London (Stansted), Genoa, Cabella Liguire (27.08.10 - 06.09.10)

I am back from a blissful journey and having jet lag.  Anyway, here are the photos and stories.

27.08.10 (Friday)
Early in the morning, my parents sent me and Gerty to LCCT airport to catch the AirAsia flight to London - Stansted.  I was very excited about going to London since this is the first time I am stepping foot in London.  I am so looking forward to scenery from Midsomer Murders.  AirAsia flies direct to London-Stansted and it was a 14 hour flight.  What I don't really like about it was, they gave us food 3 hours after take-off and 3 hours before we land, but in between 8 hours, we have no food and you have to buy snacks from them.  At the end of the 14 hour flight, everyone was super hungry and all snacks were gone.  If it is an overnight flight (like my return flight), then it's ok.  But a day time flight, well, I think AirAsia should re-consider the meals schedule time.  You can't starve your passengers and force them to buy food on the plane.  Those smart ones brought their own food.  Next time we know.  Buy snacks and keep and eat on the plane.

Anyway, we arrived in London-Stansted at 4pm and Gerty's sister picked us up.  She was very generous and put us all up in a hotel for the night.  Thank you very much Aunty Saro.  She drove us around London-Stansted outskirts and I got to see Midsomer Murders scenery.  Beautiful.  London is very cold too, although it is summer.  Then for dinner, we had Fish and Chips.  Oh my, that was the most delicious thing in the world.

28.08.10 (Saturday)
The next day, we woke up early in the morning to catch our RyanAir flight to Genoa, Italy.  We saw the beautiful River Thames right behind our hotel.  It was such a nice scenery and I fell in love with London.  I hope I get to visit London again, maybe more touristy places this time.

We arrived in Genoa at about 2pm and was waiting for our ride.  However, Shri Mataji has other plans for us and it turns out that our transport forgot to pick us up and we were advised to take public transport instead.  Luckily for us, before I left for Cabella, I did some homework about going to Cabella via public transport.  From Genoa Airport, we took Volabus to go to the Principe Train Station where we got ourselves train tickets to Arquata Scrivia Train Station.  We didn't know that we have to punch our train tickets and it was so lucky for us that no one came and check our tickets when we were on the train.  Phew!!!  

We arrived at Arquata Scrivia and decided to give our transport dept another call about pick up and they advised us to take public transport again.  There's a bus that goes to Cabella from Arquata Scrivia and again we were so lucky.  It was a Saturday and the bus doesn't run from 1pm to 6pm because of siesta time (in Italy is famous for siesta time, which is a time when people stopped their business and go to take a nap).  We arrived at 5.30pm and just make it for the 6pm bus.  How lucky was that?  If we miss the bus, then that's it. 

We arrived at the puja hangar at about 7pm and just in time to make it for the Raksha Bandhan ceremony.  Tied rakhi to a Romanian brother.

Was so lucky to get a place to sleep in the hangar although it was really packed.  Had dinner and called it the night.

29.08.10 (Sunday)
It's Shri Krishna Puja day and we all got up to prepare ourselves for the puja.  We also took this opportunity to go to the castle and was so lucky to get a ride up and down Cabella.  Wow.  Then came back in time for lunch and siesta and then it was puja time.

I sat in front with my Chinese sisters and it was a great puja indeed.  Short and beautiful.

30.08.10 - 02.09.10 (Monday - Thursday)
It was the World Centre Festivals and everyday there will be workshops happening in the day and musical night in the evening.  We get a lot of time to clear ourselves by footsoaking at the river and go to Cabella town for a nice lunch one day.  Lat did a music workshop and everyone enjoyed it.  Every night the musical night was so interesting.  First night was some jazz thingy.  Second night was a combination of many performances, bhajan singing from one collective to another.  Third night was performances by the Yuva Shakti.  Forth night was the Kuchipudi dances.  Sandeep, the Kuchipudi dance teacher was there and taught dance workshop in the day time during the 4 days.

03.09.10 (Friday)
It was a day to be remembered.  We were told to go to Shri Mataji's house to sing bhajans for Her since we were the hosting countries.  So, Lat, Kim, Jaso and myself went.  We got a ride in Robert from UK's car and reached Genoa at about 4pm.  Then we were told that Shri Mataji will be going out for a while and when She comes back we will start singing for Her.  We got a great chance to see Her as She got into Her car. 

About an hour later, She came back and we did aarti to Her.  The respresentatives from the hosting countries went to Her and invited Her to come for the Musical Night, Marriages and Shri Ganesha Puja.  

After that, we sang bhajans to Her.  First it was the Russians, then the China collective, then us together with the Australians and finally the Romanians.  The Malaysians did Jay Jay Janani Shri Ganesha Ki.  After that Shri Mataji went back into the house and we left.

We arrived back in the hangar at about 10pm and the musical night has already started.  When it was the Malaysian turns, we did the Joget and then the Sahaj music group sang the Shiva Panchakshari Stotram.  It was a great day.

04.09.10 (Saturday)
The day started with Haldi ceremony at the river side and the brides and grooms went to the castle to get dressed up and finally they went to Genoa for Shri Gauri and Shri Ganesha puja in front of Shri Mataji.  We get to watched it live in the hangar.  Then they came back and the wedding ceremony proceeded.  It ended quite late in the night, like 2-3am.  We went to sleep at midnight because we have to sit outside of the hangar and it was freezing cold.

05.09.10 (Sunday)
Shri Ganesha Puja.  It was truly a blessing to be able to present the Yuva Shakti gift to Shri Mataji in front of Her.  The puja was great and Shri Mataji looked so vibrant and beautiful as always. The vibrations were tremendous after the puja.


06.09.10 (Monday)
Went on the bus to go to Genoa Airport, catch RyanAir and back in London-Stansted to catch AirAsia and that's it.

Shri Mataji is everywhere with us.  Whether She is physically in Genoa, Italy, She is always in our heart. 

I didn't take many photos this time.  Just feel it's enough in the heart.

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