Deepavali 2008

When you are here for more than a year, things come round for a second time and you fall into a pattern. Well, it's Diwali time -Indian festival of light at the darkest time of the year.There's a motorcade in Georgetown and several others all over the country. So like last year we went along to see it with all of the crowds.

It was bigger than last year and more people with more floats all lit up in their multicoloured lights, large Lilly leaves with young girls sitting in them and tributes to the Gods. All in all it was a very colourful affair and was great to watch and be a part of. Except for one thing. Some silly people threw firecrackers and one went right by us, jumped up and hit our VSO friend who took the brunt of it, burning her bag, her jeans and, worst of all, her skin. Had to go to hospital but is recovering with a nasty burn which will heal but put a sour taste to the evening. She's fine though, very brave and up and moving again.

The floats leave the Shri Krishna Mandir in New Campbellville and go along the East Coast to La Bonne Intention (I love that name - it's what I am full of). It was only an hour late getting to us so that is good timing by Guyana's standards.