INDIA: Man's Modern Day Jungle.

I am officially on the exact opposite side of the world from my java-loving, lance armstrong-loving, live music-loving hometown of Austin, Texas. Couldn't get any farther away from my roots unless I hijacked the shuttle Discovery and did a U-turn back into space.

Although I've only been here a mere 36 hours, I've absorbed so much on the streets, at work, at the airport, that I'm beginning to adopt a feeling of familiarity with this city. Very odd. Where to begin...

Hong Kong Airport Experience: As can be expected at this point, I encountered considerable problems while transporting my enormous suitcases and life out of the airport at Hong Kong. Unfortunately, due to re-packing difficulties/impossibilities and a growing pile of new wardrobe additions, I had accumulated a new piece of luggage, which brought the grand total to 2 large suitcases, duffel bag/body bag, smaller "carry on" and another large duffel-like contraption. Or, if you just want a weight estimate, approx 110 kilos according to the evil scales at the Cathay Pacific check-in counter.

I arrive early of all things and wait in the normal check-in line. Approached the counter, tried to check 3 bags, and the woman says if I'm checking an extra suitcase I must wait in a new line, and since one is overweight I must shuffle some kilos from the big suitcase to the already over-stuffed smaller one. Physically impossible. Wait in new line. New person informs me my little suitcase/carry must also be checked. Doesn't matter if I have a computer in there, I'll just have wait and see where else it can fit. So, re-pack again... and lose my patience. Rip open my suitcase in desperation, throw out the first layer of random items including dirty socks, a sandy hammock, a pink bikini... and furiously scatter them across the recently waxed airport floor as frightened airline clercks stare at the mess unfolding admist their sane customers. One scurries away and comes back triumphantly clutching a Cathay Pacific cardboard box and cheap plastic tape telling "no problem no problem!"- I can simply put my extra belongings I deemed important enough to lug all the way from a Texan suburb to India in a flimsy box worthy only of shipping coconuts.

Summoning all of my calm negotiating skills, we reach I compromise- I pay 200+ USD, get my suitcases on the plane as is, and we call it a day. Life Lesson #237, avoid traveling with more than you can carry and bringing more than your body weight in luggage.

Then I barely make the plane. I felt the impending absence of a good hamburger in India and dashed to McDonalds for one final non-juicy piece of meat. I get distracted by the McFlurry, and soon realize that the time circled on my ticket is not the typical boarding time thats 45 min ahead of departure, but the actual departure time. I run. More like a gallop, until a Cathay Pacific worker waving a large sign with my flight number on it comes rusing toward me- we clarify that yes, I indeed am the missing passenger and yes, please hold the plane- I am coming. My run slows into a relieved brisk walk toward the gate until a new set of Cathay employees appear on the horizon. They don't waste any time talking. Instead one grabs my hand, the other my carry on, and we run together like a bunch of deluded fools toward the sunset, only once we reach the sunset (aka gate 68) they shove me onto the hallway connecting to the plane. There, a new set of employees take over and I finally make it to my row as the plane slowly rolls backward towards the tarmac. My fellow seat mates weren't too pleased with my tardiness, as they remained motionless after I pointed to my window seat. As I stared, confused, wondering if I should just sit in the isle, one pulled his Financial Times newspaper closer to him as he motioned with his hand to simply step over them. They asked for it- so I climbed over... we arrived in Bangkok 2 very, very long hours later.

First impressions of India- absolutely fascinating.

As soon as I stepped outside the Bangalore airport, I was greeted not only by hundreds of taxi drivers held back 100 ft from the exit by a low life-saving gate, but also the shrill honks and beeps of what sounded like thousands of cars. Horns, I realized, are commonly used as instruments for all sorts of communication on the streets- from hello to watch that bumper fool to you better move it now- it sounded like a flock of exotic bird calls working out which direction everybody would be flying in. Throw in a total disregard for traffic signals and lane markers, add a jingle that rings every time the turn signal in a car is set, include turning off the engines when stopped for a moment because its just too much to keep that foot on the brake, spice it up with horrendous traffic jams, and you have the modern day jungle on the streets.

A quick rundown of the rest, with details later...
Could do without:
The dust- its everywhere
The brown out- digging through your suitcase to find a toothbrush is made extremely difficult when the lights flash on and off every 7 seconds.
Highlights:
My Apartment- much bigger than I expected, and I even have 2 beds in my room,
The Company's campus- beautiful, like disneyland, complete with a golf course, a paddle boat pond, and a fleet of bikes scattered around campus ready to ride,
The people- everybody is amazing, helpful and friendly,
The food- discovering how much I love Indian food.

I'm going to Hampi this weekend on my first road trip with fellow co-workers- Monday is Independence day here, so we're getting out of town. Tuesday is my first official day. get ready real world.

Yes, India...