Thailand Top 10

As Larrie mentioned in an earlier post, we spent a weekend in Thailand. That weekend was just when the country was starting to experience some political instability, but before things got violent. Still, personally, I think the Hyatt should have demonstrated due diligence and revealed to us that a convention with high ranking foreign dignitaries was going to be taking place at their resort and given us the option of delaying our visit or staying at another property. Like us, other guests (of which there weren't very many) mentioned they would have preferred to NOT place their family in a situation where security concerns called for 8600 local troops, riot gear, and a dozen gun boats. The Hyatt had to know many months ahead of time that they were hosting the first Mekong River Commission convention which included Prime Ministers from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and the Foreign Minister from China. I don't understand why they didn't just tell us the resort was full. Laughably, when we got there, the Hyatt Hua Hin gave us a sheet of paper explaining how all the extra security would have no impact on our stay.  Excuse me! It's hard not to notice the guys looking straight our of "Men in Black" every 50 feet with their dark sunglasses and communication gear, not too mention all the guys in camouflage carrying machine guns.  And, they can't tell me there was no impact when the sailboats couldn't go out because of the gun boats and arrival of visitors. I was told not enough wind, which was obviously and visibly not the problem.  There were some benefits though:

Top Reasons to Spend Easter Weekend at the Hyatt Hua Hin during the MRC:

• No problem getting seating at the best restaurants when 90% of the guests are guarding the property.
• If you lost your child, there were guys with 2 way radios every 20 feet that could locate him.
• No problems finding your way around the resorts. There were soldiers with detailed maps all over.
• Proof you can pass some background check and deemed no risk to Asian heads of state.
• If your sailboat go away you could borrow the military's zodiac raft to go get it.
• You can realistically pretend you've been dropped into the set of "Men in Black". They guys in riot gear & Navy divers certainly looked like aliens.
• Didn't have to worry about pigeons pooping in the pool.  There were plenty of shotguns around.
• Got to analyze whether camouflage allows you to blend in with the hotel garden (NOT!)
• If you lost anything in the ocean, there were teams of navy divers that could help you look for it.
• If you ever had fantasies of a sleep over at Camp Pendleton, this was the place to be.
• The "gentle lull" of the idling motors of the dozen gun boats drowned out any annoying wave sounds at the beach.
• Watched a fine looking parade of bomb sniffing police dogs who didn't pee on the plants (thought they didn't really help with finding the Easter Eggs either).
• Where else could I walk down a path in a swim suit between 40 top form Bruce Lee lookalikes and be stared at like I was a super model!

Bougie taking over!

Sheesh... Leave for the country for 7 weeks and the bougainvillea tries to consume the porch. Note that it managed to knock over a chair and almost cover the table with new branches. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to sleep at night knowing something that voracious is right outside my bedroom door!

Jessi suffering from Jet Lag

Noontime Day 1 & Day 2

Defcon 4 in Bangkok

Our visit to Thailand was at the tail end of our Vietnam trip, and the intent of the trip was to decompress in the resort pool or at the beach before beginning the rush to get prepared to spend six weeks in the USA during Jessie's 2010 summer vacation.  As you recall from our Vietnam piece we were travelling with the Heihn's.  Arriving into Bangkok, Stacy and Elise said goodbye as they were beginning their trip to the USA, and Alex, Preston, and the Thornes in India continued on to the Hyatt in Hua Hin, which turned out to be about 4 hours in a van, without food (our bad), and without the ability to tell the driver to pull over, we're hungry.  We arrived at the resort tired, hungry, and with grumpy kids.

I guess we should have been aware of the increased security leaving the airport, but it in no way would have clued us into the security at the resort. It turns out that unbeknown to us, the MRC was holding their first ever conference in Hua Hin, and the Hyatt was ground zero for the activities.  The prime ministers from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and a high ranking officials from China were in attendance.  There were gunboats off the beach, men in black, and fully functioning riot police and special armed forces behind every bush, rock, well, you get the idea.  Kinda took the mood out of chillaxing by the pool for two days.

Since our visit to Thailand there continue to be multiple reports in the world press of the internal issues that have bubbled up in Thailand, with many people killed, and we thank our lucky timing to have gotten home without getting caught up in their issues.  We hope the people of Thailand can resolve their issues peacefully and soon before there is too great a loss of human life.

We took no pictures of the resort as we figured if we did our camera would be confiscated.  It was a fairly nice resort with good food available, and the staff was very attentive.  Alli arranged to do a one hour sailing thing that Jessie and Preston enjoyed (out to the perimeter of the gunboats and back), but mostly we just hunkered in the pool under the slide and hoped not to be stats on a collateral damage report.

Our drive back to the airport was stressed as we had the same driver, who had not improved his English speaking skills in two days, and the traffic made us a bit late (by our perceived schedule) getting to the airport.  The driver dropped us in a parking lot, we don't know why, and we had to scramble with all our luggage into the departures area.  Luckily, our check in area was close to where we emerged from the elevated walkway, and we checked in with time to spare.

I suppose I should describe the Bangkok airport a bit.  It is huge! Upon arrival, we noticed signs indicating that immigration was 700 meters ahead, and once we spent an hour waiting in line at immigration, baggage claim was another 500 meters.  1.2 kilometers, and we had the short path!  Under one roof!  I have always thought Hartsfield in Atlanta was big, and then I thought Dubai was big, but Bangkok has topped all of them.

At any rate, we had to clear outbound immigration - easier than inbound because by now everyone was in jail from the riots, and then security, which was easy because they were flushing anyone they could out and making them the next countries problem.

As always, we returned glad to be back home greeted by a smiling Imtiaz at the airport and our personal house greeters - two happy tabbies.  Yes, home is where the cats are!

Vietnam

"School's out for summer" echos the old rock-n-roll song, and at the end of Jessie's third grade we headed for Vietnam with Alex and Stacy Heihn and their two children Preston and Elise.  We left Bengaluru the day school was out to maximize trip time as upon our return, the Thorne's in India were in Bengaluru for four days before heading to the USA for six weeks, and Stacy and Elise left the Vietnam trip early to spend three weeks in the USA.  So, it was important to maximize our trip time together.  The trip was coordinated entirely by Stacy, and we had a wonderful trip - Thanks Stacy!

We left late on a Friday night (March 27) for a short overnight trip to Bangkok, Thailand.  Not so short was the ride to the airport.  For whatever reason, traffic that night was all hosed up, and the drive took 30 min longer than usual.  Bengaluru airport was under heavy security alert as there was an explosive device discovered on a plane, which turned out to have been planted by a disgruntled employee.  Nevertheless, getting through security that night was painful.  We flew on Thai Airways, and the personnel at the check in desk scrutinized our Vietnam visas, passports, and all other important documents quite intensely.  So, with security and intense scrutiny, and oh yes, the traffic getting to the airport, we were on a tight timeline to actually get on the plane.  However, prior to any international flight out of Bengaluru we must have Pizza Hut pizza, or so insists Jessie.  We did, and the trip began.

It was a short overnight trip to Bangkok, Thailand where we had a similarly short layover before continuing on an even shorter flight to Hanoi, and both cities are in the same time zone.  Bangkok has a huge airport, and we were glad to find Dairy Queen, Starbucks, McDonalds, and Burger King.  We got primed on US junk food before we went to the land where "wokking the dog" has alternative context.

Day 1, March 27, 2010

Arriving into Hanoi it took us a few minutes to figure out the immigration process, but once we maneuvered through immigration our trip went like clockwork.  The other issue at the Hanoi airport was that some "star" was arriving, which caused a huge stir in the airport with security all over the place.  We never did figure out who the person or persons were, but confusion reigned for a bit.  

Vietnam has two methods to resolve immigration requirements. You can apply for a visa by sending your passport to an embassy, or you can purchase the right to a visa on arrival through the internet, which is what we did.  The visa on arrival process has forms that need to be completed, and those forms require passport pictures.  There was a batch of old European ladies in front of us that had done neither, and how they even got to Hanoi in the first place is a mystery.  But, they were ahead of us, and we had to endure a wait while they worked through the language barriers, the official forms barriers, the photo taking barriers, and the general sessions of kevetching and grumping that old people do when stressed.  Finally with processed visas in hand, we were ready to clear immigration and customs.

The taxi service was waiting to take us to our hotel, and we were off on the adventure.  The hotel in Hanoi was the Hanoi Elegance Hotel, and it was superb and it's staff were most helpful for our entire visit to Vietnam.  The hotel is located in the very walkable old quarter of Hanoi, and while we did utilize some taxis and bicycle rickshaws, we  walked everywhere.  We arrived at the hotel early and had some time to kill before check in time; so, with the aid of the hotel staff a walking trek was quickly devised, and we were off.  

First, we needed money, so we needed to find an ATM.  The currency of VN is the Dong, and the conversion rate is about 19,000 Dong to the US dollar.  Thankfully, Stacy had created a laminated chart to help us with the conversions as we shopped and ate.  It's a little difficult to swallow when you get your first restaurant bill for VND 2.5 million only to realize that it's a little over $100.  My first trip to the ATM was a bit naive as I got 1,000,000 VND (a sizable amount of money, right?), and the ATM only gave me two 500,000 bills - not very reassuring when you request a number like 1,000,000 and you only get two bills.

So, money in hand, food was next on the agenda.We started out with VN noodle soup, Bun Bo, at a street place. Normally, you would not find any of us eating street food, but this place was on a recommended list.  The kitchen was street side, and you ate in the back.  Some locals were at the first set of tables, so we had to walk past the guy washing dishes on the floor with the hose to the next set of tables.  Wondering how the meal was going to fare in the lower quadrants, we sat and awaited delivery of the Bun Bo.  It was wonderful soup - even the kids ate it.  Refreshed and energized by Bun Bo, we plodded out into the cacophony.

We took taxis to The Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology and water puppets.  The museum was interesting, and the kids enjoyed the ability to run about and burn off stored energy.  Viet Nam has a cultural art form in water puppets.  We happened to be on time for a performance during our visit to the museum.  A story is told in both the puppet presentation and the music supplied by traditional instruments.  The stage is a pool of water, and the puppeteers are "backstage" hidden in a hut.  The puppets are manipulated by underwater devices, and they move about the pool of water, which is about 30 feet square.  The play is generally a traditional story of history or conquest with metaphoric characters such as the turtle that symbolized the ancient wise ones.


After the museum, we all ran out of energy, and it was time to return to the hotel and then off to dinner.  We ate at the Quan An Ngon restaurant, which had very good food, and our first over 1,000,000 VND bill.  The real surprise came as we were leaving the restaurant when we spotted a rouse (rodent of unusual size) on the roof of the restaurant.  Big, 12 inches nose to butt.  The other surprise that night was the taxi ride to Ngon, the Thornes paid VND 14,000, and the Heihn's paid VND 28,000 - the Heihn's took a more colorful tour I guess.


Day 2, March 28, 2010
Day 2 manifested itself as a walking tour up to see another water puppet presentation at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Following the puppets we engaged bicycle rickshaws to take us around Hoan Kiem Lake, which was just opposite the theatre.  We paired up two by two and were off.  The drivers took us around the lake, and about town to see some of the bigger sights in our area, and we ended up at the Hoa Lo Prison - the "Hanoi Hilton", where the drivers dropped us off and left.  

The Vietnamese tote stuff around using a couple of simple bamboo baskets on the end of a stiffer piece of bamboo which is levered across the shoulders.  You see a lot of these setups, and while we were on the rickshaws, I saw one lady who had a small table and chairs in the front basket, and a hot bucket of charcoal with cooking fish in the wok in the rear basket.  This was a fish restaurant in motion, looking for an opportune place to set up shop for the day.   


After touring the prison - a fairly interesting thing to do, we set out on foot back towards the lake to find a lunch spot.  The kids were quite growly by this time and needed tending to.  After lunch, we did some shopping on our way back to the hotel.  In this area, the streets are lined with shops, and Stacy was on the hunt for some specific items.


While we were walking along, Stacy and Alex paused to purchase a book from a street vendor.  Alli, having found a WiFi hot spot,  was doing email on her IPod.  In the street, two two-wheelers got into a wreck.  Traffic, which was quite thick, never stopped and just flowed around the new obstruction.  The two picked themselves up, dusted off, checked for major damages, said very few words, repacked the load, and rode off - all with heavy traffic flowing about them.  The whole situation happened within 3-4 minutes and was missed by all as they were busy with other affairs.


On the street by the hotel were several music shops where you could purchase traditional instruments.  Jessica bought a wooden flute, and she had a good time sampling all the other instruments on display.  The shop keeper was a happy person and enjoyed the opportunity to demonstrate her instruments to a foreign youngster.  Most of the instruments were traditional, which gave Jess a great opportunity to test them.


We hired a kid tender for the evening so the parents could go out for a quiet dinner.  The selected restaurant was back in the direction of the puppet theatre, and there was a night street market that Stacy wanted to check out.  The restaurant was The Green Tangerine, and we had a wonderful meal - once we found the place.  Larrie got turned around, and Alex stepped in to get us going in the correct direction.  The street market turned out to be like going to the Minnesota State Fair with nothing anybody actually wanted to buy, and all the food grilled on the spot.  An interesting note about the walk back to the hotel is that at night, Hanoi is a different place.  The shops pull themselves inside and lock up, and the street is almost not navigable due to missing landmarks.


The corner of the street to the hotel was marked by a shop selling snake wine, which is fairly odd to behold to a westerner.  At any rate, when the shop closes up, the landmark is gone, and Alex had to step in to aim Larrie down the correct street before he got lost again.


Day 3, March 29, 2010
Day 3 brought the transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay for our overnight junk boat cruise.  We were moving early (8:30) as the trip takes around 3 hours.  Observations along the road include:

• Pigs are delivered live upside down on the back of a two wheeler.
• A number of garden centers, it seemed odd that there would be any, but there they were.  Houses along the roadways, cities, and villages all had quite a number of potted plants and ornamental shrubs.
• Most people on two wheelers and those walking wore face masks to filter out the pollution.  Hanoi and VN did not seem overly polluted to us, but then our frame of reference was Bengaluru.  However, India has birds - there are not so many birds in VN, and some places they were nonexistent.
• All houses were skinny, maybe 7-8 m wide, and tall (3-4 floors).  In the country, the ground level seemed to always be a shop of some sort.
• We were amazed to see Fords, and Chevy's, and other USA brands.
• The VN countryside is clean - a bit more garbage than Hanoi, but no where near India.
• Driving is well behaved, and the roads were sell sized.  We could actually get up to 70 mph without having to worry about running over or into something.
• We stopped for a break at an arts factory.  A number of persons with special challenges were employed to create various crafts.  Here too was marble sculpting.  Major pieces made to order, and priced as though New York was across the road.

On with the cruise.  By 12:30 we were on the Princess 2 preparing to set sail, which is a misnomer as modern junks are powered by diesel engines, and the sails are just ornamental.  

We had rented the whole boat in order to have privacy and not to disturb another traveler with our brood.  We got settled, set sail and were topside for beers and chillaxing.  Jessie and Preston took the extra room for themselves, and they spent considerable time nesting before appearing topside.  While we cruised to our first adventure for the day, the crew prepared and served a very nice lunch.  Oh, yes, the weather was a bit coolish, and we did have a couple of short sprinkles; so be fore warned, cruising Halong was not akin to the Caribbean.

Halong Bay is pretty much junk boat territory.  As VN has raised itself from poverty, it has utilized tourism as one of the major vehicles.  Like other areas of the world, destination venues have been created by the operators of the cruises.  Our first stop was one such place.  We stopped at one of the 'haystacks' had a large cave, which was reported to have held a fishing village of 40 families.  The families were relocated to a new floating village (our 2nd destination) to open the cave for exploration, and the cruise line added a kayak experience.  So, after touring the cave, we went kayaking.  Alli stayed on the boat for some 1:1 quiet time -  a nap.

The kayak trip was a circumvention of a haystack and back to the boat.  Jessie and Larrie were in one kayak, and finally worked out that Larrie was straight line power, and Jessie was turning power.  Once that truce was agreed to, the trip was proceeded well.  Along the way we found a rather largish jellyfish scuttling around - think dinner plate is diameter.  The waters of Halong Bay are green in color, and local peoples are strongly encouraged by the government to keep them pristine and clean, which they were.  Although the green color was not explained, it did not seem to be due to plant nor plankton.  Beaching the kayaks, we boarded the tender back to the boat and beers.  

The crew created kid friendly food for the kids, who ate early, and then entertained them while the adults had a nice dinner.  We anchored in a bay with other junks, ate dinner, and then slept to the gentle slaps of waves and fresh air.  The accommodations were very nice on the Princess 2.  

Day 4, March 30, 2010

Come morning, we ate a decent breakfast.  Although, it should be mentioned to future travelers that the Asian perspective of what to do with an breakfast egg is not what you are accustomed to, and some adaptation of perspective is required.

Since we would be disembarking, lunch came early,  Between breakfast and lunch came the visit to the floating fishing village where we observed several junk boat dogs, actual pets, and pearl seeding.  The entire village was afloat, including government offices and a school, which was the largest building in the village - creating the question of how you get a concrete cistern to float.  Various things that float were used to get around, and they used floating concrete cisterns for fresh water.  The visit to the village was very interesting as we learned about the people and watched a pair of individuals seed the oysters with pearl seeds.  It takes about 5 years for the mollusk to acrete enough lacquer onto the seed to create the pearl.  Again, prices for strings of pearls in the gift shop were like New York was across the bay.  Not sure if the they understood the notion of marketing.

We left the boat at 11:30 and were soon underway back to Hanoi.  We arrived back to our hotel where we holed up for a few hours before the overnight train ride to Sa Pa.  The train left eightish, and we took a couple of taxis for the short trip to the train station.

The VN train system was assisted by India in its creation; so, we were a bit skeptical about how to approach getting into our car.  The station was chaotic.  Quickly, Stacy took charge, and went in pursuit of someone at the ticket desk.  While Stacy was seeking resolution, the rest of us were hanging on curb observing the chaos in motion.  Several persons would surge towards the doors only to be repelled by ticket agents.  One person was on the phone and was very cranky that their experience was not living up to their standards.  Soon, Stacy emerged the chaos with an agent, and we went through the crowd like Moses parting the sea.  The agent navigated over tracks and other obstacles to our car, and we were quickly seated in our bunks.

Jess and Preston bunked with us, and after a rather eventful day it did not take them long to be snoozing once the train got to rocking-n-rolling.  Unlike our experiences with Indian train service, we were very surprised and pleased with the VN train service.  The train was clean, fairly new, and well tended.  Our trip was an express, and there were few stops.  We actually got some sleep on this train.


Day 5, March 31, 2010
The train arrived at 5:30 am into Lao Cai, and we trundled out with sleepy kids into the chaos of an unloading train of tourists having to navigate a busy rail yard and find the terminal.  We found the driver who was scheduled to pick us up and transport us to Sa Pa, which was about an hour up through the mist and mountains.  the road was not unlike other tight mountain roads we have been on, such as the road to Darjeeling or the Going to the Sun.

We arrived at the Cha Pa Garden in Sa Pa about 6:30 - 7:00.  One note about the Cha Pa before I get too deep into other segues, The Cha Pa sits up a hill - about 69 steps up the hill to the lobby, and then you have another 17 or so to get to the rooms.  Now, that might not seem like much to the younger crowd, but they don't realize that, unlike most hotels we have been to in Asia, there is no one to lug your luggage up the stairs.  So, when you consider the tonnage of baggage required by folks traveling for 10 days, well needless to say, medicinal beer was require to resuscitate the old horse hauling the bags.  So, be forewarned, and bring oxygen!


Stacy had arranged for us to get into one of our rooms early so we could clean up for the day; however, upon our arrival the hot water in that room had malfunctioned and created a problem for our whole stay at the Cha Pa.  Eventually, the malaise spread to the toilet, and the bathroom was not functioning until just before our departure.  So, we punted on the post train ride clean up and settled for oral hygiene only - the sink worked.


The Cha Pa only has four rooms, and it has a small area to eat, drink and be merry.  We immediately took advantage of this feature for a tasty breakfast before setting out on a trekking adventure.  It turns out the proprietor, who was from Norway and married a VN woman, not only tended the front desk, but served up the beer, cooked the food.  The hotel staff, a group of young Hmong girls, delivered food and dealt with the dishes as well as other chores.

Alli chose to stay back and deal with a growing inbox while the rest of us went on a 5 mile trek through a Hmong agricultural village area.  Stopping midway for a cool drink and a visit to the local one holer squatty that drained to the nearest paddy, we continued through paddys ploughed by water buffalo and hard working Hmong and a school to the pick up point, where we sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, waiting for the driver to pick us up.  Alex noticed another van from the same agency, and he backtracked a couple hundred yards to the dhaba to find the driver.  Since the other driver appeared to have abandoned us, the new guy took us back to the hotel, and on the trip back we saw our original driver with a new load of tourists.  Needless to say, that agency donated both rides to us as we did not pay for such poor service.  Our second opportunity for poor service would come later that afternoon.


Upon returning, Alli was ready to re-engage, and we all enjoyed a nice lunch at the Cha Pa.  For the afternoon, Stacy had arranged for a VN style cooking lesson at a location close to the hotel.  Leaving the Cha Pa, we zigged up the street and into a covered market area and found the cooking school, which is located within the Boutique SaPa Hotel.  Whereupon we were informed that due to a mix-up in scheduling, we had been canceled because a bus had arrived and booked the entire place for the night and our party was too small and in the way, so they mixed up the scheduling and cancelled us.  Well, Stacy and Alli went on the offensive, but to no avail and we were outta there.


Stacy marched right over to SaPa Rooms Boutique Hotel and booked us for cooking lessons the next AM.  The folks at the SaPa Rooms were most understanding and accommodating to our request.  Back to the hotel as it's about 6:00 pm, where we watched Avatar on video, had burgers and beers for dinner, and said good night.


The hotel had DVD players in the room, so we took Sherlock Holmes up to check out Downy's latest only to discover that our DVD remote was broken.  We borrowed Heihn's remote and started the movie only to discover that our TV was hosed.  So, down the desk to see what options we had, and at 10pm, Larrie and the proprietor carried the lobby tv up to the room and replace the non-working tv.  The movie wasn't worth all the work. Three strikes for that day, time to sleep.


Day 6, April 1, 2010

Up for breakfast and then off to cooking school.  This time class was one and the first task was to go to market to get the fixin's for the food.  Now, those who have never trespassed a VN market have not lived.  Let's see, there were live baby chicks, baby ducks, frogs, crabs, eels, fish, chickens, and in the meat market we had pork, chickens with their feet still on, dog, and whatever THAT was.  Three different egg types including quail, and a host of things we had never seen before.  Needless to say, if it's edible, there is a recipe for it.  Fixin's in hand, we went back to the school.  Oh, yea, the whole market experience was led and narrated by the chef teaching the class, and it was very informative and helpful while providing much depth to the experience one has in VN.


Back at class, which was mostly learning how to chop stuff, the gang started chopping away.  Early on Stacy nicked a finger drawing a drop or two of blood.  Quickly dropping the cleaver, kleenexs were applied, but not soon enough as she started to tunnel out.  Alli told Alex and the chef to catch her, and down she went - chopper down! Being the trooper with a quick recovery, Stacy was on to creating culinary greatness with no fingers in the Bun Bo.  At the end of the class we got to eat what we prepared - it was all good.


Stomaches full, we trudged back to the Cha Pa to check out of one of the rooms - the one with the bad plumbing, and then on to a walking tour of the town including climbing the other 99 steps up to where the main street was.  Have I mentioned that Sa Pa is quite up and down yet?  Rain cut short the walk, and we retreated back to the hotel to wait for the time to leave for the train in Lao Cai.  Now, with all the odd happenings in Sa Pa, the last odd thing happened.  The last room we had only had one key, and Larrie forgot to return the key to the hotel.  A fact he discovered on the train.


We had a pleasant overnight train back to Hanoi arriving at 4:30 am.  Hiring a couple of taxis, we went back to the 
Hanoi Elegance Hotel to shower and have breakfast before heading for the airport for the trip back to Bangkok.  However, before we left the hotel, Larrie did arrange to have the hotel key sent back to the Cha Pa, and we hope he got it.  Sorry, dude!  In all fairness to the folks at the Cha Pa, we had a wonderful visit.  the rooms were very nice, the grounds were quiet and relaxing, the service was prompt and to the point.  We caught them on a bad day with disgruntled plumbing, which is not their norm, and the proprietor was quick to adapt and make amends.  We would highly recommend the Cha Pa to anyone visiting Sa Pa.


Impressions of Vietnam
We were really surprised with Vietnam.  This is a country that has survived a long war, and 35 years later is a wonderful place to visit.  Young people are vibrant, all the people work hard, it is clean, the food is good, bargains are to be had, and has many cultural offerings to help one understand its people.  It is also the only place in Asia I have seen water meters used, which implies quite a maturation of social infrastructure.  We enjoyed Viet Nam and would recommend it (at least Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sa Pa) to anyone wishing to visit a new destination.

Facebook Statuses from first 18 months in Bangalore

Thu May 13, 2010, 8:38 pm: decided waiting for the elevator at 1pm is similar to being stuck in Bangalore traffic. Elevator space is much better optimized in B'lore though. I swear I saw elevators that could have held another 5 people but were considered "full" in Minnesota.

Tue May 11, 2010, 10:14 pm: misses Bangalore weather.

Wed May 5, 2010, 9:21 pm: Target, Starbucks, and Taco Johns should all expect good profits this month... My bank account is depleting though!

Tue May 4, 2010, 11:21 pm: Has succumbed again to a prior long standing problem: remembering where the heck I parked the car... thank goodness you can push the little button on the fob and make the car honk back.

Mon May 3, 2010, 5:54 pm: And apparently, I've lost my ability to cook successfully in a microwave oven. My Pizza Rolls I chose for dinner tonight have the consistency of over cooked calamari. I mean, really, how do you ruin a Pizza Roll?

Mon May 3, 2010, 5:52 pm: ok, have to say, I was far more intimated walking alone down Hennepin in Minneapolis at 7:45pm tonight than anywhere I've been in Bangalore the last 18 months. In BLR I get stared at because I am an oddity and unusual. Here I felt like prey.

Sun May 2, 2010, 11:07 pm: Jessi saw Larrie's high school picture and announced, "Wow, dad! You looked just like Michael Jackson". I'm quite sure Larrie was not the least bit thrilled by that comparison. :-)

Sun May 2, 2010, 2:58 pm: had a wonderful visit with our grandchildren and their parents in Phoenix.

Fri April 30, 2010, 9:17 am: Ahhh... Real luxury... It just dawned on me there is a dishwasher in the aprtment & I can stop putting things in the sink. Haven't done that in many months...

Thu April 29, 2010, 4:02 pm: was told by the eye doctor today that I needed to get progressive lenses in my next set of eyeglasses. He said, "Don't worry, it's not a sign of deterioration, it is a sign of maturation". Even with that sugarcoating, I got the message: You are GETTING OLD.

Tue April 27, 2010, 4:39 pm: Wow! Had a physical last week and got back the BEST test results in at least 5 years. All I can attribute it to is all the wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables I eat in India since I haven't improved on any other bad habits. I'm looking forward to mango season when I go back.

Mon April 26, 2010, 7:57 pm: keeps ending up on the wrong floor when I push the buttons in the elevator. In Bangalore, floor numbers start at 0 and the basement is -1. In Minneapolis the ground floor is 1. I think India's numbering system makes more sense. I keep finding myself on the wrong side of the hall too.

Sun April 25, 2010, 7:53 pm: feels incredibly independent being able to drive again. I'm not going to like having to rely on someone else when I go back to B'lore for another year. There is so much freedom to knowing you can go where you want, when you want 24x7, especially if an emergency comes up... Or the desire for a taco or a movie strikes.

Fri April 23, 2010, 7:09 pm: thinks it feels funny to have socks on my feet. When I move back to Minnesota I'm going to miss having barefeet or wearing open toes sandals 365 days a year.

Fri April 23, 2010, 9:12 am: has just purchased a sweatshirt I'll never be able to wear in Bangalore because it is only 3 degrees centigrade at our cabin! After 2 years of really nice weather... Brrrrrr!!!

Thu April 22, 2010, 1:19 pm: went to the Twins game today and really enjoyed an afternoon in the sunshine and seeing the new Target field. I'm not going to comment on the Twins performance except to say I was hoping there were only 9 innings in a baseball game and not 11 (I couldn't remember) so they could be put out of their misery sooner than later.

Wed April 21, 2010, 9:11 pm: wow! I went to the dentist and got the best report in years. Up until I went to India I stopped by for a cleaning every 4 months. Now, with no dental visit for a year and a half. i get a great report. I don't get it.

Tue April 20, 2010, 4:04 pm: 18 months in India and Jessi hasn't suffered from the stomach flu. One week back in the U.S. and she is throwing up.

Mon April 19, 2010, 6:36 pm: It felt SO great to walk into an actual Target store that I think I started to tear up. I always feel homesick when the Target ads get played at work in Bangalore.

Mon April 19, 2010, 3:51 pm: just realized I haven't smelled a dead skunk for a couple of years until today. They must not live in India. Can't say I miss it.

Sun April 18, 2010, 6:55 pm: I had no idea seeing and hearing Robins and a Cardinal could make me feel so happy! Sometimes you don't even realize what you miss until you find it again.

Sat April 17, 2010, 6:18 am: Yummy! Blueberries! I haven't found them in India though we have a other yummy things like jackfruit there.

Fri April 16, 2010, 9:27 pm: has a kid for rent. In B'lore we have marble floors and no carpet. Jessi is SOOOO excited to be in a place with a vacuum cleaner for a few weeks. She wants to run it all the time.

Thu April 15, 2010, 5:58 am: sat in the car in front of the air conditioning vents this morning trying to get my hair dry. My Bangalore hair dryer won't work here because of 220 -vs-- 110 power and the service apartment doesn't supply a blow dryer.

Wed April 14, 2010, 4:40 pm: is really enjoying cold fresh milk that didn't come from a sterilized box. Yummmmmm!!!

Wed April 14, 2010, 4:39 pm: surreal... the first person I ran into in the skyway that I knew this morning was a coworker from India who I didn't know was in town. It made me question whether being in Minneapolis was just a happy dream!

Wed April 14, 2010, 3:21 am: is having trouble convincing Jessi to JUST DRINK THE WATER OUT OF THE TAP! You won't get sick. We are not paying $5 for a bottle in our hotel room.

Wed April 14, 2010, 1:55 am: is wide awake at 3:42 am in Minneapolis along with Larrie & Jessi. Hello jet lag... shouldn't have any trouble making it to work on time this morning.

Tue April 13, 2010, 11:53 am: is glad to be in a place where I don't stick out like a sore thumb for the next 6 weeks. I can't even describe how good it feels to consistently understand and be understood for a little while.

Tue April 13, 2010, 11:48 am: learned in Paris this morning that French computer keyboards are not set up QWERTY order. There are all sorts of special accent characters (which makes sense, I guess). I was going to update my FB status but couldn't figure out how to enter a period.

Tue April 13, 2010, 11:44 am: is in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!! For the first time in 18 months!!! And is very HAPPY!!!

Mon April 12, 2010, 9:47 am: The French to English dictionary turned out to be a very good investment. I almost ordered a calf kidney crepe! I seriously doubt I would have been surprised by liking it.

Sun April 11, 2010, 7:05 am: found out I'm still young enough to enjoy a carousel on a fine spring day! And old enough to not care how silly I look sitting on top a wooden horse. :-)

Sat April 10, 2010, 11:41 am: enjoyed a day with no particular destination and no time constraints. It is a rare luxury. According to the GPS we did 9 miles of wandering by foot. Gonna sleep good tonight.

Fri April 9, 2010, 10:58 am: realized immediately I needed to acquire a French to English dictionary after receiving a Mushroom, Eggplant, and Tuna pizza with a barely fried "sunny side up? egg plopped right in the middle for lunch in Paris. (NOT joking and NOT yummy!) I thought maybe *Julien meant it would have ham on it. I guess it was just the name of that combo. bluk.

Thu April 8, 2010, 11:31 am: has been to a lot of them and thinks b'lore has an excellent airport.

Thu April 8, 2010, 6:20 am: Beware Minnesotans! I'm going to hit the roads after an 18 month hiatus. I'm not allowed to drive in India so Tuesday will my first time behind the steering wheel in many, many months. VAROOOOOMMMMM! Can't wait!

Wed April 7, 2010, 6:27 am: was gasping & panting at the top of 5 flights of stairs when a Vietnamese gal said "Jambo" to me. I had learned in Africa that jambo is Swahili for "Hi!" so I was surprised to hear it in Sapa. I thought, "How friendly!" Then I realized she was pointing at my rear end & chuckling with a nearby pal. I think what she really said was "JUMBO" which is unfortunately, all too true.

Tue April 6, 2010, 7:33 am: thinks it is ironic that early on a Saturday morning on the way to the airport, the police stopped us to see if we had too many people in the van. Amusing given the number of motorcycles with 4-5 people on them, trucks packed full of people standing up and buses with people hanging out the door. I wonder how many would have been TOO many?

Mon April 5, 2010, 8:02 pm: Another fun attribute of living in India... Christmas cards that were mailed in December still showing up in April. It was a nice Easter surprise to get a Christmas card. A cosmic connection perhaps?

Mon April 5, 2010, 5:39 am: is back in B'lore & had a hard time sleeping in 95 degree weather under a ceiling fan after the divine luxary of air conditioning at a hotel for a few days.

Mon April 5, 2010, 5:36 am: is surprised to learn there appears to be a kind of mosquito that hatches like crazy when it gets to 100 degrees and is completely dry outside. Time to get the bug zapper back in order.

Sun April 4, 2010, 1:01 pm: liked being in a country for a few days where it is culturally acceptable to hold Larrie's hand while we walked down the street; but, I wasn't as enthralled with having Facebook blocked from use. Interesting contrast of personal freedoms between Vietnam & India. Then throw in Dubai where a public kiss can land you in jail.

Sun April 4, 2010, 1:00 pm: a sad moment: standing next to the first Burger King in the past 18 months and feeling way to sick to order a Whopper.

Thu April 1, 2010, 3:11 pm: Gotta say, I never thought I'd be sitting in an overnight train under a full moon heading across Vietnam. This is a beautiful, welcoming, easy to get around country, I definitely recommend a visit.

Thu April 1, 2010, 3:09 pm: Just discovered this train only has a hole in the floor for a toilet... Using a squatty potty in a moving train... Challenge of the week...

Thu April 1, 2010, 12:35 am: is wandering from free wifi hotspot to free wifi hotspot. Vietnam is very well connected to the Internet. There is something both liberating and constraining about being able to check work email from the iPod touch in my pocket in a high mountain village 15 miles from China.

Wed March 31, 2010, 7:36 pm: is heading to a cooking class in Sapa... First a trip through the market to pick up fresh produce then over to the cooking school to make a traditional Vietnamese lunch.

Tue March 30, 2010, 10:00 pm: picked up a new bad habit in Hannoi: motor oil consistency coffee with sweetened condensed milk at the bottom. Great eye opener!

Tue March 30, 2010, 5:33 pm: One of the kids was very excited to find a 500 dong bill in Hannoi. Nobody burst his bubble by telling him it was worth about 2.5 cents.

Tue March 30, 2010, 2:23 am: This may seem like a contradiction: the further I travel, the more I realize how much the same AND different the world is.

Tue March 30, 2010, 2:10 am: Realized I wasn't as culinarily adventuress as I previously claimed when I was offered dog for lunch after saying I was not vegetarian.

Sun March 28, 2010, 5:37 pm: Had my first million anything last night. Dinner was 1.25 million dong in Vietnam (about $65).

Sun March 28, 2010, 8:44 am: was taken aback when Larrie asked me if I wanted any dong until he explained it is the unit of Vietnamese currency.

Sun March 28, 2010, 2:49 am: Discovered in Vietnam, as in India, lines on the street seem to be looked upon as decorations rather than boundaries.

Sat March 27, 2010, 4:08 am: First skiing in Dubai, now Blizzards in Bangkok! We found a Dairy Queen at the airport. A taste of home... Yummm

Fri March 26, 2010, 6:08 am: No booze allowed for three days here... it's election weekend. Time to leave the country!

Thu March 25, 2010, 11:43 am: India is a welcoming country. Nearly everybody we meet is incredibly friendly, gracious & helpful. I'm perplexed by 2 seniors in our neighborhood though, who deny themselves the simple joy of acknowledging a friendly greeting. I wonder why. Is it a sense of superiority they are seeking? I don't feel bad about being ignored but I do feel a sense of pity. It must be a lonely & painful way to live. Life is too short.

Thu March 25, 2010, 11:21 am: is not sure I like Big Brother Internet knowing where I am. Spell check is insisting I'm spelling color and neighbor wrong because I haven't stuck "u" between "o" and "r". Dear computer... I am an American and don't want the extra "u". Personally, I would dump every "u" following a "q" too. It's just waste of type space.

Wed March 24, 2010, 8:31 pm: JUST A REMINDER TO MY NON-GAME-PLAYING FRIENDS: I play games that generate a lot of posts. This can be irritating if you don't play. If you don't want to see these, move your cursor over the game message and the word "Hide" will appear. Click on "Hide" for the game name - and not me! - Future messages from THAT GAME will be hidden

Tue March 23, 2010, 11:30 am: Ugh... there were bugs in my lunch. The good news was, they looked well cooked.

Sun March 21, 2010, 8:11 am: had a travesty at our house tonight (at least in an exhausted 8 year-old's mind). Two unopened bags of marshmallows were invaded by ants. Marshmallows have to be imported by friends and can probably be traded with other expats for gold. Jessi was not happy at the thought of extra protein in here smores.

Sat March 20, 2010, 7:43 am: had a great day! It was so much fun to got to Jessi's school and see the kids dressed up dancing traditional dances from across India. I'm so glad Jessi seemed to be having a ball.

Thu March 18, 2010, 10:01 am: My network had a "cat"astrophic failure. Suddenly, I lost all connectivity. Said nasty words. Checked the router & other computer. Both fine. Ran repair routine, hard booted, &FINALLY got connected again. Tonight, when Tiger came to chase the mouse pointer around, Larrie figured it out. Ti's nose had touched a blue network picture on my laptop turning it red. And I had thought it was just a pretty light.

Wed March 17, 2010, 10:20 am: Bangalore favorite: Got back about 3am last night. Driving home from the airport saw a whole herd of donkeys sound asleep in the middle of a major intersection on a major road. That was a first. What to do? Same as everyone else... drive quietly by and let them snooze. I just had to chuckle fondly after spending a weekend in the surreal orderliness of Dubai. B'lore is so much more vibrant.

Wed March 17, 2010, 9:02 am: Our blog is ThorneInIndia. The stories are about India or nearby. I got a comment asking for info about hotels in Tuscany. Weird, but I had an opinion & answer. Hopefully when they book airline tickets, they are to the right country/continent. Maybe there is an "I" country theme and next I'll be trying to answer inquiries about Ireland or Iceland. You know, I could see confusing those two with each other.

Mon March 15, 2010, 11:01 pm: Ski Dubai was a kick! Jessi & I had an awesome time. 2 hrs cost as much as a day at Big Ski, but priceless moments I guess. As much vertical as most Minnesota hills & guaranteed perfect snow/weather every day, plus only ~20 people there so we got in plenty of runs. 4-5 minutes round trip from bottom of chairlift to top & back. 8 if you went higher on the "expert" run. Think "Golden Goose", ski buddies. :-)

Sat March 13, 2010, 10:14 pm: was really excited to step on the scales at the hotel... then I realized it was measuring in kilograms!

Fri March 12, 2010, 9:01 am: Hey ski buddies, did you know this: A piste is the name given to a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports... I haven't even gotten to Dubai yet and learned something new about skiing.

Fri March 12, 2010, 8:52 am: is chuffed at the thought of skiing in Dubai tomorrow. Every skiers dream right? An indoor ski hill in a desert. Gotta do it!

Thu March 11, 2010, 9:02 pm: it has taken me many years to accept that the magic elixer for a sense of well being is a good night's sleep.

Wed March 10, 2010, 6:55 am: My daughter is pleased. Her friends have given her an "Indianized" nickname. Now they call her "Jessu" and she couldn't be happier. :-)

Tue March 9, 2010, 8:14 am: did a Happy Dance when I realized that Sunday starts Daylight Savings Time! It makes calls to the United States an hour more favorable meaning work is usually done at 7:30pm instead of 8:30pm. Happy Days are almost Here Again! My daughter especially is glad.

Tue March 9, 2010, 7:28 am: decided cold vegetable soup isn't all that bad. We are on generator backup again, which means the microwave doesn't work, and I was too tired to fire up the gas burner stove.

Mon March 8, 2010, 9:30 am: Answer to common question of the day: Yes, the Academy Awards are being broadcast in Bangalore. I don't know if they were on live too, but I'm watching them on what would be the following U.S. Monday morning.

Sun March 7, 2010, 11:19 am: JUST A REMINDER TO MY NON-GAME-PLAYING FRIENDS AND FAMILY: I play games that generate a lot of posts. This can be irritating if you don't play. If you don't want to see these, move your cursor over the game message and the word "Hide" will appear. Click on "Hide" for the game name - and not me! - Future messages from THAT GAME will be hidden

Sun March 7, 2010, 9:29 am: Larrie wanted to take our relationship to a whole new level. I got home from work and he said he had my bag already packed & ready to go for the weekend. That left me in a quandary. What to do? Start interrogating? Surreptitiously inspect the bag? Go with trust?

Sun March 7, 2010, 7:26 am: Larrie paid 450 Rupees ($9) for 5 grams of catnip in Bangalore. Considering how easily it spreads, that is an exorbitantly and amazingly expensive. Maybe we should go into the business.

Sat March 6, 2010, 11:59 pm: I find it very sad that there is a bad accident and people won't move to let the ambulance through. If you are angry enough to burn a bus, don't you care enough to give the victim a chance to live?

Fri March 5, 2010, 12:07 am: is lost in southern India. I'm just hoping to run into the ocean and get oriented.

Wed March 3, 2010, 6:34 am: Another fact I probably would have never known without moving to another country: Living without a dishwasher the last 17 months has taught me that certain shapes of glasses experience a higher attrition rate than others during the hand washing process. Stemless wine glasses seem especially prone to breakage.

Wed March 3, 2010, 6:30 am: is very glad the little calf that ran in front of the lorry (as big trucks are known here)on Outer Ring Road didn't get smucked by it or the two-wheeler (motorcycle). I think he surprised everyone. The cows standing all over aren't usually subject to sudden movement.

Mon March 1, 2010, 10:13 am: found myself thinking... wow, it's only supposed to be low 80's in Dubai. That's going to be chilly to go to a water park. Yep, I've acclimated.

Mon March 1, 2010, 10:12 am: Trying to decide what to think about the fact that tonight we had electricity on this side of the street but the other side didn't. Maybe there is some sort of rotation like who can water when or which side of the streets cars can park on during a snow emergency. I think this is being spawned by the early summer heat. It has been in the 90's the last few weeks so air conditioners are taxing the electrical grid.

Sun February 28, 2010, 7:58 am: is sitting in the dark wondering why the lights are on across the street but not at my house. We are experiencing brown outs on this side. Fun... not

Sat February 27, 2010, 11:07 am: Thorne blog: http://karnatakatabbies.blogspot.com/

Thu February 25, 2010, 8:42 pm: News flash! If I'm sound asleep, don't wake me up to tell me my alarm won't be going off for another hour. (I'm sure the notice was given by my 8 year old with the best of intentions.)

Thu February 25, 2010, 12:22 pm: is soooo very much looking forward to walking into a Target store again... saw videos today and miss those sparkling clean, organized, wide aisled stores!

Thu February 25, 2010, 11:23 am: ewwww... there are nose prints and snuffle all over my computer screen because my cat has developed a recent fascination with my mouse. Must get windex...

Mon February 22, 2010, 5:52 am: Jessi has a new excuse for not doing her homework. "I'm too TIRED after playing CRICKET." Two years ago, I would never have envisioned hearing that reason.

Sun February 21, 2010, 8:03 am: Marginally valuable information I learned from living in another part of the world: Toilet paper roll width is not standard. If you import toilet paper, don't expect it to fit on the spindle.

Sat February 20, 2010, 10:59 am: whew... for awhile my Facebook profile wouldn't display... I felt lost... made me wonder... am I dead? And this is how I find out?

Fri February 19, 2010, 6:38 am: got in a battle with a bougainvillea and is pretty sure the bogie won. I have a couple of new holes in my shirt and a couple of new holes in my arm. Didn't quite need a bandage but close.

Thu February 18, 2010, 12:07 pm: is glad Larrie is back from the U.S. We missed him!

Wed February 17, 2010, 9:05 am: Good news! Subway sandwiches cannot be considered "FAST FOOD". I know for a fact! My order took 1 HOUR and 25 MINUTES. But you gotta' love a place where you can get Subway delivered to your front door. Jessi says in the future we should order sandwiches at lunchtime in order to have them for dinner. Next I'll try KFC home delivery.

Wed February 17, 2010, 6:01 am: fears I might be developing a sadistic streak. I think I'm enjoying toasting mosquitoes with my electrified fly swatter a little too much.

Tue February 16, 2010, 10:21 am: Aghhh! Electrical appliances baffle me. We get power fluctuations daily in Bangalore. Several months ago the new bulb in the fridge stopped working after a power blip. It is an expensive bulb so we didn't bother replacing it. After a big power surge this evening, that same bulb that hasn't worked for months is shining brightly but there is no sound coming from the TV. Weird. I just hope the sound comes back.

Tue February 16, 2010, 7:24 am: Ugh... I had to take a cold shower this morning... and I DETEST cold showers. We don't have a central "on demand" water heater. We have "geysers", miniature manual water heaters that are in each bathroom, that need to be turned on 20 minutes beforehand to get hot water. I didn't remember. Another reason I really appreciate my hubby... he never forgets to turn it on for me.

Mon February 15, 2010, 8:00 pm: dreamed that a squirrel was in my bedroom and bit my hand five time resulting in the need for rabies shots. Can anyone analyze that for me?

Mon February 15, 2010, 9:21 am: Winter is over in Bangalore. It was 91 degrees yesterday and 90 today. Ironically, I saw a guy selling winter gloves on the street. Must be a clearance sale. I wonder how many years I would have to live here before I felt like I need gloves when it got down to the high 60's.

Sat February 13, 2010, 1:20 am: my 8 yr old daughter has planned a party tonight: her best friend is staying over, they are planning to play Wii and create a Mii of here friend, watch Mamma Mia, and I've been delegated the task of manually making popcorn with butter (no microwave allowed). I've been told it tastes better that way.

Thu February 11, 2010, 10:33 am: read and read and read more and more pages of Goosebumps to Jessi last night. The ends of the chapters are so darn interesting I couldn't put it down. I was tempted to keep reading even after she fell asleep to find out what happens to the egg monsters.

Wed February 10, 2010, 8:06 pm: wonders why "early birds" tend to judge "night owls", but not vice versa.

Tue February 9, 2010, 7:32 pm: read and read and read more and more pages of Goosebumps to Jessi last night. The ends of the chapters are so darn interesting I couldn't put it down. I was tempted to keep reading even after she fell asleep to find out what happens to the egg monsters.

Tue February 9, 2010, 11:29 am: is wondering why I am only seeing status updates from 11 hours ago. I can't believe that is the last time someone posted.

Tue February 9, 2010, 11:26 am: is confused by the new facebook interface

Sun February 7, 2010, 11:21 am: newest unsuccessful time consuming hunt: 9 volt radio batteries, apparently not widely used (or maybe not at all) in India. sigh... luckily we were able to reach out to the "expat net" and find someone who had brought some along. It doesn't take long and you get over being shy about borrowing stuff.

Sun February 7, 2010, 11:18 am: Jessi returned from a b-day party saying that she was told hair conditioner was for "old people" & that if her mom really loved her she would use oil in her hair. Loving her very much, I told her to go for it... we have plenty of Crisco and Olive Oil in the kitchen (I'm figuring I'm pretty safe with that suggestion...) What do coconuts have to do with love anyway?

Sat February 6, 2010, 11:16 pm: is pathetic. Jessi wanted help with her math homework and heck if I knew how to subtract 750 grams from 1 kilogram 520 gram. Thanks to Larrie, the usual homework helper, I now know. Pounds and ounces would have been no problem.

Sat February 6, 2010, 9:32 am: I probably would never have had a tamarind fall out of a tree and hit me in the head, had I not moved to India. Another new experience to chalk up. At least they are little.

Fri February 5, 2010, 11:35 am: never liked shoe shopping or clothes shopping in the U.S. but it's a ton of fun here. Walk into a shoe store and you'll have 6 people throwing every shoe you can imagine your way. Need clothes... go to a tailor, pick out the cloth and have it custom made for way less than the price of something that just sort of fits in Minneapolis. I'll miss this.

Thu February 4, 2010, 9:09 am: Jessi got a commitment from Larrie that she can get a dog the day she turns 12. In an attempt to negotiate that to her 10th birthday she is trying to prove she is a responsible dog walker by taking care of a neighbor's pets while she is gone. Jess has told me today she refined her criteria... the dog has to be small enough that cleaning up its poop doesn't make her hurl. Apparently that has been a problem twice now.

Wed February 3, 2010, 11:32 am: is it just me or did Facebook look completely different an hour ago?!!!

Tue February 2, 2010, 9:14 pm: wonders what the heck I was thinking when I had my toenails painted purple. It isn't like I have clothes that match. Perhaps it is a subconscious statement regarding how I feel about the Vikings not making the Superbowl... ie. walked all over themseles yet again!

Mon February 1, 2010, 9:21 am: Larrie was asked to appear as an American in a movie that will release in March. He was quickly slathered with makeup because he wasn't "white" enough. Time to get out the SPF 30.

Sat January 30, 2010, 10:22 pm: there is quite an uproar about genetically modified eggplants here right now. They are called "brinjal" in India. Personally, I wonder what could possibly be done to even make them edible. Perhaps something that would make them less slimey? (I know I've probably just offended all the eggplant lovers of the world - sorry)

Sat January 30, 2010, 10:28 am: just had to laugh today... it was high 70's in Bangalore which, true, is a LTTLE chilly for here... but REALLY! A shaggy cocker spaniel was out for a walk with what looked like a Eddie Bauer DOG COAT on???!!!

Fri January 29, 2010, 9:20 pm: WTF! I am NOT selling Windows 7 and I don't know why my status says I am. Is that the virus people are talking about? Does it post fake marketing statuses?

Thu January 28, 2010, 11:35 am: Does anyone really believe "Sticks & stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you?"

Sun January 24, 2010, 8:50 pm: kind of interesting to keep up with the Vikes/Saints game via Facebook since it wasn't broadcast in Bangalore. So close yet again. You can bet I would have found someone with a Slingbox and attended a breakfast Superbowl Party if the Vikes had won though.

Sun January 24, 2010, 12:31 am: recently discovered that not only are there orange carrots but red also. Red are sweeter. Something I probably would have never known...

Sat January 23, 2010, 12:31 am: Our trip to Africa has spawned a whole new round of repeat Lion King viewing by Jessi. After being there I have a even greater appreciation for the fantastic animation.

Thu January 21, 2010, 9:31 am: thinks it sucks that facebook is sending annoying reminders to join to my friends. Anyone know how to turn that off?

Thu January 21, 2010, 7:13 am: Reminder: Allison Orvis Thorne invited you to join Facebook...

Tue January 19, 2010, 11:56 am: dang... broke two drinking glasses, a plate, and burned up a hot pad over the weekend. Maybe that's what I get for dissing the solar eclipse.

Mon January 18, 2010, 7:02 am: is disgusted by newspapers that print unsubstantiated falsehoods. How about some journalistic professionalism Deccan Herald??? Count me as an excustomer.

Sat January 16, 2010, 7:04 am: more learnings for me: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/As-the-blazing-ring-shone-Science-City-stayed-home-/articleshow/5451292.cms

Fri January 15, 2010, 9:41 pm: ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ This little Alien wishes to see our world, cut and paste him on your status so he can travel......he is now in................... Bangalore, India

Fri January 15, 2010, 5:38 am: thinks the whole solar eclipse thing was overrated. I couldn't even tell a difference looking out my window during the peak. It certainly wasn't dark out. Lunar eclipses seem far more interesting because you can actually perceive something happening via bare eye.

Thu January 14, 2010, 11:45 am: ack! Jessi's school has announced they will be closed due to the solar eclipse tomorrow and that she has to attend school on a Saturday instead. Well... at least they told us ahead of time, this time, I guess. It's beyond me, though, why a school has to close for a mid-afternoon eclipse. It's not like its a foot of snow.

Thu January 14, 2010, 7:39 am: Karnataka Tabbies http://karnatakatabbies.blogspot.com/?spref=tw

Thu January 14, 2010, 3:53 am: Happy Pongal! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankranthi#Karnataka

Tue January 12, 2010, 8:54 pm: Bon voyage to Will, Pam, & soon Jess, my expat friends moving home to Minneapolis. I'll miss you. Throw a snowball at someone for me.

Tue January 12, 2010, 5:58 am: Fatal attraction: 2 goats on ropes getting frisky while tied up in front of the butcher shop (as seen and reported by Larrie earlier today)

Mon January 11, 2010, 7:02 am: See new updates on our blog: http://karnatakatabbies.blogspot.com/

Mon January 11, 2010, 5:45 am: Dang, you know traffic is bad when two cows in the lane next to you are comfortably keeping pace. What was really agonizing was seeing them step up onto the sidewalk and keep going when cars came to a dead halt. It was blocks before I caught back up. Hmmm... maybe I sould start commuting by cow.

Mon January 11, 2010, 5:23 am: Thanks to everyone who sent Xmas cards to us in India. A few are still trickling in and I feel happy everytime one shows up. A 98 cent stamp and 2-3 weeks seems to have gotten them here fairly reliably. Next year they will be part of my decorations since we didn't bring many from home.

Sat January 9, 2010, 10:25 pm: Has a new "Happy Place" to visit. Next time I need a mental time out my memories will take me to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tazania, one of the most beautiful places on this earth. Incredible!

Sat January 9, 2010, 9:59 am: Always bring a second camera in case the primary breaks. Lucky for me, Pam had the same model 35mm along so I have closeup pictures from the second half of the safari. (hard lesson 4 Africa)

Fri January 8, 2010, 8:37 am: If you want to perplex a begging monkey, toss it an ice cube. You'll be rewarded with a look of pure disdain. (Lesson 2 from Africa)

Fri January 8, 2010, 7:47 am: If you want to perplex a begging monkey, toss it an ice cube. You'll be rewarded with a look of pure disdain. (Lesson 2 from Africa)

Thu January 7, 2010, 11:09 am: what did I miss with all the one word color status updates?

Thu January 7, 2010, 8:02 am: Swahili (phonetic spellings): asanti=thank you, jambo=hello, sawa=ok, simama=stop, twendley=let's go, karibou=welcome, pumbafu=stupid (as in people who throw their empty water bottles out of a vehicle into the pristine wildlife preserve). (Lesson 3 Africa)

Tue January 5, 2010, 9:37 pm: woke up many times one night because a tree frog outside the window sounded just like my travel alarm and I couldn't find the snooze bar.

Tue January 5, 2010, 10:15 am: Hit the kitty trifecta in one day on the Maasai Mara: closeup leopard, lion, and cheetah sightings!

Fri December 25, 2009, 3:37 am: Had my best Christmas dinner ever! A Big Mac meal at McDonalds in the Dubai airport. After a year of mostly Indian food, it was exquisite.

Thu December 24, 2009, 6:07 pm: Happy Holidays to all my Facebook Friends! Thanks for making the world a smaller place.

Thu December 24, 2009, 6:07 pm: is off to look for cheetahs on the Serengeti. Does it snow in Africa?

Thu December 24, 2009, 7:57 am: Whoa... Christmas ham was even more expensive than turkey in B'lore, about $14 lb. Go figure, tenderloin is about $4 lb.

Wed December 23, 2009, 12:09 pm: had fun pretending it's already Christmas eve... Xmas carols, cheese fondue, fruit salad, followed by board games with my parents and Jessi. And our neighborhood gardener gave us a real live baby Christmas tree. It is one of the most thoughtful gifts ever!

Tue December 22, 2009, 5:52 am: discovered frosted Christmas sugar cookies disappear just as fast from a tray in B'lore as Minneapolis. Now I'm sitting at a stoplight watching kids sell Santa hats. I have the holiday spirit!

Sun December 20, 2009, 10:57 am: took a flight to see Mount Everest last weekend http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_bVBYDVGHLLqsAKx0C2GkQ?feat=directlink

Sat December 19, 2009, 11:50 pm: is cramming in as many Christmas videos as possible this weekend starting with Polar Express.

Fri December 18, 2009, 8:24 am: http://karnatakatabbies.blogspot.com/

Fri December 18, 2009, 5:46 am: went to Jessi's Xmas program today. I didn't expect a school in Bangalore to have one. It was fun & really put me in a Christmas spirit.

Wed December 16, 2009, 9:09 am: had quite a challenge explaining tampons to airport security to get out of Nepal. They are not common here. English wasn't working & charades didn't seem like a good idea. I considered gesturing that they were earplugs for the flight. We finlly had a communication breakthrough... Her: "Sharp?" Me: "NOT sharp!" Her, finally: "ok"

Thu December 10, 2009, 6:02 pm: is off to Katmandu. It's cold there so this is the first time in 15 months I've had socks on my feet. FEELS WEIRD!

Wed December 9, 2009, 9:34 pm: Bummer, both my parents have come down with B'lore Belly. Not good since we are all flying to Nepal at 7am tomorrow.

Tue December 8, 2009, 9:17 pm: thinks it was nicer than getting a dozen roses when my husband noticed I was curled up in a cold ball this morning & he went & got an extra blanket to throw over me.

Mon December 7, 2009, 8:16 am: It was a chilli day in Bangalore and the wool sweaters have come out. People just aren't used to it getting down to 62 degrees here. Even the dogs looked cold this morning.

Sun December 6, 2009, 9:08 am: Ugh! Jessi's school decided "Sports Day" should consume all of Saturday and had mandatory attendance. It was called such a success that now she unexpectedly has Monday off. Couldn't sports day just have been held on Monday??? ^% ! How about a little bit of preplanning!

Sat December 5, 2009, 5:48 am: is happy! My parents have arrived for the holidays.

Fri December 4, 2009, 4:27 am: was convinced (forced) to play cricket today. I hit the ball but my softball instincts took over & I left the bat behind. Turned out to be really FUN!

Fri December 4, 2009, 1:52 am: is off to watch a just for fun FFF cricket match.

Wed December 2, 2009, 5:19 am: sent my suit jacket to the dry cleaners and it came back with both pockets sown closed! WEIRD! You just hafta' wonder...

Tue December 1, 2009, 7:22 am: Has anyone else given up reading the paper for the most part in favor of spending the time on Facebook? I think I get almost as much of the important news this way :-)

Mon November 30, 2009, 6:11 am: wonders if now that I have Christmas lights up whether my Indian neighbors will be grumping about why I still have my Diwali lights out. Probably not though, I find a lot more tolerance for individual preferances here about joy & celebrations.

Sat November 28, 2009, 1:44 am: http://picasaweb.google.com/ThorneInIndia/Shivanasamudram?feat=directlink

Fri November 27, 2009, 5:49 am: decided to take the plunge & try cooking a turkey here after all. We must have gotten the Day after Thanksgiving special. Our 10lb. bird was only $60 instead of $70. We are suspicious that what we had at the hotel last night wasn't turkey. In any case it didn't taste like it. Soooo... tandoor turkey trial #1 tomorrow.

Thu November 26, 2009, 9:00 pm: wishes there were a Target store in India. I've seen the ads & have sent my wishlist to Santa to go there for me.

Wed November 25, 2009, 9:03 pm: It's turkey day in B'lore already. We'll be eating our turkey dinner while you are having breakfast. Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for all my FB friends. You make the distance from home feel much closer.

Wed November 25, 2009, 8:54 pm: isn't sure whether to be complimented or offended that a travel agent tagged an ad to our blog.

Wed November 25, 2009, 6:08 am: Dang, I called someone a cauliflower today. I should have known better since I like gobi masala. Sorry, Gopi!

Tue November 24, 2009, 8:04 am: Anyone else think high school reunions are going to be a whole lot more fun after reconnecting through Facebook?

Mon November 23, 2009, 12:48 am: Have you ever seen youself during a video conference and thought, "Wow, my shirt is REALLY ugly!"

Sun November 22, 2009, 9:04 pm: The film Outsourced made me remember with clarity and amusement our first few weeks here. It's a good one to rent for a chuckle and some reality on what it is like to move to another country.

Fri November 20, 2009, 11:54 am: decided the "corner office" is not all it's cracked up to be... it requires a LOT of window shade management to avoid getting toasted. Whew... I'm glad its just a temporary place to hang for awhile.

Thu November 19, 2009, 9:01 pm: is wondering why, since I'm living in India, I'm suddenly getting computer company ads from Brazil. In Spanish, no less.

Wed November 18, 2009, 7:28 am: thinks I have a cavity. Anyone know a good dentist in B'lore?

Tue November 17, 2009, 9:08 pm: Monday was some sort of holiday for some people in B'lore so traffic was great. I never did figure out what the festival was celebrating though. 1 person said ground nuts(peanuts), 1 said a Tamil Naidu holiday, 1 said like Diwali for a subset. There were fireworks.

Mon November 16, 2009, 9:42 pm: a 10lb. Turkey is > $70 in India. We decided to go with plan B for Thanksgiving. Not to mention we don't have an oven.

Mon November 16, 2009, 6:36 am: was happy to see my first Christmas tree of the season here today. I felt a wave of homesickness though knowing I probably won't be hearing Xmas tunes on the radio in India & they are starting soon in Msp.

Sun November 15, 2009, 4:12 am: is trying to decide which was the more notable comment this weekend during our Karnataka cabin adventure: 1) "Mom, come see the scorpion we found! We put the rock back over it to keep it safe" or 2) "Where's Alex?" "He went back to get the drowning squirrel out of our toilet!" *note to self... explain poisonous properties of scorpion to child again.

Fri November 13, 2009, 6:11 am: was the object of some amusement at work today. I guess B'loreans just aren't accustomed to seeing a sweater covered with cats emblems. It was native attire day & what is a Montanan to wear but blue jeans & a sweater. I left my cowboy boots in the U.S.

Thu November 12, 2009, 9:10 pm: Wasabi Martini, ugh! There are somethings you only try once.

Wed November 11, 2009, 6:59 am: realizes how old I'm getting thanks to Facebook. My connections go far back enough in my life now that I see my friends babies have babies. yikes!

Tue November 10, 2009, 9:09 pm: yay! MSP & B'lore have swapped weather back to normal. It is nice to see the sun again and be warm.

Mon November 9, 2009, 8:07 pm: Weird when Minneapolis has nicer weather than Banglore; but then there are the other 51 weeks of the year. Right now its more like Seattle here than the usual San Diego.

Sun November 8, 2009, 8:20 pm: is off to a college campus to recruit "freshers" today. They will join next fall.

Sun November 8, 2009, 12:39 pm: After 59 warm, sunny weekends in a row, I was delighted to have a drizzly cool weekend for the first time since moving to B'Lore (though that is still 70 degrees). It was relaxing to stay inside and organize pictures.

Sun November 8, 2009, 10:35 am: Jaipur and Jodhpur http://picasaweb.google.com/ThorneInIndia/NITJaipurJodhpur?feat=directlink

Sat November 7, 2009, 11:50 pm: wonders what it means to spend the night dreaming I couldn't find a pen that would work and when I finally did, I couldn't find a piece of paper to write on.

Fri November 6, 2009, 9:26 pm: is surprised I was able to buy the new Star Trek DVD in India already. It hasn't released in the U.S. yet. My copy has spoken English, Czech, Hungarian, & Polish plus English, Czech, Croation, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Polish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovenian, Icelandic, Portugese, Slovakian, Estonian, Latvian,& Lithuanian subtitles. THE WORLD IS FLAT!

Fri November 6, 2009, 6:36 am: wonders what the heck??? Amazon's suggestion logic must have gone crazy. I am not the least bit interested in the oddities of Iowa and can't imagine why Amazon thought I would be. Better check those algorthms.

Wed November 4, 2009, 8:53 pm: Yesterday Bangalore's state government declared today a holiday so Jessi's school is unexpectedly closed. I wonder how that would fly in Minnesota.

Tue November 3, 2009, 6:03 am: ugh! Bangalore traffic! I was stuck for 45 minutes 1.5 miles from the office today. Last week I just got out of the car and walked the last mile. It took my driver 40 minutes to get where I walked in 10.

Mon November 2, 2009, 9:10 pm: is happy to see the water buffalo in the road again on the way to work. Of course it slows traffic a bit, though.

Sun November 1, 2009, 3:33 am: thought it lent an air of authenticity to the Halloween party last night to see fruit bats, which have about a 3 foot wingspan and are bigger than my cats, cruising by overhead. Wouldn't want one of them to get caught in my hair!

Sat October 31, 2009, 12:39 am: Woe... Standard Time starts tomorrow. Not a good thing for anyone when you have phone calls with the other side of the world! :-(

Thu October 29, 2009, 7:16 am: got to judge a dance contest at work this week. What a fun way to spend 90 minutes! When I grow up, I think I want to be a dance competition judge. "So You Think You Can Dance" get ready for my resume!

Fri October 23, 2009, 2:48 am: Cool, I can get to Africa from India in about 6 hours for about $600. I'm going to have to do that!

Mon October 19, 2009, 3:23 am: Top 10 Diwali fireworks quotes 10 Uh, oh! (as a major projectile tipped over) 9 Everyone behind the trees! 8 Wasn't that supposed to go up? 7 Why weren't you laughing? 6 Stand behind the wall, its safer! 5 I REALLY like this! 4 Not a good night to be a motorcycle delivery guy. 3 Ouch, maybe I should have put some shoes on. 2 That didn't sounds too good. 1 Kind of like the Fourth of July, but more illegal... and fun!

Thu October 15, 2009, 7:39 am: A palm down,waste high, hand jiggle is a very handy gesture to know. It effectively conveys anything from "I'm going to cross the street and I expect you to avoid me" to "NO, I seriously am NOT going to discuss buying that piece of junk!" (The word "no" seems to translate to "I'm open to negotiation."

Tue October 13, 2009, 6:13 am: got the newly released DVD Bones TV season. I'd forgotten how disturbing it can be to watch Bones while eating dinner.

Mon October 12, 2009, 8:38 pm: is excited that the fireworks stands are up and filled with product. Shopping trip soon!

Mon October 12, 2009, 7:02 am: Likes the colored Diwali lights that are beginning to appear on buildings in preparation for this weekend's festival.

Sat October 10, 2009, 11:46 pm: learned from Jessi that Johnny Appleseed not only planted the trees in the U.S. but also India. However, in that story Johnny was bit by a cobra; but ok, because his feet were calloused from walking cross country barefoot.

Sat October 10, 2009, 12:35 am: is glad a new mall with a movie theatre opened within walking distance. It makes Sundays without a driver and car feel much less confining.

Thu October 8, 2009, 9:58 pm: wonders why anyone would buy a clock that ticks when tickless technology exists. Is there anyone out there who likes the sound of ticking?

Tue October 6, 2009, 10:09 am: two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion on a sesame seed bun

Sun October 4, 2009, 9:00 pm: got the grand rumbling serenade from "the boys" when we got back from vacation. What could possibly be a warmer welcome home than two joyful, purring cats flopping on the floor for belly rubs!

Sun October 4, 2009, 1:02 am: wants my own camel! They are way, way more fun (and comfortable) to ride than elephants or even a horse. We rode them in the Thar desert which is second largest to the Sahara and larger than the Gobi. Its between India & Pakistan.

Fri October 2, 2009, 1:57 am: camels in the desert look like giraffes in the veld. they reach way up in the trees for leaves.

Fri October 2, 2009, 1:42 am: watching wild antelope like creatures in the desert on the way to Jaislamer. Ran into Stacy & Alex for the second time during this vacation. Preston & Jessi had a grand reunion.

Thu October 1, 2009, 12:00 pm: ordered two pillows and got two towels instead. Sigh... after a year I still need further work to overcome my "American English" accent.

Wed September 30, 2009, 12:54 am: rode an elephant again yesterday. (Not my choice). I don't like riding elephants. If I wanted a ride that slow and bumpy on vacation I would have just done my normal B'lore commute!

Tue September 29, 2009, 11:06 pm: is impressed by how well my cell phone works virtually all over India. Way better than at my cabin on the North Shore in Minnesota.

Tue September 29, 2009, 11:04 pm: thinks eastern Rajathan looks a lot like eastern Montana. We are off to Jodphur today.

Mon September 28, 2009, 8:15 pm: 100+ degrees at 8am and we're not even in the desert by Jaiper yet. It's going to be a hot one! We are now in the land of camels pulling carts instead of oxen pulling them.

Sat September 26, 2009, 8:09 pm: is off to Agra & the Taj Mahal. One of our group has either "Varanasi virus" or "Dehli belly". Our strategy of protecting our delicate American stomachs by staying in 5 star business hotels has not proven completely successful. However, Jessi is turning into quite a hotel snob. Boy, is she going to be dissappointed when we return to our normal Super 8's and Hampton Inns in the U.S.

Sat September 26, 2009, 4:15 am: is dilly dallying in Dehli.

Fri September 25, 2009, 1:20 am: a bull in a china sho might be a problem but the cow in the silk shop was quite well behaved. I hear she goes in there quite often. And I thought that only happens in movies!

Thu September 24, 2009, 10:59 pm: being with a throng of people from all over the world cheering the sunrise over the Himalayas was a joyful & uplifting experience. Being on the Ganges in a boat in Varanasi while people performed sacred rituals felt intrusive & disrespectful. I skipped the morning tour.

Wed September 23, 2009, 11:19 pm: an 8 year old is a delight to travel with: old enough to be helpful & somewhat self sufficient and young enough to be curious & interested without sarcasm or cynicism.

Wed September 23, 2009, 6:24 pm: is off to Varanasi & the Ganges River. Uh oh, broken zipper on suitcase! Hopefully Varanasi has as many Samsonite outlets as B'lore.

Wed September 23, 2009, 6:22 am: is glad to have stumbled into Durga Pooja in Calcutta. It is a major festival here. Around 3 thousand temporary temples are built in a matter of days. It is a vast competition. The only thing similar I've seen is the float building by the crews for Mardi Gras. Lights are draped everywhere like Xmas in the U.S. I wish I was going to be here longer to see them turned on. It must be magnificent.

Tue September 22, 2009, 8:17 pm: has been in India a year today meaning it has been a year since I've had the luxury and freedom to drive a car. People ask me what I miss most. Besides friends and family it is the ability to go when and where I want by myself any time day or night, seven days a week.

Tue September 22, 2009, 1:00 am: gave up on the traffic jam and walked the next couple of miles until the car and driver caught up. I was relieved to get to the airport ontime between that and the unexpectedly closed road.

Mon September 21, 2009, 8:12 pm: watched the golden rays of sunrise illuninate Mt. Everest. We were lucky and the skies were exceptionlly clear to see it all the way from Darjeeling. An unexpected treat!

Fri September 18, 2009, 5:29 pm: is off to see the 3rd highest mountain in the world

Thu September 17, 2009, 9:25 pm: wonders if a vaction is really a vacation when the first two days start with getting out of bed at 3am.

Thu September 17, 2009, 9:19 pm: is totlly homesick after seeing a video of the inside of a Target store.

Thu September 17, 2009, 7:22 am: wonders what it was like for the grasshopper that spent its day in the elevator. Was it surprised when the floor moved?

Tue September 15, 2009, 9:18 pm: C'mon teachers! The no blood, no broken bones, no fire, don't whine rule shouldn't apply when your stuff is being stolen. We are really tired of relacing Jessi's school supplies.

Tue September 15, 2009, 9:13 pm: is wondering, what the heck? After 3 years the cat discovers my hair is a good plaything??? Go away cat! I'm trying to sleep.

Mon September 14, 2009, 6:28 am: is wondering about the sound coming out of the speaker in my office. It sounds like SOS in morse code. Could there be someone stuck in my ceiling?

Sun September 13, 2009, 1:19 am: is lost somewhere north of Bangalore but narrowing in on my destination.

Fri September 11, 2009, 6:43 am: wonders if it is good luck or bad luck when a gecko falls off the ceiling and lands on your shoulder. Good luck for the gecko at least.

Fri September 11, 2009, 2:57 am: suddenly misses the sound of lawnmowers and the scent of fresh cut grass. Is that weird or what?

Wed September 9, 2009, 8:49 pm: Jessi had Ragu on spaghetti for the first time and declared it the best Indian food ever. I can see she has some geographic confusion setting in.

Tue September 8, 2009, 9:04 pm: My mom says she can only describe India as indescribable. I think perhaps there is a paradox in that statement.

Mon September 7, 2009, 9:43 pm: got the news that Jessi is flunking French. I wonder if that will cause a problem returning to school in Minnesota that she flunked French in India. Oh yeah, in the U.S. we unfortunately don't value multilingualism so she'll probaby be ok.

Mon September 7, 2009, 6:51 am: took my family to Quick Gun Marugen. Larrie said it was on par with Napoleon Dynamite which means he gets veto power on the next movie, I suppose.

Sun September 6, 2009, 1:30 am: Surreal... eating Japanese food, listening to Jamaican music in India.

Sat September 5, 2009, 10:48 pm: Results of local traffic study: avg speed in B'lore is 21 kph (13 - 14 miles per hour). Slow, slow, slow!

Fri September 4, 2009, 3:50 am: I'm glad the motorcyclist who I saw crash to the ground right in front of a moving bus lived. His life flashed before my eyes. Today I'm sure we are both thankful for alert bus drivers.

Wed September 2, 2009, 7:11 am: is very, very happy my parents are arriving in India tonight. I haven't seen them in a year!

Tue September 1, 2009, 9:08 pm: realizes I have some explaining to do. Jessi told me there is a new American in her class. She said "He is from Denmark."

Mon August 31, 2009, 7:21 am: had to look up Cricket terminology to help Jessi finish her math homework.

Sun August 30, 2009, 9:14 pm: Tandoor ovens work great to make Smores!

Sat August 29, 2009, 2:47 am: Allison is apalled at the statistic that there are 13 traffic fatalities every HOUR in India.

Thu August 27, 2009, 9:06 pm: is bored with the same ol' routes to work.

Wed August 26, 2009, 9:04 pm: Jessi told Larrie she wants him to retire & buy a Harley upon return to the U.S. That way he can take her to school everyday on a motorcycle & she won't have to ride a bus... She must have forgotten MSP winters already!

Tue August 25, 2009, 8:32 pm: heard on the radio: "Bangalore has the fewest traffic fatalities in India because traffic is so gridlocked. Do you accept this blessing?" I guess that is one way to put a positive spin on a serious problem!

Sun August 23, 2009, 3:35 am: had a ton of fun the last 2 weeks showing India to our friends from California. visitors welcome here!

Thu August 20, 2009, 5:36 am: is homesick. I really wish I was going to be in Minneapolis for the annual meeting :-(

Tue August 18, 2009, 9:19 pm: misses the sounds of robins, cardinals, and bluejays today. I don't know why. There are plenty of crows in India to provide sounds of home though.

Tue August 18, 2009, 7:09 am: was chagrined to have a few people cover their faces with their shirts when we passed them this weekend in Hampi. I'm hoping they were concerned we foreigners were carrying H1N1 flu and not that we smelled bad. I promise... we all showered!

Mon August 17, 2009, 9:18 pm: went for a coracle ride. Way fun!!! Visualize riding in a big soup bowl down a river. You can spin them like tea cups.

Sun August 16, 2009, 6:14 pm: was taking pictures of monkeys and was amused to turn around to find peope taking pictures of us. I guess seeing 11 Americans IS more unusual than seeing a troupe of monkeys in Hampi.

Tue August 11, 2009, 8:31 pm: is very sad my cat, Max, lost her battle with cancer yesterday. Goodbye, "Big Kitty". I love you.

Fri August 7, 2009, 6:51 am: accidentally texted this to someone other than my husband who had packed my lunch: "I'm not sure how I feel about seeing/smelling bleau cheese in my lunch today. Is that some sort of test or punishment? Truly a make it or break it." I bet they were wondering what the heck?

Thu August 6, 2009, 12:37 am: is excited to have friends coming from California to visit next week!

Wed August 5, 2009, 7:08 am: thinks it sucks to be a place where it is apparently ok to steal other people's stuff. Pen, pencils, my daughters French notebook... which her dad had to spend hours to redo last night, and now the brakes parts from her brand new bike during the broad da

Tue August 4, 2009, 5:45 am: is surprised. Jessi saw a Dr for a face rash & was told she is allergic to India. I didn't know you can be allergic to a country. No worries though: a little cortisone cream is supposed to clear that up. Whew!

Sun August 2, 2009, 10:39 am: completed her first train ride through India's countryside. A martini has never sounded so good. I'm glad I have 5 days of work to rest up from this weekend.

Fri July 31, 2009, 6:28 am: just left "WonderLa" the Valleyfair of B'lore. Fun day with Jessi and her best friend.

Tue July 28, 2009, 8:55 pm: thinks the half hour relaxing on my hammock was not worth the 4 days of intense pain after falling out.

Sun July 26, 2009, 9:22 am: is going to rewatch the older Harry Potter movies then go see the new one.

Sat July 25, 2009, 10:39 pm: wonders why in Bangalore I see people hand money out the car window to well dressed, healthy looking men in saris way more often then to obviously starving and ill elderly people, mothers with babies, or people with serious physical challenges.

Sat July 25, 2009, 8:43 pm: asked why one hairclip cost way more than the others. I was told it was imported and of much higher quality. Found inside: "Made In China". Got same explaination when buying a bike for Jessi. I think India might be selling itself short on that one.

Sat July 25, 2009, 4:43 am: is going to be very embarrassed if I actually broke a rib falling out of my hammock. Lesson learned: Don't hang your hammock over concrete.

Fri July 24, 2009, 6:44 am: multi = mediocre

Mon July 20, 2009, 9:26 pm: is not happy to have bought a toy from a street vendor just to discover what was demonstrated is not what was sold. Not fun to explain to an 8 year old we were ripped off and that there is nothing I can do to make her helicopter fly. Do NOT buy a helico

Sun July 19, 2009, 9:18 am: wants to know what agnishikha, chir, and darnu are. They are either medicinals, food, wood, or textiles. Teachers instructions said to look them up on the internet or go to the library. Google has no better idea than I do. Please revert so I can finis

Fri July 17, 2009, 8:54 pm: was driving on one of B'lore's biggest major roads this morning and a great big lorrie truck was driving th wrong way in the fast lane. Sheesh!

Tue July 14, 2009, 6:27 am: wonders if being forced to listen to the same lic of music over & over & over when on hold for a conference call constitutes cruel & unusual punishment.

Mon July 13, 2009, 7:42 am: left for work 15 minutes early & got there 10 minutes later than usual. Now I finally understand the axiom if a=b and b=c a is not necessarily = c. B'lore trafic screws up the laws of mathemtics.

Fri July 10, 2009, 7:33 pm: can easily pronouce Ramagondanahalli (part of my street address); but, it took 9 months.

Thu July 9, 2009, 6:25 am: is perplexed by the sirens on the few ambulances that there are in B'lore. Nobody moves out of the way one iota. Maybe they are just to keep the patient awake.

Tue July 7, 2009, 9:01 pm: is pretty sure Einstein never published a theory of relatvity claiming honking makes traffic move any faster.

Tue July 7, 2009, 5:44 am: is watching goats play king of the mountain on my drive home.

Mon July 6, 2009, 5:17 am: Expat alert: Diet Dr Pepper has been spotted in B'lore! No tortilla chips though. If anyone sees a bag, buy it for me.

Fri July 3, 2009, 11:39 pm: Weird, I've been in India 9 months through Halloween, Turkey Day, Xmas, etc. and it's 4th of July that has finally made me homesick.

Fri July 3, 2009, 5:33 am: is wondering where to buy fireworks in Bangalore this time of the year.

Wed July 1, 2009, 7:29 am: finally realized being asked if I've had my lunch in India is akin to being asked "How are you?" in th U.S. ie. It's just a pleasantry not a real inquiry.

Sun June 28, 2009, 10:13 pm: agrees with Pam. The Chennai Taj Fisherman's Cove is a great beach resort!

Sat June 27, 2009, 5:22 pm: is giving the gecko a ride on the swing we are now both sitting on.

Sat June 27, 2009, 5:21 pm: is watching the sun come up over the Bay of Bengal.

Sat June 27, 2009, 5:20 pm: learned sometimes geckos DO fall off the ceiling; if fact, right next to where you are sitting.

Tue June 23, 2009, 9:41 pm: i've been using an on ramp for months. today it was just gone. no warning. oh well. plan b.

Mon June 15, 2009, 9:11 pm: was asked by her dughter how old she was when she got her first cell phone. Jessi didn't believe me when I truthfully said 33. She was even more doubtful when I told her they hadn't been invented when I was her age of 8. She thinks it is a ploy to not buy

Sat June 13, 2009, 6:47 am: today saw a mulberry bush for the first time. I didn't go around it though.

Fri June 12, 2009, 6:37 am: Went to Star Trek. Wanted to turn right around and go back for the next showing. 5 thumbs up!

Thu June 11, 2009, 8:59 am: misses taco johns

Tue June 9, 2009, 7:18 am: bought 6 hibiscus plant to enjoy while drinking morning coffe on the balcony & learned the blossoms don't open until they get more diret light later in the day & I don't get home until fter dark. sigh

Sun June 7, 2009, 9:10 pm: had an extra fun bday!

Fri June 5, 2009, 10:37 am: wondering

Fri June 5, 2009, 7:05 am: Yay, Star Trek opened here today.

Mon June 1, 2009, 7:20 am: is happy Larrie & Jessi are back safe and sound. And will be even happier when they are over jet lag and waking up at 3am.

Tue May 26, 2009, 8:21 am: is happy that Larrie & Jessi begin their journey back to India in less than 24 hours. I'm ready for company in the house again.

Mon May 25, 2009, 8:15 am: cable tv in India is the same as the U.S. Over a 100 channels and nothing of interst to watch.

Tue May 19, 2009, 7:35 am: thinks Monsoon may have arrived in Bangalore. It's raining elephants & water buffalos outside.

Tue May 12, 2009, 7:23 pm: is very sad to know my cat Max's cancer has already formed a new tumor after surgery just a month ago even with the chemo.

Fri May 8, 2009, 9:39 pm: is jealous! I just discovered the new Star Trek movie opened in the U.S. Larrie is there and I'm not.

Wed May 6, 2009, 10:29 am: Day 1: Larrie & Jessi in USA... Alli in Blr. Watched new Survivor, watched really old ER. No competition from Tom & Jerry tonight. 22 days to go.

Sun April 26, 2009, 1:31 am: went to a Mexian buffet in an Indian restaurant that specializes in French Mediterranean food. Yep, it was as good as it sounds like it would be. Not.

Mon April 20, 2009, 8:58 am: wonders: if a tree has flowers all the time but only has leaves in the spring... are the flowers leaves and the leaves flowers?

Sun April 19, 2009, 8:21 am: recommends never losing an easter egg for a week+ in a bedroom. You'll soon wonder just how huge the rat is that must have crawled in and died. BAD EASTER BUNNY!

Fri April 17, 2009, 9:38 pm: thinks you shouldn't look too closely at cauliflower flowerets while you are eating it. Its possible the black spots are not pepper. And you just don't want to know...

Mon April 13, 2009, 8:13 am: is glad Max, my cat, is home from surgery, doing well and start chemo tomorrow.

Wed April 8, 2009, 8:49 am: Is sad that Max, my cat, has cancer that has mestasticized into her lungs.

Mon April 6, 2009, 8:37 am: hopes my cat's surgery tomorrow goes well. They'll try to remove a small orange size tumor from her chest.

Fri April 3, 2009, 8:18 am: is sad. My cat, Max, has cancer again.

Wed April 1, 2009, 8:56 am: whoa! It's snowing in Bangalore today! Totally unprecedented!!!

Sun March 29, 2009, 9:02 am: is back from the Maldives. Why, oh why, can't vacations last forever? I don't suppose sunburn is going to generate much sympathy here.

Tue March 24, 2009, 9:37 am: wonders what the big boom was outside!

Mon March 23, 2009, 8:36 am: doesn't care who gave who an Easter egg! How do I turn it off???

Sun March 22, 2009, 4:29 am: wonders if the cats will fuzz up in the fall again even though it never gets cold in BLR or if they will have a rude awakening the 1st winter we are home.

Thu March 19, 2009, 11:40 am: wishes Twilight Series Book 5 was already published. Vampires and werewolves, yeah!

Mon March 16, 2009, 6:47 am: misses seeing the water buffalo on the way work. Oh where, oh where did the buffalo go?

Tue March 10, 2009, 10:30 am: wonders why my cat is afraid of louvered doors.

Sun March 8, 2009, 8:21 pm: discovered where the little bats spend their day and won't be lifting up any roof tiles

Mon March 2, 2009, 8:32 am: dislikes when nuts are stuck in perfectly good chocolate ice cream.

Sat February 28, 2009, 9:56 pm: Is happy Chilli's is coming to B'lore. I hope SW eggrolls are once again in my future

Sat February 28, 2009, 4:02 am: is listening to a squeaky squirrel

Thu February 26, 2009, 8:48 am: saw a flock of fruit bats take off. Wow!! Big bats... I'm watching out for dracula now.

Wed February 25, 2009, 9:06 am: thinks there is a monkey outside our house or a myna bird mimicking one

Tue February 24, 2009, 8:45 am: learned to check her chair for red ants BEFORE sitting down. Ouch!

Mon February 23, 2009, 7:36 pm: is envious of Larrie seeing a leopard in the wild.

Fri February 20, 2009, 6:27 am: is going to Kabini tomorrow http://www.karnataka.com/tourism/mysore/kabini.html

Thu February 19, 2009, 9:41 am: wanted to download Jaws from the iTunes store. Alas...no luck

Wed February 18, 2009, 10:54 am: is amused to see Winter Clearance signs in a place that never got cooler than about 60 degrees.

Mon February 16, 2009, 4:07 pm: is wondering why I am wide awake at 4am!

Sat February 14, 2009, 7:24 pm: discovered jackfruit. Yummmm! Especially stuffed with bleau cheese. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit

Thu February 12, 2009, 8:22 am: is looking for cheap flights to Montana from India

Sat February 7, 2009, 8:40 pm: saw a camel walking down the street in the neighborhood

Sat February 7, 2009, 2:05 am: is looking forward to going 60mph down a road again someday

Wed February 4, 2009, 9:19 am: is having fun watching cartoons from my childhood in India.. bugs bunny, pink panther, tom & jerry. Great to see them being recycled.

Tue February 3, 2009, 8:36 am: is sure she is glad she stayed home: http://karnatakatabbies.blogspot.com/2009/02/roughing-it.html

Mon February 2, 2009, 9:49 am: wishes whoever is drumming would go to bed already!

Sun February 1, 2009, 8:17 am: is glad Larrie and Jessi were in a vehicle when they saw the south end of a north bound 12 ft python out camping

Sun February 1, 2009, 2:23 am: is on her balcony writing her annual rvw in 73 degree weather, which is great, except it is Sunday

Sun February 1, 2009, 2:12 am: has learned how to download ebooks to her iPod.

Sat January 31, 2009, 10:26 pm: likes idli for breakfast http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idli

Fri January 30, 2009, 9:31 pm: is basking in the silence... Larrie & Jessi went camping in India

Fri January 30, 2009, 9:28 pm: is basking in the silence... Larrie & Jessi went camping

Thu January 29, 2009, 8:49 am: thinks winter in BLR must be over. Back to fans and no blankets at night already.

Wed January 28, 2009, 10:52 am: is thinking about friends in MSP

Tue January 27, 2009, 9:39 am: was told she looked tired and feverish. I had to explain... it's just sunburn. Great beach at Pondi!

Fri January 23, 2009, 2:44 am: is leaving for Pondicherry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pondicherry

Wed January 21, 2009, 11:04 am: was happy to discover tacos for dinner! Larrie had ESP.

Tue January 20, 2009, 4:51 pm: is honored to have deemed better than the best Bakugan by my daughter. I think that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

Mon January 19, 2009, 7:49 am: was sad to say goodbye to the Murphy's

Sun January 18, 2009, 10:06 am: wonders what to do when on Jan 17 in India you receive a report to jury duty notice for Jan 12 in Minnesota.

Sat January 17, 2009, 12:34 pm: is wide awake... wishing I could sleep

Sat January 17, 2009, 2:32 am: heard a quote that made me laugh: "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing" Minnesotans, do you agree?

Fri January 16, 2009, 7:37 am: thinks if someone schedules a meeting until 7:15pm on a Friday night they should show up for it.

Thu January 15, 2009, 7:59 am: was interested to learn about Pongal. Yesterday was a holiday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pongal

Tue January 13, 2009, 8:37 pm: thinks it's great to be able to wear open toes sandals 365 days a year here

Mon January 12, 2009, 10:40 am: will not be trying Paan again & can see why it is a known carcinogen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paan

Fri January 9, 2009, 9:58 am: just got back from Roomali with a View

Thu January 8, 2009, 8:08 pm: is looking forward to a home brew party this weekend since I haven't had anything but Kingfisher beer in months. Not many beer options here

Wed January 7, 2009, 8:50 am: is enjoying bananas grown on a tree in our yard

Tue January 6, 2009, 7:31 am: is so happy to get so many Xmas cards from the U.S. 94 cents & two weeks gets them here.

Mon January 5, 2009, 8:06 am: is glad to leave 70 degree weather to return to 70 degree weather!

Tue December 23, 2008, 12:53 pm: is leaving on vacation and says Happy Holidays to All!

Tue December 23, 2008, 12:48 pm: is LOL at Eureka. First time seeing it. Great show.

Mon December 22, 2008, 7:36 am: is amazed by the languages offered on DVD's bought in India... could be Thai, Mandarin, Swiss, Italian, German, etc.not the boring ol' 2 or 3 found on a US DVD

Sat December 20, 2008, 9:34 pm: thoroughly enjoyed lasagna last night and again for breakfast

Fri December 19, 2008, 5:27 am: is waiting to make her final conference call of the week

Thu December 18, 2008, 7:10 pm: likes all the Christmas trees in the office

Wed December 17, 2008, 10:41 am: thinks it's nifty slick that you can upload pics, text, addr to Hallmark to make a custom Xmas card they'll send through US mail for less than doing it yoursel

Mon December 15, 2008, 8:09 am: is waiting for my next con call from 9:30pm-11:30pm to begin

Sun December 14, 2008, 7:45 am: is adding holiday songs to my iPod

Sat December 13, 2008, 10:14 pm: is going to a Christmas brunch

Sat December 13, 2008, 2:17 am: is back from Jessi's Inventure School Sports Day event

Fri December 12, 2008, 7:27 am: wonders why there is a child safety switch on her washing machine considering all the other hazards in India

Thu December 11, 2008, 9:14 am: was asked to chose between playing Kabaddi or Bubrees. Anyone know was Bubrees is?

Mon December 8, 2008, 7:36 am: is enjoying ice cream from the Baskin Robbins down the street

Sun December 7, 2008, 7:44 am: is back from a Christmas party... yummy chilli!

Sat December 6, 2008, 7:29 am: is happy to see all the Christmas trees, lights, and events in India

Fri December 5, 2008, 6:32 am: is frustrated by phone... conf bridge busy signal, cell phone not sensing tower, skype down. Obviously time to go get a beer.

Thu December 4, 2008, 4:56 am: wonders why some things got packed... like a Kleenex box with only 3 tissues left

Wed December 3, 2008, 9:57 am: has been assurred we are the first family ever to have rats arrive with their shipment.

Tue December 2, 2008, 8:08 pm: is dreaming of her own mattress arriving from the U.S. today

Tue December 2, 2008, 7:22 am: never envisioned she's have to tell her daughter "If a monkey is pulling on your shirt, give it the ice cream cone & RUN"!

Mon December 1, 2008, 11:00 am: is not sure whether to be happy or sad the sale of the house was final today.

Sat November 29, 2008, 11:59 pm: is going shopping for a sari http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sari

Sat November 29, 2008, 5:48 am: returned from Nandi Hills http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_Hills,_India

Fri November 28, 2008, 8:32 pm: woke up to a Sound of Music tune at 7:15am courtesy of a happy child walking down the street. If you've got joy in your heart you might as well belt it out :-)

Thu November 27, 2008, 7:40 pm: is thankful for family and friends, old and new.

Wed November 26, 2008, 7:13 pm: is feeling sad for the people of Mumbai.

Wed November 26, 2008, 6:57 pm: is letting you know we are fine. Mumbai is about 600 miles from Bangalore.

Tue November 25, 2008, 7:41 pm: is reconsidering the wisdom of playing volleyball under palm trees after seeing what a coconut can do to a windshield.

Tue November 25, 2008, 8:06 am: was questioned "WHAT are you doing?" when she rolled up naan bread like a burrito around dahl. The waiter proceed to give her a lesson in proper Naan use.

Tue November 25, 2008, 8:05 am: was questioned "WHAT are you doing?

Mon November 24, 2008, 6:20 am: thinks it is just WRONG to have to listen to Willie Nelson in India.

Sat November 22, 2008, 3:10 am: is waiting for Larrie to wake up and play cribbage.

Thu November 20, 2008, 7:57 am: never thought she'd have to explain she was late to a meeting because water buffalo were in the road

Mon November 17, 2008, 7:24 am: is thinking have to drive to Chennai to get a doc notarized is not very convenient

Sat November 15, 2008, 8:39 pm: is glad she has no way to go anywhere. A day at home seems exquisite.

Sat November 15, 2008, 8:49 am: is getting very... sleepy...

Sat November 15, 2008, 12:00 am: is going to a Children's Day celebration at the office with Larrie and Jessi. http://festivals.iloveindia.com/childrens-day/

Thu November 13, 2008, 7:59 am: is playing cats cradle... it seems to be popular with 7 year olds the world over

Tue November 11, 2008, 12:10 pm: watched Jodha Akbar

Fri November 7, 2008, 11:54 pm: is going shopping on Commercial Street http://www.mustseeindia.com/Bangalore-Commercial-Street/attraction/10528

Thu November 6, 2008, 7:42 pm: is looking forward to Italian food.

Sun November 2, 2008, 8:23 am: is thinking Diwali is over... enough fireworks! Neighbor kids must have leftovers... the really loud ones!

Sat November 1, 2008, 9:01 pm: is heading for Sunday Brunch which is quite an elaborate event in Bangalore

Sat November 1, 2008, 12:32 am: is recovering from a very busy and fun Halloween! Who would have guessed that Halloween would be a much bigger event here than in our neighborhood at home???

Thu October 30, 2008, 8:40 am: is happily watching her cats explore their new home.

Thu October 30, 2008, 1:46 am: is looking forward to the tabbies arrival!

Tue October 28, 2008, 9:40 am: is watching Diwali fireworks! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

Sun October 26, 2008, 4:54 am: is getting ready for a Diwali celebration.

Fri October 24, 2008, 9:46 pm: is going to Lalbagh Botanical Garden http://www.horticulture.kar.nic.in/lalbagh.htm

Wed October 22, 2008, 11:53 am: is bummed that someone wanted her to give her house away!

Tue October 21, 2008, 9:27 am: is wondering whether it is her native Montanan accent or acquired Minnesotan accent that is confusing people.

Mon October 20, 2008, 5:54 pm: is thinking roosters have nothing over crows.

Mon October 20, 2008, 9:25 am: is thinking coconuts are a cool beverage container.

Sat October 18, 2008, 9:34 pm: is starting the day slowly drinking coffee

Sat October 18, 2008, 3:47 am: drank her first coconut!

Sat October 18, 2008, 3:42 am: got back from the zoo

Thu October 16, 2008, 9:49 pm: is trying to remember to walk on the left side of the hallway

Tue October 14, 2008, 10:04 am: is thinking about our Great MSP neighbors, the Klatts!

Mon October 13, 2008, 11:01 am: is learning how to update Facebook

Mon October 13, 2008, 10:25 am: is hanging out in Bangalore