Blogs from Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Asia

My flights from Minneapolis to Amsterdamn and from there to Delhi were as textbook as you could assume. I met some fellow Minnesotans in line getting on the Delhi flight, and it turns out that the couple I sat next to on that same flight (by chance after switching with someone so a family could stay together) lives less than 10 blocks from me - small world. I slept for about 2 hours on each flight, but when I landed at 1am Monday morning I was surprisingly not very tired. In the customs line, I learned that a passport has two numbers on it, and one of those numbers has an extra digit. Naturally, I had entered the wrong number with the extra digit on my visa (and how it still got approved ahead of time ... read more

I had a simple Christmas this year. Missed my family. But, my landlord was very sweet and left me a surprise. I put together a tree and called it Christmas. At least I didn't get coal.... read more

Ok so last time I Blogged I had fun with the girls. Right? This week I am realizing the gated community is wonderful but, when it takes over two hours to get a cab here, I think I might need to rethink the situation. These guys are master negotiators. It drives me nuts. Anyway, I called a company and negotiated a price and no one comes. Hmmmmm the cab just decided it wasn't worth the price so he just didn't show up. That happened twice and two hours later I am still looking for a ride. That is one thing about New Delhi you plan to go somewhere at least two hours ahead of when you want to be there because of this kind of thing. It's almost like preparing for the airport. So my realization ... read more

Keeping track of the India times. The New Prime Minister here is so motivating. He totally speaks from the heart. He is strong, powerful, and down right a char. leader. He is cleaning up India. So many good things are happening. Guys it's December and I am trying to figure out a goal for the rest of the year. As a matter it fact I can. ... read more

Driving past the suave shopping malls and glass & chrome high-rises of glitzy Gurgaon, we hit the dusty Basai Road, where the road widening appears a perennial activity and the last of land-grabbers (read realtors) promise to offer fancy life styles in their fancier gated townships named after some esoteric English counties. A few kilometres down the road the scene changed for better…the dirt & grime gave way to greenery of wheat fields with patches of bright yellow hues of marigold cultivation. Driving along we reached Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, a huge water body, where many species of migratory birds home in during the winter. We headed to Rosy Pelican, a Haryana Tourism outfit for a breakfast with stuffed paranthas and sandwiches. After the quick fill and a short drive of about 5 kms. we reached Farukhnagar. ... read more