Unpaved Path to Paradise

On two occasions while in Goa, I (and then Mary and I) travelled on isolated, unpaved roads for several kilometers, only to reach fabulous destinations at the end of these bumpy “off-roads”. The first, was my arrival into Goa. Mary had arrived the night before and informed me she was at the Grand Hyatt hotel, where I would pick her up and we would ride to our place in South Goa that she had rented for the week. She warned me that her cab driver had taken the "Axe Murderer’s Route" from the airport to get there. I knew she had arrived in the middle of the night, and just figured "things surely look scarier at night". So, once my plane landed, I got in an airport cab, and asked the driver to please take me to the Grand Hyatt. We were on our way, and suddenly we turned off the paved road onto a dirt road, basically into the woods. It was a one lane road with heavy trees and brush on each side that was higher than the car. Lots of bumps and holes, and not 1 person in sight. Alone with this driver, I KNEW this could not be the way to a gorgeous, phenomenal, 5 star hotel. This was the first time I was a bit nervous since arriving in India. I asked the driver where we were going....knowing in my mind he would of course say "Grand Hyatt", delaying the revelation of his real plan! Haha

Thank goodness, a short 2 minutes later, I see, PARADISE. (And note at that point, "paradise" could have been a tent farm. I just wanted to see SOMEONE on that road!) I discovered that literally, in some of these more rural parts of coastal areas, you have to go off road to get to areas of the shoreline where hotels, beaches and resorts are located.

It is funny, that as you ride through many parts of India, every other billboard advertisement is about "Cement": "The Best Cement", "India's Hardest Cement", "Indestructible Cement!" etc. I am thinking to myself, "Hey, Hyatt, let's pour some of this fabulous cement on this road that leads to the paradise you offer!"  I am kidding, of course, and sure there is a valid reason why this road is unpaved and scary. It does make you appreciate the magnificent beach and property that you finally reach at the end, alive!

I did not have my camera out to capture the “path” to the Hyatt, however, later in the week, we were driven to a beautiful beach where the road there had a very similar isolated look and feel, of which I snapped a picture, and am posting below, as an example.

The Relaxing Beaches of Goa: Part 1

During the last week, I visited Goa, India’s smallest state, located on the Western shore, known and loved by tourists all around for its beaches and weather. This trip was planned by my friend Mary from the US, last September, and we have been looking forward to the week for some time. I will write several blogs about the experience…the beautiful beaches, the food, the people, the insight we gained, the Wild Wednesday market, and a bit of Goan history. It was a great experience to have a friend you have known for 10+ years visit you in India, and be able to experience the things we did: The high temps (90F), while the upper eastern US got 3 feet of snow, me constantly comparing “the differences between the culture here in Goa to the culture in Bangalore”, us determining which beaches to visit, our discussions over food, books, and the differences in cab drivers, both within Goa itself, and between Goa and Karnataka. Discussions over the type of tourists here in Goa now, the reasons behind why it may be a slow season for foreigners compared to years past, and finally, simply, the confusion over why the electrical plugs I use in Bangalore are falling out of the wall here, and require props. (I am on vacation and need a good challenge. Think: Travel size shampoo bottles.) Me having a chat with the front desk guy over internet connectivity, telling him that “I will be right here with you until I am logged onto this device”. Haha (I was then logged on within the minute!)

I am posting some quickie pictures here that will have some background attached in future blogs. The last picture you will see posted, shows plants in the shape of elephants. I took that shot directly as we were waiting for our cab, and and as it pulled up, I told Mary that I would get in the side of the car which was sitting in the road, in traffic. She told me to “Be careful!”. I wondered, and asked her, “ Do you mean…be careful of the traffic, our irritated cab driver, or of that angry wild pig that just ran across the street?” 

(It was huge, and running at full speed.)

As I have been in Bangalore for 6+ months, the locals tell me that everything changes as you move 80 kms in each direction (the food, the language, the people), and I am certainly not one to doubt, now that I have lived in Bangalore and visited Trivandrum, Agra, Delhi, Mysore (twice) and now Goa!

I highly recommend a vacation to one of the many beaches of Goa...just an excellent week, on which I cannot wait to elaborate! Much more to come...

International Travel Experience: RDU to Bangalore

Reporting on my return international flight to Bangalore from my US holiday visit. I used to hear my colleagues talk about international flights, and would always think to myself "How hard can this be?". I have since discovered that the first one is the easiest, and subsequent trips are when you really start paying attention to your routes, and adding travel strategies.

My personal opinion now, is that the RTP to Heathrow to Bangalore route, which is the only one-stop, is the best bet for ensuring you don’t get stranded in a city overnight, adding potentially a day+ to your trip. Addition of “a day” to a trip does not look bad in writing, yet, if the trip was already a day+, you are suddenly at risk of sleeping in an airport. This journey would not have been as tough if I had not been sick (I am a hearty traveler otherwise, and can adapt.) Yet, literally the flu vaccine in the US was not as effective as in previous years (this was the first year in MANY that it was “off”; I don’t remember the last time it was reported as potentially ineffective, and expect this will be the only year in many), and so I was en route with a horrible sickness, possibly the flu, but not sure.

What had caused me initially to book a different route was the fact that the Heathrow option only leaves RTP in the early evening (6PM), so you are awake all day, and then, fly for 8 hours, and then wait in the Heathrow airport for 7 hours, at your midpoint of travel. This equals 24 hours of being awake and travelling with no bed or solid rest, which is directly followed by a second 9 hour flight. Adding customs and baggage waits, along with the 1 hour trip from the airport into Bangalore, you can be awake (with only plane naps) for around 35 hours. The waiting period in the Heathrow airport was the killer, as you are exhausted by that time, and so I decided to find a route that would enable me to switch planes immediately to be able to avoid being “on alert” while so exhausted in an airport. So the RDU to JFK to Frankfurt to Bangalore ensured I’d spend my time on the planes, with the first trip being a short one (RDU to JFK) that left earlier in the day, and therefore the exhaustion would not kick in until I was on the long haul to Frankfurt. This route worked beautifully going TO the US. Awesome trip. You can always get out of India just fine. Returning to India….my route was from RDU to O’Hare to Frankfurt to Bangalore, and things did not work quite as planned.

Long story short (and oh do I have a long story!), of actually boarding…waiting on the plane…service attendants rebooting the power source on the plane…and finally a “new aircraft” announcement. So, the plane from O’Hare basically did not take off (they provided a replacement aircraft which left several hours later), and I missed the only Frankfurt to Bangalore connection, and was stranded in Frankfurt overnight.  (Even being on phone trying to re-route, and standing in lines between aircraft shifts did not work.) I visited the fabulous pretzel place twice.

As I arrived in Frankfurt, I wondered to myself, “What was so wrong with Heathrow in the first place???” I have been up for 25+ hours, and yet hear a cheerful voice that there are 6 attendants “waiting at our gate” to assist us with missed connections. I am not fooled by the “we will assist you with your connection”. I know before I even get off the plane and into the airport, that my connection no longer exists. These 6 will be helping passengers who have a chance of getting out of Frankfurt, and this does not include me. I am directed to the customer service line. I know that this means re-booking, hotel vouchers and shuttle info, with a next day flight.

A very helpful attendant gives me a voucher for the Park Inn Airport and a meal, and directions on how and where to find my luggage. The luggage will not be coming out on a conveyor belt. I need to find it. This is where the fun starts and at several different times, I feel like I am in the Twilight Zone. There is a special room for luggage that is pulled off in transit, and it requires you to find this special room, with a vague airport map, talk of a doorbell, and no guidance or oversight. At this point, you are a tired zombie wandering through the Frankfurt airport with the only knowledge that you are about to pick up 100 pounds of additional luggage which you thought you left behind in RTP only to be seen again once you arrived in India. At this point, you would pay thousands for the help of a friendly sherpa. I talk to no less than 3 workers in Frankfurt to find the special room with the special doorbell. They buzz you in once they hear your flight #, and you do indeed find your luggage. The 2 bags are not together, but they are there. This room is truly hidden, and if you need help finding this special bunker in Frankfurt airport, I am definitely your contact.

An otherwise exciting overnight stay in a dream city in Germany, suddenly turns into “Get me into this IKEA-esque bed as quickly as you can.”, and back to the airport tomorrow (the hotel room was really cool with the German electronics and furniture). I wish I could have ventured out into the city of Frankfurt that evening.

Finally made it back to India, and plan on future 1 stop or less flights whenever possible, no matter layover times!

The New Normal

Five years ago, I never in a million years thought I would be reporting that, "Today, I passed a well-decorated horse on the sidewalk, as I flagged down an autorickshaw to take me to the dentist.” But alas, that was one of my many experiences for just today. This horse was beautifully decorated, such as they are for festivals or weddings, or just providing rides. I wished I could have gotten in front of it to take a better picture, but I needed to get to the dentist on time! I watched the horse for about a minute before I took the picture, and at one point, he appeared to be getting ready to climb the stairs and trot into the electronic store to the right of him. Now that would have been a good blog.

Bangalore is now BENGALURU (Bangalore no more)

I arrived back in Bangalore at 2AM Tuesday morning this week. This was my 3rd trip into the Bangalore airport, and I have never arrived in the middle of the night. Getting off an international flight, there is always a mad dash to the customs line, as you never know how many staff are going to be working the booths. As always, one hour before landing, I expect the overhead intercom to say “We will be passing through the cabins with customs declarations cards”. Well, on this flight, I hear “We will be unable to provide customs declaration cards; you will need to get these upon arrival”. Oh my Lord. I know what this means. Fumbling for pens, writing while walking, and making mistakes or scribbles in the flurry (there are 2 cards, and you of course have 2 bags to carry, and the duty free bags you added.)

So we all de-plane, and there are agents in the airport giving out the cards to our herd. We are all walking towards customs and trying to write at the same time, and then jockey for a space in the line. Amazingly enough, looking at the head of the line (maybe 200 people in front of me, a 20 minute line?) I see there are at least 8 agents working at 2AM which is a bonus! Things are moving quickly. I am writing, and as I reach the customs guard, he points out that there are 2 lines I have neglected to complete. I pull out my pen, and the guy behind me sees that I am still filling out my form. Though it takes less than 30 seconds, it is 2AM and he makes a noise behind me. He is disgruntled. He must be tired. Oh dear! I, personally, have only been travelling for 2.5 days while sick. I am not the most pleasant person either, but I am not noticeably vocalizing my displeasure (Complete Travel blog to come!). I wonder if the Indian customs guy is going to be equally disappointed that I have failed to complete this card properly (and to my defense this appears to be a new card for 2015, as I am always on top of these cards!). I ask him should I move over. Handsome Indian customs guy gives me a nice smile and says “No problem, just fill out here”. The Indians have got to be the most accommodating, and friendly people I have ever met.

So, I returned to…the re-named city of Bengaluru!

Bangalore has recently officially been re-named as BENGALURU, one of the original historical Indian names for the city. Bangalore (now again Bengaluru), the capitol, is 1 of 12 cities in the state of Karnataka whose name has officially reverted back to original Kannada Indian origins, breaking free from the name change applied during British rule in the 1800s.

Bangalore is now officially, once again, Bengaluru.
Mysore is Mysuru.
And 10 other cities in Karnataka also have official name changes.

Apparently these city name changes were proposed to revert back in 2005, and the government has recently enacted the changes as of November 2014.

Historical names sounded phonetically, similar:
According to Wiki, “An apocryphal or a fabricated story recounts that the 12th century Hoysala king Veera Ballala II, while on a hunting expedition, lost his way in the forest. Tired and hungry, he came across a poor old woman who served him boiled beans. The grateful king named the place "Benda-kaal-uru" (literally, "town of boiled beans"), which eventually evolved into "Bengalūru". And naming noted back to the 9th century, "Bengaval-uru", meaning….the "City of Guards".

I decided I needed to make sure I was pronouncing this name correctly, so I listened to the official pronunciation on-line, and it appears that it is said just like it is spelled: Beng-A-Lu-Ru, with no emphasis given to one syllable.

Details on the travel blog, for expats and frequent travelers to India, to come next...

Boardwalk to Garden Path: Bangalore to NC (Sidewalk Comparison)

I visited NC over the holiday break, and of course had a fabulous time seeing friends and family. After being in India for close to 6 months, whenever I return home, the most obvious difference that I notice, is the lower volume of people that surround me. Before I went to India, both the RTP/Raleigh/Cary/Durham and Morehead City/Beaufort areas had become just so crowded, or so I had thought. I wondered, how are we going to handle all of this growth? I now just giggle, and think it would surely be a hundred years before these places could contend with the big city crowds of Bangalore. Of course, I am sure there are legitimate city planning concerns not to be taken lightly, and I am just speaking about my personal experiences and comparisons…..Of course, not being a city planner/developer helps me giggle and not have to sweat it!

Walking into a grocery store in NC, you may be the only person on an aisle (at certain times) with your cart never bumping into one person. Versus in India, crashing into 50 people, or their carts, saying “You go first”...and they in return, “No you go”. High volume traffic that causes motorcycles to take the sidewalks regularly, etc. I believe there may be a threshold on the number of people you have to bump into, or number of horns you hear, or number of people that you see can fit into one room comfortably, when suddenly, your perception is completely changed. What you thought was a crowd before, is suddenly the opposite of crowded. I personally think that if a city planner is getting stressed out over a population influx, a quick vacation to Bangalore could quite possibly provide the needed perspective. (Of course I am half-joking.)

I personally find that my sensitivity on being around “a lot of people at one time” has changed greatly; it does not affect me as it did when I first arrived in India. I NEVER thought this could possibly happen. It goes to prove that you can become desensitized, and comfortable with a lot more than you previously thought. As an aside….although there are big crowds, Indians are more laid-back people, who, if you bump into them, it is rare that that you get a dirty look, or hear public swearing or cursing (at least my experience). You will simply not hear Indians cursing like you hear people in other countries cursing, whether in general conversations or on the street. (A bonus if you want to raise your children in India! Haha) That was actually one of my first impressions of being in India…the lack of profanity. A very noticeable comparison.

So, as I visited Morehead City, NC and Beaufort, the 2 towns where I grew up, my mother and I rode around quite a bit. As I looked at the empty sidewalks in the middle of the day in NC during this visit, they just seemed so empty, though I had seen these same sidewalks for many years prior, and would never have described them as “empty” before. I had taken some pictures, posted above, of Indian sidewalks, and on this trip decided to snap some pictures of Beaufort and Morehead City sidewalks, which follow, below. In some shots taken in NC, I could actually get out of the car and stand in the middle of the street, and take time to focus, with no cars or people driving by for several minutes. Of course, it IS winter at the beach, and this is a different time, so of course taking this into consideration.

I often tell my friends and family in the US...“I wish you could be in Bangalore with me for a few hours to see what it is like”. At the same time, I think, “I wish my Indian friends could see this part of the US, and I wonder what they would think?” During this visit, I looked up the number of Indians living in Morehead City, NC, and the current statistic listed is 31 people, out of the entire small town population of 13K. I have wondered a few times if these are mainly singles who integrated with local US families, or if this 31 represents, for example, 3 Indian families?? I am so curious to know, after living in Bangalore, what brought these 31 Indians to Morehead City, and if they know each other, etc.

Finally, below, I took some pictures on the beach of NC at sunset, ending with a neat and unexpected half moon shot.

I finally arrived back in Bangalore yesterday, one full day later than planned. My flight in Chicago was delayed and left me over night in Frankfurt. Suddenly the Heathrow connection seems like kind of a wonderland! Another travel blog to follow soon...