Sunday 22nd December ’24
Today, we visited my mum’s hometown of Modasa to see where they grew up. It was an early morning; we were up and ready by 6 a.m. as Modasa was a 4-hour drive away from Vadodara. We had to be back by 6 p.m. to pack our bags and get ready for the flight, which was early tomorrow. We got in the car and went off, picking up my uncle on the way.
It was a good drive there. We stopped here and there to take breaks and get refreshed. So we stopped at a service station, and when we went to use the toilet, there was this suspicious guy in there just looking at people coming in and out. I knew instantly that it was a gay man, so I avoided him, but one of my uncles didn’t know. So when he went into the stall, the gay guy went in behind him. Now my uncle probably thought that this guy was a cleaner and just wanted to clean the stall but, the gay guy went up to him and asked to “you know what”, my uncle pushed him aside very hard and shouted at him to fuck off. Well, that’s why you got to be careful in service stations in India, but this was just a very funny situation.
Now we get back on our way and reach Modasa by 11 p.m., and I finally get to see my grandparents’ house. It was very run down, and the trees and shrubs had overgrown due to the property being empty for nearly 20 years. We couldn’t go through the front stairs due to the shrubs, so we got a ladder from the neighbour and climbed to the porch. We were opening the door, and a lizard scurried its way across the door; it was a very old house.
Once we got inside, it was in much better condition than I had expected. It was just dirty and a bit old, nothing a bit of renovation couldn’t solve. We explored the different rooms and my uncle and aunty were telling me some stories from their childhood about the house.
We met the neighbours and went to the first house they grew up in, which was also run down due to years of neglect. They showed us the store they always used to hang around with and introduced us to the neighbours. They also showed me the houses of the uncles and aunties who were their neighbours and whom they still speak to to this day.
We finished that tour, and by 1 p.m., we were on our way back to Vadodara. We stopped over for some food at a restaurant on the highway and went onwards back home. Once we reached Vadodara, we were on a packing spree, as we had to get the packing done. I just ate some McDonald’s and went to sleep.
It was a good day today, and I’m glad I got to see my grandparent’s house. Both of them had passed away before I was born and I do wish I could see them. But it was great to see where I came from.
Oh, and I also saw a bus fall into a ditch on the way back to Vadodara.
Anyways, I will see you guys tomorrow. I will be in London by this time.