Thursday 24 April 2008
Tuesday 22 April 2008
Monday 21 April 2008
50 hours and counting
It's official, I haven't been to bed in some 50 hours now! It's after 1am and I've just started worked my UK/Ireland working day. San Francisco is just as I remember it. My hotel is right in the middle of the downtown activity. Nice. So far so good, but I should really get some sleep.
Sunday 20 April 2008
San Francisco
Well after a little bit of rest in Dublin, I'm at it again. This time I'm off to San Francisco, where I am due to talk at Interwoven Gearup 2008. I've very excited at this opportunity, but nervous, nevertheless, as this will be my first time to travel so far alone.
I'm currently sitting in the Airport lounge in Dublin, looking out at a very cold, dark (8am) and wet runway. I'm taking off in an hour and I need sleep. I really should have slept last nite, but I never got around to it. Don't ask!
I'm currently sitting in the Airport lounge in Dublin, looking out at a very cold, dark (8am) and wet runway. I'm taking off in an hour and I need sleep. I really should have slept last nite, but I never got around to it. Don't ask!
Sunday 9 March 2008
Not more curry
The last few days have hectic! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday where at least 15 hour days for me, heading into the office from 9am until 12pm. Thankfully I've moved onto the campus, perhaps this could be a contributing factor.
Now on the campus, food options in the evening aren't are great. Yes it has a Subway and Dominos Pizza, but both aren't very healthy and to be truthful I'm sick of curry. Everything is curried, I've love simple vegetables.
On both Thursday and Friday our dinner was delivered to our hotel rooms after 9am, but we didn't get back until after midnight, to cold dinner. Fingers crossed we don't get sick eating cold dinner!
This weekend was a massive turn around, we managed to get out of the campus and see some of India, well at least Hyderabad. We had hoped to fly out as far as Goha for the weekend, but decided to stay local. We had an amazing time, a day two city tour, really happy we stayed.
Saturday kicked off with some work in the office, all of the developers are working the weekend to meeting the deadlines. Our driver and guide picked us up at 12 noon. It's not safe to travel alone, and as everything is so cheap, it costs nothing to have a personal driver and guide. We covered the local one man collection museum, with the world famous Veiled Rebecca, leading onto the Chowmahalla palace, which was truly beautiful. Jody got alot of attention from the local schoolgirls, they were amazed to see a white person. It's funny really, but rather cute to see 10+ girls swarm her in affection and awe over her differences. This place is truly untouched. The afternoon was spent pearl shopping, this City is known for it's world famous pearls!
Saturday evening, we took one of the developers whos over from the UK, Smitha, out for dinner in the Tak Kristina Hotel, it's a 5 star hotel some 40 odd minutes from our campus. The food was brill, nice and western for our tastes. Midnight buffets are common in hotels here, great for us as we didn't arrive until after midnight. Deserts here in India are something else. They are usually hot, so accompanied with vanilla ice cream is usually the norm. We had hired a local at taxi man to drive us out. Its normal for then to wait for you, he did. We returned home some 3 hours later. The whole taxi and waited costed less than €20! Amazing!
Sunday was an early start, 10am departure from outside the hotel/hostel, guess what, Jody and I were late! We still need sleep! Our first port of call was the Golkonda Fort. This fort is the original fort for the king of the area. It has both mosque and Hindi Temple. The views from the top of the hill where the royal palace sits where breathtaking, the whole of Hyderabad beneath. The roads around the fort where something else, cows, goats and all manners of animals roamed the streets. So weird!
We took in Mc Donalds, yes I know I shouldn't have, but this in India, Mac Donalds doesn't serve beef! So no big mac. Lots of nice chicken and veggie options on the menu. Handicraft shopping followed where Jody was surprised with a birthday cake! Today was her birthday and our guide organised the cake! How thoughtful! Brill or what! All of the Indians in the store sang to her! How nice.
A visit to the center of the old town followed afterwards, taking in the charminara and bangle street (famous for it's bangles). A visit to the local mosque, capable of holding 10,000 was a must, but we didn't go any further past the inner courtyard. Lots of goats roamed the grounds, I was horrified to learn that these were owned by the mosque, and would be killed in scarifies to God! WHAT! They don't deserve that! As I'm currently a vegetarian during this lent period, I find this very hard to accept and modern day religion/church would perform such an act. Horrible.
Again, walking around the very busy streets, we stuck out. The only two white people in a massive crowd of 1000s. People touched us, talked to us, shuck our hands. It all really was nice, but very very strange. The kids are more inquisitive then the adults.
We need to book our flights home tomorrow, more then likely we'll be leaving on Friday. Heres to another week (or best part of) in India. Pics soon, not easy to upload as I'm on a very slow mobile broadband connection provided by the company I'm visiting over here.
Now on the campus, food options in the evening aren't are great. Yes it has a Subway and Dominos Pizza, but both aren't very healthy and to be truthful I'm sick of curry. Everything is curried, I've love simple vegetables.
On both Thursday and Friday our dinner was delivered to our hotel rooms after 9am, but we didn't get back until after midnight, to cold dinner. Fingers crossed we don't get sick eating cold dinner!
This weekend was a massive turn around, we managed to get out of the campus and see some of India, well at least Hyderabad. We had hoped to fly out as far as Goha for the weekend, but decided to stay local. We had an amazing time, a day two city tour, really happy we stayed.
Saturday kicked off with some work in the office, all of the developers are working the weekend to meeting the deadlines. Our driver and guide picked us up at 12 noon. It's not safe to travel alone, and as everything is so cheap, it costs nothing to have a personal driver and guide. We covered the local one man collection museum, with the world famous Veiled Rebecca, leading onto the Chowmahalla palace, which was truly beautiful. Jody got alot of attention from the local schoolgirls, they were amazed to see a white person. It's funny really, but rather cute to see 10+ girls swarm her in affection and awe over her differences. This place is truly untouched. The afternoon was spent pearl shopping, this City is known for it's world famous pearls!
Saturday evening, we took one of the developers whos over from the UK, Smitha, out for dinner in the Tak Kristina Hotel, it's a 5 star hotel some 40 odd minutes from our campus. The food was brill, nice and western for our tastes. Midnight buffets are common in hotels here, great for us as we didn't arrive until after midnight. Deserts here in India are something else. They are usually hot, so accompanied with vanilla ice cream is usually the norm. We had hired a local at taxi man to drive us out. Its normal for then to wait for you, he did. We returned home some 3 hours later. The whole taxi and waited costed less than €20! Amazing!
Sunday was an early start, 10am departure from outside the hotel/hostel, guess what, Jody and I were late! We still need sleep! Our first port of call was the Golkonda Fort. This fort is the original fort for the king of the area. It has both mosque and Hindi Temple. The views from the top of the hill where the royal palace sits where breathtaking, the whole of Hyderabad beneath. The roads around the fort where something else, cows, goats and all manners of animals roamed the streets. So weird!
We took in Mc Donalds, yes I know I shouldn't have, but this in India, Mac Donalds doesn't serve beef! So no big mac. Lots of nice chicken and veggie options on the menu. Handicraft shopping followed where Jody was surprised with a birthday cake! Today was her birthday and our guide organised the cake! How thoughtful! Brill or what! All of the Indians in the store sang to her! How nice.
A visit to the center of the old town followed afterwards, taking in the charminara and bangle street (famous for it's bangles). A visit to the local mosque, capable of holding 10,000 was a must, but we didn't go any further past the inner courtyard. Lots of goats roamed the grounds, I was horrified to learn that these were owned by the mosque, and would be killed in scarifies to God! WHAT! They don't deserve that! As I'm currently a vegetarian during this lent period, I find this very hard to accept and modern day religion/church would perform such an act. Horrible.
Again, walking around the very busy streets, we stuck out. The only two white people in a massive crowd of 1000s. People touched us, talked to us, shuck our hands. It all really was nice, but very very strange. The kids are more inquisitive then the adults.
We need to book our flights home tomorrow, more then likely we'll be leaving on Friday. Heres to another week (or best part of) in India. Pics soon, not easy to upload as I'm on a very slow mobile broadband connection provided by the company I'm visiting over here.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Day 3/4: India
India, what can I say, well its unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. Arriving on Monday morning at 3am, Hyderabad airport is like stepping back in time. Immigration was slow, bag collection was messy and packed. Customs took us aside when we declared we'd three laptops between two of us. Apparently the limit is one per visitor. They were going to make us pay tax on one of them, but decided to let us off. Nice.
Outside the airport our driver picked us up, thank god, your going to get a normal taxi over here for love nor money. Crowds stood outside the, many of them local beggers, one followed Jody, stated he worked for the airport. He just wanted money, it was messy. We are being chauffeured everywhere here, for free. The company we are visiting are paying for all food, accommodation and transport.
The local money around 100R to 1.6Euro. We've no real idea of far 100R can take us. We opted to play it stay and take out 50Euro worth. Over the last two days we've been tipping our drivers anywhere between 200R and 600R. It was only from buying food out that we realised a coffee is less then 16cent and a full main course costs 1Euro. It's no wonder they love us, we're giving them a weeks wage in one tip! What can you do!
We're staying in hotel, some 45mins away from the Company Campus. The hotel is beautiful, but we've been so busy we haven't had the chance to use all of the facilities including a roof swimming pool. Temperatures reach over 100F/38C daily. Its HOT! But we're in air conditioned cars and buildings.
Work is long. Today, Tuesday, we've spent some 14 hours in the office.
The food is spicy. Monday lunch was had in hotel, due to my diet I only had boiled veg, but I'm getting more adventurous as time goes on. I'm still not eating too much, but getting enough juice and water to live! On the other hand, Jody is LOVING all the food, it really is a dream come through.
We've checking out of the hotel tomorrow as we're scheduled to move into the campus itself tomorrow evening. We'll remain there until we leave India next week. We're making great progress, but still have alot more to do. We've two other colleagues over here for the last week, they are moving on to another city tomorrow.
I'm going to head to bed here as I need to pack and check out in the morning. I'll update soon with pics and videos and some more impressions of India.
Outside the airport our driver picked us up, thank god, your going to get a normal taxi over here for love nor money. Crowds stood outside the, many of them local beggers, one followed Jody, stated he worked for the airport. He just wanted money, it was messy. We are being chauffeured everywhere here, for free. The company we are visiting are paying for all food, accommodation and transport.
The local money around 100R to 1.6Euro. We've no real idea of far 100R can take us. We opted to play it stay and take out 50Euro worth. Over the last two days we've been tipping our drivers anywhere between 200R and 600R. It was only from buying food out that we realised a coffee is less then 16cent and a full main course costs 1Euro. It's no wonder they love us, we're giving them a weeks wage in one tip! What can you do!
We're staying in hotel, some 45mins away from the Company Campus. The hotel is beautiful, but we've been so busy we haven't had the chance to use all of the facilities including a roof swimming pool. Temperatures reach over 100F/38C daily. Its HOT! But we're in air conditioned cars and buildings.
Work is long. Today, Tuesday, we've spent some 14 hours in the office.
The food is spicy. Monday lunch was had in hotel, due to my diet I only had boiled veg, but I'm getting more adventurous as time goes on. I'm still not eating too much, but getting enough juice and water to live! On the other hand, Jody is LOVING all the food, it really is a dream come through.
We've checking out of the hotel tomorrow as we're scheduled to move into the campus itself tomorrow evening. We'll remain there until we leave India next week. We're making great progress, but still have alot more to do. We've two other colleagues over here for the last week, they are moving on to another city tomorrow.
I'm going to head to bed here as I need to pack and check out in the morning. I'll update soon with pics and videos and some more impressions of India.
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