How long can you make a list?

Lists, lists, lists, suddenly I'm snowed under by them. The whole planning and implementation of moving our family of five plus a dog to India is taking on the appearance of a military exercise.
Jabs, visas, paperwork, passport photo's, vets, sorting the house while we are away, re-homing the cat (boo-hoo), blaa, blaa, blaa, the list is endless.

We have an imminent trip planned to visit Chennai to find accommodation, open bank accounts, sort out cars and driver, find a doctor/health clinic, find a Roman Catholic church and priest that speaks English, also try and bag some school places (there are none, so smile sweetly and hope for the best), plus meet Mr Maddogs associates and his new boss. Phew!

Interestingly day one of our schedule sent by Mr Maddogs relocating dept in Chennai allows us 15 mins for lunch on the first day! Is this the start of things to come with the usual 50 hour Indian working week (one of the highest in the world)?!? No pressure then, and there was me thinking of seeking out a little beach side cafe/restaurant for a lazy lunch escaping the lousy British winter (4-7 deg C, grey, grey and more grey). No chance. I think it's going to be a tough week, but hopefully we will get to dip our toes in the sea at some point. As for an hour by the pool? Forget it.

This morning whilst driving the baby maddogs to school DD1 asked me if she could also take a trip out to see if she would like living in India. "Er...., sorry darling, no not possible" came the answer. "Why not?" came the reply. Within seconds the "I don't want to go" mantra surfaced again. Her information and opinion on India is really made up with what she has seen in the British media and not all of it is favourable. Whilst I have done all the usual things of buying guide books, travel writing, pointing her to blogs and websites she shows no real interest in finding out for herself what it will be like. So back to the bookshop today and bought the India Chic guide. "Ooooh, look at those gorgeous hotels and beaches, mountains, forts, palaces........." she said. "Ah, but you don't want to go" I said. "Well, I might, if I can go and see all this" she started to enthuse. Reverse psychology, works every time on her..... well, until the next time. I feel a project coming on for her......research India.

I must say, it does all look rather lovely, and I can't wait to start discovering my first choice honeymoon destination, (Mr Maddog was not interested in visiting back in those days, he took me to New York and Florida instead) and my long overdue post student travelling which I never ended up doing (a certain husband and 3 kids got in the way). But I'm looking forward to discovering all these places that friends and relatives have just shown their snapshots to me, Kerala, Goa, Mumbai (DD2 wants dance lessons from Shilpa Shetty, the famous Bollywood Star, yeah right) Bangalore, Jaipur, no, make that all of Rajasthan, the foothills of the Himalayas (had always planned to take the girls and my 2 God-daughters trekking, going to happen a bit sooner than I had originally thought, fantastic), Darjeeling..... the list could go on forever. I just hope we get to see enough of the India that still is and once was before it becomes taken over by the Tescos, Walmarts and Ikeas of this world that will most definitely come setting up shop in this beautiful country and change it forever. I can't wait.

Just need to get on with those lists.......

Welcome to the Mad dogs and Englishmen blog about our family embarking on a 3 year posting to Chennai, India. Hopefully this will be a fitting record of our time there and allow our friends and family to check in with us from time to time to see what we are up to.

Who are we.........? Well Mr Mad dog is from Edinburgh, Scotland, Mrs Mad dog is from Hampshire, England and we have 3 daughter Mad dogs 11, 6 and 3 yrs. Then there is the reason for the name of our blog, our own mad dog himself, Gus our 8 month puppy Lakeland Terrier who will be coming with us.

We have spent our last Christmas in the U.K. for the next 3 years with our families in Essex (England) and Edinburgh and Stirlingshire (Scotland). Everything this Christmas was enjoyed through different eyes knowing that next Christmas we will be in hotter climes and probably on a beach somewhere in the world. Weird thought.

Plus we have just celebrated two of our daughters birthdays over Christmas and New Year. Will post some more stuff on the birthdays later.

Well there now, that wasn't too difficult or taxing, hit the return button and we are out there in cyberspace for all to read. Scary..........
BFN... Mrs Mad dog