East African Safari

Our daughter Priya and her family had planned a family holiday in Kenya and Zanzibar last month. Her in laws, Dilip and Shrimi Sinha joined us, so eventually we were a party of 6 adults and 2 children. 

We flew Qatar airways to Nairobi via Qatar. The Delhi Doha sector was a code share flight operated by Indigo along with their trademark junglee sandwiches. The flights were quite unpleasant - in the middle of the night and too short to get much sleep. Fortunately, now Air India has started a direct Delhi Nairobi flight that will make things much better. Doha airport is quite stunning - beautifully laid out with great shopping and dining options. 

Day 1

We landed at Nairobi airport in the morning on time. The airport is apparently temporary and it shows! It's quite shabby and looks like a real dump. I hope they get the new airport up and running soon. We were met by very courteous drivers who drove us to the Eka hotel where we were staying. We had breakfast and as some of the rooms were ready we freshened up as well. 

Then we were off - to the Giraffe Center where they have a high platform for feeding the Giraffes. They give you some pellets in a coconut shell - all very natural and eco friendly. The whole experience was and very exciting for all of us. Later we heard a talk about Giraffes and learnt how to differentiate between the various species.

We then went to a workshop where women were making beads made of volcanic material. They put up a  nice 'hakuna matata' dance for us.

After that we went to a museum that had a snake park attached. The children made a bee line to see the black mambas and pythons that they draped around their necks. 

The guide at the museum was outstanding. We were fascinated by glimpses of the first man on earth and how all humans developed in Africa and then moved out. We overshot the time that the museum was to close but the lady was very kind and we reluctantly left to return to the hotel.

Nairobi is a beautiful city. There is a very large slum but the more affluent areas are terrific with colonial bungalows, greenery and wide roads. Being at an elevation of around 5000 ft the weather feels like Bangalore. Cool all the year round. We had dinner at the hotel and went to sleep early exhausted after the sleepless night on the flights.

Day 2

At 8:30 next morning we were picked up for the drive to Lake Elementeita. 

This is one one of the five lakes around the rift valley in Kenya - the lakes are all salt water and a haven for flamingos. The drive was very beautiful along the ridge - the scenery is reminiscent of South Indian hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal and the misty, cool weather adds to the feeling. The continent of Africa is being cleft into two at the rift valley that runs from north to south. Maybe in a few millennia, some new land masses may make their appearance. 

The Serena Hotel at Lake Elementeita was great. Well laid out and protected by an electric fence to keep the large animals out. 

The view of the lake was spectacular - full of pink flamingos covering most of the water area. They feed on algae and apparently the pink colour is dependent on the quality of their food.

There was a viewing point for the lake that had antelopes just outside. An idyllic spot! Food was great at the hotel. The only problem was that the orders were taken individually, plated and served so it did take a while. Started our journey of exploring local beers with 'Tusker' a light crisp lager with a faintly bitter aftertaste but perfectly acceptable. Next day we went for our first safari to the Lake Nakuru national park, where we saw the white rhino. 

We were lucky to see a whole bunch along with numerous zebras, baboons, antelopes and birds. 

The park is right next to a city and we were pleasantly surprised to see such plentiful wildlife so close to an urban area. 

Back to the hotel and time for some more beer exploration. This time we tried Balozi that did not turn out quite so nice. An early night so we could leave for the Masai Mara next morning.

Day 3

The drive to the Masai Mara was quite beautiful as it followed the rift valley for some of the time. We then turned off into an unpaved road and while the Land Cruisers made good time it was a bumpy ride and we were quite worn out by the time we reached our camp. We crossed the famous Mara river on the way.

The camp was named Kichwa Tembo near what is called the Mara Triangle. This is a spectacular property. The rooms were to top of stilts around 10 - 12 feet high. These were tents that could be unzipped to let in light and air. We were advised to keep the netting closed at all times as the monkeys were quite aggressive. 

The main areas of the resort opened out towards the open grassland of the Mara and we could often see elephants and antelope vending their way across. There was an electric fence in a deep ditch to keep the larger animals out. 

But the resort had it's resident wart hogs (pumbas) that wandered around at will. The food at the resort was excellent with alcohol also included in the price. There was a great chef in charge at the live counter. He was a real artist and kept up an interesting conversation while he prepared eggs for breakfast or grills for lunch and dinner. Amazing variety and quality of fresh produce in the middle of nowhere!

Day 4 and 5

These were spent in game drives around the Mara triangle. We went up to the Tanzania border with the endless Serengeti plain stretching far towards the South. 

We crossed and re-crossed the Mara river but the actual river crossing of the wildebeest herds was still to come. 

The river is rather narrow and we saw a herd of hippos wallowing on one side with a huge crocodile sunning himself on our side. 

Lions in plenty. A full pride as well as a fellowship of males gorging on a buffalo that they had killed. The next day the lions were gone but the hyenas and vultures were picking the bones clean. 

We saw many cheetahs including three that failed to hunt down a zebra who stood his ground and shooed them off. An ostrich exploring something on the ground.  

Then a leopard loping around in the distance oblivious of the prey all around. Herds of Zebras and Antelopes were everywhere. Buffalos demonstrating the democratic manner in which they move - almost like an election to decide which direction they will take next. Elephants in plenty and some really beautiful pictures as a result. 

We saw the big five on this trip - Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffalo and Rhino. 

The Mara is stunningly beautiful especially at dawn and sunset with the endless grass stretching for miles and the sky awash with colour. There are few trees but the predators still manage to slink up to the their prey. The predators hunt to feed themselves, not for enjoyment.  Africa is like a drug. Once you've tasted it you WILL come back. This time with a better camera!

India woke up to the depredations of hunters and the spread of population a little late but I think we have a well developed sense of ecological preservation now. Africa has far more animals. Long may their wilderness last.

Day 6

A reluctant good bye to the Masai Mara and drive back to Nairobi. We reached at lunch and checked in to the Tamarind Tree Hotel. This is conveniently located close to the Wilson airport from where we were to take a flight next day to Zanzibar, The evening was spent at a mall looking for Kenya souvenirs and a good dinner - mix of Indian and Chinese food. 

 Day 7

After a little confusing security and immigration procedures at the small Wilson airport in Nairobi we boarded a turbo prop plane for Zanzibar.

Zanzibar is one of those places you read about in stories from the Arabian nights. And here we are! After a scenic flight from Nairobi flying close to the cloud covered summit of Mt Kilimanjaro we landed at a modern airport. Our resort was on the other side of the island so we drove for an hour and a half to get there. Incredible white sand beach stretching for miles. 

Beautiful resort, the Breezes Beach club on the Indian Ocean side. Went for a morning walk when the tide was out and the sky was awash with colours. Total relaxation after a few strenuous days of safari.

Day 8

Today we drove to Mnemba beach at the northern end of Zanzibar. A boat ride on a heaving sea was kinda ok but the sight of the dolphins was exciting!

Hakuna Matata! The best philosophy of life.

Day 9

The last day in Zanzibar was very interesting. We went to Prison Island first. 

It now has a tortoise sanctuary with the oldest resident being 196 years old! Munching away on lettuce and green leaves these ancient specimens have droopy eyes and thick leathery shells. 

There were quite a few peacocks strutting around as well. 

A short boat ride away from the town. Then Freddie Mercury's house where he was born. 

Some spice shopping and then a good lunch at the Africa house restaurant overlooking the sea. 

Stone Town needed more time for exploration, maybe stay there for a day.

Then a long flight(s) back to Delhi and some much needed sleep.

Very enjoyable family holiday. Many thanks to Priya Bhatnagar Sinha and Abhinav Sinha for planning the whole thing and to Dilip Sinha and Shrimi Sinha for the great company! More African safaris coming up!

Photo Credits: Abhinav Sinha, Priya Sinha, Gayatri Sinha, Nayantara Sinha, Devi Muthu Bhatnagar, Dilip Sinha and Divyaroop Bhatnagar

Wandering around the heart of India

Madhya Pradesh holds a special fascination for me. It does not have the crowds of UP and the year that I spent in Indore was a good exposure to the natural beauty and history of the place.

Govind and Sudhi Pradhan were kind enough to invite us for their son Mudit's wedding at Orchha on the 1st and 2nd of Feb so we started planning a trip after the wedding festivities. Our dear friends Kishore and Guddo were happy to accompany us on our wanderings, the new Innova Crysta was bought specially for these urges so we were all set to go!

Feb 1 and 2

We left Gurgaon leisurely at 8 am after  breakfast though we packed sandwiches, 'just in case'. As it happens Kishore had made some special sandwiches as well so we had enough and more to go around! Learning from our last experience of driving to Gwalior we did not take the Yamuna Expressway but took the old Delhi Agra road instead. If you take the YE, you have to plough through all of Agra to get on the Gwalior road while the old road has a nice bypass.  We reached Orchha in 8 hours with very little time spent in stopping on the way. We had booked at the Rajmahal Palace Hotel - most of the hotels were full as there were two destination weddings happening in the town on that day! It was choc a bloc. It seems that people from Kanpur and other UP towns have discovered the charms of Orchha as a wedding destination. If you are planning to go there do book well in advance. The Amar Mahal is probably the best hotel. Rajmahal was OK but the rooms did not have a proper window and the bathroom had an exhaust fan that kept going all the time with a rather irritating sound. Having said that the hotel food and ambience were pretty good. The wedding festivities were brilliant but I will not dwell on that. The fun and games at a big fat Indian wedding are hard to beat!

I have covered Orchha, Khajuraho and Gwalior in a previous blog so will not focus too much on these places. If you want to read about that trip, click here MP trip 2021

Feb 3

After attending the wedding at Orchha, we set off to Chanderi for a spot of saree shopping. We were on narrow state and district roads for some time and got caught in a temple festival. The police had blocked the road so we had to take a diversion through some rough roads. The Innova took all this in it's stride and we eventually reached Chanderi in about 3.5 hrs. The town has a history dating back to pre Mughal days when the fortress changed hands several times. We went to a wholesale outlet for sarees who also took us to see the weavers in action. The MP govt has created a new complex for the weavers that is quite modern. Hopefully the handloom industry will survive the onslaught of power looms that are more efficient but the cloth feels different from handloom. As in Varanasi, the weavers are Muslim while the businessmen who organise the sales are Hindus. Interestingly, the silk comes from Korea, Japan or China - Indian silk is apparently not up to the mark. Maybe an area of focus for the agriculture sector in India.

We are staying at the appropriately named Kila Kothi hotel of MP tourism. The kila has the grave of Baiju Bawra who was a legendary singer around the same time as Tansen. With a johar site just next door and a khooni darwaza where prisoners were summarily despatched by throwing them off the cliff, one hopes that we have a restful night!

Feb 4

We had a very restful night indeed aided by some excellent red wine and a nice dinner provided by the hotel. We set off after breakfast for Khajuraho.

                                             

Tourism is witnessing a rebound and the place is much more lively than we saw in Feb 2021 during Covid. The govt has made a new approach to the Western temple complex. It looks good but you have to walk a lot and the electric rickshaws that are supposed to ferry people were not in evidence yet. The ticket booking is still on the net via a very tedious payment process. I cannot figure out why some nameless Babu wants to know your aadhar number as nobody looks at it anyway! Touts happily get you a ticket for a little premium. Ah India, some things will never change.

It's a blessing that the remnants of the splendid architecture of the Chandelas will never change either. The sculpture of the Khajuraho temples for me represents the flowering of Indian civilization before the Islamic invasions. Liberal, artistic, spiritual, knowledgeable, high status of women etc etc. The list is long. IMHO if we need a role model for a society that we need to be like, look no further than ancient India!

After looking around at the temples we came to a beautiful and rustic lodge near the Panna National park called The Sarai at Toria.

Feb 5

What an amazing day! We got up early to go for a safari in the Panna National park. The hotel (more about that later) had thoughtfully provided a much needed blanket and a hot water bottle to ward off the morning chill.

We set off into the park and the initial couple of hours were uneventful. We had a delicious breakfast in a clearing on the bank of the beautiful Ken river and set off again. We saw plenty of deer and nilgai but after a while we saw a leopard walking along a hilly ridge. A good sighting but at a distance. Then just as we were on our way out we saw 2 jeeps stopped ahead of us. A tigress was calmly walking around just a few feet away! An amazing sighting indeed.

We drove back to The Sarai at Toria really happy with the morning's work. We had a delicious lunch served outdoors near their vegetable garden under a shady tree. Beetroot soup, greek salad, an aubergine dish the like of which I have not tasted before, gnocchi with pesto followed by a  campari pana cotta. The food here is outstanding. So are the rooms and service. This hotel is a real gem. 

Later we went for a boat ride at sunset on the river Ken. This was a serene experience with many birds to see and to watch the golden sunset. Later the full moon rose against a star spangled sky. This is a magical place.

Feb 6

We left Panna and reached Gwalior in 4 hours beating Google's estimate by 45 mins. I think Google has still not figured out that the road in now incredible. Driving on the 4 lane National Highway was a breeze. If I was to pick one area where India has made dramatic and visible progress I would unhesitatingly pick the roads and highways. We are soon going to be at world class levels.

Neemrana's Deo Bagh is just as I remembered it. A large lawn with rooms on 2 sides. After a nice lunch we set off to the Fort and went into a Google induced loop with the car having to squeeze thru narrower and narrower lanes. For future reference, one must search for Urvai Gate, not some generic search term. This has happened 3 times on this trip. The algorithm should include best route rather than the fastest/shortest one!

Coincidentally, we got the same guide for the fort that we had got two years ago. He's quite knowledgeable and does not talk too much. The fort is as interesting as ever but the sound and light show was not working.

Got back to the hotel and met the delightful couple who own the property. It was a fun conversation....

Feb 7

Had breakfast and drove back to Gurgaon. Uneventful drive. We covered around 1500 km in the whole trip and spent Rs 1995 on toll - not cheap but worth every penny.

Here's to many more road trips! The best way to experience the magic of India.

Indraprastha to Pataliputra - A Bihar Travelogue

Our Samdhis (Dilip and Shrimi Sinha and Shrimi's father Dr HRP Varma) are from Patna and when they suggested that we join them there in January, we jumped at the opportunity. I hadn't visited Patna for years and anyway the last few trips time had been for work so there had been no time to visit any of the historical and cultural sites. I had a faint recollection of my Chachi's father's house in Danapur when I had visited as a child. So all in all, it was going to be a new experience. 

Day1

The flight to Patna was on Indigo. Landed on time at Patna. We had to walk to the terminal building which was a bit of a downer. There does seem to be a new terminal coming up but I heard that expansion in the current site is not going to be very easy. The airport could do with a facelift. However baggage arrived soon enough and we exited. The drive home was through some of the British built parts of Patna. The roads were good - broad and smooth and the buildings were impressive. It reminded me a little of Lucknow.  There is a metro under construction too.

                                                    

After lunch we set off to the  Bihar Museum. This is a very impressive new structure. It has been designed by a Japanese firm, and the building and the exhibits are world class. Since it is focused on Bihar, the exhibits take on a more immediate, local appeal. The growth and development of the dynasties, rulers and religious and spiritual leaders in Bihar is very well presented dating back to the Nandas and the Mauryas. The pride of place undoubtedly goes to the Didarganj Yakshi. This magnificent statue dates to Mauryan times and was being used as a Dhobi's stone till it was rescued!

After the museum visit, we had coffee and pakoras at the museum café - It's called Potbelly and is a part of the chain that has outlets in Gurgaon and Delhi. Their chutneys are interesting - one was made of Parwal that we had not tasted before.

After the museum visit, we went for a drive on Patna's Marine Drive. This is still being developed rather along the lines of Lucknow but as a famous courtesan in the 19th Century from Kanpur once said in defence of her hometown, 'Aakhir Gomti ko Ganga bana nahin sakte!' The sheer grandeur of the Ganga at Patna has to be experienced. It is hard to see the far bank and the two bridges spanning the river on either side of the city appear almost endless. They are each around 6 Km long. 

Day 2

The next day, we set off for Bodh Gaya. This is a 4 hour drive through the lush agricultural landscape of South Bihar. The boundary between South and North being the river Ganga. 

We skirted the town of Gaya set on the banks of the Falgu river and went straight to the place where Gautam Buddha had attained enlightenment. The Bodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree under which He had meditated was clean and well kept. We had to get off on the outskirts of the town and take an electric auto (called TOTO in Bihar) to the temple. The Dalai Lama was visiting so there were more traffic restrictions than usual. The temple was full of pilgrims, mostly Tibetans settled in India but there were many from various South East Asian countries as well. There was Tibetan chanting going on and most of the pilgrims were following the text in their own books. We had a darshan of the Buddha at the Bodhi Temple but we were not allowed to take pictures. I wish the authorities would reconsider this restriction as for many of us these visits are precious and a photograph would be a great way of remembering it. 

Bodh Gaya has many impressive monasteries built by Buddhist countries like Japan, Thailand and Sri Lanka. It also has a beautiful 80 ft tall statue of the Buddha. 

The Govt has made efforts to develop Bodh Gaya. There is a large, modern convention centre and an international airport. However given the significance of the place in the Buddhist world a lot more can be done.

                                     

After Bodh Gaya we drove to Rajgir to spend the night. This is about 2.5 hrs. We stayed at the Kripanidhi Hotel. This has been set up by a Jain foundation so there is no alcohol (all of Bihar is dry) and strictly Jain food. That said, the food was delicious. In fact we called the chef to explain how a particular dish had been made and he told us that the gravy comprised of ground cashews and melon seeds! There is life beyond butter chicken! The rooms are elegant and so are the bathrooms. This is great choice for staying in Rajgir.

After breakfast we set off to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir. This is atop a hill. We took a ropeway to go up. The stupa is pristine white with gold images of Buddha on 4 sides. There's a Japanese Buddhist temple nearby where a man was beating a large drum. The place was calming and meditative. This is not an ancient stupa though but was set up fairly recently.

After that we went by an electric 'toto' through a forest to the oddly named Ghoda Katora. There's a calm lake in a valley with a Buddha statue in the middle. The place looked untouched and quiet. We didn't go for the safari due to shortage of time but this looked like a very exciting place for children to visit.

Our last visit in Rajgir was the museum dedicated to Huen Tsang (Xuanzang), the Chinese traveler who visited India and spent time in various parts of Bihar in the 7th Century. The museum was jointly set up in the 1950s by China and India just before the war in 1962. Huen Tsang is depicted as carrying a backpack making him one of the worlds first international backpackers. The museum is very interesting as it has various panels showing the route that he followed and the adventures on the way.

Then onwards to Nalanda. On the way we stopped at Silao to sample the famous Khaja made there. Strangely enough there is a salted version that is actually more expensive than the sweet version! Either was, it was quite delicious.

I had an impression that when the Nalanda University was burnt down by Bakhtiyar Khilji, nothing survived. On the contrary, we saw dozens of Buddha statues and artifacts that have been excavated. If one location can produce such a treasure trove, what was the whole of India like at that time? I felt the same way after seeing Khajuraho. Humbled by the glory of our civilization. There were 108 streams of learning at Nalanda encompassing medicine, astronomy, geography etc. Perhaps more than many major universities today. 

                                

                                          

                                        

Finally a visit to Pawapuri where Mahavir was cremated. The fact that two of the major religions to emerge from India, Buddhism and Jainism, essentially arose from the same place is overwhelming. What kind of society could give birth to such profound spiritual thought and that too so close together in space and time? The 'sone ki chidiya' that was India was not only rich in wealth but in knowledge as well.

From Nalanda, we drove back to Patna.

Day 3

Next morning we drove to Vaishali. Left Patna by the new bridge over the Ganga. It's a double decker bridge with the train tracks below. Very impressive structure and really long. The drive is through rich agricultural land with many small towns and villages.

Vaishali has one of the earlier Ashoka pillars. It also has a pond and various votive stupas. The pillar commemorates one of the significant events in the Buddha's life when the chief of monkeys had offered him a bowl of honey. It is also the place where the famous courtesan Amrapali was converted to a Buddhist nun. This marked the beginning of women joining Buddhism as nuns for the first time.

We later saw the museum and the place where Buddha's relics were collected though only from the outside.

                                                     

                                  

Returned via the Hajipur bridge. The road was crowded and the return journey took longer.

Mahavir was born in Kundagram near Vaishali. All in all, as I said before this is hallowed ground for both Buddhism and Jainism and pretty much the cradle of Indian civilization and learning. . 

Day 4

  

Mauryan remains at Kumrahar within Patna include an 80 pillared hall. Since the roof was made out of wood, nothing remains except for the pillars. Even these have been covered with earth to prevent further degradation. The remains date back to 600 BCE to the time of Ajatshatru.

There is also a dispensary that includes records of Dhanwantari, one of the three legendary physicians of ancient India. The authorities are planting a herb garden in keeping with the history of the place.

Caught a flight back to Delhi that evening. Many thanks to our hosts, Dilip and Shrimi Sinha and Uncle Dr HRP Varma for their warm hospitality and for making this amazing visit possible.

                                            

Our trip to Bihar has been an amazing immersion into the ancient history of India. One feels exhilarated and humbled by the knowledge that our forefathers had. Hopefully we will take the lead again!

Finally as a memento we brought back a beautiful statue of the Buddha - The Enlighted One in the Bhoomi Sparsh Mudra. Made of local stone in Rajgir it is greenish in colour but changes to a shining black when rubbed with mustard oil.

Om mani padme hum.

 

 

RIP Suman

A tribute to PM (Suman) Sinha written by my friend and colleague, Shashi Kalathil, who knew him well at Levers and Pepsi

Suman(PM) Sinha was a man’s man. His physicality permeated corporate space. As Sales Director of Hindustan Lever in the early 80’s he systematically downed barriers that differentiated ‘burra saheb’ HQ and senior management from field salesmen. Amongst several initiatives, this he manifestly did through aggressive touring, including into the hinterland, unmindful of the rigours of climate, travel and stay. If his frontline “boys” faced this day in day out, so could he every once in a while and so would the hitherto cosseted senior managers !

At Pepsi India, helmed by him for a decade where he created an organisation that decisively won the ‘cola wars’ of the 90’s, Suman took his passion for the frontline several notches up. He championed the ‘bottom up’ organisation, an inverted pyramid fronted by customer facing sales and production personnel with all other functions supporting, anchored by top management, but at the very bottom. Suman also enjoyed nothing more than a few drinks with the sales guys at the end of a hard day’s field work – so bottoms-up was just right !

Mr. Sinha however made his first mark within the corridors of ‘babudom’ as the quaintly titled Resident Manager based at New Delhi. Representing a multinational Hindustan Lever in the 70’s and 80’s and nudging policy away from the hostility of those times within a framework of ethics quite alien to the prevailing politico-business ethos must have been excruciatingly difficult, yet he pulled it off with persistent doggedness. That his next assignment was with Pepsi which was the first post liberalisation big multinational entry into India was karmic indeed !

That this nephew of Jayaprakash Narayan should have had a vaunted career in multinationals selling soaps and colas is a dichotomy that can perhaps be best resolved by Suman Sinha’s proudest moment – that Capt. Vikram Batra (PVC) should report that first of the Kargil peaks captured with the legendary Pepsi ad tagline “yeh dil maange more” !

Go well Sir, they don’t make ‘em like you no more !

Shashi Kalathil is an ex Hindustan Lever and Pepsi India veteran

Friends

Most of us in the upper middle class come from small families. On my father's side, we had a total of 7 first cousins and I had only one sister. On my mother's side there were a total of 10 first cousins. I suspect that these numbers will shrink further as I see that our children's generation are happy with one or two children and sometimes not even that. The other thing is distance. Though the world has shrunk and it's so much easier to travel and communicate, Covid has shown us how this can be an illusion. Family who live in different places have found it difficult to meet in the last two years even though Whats App and Zoom have bridged the gap to some extent,

It is a platitude to say that friends are the new family. The need for emotional and social connections is a universal human condition. In the old days this need was often met by large extended joint families. Social mobility was much lower and often people spent their lives in the same town as they were born. This is becoming increasingly rare. Careers and business opportunities will dictate where you live and often you could be moving frequently between jobs and locations. This does tend to create a sort of a nomadic lifestyle where friendships are built based on where you are that time. I suppose in the broader scheme of things you need to differentiate between this almost opportunistic process and real friendship. Obviously, real friendships may also come about based on propinquity and often do. But the difference is palpable. 

In my experience, real friendship is an instinctive process. It is not about a deliberate choice. Once such a chord has been struck, it will probably remain with you through your lives. Frequency of interaction and proximity are important, of course, but real friendships are not dependent on them for succor. In many ways, such friendships would represent the best that you can get in a close family relationship without the baggage that sometimes goes with them. Very often, in the latter, there could be issues of monetary misunderstandings, festering family matters and other things that preclude a more meaningful relationship. In real friendships, these have a lesser probability of happening. One because there are unlikely to be any financial transactions that could create misunderstandings and two because by their very nature, friendships are less judgmental than family relationships.

I would hasten to add that I have the very best of close family relationships and support as indeed do most of us. This is not a this vs that discussion. Rather, it is in favour of developing and maintaining those friendships and family interactions that add meaning and savour to life. Often it takes a major effort or event to break through a casual friendship and transform it into something deeply meaningful. With luck or given the right circumstances you may achieve a few such breakthroughs. Believe me a small handful of them are worth a 100 casual acquaintances.

bravo à l'amitié, the real flavour of life.