My Thai Time

It is now Thursday night and I am sure you are all so eager to read about my trip to Thailand. I apologize for the delayed post, but my typical posting schedule was thrown off. Not only did I get an extra day in Thailand--thank you America--but I returned and was not feeling well. My bed was much more coaxing than my blog.

Office Tourist with Honey

Much to the amusement of my co-workers, I arrived to work on Friday morning in full tourist mode. Straw hat, pink luggage, sunglasses and cargo pants included.

A few phone calls, meetings and a pizza party (Thanks Piyush!) stood between me and Memorial Day weekend in Thailand. After wrapping everything up by 1am IST, I met Suresh and Erin in the lobby and off we went to the airport for our 3am IST flight.

We were surprised at how....relaxed....the airport staff were in many aspects. Everyone boarding a plane in India must fill out an immigration card and receive a passport check prior to departure. Though the airport was not busy due to the ungodly hour we chose to fly, the line took forever! The guards seemed very casual about the fact that the line continued to build as they slowly placed a stamp on each person's card and allowed them to pass. Of course, a screaming child was fussing about the line (oh how I empathized) and made the experience that much more pleasant. Security was also quite an experience. The thing that they cared most about was whether or not there was a tag that could be stamped after passing, never mind the fact that I was harboring liquids in my carry on baggage. The personal screening was a few pat downs in a curtained room and we were clear for departure.

We had a few minutes to spare, so we grabbed a quick bite and a sundae at McDonald's and went to wait for the gate. We were pleasantly surprised to be seated on a maybe-half-full plane with plenty of room to stretch out. Erin passed out before take-off but I had trouble dozing...they didn't dim the cabin lights until 30 mins before landing and this was the one time I would forget my eye mask!

Bangkok

Erin being the railway navigator

After making the descent over the luscious green farmland on the outskirts of the city, we landed in Bangkok. We were almost trampled by the other passengers who thought the airplane aisle was like traffic in Delhi (no order) as we made our way to customs, took our entry photo and went in search for an ATM that did not eat cards. (Poor Erin was not willing to risk the hassle of another hungry ATM machine--now that she finally received her card) Luckily, there was an exchange shop that ran debit and we each loaded up on a few thousand Bhat (not as much as you think it is!). We stopped at the 7-Eleven (you heard me, there are thousands) for a water bottle and navigated the airport to the rail station.

Millennium Grand Bathtub

The public transportation and roadways in Thailand are extremely modern and tourist friendly. For a nominal fee and a few transfers we made our way to the city center and our amazing Grand Millennium hotel. Even though it was barely 10am, the staff let us check into our room with a deluxe upgrade including in-room WiFi, 3 beers, 2 Cokes and 1 Sprite (What an odd deal!). The room was amazing--the bed was plush and we momentarily considered skipping Bangkok just to lay in the bed!

Somehow, even on the little bit of sleep was got (may 1 hour), we rallied and decided to go in search for a Starbucks. We had both been deprived for so long that we were craving a good cup of familiar coffee and would go to any length to find it. Dripping with sweat immediately as we left the building, we wandered for a half hour past street vendors wafting the delicious aromas of make-your-own Pad Thai. Even though the concierge said there was a shop "just around the corner" the Starbucks eluded us and we settled for an iced latte at another shop.

Our long-tail boat

With caffeine coursing, we boarded the metro and headed to the river bank. Erin purchased an adorable sunhat from a road vendor and we chartered a long-tail boat to take us to all of the important tourist destinations. Bangkok is known as the "Venice of the East" and we could see why this name was given as we navigated the extensive Khlongs (Canals) to make our way to the hot spots.

A long way to the top of Wat Arun

The first stop was the Wat Arun on the Chao Phraya river. This Bhuddist temple boasts a tall central tower and is decorated in seashells and porcelain. It is a feat to climb the steep entrance stairs but a treat of an amazing view of the river when you get to the top. Erin and I began our ascension and truly felt the Thai heat on our shoulders and the burn in our thighs when we finally crested the top. The promise of a good massage and beach relaxation later in the trip made the climb worth even more.

We boarded the boat again and navigated inland through the waterways, past the houses temples and palm tree jungles that lined the route. We stopped for a few minutes to purchase something to drink and a few souvenirs from a woman selling goods from her boat. We then made our way to the floating market where we disembarked and walked along the marina to look at the food and gifts for sale. The calming sounds of local music and peaceful presence of everyone enjoying their afternoon made for a pleasant atmosphere. Erin and I each purchased a few items--some dresses and jewelery--and again found our captain for the final stop.

Meditating at the Grand Palace

It was nearing 3:00PM as we finally made our way to the Grand Palace and we were glad that the man who greeted us at the marina told us that we had 30 mins until closing time or we would have definitely been distracted. We entered the Grand Palace and were in awe by the beautiful structures. Every element was adorned in gold, red or green. The temple of the emerald Buddha awaited and we took turns sneaking our pictures from outside the window. We decided to sit near the Temple entrance for a few minutes, just to people watch and relax.

After exploring the grounds, we crossed the street and headed back to the market. Street vendors were offering a buffet of street meats, kabobs, pineapples and edibles that I can;t event describe. Erin and I shared a candied popcorn from one of the vendors and continued our shopping. We found some adorable dresses and some pretty great Ray Ban knock-offs at one of the stands and were happy with our adventurous day.

Tuk Tuk Ride back to the Hotel

Our lack of sleep started to catch up with us, so we went in search for a ride back to our hotel. That's when we met Dam--the cutest, nicest Tuk Tuk driver there ever was. For B400 we hitched a ride clear across town seated in the open air of his green vehicle. We started to talk as we made our way and he offered to drive us to Pattaya the next day, and offered a good price.

After freshening up, Erin and I asked the concierge for a dinner recommendation and we made our way to the Bangkok night markets. Tucked away in a secluded, and only slight sketchy alley way, was Mango Tree restaurant. We got a seat in the courtyard near the live music and dancing and were excited to try our first Thailand Thai food. An order of spring rolls, fried rice served in a pineapple boat, red curry chicken and pad see ew later, our bellies were stuffed and were were excited to experience the real deal.

Mango Tree appetizers

After dinner, we explored the Bangkok night life. While enjoying a beer at a local pub we witnessed a European man fall in slow motion off the ledge of the patio and bust his hand on a broken beer glass--it made us cringe to think of the germs, but this man was a trooper and we saw him out shopping later that evening! We browsed the markets and purchased a few items here and there. There was plenty of "Jimmy Choo", "Tiffany's" and "Mont Blanc" to go around, but Erin and I stuck to the handcrafted items.

Our final stop of the night was the Lebua Hotel, known for its rooftop lounge and featured in the Hangover II movie. It was cool and comfortable at the top and there was a 360 view of the city--Bangkok is expansive. We toasted to our successful day and sipped on tasty cocktails in the amazing atmosphere.

Pattaya

We woke up at 7:30, packed all of our purchases and headed to the restaurant for a full breakfast buffet. There was real, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese and even Pad Thai on the menu--and the coffee was strong. We called Dam and he met us downstairs.

Feeding a Tiger

Little did we realize that Dam was better at navigating Bangkok than anywhere else, and he drove a cab at the same speed as his Tuk Tuk--leisurely. It took a little longer than necessary to find the Sriracha Tiger park, but we finally arrived, got 3 tickets and enjoyed the up close view of all sorts of animals. Erin and I decided to feed the baby tigers and each got to hold the little fluff for a few minutes. The little guy was so consumed with his bottle that he hardly noticed the fact he was sitting on our laps!

Back in the car we were excited to make our way to the beach. Again, we found ourselves lost and after an hour's worth of searching, asking for directions and counting the minutes on Erin's phone, we were relieved to find the Centara Grand Resort. The massive atrium spanned the width of the hotel and looked like the ribcage of a giant whale. The entire interior was open to the elements and the pool area was filled with lush greenery.

View from the room at the Centara Grand Mirage

We immediately changed into pool gear and took the edge off our slightly hectic morning by enjoying fruity drinks in the "Adults Only" infinity pool overlooking the beach. We finally were able to relax in the way we had been looking forward to for the 2 weeks since we booked the trip. Eventually we moved from the pool to the beach, where we let the tepid waved brush our ankles as we dozed in the setting sun. After feeling much more relaxed, we made our way back to the  room to get ready for a night on the town.

After reading some reviews and recommendations, we decided on the Elephant Bar restaurant at the Siam Bayshore hotel. It was situated just past the raucous of walking street and had a beautiful outdoor terrace. The food again was delicious--meatballs on pineapple, spring rolls, red curry and panang curry (my favorite dish in the states) were all served with beautiful decorations lining the plate. They were almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

Drinks and hookah on Walking Street

Walking street can be compared to the Vegas strip or the Red Light District. There are bright neon signs, bars with live music, street shops and lots of people. We decided to enjoy a bit of people watching and grabbed a seat at a bar with a live band (they were good!) for some drinks and hookah. We enjoyed the music and watched the people walk by--many of them were watching us too! We hopped around to a few different places and met several people who were excited to get a picture with an American. When we made our way back to the hotel, we decided to go for a late-night dip in the ocean.

Monday morning we woke up and decided to spend the rest of the day in and around the resort. After lunch (A Burger and Pad Thai) we posted up on the beach and relaxed with daiquiris in hand. We were even able to do a little more shopping from the comfort of the lounge chair, as the merchants were pacing the beaches hoping for a sale.

We relaxed for a few hours before going on a hunt for a Thai massage parlor. We settled on the Harmony Massage School, just a few blocks from the hotel, and each purchased a 1 hr massage for $7 including tip. The Thai massage is extremely relaxing and physical. The masseuse was using her body to warp mine to the perfect position. At the end of the massage, she took hold of my arms and swung me side to side, rippling the cracks and release up my spine. I practically melted.

The way back to Bangkok was much smoother--we took a charter bus straight to the airport in 1.5 hours. We were the last people to board and, luck me, the last seat left was next to a man who was curled up, Kleenex in hand. Even though I held my breath, I knew I was gonna catch what he had. At the airport, the man checking us in clarified three times that we were going to Delhi--I am pretty sure we were the only non-Indians on the flight. And he was also surprised to see that we had no bags to check, especially because everyone else on the plane seemed to have gotten a good deal on flat screen TVs.

Erin and I could stretch out as we made our way back and after a quick stop at the charging station to get some juice on the blackberry, we called for a pick-up. We returned an completely crashed.

This week, again, has been a complete whirlwind--I have not been feeling well and Alex arrives tomorrow! Can't believe I have 1 week at the office left--there is so much to do!

Click here for more pictures.

Shout out to my brother, Cameron. He just departed for an internship in Derby, England and is hoping to study in Hong Kong in the Fall. I am so proud that he started a blogspot. You can read about his "globetrotting" here. Or click his most recent posting from "My Blog List" on the side of the homescreen.

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot...

This week should be a fairly short post. After a few weeks of go-go-go, it was time to relax a little and enjoy Gurgaon and Delhi.

Masala Dosa and Coconut water from Dilli Haat.

It was another busy week at work--the newest group just completed there second week of taking calls and are being shadowing and shaped to become the future of Cvent Customer Care. In the evenings, I began researching destinations for my upcoming travels when Alex arrives. I think we have settled on a tour to the north Indian mountains--which should be cool and beautiful in June. More to come on that! The training batch did take a break from the hard work and enjoyed a group dinner on Friday across the road from the office. The team introduced me to a Masala Dosa--a delicious south Indian crepe-like food. I am now obsessed with the crispy pancake, spicy filling and scrumptious dipping sauce and will definitely be eating much more over the next several weeks.

On Friday, I came home (at 4am IST [6:30pm ET] ) to find my roommates awake and continuing the celebration of Julide's last few nights in Gurgaon. We decided to wait a few more hours and head to the Westin for their amazing buffet breakfast. The buffet started at 6:30am IST [9pm ET] and offered some of the most delightful foods in all types of cuisine. I enjoyed croissants spread with Honey that I cut from a Honeycomb, Indian Samosas and Chinese Dim sum. We chowed down of the amazing selection and then headed to the pool to relax in the morning sun. We enjoyed ourselves until the hotel realized that we were not guests, so we were asked to leave. Boo.

We walked home at 11am IST [1:30pm ET] and crawled in bed for a nap. I snoozed until 7pm IST [9:30am ET] and realized it was approaching night-time. After attempting to coordinate some plans for the evening, we decided to order Pizza Hut and relax for the night. We watched a few movies before calling it a night. I tried to get some sleep, but was not able to go back to bed so soon after waking--I basically tossed and turned until it was time to get going Sunday Morning.

Akshardham Temple. Photo by liveindia.tv

After a Puni omelet for breakfast, Erin and I were greeted by Arvi and his wife, Vidhi, for some Delhi sightseeing and shopping. First, we went to the Akshardham temple -- a magnificent hand-sculpted temple that is a new structure honoring an ancient religion. After a few hiccups while trying to enter the facility (turns out they don't allow ANY electronic devices, including cameras) and a true fear that I was going to faint in the 108 Degree Fahrenheit heat, we entered the temple complex and walked around the gardens and walkways. Because the temple was completed less than a decade ago, it offered some very moder attractions including an IMAX movie of its beginnings and a Pirates of the Caribbean style boat ride through scenes of India's history. We finally made our way into the temple complex and my breath was taken away when I saw the ornate, hand carved marble from floor to ceiling. Golden depictions of the Hindi gods were placed in every alcove and the main attraction, a huge seated statue of Swaminarayan, the leader of the sect, garnished in precious stones and gold.

After spending a few hours at the temple we made our way to Dilli Haat, a street market in Delhi, for shopping and dinner. You always get the best deals when you have a local with you, and Vidhi was great at getting us a deal. I bought 2 pairs of leather sandals, some jewelry, a leather purse, scarves and pillow cases--and got some amazing deals. Arvi was a perfect man among the three ladies and offered to carry our spoils through the market. We grabbed some dinner (another Dosa) and made our way home just in time to bid farewell to Julide as she left to catch her plane.

A wonderfully relaxing weekend before the madness starts again! Coming up: Thailand for Memorial Day then Alex arrives! I can't wait!

The Golden Triangle

Classic Taj Picture

It's Sunday (and Mother's Day at that) and I find myself again reminiscing over another fantastic week in India. Per usual, it was a busy week with a lot of changes. Prachi is being evaluated to go live and the new group hit the floor for their first calls--and all are doing so well! There is lots of work to be done, but I really enjoy everyone that I have been working with--so it makes the days and weeks go by so quickly! I can't believe I am already half-way through my trip!

The "Golden Triangle" is one of India's most popular tourism circuits. It is made up with Delhi at the top and Jaipur and Agra forming a triangle of amazing cities with beautiful attractions. We did all three--in one week!

Delhi

Wednesday Night (or should I say Thursday Morning) after work, Javed and Shaun invited us to experience the sunrise while site seeing in Delhi. Erin and I could not say no, so we piled into Shaun's car and drove in to the city. At 4am, it was a quick trip that would have taken hours had it been during a peak time of the day. We had open roads ahead of us as we made our way to the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This beautiful Sikh place of worship was beautifully lit against the dark sky. As we approached the main courtyard, we heard the chantings of the priests inside and drums were beating as they rhythmically shared passages from their holy text.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Before entering, we removed our shoes and donned head covers. The marble courtyard felt smooth against our bare feet as we explored the exterior and sat peacefully by the pond. A man approached us with an offering of food and Erin and I almost declined before the boys told us it was extremely disrespectful to do so. Instead, we held out our palms and accepted the warm, sweet meal he provided. It was Karah Prasad (a mix of butter, sugar and semolina) a blessed offering that is provided to all visitors of the grounds and was absolutely delicious. We explored the temple inside and out and watched the sky lighten the backdrop of the white building as we left to continue our journey.

Shaun, Erin and Me at India Gate

After leaving the temple, we drove as close as we could get to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the massive presidential residence in the area of Delhi that could be equivalent to our own "National Mall". Though we could only see the tip of the main palace's dome peeking above the entry way, we could see the magnificent complex. Directly opposite the palace, the India Gate serves as a war memorial to fallen soldiers. We explored the area and the surrounding gardens--it was beautiful in the barely-morning light

We drove by a few other sites, including the railroad park and the American embassy, before making our way back to Gurgaon for a five-star buffet breakfast. I am sure you are sick of me talking about the India time warp, but in this case I was glad to be having breakfast for dinner because it was delicious. Shaun dropped us off at the apartment at 8am IST (10:30pm ET) so we could get plenty of rest for the remainder of the week.

Click here for more photos of our Delhi Drive.



Agra

The group at the Taj Mahal

We set ourselves up for another fast-paced weekend when we decided to leave as soon as the shift ended on Friday for a journey around the Golden Triangle--starting with Agra. Caitlyn, Brendan, Jasmin, Dave, Erin and I filled every seat in Suresh's van and got out of Gurgaon pretty close to schedule. Most of the crew passed out, but I realized quickly that someone needed to stay awake, as Suresh was feeling a little sleepy and the Indian roads are not easy to manage with heavy eye-lids. Again, I was in awe as we made the 250km trek. The decorated trucks, people alongside the roadways, miles and miles of roadside stands and cows crossing the street with no care at all left for pretty exciting scenery to take-in along the way. You can really tell how populated India is--there was no point on the trip where you didn't see someone standing, working, sitting or doing their business on the side of the road and it was always bustling.

I was 8:30IST when we made it to Agra and we could see the silhouette of the Taj Mahal in the distance as we approached. It was still early in the morning, but as soon as the sun came out it was HOT and we were immediately sweating. Suresh dropped us off in the nearest parking lot possible, which was still a few kilometers from the entrance. Naturally, we hopped in a camel cart and hired a guide, Wasia, to take us around. He told us the history of the site and pointed out important elements in the structure. Additionally, he served as a great photographer and we were able to get a few group shots. We dragged our bootied feet around the mausoleum complex until we finally broke down to the heat and after being harassed by souvenir hawkers, we decided to continue on our journey. We came, we saw, we conquered--in 2hours time.

Jaipur

Kids on the road to Jaipur

It seemed like Suresh was able to rest up a bit, so I felt comfortable resting my eyes during the second 250km of our trip. We made good time until we came across a terribly designed intersection at a railroad crossing and were stuck for 40 mins until the mess was cleared. We made some friends in the meantime and exchanged some granola bars for bags of cool water and adorable pictures. When we finally got moving, we bumped and jostled our way to Chokhi Dhani, an Authentic Rajastani village and resort. After an Aarti & Tikka welcome (they blessed us each with a bindhi--the red dot on your forehead), we were almost turned away as only three of the six of us had our passports with us and it was required for entry. After only a few moments of panic, we were able to contact our friends back home in Delhi, who emailed us pictures. Needless to say we were exhausted and ready for a shower.

Dancing at Chokhi Dhani

After freshening up in the "royal cottage" decorated in true Rajastani style, we met for dinner and drinks at the restaurant. All of us were starving and were disappointed to hear that we could only order appetizers until 7:30. It didn't stall us a bit, and we made a full dinner of Samosas, noodles and crispy papadum. Afterwards, we walked to the villae where a crowd of locals and travellers enjoyed the fair. There were stalls with handmade crafts, carnival style games, elephant rides and dancers. We explored for a little while, watched a "magic show" and pet the baby cows before heading back to the resort for a drink and a cozy bed.

Suresh's Van

This morning, we packed up our things and asked Suresh to drive us around Jaipur. He took us past the sunken palace and drove us though the famous "Pink city". We shopped around for a bit at the jewel capital of India, until unfortunately, Erin's debit card was retained by the ATM machine--so we decided to continue our trip to the Amber Fort--situated high above Jaipur. We explored the walled city and even saw a monkey before calling it a day and cramming in the car to make the journey home.

"Pink City"

We were all sweating and there was almost no circulation, but somehow we managed to get past it and doze for most of the way home. After being on the road for so long, we decided to shower up and head to the Westin for a nice Italian dinner. When we came home, Erin and I made our final reservations for Thailand--Bangkok and Pattaya for Memorial Day 2012!

We came home and called our Mother's to say hello and wish them a happy Mother's Day from afar. There is a busy week ahead and I cant believe my time here is offically half complete! So much to do, with so little time!!

Click here for more photos of Agra and Jaipur.