On the way home

On the way home tomorrow, here's my transport. Not really, obolob, that would be daft. Cows can't fly.

It's been a crazy month, and a great experience all round. I've made some friends out here, learnt a lot from Keystone, and learnt some new things about myself.

Looking forward to seeing my wife, friends and family and catching up with good old Blighty.

To all the guys at Keystone - thanks for making me feel so welcome, for all you've done. I hope to be back one day with Emma, and of course if you are ever in the UK then let us know and we'll return the hospitality!

Leaving on a jet plane

Not long to go now - today and tomorrow to get my work finished and then back to Banglalore on Friday, a quick stop off to buy a Phillips electric razor, and then back to Blighty on Saturday.

Going to miss this place; the people, the lifestyle, the scenery. I feel a list coming on:

Top Things I am Going To Miss About India In No Particular Order

1. Having curry whenever and wherever I want (within reason)

2. Rounding corners and suddenly being surprised by how much a human can carry on their head

3. Not having to shave every day

4. The commute

5. Having someone cook all my meals, do my tidying, and my washing (Emma, take note!)

6. Star Movies

7. Premiership football on live all weekend

8. Fresh food

9. Beautiful scenery

And, of course,

10. The people I have met

Top of the world

Yesterday afternoon Sam and Senthil took me out for a gander at the scenery. We drove out to a famous local viewpoint where there were stunning views in every direction (except behind, which was the car park). Ahead of us the Eastern Ghats mountain range rose up, and then beyond that the plains stretched away far to the East. Below us was a huge gorge choc-a-bloc full of elephants, tigers, crocodiles and leopards (and other things too, like trees, but they are not as exciting). Eagles soared overhead, and to the North beyond craggy peaks the river spread into a dammed reservoir (no need to swear Mike, it's only a reservoir). To the South, further down the gorge, the Sumil plateau, where cobras and pythons abound.

We did some scrambling up and down cliffs and then headed back for dinner and a glass of brandy. Very pleasant.

This is...Gandhi's....birthday

It's Gandhi's birthday today (Mahatma Gandhi's, not Sonia Gandhi's - and not Dave Gandhi's, who runs my local chippy) and so it's a national holiday. I've taken the opportunity to come in and get some work (and blogging) done, so am sat here listening to The Final Countdown on my i-pod in peace.


Yesterday I got to tick another item off my list of "Things to do to look cool before you die" - playing the guitar whilst riding on the back of a motorbike in India (in India is optional - for ultimate coolness it should really be Route 66 in the USA).




As I mentioned yesterday a bunch of schoolkids have invaded the campus for a few days, and we've been entertaining them. As I also said, I got pressganged into singing to them - I've now got hold of a photo - just look how bored the poor blighters look - especially the girl on the right hand side.






This poor little fella just doesn't know what to make of it - "who is this strange wailing man?"



Some of the chaps from work got their bongos out and everyone gathered round to watch. Oh, grow up! We all watched them playing with their instruments. One chap had a long, thin horn that widened out at the end, and made a kind of wailing sound. Hang on a sec, I'll try and upload a video clip so you can hear...
Wow, that actually seems to have worked. Cool. Check out the dancing - don't you think it's a bit like the dancing in the video to Fatboy Slim's "Praise You"? I do anyway. It's a Kurumba tribal dance I believe. Anyway, it was awesome.





I'll put a photo on too just in case the video clip doesn't work after all.



So, yeah, all in all, a cool day.

ARGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!

How embarrassing - I just got pressganged into singing and playing the guitar in front of all the kids! Worse than that, not only was I expected to sing and play, I was expected to do them concurrently and in tune! Worse still, the whole office turned up to watch me - AGHHH!!! Still, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a little tiny extrovert part of me that secretly enjoyed it a bit :-)