The End

Well, I'm back in Canada, safe and sound.  And with that my adventures in India come to a close - for now.

I really enjoyed posting to this blog. It helped me stay connected to home, and helped me remember monsoon of experiences I ha.  I'd like the thank everyone who took the time to come hear and read my rambles. The stat-counter says I received 1200 page views, which blows my mind. You guys rock! (I'd like to know who the 6 views from Russia was, though!)

So it's time to bring this journal to a end. See you all next time I get flung to some other corner of the world!

Dear India,

For the past seventeen days, I've made you my home. You have been nothing but hospitable. Never once did I feel unwelcome. You've opened me up to numerous new experiences, and shown me some of the most breathtaking sights of my life. A piece of you will always live in my heart.

India, you are now so much more than an area on the map and stories on the news. I see now an ancient country, that is paradoxally very young and growing. Like an uncut gem, you are rough around the edges. You are still a developing country, and are all that goes with that term. But the key word is developing. I see changes happening before my very eyes. I see infrastructure being put in place where there were none the week before. Questions about women's rights and euthanasia are littering the newspapers. Wages in manufacturing, IT, and everything in between are flying through the roof. Yes, you are quickly being polished into a glowing jewel. To be precise, 1.2 billion jewels. A force to be reckoned with.  The tools are all there - democracy, inter-cultural tolerance, spreading education. It's just a matter of time.

I now have the gnawing hunger to learn all there is to learn about you, India.  Perhaps this is a quixotic task for a landmass and culture that is more akin to Europe than a single country - and one that is constantly changing. But, to borrow a phrase, I'll give it my level best!

India, today we part ways. Even though I haven't quite left, I already miss you. I leave you in the care of the many friends made here.  I eagerly await the day I get a chance to return and explore the many, many treasures I've yet unearthed. I'm a different person than the one that left the airport in Ottawa what seems like eons ago. A better person, for sure.

Thank you.

Representin'

I was challenged to badminton today. Some of you may not be aware, but India is quite accomplished in the sport, having won the championship more than once, amongst other achievements.

So I felt the need to answer the bell and show what Canadians can do. I scraped my vague memories of high-school, which was the last time I had played, for any techniques I could muster.  It looked grim. It was grimmer still as got down 4, 5, 6 points in the race for 15. But something gelled and I stopped wiffing wildly at the birdie and started smashing them back with a gusto. It wasn't long before we were tied and soon I was walking off the court the winner!

But wait! There was another employee challenging my shuttlecock-authority. So I agree to take him on, this time with the sun in my eyes. Clearly I'm affected as I'm down 4-0 early. But again I battle back to take a narrow 15-13 win! CAN-A-DA! CAN-A-DA!


You are all welcome. :)

Wrong Again, India

These guys really don't get sports, do they? Us Canadians know THE Cup is the Cup that counts. To prove the superiority of hockey, I'll will point out that there is a cricket game on right now. And while the action was still under way, they panned to a bird that was on the field and discussed it for an inordinately long amount of time. This rather ordinary bird was more thrilling than the actual game. Case closed.

Disclaimer: I do quite enjoy watching cricket, particularly in a country that loves it. But it ain't no NHL>

The Elephant Show

So my travels finally landed me in Jaipur, where I was promised something I've been craving since I learned I'd be going to India - a ride on an elephant. Specifically, at Amber Fort where aneElephant would carry you up the steep hill to the courtyard

What I was not promised is the line-up! It stretched forever. My guide is subtly trying to talk me out of it. "Are you sure you want to wait? The line is over an hour long...and they only let the elephants go up and down so many times before closing the attraction down" Which, incidently, is a good rule to not overload the beasts with which I agree, but...WHERE'S MY ELEPHANT?

So I waited nervously for, what turned out to indeed be an hour. But before I knew it, I was being helped on to a caparisoned elephant. So cool!

Here my driver's review: Slow, noticeable swaying back-and-forth - be sure to stay balanced. Smelly. Seat belts not included on the standard model - use 'holding on for dear life' instead. AC included via sucking up water through the trunk (nose appendage, not storage compartment) and spraying it everywhere like rain. Excellent durability, expect your model to last over 50 years.

As for the ride, it lasted about 5 or 10 minutes, including an pachyderm traffic-jam at a participially narrow part. Enterprising cameramen lie in wait along the route to snap your photo while simultaneously negotiating rates for them with you. "Ali Baba! Ali Baba!", they'd call to me, using my standard nickname when people want to charm me into giving them money, '"500 rupees!" Which is a ridiculous price - over 20 bucks - I later got two pics for the real going rater of 50 rupees a piece.

I'd love to share the photos with you, but first need to locate a scanner. Until then, if you've ever wondered what it's like to pass a camel at 120kph, here you go. (We were going 120, not the camel...)

UPDATE: Elllllllephant!

I'm Lovin' It!

For all of you wondering what good old McDonald's is like in a country that almost entirely shuns eating beef, I did some hands on investigation this evening.

I present to you the Chicken Maharaja Mac. Two grilled chicken patties, curry-flavoured sauce, lettuce, onions, tomato all on the classic double bun. No pickles. Of course, the word pickle means something totally different in this country anyway! Regardless, it was delicious, in the McD's kind of way.

The fries were exactly the same :)

The Taj

This is a gem, people. You may have seen photos of the Taj Mahal, or seen it in Slumdog Millionaire. Doesn't compare. Especially at sunrise (or at a full moon, I imagine!) If you get any chance to see it, do so. And if you don't get a chance, make a chance.

Why do I like it? Well, for starters its a zillion tons of pure white marble. That is going to shimmer like nobody's business, regardless. But then it is so finely crafted, from the huge curves of the dome, to little fine flower carvings on the walls. And it's not just marble. You think the marble chunks are held together with black mortar. But then you get close and realize it's perfectly carved onyx. Everywhere. And then there are the semi-precious stone inlays. They look like they are painted on, but no, they are pain-stakingly arranged stones. Lapis luzali, mother of pearl, and even  stones that glow like fire under light. Fantastic. The reflecting pool is perfect too. It doubles the tajy goodness in a very serene way.

But there is also the love story behind its creation. It is your typical love-at-first sight  deal. She bore him fourteen kids, but alas giving birth to the last one cost her her life.  er dying wish was for him to take care of their children and to build a monument where she was buried. Well, he sure took that to heart. He bankrupted himself building what be the greatest monument to love ever. It reverberates. You can't help but think of the one you love while there. It is a happy place.

Now, how did he do on the other half of his wife's wish? Well...only fours sons and two daughters survived to adulthood. And one of those sons killed the other three and imprisoned Dad in the Agra Fort (I visited there too, not a bad place to be trapped.) He lived out his last eight years under house arrest while his son took power. Oops.

Still, Taj Mahal, he got that right. Go see it.

Un-delhi-vable!

So today I started my whirlwind tour of Northern India in earnest, beginning with Delhi itself. I decked myself out with a guide and driver and took off.

The first stop turned out to be my favourite - Qutab Minar. This fantastic and old tower stands 72m tall and is breathtakingly beautiful. I just loved it. And the surrounding grounds and building were just as stunning. Not to mention all the greenery. Since Delhi is the seat of government, they make sure that they pump enough water into the ground to keep the trees and grass nice all year round. Quite a change from dry Pune.

I have to check my itinerary just to remember the rest of the things I saw, but the Jamma Mosque (biggest mosque in Asia,) the Red Fort, the Government buildings and Humayum's tomb. All impressive in their own right.

I also got my first ride on cycle-rickshaw. This man-powered contraption propelled me through the crowded streets of Old Delhi. I grabbed a samosa on the through, and ate as we bumped and swerved through the streets. We also pulled a left turn across 4 lanes of busy, fast-moving traffic. My comfort level with Indian traffic was apparent as I chose to record a video of the turn instead of fearing for my life as a sane person would do.

Before I knew it, it was time to take the long road to Agra. Five hours later, and I am at yet another hotel, resting and recuperating for an early rise tomorrow. But I don't mind, because awaiting me is something I've wanted to see for a long time - the Taj Majal.

In Delhi..here are some pics!

Just arrived in Dehli, everything set up nicely for my tour. From the air, the city is an endless ocean of lights with dark islands where the slums are.

Some pics for you to enjoy. More later when I get a faster Internet connection.

https://picasaweb.google.com/100778036323538818276/BradenSPhotosInIndia

Café Coffee Time

Today is Mike's last day of work, and the day we part ways. I'm heading to Delhi for some sightseeing this evening, and he starts the long road home tomorrow. He's been good to travel with.

To commemorate our last day together as a team, we took everyone out to Mike's favourite place: Café Coffee Time. He claims they have the best coffee he's ever had (don't tell Tim Horton.)  So we all got our drinks, myself opting for an ice coffee considering the 33 degree heat. Snapped some photos of the crew. Mike bought a branded cup and saucer as a souvenir.

Then we were surprised by the presentation of gifts to us from the team. First, we both got little bronze statues - Mike got a cow-cart and I got Lord Shiv.  Then we opened up bags to find shiny kurtas, which I admit look very stylish. Kudos to smooth-talking Gajendra for prying our shirt-sizes out of me the day earlier with me being none the wiser!

We are thankful for all the gifts and all the hospitality shown to us by everyone here. I'll be back for a bit next week after my mini-holiday to the Golden Triangle region. Speaking of which, it is time for me to go catch my flight!

Minoj

In India, you do not simply rent a car - that is far too dangerous. You rent a car, which comes with a driver. For this trip, we've had the same driver every day named Minoj, who has been great at getting us where we need to go at our convenience. He is always cheerful, and glad to chat about the differences between India and Canada. As you may recall, he even served as a guide\translator for us at the chaotic Laxmi Road.

Little did we know how good we had it.

For whatever reason, he couldn't drive for us on Thursday, so his company sent us a replacement. This guy was very new, and didn't speak a word of English.  Nothing one could hold against him, for sure, but this turned out to be our undoing.

We were sailing merrily along to the office. I was reading the local newspaper, trying to get insight into what makes Pune tick, when Mike asks me, 'Don't we usually go right at this intersection? [instead of left, as we had.]  Now, my sense of direction is equivalent to that of a drunk earthworm, so I wasn't sure, but soon it was undeniable - we were lost.

Panic set in. Our driver had no clue where he was. We had no way of telling him he was lost. In a fit of good thinking, Mike called the receptionist at Wesley Clover and got her to translate into Hindi some directions. But the damage was done...we were way off track. We spent the next half an hour pulling over and asking everyone on the street if they knew the way to the neighbourhood. They all kindly gave directions, but to be honest, I think half of them were just making stuff up.  We drove in circles as our driver got more frustrated, calling people on his cell phone to bail him out.  At one point he is doing so as he pulled over to ask yet another person for help. A police officer. Out comes the ticket-book - driving and talking on a mobile is a no-no the officer kindly explained to us. Our driver attempts a bribe - standard practice - but it appears he gets the ticket regardless. Officer still took his money, and to his credit, gave us the correct directions.

As luck would have it, we were only five minutes from the office, although somehow we managed to go all the way around and came at it from the opposite side of the city.  Needless to say, we were very happy to see familiar ground and not a little late!

The driver clearly spent all day memorizing the way back to the hotel, and that night, we had no issue. But that didn't stop us for being very glad to see Minoj this morning. Never leave us again!

Tropical Itch

Ordered a drink today called the Tropical Itch. I'm pretty sure I paid good money to the travel clinic to prevent getting the Tropical Itch.  Tonight, I'm watching Canada play cricket at the sports bar. They are doing pretty good, considering.

Hockey Night in India

Yesterday we knocked off of work early and hopped in a couple of vans and headed towards Surya Shibir for a company picnic. After following the winding, potholed roads for what I've been assured was only 40 kilometers, but felt more like 4,000, we arrived to this estate filled with a million different things to do and play with.

We conquered an obstacle course,  crushed each other at ping-pong and badminton. We played childhood games like Kick the Can and Lagori. (Guess which culture is represented by each.)  I played my first game of Carrom, in which you flick disks around the board and try to sink them in pockets like pool. In theory - for me, it mostly involved missing wildly.

But the highlight for me is when we broke out the mini-sticks I brought for everyone and competed in the first ever game of mini-stick hockey on Indian soil. (I possibly just made that up, but it seems likely.) Regardless, they took to it with a gusto and there were bodies colliding and dust flying everywhere. The best part is when our Indian friends starting arguing amongst each other over who was offside, with much chirping from all parties.Of course, I had never explained the offside rules, but that certainly didn't stop them!

All in all, it was a great evening. Perhaps next time I'll teach 'em curling?

Sometimes You Just Need a Burger

After work, Mike and I braved downtown and the massive crowds of Laximi Road. Laximi is the place you go in Pune if you want to score a deal. Dozens upon dozens of shops serving hundreds and hundreds of pedestrians, cars, scooters, you name it.

As we walked down the street, dodging people all the way, the smell of the air would change every 30 feet. Tons of little stands selling all manner of food, both appetizing and not. As my stomach was already a little queasy from the change in diet, this did not help.

But we pressed on! Mike was on a quest to get some very nice authentic Indian wear, and found a top that actually fit his massive frame. But the pants were comically small. He couldn't even fit his calves through the thigh part of them. Not to be deterred, he arranged for some custom tailoring with translation help from our trust driver Minoj. We would have been so lost without his guidance.

We picked up a few more gifts for the folks back home, before calling it a night. All of this trip has been a bit overwhelming. Back at the hotel, our minds agreed - just too much India! We needed a taste of home, and found that our hotel would gladly serve us a burger and fries.  It was just what the doctor ordered. And pretty tasty for a culture who does not eat beef.

All in all, a successful day.

Come Again Another Day

I've heard those of you back in Ottawa are having precipitation issues - let me tell you, we are too. Why, just yesterday it rained. It doesn't rain in Pune in February. There were puddles on the ground and everything. At first I thought someone was spitting on me from a tall building, as that was a more likely explanation for all the sky water.

I'm not sure we'll get over the trauma. Here is the forecast for the rest of my stay, though.

Ajanta

My night on the road ended much too soon, and we were up and on the road early. A couple hours later we snuck through a closed gate to get an impressive view of the Ajanta caves from above, as the sun rose. The horseshoe formation carved out of the rock was fantastic - it must have taken endless manpower to chisel out of the mountain.

We stopped for breakfast, and I was ravenous, having skipped dinner the night before. Perhaps that was a lucky move, as Mike was feeling ill, something he didn't really recover from all day. A local family - dozens of people -descended on the place we were eating. Some seem interested in the strange white people, and shared some of their snack of fried chickpeas with peanuts mixed it. Very good.

We were done in time to get to the gates of Ajanta just as the opened. These caves are famous for cave after cave of highly detailed paintings. Every square inch of these massive rooms were covering in ornate decoration. My fav was one where the carved the ceiling in a wavy pattern so it looked just like a giant tent!

And the monkeys! The are everywhere, playfully bounding all over the place. Guard your snacks carefully or you might find yourself on the wrong end of a primate-mugging!

It was time for the long trip home. We stopped by Sairandhree's aunt's place for afternoon tea, and to watch a bit of the India-England cricket match (ended in a tie.)  A successful weekend adventure. Oh, on the way home we passed an elephant. India!

Road Trip

It's the weekend, so you know what that means...road trip to the Ellora and Ajanta caves! We piled into a mini-van with Sairandhree from the office, her husband and his friend, as well as her kids at ridiculously early o'clock and head out into to Maharashtra countryside.

First stop was the Smiles Stone cafe, which I think is an adorably appropriate name for a highway pit stop for a generous helping of Indian-style nibbles. There was some emu's there too, chilling in their cages, but I don't THINK they were part of breakfast.

A few hours later we arrived at Ellora Caves. These are elaborate monasteries, monk residences, etc. all cut directly out of the mountain-side, one little chisel mark at a time. There was an assortment of religions represented. Buddhism was first - the acoustics in their carved out caves were phenomenal. Our guide belted out some prayers and the sound was outer-worldly.  Next up was Hindu - and the shear size and detail put into their entire complex boggled the mind. Ten generations of people tireless chipping away at the mountain side to reveal a whole villa of buildings. Unreal. Jainism also represented at Ellora, but we skipped their entries as they were somewhat far away and not overly decorated (too plain Jain?)

After some lunch, it was off to Dalutabad fort - whose defenses were never breached. And I can see why. There were fully seven walls with various detriments to any army who got in their mind to invade central India. Moat with crocodiles? Check. Spikes on the doors to prevent elephants from bashing the down? Check. (Although this can be countered by using a camel as 'padding.')  Twisty pitch black maze with ambush points, with a bonus swarm of bats? Check - they're in my hair, they're in my HAIR!

This is where I learned I am a celebrity. All day I was getting constant requests for locals to take their picture with me. Just one more, they'd ask. Yes, my pasty white skin made me all the rage and since they were so friendly, I gladly obliged.

We caught a few more sights too as we drove into Aurangabad for the night. An old watermill and a smaller knock-off version of the Taj Majal.  At this point I was totally wiped and beat a hasty retreat to my hotel room to crash so we could repeat it all again tomorrow.

Good Morning, Mr. Box!

It's easy for me to begin feeling like royalty here. The hotel I'm staying at is 5 star, which is a stark contrast to the  establishments I usually select when travelling abroad, where I'm more likely to be wrestling rats for the covers than received a chocolate-sealed turn-down.  Everywhere I go, it's 'Let me get that for you, Mr. Box' or 'Good morning, sir'.  Very posh.

Now, I have no issue adjusting to a lifestyle of luxury, but for Mike it has been a struggle. He is more of 'I'll do it myself, no need to make a big fuss' and is flummoxed by offers to carry his bags or make his bed up every night and makes every effort to avoid it. We have a hired driver to take us around town, and often we must leave him waiting until we've done whatever task we had at hand. Again, this made him uncomfortable - it's just not done in our culture.

Now, I agree there are excesses. When we arrived at our hotel, we were pleased to find three complimentary bottles of water awaiting us. I downed a couple to quench my thirst, and the next day they were replenished. But I never did get around to drinking those, and the day after they had friends. And more the next day. It is now the 4th day of staying at the hotel and there is a veritable bottle army overwhelming my room - I count their numbers at no less than 15 strong.

I've got another week-and-a-half here, and the perverse side of me wants to know how many they'll leave before declaring enough to be enough. Stay tuned.

I Did Not Know Gretzky was a Hindi Name

From the front page of the newspaper delivered to my room this morning. I'm inclined to debate this fact.

My Next Hit

As those who know me know, I have a passion bordering on mania for collecting flags from the different places I visit. When on the road, I can become like a shark sniffing the waters for the local colours and when I find one and buy it, well, it just makes my day. I'm a total junkie. But never quite a literally as today.

Mike and I were strolling down R.G. Road, a popular area with many shops, restaurants etc., looking to get some souvenirs, when a shaggy looking dude selling some maps along the street got our attention. Did we want some maps? No, but Mike suggested that if he had any flags on him, I surely would be interested. Well, he didn't have any, but that didn't stop him from offering to go track one down for me. I politely declined, not wanting to get involved in some complicated dealings.

So, we go on our way and stop for dinner a great local vegetarian place. Excellent food, and superb value. After that, we head on back to where our driver has been waiting patiently for us. But who do we run into on the way back, but our map-monger friend with an Indian flag in hand - just the one I wanted. Well, plus-one to him for entrepreneurial spirit. So we strike a deal, and I give him more than a fair price, and get my photo taken with him. I feel that high of new flag acquisition mounting.

 As we turn away he says one more thing, "Wuldyuliksumhas?'

'Pardon?', says I, getting a little big closer.

"Would you like to buy some hash?"

No thanks!!! And that is the story of how Braden bought a flag from a drug dealer.

Hi ho, hi ho

How easy it was, between the flying and the luxury hotel, to be deceived that I was on vacation!  Alas, no, I suppose if Halogen is footing the bill, I figure I should squeeze in some work for them. With that in mind, I was whisked off to the Wesley Clover office, dodging Indian traffic the whole way.

I was happy to see all the familiar faces again, as well as some new ones. We broke bread - rather pizza - at lunch and it was a delicious twist on the flavours we get back home. We then gifted everyone a little taste of Canada - hockey sticks and maple syrup!

The weather was wonderful, so we took a stroll down to a fruit stand for some freshly made smoothies. Hit the spot perfectly. Yes, in between all the gorging, we got down to work on some new features. Can't be all fun and games.

After work we checked out the Pune Central mall, which was more of a giant department store. They had mostly clothes for sale, the same brands and prices as at home. I declined to pick anything up. At this point, I'm fading fast and barely make it through the traffic jam and back to the hotel to crash.

Time to get up and do it all again!

Arrival

Well, I made it. If that was the longest journey I've ever made, it was also one of the smoothest. Everything went without a hitch and I even got a little sleep.  Our last leg was with Kingfisher Airlines, and they do flying right. For example, even though we were in the air for only 2 hours, they served us a full meal. And a spicy one at that. I can tell that I'm going to like eating here.

Upon touchdown we were picked up and brought to our hotel. As expected, traffic is incredible. Trucks, cars and scooters all meander across the lanes, trying to get ahead, constantly honk-honk-honking to let others know where they are. Like a babbling brook filled with noisy geese.

My hotel is wonderful and I have a huge bed to sleep in. So far I've hermitted myself in here, trying to ret and recuperate enough to head out for dinner. And to explore this country - I have a feeling there will be no shortage of adventure!

Economy of Scale

When I heard I'd be working with developers from Pune, naturally my first question was "Where?"  So a quick jump on Wikipedia reveals that it's about 200km east of Mumbai (heard of that one!) and is primarily a university town with a growing IT sector. I'm picturing it as the equivalent of Waterloo.  A nice small city, off the beaten path, perhaps not too exciting but a nice place to stay. Then I looked at the word 'Population' and then the words next to it, '5.5 million'.  So much for my sleepy little town.

So India is big. Big in land, big in culture, but much bigger in number of  people. For a guy who grew up in a small town of 3000 (and that was enough!) this might be an adjustment. And this population is going to be what drives the world as it develops. Asia is becoming a powerhouse, and I'm right in the middle of it, the start of a new era. It is going to be the experience of a lifetime!

As chance would have it, that experience starts today.  This evening I board the first of many airplanes and begin my mind-blowing (and butt-numbing) adventure! I'm always bit sad to leave my country behind, if perhaps not the weather. I'm particularly sad to be leaving one person behind - you know who you are - but you'll be in my heart the whole way.

I've got my suitcase pack and my passport handy. Let's go!

No Turning Back Now

When opportunity knocked at Halogen to forge a new team in India, I was thrilled. This was in no small part due to the carrot dangled in front of my face - the opportunity to travel to their offices in Pune for a visit. Those who know me know of my passion for travel, only exceeded by my passion for travel on someone else's dime!

So I waited eagerly until the time was right for me to make my trip. Visions of curries danced in my head. Cricket matches and the Taj Majal. Seeing all my great team members again, and a few new ones I'd yet to meet. And finally the day came and my boss told me to get my shots and book my flights. And suddenly it was real, and not a little bit scary.

From all accounts, India is in a state of chaos. A billion people packed in there, with dozens of cultures competing for space. The language, the food, the customs, the traffic, the heat are all so different from what I know. Even seasoned travellers claim that India is a special challenge. What am I doing going head first into all of this?

But I've never let reason stop me before, so it was with my breath held I booked my flights there. London, Frankfurt, Delhi, Bombay, Montreal are all places I'll briefly stop to collect my wits before trekking on. I'm not sure when I'll sleep! I'm not at all looking forward to that part. Leaving on the 20th (right after hosting a party at my place!) and getting in on the morning of the 22nd, 10.5 hours time-shifted from everyone I know at home.

Next came the hotel. I chose Le Meridian on advice from my boss who had been there before. The 5-star comfort in the heart of Pune will help dull the edge of culture shock. And it has a pool to deal with all the 30C+ weather! I hear it has a couple of bars, too...

And let's not forget that I'm not travelling alone! My co-worker Mike, who has been invaluable in getting the Pune team up and working, will be along for the ride. Together, we'll take over the sub-continent. Or at least try not to kill each other. It'll definitely be nice to have someone I know within 10,000km.

So, I'm now cautiously optimistic! Regardless of what happens, this will be an adventure that will stick with me forever. Twenty more days to get my life in order here, then off I go!