Hello from Bangalore!
Sorry I haven't blogged sooner. The long trip, time change, and working at night has really thrown my scheduling for a loop. I'm trying to make time to talk to people back home as well, and it's still all very new to me.
I departed Chicago on Monday afternoon for O'Hare airport. Rode the #77 bus from my place to Kuma's Corner for my final meal in Chicago for 2 months. (If you don't know by now, Kuma's is my go-to spot in the Chi.) I got the burger of the month: Black September. This burger is topped with braised goat, spinach, a black garlic sauce, and a rosemary(?) funnel cake. Goat was chewy, but the spinach and garlic added some amazing flavors. Washed it all down with a 3 Floyds Alpha King, and for a minute I was tempted to stay.
I hopped in a cab, and planned to arrive at O'Hare a little more than 2 hours early. I was under the impression international flights required a little added time for check-ins. Such was not the case. I flew business class (thanks company!) and got to skip the line....which was only one other couple in front of me at that moment. Security was fast. I guess Monday afternoon is not a busy time. So I was at my gate in about 20 minutes. Also, this was my opportunity to check out those secret lounges for "members only" in the airports. Let me tell you, the hype is justified. Free Espresso machine, Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies, fruit, bottled water, soda, etc....just a free snack lounge with free Wi-Fi basically. So I guess it was still worth it to go 2+ hours early, but had I not just eaten the behemoth above, I would have definitely indulged more at the airport.
The flight from O'Hare to Frankfurt, Germany went by pretty quickly. This was my first time on a Boeing 747, I think. I've flown many times before, but I usually end up on the planes that are one aisle down the middle with 3 seats on each side, if not smaller. It was certainly the first time where flying business class meant more than a free drink and a seat near the front. That was part of it, but the luxury came in the form of fully reclining seats (not my pic). The trek to Germany was about 8.5 hours. They dimmed the lights, and most passengers slept a good portion of the trip. I watched movies instead of sleeping. MIB 3 (meh), Battleship (bad but entertaining), and Moonrise Kingdom (typical Wes Anderson, whom I enjoy). The one nervous moment was hitting some heavy turbulence (the pilot later said there were wind gusts of 250 miles per hour...yikes!) over the Atlantic Ocean.
On arrival in Germany, I had to change terminals. In doing so, I had to pass through security again. This was much slower than O'Hare. Lots of people leaving Frankfurt on Tuesday morning. I finally made it to my gate and again hit up the member's lounge. More free noms like espresso, fruit, water, etc. But at the Frankfurt airport they also had frankfurters (I know, right?) and sauerkraut, pastries (it was breakfast time, locally), and beer on tap! Since my clock was feeling midnight, I had a dog and a brew. I crashed out for about 2 hours in their sleeping quarters/quiet room before finally boarding my flight to Bangalore.
This time I slept most of the trip, only waking up occasionally to eat the airline meal service. It was actually pretty tasty, for "airplane food." You can check out the photos on my Facebook page. Getting through customs went pretty smoothly. I had to wait a bit for my bags, but no big deal there either. Then, the fun began.
As I started pushing the baggage cart out of the airport, I knew to watch for "my driver" who had been prearranged by my company. He was to be holding a sign with my name on it. Immediately upon exiting the secure area, I was approached consecutively by various tax drivers asking if I need a ride or help with my things. Living and working in Chicago for 5 years has given me thick enough skin to ignore panhandlers, so I basically used the same tactics and walked past everyone. Luckily, as soon as I exited the airport and hit the sidewalk, my driver was front and center. I say luckily, because there were easily 100 men holding signs with names and companies printed on them.
It was now after 1 AM local time, and traffic was almost nil for the drive to my hotel, and that's a very good thing. For one thing, in India they drive on the left, which is a strange feeling the first time you do it. Accordingly, everything happens opposite to what you'd expect in America. A left turn happens quickly and effortlessly, just as we would a right-hand turn in America. Also, they pass on the right, typically. These things take a little getting used to if you haven't spent time in Great Britain, etc. Additionally, they use their bright lights and horn to signal they are passing someone (as opposed to a turn signal) because lanes are basically a suggestion. In some cases, so are traffic lights. Every time we barreled through an intersection, I half-expected to be side-swiped by another vehicle.
The culture shock wasn't bad, as I've seen a few movies depicting the Indian lifestyle and crowded populations and had been told it was mostly accurate. Indeed, the streets are often lined with garbage. Sidewalks are broken up in many places, and the houses and shops all run together with the occasional temple/shrine thrown in between. Most are adobe brick or stucco houses with ribbed metal doors and windows. 4 out of 5 buildings look to be under construction. Basically, it's very dilapidated. My hotel is quite the opposite.
I have so much more I can tell, but this post is already dragging on. Suffice it to say, I still haven't told you or showed you much about my day-to-day life. But don't worry. I have at least 7 more full weeks to take pictures, record videos, and tell you stories. Believe me, there are many good stories to come, and I want to keep you interested and coming back for more ;)
For now, I will leave you with another video.....this is also very real, but varies from person to person. Already plenty of first-hand experience here to back it up, tho I cannot verify the brief history lesson at the beginning. Some of the other search results were a little more condescending, so hopefully no one takes offense to this as none is meant.
Sorry I haven't blogged sooner. The long trip, time change, and working at night has really thrown my scheduling for a loop. I'm trying to make time to talk to people back home as well, and it's still all very new to me.
I departed Chicago on Monday afternoon for O'Hare airport. Rode the #77 bus from my place to Kuma's Corner for my final meal in Chicago for 2 months. (If you don't know by now, Kuma's is my go-to spot in the Chi.) I got the burger of the month: Black September. This burger is topped with braised goat, spinach, a black garlic sauce, and a rosemary(?) funnel cake. Goat was chewy, but the spinach and garlic added some amazing flavors. Washed it all down with a 3 Floyds Alpha King, and for a minute I was tempted to stay.
 |
| Yes, that is awesomeness oozing out onto the pretzel roll. |
The flight from O'Hare to Frankfurt, Germany went by pretty quickly. This was my first time on a Boeing 747, I think. I've flown many times before, but I usually end up on the planes that are one aisle down the middle with 3 seats on each side, if not smaller. It was certainly the first time where flying business class meant more than a free drink and a seat near the front. That was part of it, but the luxury came in the form of fully reclining seats (not my pic). The trek to Germany was about 8.5 hours. They dimmed the lights, and most passengers slept a good portion of the trip. I watched movies instead of sleeping. MIB 3 (meh), Battleship (bad but entertaining), and Moonrise Kingdom (typical Wes Anderson, whom I enjoy). The one nervous moment was hitting some heavy turbulence (the pilot later said there were wind gusts of 250 miles per hour...yikes!) over the Atlantic Ocean.
On arrival in Germany, I had to change terminals. In doing so, I had to pass through security again. This was much slower than O'Hare. Lots of people leaving Frankfurt on Tuesday morning. I finally made it to my gate and again hit up the member's lounge. More free noms like espresso, fruit, water, etc. But at the Frankfurt airport they also had frankfurters (I know, right?) and sauerkraut, pastries (it was breakfast time, locally), and beer on tap! Since my clock was feeling midnight, I had a dog and a brew. I crashed out for about 2 hours in their sleeping quarters/quiet room before finally boarding my flight to Bangalore.
This time I slept most of the trip, only waking up occasionally to eat the airline meal service. It was actually pretty tasty, for "airplane food." You can check out the photos on my Facebook page. Getting through customs went pretty smoothly. I had to wait a bit for my bags, but no big deal there either. Then, the fun began.
As I started pushing the baggage cart out of the airport, I knew to watch for "my driver" who had been prearranged by my company. He was to be holding a sign with my name on it. Immediately upon exiting the secure area, I was approached consecutively by various tax drivers asking if I need a ride or help with my things. Living and working in Chicago for 5 years has given me thick enough skin to ignore panhandlers, so I basically used the same tactics and walked past everyone. Luckily, as soon as I exited the airport and hit the sidewalk, my driver was front and center. I say luckily, because there were easily 100 men holding signs with names and companies printed on them.
It was now after 1 AM local time, and traffic was almost nil for the drive to my hotel, and that's a very good thing. For one thing, in India they drive on the left, which is a strange feeling the first time you do it. Accordingly, everything happens opposite to what you'd expect in America. A left turn happens quickly and effortlessly, just as we would a right-hand turn in America. Also, they pass on the right, typically. These things take a little getting used to if you haven't spent time in Great Britain, etc. Additionally, they use their bright lights and horn to signal they are passing someone (as opposed to a turn signal) because lanes are basically a suggestion. In some cases, so are traffic lights. Every time we barreled through an intersection, I half-expected to be side-swiped by another vehicle.
The culture shock wasn't bad, as I've seen a few movies depicting the Indian lifestyle and crowded populations and had been told it was mostly accurate. Indeed, the streets are often lined with garbage. Sidewalks are broken up in many places, and the houses and shops all run together with the occasional temple/shrine thrown in between. Most are adobe brick or stucco houses with ribbed metal doors and windows. 4 out of 5 buildings look to be under construction. Basically, it's very dilapidated. My hotel is quite the opposite.
I have so much more I can tell, but this post is already dragging on. Suffice it to say, I still haven't told you or showed you much about my day-to-day life. But don't worry. I have at least 7 more full weeks to take pictures, record videos, and tell you stories. Believe me, there are many good stories to come, and I want to keep you interested and coming back for more ;)
For now, I will leave you with another video.....this is also very real, but varies from person to person. Already plenty of first-hand experience here to back it up, tho I cannot verify the brief history lesson at the beginning. Some of the other search results were a little more condescending, so hopefully no one takes offense to this as none is meant.
You should teach your employees how to make a Kuma's burger (only use soy).
ReplyDeleteI know this is about India, but your Kuma burger must be mine! Hope you are having a great time!
ReplyDelete