AMD

Wake-up Call: 6:00 AM
Treadmill: 30 minutes, 5 kilometers (3 miles)
Sit-ups: 300
Dips: 70

Next I gorged on the breakfast buffet. After the bout I had on my last trip I considered sticking to Western food, but instead decided to get back on the horse that threw me. Subsequent, I checked out and ordered a cab. This being an enclosed compound-style hotel, you can bring a cheap taxi in, but you can’t take one out. The hierarchy of hired transport in India: rickshaw, regular cab (bumblebee), cool cab (with AC), and hotel cab. Mine was a Toyota Acura with leather interior. Pleasant, but not what I would usually choose. It cost about 4 times the regular rate. Still full of mosquitoes.

Story from the Indian press: Rioting and Looting in Bangalore. This is due to the death of Raj Kumar, their beloved movie star. He isn’t even Bollywood. He’s local cinema. When I was last in Bangalore, the mere rumor of his demise almost shut down the city. Now he went and really did it. A holiday was immediately declared. However, the mob was not to be consoled. They were so upset, a bus got torched and they lynched a police officer. Makes me wonder anew why we are okay with India having nukes.


State of Gujarat. Ahmedabad is just right and above the III

My flight (BOM-AMD) was about an hour late in leaving, so it was noon before I arrived in Ahmedabad. I was picked up at the airport by Prishit (male) and Kavil (female), two employees of Career Mosaic, the local educational consulting agency I am working with. They informed me that my main contact and director of the agency, Manisha, will not be available during my stay. Manisha’s father suddenly became ill and was put in ICU, so she went home, though I’m not sure where that is. No problem – the schedule is still on. Speaking of which…




My first appointment was scheduled for 1:30. I checked into my hotel at 1:00. I told my chaperones that I would put my stuff in my room, change clothes, and be right back down. I came right back down and they were gone. They came back for me a bit after 1:30, not concerned, and took me to my appointment. No one there said anything about us being late. After this they took me to the offices of the agency so I could use the internet (although I was unable to get into my work email). This was about 3pm. With my next appointment at 4pm, I was told it would take 15 minutes to get there. About 20 ‘til 4, Prishit came in to check on me. I ask if he was ready to go. No, he says, we’ll wait until about 5 of. 4pm comes and goes, and we still have not left, not that there is anything keeping us from doing so. We get to the appointment at about 4:30, again, no word being said by any party. Welcome to IST – Indian Standard Time. The group trips I usually participate in being organized by Americans, I usually don’t get this big a dose of it. Tardiness is expected. In fact, being on time might be considered rude. However, when you get where you are going, do not park in someone else’s spot. They will let the air out of your tires. This happened to us while we were in our first appointment.

Now I am back in the agency’s offices, trying to finish this entry. Jet-lag is trying to shut me down. I need to stay up at least a couple more hours to get on track.

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Jet-lag did shut me down for a bit. I went back to the hotel and fell asleep at 7:30, meaning to get up at 8:30 and get some dinner. Instead, I turned my cellphone’s alarm off as soon as it sounded and slept ‘til close to 11pm. I made myself get up, knowing I would not sleep through the night. The concierge downstairs told me that nothing outside would be open, and that I would have to order room service if I wanted food. I walked outside anyways and saw that a place across the street was open. Shyster. I ordered a grilled paneer sandwich and a chocolate milkshake. I was a little worried about the shake, but they did it just right. So, now have I not only jumped back on the horse that threw me, but I’ve given it the metaphorical spurs. C'mon, I dare you take make me sick.

After eating I walked down the street a bit – CG Road, one of the main drags around here. Plenty of people were still hanging about in small groups and it had cooled off nicely and lit by the full moon. Flyers were plastered everywhere offering “Spoken English & Personality Development.” I also saw an office offering “Aura Counselling.” I might have to try that one out later just for fun. I only walked a couple hundred yards and then returned. Not once was I harassed, though I did draw some looks. I’ve seen no actual street dwellers in this part of town.

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After staying up late watching some movies, I got some more sleep and woke up around 7:30. I ate breakfast and lazed around all morning, working on my presentation for the evening. I ventured out on the street briefly. It was hot. I found an internet café, but still was unable to access my work email. I’m not sure to be happy about this, or very afraid. It will be piling up.

At 12:30 I was picked up by Kavil and Prishit for an early afternoon appointment. I spoke to about 20 students, in a room that could not have been more than 12’x15’ and ringed with computers. It was good practice for this evening. Prishit told me that they were expecting about 20 students for the info session at their offices. I was a bit disappointed by this. I took a short nap and then headed over. Turns out we had a few more students than Prishit was expecting. About 55 showed up. Technically, the “lecture hall” we were using could hold 42. Fire code for this room in the states would have been around 20. Stuffed in as we were, the session went well. I spoke for about an hour, then took questions.

Back at the hotel I couldn’t help falling asleep again, then waking around 11:30. Now I sit up again, watching movies and writing entries that I am as of yet unable to post. I’ve watched more TV in the past couple of days than in the previous month.

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Sunday - day off.

Woke up about 7:30, showered and went for breakfast. I've decided to go on a bit of a walkabout today. Might as well see if I can get to know the city a bit, and find some good internet (obviously, I did). I won't bore you with street names (rarely posted anyway) or directions, but I have zig-zagged around a bit. Found a Coffee Day stall and grabbed another chocolate shake. They call them "thick shakes."


The huge arcade

Low-rise concrete buildings abound. Those on side streets are typically full of flats. Those on main drags tend to be shops on the first floor or two, or throughout. Rather than having "big box" stores like we have in the states, they have a dizzying plethora of small storefronts sometimes not more than 10' or 15' wide. One arcade I saw had over one hundred stores on 4 floors. This is a nation of small entrepenuers. The middle class is growing and gaining in wealth.

Ponder this: India's middle class is growing. Signs show that ours is shrinking. Shall we meet somewhere in the middle? Will India's economy end up looking more like the USA, or visa versa. Discuss. Read Thomas Friedman.

Another ponderance: Who are the young people in Ahmedabad getting all dressed up for? They have clothing stores full of the latest Western and Indian trends everywhere. Yet, there is no alcohol in the state of Gujarat and hence no bars, clubs, or discos (or they are very well hidden). Also, the great majority of marriages are arranged. If I were in this situation, I think I would dress in sweats all the time.

So now I'm sitting at Reliance WebWorld. If pics are not posted, I'll try to get them on soon.