Summer 2012 India
Inhoud blog
  • Day 4 - 7
  • Day -3
  • Day 2
  • Day 1
  • Day 0
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    12-08-2012
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day 4 - 7

    It’s been a hectic few days, so I haven’t had much time to blog. I don’t know what I ate, drank or did, but I don’t recall ever being so sick as I have been for the past few days. Fever, throwing up, … The daily 5 hour drive suddenly becomes even more challenging. I am ok now, but I should not speak too soon….

    It has given me a chance to take some pictures. In the middle of all the pressure, the questions, the chaos, you cannot look around the fact that India does have its charms. I don’t quite yet know what it is, but I have a feeling I’ll have plenty of time to figure that out… Here is a good example: Randomly getting invited to a classical Indian wedding. Or perhaps it’s the amazing sunsets, endless landscapes, small villages , …. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. I’ve even found my quite spot at the workshop: the roof. Amazing view, plenty of shade or sun, a nice breeze and no noise, bar the occasional explosion. The days are long though, and to be honest, I don’t even realize what day it is any more. All days are pretty much the same. Wake up at 6h15, shower, get dressed, breakfast, leave at 7. Two and half hours in the car, work from 9h30 to 17h in a freezing room or a scorching workshop, then drive another two and a half hours back to the hotel racing against the clock to get back before it’s dark, eat and crash into bed. It may sound like I am complaining, but considering how bad things could be….it’s not bad at all. I am sure the journey will start to bore me soon. Although there are fresh car crashes every day, some new roadkill, you name it, you’ll find it lying around.  I also cannot get any new music with this unstable internet connection, so eventually I’ll get bored of 276 songs I do have.. Seems like the motorbike idea is a no go by the way….they simply don’t have off-road vehicles anywhere near here! But what we have managed to get done, is teach the kitchen staff at our hotel howto make ‘frieten’. While ill, I looked for the nearest fast food place, thinking that should at least not upset my stomach. The nearest McDonalds being 200km away (a 10 hour return trip in this traffic…), going for a quick McD wasn’t going to happen. They are far from perfect, but I’m sure that a few weeks from now, they will taste just fine.







    12-08-2012, 20:20 Geschreven door AlexS  

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    07-08-2012
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day -3

    Working on a day off. Did find some time for this though: I had my 10 things to do before I am 30 list on paper, phone, now also on the net. Will take some work…we’ll see how far along I get.

    1.       Visit Machu Picchu

    2.       Swim in the great barrier reef

    3.       Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

    4.       Walk on the great wall of China

    5.       Parachute jump

    6.       Make a 100km trek on the North Pole.

    7.       See the Northern Lights

    These have been completed:

    8.       Bungejump, 70m

    9.       Visit Hawaii

    10.   Visit the Grand Canyon

    I’ve been considering adding one, but we’ll see about that in a year and how far along my training is. It’s not my habit to make a promise I cannot keep.

    07-08-2012, 19:54 Geschreven door AlexS  

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    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day 2
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    First day on the job! The hotel turns out to be a pleasant surprise. We had a pretty good dinner last night, although you should always be cautious and judge how good it really was the next morning…. A 1h30min drive to the location turned into a typical Indian taxi ride. A few stops here and there, being stuck at a railway crossing, the occasional cow, goat, dog randomly crossing the road….and of course the army trucks who take up the entire road. A light breakfast is an absolute must! Bumpy roads, lots of near misses…Won’t go into specifics on the work, but in a 38°C heat and with this humidity…it is insane. Luckily, today, we were stuck in a room with air-conditioning….thanks Rob! Things went smooth, even the hourly power outage wasn’t too big a problem. Before I left, I was told to bring anything I would ever need while on site…and that is exactly what is required. There are no tools, nothing. We left for the hotel in a hurry as there was a big sandstorm approaching with some thunderstorms. Took some pictures and made a short movie of the drive home…..unbelievable. If you like living on the edge, an adrenaline rush or a course in how not to drive….do come and visit. All these things considered, I never felt unsafe. Returned at a reasonable hour and was able to go for a short swim. Yes, there is a pool at the hotel! It seems to be maintained by what seems like a 50% Chlorine and 50% water mixture. About to head for dinner while listening to ‘Another me – Regi ft Jessy’. Second time this week a song describes how I feel at exactly the right moment. Never bothered listening to the lyrics before, maybe I should do so more often.  Will try to make my blog this evening, should be an adventure on this internet connection that only work 1 out of every 60 minutes

    07-08-2012, 19:13 Geschreven door AlexS  

    0 1 2 3 4 5 - Gemiddelde waardering: 4/5 - (3 Stemmen)
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day 1

    New Delhi traffic can be chaotic….yes it can! Or how a 30 minute drive turns into a 2 hour rollercoaster ride where every 5 seconds you think, how did we not hit something or not get hit ourselves. Somehow, chaos works here…..and I like it! The running with the suitcases through Old Delhi station to catch the train with 30 seconds to spare was a little less fun. It is probably the reason I didn’t think it smelled so bad there, despite all the horrible stories I’ve heard. The coach I am in has Airco, AC sockets, decent chairs…..not so bad. The other 40 coaches don’t have Airco….so our coach is packed. Luckily the guards step in and clear some space around me…be it not for free ofcourse. I am listening to Arun Kant and not buying anything to eat or drink. Watched Avatar, for like the 20th time, still don’t think it’s a great movie….for the rest, music and taking pictures. Somewhere along the playlist Lifehouse came up. Everything is still their best song. The guy next to me knows Tacabro – Tacata! He is also reading while I type this….not sure if he understands, will find out soon enough if he looks away after this…..so yes, he understood and got the point apparently J 8 hour train ride, have about an hour left. Instruction on arrival: just walk out of the station and wait….where? how long? Like everything here, we’ll just see what happens en when it happens. Nu hurry. Heading straight for bed when I get to the ‘hotel’..6 am wakeup and a long drive tomorrow morning. I’ve been told to not eat too much for breakfast, as the drive is a little bumpy… should be great fun. ‘The Fear’ playing while I shut down the laptop

    Will post pictures later...

    07-08-2012, 19:09 Geschreven door AlexS  

    0 1 2 3 4 5 - Gemiddelde waardering: 4/5 - (3 Stemmen)
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day 0

    7 am pick up to go to Brussels Airport. Smooth drive over, quick check in and nice flight to Delhi. No problems with the luggage (how did that happen?) and a hotel pickup that is actually there! The heat smacks you in the face though….36°C at 11 in the evening. Ouch. I asked the hotel manager what the weather would be like. He told me that it was not so hot during this rainseason….:s Wifi at the hotel works, be it intermittent…..AC is another story….boiling hot, or freezing cold. I chose the hotel lobby and a cold Mountain Dew!

    07-08-2012, 19:07 Geschreven door AlexS  

    0 1 2 3 4 5 - Gemiddelde waardering: 5/5 - (2 Stemmen)
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day -1

    Tried one last time to say goodbye to the baby…..fell in deaf ears. If they think it hurts me, they are wrong. It makes me stronger. I won’t waste any further words on it. Still have doubts though …. seriously?

    Did some paperwork, never any fun, but had an amazing lunch with my parents and grandmother! A typical Belgian meal…last one for a month ;-) After that, packing time…it was like solving a puzzle. Now I know what women feel like when they have a large suitcase and have to pack stuff for a week….except with me it’s for a month and half the suitcase is full of equipment….just kidding ;-). 2 pairs of shoes, a sweater, some socks and a fewt-shirts later it all fits. No bicycle, no running shoes for a month.  Perhaps Rob can arrange a motorbike, the dessert is always a nice place to learn how to drive one. Nothing to hit and pretty safe to fall. Will ask when I get there! Time for bed …..no Miu to wake me up at 6….so for the first time in 2 months I have to set an alarm.

    07-08-2012, 19:05 Geschreven door AlexS  

    0 1 2 3 4 5 - Gemiddelde waardering: 5/5 - (1 Stemmen)
    Klik hier om een link te hebben waarmee u dit artikel later terug kunt lezen.Day -2

    Another long day. A lot of stuff still do to before I leave. Clothes are the main issue….is it worth it taking so much, if your t-shirt is soaked after working for 5 mins. Bought lots of new ones anyway and some desert clothing. I also made sure I wouldn’t starve. I bought a large amount of cereal bars and magnesium sticks. These should keep me going for a while. With such nice weather…I couldn’t resist a final bike ride. Nice companion to ride with, great chat, nice to catch up. It’s good to know some people still believe me J A pizza to finish off a great evening….or so I thought. A small ‘fuifke’ and 2 hours of prepping the Toughbook for India later, it is 6AM. Time to sign off!

    07-08-2012, 19:01 Geschreven door AlexS  

    0 1 2 3 4 5 - Gemiddelde waardering: 1/5 - (1 Stemmen)
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