in microwave for 5 -7 minutes.

Stuffed Paratha with Cabbage

Shred cabbage - 2 cups
Make a dough - wheat flour and water - 1 cup

Roll out the dough.
Put the cabbage in + salt, chilli and cumin.
Fold in to make a parcel.
Roll again.

Bake in oven 150c -180c
or shallow fry until warm in a non stick pan.

The Bungo

For those, who know Dr Anne they will know that she has a 'ranting sheddie'.

There is an equivalent in India - the Bungo.  Each one that Dr Anne visited was round.  They were built of mud with a pointed bamboo roof.  The floors were dried cow dung.  There were paintings on the walls and day beds to lie upon.

The roof.

The walls.

Linda viewing the pictures.

The day bed.

Sarah and Jen sharing pictures.

Debbie chatting.

Another day bed.

Having bought a permit, the group have a drink.

Traffic

During the recent trip to India, Dr Anne took on the role of a shadow driver.  

For someone like Dr Anne, the traffic scene is a million miles from the reality that she knows. As she sat in the front seat of the car and then the bus, she saw, heard and smelt a world almost impossible to describe.  There seemed to be no rules and if there were nobody paid attention to them.  

Driving, she was told was a matter of judgement.  

What was one's competition: 

large lorries loaded with logs, coal from the port, all kinds of industrial goods for the factories;

tankers;

smaller lorries filled to overflowing - would the load fall off;

small lorries full of people standing and sitting - the local bus; 

cars especially white cars all packed with people;

three wheeled lorries and people carriers;

the occasional tractor;

tuk tuks filled with whole families winding in and out among the traffic;

motor bikes or scooters with two, three and four people, none with helmets, baby was often on board;

bicycles loaded with goods such as sugar cane, grass and bags of rice etc. etc.;

people walking across the road;

and then there were the dogs, the goats, and of course the sacred cows.

With all this on the road, the horn was an essential to say "I am coming, make way, make way".  Our  driver kept his had on the horn as he passed on the right, passed on the left, went straight down the middle. There was overtaking at corners, the brow of the hill, when traffic was coming. At times we were three abreast with something coming in the opposite direction.  There was no angst as people gave way.  We all slowed up. There was no time when we were above 50mph.  

Alan, one of the group suggested a solution for the Haddigan Roundabout, Aberdeen.  Let everyone edge out slowly onto the roundabout and keep giving way.  If it works in India, would it work in Aberdeen? 

Indian Food

Gujarat is essentially a vegetarian state.  This was a delight for Dr Anne.

Gujarati cuisine refers to the cuisine of Gujarat, India. Despite having an extensive coastline for seafood, it is primarily a vegetarian cuisine due to the influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism. The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Rotli, Dal or Kadhi, Rice, and Shaak/Sabzi (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be spicy or sweet). Gujarati cuisine varies widely in flavour and heat, depending on a given family's tastes as well as the region of Gujarat they are from. North Gujarat, Kathiawad, Kachchh, and Surti Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarat that all bring their own style to Gujarati food. Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time.

Below is the Last Supper in a restaurant in Ahemdbad.

Sarah and Jen

Irene

Raymond and Alan

Debbie and Linda. 

When the group entered the restaurant, the drivers said they would be back in an hour.  The group looked at each other.  However, one hour was sufficient.  This was the equivalent of Gujarati fast food.

Jeffrey Archer

Dr Anne took the latest three Jeffrey Archer books with her on the trip to India. Jeffrey writes a good story which will command attention in a context with many other people.  

Archer, J. (2011). Only Time Will Tell. London:Macmillan.

The Cliftons and Barringtons are interlinked.  Harry and Giles are best friends then find out that they are half brothers when Harry is about to marry Giles' sister Emma.  This story tells of their early life.  It was a wonderful page turner for the Huntly - Glasgow train ride, the  Glasgow - Dubai, and Dubai - Ahmedbad flights. 

Archer, J. (2012). The Sins of the Father. London: Macmillan.

Harry runs away to the Navy and is arrested and imprisoned in America falsely.  Emma sets out to look for him convinced he is alive somewhere.  Giles goes into the army and excels.  Who is the heir to the Barrington Estate when Hugo Barrington is found murdered by his concubine?  This book kept Dr Anne's interest between Bhuj - Jaipur - Bikaner. 

Archer, J. (2013). Best Kept Secrets. London: Macmillan.

Dr Anne had kept this book for the journey from Ahmedbad - Portsoy.  However, there was a 9 hour train journey from Jodhpur - Ahmedbad. The seal on the double glazed window was broken so one couldn't sit and look out at the countryside.  The third book was as much a page turner as the first two.  Dr Anne was looking forward to find out the Lord Chancellor's decision on who should heir the Barrington fortune.  The end of the book leaves Dr Anne wondering who has been killed in the car accident  - Sebastian Clifton, the son of Harry and Emma or his friend Bruno, son of the guy who has set out to ruin the Barringtons..  

Apparently there will be sequels.

Dr Anne awards 7/10 for her holiday read.

Books Abroad in Bhuj

The Group visited a local college to view the distribution of the container of books sent from Books Abroad. There was a formal presentation to a variety of groups.  

The group members were each presented with a hydrangea flower.

Cable TV and the local press were present.  

Gujarat

Dr Anne spent four nights in the state of Gujarat, India. 

This was an amazing time, every second, every minute, every day.  

They were the hosts of the local  Rotary Clubs.

They visited Mundra Rotary Club to be introduced.  They were each presented with a rose.

 Sarah

 Debbie giving a story about the Banff Rotary.

 Lunch followed at the Hotel Arsh Palace.  The food was amazing - all vegetarian.

Dr Anne is off to India

 The group meets.

 Lunch at Glasgow Airport

 Anne and Jen

 Linda, Alan and Vinay

The group at Dubai Airport

Dr Anne set off for India on Saturday 12 October.  She didn't know where she was going.  She didn't know who she was going with.  She didn't really know how she was travelling..

Up at 0330,  she set off for Huntly Train Station and the 0609 train.  The train went straight through to Dundee.  A change and she was off to Glasgow.  At Glasgow she went by bus to the airport.  She thought that she could go free but no.  The group met in total at the Airport.  Two members had missed the train gone for a coffee then missed the next train.  They had to make the drive to Glasgow.  One member didn't have his passport and will arrive later.

The journey was by Emirates to Dubai, then Alhamebad.  There followed an 8 hour journey to Bhuj.  36 hours on the go and no sleep.

Arrived at the Prince Hotel, Bhuj at 1900 on the 13th.