Getting around

We have about 5 drivers that take care of the expats here in Hyderabad. We call one person, Ismael, to organize a ride if we need it, and the drivers show up to take us where we need to go. It's fantastic, and very fortunate for us, because not only do they drive on the left side, but traffic rules seem to be completely optional.

People come at you from any direction at any time, and the lines on the road don't necessarily mean anything. There are water buffalo, pedestrians, carts, tractors, fruit vendors, mopeds, bicyclists, motorcycles (with around 4 people on on them at a time), Rickshaws, water tankers, buses and other cars that make for an interesting trip. If you happen to get behind one of those water buffalo, pedestrians, cart, etc, and you want to pass - no worries! You just honk your horn until they move, or cross over the line into oncoming traffic to pass. It's good fun.

The road conditions don't help matter much either. You can be driving along on the same street you were on the day before, and suddenly it will be under repair with no warning signs or indication other than the elephant-sized hole in the ground.

I haven't taken any trips by car out of the city yet, but I've heard that's even more of an experience. In the city, you are forced to drive slowly since the areas are usually so congested. In the outskirts of town, however, there is still the 'no rules' policy, but at 60 mph. Needless to say, we all buckle up when we get in the car no matter what. Safety first!

The Trip...

Hello everyone,

I promised those I love and cherish that I would try to keep a blog of the things that are happening on the other side of the world. I thought I should start with the trip over, and a few photos I took in Singapore.

I was lucky enough to be able to travel with three other co-workers on this huge trip. Lauren, Adam, Aradhana (Arod) and I were able to entertain each other for the various stints in airports. We left SFO around 1:30 am on Thursday (4/7/05), and sat for the next 14 hours on a plane. It was the longest plane leg of the journey, but it actually went by very quickly. I slept for almost 8 hours!

We landed in Hong Kong and I spent $30 on six bottles of water, then we got back on a plane.

This trip was from Hong Kong to Singapore. We arrived in Singapore and signed up for a free tour of the city to help the 7 hour layover go by quickly. The tour was ok, but we were so tired by that time that it was all a great time to our sleep deprived minds. I'll post some photos below. Please remember that I was very tired...

Finally, our last leg of the journey was from Singapore to Hyderabad. For me, this was by far the worst flight. I was so tired, but I wanted to stay awake to adjust my body clock. Our seats didn't recline and the entire plane was dark so it was a battle the whole time. I was immensely relieved to arrive in Hyderabad, and the expats that were already here all came down to meet us at the airport. They gave us these huge, amazingly fragrant lei that went down to our knees and directed us through the choas.

Our apartment is great. I share a flat with Lauren, Arod and Regina. The rooms have their own bathrooms, but we share common spaces and a kitchen. Oh, and did I mention we have a houseboy and a chef? The chef, Ranjit, is so sweet, and he thinks that we are all starving at any given time. He makes enough food for 12 people. The houseboy doesn't speak English, but he smiles a lot and giggles if you try to talk to him.

I think I've adjusted to the time change fairly well, but I have manage to get a terrible cold my first week. I have no voice whatsoever right now, and haven't for about 24 hours. I feel ok, but I just can't talk. Everyone is so sweet, and they are all offering their favorite remedies.

I found out yesterday that I am going to be managing a group of about 30 people here. I'm so excited! The whole team is so enthusiastic, and the people on my team seem so thrilled that I'm here. I'm sure that excitement will die down once they get to know me. :)



I'm outty for now, but I will try to keep this updated whenever I can.

Sculpture 

Fountain 

Theater and Cultural Arts building in Singapore 

Singapore 

Singapore