not used to someone putting a napkin on my lap, lots of people have wanted pictures with me-these pretty girls were with their family at Golcunda fort, a temple t the fort - you can't go in with a camera, take this Boston traffic, yum

TGI Fridays/Prices

Yes, ate at TGI Fridays today. Steak and veg pizza which was covered in corn. Apparently corn is huge here right now. Housekeeper brought me a canister of instant coffee yesterday! Haven't had any in 8 days! Went grocery shopping at QMart which is a grocery store with mostly Western products. Groceries on the first floor and kitchenware/toiletries on the 2nd floor. I needed hair conditioner and we bought a ton of cheeze, salami, nacho fixins , granola bars, etc. We took auto rickshaws (as opposed to bicycle rickshaws) everywhere today which are tiny cabs. There was always haggling over prices, and on a longer trips you are better off asking for meter price plus a large tip, as opposed to a shorter destination when you haggle in increments of 10's it seems. We spent over 6000 rps at the grocery store which I think is vaguely $120. Think of going to Whole Foods and buying a weekends worth of fancy snacks without looking at prices, you'd spend $120. The exchange is vaguely 50rps/$1. At the airport in OHare I got 37/$1 which I was told was a ripoff but I was only changing about $40 to have walking around $ and in case I needed a hotel in Delhi. So I got 1800rps or something like that and I think I still have about 1300, most of what I've spent has been spent on bottled drinks. So when I htink of the exchange I've been told to think of it more as 50/1 as opposed to the rate I got of 37/1. I bought a bottled water (liter) in the Delhi airport for 35rp which I'm sure was expensive because it was an airport price, but that was less than a dollar. Most magazines are 100rp or approx $2. Lots of things have the prices printed on them and are even announced on tv advertizing. So a bottled Minute Maid lemonade that was 15rp at the park is also going to be 15 rp at the store because it has 15 rp printed on the label. A Loreal hair color commercial said the price and I saw it at the store today. Tomorrow we will go to the general bazzaar where I can buy things like jewelry, scarves, etc. I will look for fabric for a sari for myself which I will then take to a ladies' tailor and have cut and fit to me. Time for more mango.

Golcunda Fort, Hyderabad, India

no shadow at noon at the equator!, view from top of fort, everyone rests in the shade at the top, inside a prison where prisoners' food and water was lowered in by skylight, about halfway up pretty flowers!

Roadside Stuff

roadside shrine, road medians are filled with billboards but people also graze cows here and rest under trees mid-day, urban block with tons of little businesses on first floor, coconut stall, family walking by graveyard. These were taken while driving so I wasn't too sure what I was getting until I saw the pictures later.

Service

ok, the service thing here is really super dooper freaking me out. Maybe if I were a Mrs. howell type I would like it, but as someone who opens boxes while locked in a basement for a living, I am having a wierd time with it. I mean it's nice and my first thought ( I haven't asked why ) is that there are SO many people and only so many people can grow a booshy enough moostache to be the machine gun guys at the airport. At the airport you pass through multiple points (WAY more than ours) at which you show your itineray to the Booshy Moostache Machine Gun men and this is before you get into the terminal. I had to show it to 3 different people to take the shuttle bus to the plane in Delhi. In line to get the boarding pass there is a young man who escorts you the 8 feet from the front of the line to the next agent. There is always a bathroom attendant but she did not hand me towels so I assumed that she kept it clean while we weren't looking. Once in Delhi I - ooh, National Geographic just showed some big bird gittin a sloth!- saw more people with name signs than i have ever seen. Also there were tons of young men who hung around the luggage carousel helping people with their bags. I was about the only person not using a luggage wheelie, and most of those traveling were families so I can see the need for the help. I HAVE ACE OF BASS "I SAW THE SUN" STUCK IN MY HEAD. When I got here, I showered then we went out for lunch at a realatiely nice place where a lot of office types seemed to go . I was shocked by the number of servers, but this was during the daily lunch buffet so I had NO idea. Saturday night we ate at the restaurant in the apt complex and it had a very casual vibe and lots of younger people in shorts and jeans, all people who live in the complex. When the entrees are brought to the table your server spoons each out onto your plate until you indicate 'enough'. Your soda or bottled ice tea is poured into your glass for you (after the bottle is presented like wine) and the straw inserted for you. If during your meal you want an additional spoonful of whatever to even it all out, the server will rush over and spoon it out for you, or if you are serving it yourself, will continue to offer spoonfuls from other plates. I find it very hard to concentrate on the food or conversation this way, but I'm not used to it. Lordy, then yesterday we ate at a NICE place. The table was set for 4, so a good deal of the meal was spent withthe server reaching over my food to take away the excessive cutlery ( yes he did this before we were served, but there was So much). There is usually a dish of pickled onions brought our before the meal and sometimes breadsticks with different sauces and chutneys. Plus water and sodas with glasses, so the table is entirely full before the meal even starts. This involves a lot of bringing over and taking away. The food was wonderful but at no point did I feel like I would want to eat out if I wanted to have a conversation or eat alone with someone. The restaurant was made to seem like an old style railway car and servers paced up and back the aisle, not even waiting for service needed, but instigating it themselves. Just not used to it. I think part of it is also because there is a service class here. I'm just reporting on what I see, I haven't asked what the 'reality' is beyond what I see. At every convenience store/stall/stand so far there is a young boy who will get your bottled drink from the cooler and either bring it to you at the register or your chair. At Crosswords bookstore I tried to order an espresso at the counter and was shown to a table with a fancy napkin and a dessert menu. I'm still so confused that I don't understand tipping yet. I've been told to just vaguely round up. In the apt my friend has a housekeeper who comes 6 days a week roughly noon to 6. My friend has enough money to have a driver and a cook as well, but I personally think an American who was not brought up with servants would go crazy with all those people in an apartment. Yesterday I saw a great example of Sarenjin's (housekeeper) forethought. He's been leaving something in the fridge each day fr me to try, the other day it was cut up mango. I really wanted to stop and get some fruit yesterday but was too tired. When we got home Sarenjin had bought about 4 kinds of in season fruit and had made me fruit salad of mango and apple because he noticed that I'd loved it. After I thought about it, it made sense that I shouldn't need to stop by a fruit stall if there is a housekeeper. He had also brought me the kind of cookies that I was eating for the last few days (cheaper than I could have found them) and what I think are dates. I don't have to think about or plan these things because it's part of his job. At some point I should learn to buy things here for myself, but he's going to get better quality and a better deal than i would. Ok, long enough, time for lentils.

Almost A Week / Sleep Update

It's just a week - ooh, Tropic Thunder is on HBO tonight- that I've been here. Tuesday I started making an honest effort to play nice with time change. We went to City Center mall which is just what it sounds like. I went to Crossroads books where I recognized almost everything. It was just like Borders even with the flashy bargain books. The kids section had some things in Hindi, learning to read for dual language and a lot of I Can Read type bios about Indian people. There were also Roald Dahl boxed sets, all things Twilight and Miley Cyrus glue sticks that I didn't buy any of you because I love, not hate you. Went by my friens's office to meet some business partners who were really nice and the builders had gotten a ton of work done since Thursday (the day I got here). Then home and watch tv and fool with the a/c and fans until midnight.It's been suggested that I shouldn't nap but try to stay up as long as possible then stay down. This worked really well for the first time Tuesday when I slept approx midnight-7. Yesterday we spent the day at Golcunda fort (Wiki it, I'll add photos later) which is prob about the excercize level of going up and down the Blue Hills with no shade, so I was poopered by 5 p.m. I had to go to sleep at 5 p.m. but I stayed asleep until morning (ok I checked my mail at 2 a.m.) so now my body/brain is saying 'o lookie us, it's morning again'. So maybe I'm not ready for a full day of activity in the sun, but I've had 2 days of vaguely normal. Time for mango.

More Apartment Photos

views from various rooms and balconies in the apartment. roughly 9-10 a.m. Tuesday somewhere in May

Apartment Photos

living room from couch, tough 'friend' holding my muzzies for me, view from 2nd bedroom which has window seat, kitchen balcony with sm washiing machine and clothesline, kitchen (balcony door is in left corner, fridge on right wall)

HOT

In the apt there is a.c. within each bedroom and ceiling fans. With all the curtains drawn it's not miserable. The laundry on the balcony cuts down on direct sun (not really sure which direction that is because it's kinda hazy here). I've spent an amazing amount of time indoors so far. Most of this is because I'm still getting used to time change and could go down for a 4 hour nap at any moment. Also, I don't drive and wouldn't know where to go if I went out to the security gate to one of the mini cabs waiting there. Yesterday we went to the park thingy place and then decided that home was best when we realized that we'd both had enough of outdoor time and also because Sunday is everybody's day off and shopping would be outrageously busy. Indoors gets sort of antsy after a while especially if it's 3 p.m. and you know you might not go to bed for 9 or 10 more hours. I've been watching a lot of American t.v. reruns on the computer = Big Bang Theory, Chuck, House, Mission Impossible. Last night I started reading one of the really long Indian epics that I can't pronounce. I am working on the cabled toe-up sox that I started on the plane. I like the pattern a lot and now I can say that I am learning sox, but it's silly of me to make a cable pattern with self-striping yarn. I mean wtf, right? Also there's a copy of Walk The Line here that I can make fun of if I want. Maybe will go outside and have adventure today in bookstore in shopping mall. Miss coffee.

Shilparamam

visited Shilparamam today, an area with traditional arts classes and a rock garden. I brought my backpack and huge sunglasses to identify myself as a gringa. Drank lemonade. Nice picture of my forehead in front of a fancy rock.

old fashioned toilet, apartment complex, shuttle directly to plane on tarmac Delhi, adorable flight attendant trainee class Delhi midnight

FOOD! AGAIN!

This apartment complex has about 25 buildings that are about the shape of the BU dorms. Tonight we walked over to a building that has a gym, pool, restaurant, convenience store and management office. The gym is on the second floor with the machines facing out the window which reminded me of passing the Agannis (sp?) thingy at BU on my way to work . The restaurant, Flavors, is on the second floor and looks just like a Chinese place but with no fishtank. For approx $18 we got 2 entrees, rice for 2 people for 3 meals each, 2 orders of garlic naan and another 2 entrees to take out. Nice.In the lobby was a model of the apt. complex and I hadn't realized how big it was. Apparently a lot of people have businesses out of the home like hairdressing, tailoring etc., so you can get a lot of what you need here if you don't want to go out. The convenience store had an ice cream stall and a ton of American snack food like Pringles (4 kinds), ramen, and breakfast cereals. Today the housekeeper brought lichees which I HATE in any form and some amazing cut up mango. Tomorrow I hope to have papaya and coconut milk.

SLEEP! AND FOOD!

just slept about 16 hours. that was going to happen eventually. Thought I'd been acclimating myself pretty well to the time change but I was fooling myself.didn't go out yesterday because we were waiting for a delivery and I didn't want to commit to going anywhere and then get too tired while there. Yesterday the housekeeper brought pasty type things his wife had made at breakfast and brought in takeout at dinner which was tandoori chicken and mixed veg curry. right away I noticed that the peas were 'real' and not frozen like we use in USA. I guess they are likely rehydrated green peas, but they are much larger than I was used to. Haven't been outside in about 2 days, but at some point I was going to crash so I was kind of staying in and waiting for it. we'll walk over to a place to get dinner soon. it's 6 p.m. here \. I need to fix the time zone on this thing.

Band Names I Thought Up On The Plane

Large Handbag
Why Rose Jumped
Death Meat Alley (could be changed to Death, Meet Allie)


all time favorites are

Loincloth Referendum
Katie Kourics Kolon (viva colon health)

Big fan of tv show Parks and Recreation especially shoeshine guy who changes band name all the time.
Cheerios.

BATHROOMS! BATHROOMS! BATHROOMS!

Shoot, it 's like wanting to ask the Dalai Lama about not having sex. WHAT ARE THE BATHROOMS IN INDIA LIKE? I wanted to know before I went but now I'm here and that was then this is now was a really crappy song by the Monkees. My host/friend (American) lives in a large apt complex with about 25 buildings of 9 stories each. looks very much like something you'd see on the outskirts of NYC but more colorful. The buildings are painted yellow and orange -HEY DEB YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO DESCRIBE THIS IF YOU KNEW HOW TO UPLOAD A PHOTO- there,s a security gate at the front and palm trees all around. Laundry hangs from almost every balcony which looks amazing in the wind beacuse the sari wraps are about 2 stories long. HEY DEB YOU PROMISED TO TALK ABOUT THE TOILETS! ok, ok. In the apt there are 3 bathrooms, 2 each inside of bedrooms and the third in the hallway very much like a 'powder room' (this one is also a bit smaller than the 2 private ones). Each is tiled (rough tile so not slippery) with a toilet at one end, a sink in the middle and a shower coming high off the far wall with spigot and water dials (cannot think of the word faucet right now) at hand level. There's a slatted window far up on the wall and a drain by the shower cuz, you know the old saying "Every shower got to have a drain!" At first it seemed very locker room and my first thought was "Where's all the stuff?" A few things were essplained (Oh, Ricky!) . The whole bathroom is safe to get wet. Since Indians don't use toilet paper (haven't gotten there yet myself) and there's no carpeting like in some wacko American bathrooms I know, everything can get wet and the wet goes down the drain. You go into the bathroom to do bathroom stuff, wash up then leave. You don't sit there for 25 minutes reading the new Get Fuzzy cartoon book and trying a 9x9 Kenken, organizing your sock dresser that's in there, and arranging your lip gloss chronologically. Maybe in other bathrooms but not in Block 15 Apt 701! Oh, no medicine cabinet. That wierded me out. Just a tiny mirror hung on wall. No built in mirrors. My toiletries are in a hanging rollaway travel bag on the back of the door. It seems natural to want to wash your clothes out while you're in the shower then hang them to dry on the balcony. This cuts down on laundry time and there's no stinky clothes waiting around for next Wednesday or whenever the magic quarters fairy shows up. Being in the bathroom still feels a little like being in a janitor's closet but once I'm in there it makes sense for why I'm in there. OK, the powder room has a floor toilet which is a porcelin lined hole a little larger than a bedpan. There are grooves in the sides in case your aim is bad. Each bathroom has a spigot low on the wall next to the toilet. I understand that this is to wash yourself with, but how does one stay dry? No tp. I don't quite get that part yet. I haven't used a bathroom yet outside of the apt or airport so I need to go out and learn some things! Apparently today I'm going to go to a Western style grocery store and pharmacy today. Good times. I have to go figure out how to put butter and jam on bread so I have something to do in the bathroom later on today. Cheerios!

Tea And Curry

In Hyderabad after almost 40 hours of travel. Very little sleep. Shower and lunch a big boost. Trying to stay up today to acclimate to time change. Not make good sentence. Deb make up band names instead of blog topic. oh, yeah, and it's 100 degrees. at night. still, completely blown away that I'm on the other side of the freaking planet.

Leaving for India today!

Going to Hyderabad, India today for my first trip outside the USA. My friends at work gave me a journal, a digital camera and a book on starting a blog on Blogger. I'm leaving the house at 10:30 to take the T to Logan where I will go to Chicago, then a 15 hour flight to Dehli, then onto Hyderabad after a 9 hour layover. I will arrive at roughly 9 or 10 a.m. local time on Thursday morning in Hyderabad. I still have to eat breakfast and double check my carry-on for lots of stuff to do!