Another week without an update, however on these work trips I think it’s better that I focus on the work responsibilities and this week has been no different. Well, that and I’ve still been fighting my cough which finally got better here in the past two days. I stayed in the hotel on Tuesday and just slept in hopes of beating the cough before I headed back onto a plane… I think it was a good idea and I caught up on a lot of sleep!
Before that, though, on Monday, I had one of the best days I had ever had in Bangalore. I woke up early, the work-shift beginning at 6:00 AM, and went into the office to meet the team. I was even early for the normal start of the day… but I figured… there’s a Lavazza coffee shop on the top floor, and I always want coffee. This would be the perfect way to start the day! I forgot, however, that Monday mornings the shop isn’t open. While during the week it’s a 24×7 shop (we have all sorts of shifts that work 24-hours a day in the office, so the coffee shop is always open. It was my savior back in 2015 when I was here before), it was closed on Monday morning. A bit heartbroken, I headed down to the floor, found a place to sit with the help of an old friend I had not seen in years from Bangalore, and began to meet/re-meet the team as they came in.
It was a warm day, and I was dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. This was a bad move and didn’t last very long overall before the sleeves were rolled up and I was trying to cool off, but the day was full of adventures that were just starting. I was invited to breakfast, and soon we were off in Bangalore’s equivalent of an Uber and headed to somewhere closely with what I had been told was great breakfast.
If you haven’t read my original trip to India, you may not be aware of the traffic. Work doesn’t give me an option to rent or drive a car here, and for the most part I am grateful (if a bit curious sometimes on how I’d do). I have a driver that picks me up every morning and takes me to work and back each day to ensure I get there safely.
The best way I can describe traffic in India is very similar to what you would see on a racetrack not because it’s fast… but because every inch, every centimeter of space, that can be consumed by a vehicle, is. Those who drive here are constantly in defensive-driving mode, and it’s perfectly normal to simply merge anywhere you need, for any reason, at any time, with little regard to any situation except the answer to the question “will I fit?”. If the answer is yes, you go. Sides of the road don’t really matter, there’s no wrong or right (though you mostly try to stay on the left)… it’s all about how busy the road is and how much you think you can get away with without impeding traffic the other direction. Even if you do impede traffic, as long as you’re still moving forward eventually you’ll get back to the right (left) side of the road, and this is also acceptable.
In the event you want a taste, this is pretty much a regular day (keep in mind, this guy is going the right way on the road in question): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vjRf6burT8. Wait until the end to see an intersection, it’s great!
Anyway, if you’ve never been in this type of traffic before, I hear it’s normal to be very, very concerned by the proximity of the cars around you. Cars, bikes, motorcycles, and pedestrians come within inches and step so close you could swear that you’re about to run over their feet. Motor bikes scoot by with handlebars so close to walls that they are likely scuffing something along the way, but anywhere one can fit, they do. It’s really something worth experiencing if you don’t scare easily. Driving to breakfast was a lot of fun, and we spent the time talking about how I barely fit in the Uber, and Hareesh (one of the guys with me) is tall for India at 6’3” and struggles like I do when fitting in vehicles. We did arrive though, a place called Taaza Thindi.
Tazza Thindi opened about nine or ten years ago, or so I’m told, and it’s a place to get a quick breakfast and coffee for those on the go. There is limited seating, some open bar area against the wall (where we stood and sat to eat), and delicious dosa. I enjoyed it greatly, ate with my hands (I absolutely love this by the way. It feels like “playing with your food” but it’s a whole different experience) and enjoyed all the different things I was offered. The coffee here was also delicious, and we wrapped up by standing in the shade and trying to let me cool off a bit after getting rather warm in the sun. We headed back to work and got down to business, met the rest of the team, and before I knew it we were late for lunch and again the team had plans for me.
I can’t remember the name of the restaurant on this one, but we had a lot of different kinds of chicken, all spiced with a variety of flavors and heat signatures, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I talked with a few of the team members some more, and generally we began to break the ice and really try to get to know one another. More than once, I was asked if I thought the food was too spicy, and I’m glad to say I think I survived quite well overall. My guess is that my coworkers ensured it wasn’t to spicy to begin with, but either way between the chicken, rice, and other additions I was full before I knew it with all sorts of delicacies that I really enjoyed. We wrapped up our day in the early afternoon, and I headed back to the hotel.
My coworkers had been nice enough to stop by a pharmacy and pick me up some cough medicine, and I couldn’t thank them enough. They took me for coffee, breakfast, lunch, and even bought me cough medication without ever letting me try to pay them back. I asked about this, and the local manager here told me that India is famous for its hospitality and they way they treat their guests. There is a phrase for it that I will try to look up, but overall as a guest I am supposed to feel as though I was treated like a god. I did, they couldn’t have made my day any more complete! Back at hotel, I took the cough medicine and was quickly asleep in hopes of battling the cold. I’d wake up Tuesday feeling worse and took the day to continue recovering.
On Wednesday, I returned to work and was again treated to a great breakfast. We went over to the old VMware building which is just about a block away, and I was treated to all sorts of breakfast foods from the equivalent of an Indian Donut to breads and what I believe were different curries. I enjoyed it all very much. We stopped again for a coffee when we got back, worked and caught up with the happenings in the Americas (Monday being a holiday, Tuesday morning for us here in India), this was the first day when our work-schedule overlapped, and I had emails from the night before that needed replies. We had a quick lunch in the restaurant/café upstairs, and then on to a team meeting before heading back again to the hotel.
I wish I could say I made the trip more interesting on my own, but as the cough continued to plague my late nights I stayed close to the hotel, ordered room service, and hardly ever ventured further than the restaurants downstairs. I am disappointed too, but I think this was the right call. Sometimes, especially when traveling internationally, you can’t get on a plane while sick. I absolutely did not want to keep fighting this cold as I tried to leave India on Saturday morning! For the most part, as I’m sitting here writing on Friday night, the cold is gone and I am glad I made the choices I did.
Thursday night was the next (and last) big outing for me, the senior members of the team and the manager Arvind took me out to “Three dots and a dash”, a local restaurant that just opened and plays soft 90’s music where we could eat and drink. As usual, I’m always blown away by the presentation and thought that is put into vegetarian food here, and this place (which I’m still surprised doesn’t have a logo like “ … -“ but spells out the words) was no exception.
The food was great, the beer (my first time drinking “Bira”) was tasty, and the company was even better. We talked about everything from books, to movies, to video games, and our lives growing up and took the time to share stories the others wouldn’t know about us. I had to think hard about this, much of life my now is on this blog. When I’m not working, I’m traveling, and if you read this blog you get to hear just about everything that happens along the way with little filter. If you’re curious what I’ve done with my life between 2014 and now… it’s all right here! I did end up sharing a story, but that’s between me and my coworkers.
We wrapped up the night, and I headed back to the hotel. I must be ready to check out of here at 11:30 tonight as it has begun to thunder and rain and the trip to the airport could be somewhat dicey. It’s suggested to be at the airport two hours in advance, and the trip should normally take just a little over an hour. In the rain, that may double, so we’re going to split the difference.
I’m mostly packed, though there were some casualties this trip including a very old coat I should have gotten rid of some time ago (it’s torn, pockets have holes, all the zippers are broken). I’ve picked up some items along the way, as well as some items in India to bring back, and I’m just a little overweight in the luggage department. Overall, I’m typically okay with leaving some items that are replaceable behind (shampoo, etc.,) and the coat is old enough that I think I’m wearing it in a picture of me in New York in 2008… so it’s probably time to get a new one anyway. I’ll put my carry-on items together, stow the tablet on which I’m writing (I should share my travel kit sometime, I never travel with less than one computer screen and I do it all for under about ten pounds), and head out here soon. I’ll take one last shower, put on a fresh set of clothes, and prepare for 20 hours of flights (with a four hour stop in Germany in the middle to stretch out again) to get back to the US. I’ll write another wrap-up once I’m back! This trip has really changed some of my thoughts on Bangalore, not only has the city grown in the past three years, but so have I. I think the wrap-up will be an interesting read!
