Today was local shopping for Navsari home, Nita needed to buy essentials to setup the kitchen. Pushpa kaki was a massive massive help in this. She took Nita to a grocer near our place where the essentials were easily picked up – kataur, oil, etc….. (I cannot remember what else was bought there).

All along kids were home with Megha (house maid) and they also had mastered using Nita’s phone, whenever we left them home, the phone was always with them. They were having a great time staying home, less walking, we called each other every 20 – 30 minutes.

(Neha & Pooja, relaxing at home)

 
(Nita with Pushpa kaki and Arvind kaka)

Next I wanted Nita to view Arvind kaka’s new flat – it was brilliantly furnished/finished!
Rather than describe the flat, I shall let the pictures do the talking – once you are inside the flat, it really does not feel like India.

Simply an amazing effort by Arvind kaka, very impressed.

Arvind kaka then took us on a tour of the essentials we needed to know in Navsari for cooking, goat, chicken and fish markets, also I needed to find a foreign exchange, he knew of a Khatri who had a business in that.
On the way there, we passed a famous Lassi place, kaka is very fond of – had to have a pit stop there and try one of those famous lassi’s

(Nita and Arvind kaka enjoying the Lassi)

Lunch was at Arvind kaka’s place. This was the first home cooked meal since we started our holidays – it tasted so nice and a big plus, It was the kids favourite (“ghos’t”), they really enjoyed it.

Afternoon was again more home shopping – this time kitchen utensils “Barrtan”.

(heading to the bazaar)

Pushpa kaki took us to a great place, which did not look like much, however had the best stuff. The place really looked like a crap store with piles of kitchen utensils in no order, however there was some order to it which they understood and were quickly able to pull out things Nita and kaki asked for.

(shopping for kitchen pots and utensils!!)

(An interesting sign right across the kitchen store we were in, I like how they have spelt Lingerie, but the best is instead of “Readymade Blouse”, they have “Redmaid Blows”!! what sort of blows are we talking about!!!! May need to visit them)

We were at the kitchen store for over an hour. Finally finished off and headed to have a snack – mama ni patties @ a store called Bhikabhai (i think), great patties they had there. 

More hunting at other stores in the bazaar for a couple of remaining utensils.

(Navsari bazaar)

(a wooden kitchenware store, even had wooden tongs!)

(Another interesting sign/name)

Finally back at home for me atleast, Nita was off again with Pushpa kaki to get the veges to make masalo, to make it easy, the people selling the stuff were more than happy to do the peeling etc for an additional 10/rs!! Made Nita’s life a whole lot easier.

For dinner we headed to Zaika restaurant, one of a handful of restaurants specialising in NON Veg cuisine. Food was excellent. Ordered Lollypop Chicken again – Pooja loved that, Tikka kebabs, and for mains I took the waiters advise and settled on Chicken Chingari, which was really good.

What a day of running around it was , really owe it to Pushpa Kaki and Arvind kaka for all the time they spent showing us around and assisting us. Big thanks to them! And a big thanks for the home cooked lunch.