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Guest Message by DevFuse
 

An Englishman in India



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Getting A Residential Permit

Posted by john.sw, 20 November 2008 - - - - - - · 39 views
Returning as an Indian
The tourist office in Ooty was open and I went in to ask where to get my Residential Permit. I was told that I had to go to the superintendent of police.

When I go there he was away for the day, but I asked about residents’ papers and was directed downstairs to the FRO. There was one form to fill, but I needed six passport photographs, one stamp-sized...



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Buying A Vehicle

Posted by john.sw, 20 November 2008 - - - - - - · 8 views
Returning as an Indian
Aswin, from the Mahindra showroom, met me in Ooty at 9:10 and we shared the driving down to Coimbatore. My mother’s Hyundai i10 performed well – it’s not a bad little car.

After acres of paperwork and test driving a Manual model, I discovered that they had a black vehicle (albeit with a different seat configuration) in their car pound. I looked at...



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Settling In The Nilgiris

Posted by john.sw, 20 November 2008 - - - - - - · 12 views
Returning as an Indian
The trip to India was a bit of a nightmare. After an early start I flew from Manchester to Heathrow and bought a pair of Bose QC2 noise-cancelling headphones at Terminal 5. I had wanted some for years, and they are amazing.

Eventually I met up with my parents who were both in wheelchairs. It’s sad to see them like this.

The flight to Chennai took for...



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It’s The Change Of Climate

Posted by john.sw, 28 September 2008 - - - - - - · 4 views
Returning as an Indian
We’re back from the jungle and both suffering with colds. It’s the change of climate.

The weather here in the UK isn’t bad for the end of September, but the perfect climate of the Nilgiris will have to wait a while for us to get back and enjoy it!

Down in Masinagudi we were spoilt by a fairly constant 24°C, beautiful surroundings and my...



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To Take Or Not To Take?

Posted by john.sw, 26 April 2008 - - - - - - · 9 views
Returning as an Indian
There's a wedding photograph in and old family album. It shows my great aunt's Jessie's wedding to a Scottish clergyman, the Reverend John Ireland Macdonald. The older guests are sitting on some lovely turned chairs with woven cane seats.

This was back in 1901, and the chairs have been in England for more than eighty years. They are going...



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Back To The Jungle

Posted by john.sw, 23 March 2008 - - - - - - · 1 views
Returning as an Indian
My father was always fascinated to listen to his mother talk about her childhood in the jungle.

The talk of their coffee garden, the eucalyptus "blue gum" trees, on the way down from Ooty, the elephants, tigers, the fogs and the lifestyle were in her heart and she always missed "her India".

My father was born in London, England and he...



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Feeling Homesick

Posted by john.sw, 11 March 2008 - - - - - - · 8 views

It's a funny feeling, being homesick, and it's not one I'm used to.

I was at boarding school when I was a ten-year-old and am quite accustomed to being away from home, but I have two homes, and I'm in the wrong one - the English one!

My mother phoned me yesterday from Ooty, full of happiness and enjoying the company and friendliness of...



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I'm Married To A Pio

Posted by john.sw, 16 February 2008 - - - - - - · 9 views
Returning as an Indian
Great news - we're both Persons of Indian Origin!

Gone are the days when we'd have to plan our trips in advance and apply for visas.

Now we can come and go when we like, grab a bargain flight and, most importantly, buy freehold property!

It's 16th February, 2008 and twelve weeks and five days since the HCI in London received Mrs...



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Pio Card Application - One Month On.

Posted by john.sw, 20 December 2007 - - - - - - · 12 views
Returning as an Indian
It is now a month since the HCI in London received Mrs. SW's application for a PIO Card.

We have the receipt that says her PIO Card will be posted to us on 14th February 2008, but we have been trying to contact the HCI by phone to see if this can be speeded up.

Nobody at the HCI answers the telephone. We tried ringing again today and the automated...



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Three Weeks - Pio Card

Posted by john.sw, 09 December 2007 - - - - - - · 11 views
Returning as an Indian
It's now three weeks since we applied for Mrs. SW's PIO Card and there is some good news to report - and some bad!

The postman delivered a Special Delivery envelope, and as Mrs. SW cut it open and removed the contents it looked like there was a problem.

Both our passports were there, along with our marriage certificate, MY PIO Card and...



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