Lessons In 'Inglish'

"Part 2: Farewell To PC Plods, Greetings To The Gods"

Right, I landed....already expected the heat and madness of Thailand or worse, perhaps poverty-wise & probably mainly due to our company slightly scaremongering us!

I proceeded to change up my US Dollars...perhaps I had heard wrong but thought I couldn't change Sterling there or at least not obtain Indian Rupees here in the UK. Well, officially you don't tend to obtain them in the UK but a slighty shifty guy at local Post Office offered me to change some Pounds for some of his own stash of Rupees. I declined...partly out of mistrust & partly due to time restraints. Off to find my taxi guy...

The guy was there to take me to the hotel (no hotel rep as promised but no matter). A pleasant guy although he did keep on offering to buy my iPhone from me...he had a (very good) fake you see. From the airport to the hotel I did not see much of what we had been told about, shanty towns, begging etc, just a brand new land awaiting discovery by 'Jason' Columbus !

On the way to the hotel I contacted colleague who had arrived the week before...I was desperate not only to discover the hotel but more so the city of Bangalore even if a restaurant; bar; mall; sights.

We met. Also met long-term ex-pat who I knew from UK - he had actually employed me a couple of years ago and had the pleasure of being my boss for a while - who had also just moved into same hotel/apartments.

My colleague took me to the local Spar, yes a supermarket version of the little stores we have here in Blighty. Other stores are within the mall although almost merged into one another. Foolishly maybe I purchased a few snacky things & beers. Not real foodstuffs as I've yet to teach myself real cooking - yes, at my age! Foolishly as we were misinformed about not being able to get eat-ables, as such.

This weekend also a 'driver' arrived for picking me up but I did not require a driver until the day I started work, even though we were free to use them, within reason, at weekends..!

Spent first night/s in hotel this weekend prior to commencing work on the Monday...

...Monday came. Following my (almost 3 course) breakfast - this would become a regular meeting place with colleague/s - my driver, Girish arrived to pick me up. If my memory serves me correct I arranged the time following 'a' driver arriving at the hotel at weekend, as per above.

Girish, a really nice guy...although as with many new meetings of acquaintences in my life, and perhaps yours too, these things take time....getting to know one another etc.

After an approximate hour drive we arrive at what will be my work place for 10 weeks. As predicted, but assured otherwise by Girish, I was taken to incorrect building although only over the road from the actual. My company have more than one office in Bangalore. I say 'my' company but of course it's not 'mine'...if it were then the experience would have been different in SO many ways. Note: this incorrect building would be where I gave forthcoming training classes. Anyway, after establishing where I should be my pass was sorted out...of course, things are not straightforward out there or at least they seem not!

On arrival of my floor of work - in the correct building! - I was greeted with such warm faces and smiles. Seriously. A world away from what I know here in the UK. To add, and unsurprisingly I was never going to remember all those names in my first day or even first weeks!

The first day I spent it mulling over and kind of attempting to prepare for the following days when I would be in the classroom training. I say 'attempting' as what with the lack of training resources available it was a tad difficult plus not my normal field of work...training in a classroom etc. Basically I thought about how the first session would be broken down and garnered all notes together. Incidentally these notes had officially been prepared and signed off very close to my trip to India but I had seen them (signed off some too) and I had enough faith in them, enough to hold a mini training course!

Lunchtime: I forget the exact details of this first (historical you could say, at least in MY life & history) day but the 'food court' we had heard a little about - which would include a Subway, McDonalds etc - was not underneath this office but infact under our main & newer building on the other side of the city....this leads on nicely to this fact:

...Phillips Phoreign Phact (!):
The building spoken of is one which we have (temporarily I believe) two floors in a building belonging to Phillips, yes the electronic manufacturers, who I later read in the Time Of India daily paper started out in Bangalore some 20 years ago...possibly the first to do such a move.

...but...lunchtime under this Phillips building would, both this day and future workdays, consist of a few hot samosas sometimes with a sauce or tip. When I was 'samosaring' it I wos have a toasted chicken tikka sandwich, accompanied by a splashing of potato chips (to any US readers) / crisps & tiny bit of salad. Note: samosas were ball-shaped, not triangular like those we tend to have in the UK.

On the occassional days when we didn't eat 'downstairs' we would venture to the Esteem Mall where they would do some pretty tasty filled baguettes...why would I say 'filled' (?) I doubt people would ask for any empty baguette for lunch!

Training-wise I have not seen so many eager or willing to learn individuals in a workplace...ever. Although the classroom training wasn't to begin until my second day there, I was already being asked questions by the team which my (first!) desk was based at.

I say questions but they referred to them as 'doubts'..."excuse me Jason, I have a/just one doubt"...

Their English is better than ours in the way that they describe things in the true way...using the true meanings. Honesty was hardly ever hidden...if they were referring to the big girl in the corner she would be the 'fat' one.

(Of course, the longer I take to put this blog together the more of my memory I shall lose.)

So, that's it for now...Coming Soon 'Day Two' in blog Three along with more tales about Verney's Journey...

Embryo to Enchanting

Ok so here it is, the Diary of a Nobody...a nobody for now at least. But of course you are Reading this so I must be a Somebody...even in the smallest sense!

1970, October...I was born although actually due in September. Lateness being something I try to avoid but often fall in line with - one example of my lateness is the fact that I've been forever delaying laying down all the wonderful ideas I have in my lowly head.

'What ideas?' I hear you at the back cry. Well, that would be telling. This is a blog not a full-on out & out exposure of all which I have kept hidden for all such years.

Birth...we've all been there. Some of us from various perspectives. And after birth comes of course a few years of unknown detail - this said, I will endeavour to fill in as much as I can and as & when I discover the truth about my early years.

Reigate in Surrey was infact my birthplace with the dwelling following my arrival being a little village called Faygate...ah how quaint, picture it if you can...

A few years following my introduction to the world I went to a school in Colegate.

All change at the age of 4 (I believe - verification on request), my young life took me to Sussex, East infact and to a petit village, Mark Cross. Fond memories begin here. Fondle memories later on, folks. Excuse my humour if you will...!

Growing up (some of you may say that I haven't actually grown up yet, but hey 'f' you although nothing wrong with being young at heart) in a house which was previously a vicarage... and many many years before an old Inn also, it seemed giant to myself and my younger sisters & perhaps I seemed a giant to my youngest sis too...!

Memories & good times are vast for that enchanting house and especially my sisters & holidays away. I guess this is as good a time as any to mention that I have 4 sisters, all of them who experienced that dwelling.

Mark Cross brought my primary school days at Mark Cross C & E Primary...who would've thought it, a school named after it's village. Excuse the sarcastic-slant there.

This village, by the way, consisted essentially of only the following commercial establishments: petrol station, pub/restaurant, shop/post office, cafe and garden nursery. Incidentally the cafe did extremely well as Mark Cross is on much-used stretch of road, albeit blink-and-you'd-miss-it village!

So, where were we? Childhood I guess. Maybe no different to other people out there. My sisters I remember for different things, not only in childhood but throughout my life.

(. . . To be continued)

A good a blog as any to post first..! (BangKoK to Krabi...more than oK)

This is a review which I emailed / posted to website on my recent 3-day stay in Krabi...:

Fantastic! Fantastic!

I wanted a getaway from Bangkok, where my girlfriend lives and seeing that it was my birthday coming up, I wanted to stay somewhere nice so as to remember it with her, and for myself of course.

We chose Krabi & only for 3 nights. Normally also we don't splash out on the very luxurious rooms - although we do like to stay in very nice, modern & clean hotels - but this time I thought we'd pay the extra & opt for one of the Pool-Side Villa rooms (or Grand Pool Villa to give it it's correct name, I think). Walking out from the bedroom area to the pool seemed a great idea.

Well, what can I say - we made the most of our short stay with excursions over the course of two days to James Bond Island, the Floating Village, Tiger Temple, Emerald Pool & much more. After checking many (too many really!) street tour operators we passed, the hotel managed to do us a very good price for both of them. Often hotel-booked tours can be more expensive but not in this case.

The weather was great even though low season and this hotel was only a short walk, literally, from beach and beach-facing restaurants etc.

Apart from the great food places we tried, the 'icing on the cake' (excuse the pun) of this mini-break was when on my birthday, whilst I was splashing around in the pool around early evening, the manager came out with a Birthday Cake on my birthday…name & date on it etc (presumable obtained from my check-in/passport details)…and a couple of drinks - I couldn't believe it, a gesture which they did not have to do but did, lovely surprise.

I would definitely return - the place was very nice, clean, friendly, breakfast food and food area was good - oh & to come back to your room with a different design on your bed or sprinkling of Orchids was another plus-point. Also Free internet in lobby / reception...many places charge.

Also jacuzzi-like bath with shower PLUS a separate Shower cubicle, massive & spa-like.

Keep up the good work Ao Nang Orchid team!

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