Back in the Burgh

Well its 5:23 am and I have been up for about half an hour tidying the lounge. Don't you love jet lag...The flight back to Edinburgh was good, pretty much on time - still had plenty of opportunity for additional spending in the duty free anyway! Bloody cold when I landed at Heathrow, but then I guess that was my own fault for wearing sandals in February. Keith at least met me at the airport with my big red coat. He had also got my red roses and champagne but to be honest I was much to tired to appreciate it.

Yesterday we went to the hairdressers at Ocean terminal. Well, I say we but I actually mean Keith - and for those that know him, that is a big deal. It turned out really well though and then straight after we nipped into the cinema to see "Hot Fuzz" the new one from the guys who did "Sean of the Dead". It was pretty funny, in a very silly way. Later on we went out to dinner at Fishers in the City. As ever gorgeous food. I had the seafood platter, and what a monster, smoked salmon, fresh salmon, mussels, anchovies, oyster, mackerel etc etc. Keith had Black Bream with peach and lime which was also fab. God, its good to be back in the UK and get really good food and a decent bottle of wine. Anyone who runs down British cooking should spend some time in India and then head back to Scotland for a feast.
Think I may head back to bed for a bit now. Keith is up , apparently he could hear me typing....sometimes its good maybe to not hear everything that goes on!

Trip to Sanjif Ghandi National Park - Part 2

I think we left off on the bus to the caves....We bumped and bounced the 7 ks up to the Buddhist caves, high above the National park. We stopped din a little car park and waited whilst the driver searched the ground for a suitably sized stone, to use as chocks for the wheels, well - this is India. I climbed (well jumped off it was a high bus) and made my way up a steep flight of steps, past the ladies selling star fruit and cucumbers (with chilli of course) to the entrance gate. Here I parted with 100/- (tourist rates, locals are 20/-) and up another little flight of steps. There another chap was waiting to take my ticket stub (why? he was so close he saw me buy it...) and a small stand selling fizzy pop, in proper glass bottles. I headed up the carved stone steps to check out the cave. The first two or three were pretty amazing, carved deep in the rock and containing many inner caves and shrines. There was a lady and a small boy lighting incense and for authenticity (but probably not there for the tourists) a couple of Buddhist monks. I carried on up the winding steps and from there on the caves got a bit, well, rubbish. They weren't ornate or carved, I mean to be fair it was probably quite hard work, but hmmmm, perhaps I am being over critical. I continued climbing up to the top of the hill and was rewarded with a fantastic view down over the National Park to Mumbai in the distance. You could see the whole city, surrounded in a whirl of smog. I sat there a while, baking in the hot sun (no water or hat, idiot) and then headed back to the bus and a bottle of fizzy orange. Nirvana.

Swift bus trip back down to the main park where I picked up the lion and tiger safari. For 30/- its was fine but a Safari it wasn't. The poor tigers were caged up and pacing up and down and the two lions were asleep in the shade.I guess when you have been to Kenya it spoils things a bit. I walked back to the main gate and passed two little boys playing in the remains of a Mumbai taxi - now we know they at least retire them at some point. I thought they were just reincarnated again and again.

The train trip home was as much fun as the way up. I got the slow train but to be fair it only took 15 mins longer. I found out afterwards that I had been in the Ladies Second class and had diddles myself cos I paid for 1st class. And 1st is 11 times more expensive than 2nd! Good grief I could have paid 20p return instead of two pounds - that would have paid for my fizzy orange...about 12 times over....

A little crispy around the edges

Oh dear. Sat out in the sun a little too long today. Desperate to get the last of the sun before I go home on Friday I think I over did it. My forehead and chest copped the worst I think, have been covering it in Aloe Vera all day but don't like the non-peeling chances....

Took a train to Bandra this afternoon with Leigh and Ken, just to check it out. Its supposed to be the Morningside of Mumbai but to be honest it was much the same as the rest of the place. We wandered up the main road when we arrived, looking for all the cool places we have heard about. We found a department store that was sooo full of staff they were practically chasing us around the shop trying to sell us stuff (someone needs to tell them desperation is a bad look) and we quickly moved on - although not before spotting this very odd and dodgy DVD...not sure if its clear but it says its "non-veg sexy", hmmmmm.

We had a spot to eat at the Cream Centre, which is always a good bet, the branch on marine Drive does a mean Macaroni Cheese (spicy, of course). We headed back for the train, trusting Ken's in built compass heading down a very dodgy back street. To be fair we came out right opposite the station, but we did have to pass all of manner of oddities on the way down there, although the locals seemed to think I was as interesting as I found them - I guess we are all exotic outwith our own comfort zones....

Trip to Sanjif Ghandi National Park - Part 1

Last weekend I took a trip to the Sanjif Ghandi National park at Boriwali. To get there is an hours train ride from Churgate station. That was the start of things...buying a train ticket. There was lots of q's and the details were in Hindi, I plumped with one at random and got lucky, "a return to Boriwali please", "which class first or second", er "what's the difference" "either 20 or 200 rupees" - I plumped for first class and made for a train. No signs telling you which platform or anything so I asked a guard and found the fast train to Boriwali. I decided that the "ladies" compartment looked the least daunting and found myself a seat on one of the benches. It was basic but clean and due to the air con system (no glass in the windows and no doors) it was odour free. I ended up sitting down very little on the trip as due to the lack of doors you can hang out as you go and take pictures as you can see on the left.
When I reached Boriwali I didn't appear to get off the train fast enough and the people crushing to get on where shouting "jaldi, jaldi" which I took to mean "hurry up please, I am keen to get on the train and you are blocking the way" - eventually I was hauled off by one arm and made my way out of the station.
A short tuc tuc ride (30 rs) and I was at the entrance to the Sanjif Ghandi National park.

There were lots of people heading in, nearly all Indian and lots of families. I q'd up, paid my 100Rs and headed into the park, refusing the offer of a private car of motorbike tour from the friendly neighbourhood tout. The bus to the caves was waiting so I hopped on and paid my 20Rs, received my paper ticket and awaited for the bus to make the 7k journey up to the caves.

The story so far - Part One

For those of you who don't know - and if that's you your probably on the wrong blog - I am currently working in Mumbai, India, working here for a year (Oct 2006 - 2007).

For the first 6 weeks I lived at the Oberoi Hotel, which was gorgeous this was the view from my window. You can see Colaba in the distance, where the fishing village is. Now I am in the Hilton, right next door, its not as nice but perfectly ok. The office is just around the corner from the hotel, which makes my commute about three minutes in the morning, and two of them are dodging taxis on the main road!

This is my office building, not all that glam from the outside but its pretty modern inside. I work with Ally (Customer service), Gail (Process and Quality), Gordon (Sales), Ken (Marketing), Adriaan (Legislative and legal), Derek (Project Manager), Abhay (Actuarial), Sanjeeb (Actuarial), Alan (IT), Leigh (Finance), John K (IT) and John M (Project Director). They are a good bunch.

I work six weeks on and then have ten days back in the UK. The weeks out here just fly past but so does the time at home. Its hard work but I am enjoying it. Lots of challenges, which always keeps me happy.....

G xxx

Welcome to my blog

Hi!

Welcome to my blog. I will try to record my impressions and feelings of India while I am here and also add a few links, photos and other interestings things...as soon as I get the hang of this thing...I will put some backdated info on from my first six weeks here before catching up on some newer stuff. I hope you anjoy reading all about my travels.