August 2008
54 posts
WatchI had a hellish time getting out of India - very sick the last week, and it latested well into the flight. 26 hours door to door. Shit.
How I know I’m in India: Part 41
Driving to Pondicherry – this sleepy, cool seaside town that was settled by the French before the British came. It still retains a New Orleans feel to it. It’s also where you go in India for good wine (huh?) and French food – bizzaro – but do say the French knew how to colonize, all the french colonial cities have good food.. I had awesome Bolognese last night. I mean where the fuck they get...
How I know i'm in India: Part 39
Going shopping for jewelry – Pabru, our driver says he knows this local joint where all the girls go for silver and gold – off we go. This part of town where all the locals shop – I’m told 200K shoppers descend on this 6 or 7 square blocks of Chennai each day – beggars, drunks, chicas with kids doing the tummy to mouth motion asking for a hand out everywhere. Walking around is exhausting and...
How I know I’m in India part 36
Last week we visited TCS’s new campus that is under construction. It’s a freaking modern Taj Mahal – when we drove up to it, you could see it rising in the distance – I thought it was a new airport being built.
Ultra-modern, by some famous Uruguayan architect. It’s supposed to resemble a butterfly from the sky – six oval shaped buildings out side this center glass.core. LEEDS certified. (huh?...
Going to the Beach
I’ll be here for the weekend - Pondicherry. No web, no cell phone, just the Indian ocean and some good french food (huh?)
Area has a weird history - a former French colony within India; one of the few places with cafes that have wine.
I’m gonna party down and go swimming in the ocean and get some rest.
Yeah.
Skype is awesome.
I can chat with my American girlfriend sitting on a deck on a caldera on a Greek island while sititng in a hotel bar in southern India.
How I know I'm in India: Part 35
OK, Long day yesterday, big party back at hotel, catered, new dining place - gala. Great food. Had a small plate, 3 glasses of champaign and I crashed. Wasn’t really at the party very long. Tired.
Around 2am get up, I have a nasty stomach thing (FROM THE NEW PLACE? NOT FROM THE NASTY STAND I ATE AT LAST WEEK?). Is someone punching me in the kidney? I spent the entire night in the...
How I know I'm in India: Part 34
Wow, what a long day - a few good stories. Start with what happened last. LONG day at office. LOTS of meetings, work - and they had a monsoon - so last meetin at 8pm and we drive back to office - city is underwater! Crazy traffic, I’m beat tired and have been working 13 hours.
Get to hotel and it’s MOBBED. Evidenntly new resaturant opening at hotel and there’s a gala -...
WatchThe laser light show outside in Mysore
How I know I'm in India: Part 31
Craziest day yet. Decent story - no internet access out here, it’s late, I’ve had a few beers and just typing on notepad - parden the length. Day began at 6:00am going for a swim at a NICE hotel in Bangalore - plush, tropical grounds - like an old british government office or private club - which it actually used to be- a walled 20 acre compound. Coffee (which is awesome here) in a...
How I know I'm in India: Part 30
Yesterday was typical. Jet up to Bangalore, spend the night and get up to visit this temple area in the jungle. We have it easy - car/driver to airport. 1/2 hour flight - driver waits for us - check into plush hotel in Bangelore.
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It’s Independence day in India - crazy security at airport and we hit a MONSOON as soon as landed. Water bucketing everywhere. Flight was late,...
How I know I'm in India: Part 29
Lunch today. almost forgot about this one…..
We’re taking about 10-15 of our staff to lunch for helping us launch this app last month. Most of what we’re doing here is info gathering, networking and meet/greets.
2 carloads of guys/gals and a few guys take their motorcycles there. It’s about 5 blocks from the office, but takes 20 minutes by car. (can’t walk - two...
How I know I'm in India: Part 28
I’m in the hotel bar on a wed night having an ice cold Kingfisher. Like 4 dudes in the entire place. All sitting alone. (citibank is having a meeting here so it’s probably bankers).
4 guys in suits waiting to serve us just standing there.
Everyone looking dead, barely alive.
Cricket on the TV.
And, like every night this week, this hipster looking guy standing behind...
How I know I'm in India: Part 27
Swimming in the pool tonight after a long hot day at the office. Dark, but pool lit with accent lights. Empty outside.
I notice all these HUGE tropical birds flying around the pool. They look green but I’m thinking probably the accent lights.
Guy in monkey suit comes up with like 10 towels for me - and a robe - I think i was the first person all day to use the pool (I haven’t...
chat last night - I was tired....
katharina.woodworth says: you're cute
katharina.woodworth says: you're funny, rest well!
brianlonardo says: 37 M.G. ROADK, DLKKDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCXS ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVX'
brianlonardo says: I ZONKED OUT AGIN@
brianlonardo says: GOOD LUKC ON INREIVREZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ1
katharina.woodworth says: you are sleep dialing!
How I know I'm in India: Part 26
Driving around today - just shopping and site seeing in town and we stop at a church. Our driver Prabu, says, this church is 2000 years old (and I’m like he’s got his dates wrong).
As it turns out, it’s a church built in the 1800’s but contains the tomb of St. Thomas. The Saint Thomas - one of the 12 apostles - who came to india in 52AD. Cool - very solomn - silent -...
How I know I'm in India: Part 25
Long day of touring/temples. 3 hours in each way in CRAZY traffic - so 6pm beat. Wanted to go to gym. Was JUST there yesterday afternoon.
Down the elevator, walk to the hallway toward’s the health club - mind you it’s like 2000 sq ft with two workout rooms, two locker rooms, two steam, saunas, showers lockers ect. Pretty decent.
Guy who pushes button in elevator says...
WatchIndia style.
WatchThis is how pat would roll if he lived in india.
WatchSo first day at the office and they’re having a monthly party on a Friday afternoon. I got to judge a Ms. Safeco contest and watch some folks cut serious Bollywood rug
How I know I'm in India: Part 23
While at gym on stairmaster… Still can’t sleep, figure a workout will tire me out.
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Two guys standing behind me in empty gym in hotel uniforms. One with sweat towel in hand. Other with bottle of water.
They stand there the entire time - about 6 feet away and watch me work out and wait to hand me the towel and water. I nod, say no thanks, but they just...
“OOOHHHHH!!!!”
– Loud sound from the hotel lobby as I walk by - crowd of peeps by the TV. India just lost the coin toss to Sri Lanka in the Olympia cricket match about to start - the country is basically glued to their TVs
