Janaki's Blog

When the captain announced that the plane had started to descend, at first Mom and I could see nothing but clouds. Then eventually, when we felt the popping sensation in our ears, Switzerland came into view. The aerial view of Switzerland was like one of those pictures you get on postcards. I dont know why I felt so, but it was the first thing that popped into my head. Everything being so proper and perfect. But the real beauty was when the Alps came into view. Even from far away, the sight  was breathtaking. We could see the snow on the peaks of the mountains. We’d never seen snow before in our lives, so it was exciting. Snow was something we had only seen in photos and on TV. The closest chance I had got to see real snow was in Ski Dubai and in Disneyland in France, even though Ski Dubai had technically ice and Disneyland could offer only fake snow, as France had decided not to snow while we were there, but if that was a blessing or a curse, I could not tell, as in referen

I was standing right in the middle of the swinging bridge, with my hands tightly holding onto the railing. The wind was whispering and moaning while carrying snow particles. It was the kind of strong winds I had never experienced before in my entire life. Not only were they freezing cold, they were also strong enough to push me to the other railing of the bridge if I was stupid enough to let go for a second. Every time I turned my face towards them, it was like receiving a cold, tight slap from nature. My parents were far behind. I could see them struggling against the force too. I was nearly at the end so I spread my arms and ran along its remaining length. This had definitely been scary. My face felt frozen, like my legs and arms. The wind was still howling in our ears. When Mom and Dad caught up with me they had what-were-you-crazy-enough-to-run look on their faces. The two other people behind us came and asked “How do we get down?’ We said “What?” They raised

School ended more than a week ago, leaving us less than one more  week before we reach 10th grade. To be honest, ninth grade seemed to be the longest year of our lives. At the beginning of the year, we were glowing; at the end, everyone looked dazed. Teachers would love to make us scared out of our wits. They’d say how much of a traumatizing effect ninth would have on all of us, and how hard it was, and only the strong-minded managed to make it out alive. At  the end of every spiel, we’d exchange nervous looks with each other and look up in desperation. Of course, the teachers didn’t actually say all this out loud,but it was clearly implied when they talked. Then of course, we had friends to assure us, that all this was true. But, they said, tenth grade was much more easier. I know this all sounds like we had been condemned to hell last year, but trust me all future ninth-graders when I tell you the experience wasn’t that bad. Well, not as much as it was told to us an

Yesterday I watched the 1945 film “ And then there were none ”, based on the book by Agatha Christie! It was really entertaining, even though the end was nothing like how the book said. The pretty girl, Vera and the dashing guy who turned out not to be Philip Lombard, but his friend, managed to escape the island, possibly getting married after they reached home. The movie had also altered the crimes and names of some people, but other than that, it was nearly the same. I’d read the book before from our school library. According to everyone, it’s one of the best books Agatha Christie has ever written. Chocolate syrup was used in some of the old black-and-white movies as fake blood, like in the Hitchcock movie, “Psycho”, which I should have probably known earlier so that I could have prevented freaking out over the gruesome scenes.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always liked to read series like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Percy Jackson, The Selection, Celestra, Secret, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and books like The Fault in our stars, Elephant in the Garden and Let it snow. The list is practically endless. It’s funny because I know there are a gazillion books out there which I would like to name and still not a single one comes to my mind when I’m asked on the spot. On the other hand, Nanditha loves to read Agatha Christie books and Sherlock Holmes, and despises the novels I read. It took me forever to convince her to read the Hunger Games. Once she finished the first book, she got pretty interested, so I was like, “See?” The school library has several Agatha Christie books, like the Miss Marple series and the Poirot series. I myself had ‘Miss Marple’s final cases’ and ‘The 4:50 from Paddington’. They were pretty much wasted on me, so I asked Nanditha if she’d like to read them. Dad said he liked Sher

Exam week was upon us, and now it’s over! This officially marks the end of all the FA’s of ninth grade. It also marked the beginning of the weekend where I did nothing and acted like a total couch potato. Now all that’s left is the SA-2, and then curtains closed on this year. On the recommendation of my friends, I read the ‘ Wings ’ series by Aprilynne Pike . It was pretty great. Out of the four books in the series, “ Illusions ”, the third book, was the best. When the gang discovered Yuki was a winter faerie, I was like “Oh my god!” My parents and I watched the movie ‘ True Grit ’ yesterday. I liked the way the actress who played Mattie delivered her lines, for it was flawless and clear and her voice was perfect for the lines she spoke. TaylorSwift stuns everyone with her new music video ‘Out of the woods’! When the trees came up on the beach and formed the letters ‘Out of the woods’ that was totally sweet! Although from what I garnered from the video, T-Swift likes

I wish to convey this simple message to all parents- when your child says ‘I miss school’, he/she means that they miss their friends, the regular fun and their favorite teachers. Not the school. Because eventually, this simple line can backfire, when your parents make the mistake of thinking you miss the studies, the waking up early in the morning and the exams. News Flash: ‘ The Conjuring- Part 2 ’ releases on June 10 th ! I nearly fainted when I saw the news yesterday. I rather go bungee jumping, or parachute diving, or surfing with sharks, if it means I can stay out of the way of all creepy things possible. Of course, I applaud Valyamma and Valyachan for their bravery, for they saw ‘The Conjuring’, at the  theater , in 3D. If it had been me, eventually I would have been found lying on the ground yelling “MAKE IT GO AWAY! MAKE IT GO AWAY!” ­ Actually, since it being so scary, no one below the age of eighteen was allowed to watch the movie at the  theater . I find i

2016 is finally here! I woke up at 7:45 today, since I knew the New York ball drop would be live on CNN at about 8. And yes, it was worth getting up early in the morning [FUN FACT- Over a million people see the ball drop in New York while a billion watch it live on TV. I’m in the billion.] Quick facts on 2016- 1) Its a leap year, meaning, it’s a lucky year for anyone who was born on February 29 th . 2) The Olympic Games are to be held in Rio. 3) I don’t really have a third fact. Let’s compromise with the above two. My parents and I watched ‘ The Good Dinosaur ’ last night. It was okay, like, 3 stars out of 5. The dinosaurs looked kind of like rubber. The first day of the year, January 1 st , is always the best day. There’s just that feeling that there are so many things to look forward to , like birthdays, festivals, holidays, vacations and more. Then again, there are the New Year resolutions. I never make New Year resolutions because, well, I don’t s

It’s been a week into the winter vacation, and I have one more left. Dad makes it a point to wake me up every morning. Switching on the lights and creating all kinds of noise is the new way of making me roll off my bed and walk sleepily with my eyes closed. I still can’t believe 2015 is just a few days away from being over. I feel this year ended waaayyyy too quickly. There are so many things that happen at the beginning of every new year. It’s like tradition- I will write 2015 on my notebook next year, then realize what I did, and try to convert the 5 into a 6. Then when I start 10 th grade, I will write IX-B, realize what I did, and cross the extra line out. Then, I will tell everyone I study in ninth grade, catch myself, and say tenth. I watched “ Big Hero 6 ” a few days back. I had missed almost every opportunity I had to see it till then, so, I felt triumphant at the end. “Big Hero 6” is one of the many movies where it is absolutely embarrassing to te

This week has been a very busy one. On Sunday the juniors had their drill in advance for sports day, Monday and Tuesday were Sports Days, Wednesday (I stayed at home and slept till 11) was the talent show….. It’s been the most exciting week by far. And guess what? Starting this Sunday, we have two weeks of winter holidays. Holidays, in my opinion, is the best word in the English dictionary. (Well, second best. Food comes first. Exam comes last). Anyway, we had our march past yesterday. After winning the last year’s competition, I was hoping the same would happen this year as well, so I stepped in. There was a long queue of students trying out for the march past. But it was mostly the students who got selected last year that were selected this year. Mainly because no one could master the perfection of marching as we could (I discovered marching for a few days sticks for a long time. Even after the march past competition was over last year, I marched everywhere without r

Update:  Great news! Nando's has finally come to Riyadh! It’s not Nando's, but it’s the next best thing- Veri Peri Portuguese Grill ! Dear readers, you know the passionate love for the restaurant ‘Nandos’ that my family and I hold ever since we tried it for the first time in London when I was six  years old.  After we reached Riyadh, Mom searched the Internet for Nandos. No luck. Nandos didn’t exist in Riyadh. But then BAM! 6 months back, Veri- Peri Portuguese Grill started itself about a mile away from our home. We tried it out for the first time today. Can I just say it was TAS-TY.  And it’s already popular. The restaurant was teeming with people when we got there. Just like the menu said, the chicken was juicy and had our favorite Peri-Peri sauce.  The chicken is soaked overnight with the sauce which is why it’s so delicious . If you are a Nando's lover living in Riyadh (hi-five), this is the place for YOU.

Finally, finally , my FA-3 exams got over. It felt like I’d been having them for a year. Last week was a rainy week. After the first two exams, everyone was texting each other of how there was a 99.9% chance of there being a holiday the next day. Our class Whatsapp groups were the most active. Where normal people would wish for the rain to stop, everyone in Riyadh was begging for a thunderstorm, some lightning, hailstones, or any other freakish weather phenomena, just to stay home from school. Some people had contacts with teachers as well, so they were kind enough to keep us updated. “Hey guys! Our math teacher just told me that we have a holiday tomorrow! Wheee!!!” “Really, are you sure?!!!” Then a screenshot of the conversation would be sent, and everyone would change their Whatsapp status to something regarding the blessing of the rain. An hour later, the principal’s message would reach our phones, and that would be circulated around the Internet. This

‘Excuse me; can I go to the toilet?’  A third-grader asked me. I nodded my head and he left the classroom. I was watching over the boys’ class of 3 C, as to the request of one of my teachers. I had already done this sort of thing few times before, so it was nothing new to me.   Usually, I’d drag one of my friends along, but this time it was just me. This was fun actually; all I had to do was stand there and watch the kids, interfere if there was any problem, occasionally raise my voice and tell them to sit down and lower the volume, threaten to call the teacher if they still wouldn’t settle down. Of course, childhood memories never leave us either. When you look around and see small kids crying for the littlest of things, or fighting with someone else because one guy called the other a fool and that was one of the biggest, meanest words that the child has ever heard, you’ll finally understand how annoying you might have been at their age. I can still remember, when, a

 I watched a total of four movies in India this time- ‘ Inside-Out ’, ‘ Jurassic World ’, ‘ Premam ’ and ‘ Ant-Man ’.  They were amazing. But one notable mention is ‘Jurassic World’, which kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I hope one more movie comes out! I have watched all the ‘Jurassic’ movies and they get better every time! Raaawwrrrr!!! What I like about them the most is the suspense. One minute you give out a sigh of relief, next minute you’ll be screaming, and running like Usain Bolt from a hungry dino! Woo-hoo! Except ‘Premam’, I watched all the movies with Kunjunni and Kunji chechi, so it was double the fun. Kunjunni really wanted to see ‘Ant-Man’. But all I could say was ‘Seriously? Ant -Man?’ “It has a high rating.” “It’s going to be lame.” “You can decide that after the movie’’. In the end, I loved it. I declared that while we were leaving the  theater  and got a smug look in return, plus, an ‘I told you so.’ In fact, if there is a sequ

Well! Our vacation in India flew past and here I am again! As usual, vacation was a blast. This was our evening schedule- Kunjunni and Kunjichechi would come over regularly every evening. When it would be time for dinner, Kunji chechi would make a beeline for the kitchen. She would be the one to flip the chapattis for she really loves to cook. At 8, everyone would make themselves comfortable in the living room. Then we would watch “Sell Me the Answer” until the show ended at 9, which was the time Kunjunni and Kunji Chechi would get shooed away by Granddad to go home. Mom and I would watch them cross the street to their home and then wave to them from our window. Everything went on like this for a few weeks. When we went shopping for groceries once, I spotted mehandi cones and bought one. I like putting on mehandi and I rarely find good quality cones too, so this was a golden opportunity. When I had put it on my palm and showed it to Kunjunni, he was intrigued. Kunji c

Phew! So the FA-2 exams are finally over! The last exam was yesterday. Now, its officially time for summer vacation. Mom and I are going to India tonight and Dad’s coming later. Last week was really hectic so I’m looking forward towards the vacation. Kunjunni has already taken leave from school so that he can greet us at the airport. Kunjichechi’s first year at college starts in August, and since she was not able to spend much time with us last year due to studies, this time she plans to  be at our home 24/7. My grandparents are eagerly waiting for us as well. So it’s clear everyone is excited. We’ll reach tomorrow morning at 9. That’s always what I like; reaching India in the morning. You can start off with the new day instead of the time when you reach there at night, and everyone nags you to go to bed even though you are not sleepy and want to do something else.  Nanditha’s plane was today too, only hers was at noon and mine’s late night. Her flight had got postponed an

Oookayyy, it’s been a pretty long time since I have posted anything and sorry for that. 9 th grade has been taking control of my life so I have barely time to breathe.   Heidelberg looks straight out of a Disney movie. An old castle, river, vintage   bridge, scenic hills, churches,  paved streets - everything together added up to its beauty. I was pretty sure this was the ultimate place for all poets of the world.  We stayed at Goldener Falke . It was right in front of a square with several shops and cafés, and a fountain with a statue of Hercules on top. The hotel was interesting and cool. There was a majestic view of castle outside the window. After getting refreshed and having our breakfast, we set out to explore Heidelberg. Our hotel was very close to the Heidelberg castle. We could see the castle from anywhere. I soon noticed that we had no trouble finding our hotel and that it was in the perfect spot. Somehow we always wound up in front of it. We felt like Fe

I put down my headphones and observed everyone around me. Mom was sleeping with her mouth open and Dad was nodding off.  I had just watched ‘Night of the Museum 3’ on the TV in front of me, and I gotta admit, it was kinda lame compared to the first two movies. As the plane touched down, I quickly put in my earplugs and felt the pressure on my ears. I looked out of the window and saw Germany’s surface. Mom, who was now awake (and had quickly closed her mouth) looked out with me. Dad’s project had won an award from SAP and the award ceremony was to take place at Walldorf .  So Mom and I came too and we decided to stay in Heidelberg for 5 days. As we neared the exit of Frankfurt airport, I saw someone holding my name. Boy, was I surprised! I mean I have seen plenty of people do that, but for me…… awesome! Germany was amazing; in fact it was beautiful. It’s like how you see in those movies; lush green trees on both sides and then later endless green fields stretching on a