February 14
Trains, Bangalore and bathrooms
We arrived today in Bangalore. We took the train this morning from Chennai. That was an interesting experience. Chennai is not the cleanest city in the country. There are parts that look down right scary to a westerner, although they can be quite safe. So getting on the train this morning felt a bit hairy as the station is very crowded, and dirty. The First class car was probably older than me, but clean and roomy. Once we got on the train we felt safe and calm.

The view of the landscape was incredible, even during the peak of the dry season! India truly is a jewel. I was able to take some photos from the train window, even if power poles kept jumping up in front of me, I hope you enjoy them. I was amazed at the difference between the coast and here. Granted, our coastal cities and foothills/mountains also look very different. However, I had no idea how beautiful this country can be. Then we came to Bangalore. I want to compare it to Asheville on steriods, but it just doesn't fly for a town of 8 million people. I'm not sure what I can compare it to. I hope to get some pictures of the town tomorrow. I'll just say it would be a terrific place to live.

Lastly, there is our hotel room, which pictures I am including. It is very nice. The bathroom is quite different. It also included the hose next to the toilet I've seen all over India. I commented to Donna that I could hose down the bathroom at night. Then my wife, being the smart one, mentioned maybe it was a type of bidet. At first I laughed. Then me being me, and never wanting to pass up a chance to prove or disprove a theory, I decided to see if she was correct. So first I tested the nozel, and promptly left a puddle of clean water on the floor. Then I tried it where one would try such a tool. It seemed to work okay, except it left the seat quite wet. When I stood up I realized she had been correct all along. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how the guys working at TCS got those toilet seats so wet, now I know.

I think I'll stop now before I get myself in real trouble. We've both had between 2 and 3 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours, so we are pretty tired. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Looking back, I think this should have been titled Culture Shock 2. The train ride was great. However, all the locals I worked with in Chennai kept asking why I didn't take a flight instead. The answer of course was to see India. Would I have done this again, probably, but I would have packed differently. I would have had fewer clothes and bought more in Bangalore at the mall, even though I hate shopping. Carrying all the bags was very stressful.

We had further stress by a mix up with hotels due to date changes, and re-changes by my employer. It all worked out, but by the time we got to the hotel we were hot, thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. Will I ride that train again? Probably not, since I've done it now. That being said, if you are ever in India, take the train, it's worth the ride.