A choice for our Family

As you can see from my previous post not all is well in India. This was becoming dangerously close to where we were staying and there is no known cure. Dan and I made to decision to come back to Canada for the safety of our family. It was a difficult and yet "not difficult" decision to make. Frustrating because we've worked so hard to get there and establish a life, and yet easy to come home because we don't want anyone to get sick. Dan was able to come home with us at this time but will be travelling back in a month or two. Hopefully there has been an improvement by that time after the rains stop. So we changed our return tickets and arrived in Canada just over a week ago. Sorry for they delay, we've been busy getting semi-comfortable at Grandma & Poppa's house again! The boys were wonderful on the plane, far better than I could have imagined. Now time to plan a "certain some one's" 4Th Birthday party! My baby will be 4, I still can't believe it! As for India life, it was a challenge and there were good things and bad things about it. It sure was a culture shock. India in the future? Maybe. But for now I'm very happy my family is safe and we are back in Canada. Good thing too, I wasn't sure how to cure my insatiable craving for Mrs. Vickie's chips!
p.s. - Our adventures are not over, just the beginning so keep checking back for more of what's happening in the Perpeluk's World! Love you all!

Viral fever claims 193 lives in India's Kerala state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is reeling from an outbreak of mosquito-borne Chikungunya viral fever infections that have claimed 193 lives, a minister said on Monday. Health minister P.K. Sreemathy said that the inland plantation districts of Pathanamthitta and Kottayam were the worst affected, accounting for 161 of the 193 deaths this year.
"We have organized 2,500 medical camps in the state. This is an unusual situation that needs multiple strategies to defuse the crisis," she said. The minister said the situation, which erupted with the arrival of annual monsoon rains in June, was improving, citing a decline in the number of cases reported in recent weeks.
Kerala health experts blamed abysmal efforts to clean up mosquito breeding areas and an ineffective health system for the high number of deaths.
"The viral outbreak and Chikungunya infection reveal that public health in the state is in danger and health management of the state is not at all effective," said Vinod Kumar, a doctor working with a voluntary health group.
Chikungunya -- transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito -- was first detected in 1955 in Africa and last year caused the deaths of some 200 people on the French Indian ocean island of Reunion.
The name of the disease is derived from the Swahili word for "stooped walk," reflecting the physique of a person suffering from the disease whose symptoms include sudden fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting and joint pain.
Federal health minister Anbumani Ramadoss told parliament last year that some 1.1 million Indians were infected with Chikungunya.

Downtown Cochin

Here are a few shots of Downtown Cochin by the river. It kind of reminded me of the Stanley Park sea wall. Every one was having a great time meeting the boys, and of course they all had to touch them! We also visited a popular children's park that had quite a few activities. The boys really had a lot of fun with the pedal cars, even though they were too short to reach them and mom & dad had to push! Alex loved to push Ethan when he didn't have a car, he also pushed other children too! The park statues were a little disturbing, being devil's and all! Different I deals of "fun parks" I guess! There is a picture of a little boy who insisted we take his picture, he was really funny. I was able to take a photo of a little girl to show you what she's wearing is every day clothing here for them. And they always have so much jewelery on, even the boys. There is also a few shots of the view from our hotel room, there is a really cool church a top of the mountain that Ethan referred to as "Luigi's castle"! Last of course is a picture of a restaurant that I thought has a funny name, maybe I should send it into the Jay Leno show for Monday Night Headlines?!! Take care all, we love you!

Hotel Fun!

This is what happens when it's monsoon season and your trapped in the hotel for a few days!

A day at the park

We finally got bored in the hotel room and decided to go exploring. Saneesh told us about a nice park to walk through beside another water fall, so off we went. It was very peaceful and serene, there was some play equipment but it was pretty old, but there was a few things the boys could play on. I took the boys for a little animal hunt and we were lucky to find a baby turtle on a rock. We asked Ethan what we should do and he said to put it back in the water to find his mommy! So down we went to the river and gave it to Ethan to release. This will be always one of my favourite memories, it's hard to put into words; I guess you just had to be there.

I got to drive!

Yuppers, watch out , Angie's on the road! This was a scary and thrilling thing to do. Over here they drive on the other side of the road and that means your on the right side of the vehicle too. Good thing I know how to drive standard (Thanks Dan! ;) Your stick shift is still on your left and the pedals are the same just you feel so weird on the other side. I was able to drive on a less occupied road but I still had to maneuver around cows, chickens and goats - not your everyday obstacles! Saneesh said I drove really good, I have to agree as I didn't hear him scream too much!