I'm back and I'm still convinced....

Infact, even more convinced that Ooty is the best place in the world!!

We had a really really really really realllllllly good time!! As I said before I left, I will be taking loads of photos and so I have. See the photos, I promise not to do too much writing cause I know many of you don't like that!! Just some captions! But it'll probably still be pretty long so you can skip the captions but please do leave a comment, I like comments and I know you all are too lazy to leave one... ;)

Oh and by the way, the dates on the photos are all wrong.

I think you all know that Grace and I went together. So Monday evening I went over to Grace's house where we caught up a little and then I had a look at some of the fantastic artwork she's been doing over the past couple of months. She's sooooo talented! And I also received a wonderful surprise there!! A while ago Grace promised to buy me the Message version of the Bible but didn't find it here in India so she got it for me from the Doulos which she got the chance to get on in Bangkok. Thank you soooo much Grace! I promise to read it as you said atleast twice (in a life time!!) he he he ;)

After we got ourselves some dinner we took a city taxi to the bus stand where we caught our bus up to ooty and guess what? We had that same conductor!! Sushi remember that guy who thought I was stealing the blanket?? Sheesh! I mean what are the chances!

We're in Ooty!!! A very bad shot from the bus, I was just itching to take photos of my darling Ooty-ka-booty!

The journey was terrible!! The roads have deteriorated drastically so that it felt more like were on a ship as the bus leaned from one side to the other as it went into the pot-holes. Pretty scary and very uncomfortable but hey we got there in one piece in time for prayer breakfast! Actually we missed the message from Mrs. Fairfield as we got a little carried away chatting with Mrs. Lian down at the Bushy's. But it was so great still. We were a little nervous to go into the staff room where prayer breakfast was but we had a great welcome. I got the greatest hug from Gail who leaped across the room and almost threw me over!! She was so surprised. That was the aim. YES! mission accomplished!!

At prayer breakfast. Me, looking very sleepy!! And I was, but oh-soooooooo-happy!!! Soooo good to see Gail!

Miss Bailles conducting the choir at lunch time (Tuesday). They sounded really good! We had Tuesday lunch at school and luckily enough it was my favourite - Chinese!! It was... well let's just say an accurate taste of the old days!! lol

Going up to have a chat with Mrs. George.

New classroom on top of the junior school roof top. Personally I don't really like it. I think they really need to stop building at school. I don't like this cause they're cutting short kiddies' play space!! Anyway, in this photo, a bunch of a'level girls are practising a dance for a dance competition this weekend! Can you believe that?!?! Dance competition at Hebron school!! They're really getting into it. I even got a whiff about dancing in P.E nowadays!!! pretty cool!

As I was peacefully sitting on the 'grassy knoll' my dorm kids who I keep having to remind myself are 8ers now came to bug me!! No I'm kidding, it was sooo good to see them. They're my little angels! This is Xan and me, proudly sporting our class of 2006 t-shirt!! Isn't she so cute!?

More of my beautiful girls. They're always so cheery, never fail to make me smile!

In the evening Miss Smith - oops, I mean 'Smeegs'! took us out to dinner to the punjabi dhaba where we had a good time catching up and hearing about all the new couples!! he he he ;) why do they always spark off in std. 13?!??!

Grace and Smeegs at Dhaba.

After dinner we popped up to Selborne to catch up with the 12ers. No wait, they're 13ers now!! Anyway, it was fantastic catching up with Gail, I've missed her so much!! And she showed me Krakatoa's 're-incarnate'!! And also videos of her beautiful niece Abigail and her beautiful sister's wedding. THAT was so nice, I just sat there and awwwwwwwed and squealed at the cuteness of it all!!! I just love weddings!

Those of you who don't know about Krakatoa. Well, his full name is Krakatoa Underpants (don't ask!) and he was Meg's little kettle that used to shake violently in the process of boiling water!! We left it for Gail to inherit after we left and wrote Gail's name allllllll over it but somehow Mrs. Keelty didn't see that and threw it away!! So Gail inherited Abi's instead and stuck up all these photos and a little obituary on it!! BAHAHAHAHA still makes me crack up!!

Us with Mrs. Lian. She's such a sweet heart! We had some good chats with her and she made our trip all that much better!!

Me and George in the good ol' study on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday morning Assembly, the std 12's took it and performed a hilarious skit. I was one of those that don't seem to have any point at all but apparentely there is a message!!

Just to show you that we DID do some work as well!! This is me stamping my certificates with the certified copy stamp in the staff room. We are allowed to sit in there now and eat their nice cookies and drink their nice tea!! So weird!!

At the Bushy's guest house. It was so convenient to be so close to school and that little flat is just so nice!! Lots of memories attached here too!! Sushi, Alva, Grace, Meg and I all stayed here for a night after Kovalam in Std. 13. Remember that?!?! That was fantastic fun!!

Grace eating Mrs. Lian's authentic chinese noodles!! She wasn't really as ravenous as she looks, the photo just came out really funny!!

Nahar's Garden Restaurant!!! A dosa meal was totally on our agenda! Couldn't miss that for the world!! Didn't even have to look at the menu... two cheese dosas, a plate of finger chips and two Earl Grey teas!! I know its cruel showing all you hebby people these photos but I just have to! Ajay, I did think of you when I was eating my dosa!! Aren't I sweet!?! And of course Adrian, how could we forget you, actually we were wishing you boys were there cause we couldn't really finish our meal!!! Meg, had a cup of Earl Grey tea in honour of you!!

Modern Stores' new look!

The odd ones out!

Wednesday evening Grace and I joined an evening Bible Study and Dinner at the Menon's house. It was kinda weird being there. First of all because Tashu wasn't there and secondly there were sooo many staff and loads of other St. Stephen's church people. But it was really good. Some thought-provoking discussions, some singing and of course good food!

After that, we went up to Selborne again and I did some more hanging out in Gail's room, and chatted with some of the other 12er... ah whatever, they're still 12ers to me!!!

Me and Gail doing a timer shot on her bed!!

A familiar looking scene: Food in the middle, people around!! I love the look, Gail!!

Wednesday night, we got a little hyper with the excitement of being on Ooty streets at 11:30 at night, an experience that we had never had, well not alone at least. So we did a few crazy things like...

Taking photos of our shadows!

Standing in the middle of the road!

And then playing a Notebook scene!! He he he. Yup we went a little crazy and decided to lie in the middle of the road at the risk of being run over. One close call but we're alive!!

Us at the Bushy's flat in our Class of 2006 t-shirts. Nicely enough both of us brought different colours!

Thursday morning after I managed to get all my application stuff out of the way, I went to visit the art room and check out some of the fantastic stuff in there and also got the chance to see some of the A'level stuff again cause it all got back on Monday.

And then of course I had to go down to the Adventure playground and this is how it stands now. Its pretty cool!! Well done Student Council!!!

From the art room.

Dedication.

Way up here!

Thursday lunch time: A view from the swings! Hasn't changed at all!

Me sitting in between the two biggest guys in school!! It was good to catch up with them.

Lunch: Thai noodles!!

Ben and Sam in the prefect's room! Yup, they haven't changed one bit!!

Thursday evening Grace and I took a trip to JSS public school cause there's a bunch of Korean kids who are having a hard time so Grace just wanted to have a chat with them. The school is huge. Beautiful campus but there's seemed to be something missing. But I suppose I am biased and spoilt having lived at Hebby!