Veli Tourist Village

One day over the weekend, we visited Veli Lake, which is 10 km from Thiruvananthapuram in South India. This lake is located in what is considered “Veli Tourist Village”, and is a body of water that meets the Arabian Sea at a direct point. I have never “in person” seen a lake in the US that borders an ocean or sea, so viewing the exact location where these 2 separate bodies of water meet, and how the waves from the sea meet the lake, from such a close vantage point, was interesting to say the least. Though this is considered a popular tourist attraction of the area, it was not crowded in the middle of a weekend, when we visited. There is a park with beautiful flowers, statues, restaurants, and various boatrides available. Across the lake, you can view beautiful personal homes for rent or occupancy. There are horse rides along the beach portion. Boat Rides included safari type boats, paddle boats or speed boats. We chose the speed boat! I have been on quite a few speed boats, growing up in NC, that I remember quite well as a child. However, in India, speedboating is different. It is...wild...a bit harrowing...will raise your threshold for danger! I did have an absolute blast. The driver was...I like to think he was experienced. He FLEW across the lake...towards bridges, across the wake from other boats on an angle, approaching the dock or shoreline at a perpendicular at 50mph, only to sharply turn at the last minute. We did lake “donuts”. There is something "freeing" about India that I do love, and that is that, yes, it may be a bit precarious, a little dangerous, but it is FUN. I could not take pictures while on the speedboat unfortunately, but snapped some surroundings of the park, lake and Arabian Sea.

Vacation weekend: Southernmost Tip of India

This is the first blog of a series, as my weekend travels from Bangalore to the state of Tamil Nadu were packed and jammed with more activities than I actually thought were possible. A dear friend and colleague, who is Indian (lived all over India) and has been living in the US for many years, is actually here for the entire month of September to see his parents and family, whom I was so excited to meet. He offered to host a visit for me to the southernmost part of India, and took me up and down the coastline of South India. You may have “visited India”, but you have not “seen India” until you see it “with an Indian”. Subhash was able to relate the history, “time the visits” to each location for best visuals, compare where we were in relation to other parts of India, in addition to being able to translate all of the surrounding conversations that I always “hear”, but never know what people are saying! (e.g. He was able to match the actual dialogue to the roadside drama I was hearing, as one of many examples. I KNEW there was a fascinating story behind what I was seeing and hearing!) Just the little things that provide a huge upgrade to your experience.

I arrived Friday evening in Trivandrum. Had an excellent dinner, caught up with Subhash a bit on what has been going on in the US, my life in India, etc and suddenly it was almost 10:30 PM by the time I started to head to bed. Quick note: We are planning to leave the next morning at 2AM! We have decided to head to Kanyakumari Beach, which is the most southern beach of India, bordering the Laccadive Sea. If you look at the map of India, you will see that this part of India is where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean “come together” on the map. The car leaves at 2AM sharp. I sleep in the backseat, and only wake up as we get there and it is time for sunrise. It is obviously pitch black dark and we are walking for about a quarter mile from the parking lot to the beach. Suddenly I hear the waves of the ocean, and it feels like I am in NC. We get to the actual beach and there are hundreds of people there. Some have travelled for 12 hours or more. This is quite an attraction. As you look towards the horizon, you can see small fishing boats leaving for the day. As the sun rises, people yell and cheer. I realize that I have never heard people yell and cheer upon seeing a sunrise. Everyone is so focused on the beauty of the surroundings, and living in the absolute moment. Definitely the most “beautiful” experience I have had while in India.

In the pictures, you will see the Thiruvalluvar Statue, 133 feet tall which is just a bit offshore, with the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. I tried to capture the volume of people that were visiting, and in last picture below, the energy and excitement of the crowd. Much more to come...!

Flight to Trivandrum

I have flown twice now domestically while in India, and use sites such as Makemytrip, etc to compare fares. You never see Delta or American flying from one Indian city to another, obviously, so I am getting used to a whole new set of airlines! Including Jetspice, Indigo, and now JetKonnect, the latter which I have since researched, and who seemingly owns partner airlines Jet Airways Konnect, and JetLite.

Well, this weekend, on Friday I flew JetKonnect to Trivandrum to meet up with a dear friend and colleague who grew up in India, and is now here from the US, (whom I have known since 2005) visiting his family in India for a few weeks. He offered to host a fun visit for me in the city of Thiruvananthapuram and Verkala for a weekend (see next blog) with surrounding areas included. So I booked a flight and chose the most economical as far as good flight times. A round trip flight from Bangalore to Trivandrum (1 hour flight) Friday to Monday costs about 175 USDs typically, including taxes. So....I arrive at the airport, and just to give the seemingly "regular" followers of this blog (expats looking to move to India, or expats already here, and friends, family and colleagues from home), some info, flying in India domestically has some interesting differences! There are security lines specifically for women or men, only. You step through the normal security machine and then enter an enclosed curtained room where you are wanded and patted down, if you are a woman, by a woman.

So back to this flight....I headed to my gate and we boarded on time. Takeoff time was 1745. I board and I know this is an hour long flight, tops, with 200 passengers on board, so I don't expect a coke nor a cookie. We are all buckled in and ready to go on time. There are a few empty seats, and 2 kids are screaming as if they have just been told that if we encounter an emergency, there will be no oxygen for them. I know that I can tune this out, so I get ready for a quick no coke plane flight. Wait, there is an attendant walking the aisle with a nice tray of cookies for everyone! Great! There is a lady across the aisle who pulls out a tiny green liquid packet. She opens it and smells it. So does the entire rest of the plane! We are all turning and wondering "WHAT IS THAT????" It smells like a (strong) mix of Listerine and Pine Sol. Dear Lord. She uses this to clear her sinuses. I know now that losing cabin pressure is now not the only way to pass out on this flight.

So, we all get cookies and I think how much I appreciate the efficiency of this Indian JetKonnect airline, to serve a snack before the engines even are on. It is like we are all in first class or something! Then...I hear the pilots come over the loud speaker. The man says...(keeping in mind we are due to take off), "There are about 10 people on their way and we will be waiting for them". I think to myself.... "The overhead bins are shut, and where are these 10 people, and why has no other airline ever waited on me?" Haha. I suddenly feel that JetKonnect truly cares about their clientele. If I had missed my connection, they would be waiting on me right now! These 10 showed up after a few, and we all take off. Then the biggest surprise of all for this short flight: Almost before the seat belt sign goes off, I see attendants heading down the aisle of this huge plane with full trays of hot meals! I immediately decide that JetKonnect is "The Kind Airline, who not only waits on people after absolute last call, but has determined a way to feed 200 passengers in less than an hour". This airline has seriously got it together, as far as efficiency and customer service. We are served a full tray of food that includes a piping hot (I kid you not!) big sandwich, a chocolate muffin, a juice carton and a bottle of water. They awaited late passengers, served pre-take off cookies, and a full meal on an hour-long flight.

When you fly domestically in a foreign country, and aren't familiar with any of the airline brands, after you take one like JetKonnect, you tend to remember the great experience!

From Bangalore to NC

Wake County, NC is the name of the County where I lived between 1989 and 2014, prior to re-locating to Bangalore. How interesting it was to hear from someone back home today, that in the news:

The 1 Millionth citizen of Wake County was born (late August) in a local hospital (REX HOSPITAL)…and hails from…BANGALORE!

“The child of Shobha Sridhar and her husband Sridhar Narasimhan was born at Rex Hospital shortly before the county's population ticker hit one million.”

It was technically a tie with a local American baby, but I will focus on the Bangalore baby as this news is so interesting and timely!

The parents, Shobha and Sridhar Narasimhan, moved to Raleigh, NC in May, and the baby was born at the end of August. This baby, along with the American baby, will both receive scholarships to a local college.

On a final note, you simply have to giggle about the population “record breaker” being won by a baby from Bangalore, one of the growth explosion capitals here in India. How simply fitting!

Bannerghatta National Park

I visited Bannerghatta National Park, Zoo, Butterfly conservatory, and biological reserve during one of the first weeks I was in Bangalore. They have small bus safaris, jeep safaris, personal walks with guides, etc. We took a small bus, and if you are beside a window you can take some phenomenal photographs. Saw bison, tigers, white tigers and many other creatures! Bannerghatta is about 20 kms from Bangalore, and has about a 30K acre reserve for animals to roam in the "enclosed wild". Each area was sectioned for the type of wildlife that would need to be segregated. Total tour took about 30 minutes and was quite exciting.

Busy Sunday in Bangalore, Buses, and Biriyani

I was introduced to a contact in Bangalore through a colleague from work. This young guy is active in so many various social programs, and is running or facilitating several initiatives and projects. These programs range from areas of healthcare, women’s and children’s issues, schools/education, and his personal favorite: environmental concerns, one example being plastic recycling. So many things we take for granted in most parts of the US. Had an (my favorite word) Amazing…day! It was my first time taking public transportation in Bangalore; we got a Day Pass and caught 6 or 7 buses. Crossed busy streets on foot! Adrenaline pumping activities for sure. I basically did everything I was told not to do while in Bangalore. I snaked through moving buses, cars and rickshaws on the street, where motorcycles can come out of nowhere. I think that when you are with a native you suddenly become more brave? Or else just don’t want to seem “chicken”! It was definitely the most alert I have been while in Bangalore, crossing busy streets on foot.

Most importantly, I was able to become familiar with this guy’s areas of focus, education and background, all very impressive. Today, I was able to participate in a session where women educators, storytellers and volunteers presented a program to about 8 eager children. It focused on what is acceptable behavior by adults to children (known adults, or strangers), and what is not acceptable, and ended with providing them actual whistles to blow in case of emergency. I said jokingly, “I need one of those!” and they had a whistle around my neck in less than 30 seconds, asking if I’d prefer a different color! Just a wonderful, fun, genuine, energetic group of people. Many neat activities, and a lot of preparation went into this session, where the adults had as much fun as the children.

I talked a lot with this individual about his ideas, asking about “donations” and what is the best way to contribute to his initiatives, and he related that writing a check is just simply not the answer. It is, rather, providing education, and donating personal time in the community, and linking in with key idea people who can affect change. He has fabulous ideas. I left with so much admiration for his diligence towards social responsibility!

We also visited a park, a temple, pictured above, which was located beside a metro. (I did not catch the name of this temple.) I took 2 pictures while sitting outside, one of a sleeping dog.

We had one meal in the middle of the day of coconut rice, which was fabulous, and ended the day eating chicken biriyani, which I have had twice now in Bangalore. It is basically tender, juicy chicken pieces cooked in spices, in a potential variety of ways depending on the cook. Served with a long grain rice and spicy curries, etc. We had the choice of eating on a plate or a banana tree leaf and so OF COURSE chose the banana tree leaf! Picture of “banana tree plate" below, before placing dinner on it. Was fabulous, and cost was only 206 INRs which was around 3.50 USDs for 2 people.

Marble and Monsoons

I am approaching 90 days in India and can say without a doubt that if I had to make the decision again, knowing then what I know now: I absolutely would do it again! And I would not worry about some of the things that plagued my thoughts as I planned the trip. One of the items that I focused on the most was getting malaria from a mosquito bite. I have been outside quite a bit, travelled to 4 cities, and have never experienced one bite. (And if you are bitten, the chance is low that it will be a carrier.) Of course I do wear a lot of long sleeves. I have played it a bit fast and loose as far as not applying insect repellant and probably should do this more, as of course the risk is there. I worried about the potential of contracting rabies. I laugh about this a LOT now. I have been in public places where doors are propped open and dogs have wandered inside. A guy joked with me last week that the sleeping dog in his pharmacy was “for protection”. The street dogs in India are quite fascinating to see now. (How they don’t dart into the road, yet rather run alongside it.) I used to worry that I would see a dog get hit, and now my logic is “That dog is fully grown, and has been running these streets longer than I have been here. Today is probably not his day to get hit by a car!” I worried about not being able to eat an apple or any vegetables for a year. Everyone who counseled me back home (rightly so) just wanted to be sure I was cautious and safe. As I was preparing to leave, health professionals would read the literature to me and say “Only eat fruits that you can peel” (while making a peeling gesture with their hands (as I do as well!)). I could only think of bananas, as that is what they looked like they were peeling. Haha. I am able to eat apples and salads almost every day! I worried about Delhi Belly….getting sick from food or water that my system is not acclimated to, not having grown up in India. My life has not been disrupted from sickness once, yet. Everyone said “don’t eat any street food”. The first week I was here, I had a pastry puff from an outside vendor while attending a church service with a colleague. I also had sugarcane juice from another vendor, pictured above. Both tasted fabulous (think STATE FAIR) and no food fears were founded! You have to make your own decisions on these things. (Look at volume of people buying, examine a bit what is going on, obviously, but as long as it is not a lone vendor who has food that appears to have been “out” for a while, and many others are eating it, I tend to not be so scared.) You will have to “go with your gut” if you are ever in India for the first time. Some of the best food is considered “street food”. I worried about safety on the streets. Bangalore is so crowded, that I have never really felt unsafe. Of course, I do not venture down side streets alone, and only use ATMs in daytime, with someone with me, etc. Keeping my surroundings constantly in the forefront if I am walking, etc. I worried about being alone in a huge city with no one to talk to. This has been completely unfounded, as I have fabulous colleagues from India and other countries that are always available. I have met some of the most fun people that I am positive I will know for life. Just today, I laughed with a colleague as we prepared some materials until I almost cried. And I talk to the driver….even if he does not speak English. I hear some key words like “TV” or “crowded” and just talk back like I understand. He continues to talk back and so basically we are talking to ourselves, while in each other’s company. At times we even crack ourselves up.

I have analyzed it, and the ways in which I am (personally) most likely to bite the dust in Bangalore include trying to cross a busy street as a pedestrian, falling off a step (they are often dark materials or stone with no apparent “edge”) or….. slipping on the many outside marble surfaces during the rainy monsoon season, which is occurring now. There are many outdoor surfaces that are simply beautiful grades of marble or some kind of slippery stone. When it rains, and you begin walking fast on the dirt or paved road to get to cover, and then hit that marble surface...I have almost gone down 3 or 4 times...And I never worried about marble before coming to Bangalore.