Janaki's Blog

Trying out new restaurants is a happiness my parents and I share together, and we found that there was a great one right under our noses. (There is absolutely nothing better than feeling the weight of a fork and a knife in my hands and thinking of all the good things to come). Herfy Café and Grill had its name written in Arabic, so it wasn’t something very noticeable. We’d drive right past without realizing how we had just missed something that was built for the growth of mankind. It’s a cozy little restaurant, more different from the rest in terms of seating because the chairs are more like couches and a lot more comfier.­­ ­­ I ordered a Herfy chicken cordon bleu (absolutely delicious) with pasta as a side dish. The breakfast menu also seems interesting, which means I’M COMING BACK! It’s something we would definitely like to come back to and try again, and I would recommend it to food lovers like me (Welcome to the club, y’all). After a food-filled week in Riy

Just two more months and then we can say ‘adieu’ to 2016! It’s crazy how fast the year went. I can’t believe how so much happened in 2016. School kept me busy most part of the year. Finally it was time for SA-1 exams, which marked the ending of the first semester. The minute I reached home after the last exam, I took my laptop and crawled into bed and spent hours on the Internet, before catching up on much-needed sleep. I’m currently spending the Pooja holidays, which began on the next day after the exam and continue till Thursday, in Riyadh. It feels great to be back. I’ve already decided all the restaurants I need to go to because I miss most of my favorite ones like TGI Friday’s, Buffaloes, and Portuguese Grill. Plus the one at IKEA, they have amazing meatballs. Mom and I went to  Barbecue Nation along with Kunjunni, Kunjichechi, Valyamma and Valyachan. The food really was incredible.   

Dad, Kunjunni, Kunji chechi and I held hands as the waves crashed on the shore. We could hear the roaring sound of the sea and feel the sand beneath our feet. The cold water pooled around us until we were hip-deep, before rushing back. The private beach was a beautiful one. The horizon stretched on with nothing interrupting its flow. No other people, not a single footprint. There was a breeze and everything was serene. Turtle Beach resort had plenty in store for us. But we were going back home in the evening so we couldn’t try out everything. My parents had arranged for a taxi to drive us in the morning, along with Kunjunni and Kunji chechi, to the resort. Valyamma and Valyachan would join us later. At the resort, we could hear the faint sound of roaring waves at the beach, which proved to be just too good to resist. Mom chose to stay out of the fun and watched us instead because a) she didn’t want to get wet and b) the waves were so huge anyway. “You won’t get wa

These last few days have been so busy! The days are practically flying by. Global Public School opens its gates to everyone on the 23rd. We came to India because of my parents’ decision to transfer me to a better school. I agreed with them and it was all set. May 11th was the initial opening day. But the lack of rains and the rising heat made everyone change their minds. The District Collector finally announced that no school in Ernakulam was to open before 22nd, or the school would be fined. The next day, after the final confirmation of the announcement by the school, it began to rain heavily, and it’s been like that for a few days. Drizzle, rain, pause. Drizzle, rain, pause. The temperature has finally lowered and we don’t need to switch on the air conditioning when we  sleep. Mom went to Riyadh for a few days and she’s coming back on 25th.

It’s finally here! “ The Crown ” by Kiera Cass was released on 3rd May ! It’s the ending we’ve all been waiting for. Will America survive her heart attack? What is the future for Illéa? And most importantly, who will become Eadlyn’s husband? I finished the novel today. It was pretty good, but I felt it was rushed in a few areas, especially during the ending. Since there are people who are looking forward to reading “The Crown”, I’m not going to tell you much about the plot. And don’t worry, I’m definitely not going to tell you who wins Eadlyn’s heart at last. Right before the Report, on which Eadlyn is to reveal her fiance, she talks to her father, Maxon. We get to learn some information which had never been shared previously about his father, Clarkson. There are several changes in Eadlyn’s personality during the course of events in ‘The Crown”. She becomes less snobby and proud, and becomes more aware of the fact that in order to become a better ruler, she needs

We’re currently in Kerala, where we arrived two days after the ending of our Swiss/German vacation. Either we’re seeing new impacts of global warming, or the world has lost its marbles. Somehow, Kerala is begging for rain, while simultaneously Saudi Arabia has received unexpected showers, heavy enough to make all schools give the students a day off. Due to no rain, the temperature in Kerala is sweltering. You can stand around and do nothing and you’ll still be drenched in sweat in twenty minutes. Three if you’re hard at work. On the other hand, I noticed all my friends in Riyadh changing their profile photos to pictures of the rain and their status to profoundly blessing it. Chalk one up for them. But let’s not forget the cinema theatres of Kerala. I watched “ Jungle Book ” at Nucleus mall, “ Kung fu panda 3 ” at Gold Souk, and “ Fan ” at Oberon. “Jungle book” was awe-some! Brilliant! We had our eyes glued to the screen the entire time. “Kung fu panda 3” was great t

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