Aarav Sharma was ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY certain about three things in life:

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1. Chocolate digestive biscuits were the greatest invention ever

2. His homework was definitely, maybe going to be done... eventually

3. Grandparents visiting from India were a GUARANTEED adventure

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It was a grey London morning when Dadi and Dada arrived, looking like they'd packed half of Mumbai in their suitcases. Aarav's little sister Anya stood bouncing on her toes, wearing mismatched socks and a superhero cape - her standard Saturday outfit.

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"Beta," Dadi announced, unpacking what seemed like an endless supply of homemade pickles and spice mixes, "London is very different from Mumbai!"

 

Dada adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses. 👓 "Different? Hah! I watched three YouTube documentaries. I know EVERYTHING about London."

 

Aarav's dad, Vikram, exchanged a look with his wife Anjali that said, "Oh, this should be interesting."

 

"We shall have a PERFECT London day!" Dada declared, pulling out a meticulously highlighted tourist map. The map was so marked up that it looked like it had

survived a rainbow explosion.

 

Their first stop: The British Museum.

 

Dadi carried an enormous tiffin box. "Can't trust museum food," she whispered to Aarav. "I've brought thepla. Emergency snacks!"

 

Anya leaned in. "What's a thepla?"

 

"A magical food that can survive nuclear war, space travel, and your father's cooking," Dadi winked.

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At the museum, Dada became a walking, talking audio guide. "DID YOU KNOW," he would boom at random intervals, causing nearby tourists to jump,

"That this artefact is PRECISELY 2,347 years, 4 months, and 16 days old?"

 

Aarav started counting how many people would turn and stare. Anya began photobombing every single museum photo she could.

 

"Look!" she'd shout. "I'm an Egyptian mummy!" Then she'd wrap herself in her cape and do an exaggerated mummy walk.

 

Dada was fascinated by everything. EVERYTHING. A 2,000-year-old pottery shard? Fascinating. A display about Roman coins? A LECTURE waiting to happen.

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"In MY day," he would start, and Aarav and Anya would exchange a secret sibling look that said, "Here we go..."

 

Dadi, meanwhile, was secretly taste-testing the thepla, comparing its durability to various museum display cases.

 

"This thepla," she muttered, "could survive longer than some of these artefacts."

 

Their museum adventure reached its peak when Dada decided to "demonstrate" how ancient warriors might have stood. This involved a dramatic pose that accidentally knocked over a "DO NOT TOUCH" sign, causing a museum guard to rush over.

 

Anya, in her infinite wisdom, decided this was the perfect moment to ask, "Dada, are you doing the 'I need to find a toilet' dance?"

 

The entire museum erupted in laughter.

 

Their next stop was the London Eye. Dada was convinced he could "calculate the exact rotation speed" using a calculator he'd brought from 1987.

 

"Technology!" he proclaimed. "Always carry a backup!"

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Anya whispered to Aarav, "Dada's calculator is older than the internet."

 

The Eye ride was an adventure. Dadi took selfies, holding her thepla box. "Proof we were HERE!" she declared.

 

Dada provided a running commentary about wind speeds, rotation mechanics, and "back in my day" stories that had nothing to do with Ferris wheels.

 

"Did I ever tell you about the time I fixed a bicycle in Pune using only a paperclip and determination?" he asked no one in particular.

 

By the time they reached Fish and Chips for lunch, Aarav was both exhausted and exhilarated.

 

Dada examined the fish and chips suspiciously. "In India, we would SPICE this up!"

 

Dadi promptly pulled out her emergency spice dabba. Within moments, their fish and chips had been transformed into a Mumbai-style feast.

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The nearby British tourists looked both confused and intrigued.

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"Culinary diplomacy," Vikram muttered to Anjali, "Dada and Dadi style."

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As the day wound down, with Anya wearing Dada's tourist map as a cape and Aarav documenting every bizarre moment on his iPad, one thing was clear: A day with grandparents was NEVER boring.

 

"Next time," Dada announced, "we shall conquer the Tower of London!"

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Dadi was already calculating how many theplas would be required for such a mission.

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This story was co-created with Aarav Sharma from Leicester and brought to life by KOKO the Pup and the magical streets of Bangalore.

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It could be anything - a holiday you loved, a cooking adventure that went a little messy, or even a fun day with your friends. I’d love to hear it!

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