Last Day in Mumbai

This week has been busy with both internal and customer meetings.
To sum up, it has been work hard and play hard. I have had a busy schedule that has involved driving to see customers as much as a 3 hours away from Mumbai. At the same time, I have spent a relaxing night at an exclusive resort in the Mountains called Ambby Valley, eaten at amazing restaurants and have gotten to know and laugh with my colleagues in India.

I have final meetings at the office today and tonight have been invited to D&B India's big event of the year, their launch of the top 500 companies in India awards presentation and banquet.

I love my job but have to admit that I am looking forward to my 2 week vacation that starts tomorrow. : ) Between the stress of getting all of my projects to a point where I can be away for 3 weeks, the hectic schedule while in India and responding to the other International markets in the early morning and late in the evening (not to mention the jet lag), I'm tired!

I am really pleased with what was accomplished this week but I know that the memories I will carry with me are of the generous hospitality I received and the warm people at D&B India who I am happy to call friends as well as colleagues.

We are in India!

We arrived in Mumbai last night after a 4 hour flight from Austin to Newark, a 4 hour layover, and a 13 hour flight from Newark to Mumbai. Both the D&B office as well as our hotel are very close to the airport. The hospitality of the D&B India team has been amazing. They helped take care of all the arrangements for this week in Mumbai including sending a driver to pick us up and called while we were being driven to the hotel to welcome us to India.

After settling in, we ate a late dinner at the hotel. We have been told that the best restaurants in India are in the top hotels. Last night we had the best chicken curry we've ever tasted. For us foodies, this is the best way to start an adventure in a new country.

We managed to get some sleep and set off after a quick workout (well, Helen anyway) and breakfast to explore Mumbai. We hired a taxi to take us around. Mumbai is an assault on your senses with the smell of the pollution from all the vehicles, all of the honking, and new things to see every direction you look. I have to say that we have been to many places but I think driving in India is the scariest. No where else is it more true that the lines on the road are "for suggestion only". We are amazed that the cars are not more beat up.

Our first stop was to see an area where all of the laundry is done. There were so many people washing clothes. It was an amazing to see all of the action.

We drove to Victoria Terminus which is the municipal train station in the middle of Mumbai. In the words of Lonely Planet, "If there ever was a building that summed up the city, it would be Victoria Terminus. This extravagant Victorian-Gothic fantasy falls somewhere between Notre Dame and the Taj Mahal, with a hint of fairy-tale castle thrown in for good measure".

When we parked the car, we saw a carpet store directly across the street. Young and I decided to check it out. To my surprise, Young started to have them pull out carpets and proceeded to tell them what he liked and disliked and asked my opinion. He then started asking for price and started negotiating. This was surprising because a) we had never talked about purchasing a carpet in India, b) it is a relatively expensive purchase and for those of you who know my husband, he's pretty thrifty c) he knows almost nothing about carpets (but we found out he apparently likes the silk carpets over the wool ones), and d) he usually hates shopping! He would have purchased a carpet (maybe even two) right there and then in our first store if I hadn't pulled him out.

I realized that my biggest fear when shopping is that I won't get what I paid for. I am going to do some research on carpets and talk to my D&B colleagues in India before purchasing.

We then proceeded to the Gateway of India. It is Mumbai's most famous landmark and was built for a one-off visit by a foreign monarch. It is in the process of being restored so unfortunately, we couldn't get a picture without all of the construction. We realized that we stick out as foreigners when a lady approached us and asked if she could take a picture of us with her daughter (we did pose with her).

Behind the Gateway of India is another famous landmark in Mumbai, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (Taj Mahal hotel). This historic hotel is considered one of Mumbai's finest. The inside of the hotel is beautiful as are the shops with the likes of LV. Again, I don't quite know what was with my husband today (but I like it!) he bought me a beautiful pashmina from one of the hotel shops.

Also in the same neighborhood is a street "the causeway" along which are many stalls selling all sorts of interesting things. It was fun to walk through but we didn't buy anything.

We started driving back north via the scenic route on Marine Drive stopping to take pictures along the way. We drove to Bandra and had lunch at an amazing place recommended by the Lonely Planet called Moti Mahal (Turner & Waterfield Rd). Everything was delicious. It was cheaper and in our humble opinion, better than our meal at the Hyatt Regency. It was the best Dal we have ever had. I have a bad feeling that it was due to the amount of cream but I'm going to try not to think about that.

That brings us back to the hotel where we are now, having had a nap (we only got a few hours sleep last night) and reflecting on the day. Mumbai is an amazing place. When a tuck tuck overturned in front of us, our taxi driver as well as many others got out of their cars and ran to help. Thankfully, everyone was OK. It was only another example of the kindness we have seen in these people after only a day. The poverty is hard to see, especially when children are begging in the streets. I hope there never comes a time when this doesn't bother me.

I am going to sign off now and try to load a few of the pictures we took today into this blog. I am looking forward to meeting my colleagues at D&B India tomorrow and going to meet some of our largest Hoover's customers. I'm not sure what Young will get up to tomorrow but I know that he will enjoy exploring this facinating city and tasting more of the amazing food.

Planning for India

I'm so excited! Young and I leave in a couple of weeks for India! We had our travel consultation doctor's appointment today. 2 shots in each arm, typhoid and malaria pills, and $700 later, we left the doctor's office. Ouch!

We leave Austin on Jan 26 and will arrive in Mumbai the evening of Jan 27. We will be in Mumbai until Sat Feb 2nd when we will leave for 2 weeks vacation to explore India. I have attached our itinerary.

Feb 2nd: Mumbai – Cochin (Kochi) – Backwaters cruise. Your domestic air tickets are couriered to your Mumbai hotel. Board the mid-morning flight to Cochin on your own. Arrive at Cochin and you are greeted at the airport by an ETI facilitator and then ushered to a waiting vehicle and its driver. The next few days plans are briefly reviewed and the facilitator hands over travel documents such as your hotel vouchers to you. You drive to Alleppey & board your houseboat. Relax and have a great time till the next morning as you cruise the amazing backwaters. The cook and other staff make sure that all your needs are taken care of, while serving you with delicious Kerala cuisine.



Feb 3rd: Backwaters – Periyar. Disembark from houseboat in the morning and proceed on a drive to Periyar National Park. Arrive at Thekkady in the early afternoon. Check into your lodge. Periyar wildlife sanctuary is located around a picturesque artificial lake that was formed in 1895 by building a dam on the Periyar River. The terrain is hilly and the elevation of the park ranges from a few hundred feet to about 6000 feet above sea level. The lake occupies the valleys of the thickly forested hills, serving as a permanent source of water for wildlife in the Park. Although it falls under “Project Tiger”, the main attractions of the park are definitely Elephants. Periyar is home to just under a thousand elephants and also over 60 other mammal species including tigers, bison, deer, wild boar, and wild dog. There are over 300 species of birds, and even 160 species of butterflies. Prominent among the birds are Cormorants, Kingfishers, Darters, the great Malabar Hornbill, and the racket-tailed Drongoes.
Late afternoon – Enjoy an boat cruise on Periyar Lake and observe wildlife.
Feb 4th: Periyar. Start your day with a guided tour of a spice plantation.
Afternoon - visit a scenic village that lies hidden in the valley behind the mountains of Periyar Tiger Reserve.You will travel in a bullock cart and the ancient local boat, a Coracle. The village is rich in bird diversity and has diverse agricultural crops such as mango, tamarind, onion, sunflower, jasmine and dozens of other fruits and vegetables. The village will take your breath away when the guides start to interpret how farming has woven itself inextricably with the culture and the life of the natives. Return to your Lodge in the evening.

Feb 5th: Periyar – Cochin. Check out of your hotel in the morning and drive back to Cochin. Arrive at Cochin in the afternoon and check in to your hotel.Evening - Drive to watch a Kathakali dance (the art of storytelling through dance) performance. After the show, you are driven to dinner with a famous Keralan chef and her family at their home. A cooking lesson is included.

Feb 6th: Cochin – Udaipur. Check out from your hotel in the morning and proceed on a City Tour of Cochin. The tour begins from the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays) built in 1568. Next to the synagogue is Kochi’s fascinating Jew Street, with it’s collection of antique stores and other reminders of a past that has pretty much disappeared from this area.
Also visit the St. Francis Church, established by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503. Vasco Da Gama was buried in the courtyard of this European church, one of the first built in India. Visit the Chinese fishing nets. More than a century old and still in use, they are a great part of this tour.
Afternoon - Board the flight to Mumbai. Connect with the flight to Udaipur.

Feb 7th: Udaipur. Enjoy a city tour, including a tour of the City Palace. At this Palace complex, explore the gorgeous rooms with mirrored walls and ivory doors, windows with colored glass, inlaid marble balconies and the peacock courtyard. Visit the temple of the Sun God and be amazed by its erotic sculptures. You also visit the lovely Sahelion-ki-bari gardens and the local Museum.Check in to your hotel.
There is a break for lunch.Late afternoon - cruise on Lake Pichola and visit Jag Mandir.Udaipur is famous for its artists and paintings, including exquisite miniatures

Feb 8th: Udaipur –Jaipur. Fly to Jaipur in the morning. Arrive at Jaipur and proceed for a city tour of the walled city of Jaipur, including the magnificent City Palace. Visit the unique Jantar Mantar magnificent stone observatory built by Raja Jai Singh in 1728. View the ‘Hawa Mahal’ (Palace of the Wind), the intriguing facade built in 1799 to allow royal ladies to view the city and bazaar from the windows. Continue the tour to visit the City Palace, the former royal residence (a part of it is still occupied by the Royal family and is not accessible to the public), built in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles. This immense complex also houses a number of museums that offer a large and impressive collection of miniature paintings, costumes, and armory. Check in to your hotel after the tour.Jaipur is famous for its carpets, jewelry, & handicrafts.
Evening – Watch the show at your hotel and then drive to have dinner with an Traditional Rajasthani family at their home. Or drive to a cultural show and dinner.

Feb 9th: Jaipur. Start your day with an excursion to Amber Fort & Palace, located 12 kilometers from the center of the City. Arrive at the complex well before 9 a.m. so as to be able to partake in the elephant back ascent. The Fort was originally built by Raja Mansingh and is one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture. Enjoy the ascent to the palace on the back of a brightly caparisoned elephant. Visit the chambers and hallways of the Palace which are famous for their design and decorations.From here you will proceed on a drive to Samode for sightseeing and a camel back (or camel cart) safari through local villages. Please bear in mind that there are no sand dunes in this area.
Enjoy a Rajasthani lunch (included) at the Samode Palace.A guided tour of Samode Palace and the other monuments in the area is included. Drive back to Jaipur in the late afternoon.

Feb 10th: Jaipur – Agra. Check out from the hotel in the morning and proceed on a drive to Agra. Stop at Fatehpur Sikri for a tour. This deserted, red sandstone city, built by Emperor Akbar, between 1570 and 1585, is a haunting reminder of its brief and glorious past. Visit the towering Bulund Darwaza (The Gate of Victory), which is set in the south wall. In the northern part of the courtyard is the superb white marble tomb of Shaik Salim Chishti, built in 1570.Arrive at Agra in the afternoon and check in to your hotel.
Late afternoon - Visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the incomparable Taj Mahal. The world’s greatest monument dedicated to love, the Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 AD as a memorial to his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal. This pure white marble mausoleum took 22 years and 22,000 craftsmen to build.Tour the amazing monument and its surroundings till it is time to admire the sun’s rays setting on the Taj Mahal’s façade.
Agra is famous for its marble art & manufacturing of the same.

Feb 11th: Agra – Delhi – Haridwar. Check out from your hotel in the morning and visit the original red sandstone fort in North India, the Agra Fort. It was built in 1565 by Emperor Akbar, the greatest Mughal ruler of India. Its maze of courtyards, marble mosque, and private chambers all serve as reminders of the grandeur of the Mughal Empire.
From here proceed on a drive to Delhi station to board the late afternoon (3:30 pm) express train – four hour journey - to Haridwar. Arrive at Haridwar and transfer to your room overlooking the Ganga at the Haveli.

Feb 12th: Haridwar. Temple visit (Visit to Mansa Devi, Chandi Temple, and Daksha Mandir in Kankhal. Maya Devi Temple, one of the 52 Shaktipeethas revered by Hindus as the sites where the body parts of Sati fell. This temple dates back to the 11th century.Afternoon - Visit the Various Ghats of Haridwar and interact with local priests.
Ghats – endless stone steps sweep imperiously down to the water’s edge. These steps are the legendary Ghats of Haridwar. Every Ghat has a story to tell. Sit on the Ghat and watch life go by. Hindu rituals are rendered particularly sacred if performed at the Ghats of Haridwar. A newborn is named at a Namkaran ceremony and a young boy gets his head shaved at his Mundan ceremony. Newly weds throw garlands into the river. But the ones performed most frequently are the rites for the dead - Shradh and Pindadaan
Evening - consultation with an astrologer
1800 Hrs: Har Ki Pauri - Attend the Evening Arti Ceremony at Har Ki Pauri - Offerings can be arranged for you to perform the Arti.1900 Hrs: Evening Arti - Har-Ki-Pauri (“Footsteps of the God”) is the main Ghat, with bridges and walkways connecting smaller islands in the riverbed. Popular legend says that Lord Vishnu left his footprint at Har-ki-Pauri. Besides bathing at this site, the most spectacular view here is the Ganga Arti in the evening. Thousands of earthen lamps are floated in the water, which glitters like gold in the darkness.1930 Hrs: Religious Discourse
Feb 13th: Haridwar – Rishikesh - Haridwar. Experience a full day at Rishikesh with your guide and vehicle. Tour the various Temples, Ashrams, & Ghats of Rishikesh. Return to your hotel in the evening.
Feb 14th: Haridwar – Delhi – International. Check out of the Haveli and board the early morning (6:15 am) express train – five hour journey - to Delhi. Arrive at Delhi in the afternoon and check in to your hotel.
There is a break for lunch.Afternoon - Start your exploration of India with a city tour of New Delhi that begins with a drive past Safdarjang’s Tomb (1753 AD) while driving to the Qutab Minar (1193 A.D.) which is a striking medieval tower of victory of Persian architectural style and is 73 m high. Within the Qutab complex, amidst the ruins of Quwat-ul-Islam mosque, stands the Iron pillar which has stood the vagaries of weather and has not rusted over 1500 years. Later, visit the Tomb Moghul Emperor Humayun and then drive through Lutyens New Delhi which includes the Embassy area (Diplomatic enclave), Government buildings, India Gate, a golden domed Sikh Temple (Bangla Sahib Gurudwara), Birla Temple and Connaught Place, which is New Delhi’s main shopping area.

Feb 15th: Delhi – International flight. Check out from your hotel by noon. After early lunch, proceed for a city tour of Old Delhi that includes visits to the Jama Masjid (1650 AD) which is the largest mosque in India, and the amazing Red Fort (1639-48) which was the seat of the Moghul Empire for more than 250 years. Enjoy a rickshaw ride along the alleys of the ancient bazaar at Chandni Chowk. Visit the bird hospital (located at of the Digambara Jain Temple opposite the entrance to the Red Fort) at the east end of Chandni Chowk. You also visit the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi (Raj Ghat).