Goodness Gracious me, I'm in India!

As the heading should intimate, I've suddenly realised I'm not in England anymore. In fact, I'm rather a long way from home, and I can really see the difference. India is both a vibrant and crazy place, and so far I'm a little undecided about how to take the place. It's quite hot, about 30 degrees during the day, and very hazy. The smog levels are currently at dangerous levels, (according to government ratings), and I'm not sure whether to be worried nd stay inside. I think I'll risk it for now, but if it gets up to the next rating, 'Emergency', maybe I'll become a little more concerned.

I arrived at Delhi airport at about 2am (Delhi time - 5 1/2 hours ahead) yesterday, to find that the apartment complex had not ordered my taxi as promised, so I had to arrange my own transport. I got into a tiny battered van, with no seatbelts, two massive horizontal cracks in the windscreen and an enginge that sounded like it was going to fall out. Within seconds of leaving the airport, we were almost blindsided by a truck, so I should have relalised at that moment just what I was letting myself in for. With a number of further near misses, I proceeded to spend two and a half hours driving getting lost with a driver that spoke no English. It was great! At one point, we turned down a big dual carriageway that was devoid of any cars or lights, save for a few fires around which small groups of security guards were gathered. They appeared to be guarding the empty hulks of incomplete buildings, and didn't sem to be able to help the driver when he asked for directions. Shortly after the third group he spoke to, we turned into another empty road, only this time there were lumps of rubble in the road, through which I could see a little movement. Suddenly, there was an almighty howl, and a gang of dogs thirty strong was charging at the van. The driver acceerated, narrowly avoiding the dogs, at first to my relief, but soon to my consternation. They kept throwing themselves at the side of the taxi, barking and howling like crazy. As we approached the end of the road, the taxi driver looked at me in the mirror, smiled, and uttered 'dogs'. What an understatement!

Anyway, after an eventful journey, I arrived at the apartment complex a little before 5am. I got checked in nice and quickly, and found myself in the wrong apartment. However, I was so tired I couldn't be bothered to say anything, and instead went to sleep within 15 minutes. I was woken at 9am by someone trying to take my laundry, to which all I could do was shake my head. As I was up anyway, I went and got my apartment changed to the two bedroom one the company had leased for me. I was all moved in by 11, and was very glad to see that my new home for six months was a good size and was comfortably furnished. I took some photos and have attached them to this entry, so you can see my little place.

I went out for a second crazy taxi journey yesterday, so I could buy some food and cleaning products, and was taken into Noida. I had heard that the roads of India are statistically the most dangerous in the world, and I can safely say that figure is surely accurate. All I could do was laugh at the Brownian motion of the traffic, as otherwise I would have had to hunker down in panic. Not content with jumping red lights, pulling out of junctions without looking and no use of indicators at all, the taxi driver had no idea where w were going, and kept asking me for directions in Hindi. He eventually stumbled upon a shopping mall, ito which I went and bought nothing at all, as it was like Lakeside, but with no food section in Marks and Spencers. On the way back to the complex, he stopped at a second mall that did have a food shop, so I got everything I needed, exceot for bread and milk, which didn't appear to be on sale. We left the second mall, and I was back in the apartment within five minutes - a three hour shopping trip could have been over in twenty minutes, if the guy had gone straight there!

I had my first curry last night, and it was very tasty - tandori chicken and vegetable biryani with a garlic naan. I watched a little TV, and am not that impressed - it's all foreign-like. The best bits are the adverts, they're great. My favourite so far is for a contraceptive pill, with the tag line 'better than an abortion'. They really know how to sell a product over here. My second day began with a walk around the local area, to find some bread and milk. Although I walked for about an hour, I found no grocery stores, only cyber cafes, paint shops, lumber yards and a dog training college. It was quite bizarre. I plan to get one of the guys in the office to stop on the way home tomorow, so I can stock up on some things. Other than a trip to the gym upon my return I've not done vey much else today. Whilst sitting here now, I'm eating a strange peperoni Dominos pizza, with some sort of liquid cheese inside the base (it's almost like a pustule!), watching the Bourne Supremecy on TV and listening to an Indian wedding taking place outside the complex. I've taken a couple of pictures from above for you to see - it looks very colourful.

So, I think that will do for my first entry. If you bothered to read this far thank you for your attention, especially as it's all been rather mundane, albeit with an Indian flavour. My next entry will probably be about work, as that's what I'm meant to be here for. If anything else interesting happens to me, I'll make sure I try and take a picture and get it on here for you.

See you all soon,

Michael

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