Did you know we drive on the left-hand-side ?

Driving in Pune is doing my head in .............seriously - it's a mare !

They say 'When in Rome................' so for the uninitiated here are the rules you should follow if you don't want stick out like a sore thumb .............before I begin you should know that here we supposedly drive on the left-hand-side of the road !

1. If you are coming out of a side road to the main road and turning left  - do not look - just come straight out - it is your right of way, the inside lane is all yours - leave the poor bast**ds on the main road to slow down for you.

2. If you are coming out of a side road to the main road and turning right - get into the right-hand lane and give anyone coming into your lane from the main road incredulous 'wtf are you doing here' looks !

3. If you break down, ensure you  leave leaves and sticks and branches around your vehicle and out of your window so folk know you have broken down - especially if you are a truck - it's kinda like saying 'I've taken root here'

4. Do not use any indicators ever .....................don't you know they cost money to replace !

5. Always flash your lights to say you are coming through especially if it's not your right of way.

6. Don't let anyone cross the road, or make a 3-point-turn or get in front of you - c'mon you are going to waste 30 seconds of your life it you do !

7. Throw rubbish out of your car window - especially if you are driving a posh car - 'coz obviously 'tere baap ka rasta hai' (it's your dad's road !)

8. If you see a red light, definitely ignore it if you cannot see any traffic coming across you - or if there is traffic ignore it if there is no cop about (and honk loudly at those who have the temerity to stop at a red light) !

9. Honk, to say I'm here, I'm coming through, get out of my way, it's midday, it's 2am let's wake everyone up....................and whatever takes your fancy

10. Do not under any circumstances use your rear-view mirror.

These are in no particular order and are just a small selection of what you need to know - after all, I'm not writing the Highway Code here (what's that ???)

TMI - I'm sure !

I don’t know if it was a song, a telly program or a book ……….but during the last week I came across something that basically said that we should not be ashamed of whom we are and not try and hide our true self.  I’m sure most of us around my age (50 something) like to think that we are who we are and people can like it or lump it – I do too…………….but bottom line is (and I speak for only myself here) – that there are things about us that we don’t want the world to see.  So this little item is about the things I would rather folk didn’t know about me – yep I’m about to spill the beans.  Alert………if you are hoping to read about some deep dark secrets you are out of luck – those are buried too deep to share so flippantly ……….but there are some ‘gag me with a spoon’ tidbits ! Look at it this way – I would take the piss out of my mates if they admitted to a couple of items on this list (was gonna be a top 10 list, but too much confession is bad for the soul)!

1. I love One Tree Hill – it’s currently being shown on telly in India - starting with series 1.  I know it’s a lot of teen drivel but I am addicted.  (I used to like Dawson’s Creek too much to the groans and eye-rolling  of my friends at the time!).  I’m sure liking this show points to some deep dark secret about my psyche, and sometimes I try and analyze it – but hey……..I like it – so shoot me !

2. I eat baked beans out a can cold – mix in some Maggi’s Hot and Sweet Sauce and yummy – yes I know, it’s disgusting – I should heat it up and bung it on a plate – but I don’t.  I would hasten to add that moobag has never seen me do this – I would not want to encourage such reprobate behaviour !   Oh yes – this is only Heinz BB – which is a bit of a treat for me here.  Used to do the same thing with Heinz Spaghetti Hoops at one point.

3. I don’t think my kid is the most beautiful or most talented kid in the world.  She’s pretty average and that’s fine with me – I love her unequivocally and would, like any mother, give up all for her – I smile when I think of her (which is a lot) and she makes me laugh inside and out – I feel the need to hug her a lot - but I seem to have missed out on those ‘my kid is awesome’-coloured-spectacles that are given out to each mother.  Sometimes I wonder if I am a ‘damaged’ mother or summink – but that’s the way it is. 

4. Ok this one is cringeworthy – you have been warned – I like Taylor Swift …………….enough said !

5. Last one for now …………………..I can’t park – I get confused when reversing with regards to which way to turn the wheel – I have no spatial  sense – and I once tried to get my car into a space in the station car-park at Farnham that was just too small – I scratched the side of the car to kingdom come and finally realized why it was the only free space in the car-park.  Luckily someone bumped into us the following week and it was a company car so it was all taken care of.  I have been known not to go somewhere because I am scared of parking (and in Pune hate parking the scooter too !)

So there you have it – just the tip of the iceberg – those of you who know me well, prolly know most of these – but no-one till now knows all of them

Very cathartic !