We started our road trip yesterday with a 10-hour drive to Fredericton. We packed everything in the car the night before and got up at 5am to hit the road by 6am. The unfortunate thing about leaving that early is that you hit some rush hour traffic in Montreal. It wasn’t all that bad, though and we made our first pit-stop on the Autoroute 20 just south of Quebec City. We stopped and had lunch at a picnic area in Quebec with a nice view of the Laurentians and the St. Lawrence. From there, Lara drove us into New Brunswick. We got into Fredericton around dinner time and loaded up on a big lobster dinner (what better way to start a trip to the Atlantic provinces?).
I’m always amazed at how well our kids travel. I’ve talked to people who wouldn’t even dream of taking their kids to Montreal because the two-hour drive would be torture. The kids played with their games, watched movies, too naps and didn’t even ask how much farther it was until we were seven hours into the drive.
When we got into Fredericton, we first checked into our digs. Before the trip I was looking into places to stay and found that hotels were crazy expensive. I guess that should be expected with high-season, last minute bookings. We were also planning on camping, but wouldn’t have had enough room in the car for all the equipment (we were pretty full already). We decided that we would look at accommodations at universities. Many universities open up their residences for tourists in the summer months for a pittance compared to the price of hotels. We stayed the first night at UNB in Fredericton for around $40 for the whole family compared with about $130 for a hotel. The rooms are large and clean and get the job done, and there’s a kitchen just down the hall. There’s no AC and things get a bit stuffy, but it’s not that bad. Mankind survived for tens of thousands of years without air conditioning, so I figure we can do it for a couple of weeks.
Today we’re going to be touring around Fredericton’s downtown and tomorrow we’re going to St. John. After that, the plans get a bit hazy, but we’re planning on seeing the Bay of Fundy and the flowerpot islands, going to Digby, NS for some whale watching (and Digby scallops!), Cape Breton, and then PEI. Mostly, we’re just playing it by ear.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
6 Weeks in 6 Paragraphs
A lot has happened in the last few weeks, but I’ve just been too lazy to write much about it. Here’s the executive summary.
Week of May 29, 2006
I taught a course in Mexico City this week. I arrived early on the Friday night and spent the Saturday touring Teotihuacan. I already wrote about that, so ‘nuff said. Unfortunately, I had a lot of work to do in the evenings so I didn’t get out half as much as I would have liked. I ate a lot of street vender food (the tacos were amazing) and didn’t get sick at all. After class on the Friday, I hopped in a cab and went out for a good dinner at Villa Maria. I slopped back a bit of tequila with it. Good times were had by all.
Week of June 5, 2006
My Uncle Ron lives in Morelia about four hours west of Mexico City, so on the Saturday, I hopped on a bus and went out to visit for a few days. The bus ride itself was pretty nice. The seats were comfortable and they showed movies. I watched The Dukes of Hazzard in Spanish. I had a great visit in Morelia. First of all, it was good to see my uncle again. He took me all around the area. We went to Patzcuaro to do some handicraft shopping, Tzintzuntzan to visit ruins, another town to look for pottery (the name escapes me at the moment), and Uruapan to visit some more ruins and a the Mexican national park. We also spent some time hanging around in Morelia. Morelia is a very pretty city that has been kept spotlessly clean. There are many great little cafes and restaurants in te downtown area as well as cathedrals, lovely architecture, and an aquaduct. It was a great mini vacation and I’m looking forward to going back with the family.
Week of June 12, 2006
I taught a course in Toronto that week. For the most part, it was same-old-same-old snce I go there all the time, but I did a couple of fun things. I decided it was a good opportunity to catch up on summer movies, so I saw X-Men and The DaVinci Code, and saw Mission Impossible 3 with Mez and Matt after a good Italian dinner in Aurora. That weekend, Lara and I took the kids to see Cars which was a blast.
Week of June 19, 2006
I had a few days at home and then left for Delhi, India on the Tuesday (I arrived on Wednesday night). I decided that I would get the sickness and jetlag out of my system before I had to start teaching on the Monday. I also wanted to do some sightseeing. On the Thursday, I did nothing and just hung around the hotel. The hotel was the Trident Hilton in Gurgaon about 45 minutes drive outside of Delhi. It’s a five-star, and was a great place to lounge, although quite expensive. I paid the same nightly rate as I did in midtown-Manhattan a few weeks before. That’s crazy expensive for India. The next day, I went on a tour of Delhi. Compared to a lot of what I’ve seen in India, Delhi has been cleaned up and modernized quite a bit. There are new parks going up all over the place and there isn’t as much debris along the sides of the roadways. My driver took my all over the city, and I spent a few hours in the Red Fort and Humayun’s tomb as well as a number of other places. The weather was unbelievably hot; it hit 45 Celsius that day (no, this is not a misprint). The next day, I went on a trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Words and pictures can’t describe how striking and beautiful this building is. There is also more to see than just the building itself. The entire site is stunning in its beauty and symmetry. I also did some shopping in Agra and bought more things than I had really intended.
Week of June 26, 2006
I taught class in Gurgaon, India this week. One of the IBMers who works there was having a birthday party and invited me along. Had some great food and conversation. We munched until about 10:00pm at which time dinner was served (I thought the munching was dinner). On the Wednesday, I got really sick and had to miss a day of class. It was the first time in eight years of teaching that I had to miss a day. I was able to teach the next day. I left to come home on Friday night (1:30am flight) and arrived in Toronto on Canada Day.
Week of July 3, 2006
We spent the Canada Day weekend in Newmarket with Lara’s family. Erica and Stephen were in town from Ireland. We watched World Cup soccer most of the weekend and did precious little else. It was awesome. I am now officially on vacation for the rest of the summer as I’m taking July and August off. The rest of the week, we didn’t do too much. We took care of a few things that needed to be done and spent some time by the pool. We also did some preparation for our road trip out east that we’re taking the next week. I didn’t do much, but that’s the point of vacation, isn’t it?
Week of May 29, 2006
I taught a course in Mexico City this week. I arrived early on the Friday night and spent the Saturday touring Teotihuacan. I already wrote about that, so ‘nuff said. Unfortunately, I had a lot of work to do in the evenings so I didn’t get out half as much as I would have liked. I ate a lot of street vender food (the tacos were amazing) and didn’t get sick at all. After class on the Friday, I hopped in a cab and went out for a good dinner at Villa Maria. I slopped back a bit of tequila with it. Good times were had by all.
Week of June 5, 2006
My Uncle Ron lives in Morelia about four hours west of Mexico City, so on the Saturday, I hopped on a bus and went out to visit for a few days. The bus ride itself was pretty nice. The seats were comfortable and they showed movies. I watched The Dukes of Hazzard in Spanish. I had a great visit in Morelia. First of all, it was good to see my uncle again. He took me all around the area. We went to Patzcuaro to do some handicraft shopping, Tzintzuntzan to visit ruins, another town to look for pottery (the name escapes me at the moment), and Uruapan to visit some more ruins and a the Mexican national park. We also spent some time hanging around in Morelia. Morelia is a very pretty city that has been kept spotlessly clean. There are many great little cafes and restaurants in te downtown area as well as cathedrals, lovely architecture, and an aquaduct. It was a great mini vacation and I’m looking forward to going back with the family.
Week of June 12, 2006
I taught a course in Toronto that week. For the most part, it was same-old-same-old snce I go there all the time, but I did a couple of fun things. I decided it was a good opportunity to catch up on summer movies, so I saw X-Men and The DaVinci Code, and saw Mission Impossible 3 with Mez and Matt after a good Italian dinner in Aurora. That weekend, Lara and I took the kids to see Cars which was a blast.
Week of June 19, 2006
I had a few days at home and then left for Delhi, India on the Tuesday (I arrived on Wednesday night). I decided that I would get the sickness and jetlag out of my system before I had to start teaching on the Monday. I also wanted to do some sightseeing. On the Thursday, I did nothing and just hung around the hotel. The hotel was the Trident Hilton in Gurgaon about 45 minutes drive outside of Delhi. It’s a five-star, and was a great place to lounge, although quite expensive. I paid the same nightly rate as I did in midtown-Manhattan a few weeks before. That’s crazy expensive for India. The next day, I went on a tour of Delhi. Compared to a lot of what I’ve seen in India, Delhi has been cleaned up and modernized quite a bit. There are new parks going up all over the place and there isn’t as much debris along the sides of the roadways. My driver took my all over the city, and I spent a few hours in the Red Fort and Humayun’s tomb as well as a number of other places. The weather was unbelievably hot; it hit 45 Celsius that day (no, this is not a misprint). The next day, I went on a trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Words and pictures can’t describe how striking and beautiful this building is. There is also more to see than just the building itself. The entire site is stunning in its beauty and symmetry. I also did some shopping in Agra and bought more things than I had really intended.
Week of June 26, 2006
I taught class in Gurgaon, India this week. One of the IBMers who works there was having a birthday party and invited me along. Had some great food and conversation. We munched until about 10:00pm at which time dinner was served (I thought the munching was dinner). On the Wednesday, I got really sick and had to miss a day of class. It was the first time in eight years of teaching that I had to miss a day. I was able to teach the next day. I left to come home on Friday night (1:30am flight) and arrived in Toronto on Canada Day.
Week of July 3, 2006
We spent the Canada Day weekend in Newmarket with Lara’s family. Erica and Stephen were in town from Ireland. We watched World Cup soccer most of the weekend and did precious little else. It was awesome. I am now officially on vacation for the rest of the summer as I’m taking July and August off. The rest of the week, we didn’t do too much. We took care of a few things that needed to be done and spent some time by the pool. We also did some preparation for our road trip out east that we’re taking the next week. I didn’t do much, but that’s the point of vacation, isn’t it?
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Aztec City
Today, I ventured out a little further and visited Teotihuacan, an ancient, ruined Aztec City about an hour outside of Mexico City. A few people had already recommended it to me. Instead of taking a tour, I decided to do it alone. I took the metro to the North bus station, and hopped on a bus to "Los Piramides". About an hour later, I hopped off the bus at the Southwest entrance.
On the way to the metro, I took a chance on some street food; a tamal with chicken. I wasn't sure how street food would affect me, but I was doing fine so far.
Teotihuacan is a ruined city with two large pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, and the Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world and sits to the side of the Street of the Dead which runs North-South down the center of the city. The Pyramid of the Moon is not quite as large, but sits at one end of the Street of the Dead. Also, at the southern end of the city is the much smaller Temple of Quetzlcoatl (a feathered serpent). Although small, the temple has some ornate carvings on it that make it worth climbing. The stairs are super-steep, so you might want to think twice about it if you're afraid of heights (like me). What seems fine going up is not so fine going down.
I spent the next hour so working my way to the Pyramid of the Sun (the entire site is over 4km from end to end so it's a ways to go). I took a bit of a back route and visited the museum there briefly. When you start to get close the the pyramid you begin to get a feeling for just how big it really is. It's a small mountain. I decided not to climb it because not only is it really big, but it's also really steep. Not very Greg-friendly.
Once you hit the Pyramid of the Sun, you are entering the Street of the Dead. The street is wide with walls running along both sides. The walls have stairs periodically so you can climb up and sit. Picture in your head what you think an Aztec City would like and that's pretty much what it's like. Very cool.
Once I got to the end of the street, I was finally in a courtyard at the base of the Pyramid of the Moon. I did climb this one. It's not quite as steep, and although it's not as high, it's built on higher ground, so the view is just as good. In fact, I think it's probably better since you're looking straight down the Street. After about 20 minutes up top, I climbed down, and worked my way back to the bus.
While waiting for the bus, I met a father-and-son-duo from Iowa. I chatted with them for a while on the bus.
On arriving back in the city, I took the metro to the main city square, the Zocalo, in the historical centre of the city. I saw the presidential palace (holy huge) and the cathedral (also holy huge), but didn't spend much time walking around. My legs were really starting to hurt (the climb down was murder) and I was getting hungry as it was about 3:30. I went to Cafe de las Sirenas just to the north of the cathedral for a little mole poblano. So far, I was two-for-two on the restaurant department.
After lunch, I walked a couple of kilometers down Avenida de 5 de Mayo, past the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Alameda Central (a huge park). All of this to avoid having to change trains. The line running to the Zocalo was super-packed. I'm really surprised that nobody got pushed onto the track the platform was so full.
I took the metro back and then walked back to the hotel. I estimate that I walked about 17km all told. Ouch!
On the way to the metro, I took a chance on some street food; a tamal with chicken. I wasn't sure how street food would affect me, but I was doing fine so far.
Teotihuacan is a ruined city with two large pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, and the Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world and sits to the side of the Street of the Dead which runs North-South down the center of the city. The Pyramid of the Moon is not quite as large, but sits at one end of the Street of the Dead. Also, at the southern end of the city is the much smaller Temple of Quetzlcoatl (a feathered serpent). Although small, the temple has some ornate carvings on it that make it worth climbing. The stairs are super-steep, so you might want to think twice about it if you're afraid of heights (like me). What seems fine going up is not so fine going down.
I spent the next hour so working my way to the Pyramid of the Sun (the entire site is over 4km from end to end so it's a ways to go). I took a bit of a back route and visited the museum there briefly. When you start to get close the the pyramid you begin to get a feeling for just how big it really is. It's a small mountain. I decided not to climb it because not only is it really big, but it's also really steep. Not very Greg-friendly.
Once you hit the Pyramid of the Sun, you are entering the Street of the Dead. The street is wide with walls running along both sides. The walls have stairs periodically so you can climb up and sit. Picture in your head what you think an Aztec City would like and that's pretty much what it's like. Very cool.
Once I got to the end of the street, I was finally in a courtyard at the base of the Pyramid of the Moon. I did climb this one. It's not quite as steep, and although it's not as high, it's built on higher ground, so the view is just as good. In fact, I think it's probably better since you're looking straight down the Street. After about 20 minutes up top, I climbed down, and worked my way back to the bus.
While waiting for the bus, I met a father-and-son-duo from Iowa. I chatted with them for a while on the bus.
On arriving back in the city, I took the metro to the main city square, the Zocalo, in the historical centre of the city. I saw the presidential palace (holy huge) and the cathedral (also holy huge), but didn't spend much time walking around. My legs were really starting to hurt (the climb down was murder) and I was getting hungry as it was about 3:30. I went to Cafe de las Sirenas just to the north of the cathedral for a little mole poblano. So far, I was two-for-two on the restaurant department.
After lunch, I walked a couple of kilometers down Avenida de 5 de Mayo, past the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Alameda Central (a huge park). All of this to avoid having to change trains. The line running to the Zocalo was super-packed. I'm really surprised that nobody got pushed onto the track the platform was so full.
I took the metro back and then walked back to the hotel. I estimate that I walked about 17km all told. Ouch!
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Gellin' in Mexico City
I left today for some work in Mexico City. I decided to go a couple of days early so that I could see the sights a little and settle in before I had to go to work. After all the hype about how Mexico can ravish your innards, I also thought I'd give myself some time to get over that.
My flight left Ottawa at 6:00am, so I had to get up at about 3:30. I hate that. When I have to get up that early, it's like I don't sleep at all. I keep waking up because I'm worried that I'm going to miss the alarm. Sucks.
The flights were pretty uneventful. Both were on time and the leg from Toronto to Mexico City was surprisingly short (only about five hours). Going through customs was also pretty uneventful as I had visited the Mexican embassy the day before to pick up a business card to work here for the week.
I took a cab to the hotel and after a couple hours of rest, decided I'd hit the street. I walked south of my hotel for a few kilometres until I got Coyoacan. Incidentally, this area of Mexico City was rated in the top five livable neighbourhoods in North America. There's a large park in the west end of Coyoacan called the Vivero. I walked along the edge of it and took a break in Plaza Santa Catalina. From there I walked down a fairly quiet, cobbled little street (Francisco Sosa) until I reached one Jardin Hidalgo. There are a couple of large plazas in Coyoacan that turn into markets on the weekend. I strolled around a bit and headed to Cantina de la Guadalupana for a bit of refreshment.
I'd heard that Chilangos (people from Mexico City) don't really eat until about 8:00pm, so I had a few beers to wait it out. By the time I thought it was acceptable to eat and asked for a menu, they told me they didn't have food at the time. I was getting pretty hungry since I hadn't eaten since breakfast, so I pounded back my beer and went out looking for other options. I had walked past a little place on Francisco Sosa called Cafeteria Moheli and decided to have some dinner there. Once I found it again, I settled in for my first Mexican meal - enchiladas con pollo con salsa verde. One of my favourites and it didn't disappoint.
After dinner, I went back to Jardin Hidalgo. There was a Mexican Beatles cover band playing. They were the most spot-on cover band I have ever seen. In fact, when I first heard the music (She Loves You), I thought it was a recording. It was about three songs before I realized there was a band playing. They had the accents, the hairdos, and the clothes. If the Beatles were Mexican, this is what they would have looked like. I hung around a bit, grabbed a churro from a street vender and headed back to the hotel in a cab.
Tons of walking, and my feet didn't hurt. Thanks, Dr. Scholls!
My flight left Ottawa at 6:00am, so I had to get up at about 3:30. I hate that. When I have to get up that early, it's like I don't sleep at all. I keep waking up because I'm worried that I'm going to miss the alarm. Sucks.
The flights were pretty uneventful. Both were on time and the leg from Toronto to Mexico City was surprisingly short (only about five hours). Going through customs was also pretty uneventful as I had visited the Mexican embassy the day before to pick up a business card to work here for the week.
I took a cab to the hotel and after a couple hours of rest, decided I'd hit the street. I walked south of my hotel for a few kilometres until I got Coyoacan. Incidentally, this area of Mexico City was rated in the top five livable neighbourhoods in North America. There's a large park in the west end of Coyoacan called the Vivero. I walked along the edge of it and took a break in Plaza Santa Catalina. From there I walked down a fairly quiet, cobbled little street (Francisco Sosa) until I reached one Jardin Hidalgo. There are a couple of large plazas in Coyoacan that turn into markets on the weekend. I strolled around a bit and headed to Cantina de la Guadalupana for a bit of refreshment.
I'd heard that Chilangos (people from Mexico City) don't really eat until about 8:00pm, so I had a few beers to wait it out. By the time I thought it was acceptable to eat and asked for a menu, they told me they didn't have food at the time. I was getting pretty hungry since I hadn't eaten since breakfast, so I pounded back my beer and went out looking for other options. I had walked past a little place on Francisco Sosa called Cafeteria Moheli and decided to have some dinner there. Once I found it again, I settled in for my first Mexican meal - enchiladas con pollo con salsa verde. One of my favourites and it didn't disappoint.
After dinner, I went back to Jardin Hidalgo. There was a Mexican Beatles cover band playing. They were the most spot-on cover band I have ever seen. In fact, when I first heard the music (She Loves You), I thought it was a recording. It was about three songs before I realized there was a band playing. They had the accents, the hairdos, and the clothes. If the Beatles were Mexican, this is what they would have looked like. I hung around a bit, grabbed a churro from a street vender and headed back to the hotel in a cab.
Tons of walking, and my feet didn't hurt. Thanks, Dr. Scholls!
Friday, May 19, 2006
NYC and why you shouldn't rub chilis in your eyes
The other day, I touched a piece of red Thai chili (cut up with seeds and all) and then proceeded to rub my eye. Holy crap did this ever hurt. You should never under any circumstances do this.
I'm in NYC this week and having a real cracking time of it. You can see some of my pictures from this trip here.
We had to cut our fishing trip short since I had to teach this course, and to be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to coming here. I just didn't feel like having to deal with the crowds and the bustle and all of that. However, once I got here, those misgivings melted away in about ten minutes. There's just so much to do and see (and eat) here that it's tough to hate it. True the crowds (especially on rush hour trains) can get to you, but it's not that bad once you get the hang of it.
There's all kind of things that I love about this city:
I'm in NYC this week and having a real cracking time of it. You can see some of my pictures from this trip here.
We had to cut our fishing trip short since I had to teach this course, and to be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to coming here. I just didn't feel like having to deal with the crowds and the bustle and all of that. However, once I got here, those misgivings melted away in about ten minutes. There's just so much to do and see (and eat) here that it's tough to hate it. True the crowds (especially on rush hour trains) can get to you, but it's not that bad once you get the hang of it.
There's all kind of things that I love about this city:
The city's pedestrian friendly and people walk everywhere (using their feet and everything! It's amazing). This is not something you see a lot of in the US.
The metro totally kicks bum. Anywhere, anytime, with very little waiting for trains. If you come, get a map of the metro and take it with you everywhere. Tourists and locals alike carry them. Mark up your map with your favourite restaurants and hot spots. Also mark the direction of major one-way streets (like Broadway) so that you know which way you're facing when you come out of the subway. I just did this for the first time this trip and it was a lifesaver.
Carry your camera with you at all times. Many times that you will walk around a corner and see a great view that you weren't at all expecting. Capture it!
I don't understand why the meal limit here is so high. You can have a great meal at a trendy restaurant without even coming close (provided you know where to go). Street vendors have good food at supercheap prices. It's not just hot dogs and pretzels either. You can get chicken on a pita (personal fave), shish kabobs, and all kinds of other stuff (the hot candied nuts are a favourite as well). When I get a chance, I will post an entry on my travelog with some of the good places that have been recommended to me. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've said that.
Friday, May 05, 2006
We're Podcasting!
I just finished posting the very first podcast of the Greg and Joe Roadshow. What's a podcast? It's like an audio blog. Joe and I meet a lot of people, so we figured that we would sit down for about 15 minutes a week and chat about some of our stories. I don't really know where we're going with it, but we have a few ideas for some other things we can add to mix things up. It's pretty bare bones for now, but we'll hopefully be jazzing it up a bit with some regular features and possibly even theme music.
To check out our podcast, click the "Greg and Joe Roadshow Podcast" link on the right under "My Other Blogs". There are instructions there for subscribing in iTunes.
I never did finish my travel entry on Toronto; it's in the works, but Lara showed up just after I started writing it.
I've been in Ottawa this week with tons of things to do, but of course none of them really got done. I threw my back out again, and I'm still not quite right. I've also been preparing for our big yearly fishing trip next week. Should be a blast, but more on that later...
To check out our podcast, click the "Greg and Joe Roadshow Podcast" link on the right under "My Other Blogs". There are instructions there for subscribing in iTunes.
I never did finish my travel entry on Toronto; it's in the works, but Lara showed up just after I started writing it.
I've been in Ottawa this week with tons of things to do, but of course none of them really got done. I threw my back out again, and I'm still not quite right. I've also been preparing for our big yearly fishing trip next week. Should be a blast, but more on that later...
Friday, April 28, 2006
Hanging out at King Eddie's
I'm going to be spending the weekend at Lara's parents' place and Lara is coming in to Toronto from Ottawa to pick me up. The course finished just after noon, so I decided to come over to King Edward's Arms to have a little lunch and hang out while I waited for her to get here. The kids had to stop a couple of times, so it's taking them a little longer to get here than I had expected. As a result, I'm getting a little drunker than I had expected. Such is life.
I'm going to be home in Ottawa next week. This is going to be a bit of a treat. I'm also going to be off the week after since that's the week of the fishing trip. It's going to be a short fishing trip this year since I have to go to NYC to teach a course. Maybe Joe and I will be able to squeeze out another day or so later in the summer.
Wrestling is on the TV right now here at the pub. I can't hear what they are saying, but man it's ridiculous.
I've got a little more time to kill, so I think I'll do a travelog entry on my other blog for Toronto.
Unfortunately, there were no more visor girl sightings. It could be that the mystery will never be solved.
I'm going to be home in Ottawa next week. This is going to be a bit of a treat. I'm also going to be off the week after since that's the week of the fishing trip. It's going to be a short fishing trip this year since I have to go to NYC to teach a course. Maybe Joe and I will be able to squeeze out another day or so later in the summer.
Wrestling is on the TV right now here at the pub. I can't hear what they are saying, but man it's ridiculous.
I've got a little more time to kill, so I think I'll do a travelog entry on my other blog for Toronto.
Unfortunately, there were no more visor girl sightings. It could be that the mystery will never be solved.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Wierdos with Visors, Part 2
I think there was another visor-girl spotting this morning. I'm not sure if it was the same person or not, the visor was actually one of those hats you probably used to wear in the 80's. However, it was really big, was the same colour, and she walked kind of strange, like either she didn't have knees, or she was wearing stilts. She was going into our hotel. Hopefully she's not trying to track us down because that would be creepy.
Joe and I have been recently inspired by Ricky Gervais' podcast, so we were playing around a bit with podcasting today and managed to get one up and running, and subscribed to it in iTunes. Kind of neat stuff. We have a couple of ideas for podcasts. I'll post something here if and when we actually get anything up and running.
We're going out to the Madison House around Bloor and Spadina (in Toronto) tonight. I haven't been there in years. Hopefully it will be warm enough to sit outside on the patios. That would be sweet.
Joe and I have been recently inspired by Ricky Gervais' podcast, so we were playing around a bit with podcasting today and managed to get one up and running, and subscribed to it in iTunes. Kind of neat stuff. We have a couple of ideas for podcasts. I'll post something here if and when we actually get anything up and running.
We're going out to the Madison House around Bloor and Spadina (in Toronto) tonight. I haven't been there in years. Hopefully it will be warm enough to sit outside on the patios. That would be sweet.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Easter Bunny Stew and Wierdos Wearing Visors
I'm in Toronto with Joe this week getting trained on some new stuff that's going to be big in the next year. Unfortunately, I threw my back out on Sunday (yes, again), so it's been a bit difficult to really stay focused. I have to teach this in a few weeks, but I'm sure that I'll have lots of time to fill in the gaps over the next couple of weeks.
I'm hopefully going to have some good international travel this year for work. I may be going to Mexico City in May, and we're also looking at some work in Scotland, Isreal, and India. Very cool.
I was at the grocery store on the weekend and they had rabbits for sell in the meat section. I'm all for that since rabbit is delicious and I don't think that enough people eat it. I kind of thought that it was a little soon after Easter.
There was a guy walking around here with a big visor on. It was kind of like a motorcycle helmet without the helmet. He was crossing at a light, and I don't really think that he could see where he was going with it on as he was kind of stumbling around. It was kind of wierd and funny at the same time. Maybe I'll see him again this morning (we'll go to the same place for breakfast). If so I'll try to get a picture and post it.
I'm hopefully going to have some good international travel this year for work. I may be going to Mexico City in May, and we're also looking at some work in Scotland, Isreal, and India. Very cool.
I was at the grocery store on the weekend and they had rabbits for sell in the meat section. I'm all for that since rabbit is delicious and I don't think that enough people eat it. I kind of thought that it was a little soon after Easter.
There was a guy walking around here with a big visor on. It was kind of like a motorcycle helmet without the helmet. He was crossing at a light, and I don't really think that he could see where he was going with it on as he was kind of stumbling around. It was kind of wierd and funny at the same time. Maybe I'll see him again this morning (we'll go to the same place for breakfast). If so I'll try to get a picture and post it.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Night School
I’m teaching this week north of Atlanta, but instead of the normal 9 to 5 thing, it’s got a bit of a twist. The client is a large Indian outsourcing company working for an insurance company here in the US. Since they are on contract during the day, class is running from 2pm-9pm. At first, I thought this was going to totally suck, but it turns out that it’s actually kind of cool. In the morning, I kind of hang around, go out for a coffee, hit the grocery store (I bring my dinner in since we have a very short dinner break), and just lounge. Class goes by really fast for some reason; maybe it’s because we’re in a small room with no windows, so the passage of time isn’t readilly apparent. Also since the students have all been working since 8am, they’re not in much of a mood to stay a whole lot after class to do extra work (last night, they even had a call at 10pm). Sweet!
I was planning on going to the Atlanta Aquarium this week and spending some of my free time there, but it didn’t pan out. I picked up a bit of cold (small room, lots of people and stale air), so I didn’t feel much like it in the end. Also, I got hit with a bunch of conference calls; people taking advantage of my new found daytime availability.
One downside is that I haven’t been able to hit a lot of restaurants while here in Atlanta (and there are some good ones). I might go to Fat Matt’s BBQ and blues club tonight if I’m wired after class, but I have to teach again at 8am since I’m flying home tomorrow night. We’ll see what happens. I can always sleep on the plane.
I was planning on going to the Atlanta Aquarium this week and spending some of my free time there, but it didn’t pan out. I picked up a bit of cold (small room, lots of people and stale air), so I didn’t feel much like it in the end. Also, I got hit with a bunch of conference calls; people taking advantage of my new found daytime availability.
One downside is that I haven’t been able to hit a lot of restaurants while here in Atlanta (and there are some good ones). I might go to Fat Matt’s BBQ and blues club tonight if I’m wired after class, but I have to teach again at 8am since I’m flying home tomorrow night. We’ll see what happens. I can always sleep on the plane.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Back in Blog
I can’t believe that I haven’t blogged in two months. My year-end summary that I posted wasn’t really intended to be the end of the blog, but it almost turned out to be. Hopefully, now that I’ve gotten off my duff, I’ll start writing regularly again, even though I’m sure I’ve lost whatever scant readership I ever had.
I’ve been very busy this year. I’ve been out teaching almost every week in various places. I had always been thinking about the different things that I would have blogged about, but instead of “back-blogging”, here’s a summary of what I’ve been doing since the New Year.
And that pretty much brings me to this week. I’m currently in Bloomington, IL about two hours out of Chicago. There’s not that much to do, but with a little help from my students, I’m finding some of the good local places to go to (most of the places that you can easily spot are chains). I’m going to spend a lot of time here in Bloomington over the next month or so; probably three more weeks after this one.
My rental car this week is probably one of the biggest vehicles I’ve ever rented (other than a moving van). I’ve got a Chevy Uplander with three rows of seats and a DVD player. It’s so big that when I put my backpack in the back seat, the amount of empty space is almost comical.
That’s it for now. Here’s to reinstating old habits…
I’ve been very busy this year. I’ve been out teaching almost every week in various places. I had always been thinking about the different things that I would have blogged about, but instead of “back-blogging”, here’s a summary of what I’ve been doing since the New Year.
- Spent a week in New Jersey and took the train into Manhattan for dinner a couple of nights
- Went to Atlanta for a couple of days. Saw some good live blues music and had good BBQ at Fat Matt’s
- Drove seven hours to Poughkeepsie in downstate New York instead of flying. It wasn’t as far as you’d think.
- Taught a three-day course in Pittsburgh. Forgot to pack pants and taught in jeans all week. Honestly – who forgets to pack pants?!?
- Taught in Dallas at a large airline’s corporate headquarters. Charlie Pride (country and western legend) did a small concert one lunch hour in the lobby. I’m not a C&W fan, but that was pretty cool. Also had some wicked food. Dallas/Fort Worth has a lot of good restaurants (including Angelo’s – my new favourite BBQ place anywhere)
And that pretty much brings me to this week. I’m currently in Bloomington, IL about two hours out of Chicago. There’s not that much to do, but with a little help from my students, I’m finding some of the good local places to go to (most of the places that you can easily spot are chains). I’m going to spend a lot of time here in Bloomington over the next month or so; probably three more weeks after this one.
My rental car this week is probably one of the biggest vehicles I’ve ever rented (other than a moving van). I’ve got a Chevy Uplander with three rows of seats and a DVD player. It’s so big that when I put my backpack in the back seat, the amount of empty space is almost comical.
That’s it for now. Here’s to reinstating old habits…
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Year End Travel Stats
As this is my last trip of the year, I thought I would gather up some stats.
I’m not sure why I felt the need to count these things up. I thought that it might be either higher than I thought so that I could say, “Wow, it didn’t feel that bad”, or lower so that I could say, “Golly, I wasn’t away that much”. It turns out it was pretty much spot on what I thought.
Some of my flight numbers were a little lower than I expected since I spent a lot of time in Toronto (I drive there), and a few weeks working in Ottawa (I live there – well, sort of). I also had a bit of slow start and didn’t travel much for the first couple of months.
The number of lost bags is a little shocking to me; I think the percentage is pretty high. I might have actually had bags lost one or two more times, but I can’t remember for certain, so I’m giving the airlines the benefit of the doubt. It’s interesting to note that for the first six months of the year, every time I flew into a state capital, my bags were lost without exception (and only state capitals).
I’m also posting this before my last flight of the year. I’m an optimist; my bag will not get lost, and I will make my connection.
Number of weeks at a client site: 32
Nights away from home: 168
Cities worked in: 18
San Francisco, CA; Tallahassee, FL; Lincoln, NE; Toronto, ON; New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; Sacramento, CA; Burlingame, CA; Ottawa, ON; Bloomington, IL; Springfield, VA; Lexington, MA; Westford, MA; Sudbury, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; Kolkata, India; Bangalore, India; Middletown, RI
Countries visited: 3
Countries visited including stopovers: 5
Airports visited: 22
Ottawa YOW, Toronto YYZ, Chicago ORD, Atlanta ATL, Tallahassee TLH, Ne w York LaGuardia LGA, Newark EWR, Raleigh RDU, Sacramento SMF, San Francisco SFO, Washington Dulles IAD, Boston BOS, Philadelphia PHI, Pittsburgh PIT, London Heathrow LHR, Mumbai BOM, Kolkata CCU, Hyderabad HDD, Bangalore BLR, Paris Charles de Gaulle CDG, Montreal YUL, Providence PVD
Number of flight legs: 73
Missed connections: 6
Lost bags: 5 (13.2%)
Nights stranded on the way home: 2
Number of times I swore to sweet Jesus that I wasn’t going to do this anymore (estimate): 5,000,000
I’m not sure why I felt the need to count these things up. I thought that it might be either higher than I thought so that I could say, “Wow, it didn’t feel that bad”, or lower so that I could say, “Golly, I wasn’t away that much”. It turns out it was pretty much spot on what I thought.
Some of my flight numbers were a little lower than I expected since I spent a lot of time in Toronto (I drive there), and a few weeks working in Ottawa (I live there – well, sort of). I also had a bit of slow start and didn’t travel much for the first couple of months.
The number of lost bags is a little shocking to me; I think the percentage is pretty high. I might have actually had bags lost one or two more times, but I can’t remember for certain, so I’m giving the airlines the benefit of the doubt. It’s interesting to note that for the first six months of the year, every time I flew into a state capital, my bags were lost without exception (and only state capitals).
I’m also posting this before my last flight of the year. I’m an optimist; my bag will not get lost, and I will make my connection.
Number of weeks at a client site: 32
Nights away from home: 168
Cities worked in: 18
San Francisco, CA; Tallahassee, FL; Lincoln, NE; Toronto, ON; New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; Sacramento, CA; Burlingame, CA; Ottawa, ON; Bloomington, IL; Springfield, VA; Lexington, MA; Westford, MA; Sudbury, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; Kolkata, India; Bangalore, India; Middletown, RI
Countries visited: 3
Countries visited including stopovers: 5
Airports visited: 22
Ottawa YOW, Toronto YYZ, Chicago ORD, Atlanta ATL, Tallahassee TLH, Ne w York LaGuardia LGA, Newark EWR, Raleigh RDU, Sacramento SMF, San Francisco SFO, Washington Dulles IAD, Boston BOS, Philadelphia PHI, Pittsburgh PIT, London Heathrow LHR, Mumbai BOM, Kolkata CCU, Hyderabad HDD, Bangalore BLR, Paris Charles de Gaulle CDG, Montreal YUL, Providence PVD
Number of flight legs: 73
Missed connections: 6
Lost bags: 5 (13.2%)
Nights stranded on the way home: 2
Number of times I swore to sweet Jesus that I wasn’t going to do this anymore (estimate): 5,000,000
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Too Lazy to Write
Being too lazy to write anything original today, I'm going to leech from the creativity of others to amuse you. Here's a few links that will probably eat up at least half of your Monday morning.
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
http://www.andreaplanet.com/mosaic/starrynight/
This last link is one of the wierdest things I have ever seen on the net. Bizarrely mesmerising.
http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
http://www.andreaplanet.com/mosaic/starrynight/
This last link is one of the wierdest things I have ever seen on the net. Bizarrely mesmerising.
http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Everything's Coming Up Greg
It seems like everything’s coming up Greg the last couple of days.
Lara and the kids arrived last night which in itself was pretty cool. Worlds are colliding a little bit, but it’s great to have them around. We didn’t really do anything last night because they didn’t get in until late. Tonight we’ll all go out for dinner and then maybe go for a swim in the pool at the hotel.
Lara brought ice cream from the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Burlington. That was awesome.
Lara’s friend Patty sent me a belated birthday present. I can’t believe she did that. Thank you, Patty! I love it! I’ll have to make you something out of it next time you’re in town.
I also got a letter from Visa that just arrived before Lara left. Apparently I won the Visa “Win what you buy” contest for the month of October. All my purchases (of which there are an aweful lot) for the entire month are being credited back to me. I can’t believe this. I’m glad I racked up my Visa so much that month!
As a firm believer in Karma, I think that some of this is happening to make up for some of the crappy things that have happened over the last week. I left my cell phone in a rental car in Pittsburgh. Maybe I’m being naïve, but I still can’t believe that someone (who is quite likely a business traveller) would find a cell phone in a car and not return it. I can’t imagine keeping it. Also, missing all those flights on the way to and from India really sucked.
Despite all that, I’m still expecting to be struck by a meteor sometime within the next few days.
We’ve been going to the same Thai restaurant every day for lunch this week. The menu allows you to choose your heat level ranging from one star (“Coward”) to four stars (“Native Thai”). I started on three stars on Tuesday, and went to four stars yesterday. Deciding it still wasn’t enough heat, I asked if they could do a five star (I think this would be called “Native Idiot” if it were on the menu). Five stars was enough heat. My stomach still feels warm and it’s been almost three hours.
I kind of caused an accident just outside the restaurant. Well, it wasn’t really my fault. Not really. I was kind of going an “alternate way” through the parking lot. Some people would call this the “wrong way”, but I don’t believe in absolute right and wrong. A girl was turning in to the lot going another alternate way (which some people would call the “right way”) and stopped when she saw me. I don’t know why she stopped because she wasn’t in danger of hitting me. She tromped on the gas in reverse and smashed into the car which was turning in behind her. Reversing there without looking was stupid not only because of the car behind her, but also because if the car wasn’t there, she was reversing into two lanes of traffic. I think she learned a valuable lesson about using her mirrors today. I’m glad I was able to help her learn that lesson.
Lara and the kids arrived last night which in itself was pretty cool. Worlds are colliding a little bit, but it’s great to have them around. We didn’t really do anything last night because they didn’t get in until late. Tonight we’ll all go out for dinner and then maybe go for a swim in the pool at the hotel.
Lara brought ice cream from the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Burlington. That was awesome.
Lara’s friend Patty sent me a belated birthday present. I can’t believe she did that. Thank you, Patty! I love it! I’ll have to make you something out of it next time you’re in town.
I also got a letter from Visa that just arrived before Lara left. Apparently I won the Visa “Win what you buy” contest for the month of October. All my purchases (of which there are an aweful lot) for the entire month are being credited back to me. I can’t believe this. I’m glad I racked up my Visa so much that month!
As a firm believer in Karma, I think that some of this is happening to make up for some of the crappy things that have happened over the last week. I left my cell phone in a rental car in Pittsburgh. Maybe I’m being naïve, but I still can’t believe that someone (who is quite likely a business traveller) would find a cell phone in a car and not return it. I can’t imagine keeping it. Also, missing all those flights on the way to and from India really sucked.
Despite all that, I’m still expecting to be struck by a meteor sometime within the next few days.
We’ve been going to the same Thai restaurant every day for lunch this week. The menu allows you to choose your heat level ranging from one star (“Coward”) to four stars (“Native Thai”). I started on three stars on Tuesday, and went to four stars yesterday. Deciding it still wasn’t enough heat, I asked if they could do a five star (I think this would be called “Native Idiot” if it were on the menu). Five stars was enough heat. My stomach still feels warm and it’s been almost three hours.
I kind of caused an accident just outside the restaurant. Well, it wasn’t really my fault. Not really. I was kind of going an “alternate way” through the parking lot. Some people would call this the “wrong way”, but I don’t believe in absolute right and wrong. A girl was turning in to the lot going another alternate way (which some people would call the “right way”) and stopped when she saw me. I don’t know why she stopped because she wasn’t in danger of hitting me. She tromped on the gas in reverse and smashed into the car which was turning in behind her. Reversing there without looking was stupid not only because of the car behind her, but also because if the car wasn’t there, she was reversing into two lanes of traffic. I think she learned a valuable lesson about using her mirrors today. I’m glad I was able to help her learn that lesson.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Ice Cream, Coconut Curries, and Clam Cakes
Not really too much new happening here. I’m still in Rhode Island. The big exciting news is that Lara and the kids are coming to join me today! Since I had been away for three straight weeks, and then didn’t have much home time before leaving again, the fam’s coming to me. Should be very cool.
They left yesterday and spent the night in Burlington, VT. I’m actually not sure that they’re going to make since Lara discovered the Ben & Jerry’s factory. I’m pretty sure they’ll arrive around dinner time, but I’m not really holding my breath.
I think that I'm going to take them out for a seafood beast feast when they get here. There's a lot of good places around, what with this being right on the ocean. It's all about clams; quahogs, littlenecks, cherrystones, ... The clam cakes are pretty tasty (that's right; clam cakes - not crab cakes).
I’ve been pretty lax with my travelog blog. I’m really going to have to update it with all the places if been eating at in both India and RI. It’s been all about the Thai food for lunch this week. There’s a good spot nearby where you can grab a curry for under six bucks (seems to be the going lunch rate around here). Yumalicious! I find it odd that MS Word does not see “yumalicious” as a spelling mistake.
This is my fourth week teaching the exact same course, which is kind of driving me nuts. On one hand, it’s a bit boring, but at least it’s an easy week. Anything I’d had to bone up on has already been boned up.
I’ve also been playing around with a new programming language called Ruby. The guy I met at the Chinese restaurant in Bangalore was talking about it, so I decided to give it a look. I’d heard of it before, and it seems like it’s beginning to gain momentum. I realise that I don’t talk much shop in this blog, but I just thought I would add this last bit in so that people wouldn’t forget that I’m a computer geek.
They left yesterday and spent the night in Burlington, VT. I’m actually not sure that they’re going to make since Lara discovered the Ben & Jerry’s factory. I’m pretty sure they’ll arrive around dinner time, but I’m not really holding my breath.
I think that I'm going to take them out for a seafood beast feast when they get here. There's a lot of good places around, what with this being right on the ocean. It's all about clams; quahogs, littlenecks, cherrystones, ... The clam cakes are pretty tasty (that's right; clam cakes - not crab cakes).
I’ve been pretty lax with my travelog blog. I’m really going to have to update it with all the places if been eating at in both India and RI. It’s been all about the Thai food for lunch this week. There’s a good spot nearby where you can grab a curry for under six bucks (seems to be the going lunch rate around here). Yumalicious! I find it odd that MS Word does not see “yumalicious” as a spelling mistake.
This is my fourth week teaching the exact same course, which is kind of driving me nuts. On one hand, it’s a bit boring, but at least it’s an easy week. Anything I’d had to bone up on has already been boned up.
I’ve also been playing around with a new programming language called Ruby. The guy I met at the Chinese restaurant in Bangalore was talking about it, so I decided to give it a look. I’d heard of it before, and it seems like it’s beginning to gain momentum. I realise that I don’t talk much shop in this blog, but I just thought I would add this last bit in so that people wouldn’t forget that I’m a computer geek.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Things I Learned in India
Here’s a few tips I’d like to pass on to anyone planning on travelling in India.
Don’t drink the water. Ever. Don’t use it to brush your teeth, and don’t let it get in your mouth when you shower or wash your face. You’re going to get sick anyway, so there’s no reason to help it along.
Some places might look like the bad side of town in a North American city, but they’re not necessarily. You can walk around, but the same rules apply as anywhere. If it’s well lit with lots of people around it’s probably fine.
Carry Immodium or some other pipe-blocker with you. Sooner or later you will want it. The quick dissolve is good when you don’t have water nearby.
Always carry at least a litre of bottled water with you. Don’t drink out of a bottle of water if you haven’t seen it sealed.
Most people are friendly. If someone sees you having a problem, they will probably help you out. This isn’t because they want something, they’re just being nice.
People who aren’t friendly don’t want to hurt you; they just want to rip you off.
Eating non-Indian food every now and then gives your stomach a break if you’re not used to spicy food all the time. Don’t worry about “diminishing the experience”. Spending your trip on the can will diminish it even more.
That queasy, slightly-nauseous feeling you have in your stomach all the time will go away after about a week. Don’t get cocky when it does.
Try different types of food. Typically, we only see North Indian food in restaurants at home, but the food in each region is extremely different, and quite possibly unlike anything you’ve ever had in a restaurant at home.
Don’t worry about your driver’s blatant disregard for traffic guidelines (known as rules in the rest of the world). It’s the oncoming traffic and lack of seat belts you should be worrying about. That’s what’s going to kill you.
Meet locals. Find out where the good places are to go. Look for restaurants where a lot of locals are eating. If they think it’s good, it probably is. Also look for restaurants where locals are taking foreigners to eat. This is also a good sign, because they may be trying to “show the place off”.
Negotiate a flat rate with the taxi drivers. You’ll still get ripped off, but they won’t have to take you on a long drive to run up the meter and waste your time in doing it. You can haggle with them, but don’t expect to get too far. You also can’t play them against each other.
If you’re sensitive to bad smells, bring a handkerchief around with you. I’ve seen lots of locals cover their mouth and nose when the air gets a little ripe.
If you’re staying in a big luxury hotel, don’t let them make you feel like you can’t go out on your own. You can, you’ll save a lot of money doing it, and you’ll have a great time.
If you’re not used to eating spicy food, get used to it before you go. Everything is spicy, including breakfast. Build up you’re tolerance so that you don’t spend the whole time eating plain white rice.
Carry small bills. I found that most people will not be able to break a 500-rupee bill (including cabbies). Some will laugh when you ask them. Some small shops won’t even be able to break a 100-rupee bill. Be prepared so that you don’t get stuck.
I found that bringing $200 Canadian worth of rupees was more than enough for a two-week trip (although I paid for most of my meals with my credit card).
Make sure you have lots of extra time. There is a lot to see, and you don’t want to rush it. If you can, try to take it really easy for the first week while you and your stomach adjust.
Bring a neck pillow for the plane. It will be your best friend.
If you need things that are in your checked luggage for a business trip you’re going on in 24 hours, don’t put them in your checked luggage.
Serviced apartments are a great deal. For less than $200 Canadian, I got a clean room with a bed, washroom, desk and TV for six nights. This included breakfasts, wireless broadband (which was actually a little spotty), and quite a few long distance calls to Canada. They’re not as fancy as the five stars, but they are a great value.
Jamming a plug into socket it’s not made to fit into isn’t as a big a deal as you might think. Just make sure the device you’re plugging in can handle the voltage. Sparking is normal.
Don’t drink the water. Ever. Don’t use it to brush your teeth, and don’t let it get in your mouth when you shower or wash your face. You’re going to get sick anyway, so there’s no reason to help it along.
Some places might look like the bad side of town in a North American city, but they’re not necessarily. You can walk around, but the same rules apply as anywhere. If it’s well lit with lots of people around it’s probably fine.
Carry Immodium or some other pipe-blocker with you. Sooner or later you will want it. The quick dissolve is good when you don’t have water nearby.
Always carry at least a litre of bottled water with you. Don’t drink out of a bottle of water if you haven’t seen it sealed.
Most people are friendly. If someone sees you having a problem, they will probably help you out. This isn’t because they want something, they’re just being nice.
People who aren’t friendly don’t want to hurt you; they just want to rip you off.
Eating non-Indian food every now and then gives your stomach a break if you’re not used to spicy food all the time. Don’t worry about “diminishing the experience”. Spending your trip on the can will diminish it even more.
That queasy, slightly-nauseous feeling you have in your stomach all the time will go away after about a week. Don’t get cocky when it does.
Try different types of food. Typically, we only see North Indian food in restaurants at home, but the food in each region is extremely different, and quite possibly unlike anything you’ve ever had in a restaurant at home.
Don’t worry about your driver’s blatant disregard for traffic guidelines (known as rules in the rest of the world). It’s the oncoming traffic and lack of seat belts you should be worrying about. That’s what’s going to kill you.
Meet locals. Find out where the good places are to go. Look for restaurants where a lot of locals are eating. If they think it’s good, it probably is. Also look for restaurants where locals are taking foreigners to eat. This is also a good sign, because they may be trying to “show the place off”.
Negotiate a flat rate with the taxi drivers. You’ll still get ripped off, but they won’t have to take you on a long drive to run up the meter and waste your time in doing it. You can haggle with them, but don’t expect to get too far. You also can’t play them against each other.
If you’re sensitive to bad smells, bring a handkerchief around with you. I’ve seen lots of locals cover their mouth and nose when the air gets a little ripe.
If you’re staying in a big luxury hotel, don’t let them make you feel like you can’t go out on your own. You can, you’ll save a lot of money doing it, and you’ll have a great time.
If you’re not used to eating spicy food, get used to it before you go. Everything is spicy, including breakfast. Build up you’re tolerance so that you don’t spend the whole time eating plain white rice.
Carry small bills. I found that most people will not be able to break a 500-rupee bill (including cabbies). Some will laugh when you ask them. Some small shops won’t even be able to break a 100-rupee bill. Be prepared so that you don’t get stuck.
I found that bringing $200 Canadian worth of rupees was more than enough for a two-week trip (although I paid for most of my meals with my credit card).
Make sure you have lots of extra time. There is a lot to see, and you don’t want to rush it. If you can, try to take it really easy for the first week while you and your stomach adjust.
Bring a neck pillow for the plane. It will be your best friend.
If you need things that are in your checked luggage for a business trip you’re going on in 24 hours, don’t put them in your checked luggage.
Serviced apartments are a great deal. For less than $200 Canadian, I got a clean room with a bed, washroom, desk and TV for six nights. This included breakfasts, wireless broadband (which was actually a little spotty), and quite a few long distance calls to Canada. They’re not as fancy as the five stars, but they are a great value.
Jamming a plug into socket it’s not made to fit into isn’t as a big a deal as you might think. Just make sure the device you’re plugging in can handle the voltage. Sparking is normal.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Middletown, RI
Now that I’m back on the continent, things have more or less returned to normal. One thing that I noticed in driving from Montreal to Ottawa was how sparse everything is here. Even looking at Montreal from the plane, it amazed me how small it looked. I remember seeing Hyderabad from the plane and the city is buildings packed together as far as the eye can see. You can’t see the edge of the city. I’ve also noticed that my driving habits have suffered from spending so much time watching Indian drivers in action. I was driving way too agressively, although part of it was that I just wanted to be home.
I had to do some shopping over the weekend since my bag was lost. It didn’t get back to me before I had to leave again, so I had to buy a few days worth of clothes and some new shoes. Normally, this wouldn’t have bothered me since I could use some new clothes anyway, but it was kind of a drag having to do it during the Christmas season with less than 24 hours at home after a three-week trip.
I came to Rhode Island last night to teach a couple of courses in Middletown. Flights were delayed and everything was running late, but at least I made my connection (I feel for you Joe…).
I haven’t been hit by extreme tiredness yet, so it looks like I’ve beaten the jet lag. Not too bad – 10 ½ hours time difference and I’m right on schedule without missing a beat. I think I’ve come up with a system to beat jet lag; maybe I’ll write a post about it later on. It’s mostly about understanding your sleep cycles and extreme sleep deprivation. It pretty much worked for me on the way there as well, although I had a couple of days where I would turn into a zombie at around 3:00 in the afternoon.
I thought that I would be really sick of Indian food by the time I got back, but my god I’m craving it. I’ll have to find a good place in the area.
I’m teaching in Middletown for two weeks. Lara and the kids are coming down on Wednesday and we’re all going to stay over the weekend. I think that maybe we’ll head to Boston at least one day (it’s only about a two hour drive or so). Who knows what we’ll do the other day. Maybe we’ll just toot around Providence, or go to Cape Cod or something. It’s unfortunate that the weather is chilly.
I had to do some shopping over the weekend since my bag was lost. It didn’t get back to me before I had to leave again, so I had to buy a few days worth of clothes and some new shoes. Normally, this wouldn’t have bothered me since I could use some new clothes anyway, but it was kind of a drag having to do it during the Christmas season with less than 24 hours at home after a three-week trip.
I came to Rhode Island last night to teach a couple of courses in Middletown. Flights were delayed and everything was running late, but at least I made my connection (I feel for you Joe…).
I haven’t been hit by extreme tiredness yet, so it looks like I’ve beaten the jet lag. Not too bad – 10 ½ hours time difference and I’m right on schedule without missing a beat. I think I’ve come up with a system to beat jet lag; maybe I’ll write a post about it later on. It’s mostly about understanding your sleep cycles and extreme sleep deprivation. It pretty much worked for me on the way there as well, although I had a couple of days where I would turn into a zombie at around 3:00 in the afternoon.
I thought that I would be really sick of Indian food by the time I got back, but my god I’m craving it. I’ll have to find a good place in the area.
I’m teaching in Middletown for two weeks. Lara and the kids are coming down on Wednesday and we’re all going to stay over the weekend. I think that maybe we’ll head to Boston at least one day (it’s only about a two hour drive or so). Who knows what we’ll do the other day. Maybe we’ll just toot around Providence, or go to Cape Cod or something. It’s unfortunate that the weather is chilly.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
The Longest Day Ever
I got back yesterday afternoon from India, despite some bad experiences (again) at Montreal airport. My bag didn't make my connection in Paris despite a 2 1/2 hour layover. This means that I won't get my bag, my clothes, or my shoes before I have to leave again tonight. On top of this, I missed my connection. After not getting my bag, I was absolutely livid. It seems that my bag is lost about one trip in four or five lately. I was in no mood to hang around for a few hours waiting for the next flight so I rented a car and drove to Ottawa.
Here's a summary of the longest day I've ever experienced.
Thursday 8:30pm EST - Wake up in India
Thursday 10:30pm EST - Start teaching last day
Friday 6:30am EST - Finish class and complete packing
Friday 7:00am EST - Take rickshaw to Park hotel to meet colleague for dinner. Driver gets completely lost and has to ask three other drivers for directions.
Friday 8:30am EST - Another awesome dinner at Tandoor
Friday 11:30am EST - Arrive back at apartment
Friday 12:00pm EST - Prepare to take one last shower before the trip back
Friday 12:01pm EST - Driver to airport arrives one hour earlier than scheduled
Friday 12:15pm EST - Unable to find tickets. Wonder if I'm going home after all
Friday 12:30pm EST - Arrive at airport with tickets in hand. Way too early
Friday 4:00pm EST - Board flight half hour late
Friday 5:00pm EST - In the air to Paris. Sleep for 1 1/2 hours, watch two movies, and sleep another 3 hours before arriving
Saturday 3:00am EST - Arrive in Paris
Saturday 5:00am EST - Leave Paris (without my bags) one hour late. Watch two movies and listen to music.
Saturday 12:30pm EST - Arrive in Montreal and clear customs with no issue
Saturday 1:00pm EST - Flight leaves from Montreal without me while I sort out my missing bag
Saturday 2:30pm EST - After queueing and arguing with Air Canada employees, weigh options and decide to rent a car to drive home
Saturday 2:40pm EST - Leave Montreal in a rental car
Saturday 4:30pm EST - Arrive at home
Saturday 5:30pm EST - Go shopping to buy clothes for first few days of next trip
Saturday 10:00pm EST - Go to sleep
Total sleep: approximately 5 hours
Total time: 49.5 hours
I never want to do that again.
Here's a summary of the longest day I've ever experienced.
Thursday 8:30pm EST - Wake up in India
Thursday 10:30pm EST - Start teaching last day
Friday 6:30am EST - Finish class and complete packing
Friday 7:00am EST - Take rickshaw to Park hotel to meet colleague for dinner. Driver gets completely lost and has to ask three other drivers for directions.
Friday 8:30am EST - Another awesome dinner at Tandoor
Friday 11:30am EST - Arrive back at apartment
Friday 12:00pm EST - Prepare to take one last shower before the trip back
Friday 12:01pm EST - Driver to airport arrives one hour earlier than scheduled
Friday 12:15pm EST - Unable to find tickets. Wonder if I'm going home after all
Friday 12:30pm EST - Arrive at airport with tickets in hand. Way too early
Friday 4:00pm EST - Board flight half hour late
Friday 5:00pm EST - In the air to Paris. Sleep for 1 1/2 hours, watch two movies, and sleep another 3 hours before arriving
Saturday 3:00am EST - Arrive in Paris
Saturday 5:00am EST - Leave Paris (without my bags) one hour late. Watch two movies and listen to music.
Saturday 12:30pm EST - Arrive in Montreal and clear customs with no issue
Saturday 1:00pm EST - Flight leaves from Montreal without me while I sort out my missing bag
Saturday 2:30pm EST - After queueing and arguing with Air Canada employees, weigh options and decide to rent a car to drive home
Saturday 2:40pm EST - Leave Montreal in a rental car
Saturday 4:30pm EST - Arrive at home
Saturday 5:30pm EST - Go shopping to buy clothes for first few days of next trip
Saturday 10:00pm EST - Go to sleep
Total sleep: approximately 5 hours
Total time: 49.5 hours
I never want to do that again.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Goodbye to India
This will be my last post from India since I’m heading out later tonight to go home. I was going to do a whole, “it’s been a great trip and I learned a lot” post, but I’m not going to since I think it would give my blog an air of finality. Life continues and so does the blog!
My flight is not until 2:25am tonight, so I’m going to clean up a bit and head out for one last meal in India with some colleagues from IBM who happen to be in town this week as well. I’ll have to keep it a little early since my driver is coming at 11:30 to pick me up. That is to say, I hope he’s coming to pick me up. One of my students called someone who said the driver is coming, but we’ll see what happens with that. I’m fairly confident that I’ll have a ride. If not, I’ll have reception at the hotel help me get a taxi. 11:30 is quite early to be going to the airport anyway, so I have some leeway.
I’m not particularly excited about this flight. I’m flying on Air France to Paris and I’m not sure that the seats recline fully, so it may be a sleepless night. I guess that’s good because it will help me adjust to the time zone a bit quicker since I’ll sleep better to Montreal. In Montreal, I have a pretty short connection where I will have to get my bag and clear customs. I hope I make it.
I am a little sad to be leaving, but at the same time, it will be great to be home and see the family again; even if it is only for about twenty hours. I can easily see why people spend two months or more to see India. The students have been telling me about all the amazing places I should go to see. Each region of India is very different from the others and has something else to offer.
I’ll be disconnected for the next while, but I’ll probably post again before the weekend’s out.
My flight is not until 2:25am tonight, so I’m going to clean up a bit and head out for one last meal in India with some colleagues from IBM who happen to be in town this week as well. I’ll have to keep it a little early since my driver is coming at 11:30 to pick me up. That is to say, I hope he’s coming to pick me up. One of my students called someone who said the driver is coming, but we’ll see what happens with that. I’m fairly confident that I’ll have a ride. If not, I’ll have reception at the hotel help me get a taxi. 11:30 is quite early to be going to the airport anyway, so I have some leeway.
I’m not particularly excited about this flight. I’m flying on Air France to Paris and I’m not sure that the seats recline fully, so it may be a sleepless night. I guess that’s good because it will help me adjust to the time zone a bit quicker since I’ll sleep better to Montreal. In Montreal, I have a pretty short connection where I will have to get my bag and clear customs. I hope I make it.
I am a little sad to be leaving, but at the same time, it will be great to be home and see the family again; even if it is only for about twenty hours. I can easily see why people spend two months or more to see India. The students have been telling me about all the amazing places I should go to see. Each region of India is very different from the others and has something else to offer.
I’ll be disconnected for the next while, but I’ll probably post again before the weekend’s out.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Bangalore kids
These kids saw me taking a picture and wanted theirs taken too. It was kind of funny how excited they were, so I thought I'd just share the pic. The one in the middle looks a little dazed.
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