96 not out

NASHIK, MAHARASHTRA - 5th October 2009

A day that began with a 4.30am alarm to catch a 5.30am, five-and-a-half hour bus, and finishes with a seven hour return journey back to Mumbai, really doesn't sound like one to write home about. The latter part in particular included one of those painful experiences that is made infinitely more infuriating by the fact that there's absolutely jog all you can do about it (an experience it seems I have the pleasure of revisiting on a remarkably regular basis).

Much akin to getting smacked in the groin and recovering, only to get repeatedly smacked again, we were making great progress on the road until we hit Mumbai. From 6pm to 8.30pm, however, we proceeded to move in the sort of stop-start manner that is arguably more annoying than idiot drivers hogging the fast lane on the M25 (and, as anyone who's been a passenger in my car knows, that is saying something).

Between 12 hours of bus rides, however, we were in Nashik to visit my great-aunt - my oldest living relative and indeed the oldest person in the history of our family. Auntie Martha, going strong at 96, was in great form - albeit form that lacked any memory of who we were or pretty much anything else. I think it's the first time I'd seen Auntie Martha in about 15 years, and I was simply speechless at her physical fitness. Bar memory loss, her body is as fit as a fiddle - she gets up and down and walks around without any help, and even kneels at Mass without anyone telling her to do so. My conversations with her were pretty entertaining for all present - what with my accent and her confusion about who we were, neither of us really had any idea what the other was saying. Nevertheless, she knew a good joke and still has a hearty laugh to accompany a heart-warming toothless grin!


All in all, those 30 minutes were worth 12 hours of traffic times 1000 - to see someone that fit at her age, and that happy to eat Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate bars without a care in the world ("Do you want some chocolate?", "Yes!"), was absolutely incredible. Great stuff.

Incidentally, the journey there involved a continuation of the mother of all monsoon storms. But more of that to follow.