Sorry for the delay in posting these pics.  I had a great 5 days in Bali!

Me in Bali

Bali sunsets.

Monkey Temple

Weird art work sitting above the toilet in the hotel

My favorite Bali photo

This weekend I finally got out and about in Superbad to see some of the sights.  On Saturday, I had my own little adventure in Kondapur – the neighborhood right next to where I live.  The main purpose was to find a plumbing store to get a part for the plumber to replace.  While it took me longer than expected, it was a successful journey.  I resorted to asking directions (fail), using Google maps and Google Translate.  It made me realize just how hard the Amazing Race must really be!  I’ve definitely done my share of travel, but I always had someone available to assist me.  It’s very different when you don’t have someone to turn to!

I also came across the Post Office in Kondapur, so it was a double win!

On Sunday, I went to Golkonda Fort with a friend.  It’s a sight I have been wanting to see here in HYD.  We just don’t have the same kinds of Forts in the US – I mean, Fort Sumter and Fort McHenry have nothing on these forts in India!  And, it didn’t disappoint.  The fort is huge.  We climbed all the way to the top.  I think there were over 1,000 steps.

It’s Ramadan and there was a festival happening throughout the city – and at the Fort – so there were a lot of people there and a lot of small ceremonies going on.  The views were great.  Here are some pics to enjoy.

Okay – forgive me for my technical ignorance.  I couldn’t figure out how to flip the picture.  So, you’ll have turn your head to the left to see the guy all the way up in that tree.

The weekend before last, I went with a friend to a small town about an hour east of Superbad for toddy.  Toddy is tapped from the palm tree.  It’s supposed to have nutritional value and, they say, it ferments very quickly, so by the afternoon, it’s pretty intoxicating too.

We got out to the town about 8am, found our toddy guy, pitched a blanket and had our first glass.  The guy up in the tree comes down with a pot full of freshly tapped toddy, he poured it through a palm leaf that acted as filter into a glass and we drank.  And then there was glass number 2.  Then they brought out some of the most perfectly cooked fish I have ever had.  It just melted in our mouths. Then, glass number 3 and a change of location.  The change of location also brought the spiciest chicken curry I have ever tasted!  Followed by glass number 4.

Now, even though they say it takes till the afternoon to ferment into alcohol, but man we were some drunk group by about 11am.

A day later, I got my first case of Delly Belly.  Related?  Who knows, but it was a fun Sunday.

I saw this article.  The beginning didn’t do much for me, but the end is quite poignant.  I miss my mom, today.

http://news.yahoo.com/learning-live-without-mother-120000718.html

Monsoon has come to Superbad.  A nice, lazy afternoon for short shower.

Last weekend, I shifted (i.e. moved) to my new home in Superbad!  It’s pretty freaking awesome too!  I am so comfortable here – much more comfortable than the temporary housing where I was living when I first arrived.

So, here are the details.  First – good or bad – it’s literally right behind my office building.  In fact, from my bedroom balcony, I can actually see the project room I had been working in for the past month.  The good – no commute; being able to come home for lunch/dinner.  The bad – it’s just so, so close.  And, that balcony I was speaking of, well, it also overlooks the “smokers lounge” at work, so it’s not easy to stay undetected.

It’s a 3 BHK (3 bedroom, hall and kitchen) in HYD-speak.  It should be called a 3B-2L-D-H-K – because there are 3 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, a dining room, hall and kitchen.  Oh, and there is a Pooja Room too.

Here are a few pictures…

Poojah room – i.e. Mac’s oom  My bedroom Kitchen view #1 (I had to take 2 pics) Kitchen view #2 Guest bedroom 1 Guest bedroom 2 Dining room Living room #1 (my hang out) Living room #2view from my balcony

Again, all I can do is apologize for not being able to write more – and to write more often.  I have been working my butt off at this new job – and not in the good kind of way.  I arrived in HYD on Thursday, March 28th at 3am in the morning.  Later that day – 2pm local time – I went into the office to do paperwork, etc.  On Friday, March 29th I also went into work for training purposes.  I had the first weekend off work (March 30 and March 31).  Since April 1 I have been working every day.  The first couple of days were normal work days.  Get in at 9ish and leave around 6ish.  But starting that Wednesday, April 3 I was staffed on a project – and since that day, it’s been minimum 10 hour days.  Most days are 12 hour days – and the rest have gone as high as 16 hours.

As I am still trying to get a grasp on exactly what it is that I am supposed to do, I imagined a long transition period, but these hours have nothing to do with the ignorance around a new job, etc.  This is because we have some pretty serious and crazy deadlines that were agreed to – and there are so many people working their asses off to meet them.

The entire company was required to work this Saturday in order to meet 1 of the deadlines on one of the projects.  It’s been pretty crazy.  I actually only worked a half day today because I needed to get out and run some errands – do some of the things that need to get done but that I haven’t had a chance to do because I’ve been working so much.

Today I found the dry cleaner – 3 weeks of work clothes that have been worn in 100+ degree weather – and a pet store, cause my boy Mac needs some good food and some treats.  Tonight, I’ll head out to dinner with a couple of friends and tomorrow I will spend the day looking for apartments.  Another huge chore that I have not been able to focus on since I arrived.

I promise more updates once I get settled into a place that has internet.  Right now, I have to come to a coffee shop to get online and, well, you guessed it, I have no time to get to the coffee shop!

I miss home terribly…and my friends and family!