May182016
Abandoned home along the highway

Interesting Sights on a Road Trip in India

Culture, Places, TrafficLeave a comment

Last weekend we headed out on another road trip, this time to Jim Corbett National Park, which is located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India. The park was established in the year 1936 and is India’s oldest National Park.They have a wildlife and tiger reserve there and I’m still on a quest to see a tiger in the wild before I leave India. As is the case with life, the journey was every bit as interesting as the destination.

 

Getting there

The park is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and It took us about 7 hours by car to travel the 250 kilometers. We drove through a number of small villages and towns, including Ramnagar and Muradabad. I’ve been in India for 6 months now but the things I see on the roads still fascinate me!

Details
Apr302016
You see everything on the roads in India

Interesting Random Facts & Observations About India

Business, Culture, Lifestyle & HobbyLeave a comment

It is called “Incredible India” for a reason. Every day I learn something new about this place, or see something fascinating. Sometimes it’s entertaining, other times disturbing, but it always interesting!

Hindi Language

1.  The Hindi language is beautiful and much easier to learn to speak than it is to read and write.  There are many English words that don’t have a corresponding Hindi word, so they often mix the two languages.  For example, the phrase “Good idea” is “Acha idea hay” in Hindi.

Healthcare

2. Healthcare is ridiculously cheap over here. I was having some abdomen pains so they did an ultra sound of all my organs. The total cost was $35 USD!  And they sent me out the door with the physical X Ray films.

Human Resources

3.  It is standard practice to give 2 to 3 months notice when leaving a current employer, and often they will buy them back.  It makes hiring over here a real challenge.

Unmarried Couples

4. Unmarried Indian couples often have a difficult time renting a room in a hotel or resort due to the conservative beliefs of society. Sometimes they are even harassed or harmed for trying. Rarely do people live together before marriage.

Details
Apr162016
Indian wedding invitation

Weddings and Marriage in India 

Uncategorized2 Comments

Weddings here in India are huge!  The festivities can go on for months, with an engagement ceremony, ring ceremony, henna ceremony, and other celebrations, even before the big day. The actual wedding can go on for days or a week, and it is a major event for all extended family.

Getting ready

It’s amazing how these people can take an empty dusty lot and over days turn it into a beautiful wedding venue. I’ve been watching such activities from the balcony of my apartment for the last couple of weeks. Decorations and other supplies for the event arrive on motorcycle, trucks, bicycles, donkeys, and of course even carried in on the heads of women in their traditional Indian manner.  I hope some day I get to attend one of these spectacular events before I return to America for good.

Details

A Very Bad Day in India

Culture, Lifestyle, Safety & Health2 Comments

We all have bad days. They are just part of life. I recently experienced one in India, and the circumstances, for the most part, were unique to India. It all started when I was on a conference call. I work odd hours over here because of the 12.5 hour time difference. This was an 7:00 AM conference call and I was already in a bad mood because I had to skip my work out. Keep in mind that I connect to my conference calls through the Internet. The electricity suddenly went out which disconnected me front the call, and I was the facilitator!  The electricity goes off all the time here due to over population and unregulated electrical work. I never was able to reconnect to the call because the back up generators didn’t kick on for some reason.

 

Electrical blackouts

I finished getting ready the best I could without electricity. That meant no hot shower, no coffee and no curling my hair. Plus there was no air conditioning, which meant it was soon about 85 degrees in my apartment! By the time I left for work I was covered in sweat and in a very foul mood.

Details
Apr122016
People bathing in a mud puddle in India