Commute

One major difference in my life compared with being in Minneapolis is commuting. Back home we live close to the center of town, and it's only a half hour walk to the office, or about ten minutes in the car. Now we're living in Whitefield, an eastern suburb of Bangalore, and my drive to work is at least 45 minutes each way. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I work at our Embassy Golf Links office in central Bangalore:

View Larger Map

You can see on the map that we take a detour round the back of the old airport, which means going down village streets and seeing some interesting sights, more of which in a moment. Tuesdays and Thursdays I work at the Manyata Business Park in the north of the city:


View Larger Map

This can sometimes take a lot longer, but in theory because we're taking the Outer Ring Road it should be about as fast as going into town. The ORR is a work in progress - there are some parts which are almost like American freeways but there are a lot more under construction so you need to go along rough side streets. On a good day this trip also takes about 45 minutes but a few weeks ago we were driving during heavy rain, and because the road drainage isn't great it took two hours.

The driver we had for the first few weeks was a bit of a liability (very limited English, unreliable and not the smoothest driving ever) so we now have a great new driver, Mahesh, who is working out really well. He's great with the family, speaks pretty good English, has a good sense of humor, and keeps himself and the car very neat - the car gets washed every morning inside and out. We really trust him, which is hugely important when you have to rely on your driver so much.

Some of my friends use their commute time to work on their laptops, but I get too motion sick if I try that. So most of my drive I either listen to podcasts, or Mahesh and I listen to the local Bollywood/pop radio station or chat. Now we've been here a few weeks I'm pretty used to the drive - the bumpy roads, the stop-start of the traffic, and the sights. But I wanted to let you know some of the interesting things I've seen in the last few days.

First, the many, many stores along the side of every road. Loads of little corner shops, grocery stores and food stalls. Because the weather is so mild there is tons of living out on the street, so lots of food stalls are thronged with people having breakfast or dinner. There are meat stalls too, and because there isn't reliable refrigeration outside of supermarkets the meat is very fresh. Chickens are kept in cages, and when someone wants a chicken the hapless beast is grabbed by the neck and dispached. I've sometimes seen guys on scooters with a (feathered) chicken hanging by the feet from each handlebar, but yesterday I saw someone on his two-wheeler with a brace of what must have been 30 birds poking out from the sides of his bike.

Speaking of overloaded vehicles, you often see whole families on one bike. Dad is taking his wife, and two or three kids to work and school. The lady sits side-saddle, and there's a kid on the back, another between the parents, and one determined-faced toddler sitting at the front holding onto the handlebars. There are often trucks with multiple people on the back:

That kind of thing is happening right in the center of town. There's not much evidence of traffic police, although I did see someone get stopped for speeding yesterday (how you can find the space to go over the speed limit I'm not sure). It feels like I see a million traffic violations every day (lack of lane discipline being the main thing), and speeding is the least of the worries here.

I'm trying to get more photos for you from the car, but unfortunately the camera on my phone is really sucky. I'll try to remember to take the camera with me more often and will report back with more snaps.

A trip to the Doctor

Toby has had a rather annoying cough for about three weeks. Given the lack of other symptoms, we have been happily ignoring it and waiting for it to get better on its own. Yesterday, Andrew and Toby had plans with friends, but when they arrived it was all change. It turns out that this cough is going round the school and it can get worse. As they were heading out to the local clinic, I decided to take Toby along.

I registered there a few weeks ago, and so I was armed with all relevant materials and Toby's patient number. This is all remarkably easy - the clinic is a 24 hour multi-discipline place, and while you can make appointments, much of their business seems to be walk-ins. Registration consists of name, phone number, age (not date of birth, just age) and Rs100. When you contrast that with the internet guy requiring passport photos to get you on-line, you have one of those

So we get to the reception desk, tell them Toby has a cough and needs to see the Dr. Rs200 ($4-5) later we're in the line... along with at least three other Palm Meadows families... so, we wait; but actually not for long. I would say there were maybe 4 folks ahead of us and were in within the half hour. Dr. was very nice, asked what was up, had a look and a listen. Easy. Toby does indeed have 'the cough' and also very mild ear/throat infection - as he'd had no fever I had put his infrequently referenced ear ache down to cough strain. Guess we caught it early.

I took the opportunity to ask about medicine names for when I run out of the pediatric analgesics and liquid antihistamine I came over with, and then we were out. All done in about 5 minutes. None of this US Obsession with weight/blood pressure every time you go in. Off to the pharmacy for cough syrup (smells just like the stuff we had as kids) and amoxycillin. 5 day supply of each for about $6. They give you powdered antibiotics that you make up when you get home; saves on refrigeration, which makes a lot of sense. Plenty of room for user error if you're not paying attention, but I like to think Andrew and I are smarter than the average bear.

Some of the other kids had been 'prescribed' steam inhalation. The mothers were in front of me in the line, both Scandinavian. They had not come across karvol capsules before, so I explained what they were, and they seemed really happy. Must remember to go back and buy some myself - so much more soothing to me than Vicks.

Toby seems a lot perkier. I think it is partly knowing that there is actually something wrong, it always makes you feel better to know that someone believes you. Looking back, he really hadn't been himself the last few days... well I'm just back from picking Toby up at school... he ended up with the nurse to have a bit of a sleep and some pain meds. I think that by the time I had made the trek down there he was brighter, but he maybe needs more rest than we thought. 

An afternoon with India Post

Not long after we moved, Dara selected her very own, 'India dress'. It was a foregone conclusion that we would be sending one to her friend Ella [with all the curly hair] as a 4th birthday gift. The dress and Dara made card have been in my possession for a couple of weeks and it was time to get them to the Post Office... belatedly...  Ella turned four this last week. I also needed to get some postcard/letter stamps.

Mahesh seemed confident that we could get a packing envelope at the Post Office so off we went. The closest office is just slightly out of walking range when you have school buses to meet, but it is not that far from Palm Meadows. We found a sandy verge to park the car and made our way along the street to a happily not too busy post office. There was an incredibly complex sign about which services were offered during which hours, but it seems that posting things is always just fine.

What they don't have is a kiosk or post shop where you can buy supplies. Mahesh showed them my parcel and asked if they had anything. No luck, so we trekked back to the main road and went envelope hunting in various shops. Success on about shop 3. I figured that seeing as I was there I would buy three. This is easier said than done...

quick sidenote: This is a cash society - and while you can find yourself ripping through RS500 notes some days (like today when I had to pay the gardener for the month), you also need a supply of small notes and coins for buying bits and bobs - nobody ever has change. I'm at a loss as to how we actually get these and hold onto enough. ATMs always give you RS500 unless you want them when they mysteriously kick out wads of RS100 instead.

... my three largish brown envelopes came to Rs12. I thought I'd try my luck and see if he could change a 100... nope. I saw Mahesh reaching for his pocket, so I quickly produced two 10s. Not bad, but then he wanted Rs2 - I'd have given it to him if I had it. I made a good faith effort at rummaging in my bag to find some, but no joy. I ended having to part with my only 5.

As we left the shop I noticed that the envelopes weren't gummed. Mahesh confirmed I don't need tape, the Post Office will have something... and they did! Glue. A solitary, ancient looking pot on the communal table. It had a lot in common with a heavily used, but never cleaned, candlestick. So I stuffed my envelope and then took the brush out of the glue pot - except it was not a brush, it was a stick. I guess each morning someone has the job of fetching the glue stick from the yard.

With Mahesh to speed things up we quickly got the attention of the counter guy. He looked at my parcel and announced it wouldn't make it to the US without tape. He was so kind, he gave me a customs form - actually two photocopies of a UK customs form, one to tape on the parcel and one to give him - no idea how they track the numbers on those, and he showed me a properly packaged item, so that I would know.

As we'd got as far with that as we could for today, I asked for my stamps. My counter guy doesn't do stamps, only parcels, so I had to get in line for the lady next to him. I told her I needed 20 stamps for  the UK and US (now, dear readers, before you all get excited that you are one of the 20, let me assure you these are as yet unassigned). We had some back and forth about postcards versus letters. I said I needed both. From what I can tell they are no different: Rs 25 per item. They are, of course, ungummed, and so it is a good job I packed my trusty 21st century glue stick.

Adventures in Homemaking 3

 

First, some updates.

Our permanent beds have arrived and been set up. This means that Dara & Toby are currently sharing what will be her bedroom while we wait for our sea shipment (and Toby's bed) to arrive. After much searching, Dara finally solved the bedding trauma by selecting some pink/purple/red floral sheets. I think they look a touch on the senior side, but she loves them. I toned them down with a tie-dyed green cotton quilt that is inoffensive and soft enough that it will have many uses in the future. I had to go to two different locations to get two, but that's all done now. We got her fairy decals up on the wall and she is very happy with the way her room is coming together.

... and just because we never did post a photo of Toby's...

The kids share the ground level bathroom. Before we left Minneapolis, Toby got to choose the theme for fixtures. He went with fish/underwater. I had no idea what colours it would need to mix with, but the bathroom here has a hint of orange which goes quite well.

Things are progressing with Suma, although she got laid off from one of her jobs this week. I feel bad, as I know the family, and I'm wondering what I'm missing if they were unhappy with her cleaning... still, as long as she is doing what I need her to do, and she appears to be, then all is well. I think she wants to switch her hours here to be a little earlier as she'd like to pick up another job after she is done here. I think she was looking for permission to do that - I told her that as long as the work here was complete and a high standard, then I was happy for her to find another job also. It might put me in the market for some afternoon cover/childcare, but we'll see.

As for other house staff, I had my first day out with Mahesh yesterday. He was under instruction from Andrew to come with me to the store when I went to get Dara's quilt, and then help me out looking for a bookcase for Dara's room. OK There is a reason that IKEA's Billy Bookcase is ubiquitous. It is a great bookcase. Simple, cheap and in every size you could ever need. Well, Toby's Billy is on its way here. Dara never had one, just a very cheap white one covered in Toby's old stickers and we decided to leave it behind. What I needed was a bookcase to double as a bedside table between the twin beds in Dara's room. Did not care if it matched, it just needed to be nightlight/CD player height and have space for books - and be affordable. I had  no luck in the department store kind of places and Mahesh took me to what appeared to be 'furniture shop alley'. Lots of shoe cupboards and computer desks, but no basic bookcases, until!!! one. I snapped it up and got it home. It is too wide to be ideal for the spot, but it will be great either elsewhere in her room or on the upper balcony to hold her art supplies.

Every morning I wake up to the sound of our (as yet to be named) gardener sweeping the garden. He came with the house, and as we have no issues with the garden, we see no reason to stop him showing up. Apparently some day his boss will show up and ask for payment. I like that he comes early, there is something very soothing about the way he tackles his work. That said, when the tidying is done early, there is too much time for the garden to get messed up by nightfall. At the Palm Meadows Club the ladies spend all day quietly sweeping the grass and picking rocks out the flower beds.

In the last week some other folks have moved in to our house. Cockroaches. They are most unwelcome, but a fact of living in Bangalore. Local wisdom is see one, get the place treated. We got some home treatment, and seemed to have beaten them, especially the ones in our bathroom, but in the last three days the kitchen has been worse, and today I caught 5 of the little monsters in the dining room unit. Rentokil came to take a look yesterday, and the guy arrived at 9:40 today, not bad when he said 10. Here he is treating the outside.

Inside, I had to move everything out of the kitchen, and so last night I put it in the dining room unit... which after my find this morning, was no longer suitable as it too had to be treated. So, here is my dining room.

With any luck, the spraying, along with a gel treatment set for next Monday will help stop them spreading. I never thought I'd look forward to seeing this in the morning, but there you go.

Custard Apples

We have a few fruit trees in our back garden - papaya, pomegranate and custard apple. Most of us have heard of the first two, or have seen them in stores in America or the UK, but I'm not sure if I'd even heard of custard apple before I came here.

Looking out to the back garden

For the Ganesha festival on Thursday our maid, Suma, bought loads of fruit - bananas, grapes, apples, pomegranate and some custard apples (even though I'd picked one of each of the latter two from the garden) to put in the shrine for Ganesha - apparently he loves fruit and sweets. After a day you can take the fruits away from the shrine to eat them. Suma peeled and prepared the pomegranate for us, but we were left with four custard apples.

Fruit on the custard apple tree

I'd never tried one before and had no idea how to tell if they were ripe. The ones on the tree are quite large and firm (although not as large as a pinks mammoth variety which can apparently reach 3kg); the ones from the store were smaller but really soft. However as soon as I squeezed one of these it popped in half, revealing lovely sweet-smelling flesh:

Opened custard apple

To eat it you scoop out the flesh, pop the spoonful in your mouth and separate out the hard seeds. The flavor is lovely - kind of sweet, and fragrant, and the texture is soft. It's a little bit lychee-ish, and very tasty. It went surprisingly well with a mug of tea:

Discarded seeds

Seems like it has quite a bit of good vitamin action along with all the sugars. Here are some custard apple recipes I might try in the future.

A Tale of Two Festivals

Double celebrations this week with Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi falling on consecutive days. Kids and Andrew all at home and so we had a chance to unwind and continue to get to know the house. Our driver and maid are both Hindu and so we were full service on Wednesday, but gave them Thursday off.

There aren't many important religious celebrations where those from outside the faith are actively welcome to join in, but Ganesh Chaturthi is one of them - as befits a happy looking God, Ganesha is apparently thrilled that you want him in your house and to be part of his birthday party. After some informal chat with our relocation consultant and dusting off knowledge from career number 1, I was determined that the Mogendorffs would add their voices to the birthday offerings and prayers - Malini called them wishes.

The children started early on Wednesday by singing the Happy Birthday song for Ganesha at breakfast. I had to burst their bubble by reminding them that Thursday was Ganesha, Wednesday was Eid. Given that Eid is, and should be, reserved for those who actually did fast during Ramadan, we spent the day shopping and enjoying bacon sandwiches for supper...

The last leg of our shopping was to ask Mahesh, our driver, to help us locate a Ganesha statue for the house. You can buy ornamental ones everywhere, but for the festival you need a pottery one as they need to be submerged and dissolved at the end. He took us to a roadside stall and came to help us pick one out (and not get overcharged). We went on the small end of the spectrum for two reasons: not to be ostentatious, and more practically, to fit in our bucket for dissolving. I have not seen a sign saying that Palm Meadows residents are all going for a mass statue dunking in the pool so we'll assume that is not OK. I suspect most locals will go to the lake. Of course, Dara needed her own Ganesha. He is shiny and happy and very pink, what is not to like? He will not get dissolved.



Our big Ganesha



Dara's pink mini-Ganesha

When we arrived home our maid, Suma, was still here. She greeted us and Ganesha very warmly. Then, I got in trouble again as I went to put him in the Shrine. She had not cleaned it, and he couldn't possibly go in. We had given her the day off today, but she insisted that as she was working next door in the morning, she would come, clean the shrine and then help us do pooja properly; and she did.

Our pooja room/shrine is in the kitchen

Freshly cleaned pooja room

We had most of what we needed, flowers, fruit, candy, incense - just not enough, and while I suspect Ganesha would be OK with us just doing our best, Suma got us right with some fairy lights, camphor, nuts, oil lamps and dye. Dara wore her best new dress and I donned my new silk khurti for the ceremony.

Dara's first ever bindi

Be-bindi'd kids

Lots of fruits for Ganesha

Untangling the purple string lights

The children worked with Suma to arrange everything. I got to light the lamps and incense and then she led us through the Sanskrit invocation before we censed the offerings and ourselves. The final part was individual prayer. Then you get to eat the candy, and you're done.

Andrew really likes that it all takes place at home - family oriented in your place. The children loved that we set stuff on fire. Dara liked helping to set things out, and Toby liked the chanting in Sanskrit. I was happy that we all did it together and took the time to do it right - other then substituting Bounty Bars for actual coconut...

Finally a run

So far here I've done very little physical activity. Maybe a little swimming at the Palm Meadows club, lots of packing and unpacking, and schlepping the kids around. But when you are driven from your front door to the front door of your office, you're not really exerting yourself. Plus with the food being so good, and the fact that I never have to drive home from a bar or restaurant I've been eating and drinking tons, and packing on the pounds. Clearly this situation is not sustainable.

So this morning I got myself together to have my first run round Palm Meadows (Here's the map at Garmin Connect). It's not a huge place but I did a decent couple of miles, and should be able to stretch it to further in the future. It's nowhere near as nice as running round the lakes in Minneapolis, but it is a beautiful community, and the roads are safe for running. Sadly I'm so out of shape that even two miles was a lot of work (this time last year I was doing 10-12 miles no problem) but you have to start somewhere.

I have the day off work today for the Ganesha Chaturthi festival, so after the run and some breakfast Toby and I had time to play Frisbee for a while on the front lawn and now I'm helping him with some homework. Our maid, Suma, came over this morning to clean out the puja room in the kitchen, because it was "too dirty and Ganesha is a very clean god" (our driver helped us get a Ganesha statue from a roadside stall yesterday so that we could do a little festival in the house). After cleaning, Suma asked where our fruits were for Ganesha - apparently we don't have enough fruits for offerings, or chalk for bindis, so she's nipped out to the store to get supplies so that we can do it all correctly.