The Build

The build was divided into three phases. The pre-build was the phase were the land was acquired, prepped and the foundation was laid for all the homes. We did not participate in this phase. Phase 2 involved the construction of the complete structure of the house. This was the part that got done during last week by us. The final phase would involve patch up work, installation of electricals and final plumbing work, which is expected to take another 2-3 weeks. When we arrived at the site, the foundation was in place along with a wall that was about 8 concrete blocks high.

The Wall

For the first day and a half, we were working on building the wall. The wall was made of interlocking concrete blocks of two sizes - a full block and a half block. There were two types of blocks - a regular block and a channel block. Regular blocks were used to build the entire block and the channel blocks formed the top layer of the wall. Concrete is poured into the channel which allows a structure to be installed on top of the wall. Building of the wall involved creating a section of the wall about 7-8 blocks high by laying the blocks and leveling them both horizontally and vertically as we went along. We had plumb lines and levels to help us measure and correct as we built. Once a section was created, we had to mix concrete and pour it into the holes in the block. The concrete then hardens to form a pole that holds the blocks in place and adds strength to the wall. After a wall has been put up and the concrete poured, a cement and sand paste was used to plaster the walls from the inside and outside. This helps to weatherproof the wall and also provides a smooth finish.

The Doors & Windows

Door and window frames were pre-built and ready for installation as soon as the wall was about 20 blocks high. The edges of the walls were the frames were installed had channel blocks. This created additional space for the frames. Nails had to be hammered on the outside of the frame at an angle about 10 cms apart. After that, the frame was gently lowered into it's designated space on the wall. After the frames were in place, concrete was poured into the channel. This eventually dried up and held the frame in place.

The Roof

Building the roof involved two different processes. First - we had to install the three trusses that would form the base of the roof skeleton. These are three triangular metal structures (extremely heavy) that are bolted on top of the walls. The bolts were installed atop the channel blocks and are held in place by the hardened concrete. Once the trusses are in place, long strips of metal (I forget the technical name) are bolted on top of the trusses. The roof tiles are then bolted to these strips to finish off the roof.

Organizing and Managing the build

Bringing over two thousand volunteers and workers to Chiang Mai for a week long construction project is a complex process. Habitat did a phenomenal job of organizing this event. The event took over a year to plan and organize and you could see the results. One of the reasons that we had such a great time was that a lot of attention was given to details and the Habitat team had gone the extra mile to ensure that all of us were comfortable during our stay here.

The build site was about 30 minutes from the city. Volunteers were staying at several different hotels. Several buses departed from each hotel every few minutes depending on the number of volunteers staying at a hotel. A police escort was available for the buses to ensure that we reached the site within 30 minutes. There was an army of Thai students who were available as a support team for the volunteers. It seemed like they were everywhere and always available when you needed somebody for information or directions.

Habitat went to great lengths to ensure the comfort and safety of the volunteers. For example, they knew that everybody would be dead tired after the first day of the build. Hence, dinner was scheduled at the hotel where we were staying at so that we did not have to travel after a long day of work. For the rest of the week, they had planned different experiences for dining and entertainment. There was something for everyone during each day of our stay in Chiang Mai. Breakfast at each hotel was served beginning at 5:30am in order to accommodate our work schedules. What was amazing was that somebody went to the trouble to make sure that breakfast was served at 5:30am on Saturday as well so that volunteers who were scheduled to depart early in the morning could have their breakfast at the hotel before leaving for the airport.

During the work day, there was an unlimited supply of water, cold drinks, sodas and snacks. A massive dining tent was setup to handle 500-600 diners simultaneously. All of us were assigned a different shift for our lunch breaks. Habitat had even setup a separate tent for social networking to allow volunteers to blog, tweet or update their facebook pages with latest news and photos.

Thanks to Habitat's careful and meticulous planning of the build event, every volunteer had a safe and fun experience.

The Final Day

I really meant to post an entry at the end of each work day. But I was completely beat by the time the day ended and we invariably had some event that we had to attend in the evening. So I will be posting several entries over the next couple of days summarizing our experiences during the week.

Friday was the last day of the build and we are now on our way to Bangkok. By the end of the week, our backs were aching, fingers were hurting and legs were throbbing with pain. There are blisters on our hands and our bodies are sore. But there is one thing for sure - we will be back on another Habitat project whenever the opportunity comes up!

The past week was one of the most wonderful, fun and memorable week in our lives. It was a week during which we toiled like never before. Mona and I spent over nine hours each day moving and laying heavy cement blocks, mixing concrete and mortar, pouring cement and gravel, grouting walls, installing doors and windows, assisting with the installation of the roof, building walls etc. etc. For somebody who struggles with changing bulbs and hanging picture frames - I would say this was pretty impressive.

During the week, we met some amazing people and have made lifelong friends. On day one, we were a group of strangers from different parts of the world who traveled to Thailand with a common goal. By the last day, we were a tight group of friends who helped each other throughout the week and shared a little bit of ourselves with each other in the process. We came from different cultures and different backgrounds. We spoke in different languages (those who spoke English spoke in different accents!). But we all came together to build and help create a new beginning for a young Thai family. About twenty of us built a new house in five days. Two thousand volunteers created a community of eighty two homes. We can change the world and make a real difference. All we need is the desire and will to do so.

Project Habitat - Day One

Over 2000 volunteers started the build for the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work project - the Mekong Build 2009 at 7am this morning. Buses left from respective hotels between 6 and 6:30am for the site escorted by the police. We arrived at the build site and met the team at house number 27. Our team included members from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and United States. Julie - our team leader, incidentally was from Los Angeles. The partner family (the family that will be the recipient of the house) also joined us for the build along with several volunteers from Thailand. House number 27 was located across the street corner from House number 40 - the house that Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were working on.

It was a fascinating experience! Today, the primary chore was masonry. The task was to build the walls on a foundation that was already in place and install the frames for doors and windows. We worked in intense heat. We were well taken care of in terms of supplies (caps, suntan lotion, tools, snacks, drinks etc.). At the end of the day, we were exhausted but had a sense of exhilaration when we saw the result of our labor. Our team was a bit short on volunteers and we are hoping that additional volunteers will join tomorrow.

We have made lots of new friends from around the world - folks with whom we are sharing a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Taste of Thailand

We arrived yesterday in Chiang Mai in Thailand. Mona and I are volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in this province of Northern Thailand. The project starts on Monday, so we have two days to explore and sight see.

Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand and is another foodie heaven - especially if you are a lover of Thai food. We had a great time eating awesome authentic Thai food. Our Lonely Planet guide had some great references for places to eat at and their recommendations have rarely been a miss for us.

Chiang Mai is a temple city with several old and new temples around the city built to honor and worship Lord Buddha (nearly 80% of the population is Buddhist in Thailand). Most of our sightseeing included visiting various temples.

Commuting is cheap, fun and convenient here with options ranging from regular taxis to tuk-tuks (a larger version of the India autorickshaw) and the red mini-bus (hop-on and hop-off).

This place is a shopper's delight and the Night market in town a must-see. A much larger and better organized version of street markets in India - you can buy practically anything in the Night Market at great deals as long as you have a stomach for bargaining with the locals.

Today was the opening ceremony for the project - a truly amazing experience. Over 2000 volunteers from over 30 countries have descended in Thailand to build 82 homes along the Mekong river. The Habitat for Humanity India contingent is about 20-25 member strong. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter were present at the ceremony, which was opened by the Governor of the region. The ceremony was held in a beautiful botanical garden and included song and dance performances by local artists. One highlight was a food fair where all attendees could try local Thai delicacies.

Tomorrow - we wake up at 4:30am and set out for the build site by 6am. Stay tuned for live updates!

A tribute to Naweed

My cousin Naweed lost his battle with cancer this week.

Naweed must have been four or five years old when I first moved to the United States in 1986. Their home was my first home in this country. Ever since that time, I have had a very special relationship with Naweed, his parents and his brother. I watched him grow up to be a smart, intelligent and sensitive young man. I was shocked when I heard that he had cancer about two years ago. The first time I met him after that was when he had just finished an intense course of chemo at UCLA. The treatment had taken it's toll on him. He had become weak, he couldn't eat and was unable to walk.

But Naweed fought back and fought back hard. Within a few months, he was on his feet, back at work, following his favorite sports teams and driving a new car. The cancer would not let go but he fought with determination and a can-do attitude. He researched his condition, explored new treatment options and debated them with his doctors. Throughout his ordeal, he maintained a positive attitude and never gave up his fight. He started writing a blog, became active in his community and became an inspiration for all.

Naweed has taught me many valuable life lessons - never look back, move forward, fight the odds and maintain a positive attitude. He never felt sorry for himself. He realized that he had been dealt a poor hand of cards but figured out a way to play with what he had.

He has lost his battle with cancer but remains a champion for me. He will live in our memories and his story will remain an inspiration for his family and friends for years to come.

Entrepreneurship is alive!

I spent a couple of days last week in Delhi attending the TiECon - the annual TiE summit for the Delhi chapter. For those who are not familiar with this organization, TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) is the largest organization of its kind with a mission to grow and foster entrepreneurship. It was an exciting and intellectually stimulating event. Speakers at the conference included India's home minister, Chidambaram, UK Consul General Richard Staggs, CEO of GenPact Pramod Bhasin and many others. There were nearly a thousand delegates including potential and successful entrepreneurs, investors, students and media.

It was heartening to see so many young and budding entrepreneurs with great ideas for solving real world problems, creating wealth and changing the world. There was unbounded excitement even in these tough economic times. In fact, the general theme at the conference was starting and running new ventures during difficult times. The current global crisis has not dampened the enthusiasm of these young business professionals in this part of the world. On the contrary, it is giving birth to smarter startups that will learn resilience and tenacity and some may grow up to be the next HP or Google.

Another exciting trend was the growth in social entrepreunership. There seems to be a complete eco-system that is coming up to fuel the rise of companies that will solve the problems of the poor and underprivileged around the world. Solutions include innovative and low-cost lighting, clothing and healthcare for those who cannot afford access.

Very energizing two days and I am looking forward to the next summit!

King of Pop

"The ghost of Michael Jackson is here", informed Pushpa, our housekeeper in Bangalore. Michael Jackson had died while we were in Los Angeles. Mona and I belong to the generation that grew up on Thriller and Bad. We experienced the media frenzy following his death. But we never fully understood his global reach and appeal until we were back in India.

Our housekeeper seemed to know every detail about Michael Jackson's life. The Kannada TV channels broadcast every detail about Michael's life, his music, the Neverland ranch, his kids etc. and everybody was watching it with fascination. The employee newsletter at my company featured the King of Pop on the cover. Music stores are featuring his old and newly released albums (which are flying off the shelves). News items about the "ghost" of the king of pop appearing on TV did not go unnoticed in India.

Pop culture knows no boundaries and unites us all from Hollywood to Bangalore!

A proud moment

Aanish completed his IGCSE (Grade 10) exams in June before we left for Hong Kong and Los Angeles. The results were expected in early August. The Grade 10 exams are crucial and the results will be an important consideration for college entrance. He had worked really hard for a couple of months leading up to the exams. Mona and I were feeling very anxious as the day of the results (August 10) approached.

On the day of the results, the scores are available on the internet at 5am IST. Mona was the first one to wake up and check the results. She woke me up within a few minutes. Aanish had done remarkably well. He received an A* in 6 subjects, an A in 2 subjects and a B in 1. The surprise grade was an A in Spanish. Just three months ago, he was struggling in the subject and his teacher had recommended that he take the simpler core curriculum instead of the advanced extended curriculum. He was unable to make that change since the deadline had passed. So he ended up doing his exam in the advanced curriculum and still scored an A.

Students must study a minimum of 7 subjects for IGCSE and must score at least 5 As and 2 Cs to achieve a Distinction level. Aanish completed his IGCSE math in 9th grade and had scored an A. He took Additional Math in 10th grade and scored a B on that. So, he ended taking 10 subjects and scoring 6 A*, 3 A and a B.

It was a happy and proud moment for both of us. We had seen him work very hard for many months and were it was a joy to see his hard work pay off.

Day of Pride!!!

From: Sarojini Rao
To: Pervez Sikora, Mona Patel-Sikora
Sent: Thu, Aug 20, 2009 2:08 pm
Subject: Indus Scholar Award

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sikora,

I take great pride and pleasure in informing you that your child Ayaana Patel Sikora has qualified for the coveted Indus Scholar Award, which is an acknowledgement of academic achievement of the highest order.

My congratulations to your child and to you, for making the journey of our teachers so fruitful.

My fervent wish is that she keeps on scaling higher peaks as time goes by.

Warm Regards,

Mrs. Sarojini Rao

Principal

Indus International School

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

From: Sarojini Rao
To: Pervez Sikora, Mona Patel-Sikora
Sent: Thu, Aug 20, 2009 12:26 pm
Subject: Indus Scholar Award

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sikora,

I take great pride and pleasure in informing you that your child Aanish Patel Sikora has qualified for the coveted Indus Scholar Award, which is an acknowledgement of academic achievement of the highest order.

My congratulations to your child and to you, for making the journey of our teachers so fruitful.

My fervent wish is that he keeps on scaling higher peaks as time goes by.

Warm Regards,

Mrs. Sarojini Rao

Principal

Indus International School

Enough said!

Delicious Chaos!

It has been exactly two weeks since our return to Bangalore. We are back in the midst of chaos, unruly traffic, noise, pollution ... and are LOVING it! We did not realize how much we missed Bangalore until we are back here. I guess you sort of get used to the nuttiness of the place after some time.

We knew that we were back in India when we got invited to a birthday party on the day we returned. Social life was back in high gear! Everything at the apartment was in order. Our next door neighbors had kept an eye on the place and our housekeeper had kept it nice and clean.

Past two weeks have been madness as we transitioned back into our life in India. Kids still had a week of vacation left. But both Mona and I were plunged deep into our work from day one. I had a ton of stuff to catch up in Bangalore and Chennai while Mona decided to add yet another task (membership to the Parent Advisory Committee at Indus School) to her already busy portfolio of projects.

LA Life - A synopsis

All good things in life must come to an end! We have three more days left of our stay in Los Angeles and we are busy packing up and taking care of all the little details that must be tended to. At the same time, we are looking forward to our return to the good times in Bangalore.

Our time in LA has been a lot of fun. We did everything that we were planning and more. The best part of returning here was reconnecting with old friends and family. We met all our family and it was great to see folks that we have not seen in a long time. Ayaana's highlight was to see her new cousin Maliya - who is adorable. It was good to see my cousin Naweed, who has been bravely battling cancer for a couple of years. Aanish linked up with his old friends - most of whom are nearly 6 feet tall and have facial hair. We also had a great time meeting all our old friends and ex-colleagues from companies where we have worked in the past couple of decades.

No travels are complete without food and this one was no different. We came here with armed with a list of restaurants that we wanted to eat at and visited most of them. We did all the "comfort" restaurants (In&Out, Senor Fish, Acapulco - 3 times), the favorites (Yang Chow, La Serenata) and new ones (Hungry Cat). Mexican food topped the list! We have a couple more favorites left to go and a couple more days left!

Shopping was big during our stay. Ayaana got a new iTouch and a Wii-Fit - both of which she was eyeing for quite some time. No shopping is ever complete without a visit to the shopping mecca - Costco! We hit the usual favorites - Target, Best Buy, Macy's, JC Penny. I think everybody is now set with their clothes, shoes, games etc. for some time.

During our short stay here this summer, we managed to catch a couple of good movies out here (I think Aanish managed to see about half a dozen). We also managed to see a Dodgers game and a Chelsea/Inter-Milan foot ball match (once again - a huge treat for Aanish).

Returning back to the house also meant taking care of some routine, but must-do items - renewing Mona's drivers license, taking care of some banking and tax work, getting a new passport for Aanish, cleaning the house and making minor repairs. If you think this part is fun, I suggest you spend 4 hours at a Department of Motor Vehicle office or the Federal Building. Not a very stimulating experience but it does give you a good glimpse into how America works.

Balancing all of this with work was quite a bit of challenge for me. I could feel the strain of working with a team that is in a time zone that is twelve hours different than mine. I have a feeling that there will be lots to catch up when I return this week.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

After a week or two back in Los Angeles, we couldn't help but reflect on our life here. We invariably get asked by everyone we meet about how it feels to be back. I will try to summarize this as best as I can.

We have lived here for twenty years and this is the place where both Mona and I entered adulthood. The place is an integral part of our lives. We have friends and family and a home here. We went to university in LA, met on campus, got married in Marina Del Ray, had children, built our careers, had a dog and created a life. We are proud when the Lakers and the Trojans win championships. We love the diversity here. We have traveled around the country and seen some of the most beautiful and amazing sites in the country. This is all good.

After living in India for over two years, we realize that what we miss the most from our Indian life is the feeling of connectedness. Communities, families and neighborhoods in India are intensely social. In a country of over a billion people, you would expect people everywhere. People are friendly, caring and welcoming. There is less pressure on Aanish and Ayaana to grow up into adults and they can be kids. Children enjoy much more freedom as the systems are not as rigid and constrained by rules as they are here. Another issue that becomes evident is that we are living in a culture of excess here. In India, resources are limited and hence valued much more. Within a week of being in the US, we can see the disproportionate amount of consumption that we have had between the two environments. This is bad.

One thing that has struck us hard is the impact of the bad economy here. The effects of the global meltdown are not as obvious in India as they are here in the US. Almost everybody that we know and have met during our visit has been impacted in some way. Stores that we used to frequent are out of business. Restaurants are no longer packed. There seem to be fewer cars on the road. Even the daily newspaper has shrunk in size and content. It's ugly out here.

So what does all of this mean? Who knows? You've got to enjoy the good, do the best you can to avoid or eliminate the bad and hope that the ugly goes away. Take each day as it comes and enjoy it to the fullest no matter where you are in the world!

Sweet Homecoming

We are back in Los Angeles. Mona, Aanish and Ayaana have been away for nearly two and a half years and it was an exciting homecoming for all of us. Ayaana was giddy with excitement for a few days prior to our arrival and I could sense the excitement in Aanish. We knew we were in Los Angeles when we were greeted by an immigration officer of Indian descent!

It was exciting for all of us to be back together in our home. I have been traveling to LA several times during the past couple of years. I have lived out of a suitcase during these visits and the place never felt like home. Having everybody together, changed all of that. Of course, with Mona's intense focus on getting the house "operational" in a couple of days caused me to work harder than I have ever worked in my life. We spent a couple of days cleaning the place, unpacking, making minor repairs, shopping for groceries and essentials, getting the car fixed etc. But it was all well worth it! We were back in business within 3 days.

It has been a lot of fun reconnecting with family and friends since our arrival. We did not realize how much we missed everybody until we started seeing everybody again. All the children have grown up and it was exciting to catch up with everyone. Most of Aanish's friends are now taller than their respective dads and I believe one of them has started shaving. All the fifteen and sixteen year olds are now talking about college prospects, preparing for their SATs etc.

Food has always played an important role in our family and we came with a list of must-haves. We miss good Mexican food in Bangalore and have already been to several Mexican restaurants. You can't help it but love Armenian food if you live in Glendale and that has been checked off. Aanish and Ayaana are getting their fill of bagels, croissants, muffins, pies etc. We still have a way to go and hopefully we will get to everything on our list in the next few weeks.

We have a packed social calendar ahead of us and are looking forward to seeing all our friends - which has been the highlight of our homecoming.

Hong Kong Journal

Hong Kong is now on my favorite city list. This is our first visit to this Asian capital and it is everything that I had imagined and more. An interesting blend of the modern and the ancient - Hong Kong is truly a rich and engaging experience for anybody. The first sight of Hong Kong are the tall and narrow skyscrapers densely packed together and reaching up to the sky. The other side of Hong Kong is on display as you start walking in the crowded markets with neon-lit signs and street vendors beckoning you with their wares.

The city is a delight for foodies. The best food is found on the streets of Hong Kong in tiny roadside stalls or small cafes. Streets are lined with noodle bars and cafes servings everything from traditional pan-fried noodles to the unconventional pig knuckles. We had a great time feasting on the traditional and not-so-traditional cuisine but staying away from the unconventional. Aanish was ecstatic to find Starbucks at every street corner and Ayaana had to have ice creams and cakes every couple of hours!

The place is also a shopping mecca (if you are into it!). We window-shopped at the high end retail outlets on Nathan Street but really enjoyed the packed markets selling counterfeit burberry bags and Arsenal jerseys. Hong Kong is not a destination for sight seeing and there are limited places of interest to see. We did make our way to Lantau Island to see the giant Buddha statue and took the night tram to Victoria Peak for stunning views of Hong Kong.

We will spend another day in transit during our return to Bangalore and eating good food will be on the top of the list of things to do!

The Big Fat Indian Wedding

I can't believe that it has taken over a two and a half years before we got an opportunity to attend a traditional Indian wedding. The son of our landlord got married last week and Mona and I were invited for the wedding. The marriage was on a Thursday morning followed by a lunch. A large wedding reception was scheduled for Friday. We were leaving for Hong Kong on Friday and decided to attend the lunch on Thursday.

The wedding turned out to be a traditional south Indian wedding. The actual wedding ceremony started at 7:30am in the morning on Thursday and lasted about 4 hours. During this time, there were several different poojas (prayers) and rituals. Lunch service started at 11:30am. By then, there were about 3000 guests. No, I did not add a zero by mistake. I do mean three thousand guests. So naturally, lunch had to be served in shifts. This was quite an experience.

The dining hall consisted of long tables with folks sitting on one side of the table. Each table could accomodate about 20 people and there were at least 20 tables. So about 400 people were being fed in one sitting. We took our seats after one group of people had completed their lunch. An army of waiters and servers worked with speed to clean the tables, cover them with white sheets of thick paper and place a huge banana leaf on the table in front of each guest. The etiquette is to sprinkle a bit of water from your glass and wash the leaf clean with your hands.

The vegetarian meal consisted of nearly 20 courses and included a few different vegetable curries, roti, poori, pulao, plain rice, bhajiyas and a couple of different sweets and desserts. Servers made their way down each row serving each person. The food was delicious but the experience was truly unique.

We missed the wedding reception the following day but passed by the venue on our way to the airport! This one also looked like a grand affair with lights and decorations and probably a similar number of guests!

Now that is a big fat wedding.

Back in my favorite city

In case I have not mentioned this before, London is on the top of my favorite city list. If I have already told you this earlier, then this is to let you know that nothing has changed. I still love the place and wish that some day I can spend 3-6 months living here.

Perhaps it is the international feel of the city that appeals to me. Earlier this afternoon, I was sitting on a bench in Kensington garden. In a period of about 15 minutes, at least 40-50 people walked by speaking in over a dozen languages! I like the crowds here - people are walking everywhere, there is hustle and bustle around the place. The underground tube (train) system is fabulous and makes getting around the city a breeze. Well ... today was an exception. There is a strike and the underground is not functional. So I got a feel for London traffic as I drove in a taxi from one end of the town to the other.

I have been quite fortunate with the weather. With the exception of one or two trips to this city, the weather has generally been perfect every time I have been here.

The only bad thing about my recent trips here has been the fact that I keep traveling alone for work. I need to come back soon with Mona, Aanish and Ayaana. Plus I have promised Aanish that we will come to London and take him to an Arsenals football match! Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

Democracy at work

India recently held parliamentary elections to elect a new government and a prime minister. It was a fascinating experience to watch the entire process from up close.

In a country that seems to thrive in chaos, order somehow manages to emerge at the other end. The ruling Congress party and the prime minister Manmohan Singh were handed a mandate by the people and returned to power for a second term. The verdict was hailed in both India and abroad as a vote for sustained growth and development. Stock markets reacted favorably and foreign investments immediately started accelerating. The common man seems to be happy at the state of affairs.

Several hundred million voters took part in this election. Stories of voting machines being dispatched to remote regions of the countries (deep forests and high mountains) to enable tiny groups of voters filled the newspapers. The entire process lasted for several weeks as the infrastructure required to conduct elections on a single day would be unimaginable. Despite fears of unrest, the elections were held in a peaceful manner. The media provided a huge level of transparency in the process. Popular movie stars participated in ad campaigns to promote awareness and encouraging people to vote. The massive young population of India was truly engaged in the process as was evident by the measures taken by each political party to connect to this segment of the population.

In the end, the system worked as it was intended and the result will make India a stronger nation in the coming years.

Moo On!

It's been nearly two and a half years since I moved to Bangalore and I have assimilated fairly well. I have gotten so used to things that are typically Indian that I don't even notice them any more. But some days I try to consciously look out for those Indian experiences that have no parallel anywhere in the world.

This morning was one of those days. I was in the car stopped at a traffic light at a major intersection in Bangalore. On the opposite side, I noticed a bullock cart stopped at the intersection! This is in the middle of peak hour traffic with buses, cars, auto-rickshaws, scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks etc. all trying to find their way forward and rushing to get ahead. Amazingly enough, I noticed that the vehicles around the bullock cart had somehow made way for it and were patient enough to allow it to make it's way at a lumbering pace.

No outrage! No drive by shooting!

What a country!

Doing business without technology?

Can you imagine a company in this day and age doing business without using technology? No e-mail, computers, accounting systems, blackberries!!! Crazy, you say? That is what I thought until a tiny incident opened my eyes to a new way of doing business.

I was hanging out at home in the morning reading my newspaper when the bell rang. It was the Coconut-Wala delivering coconuts (in India it is quite common to drink tender coconut water during summer). He handed me our daily supply of two coconuts and asked for his monthly payment. When asked how much we owed him, he was able to tell us accurately how many coconuts he delivered during last month, number of days of missed delivery and total amount owed in a single breath! No excel spreadsheets, no calendar, no on-line delivery schedules, no inventory management .... no, sir (and madam!). He had it all in his head.

As I drove in to work, i started to observe and think about the other "Coconut-Wallas" out there who operate in a similar fashion. There is the guy who sells plants and pots across the street from us, the guy who delivers milk (different quantity each day), the guy who delivers newspapers, the guy who delivers DVDs .... . I have never seen any of these guys carry a notebook, leave alone a laptop! And they are all running small successful businesses.

So to all of you who believe that you can't run a business without technology ... have some coconut water!

The Art of Yoga

It's been over two years since we have been in India and it was about time that I got involved in something that was totally Indian. So I finally signed up for Yoga classes a couple of months ago. Since my weekly visits to the gym had dwindled down to .... ZERO, I figured I needed an alternate fitness program. Of course, my recent painful misadventure with kidney stones have made me realize that the human body cannot be neglected for long. Yoga seemed like a nice relaxing, non-impact, low intensity workout and it felt like something that would suit my style. Best of all, a Yoga instructor was offering classes right in the building, so I would not even need to drive to class.

It's been over 3 months now and let me tell those that have never practiced Yoga - IT IS NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS! The asanas (postures) are designed to extend, stretch and pull every muscle in your body. An hour and a half of twisting and contorting your body, definitely gives every muscle the exercise it needs. But I definitely see progress. For the first couple of weeks, I would crawl back home from class groaning! It seems to be working now. I definitely feel like I have more energy and greater flexibility. Of course, the class is getting tougher as well. The best part of the class is the way you end it. The last pose is "Shavasana" - the dead man's pose. It is called that for a reason ..... you are nearly dead by the time you get there and you look forward to it. In this asana, you are lying down flat on your back, with your eyes closed and muscles relaxed for about 5 minutes. Absolute bliss!

Spring Break Log

This year for Spring Break, we planned a trip to the Andaman Islands. This turned out to be a great choice. The place is a fantastic island destination with white sandy beaches, lush tropical greenery and water-based activities but does not have the throngs of visitors that are typical in similar destinations. The islands have yet to be discovered by vacationers around the world and are not totally developed and commercialized.

We spent a couple of days in Port Blair - the capital city which used to be a prisoner's colony during the British era. A prison (Cellular Jail) is one of the main highlights on this island. Several important freedom fighters were housed in this prison. Another destination worth a visit is Ross Island which is a 15-minute ferry ride from Port Blair. The British officers had established a colony for themselves on Ross Island and governed the region from here.

We spent the remaining four days at Havelock island - absolute bliss. We were staying at a wonderful eco-resort, Barefoot Resorts. The accomodations at Barefoot are designed in the style of traditional Nicobari huts. The resort is truly an eco-friendly destination. The use of energy is minimized, Solar energy powers most of the resort and they are big into reducing waste and increasing recycling. The surrounding were gorgeous - the huts are located in a forest. The beach is a 2-minute walk from here. The beach itself was one of the best that we have been in the world - warm water, white sandy beach and a spectacular landscape.

We got our fill of adventure sports. All of us tried our hand at Kayaking and Snorkeling. Snorkeling was a first for Mona, Aanish and Ayaana and they had a terrific time.

Of course, the major highlight was the food! The seafood prepared in traditional island style was finger licking. We did not have a single meal that would be average. Each one was better than the other. We had our fill of prawns, lobster and crabs! We took a break from "masala" seafood one day at Havelock and decided to eat at an Italian restaurant on the island .... simply superb!

Invasion of the Roach Coach

Food trucks (roach coaches?) are part and parcel of daily life in the US. The closest equivalent of those were roadside street vendors with pushcarts or small stalls that sold beverages such as tea, coffee, fruit juices to snacks like chaat etc. With a growing workforce that is dealing with increasing mobility, long commutes, extended working hours, it was simply a matter of time before the "mobile" food stall became part of the Indian daily life as well.

Last week, as I was driving to work, I realized that I had never noticed the number of mobile food stalls that were all around. Small vans with mobile kitchens are out in the morning churning out hot masala chai and south Indian coffee along with a full south indian breakfast. The vans are back during lunch with an assortment of snacks and full meals and catering to the hundreds of thousands of office workers.

The concept is pretty much similar between the Indian and the US roadside food services. The big difference is the highly discernible palate of an Indian. Indians are very choosy and selective about their meals and it is interesting to see the mobile food industry evolve to cater to the Indian market - with all the flavors and choices that a typical consumer might want!!

Holi is back!

Today we celebrated our third Holi in India. Mona left for Mumbai this morning so she was not able to join the celebrations and we missed her. There was a large turnout for the festival. As in prior years, there was enough color, water, music, dancing and snacks for everyone. There was an added element this year - Bhang!. It is a preparation made from the Cannabis plant and can be smoked or consumed as a beverage. Last time I had Bhang was over 25 years ago. This time, the concoction was probably a bit milder (catered to the 40+ generation) and all it did was make me pass out for a few hours.

And since Mona was not around this year, I had to figure out how I would get myself and two color and water soaked kids into the house without messing up the whole place. But as they say, necessity is the mother (well, father in this case) of invention. A few newspapers, old napkins, plastic bags and a mop did the trick. Place looks spanking clean!

Standing in the midst of swirling colors and spraying water, I was watching folks from the ages of 2 years to 60 years having a gala time. Festivals like these bring people from different backgrounds, ages, religions together in an environment of fun and friendship. To get a feel for Holi, check out this wonderful ad.

Leadership Camp Report

Ayaana is back from her one-week Leadership Camp in beautiful Coorg. I am not 100% sure but it feels like she has grown taller and her self-confidence is higher! But then - that could be a doting father speaking.

Jokes aside - the camp sounds like a lot of fun. Coorg (also known as Scotland of India) is a resort in Karnataka near the border of Kerala. Almost 50 seventh graders spent a week at camp in a coffee plantation learning team and leadership skills. Activities ranged from trekking and rapelling to survival cooking and hanging around bonfires. One night, the students learnt how to pitch tents and spent the night in tents.

I have never been to Coorg but Ayaana claims that the scenery is out of this world. The pictures she took on her digital camera confirms this.

After a week of bonding with nature, the kids returned home on Saturday - after making a lunch stop at .... you guessed it - McDonalds!!!!

I can't live without .....

I am on my fifth plane ride in four days. There are only so many movies that you can watch and only so many hours that you can work on your laptop (before it runs out of power). Bored out of my mind, I pulled out the Skymall magazine - the in-flight shopping guide.

I have never paid much attention to these magazines until today. As I was flipping through the pages, I was amazed at the stuff that you can buy these days. For instance, how can you live without a Sleep Regulating Sun Lamp that emits the wavelength of morning sunlight to ensure peaceful sleep? And can you imagine traveling without an anti-bacterial plastic cover for remote controls that will control the spread of germs when you are handling the TV remote in hotel rooms? Life can never be complete without a multi-function video pen that can record voice and video and yes amazingly enough can write as well!

And why would you ever want to deal with the hassle and mess of using real candles when you can buy a set of flameless candles that come with ... you heard it right - a remote control! And here's the item that is my favorite - a Barbeque branding iron - to help you personalize your steak, turkey and fillets with your initials.

It does make a statement about people! After all - we are what we buy.

Show me the money!

I have been back in the US for less than 24 hours but the enormity of the economic crisis and the criticality of a stimulus plan is clearly obvious. This hit me hardest when I read about Starbucks plans to lower prices of its signature coffees and offer combo breakfasts. The news on TV and newspapers is full of tales of layoffs, shutdowns, closures etc. International travel is down! Cost-effective valentines day gifts are being promoted! None of this is a major surprise because we have been constantly reading about this - but being in the eye of the storm makes it much more real.

The senate is scheduled to vote on the stimulus package today. I have been hearing a lot of debate on this but really hope that it passes. The country needs a real shot in the arm (one on either arm and possibly a couple in the butt!) to get things slowly moving back on track.

Road Trip Log

Last weekend, we set out on a road trip to the ancient city of Hampi. This post is a summary of the road trip. Look out for more on Hampi in a future post. This was the first time I was driving on a highway in India - and a looong drive it was! The drive to Hampi from Bangalore took us over 9 hours. The return trip was a bit shorter.

For all of you who are might be contemplating a similar adventure, please bookmark this post as a reference. I have advice here about how to enjoy a long drive on a highway in India while ensuring safety. Here are some of the key highlights of the journey:

Entertainment and Education
Yes .. you heard right! A drive on an Indian highway is highly entertaining and educational. The backs of trucks (lorries as they are affectionately known here), have visuals and messages that entertain and educate you. Messages include the spiritual kind (God Bless You, Jai Mata Di etc), the advisory type (Small Family - Happy Family, Don't Drink and Drive, Keep Distance) to pure entertaining (Highly Infal mable). Messages encourage you to maintain a party atmosphere by honking your horn (Horn OK, Sound Horn, Blow Horn). Signs on the highway encourage safe driving by advising you to avoid killing yourself as your family awaits you.

Safety
Driving on an Indian highway is no different from navigating an obstacle course. Constant vigilance is required because you have no idea where the next obstacle will appear from. Obstacles include a 2-wheeler, a metal road block, a huge rock, a tractor driving towards you on a one-way road and of course human beings.

Nature Experience
Wild life peacefully coexists with humans in India (even in semi-urban areas). So it was no wonder that we saw a variety of animals including dogs, cows, buffalos, pigs etc. Animals can also serve as obstacles.

Food
Highway fast food is not as widely available as in the US but a popular South Indian restaurant (Kamat) has started to open a chain of clean restaurants serving vegetarian food. Of course, you have the usual 'Dhabas' that are unique to Indian highways and serve rich and spicy food.

Craters and Valleys?

Nope! I am not talking about a recent sightseeing visit to an exotic volcano site. Rather, I am referring to driving on Bangalore roads and specifically referring to the GIANT speed bumps that you would typically encounter every 100 yards or so. The sickening crunch that you hear every time your car navigates one of these gives you pictures of the battered underbelly of your shiny new vehicle.

After the millionth such crunch, I was convinced that there must be a solution to this. I googled Bangalore Speed Bumps and sure enough, found hundreds of discussions on local on-line forums on this topic. One of these forums had the answer. As your front wheels start to climb the speed bump, you turn your steering wheel to the right or left and drive over the bump at an angle. Of course, you have to correct course quickly as you are climbing down to avoid totally confusing the traffic around you. But it works!

Since then, I have not only managed to avoid damaging our car but have also dispensed this advise to all my friends who are plagued with this problem.

Couple of other useful tips:

1. Unload your heaviest passenger before passing over a speed bump
2. Heavier passengers should sit in the front seat
   
3. If you happen to be driving to the airport with heavy luggage, the passenger on the front seat (and even the driver if possible) should carry a heavy piece of luggage on their lap
4. If you happen to be going to dinner, eat less in order to keep the weight in the car low
   

Happy driving!

Out with the old, In with the New

As we bring in a new year, it is but inevitable that one is going to reflect back on the prior year because history is the best teacher for the future! 2008 was a mixed year for us. We are now completely settled in Bangalore and this has become very much a home for us. The children are growing up into adults with their own personalities but with a very important skill - adaptability and flexibility. The worse effects of the global economic recessions have not been felt in India and even the most conservative estimates are predicting a 5% growth in GDP for 2009. Mona has never been busier in life both socially and professionally. 2AdPro is doing well and I enjoy most of my time there (there are always moments when you would rather be in a dentist's chair!). And then, this was the year that the US elected its first African American president. Way to go, America!

But this year has also been marred by many unfortunate events. Hate filled terrorists have continued to wage a war against innocents throughout the world. We experienced bomb blasts in Bangalore and Istanbul. The recent shooting and bombing incident in Mumbai left all of us cold and in a state of shock. Israel is attacking Hamas as we speak and a conflict is brewing in every part of the world.

My biggest hope for 2009 is that violence and terror will lose and peace will prevail. How is this going to happen? I feel that it has to happen from within each human being. We must all identify the hate in ourselves against anything and anybody and destroy it. No new leader of the free world or a prophet from the stars will solve this problem. We have to step up to this and each one needs to do his/her part in building a peaceful and tolerant world.

Happy New Year!

This too shall pass

I have been off-line for several weeks now and this is purely due to health reasons. Couple of weeks ago, I was back in Los Angeles for a 10-day visit to the US. On Day 2, I felt an acute pain in the left lower abdomen. The pain was so severe that I had to contact a very good friend of ours who is a doctor. I was quickly diagnosed with a kidney stone and before I could say "Rock", I found myself on a bed in an Emergency Room with an IV in my arm. After a CAT Scan and blood test, I was prescribed strong pain medication along with antibiotics. On Day 3, I was a plane headed back to Bangalore.

I landed on early morning Friday after a very long and uncomfortable (due to the pain) plane ride. The pain was still fairly strong but I thought the pain killers would do the trick. I even headed to the office for a meeting. But then the pain increased so much that I had to turn right back and head home. If you have ever suffered from a kidney stone, my deepest sympathies are with you. If you have not, you are lucky and please drink 3 liters of water each day!

I was back in the Emergency Room (this time in Bangalore)! I finally passed the stone and life has since been limping back to normalcy. An ultra-sound test has shown that there are 2 or 3 more in my kidney and I have been prescribed a treatment called litho-tripsy by the urologist. And friends and family have been very kind and checking on my health and prescribing a host of treatment options ranging from homeopathy, yoga and ayurvedic massages to beer, stem of the banana plant and a host of other remedies. I am determined to try ALL of them!

Thank you all for your support during this time. And most of all, thanks to my lovely wife, Mona, without whose constant help and strong support, this would not have passed!

Terror in Mumbai

Our past few days were spent watching in horror as the terror drama in Mumbai was unfolding. We are sad, frustrated and angry at the senseless killings of hundreds of innocents, the mindless violence and the destruction of an iconic building. The ordeal came to an end yesterday when the last of the terrorists was shot dead but it will take a long time for the city and the country to recover from this.

As the drama was unfolding on the television for over 60 hours, people in India and all over the world were watching in horror at the unbelievable turn of events. The terrorists targeted the heart of India's financial, entertainment and tourism capital by attacking Mumbai. A large number of foreigners were victims of the tragedy making this a truly global event that was covered in mainstream media around the world.

It is a sad commentary on the times that we live in when a group of less than a dozen individuals, armed to the teeth, can land in a major metro city in the world and generate such mayhem. This is a completely unjustified act of cowardice that serves no purpose. Many innocent lives were lost and families were destroyed as these young heartless terrorists continued on their rampage without any emotion or feeling.

We mourn with the families of those who died and were injured in this attack. We salute the brave men and women of the law enforcement force who risked their lives to save others. Several of them laid down their lives in the line of duty. Funerals are being held around the city for the victims of this tragedy. Memorial services are being held to honor the brave.

We hope that this incident will trigger action by the Indian government at the central and state levels to improve their preparedness in dealing with such incidents. This attack has exposed the inadequate level of preparations in major areas such as intelligence gathering, personnel training, upgrading weapons and equipment etc. Most importantly, the politicians must wake up to recognize the need for a coordinated response and leave aside their petty political differences to establish a strong anti-terror system that would ensure that such an attack would never happen on the country's soil again. Countries around the world must recognize that cooperation at a global level is required to combat and win this new "war".

Traveling on the Interstate ...

This week when I was returning from Chennai to Bangalore, I decided to drive down with Mohan. While the Chennai to Bangalore flight is about 45-50 minutes, the driving distance from the Bangalore airport to my house is about an hour and a half. The drive from the office in Chennai to the airport is about an hour. Add an hour long wait at the airport and the total travel time is about five hours. The train ride between the two cities is about the same and so is the drive time. So I thought .. what the heck!

Driving on the interstate highways (NH -> National Highway) is a bit different than cruising on the Golden State freeway. It took us about an hour to reach the highway. The distance was probably no more than 10 miles but by the time you navigate through the typical traffic in an Indian metro and make your way around the numerous road construction projects, it takes that long.

The ride on the highway itself was quite interesting. The highway is a four-lane highway with two lanes headed in either direction. The road itself is very good with beautiful landscaping etc. One thing that struck me was the large number of trucks headed in either direction. These ranged from the traditional lorries that have been plying on the Indian roads for decades to spanking new 18-wheelers. When one truck is attempting to pass another, you can be stuck behind both these guys for quite some time.

Another thing that jumps out at you is the darkness. We were driving in the night and I realized that the street lighting is minimum. This starts to become a real pain when you realize that the trucks do not have or do not use their indicators and are not well lit themselves. So, how do they manage? Well, it takes two to drive these large monsters - there is the driver who is doing the actual driving and then there is his assistant who is hanging out the other window waving signs to the other drivers on the street in order to communicate the driver's intent.

Then you have the foot traffic - people crossing the highway at random points. I am not sure how Mohan was able to spot these folks and managed to avoid hitting anyone but I am pretty sure that I don't have this skill.

Signs along the highway keep reminding you of stuff such as "Speed Kills", "Go slow, your family is waiting" etc. But just as you start to feel good about these, you see a sign "Hospital Ahead. Emergency services for Accident victims".

Seat of Power and Monument of Love

The day after we finished celebrating Diwali, we headed out to Delhi and Agra for a short vacation. It has been over 20 years since either Mona and I have visited the Taj and we have never visited this Monument of Love together. So this has been on our list of places to visit for quite a few years.

Delhi is the Seat of Power in India and you can feel it when you arrive. We were immediately impressed with Delhi - good infrastructure, clean and wide roads, well behaved traffic etc. We stayed at a B&B tucked away in the exclusive Golf Links neighborhood of Delhi - a charming place in a cozy little area of the city. Sightseeing in Delhi is an unforgettable experience. You can live the history especially if you have grown up here and studied Indian history. Humayun's tomb is a world heritage site and fully deserves the status. The Red Fort brings stories during the Mughal era to life. Jama Masjid is a grand old mosque - another example of the incredible Mughal architecture. The visit to the Bahai temple was interesting. This lotus shaped building is a must-see when you are in Delhi. Akshar Dham is a modern temple with a fantastic architecture, beautiful carvings and a musical fountain that would rival Bellagios in Las Vegas.

Food in Delhi was a major highlight. We ate a lot of street food - our best kind - the succulent kababs served by Khan Chacha in Khan market. We stopped at a Dhaba on the way back from Delhi to Agra and had the best vegetarian Dhaba food that you can imagine. Some of the best street food can be found on the streets of Chandni Chowk where we tried a range of food from hot jalebis to an assortment of parathas to dahi ballas! Absolute foodie heaven!

Our visit to the Taj Mahal was awesome. The Taj is everything that you would expect and more. It is an amazing monument and you are rendered speechless when you first lay your eyes on it (even though you might have seen it before). For a change, we had a guide accompany us and he was able to give us (especially the children) some good insights into the history of the Taj. Fatehpur Sikri in Agra is an equally impressive monument. It is the city that Akbar had built but it was inhabited for only a short amount of time due to lack of adequate water. We also visited Akbar's tomb which is a simple tomb inside a magnificent monument.

Festival of Lights!!!

It is that time of the year again - the festival of Diwali is back! Last week, Diwali was celebrated all over the country including a big celebration in our building. The festivities began on Sunday, October 26th with a talent show. Ayaana performed a Bollywood dance number with a group of kids. As always, there was good food followed by music and dancing.

We went shopping for fireworks on Saturday and it was quite an experience for the children. We bought all our fireworks at a large makeshift market in a ground in JP Nagar. Huge crowds assembled on Monday and Tuesday night to burst the fire crackers. Aanish and Ayaana had a real blast. Flower pots, Sparklers, Snakes, Bombs, Rockets - there was enough for everyone. Ayaana had a minor accident on both days and ended up with a few blisters. But this did not diminish her enthusiasm.

Mona and I ended the celebration of the week with a fun dinner evening with friends. The day after, we left for a short vacation to Delhi. But more about that in my next post.

Entrepreneurship in high gear

I was invited to participate in a networking event with students at Mahaveer Jain College. The goal was to create some interaction between entrepreneurs and students so that the students get some exposure to real-world startups and receive mentorship and guidance. The event was organized as a Commodities Trading game - complete with a trading floor. Each team comprised of an entrepreneur and a couple of students. Teams were given some cash and a portfolio of commodities. The teams then engaged in active trading in 4 sessions within an hour. At the end portfolios were measured and the winner was announced. Any guesses at who came in at first place .... yours truly!

The event was organized by National Entrepreneurship Network - a group focused on promoting entrepreneurship through education. It was an awesome event and I was impressed with the all the participants. Many of the entrepreneurs are creating interesting products and services that are likely to change how we live, work and play in the future. Level of interest among the students was extremely high and I can bet that some of those who participated in today's event will be successful entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

All things considered

Live NPR in Bangalore? It was a dream come true. A few weeks ago, we were at a carnival in the building and came across a satellite radio service called WorldSpace. NPR was one of the stations on their list, which instantly had Mona and me sold on the service.

After we signed up, we realized that we don't have a decent music system. So we went a bought a new system. Installation of the receiver was a bit tricky but with help from the electrician in our building, the WorldSpace technicians were able to get it installed with a minimum amount of damage. But now as we sit back and listen to Fresh Air or Talk of the Nation, it all feels worth it. A bit strange to listen to the Morning Edition in the evening, but heck - we feel connected!

Voting from India!!

The Bangalore chapter of Democrats Abroad started about 3 months ago and already claims a membership of close to 200 individuals. The chapter has been very active in mobilizing the Democrat expats living in Bangalore in supporting Obama/Biden in the upcoming elections.

Mona and I attended our first event over the weekend - a dinner party to watch the first presidential debate. The evening was a lot of fun. There were about 50 people from all over the US - some friends of ours and many new faces. I had already watched the second half of the debate in the morning but it was fun to watch the recorded version all over again with fellow Democrats. The stations were reported mixed results but in Bangalore - Obama's victory was undisputed.

Of course, in India, you cannot have any event without lots of good food and this event did not disappoint. It was a potluck event and there was a huge variety of great food.

A good friend Sean announced the next event at his house to watch the vice presidential debate. Unfortunately, I am traveling on business and will miss that event but I am sure it will be an equally fun and a bit more entertaining event.

Green Inc.

The other day we received a flyer in the mail with some information on waste reduction/management and green practices in companies. As I was reading through the list of recommendations (reducing paper consumption, electricity usage etc.), I realized that companies in India operate in an environmentally conscious manner.

One thing you notice as you walk into large corporate offices is the lack of paper. Desks are remarkably clean and a majority of the work is done on-line. Also - you don't see much food waste (such as sandwich wrappers, cans, plastic bags etc.). Most companies have cafeterias where lunch is prepared home style for the employees and glass or steel plates and cutlery is available. Most restrooms in corporate buildings have electric hand dryers and power saving devices are installed to minimize power consumption by turning lights on and off based on motion detection.

As rapid growth continues, it is heartening to see that many of these companies are committed to responsible growth in terms of the environment!

Hurdle Race?

On Friday, we celebrated Mona's birthday with dinner at Mugan's - a restaurant in the upscale neighborhood in Indira Nagar. Due to a minor miscalculation by Mona, we ended up parking about 300m away from the restaurant. Decided it wasn't a big deal and that we would just walk up to the restaurant. I for one was not prepared for the adventure that lay ahead of us.

We found the pavement to be a major obstacle course as we made our way to the restaurant. Mounds of dirt, piles of steel construction pipes, blocks of stone, deep puddles of water and mud added a sense of adventure to our walk as we navigated various obstacles on our way to our destination. Sections of pavements were simply non-existent and would disappear with no early indication or warning. You have to be extremely vigilant and pay careful attention to where you put your foot down next. Of course, you must also be aware of other above the ground obstructions such as a tree branch or crooked light pole or a hanging sign to avoid banging your head while looking down.

At times, it might appear that walking on the street might be safer than walking on the pavement. But be aware of vehicles that are battling for street space and will not hesitate to squeeze you off the road in their attempt to get ahead.

We did make it safely to the restaurant and back without a major incident!

Building a generation of musicians

Yesterday there was a recital by the Guitar department at the William Joseph Music Academy where Aanish and Ayaana take guitar and piano lessons respectively. The 2-hour program reminded me how much music education has changed in India in the last 20 years. I remember taking guitar lessons over 25 years ago in a small room in the house of an instructor two times a week. The William Joseph academy is also in a house but it occupies the entire house. But this represents a fundamental change in music education. More and more children seem to be interested in learning music. Parents are making a greater effort to support the interests of their children. The education infrastructure appears to have removed a lot.

There were nearly 25 children who performed in the recital. Children ranging in ages from 6-7 to about 20 performed in the program. There was also an older student in his 40s. The program was well attended. Despite the small space and limited seating, the audience enjoyed the program which also included a multi-media presentation by one of the instructors on the history of guitar and some music theory. The students were amazing - talented and self-confident. Dressed in formal white shirts and black pants (boys) or black skirts (girls), each played their piece with confidence. The recital ended with an ensemble piece by the instructors. And for good measure, it ended with a group of instructors and a couple of visitors playing a Blues number.

Aanish played his piece with poise and elegance and clearly (this is without any parental bias) was the best performer of the evening!

Blog Hall of Fame!!!

Recognition, at last!!! I have now been blogging for close to two years (since October 2006) about our experiences living in Bangalore after spending twenty years in Los Angeles. I am fully aware of my limited audience and actually personally know each and every one of my five loyal readers (not counting myself). After a long 18 month period, fame is actually at my doorstep.

Timeout is a global lifestyle and entertainment magazine with editions in major cities around the world. Last month, the magazine was launched in Bangalore. And the launch edition had a review of my blog and a clip from it. I am sure this will drive millions of visitors to this site (Blogger beware!). I might have to switch to the ad-supported version of my blog. High traffic, high volume of ads, $$$$!!! Retirement - here I come.

GoldFest!

India bagged it's first individual gold medal in the 10-meters air rifle event at the Beijing Olympics. Winner, Abhinav Bindra, has become a national hero courtesy of this medal. India has been on the world stage for the last several years with a booming economy, successful entrepreneurship and popularity of its food and music. Sports is one area where India has lacked. Barring cricket and perhaps chess, Indian sports men and women have not demonstrated excellence in global sporting events.

So it is no surprise that Abhinav Bindra's gold medal has generated a lot of national pride and hope for budding Indian athletes. Abhinav Bindra already met the president of India who felicitated him on his win. Ads are starting to use his name and there are sales in major retail stores to celebrate his success.

Days later, boxer Akhil Kumar advanced to the quarter finals after defeating world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the bantamweight category. He is now in chasing the second individual gold medal for India.

Sports are also undergoing transformation in a country where sports were never center stage. A couple of high profile wins in the 2008 Olympics are bound to change this. We are already seeing corporate initiatives to fund development programs. Laxmi Mittal has funded several million dollars into a program to train and develop athletes for the 2012 Olympics. Watch out for India in the coming years. Sports will definitely be the next big frontier!

Turkey 2008

Our visit to Turkey was one of our more exciting, interesting and fascinating vacations. Turkey is a land of historical significance and one can experience much of this history first hand while visiting the various sights and monuments. At the same time, a visit to Istanbul gives you a sense of the modernism and development happening in this part of the world as Turkey continues to push for membership in the European Union. It was great to have Aanish and Ayaana with us on this trip and share these experiences together as a family.

Mona did a fantastic job as usual of planning the trip. The itinerary was perfect for the 8 days that we were in the country. The hotels she selected were outstanding and conveniently located.

The day we landed in Istanbul, there was a bomb blast in the city that killed nearly 15 people. We found the Turkish to be as resilient as Indians in dealing with this situation.

Sightseeing
Turkey has the best of history, culture and nature to offer. Sights range from ancient ruins like Aphrodisias and Epheusus to grand architectural marvels like Aya Sofya and Topkapi palace. In contrast, you have the interesting natural landscape in the region of Cappadocia where volcanic activity has resulted in fascinating rock formations that have been used to create dwellings, tombs and places of worship by people who lived here around the 1st century. We had an opportunity to visit unique sights such as an eight level deep underground city, ruins at the city of Troy and various ruins that were reflective of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. I am ready to go buy a book on the history and culture of Turkey, rent and watch Troy and read Ayaana's Greek history text book

Activities
The major highlight of our trip was a ride in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. This was a first for me, Aanish and Ayaana. We had to wake up early at 4:15am to get to the site before sunrise. Unfortunately, the winds caused some delay and we did not take off until 7:30am. The experience of watching giant balloons being filled with air and taking off with 20 or more people in a basket was quite fascinating. We were extremely fortunate to get a smaller balloon assigned exclusively for the four of us. We sailed over the various lava rock formations and watched other balloons in the air soaring over the mountains. The wind decided to get turbulent causing the pilot to cut the ride short. We crash landed in a field and fell in a heap but luckily nobody was hurt including the pilot who was at the bottom of the pile. Another activity that the kids enjoyed was the ferry ride from Bandirma to Instanbul.

Lodging
Each one of the hotels that we stayed in during our visit were selected by Mona after careful research and all of them were unique in themselves. I think our best stay was in Cappadocia at the Elkep Evi Cave Hotel. This hotel had suites built into caves in the mountainside. And these were real caves, with bits of sand and rocks occasionally dropping from the ceiling and walls. The suite was luxurious and the service was excellent. Hotel Empress Zoe in the historic district of Istanbul ranked a close second with its charming decor and central location.

People
We found the people in Turkey to be warm and friendly but extremely aggressive and pushy when it came to selling their products and services. Even the restaurants had a representative out on the street to lure potential customers into their establishments. The Turkish clearly are fond of Indians and we were always greeted with smiles and stories of similarities between the Turkish and Indian cultures.

Shopping
Turkey is a haven for shoppers and has everything for everyone. If you are a history buff, there are plenty of antiques and historical art items available for purchase. Turkish rugs are famous and you get everything from cotton to wool to silk. Of course, the most fun is to shop at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. If you do not have the stomach to bargain, then this is not the place for you. Mona impressed all of us with her art of bargaining and driving deals at a 50% discount. We certainly did our share of shopping until the time we boarded the plane.

Driving
Driving in Turkey was actually quite fun and enjoyable. The roads and highways are very nice and the signs are good. We had a rental car that we used to drive over 2000km during our stay and we never got lost. Even is a small town like Bergama with narrow streets, we were able to find our way quite easily. The rental car came with a starter that I had never seen before. You stick an electronic credit card sized card into a socket and press a Start button in order to start the car. The kids loved it. Driving long distance in Turkey was no different than in any other part of the world. Mona yelling out directions, kids playing or arguing or both in the back seat, all of us trying out various snacks purchased at local markets etc. Barring one incident (minor issue when I took a wrong turn and drove straight into incoming traffic!), driving in Turkey was fun.

Food
One of the important criteria for enjoying a vacation for us has always been the food on the trip and Turkey did not disappoint. Istanbul has some of the best restaurants that serve delicious Turkish fare. We sampled a lot of the Turkish cuisine including a dessert that is made with chicken and burnt. Traditional favorites like the Doner Kebab, Shish Kebab etc. were delicious whether you have them at a roadside stand or in an elegant restaurant. Variety in food is definitely limited and there is not much of a choice of international cuisine. We had Turkish breakfast every single day which never varied from one hotel to the other - tomatoes, cucumber, variety of bread, cheese, green & black olives and a boiled egg. Roadside fare was also delicious like roasted chestnuts, corn etc. We did manage to stumble across a Mexican restaurant on our last day of the trip. Mona and the kids have not had Mexican food since we left Los Angeles and needless to stay we had to stop here. Not the best but hey, when you have been craving for the stuff for 18 months, it tasted good!