You must be joking

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"You must be joking" was the theme of my day. Before it sounds like I'm starting to rant, let me preface this by adding that this is really a fascinating place a where every unexpected problem or setback will just as quickly provide you with some unexpected luck or a view of some crazy building you've never imagined (like vegas?) Anyway, I'm calming down now, but today was filled with several surprises and setbacks.

First, I logged into my email in the morning and got the attached photo from Amanda. Very nice. With everything going on, I forgot it was my birthday. Not so unbelievable I guess since we celebrated a week or so ago. Thanks also for the few other emails I received.

Then got into the car with Henry the driver. I wanted to leave early to go look for a calling card and an India plug adapter. Oh how I wish I had spent an extra 20 minutes at home to request a card from work and order the correct adapter off the web. In Bangalore, to ask for these things you are asking for mythical treasures. The driver took me on a hour and a half goose chase all over town, I really think he was drivinging in a spiral around the city into the center of town. At least I got a tour of town and snapped a few more pics. Eventually we arrived at a cell phone store. "You want phone, they have phone sir", I explain again. "What is phone card?" never mind, let's get to work. So in the car I try to learn the 90 slide powerpoint deck that I received the night before and was supposed to teach today while the circus goes on around me.

It might sound strange to say that the planned training I had today was the most pleasant part, maybe because it was planned. After work, one of the guys named Antony lives near my hotel and offered to go with me to search for the phone card and adapter. We drove in a spiral around the city again and managed to pick up a phone card. Then tried another location for the plug adapter. Apparently to get an American to Indian plug adapter it's completely normal to go down a dark alley where there is an open air "Electronix Parts" bodega. Miraculously he had exactly what I was looking for and also managed to pick up an Indian hair dryer to make Amanda happy.

Back in the car, about 9pm now we received a call asking that I call a Nielsen manager in Atlanta overseeing the India team implementation. The caller said she wanted to talk to me about providing additonal training and having the whole team come in two hours early in the morning and possibly on Friday which is India's Independence day (because it's not a holiday in Atlanta). So I called to cancel dinner plans with other Nielsen people here from Chicago. Then needed to call Atlanta and, in short, I had a complete technology meltdown at the worst moment. Phone card did not work. Cell phone did not work. Antony's cell phone did not work. Got back to the hotel and phone card did not work from hotel. Internet and email (my failsafe) for some reason not working. All communication down. Now about 10:30pm I called the guy from the India team, Antony, and asked him to call everyone to let them know to show up 2hrs early to work (just what everyone wants to hear). I finally got in touch with Atlanta and things have been smoothed out so that we won't have to work on Friday but will have to come in early tomorrow.

This experience has definitely been "unique" and "memorable" so far, but I am ready to switch to vacation mode in 48 hours.

ps- photo uploads not working now, will try again in the morning

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Photos

Amanda and Elvis
Greetings

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Driving around

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Advertisements outside the cricket stadium

Take me home, country road
This is the road into the office!

Comments

[cindy]

we are really enjoying this!
You are having a great experience. I am unsure if we'll be able to keep up on this while traveling- I hope so! Keep your money and your ipod in your shoe!