Brie Austin

First Work Day in India

The weekend was a whirlwind; getting here from the airport, settling into the hotel, walking the neighborhood to get my bearings and find the essentials, finding entertainment — all while trying to adjust to the time change; it’s 9 1/2 hours ahead.
First thing I needed a cell phone, so I picked up a Samsung Galaxy cell phone that cost about $200, but the service is very cheap; I bought a prepaid SIM card, and calling minutes are charged at less than a penny a minute; the data minutes slightly more.  And getting it set up was rather painless; I had to get a passport photo, make a copy of my passport, and fill out the account form; I was in and out in a matter of 10 minutes. However, note that you have to have a local address that can be verified.

I also bought a portable wireless hotspot for my tablet (and computer), which cost US$40, with a monthly rate of about US$8.

The office space I’ll be utilizing in my friend’s place was nice enough, and only two blocks from the hotel that I’m currently staying in.  During the next week or so will be strategic planning for the project that I am here to develop;  working with 0my project manager on research, and then the senior programmer/ architect to develop and create the schematics for the technology. Once the programmers begin coding I’ll have some free time to travel for a week or two.

Did I mention that July to October is Monsoon season?  Luckily, this year its late, so I’ve had some nice sunny weather. However, today is overcast with thick cloud cover with the smell of rain is in the air: I expect that it will be experiencing my first monsoon any day now.

Traveling by train

I’ll likely travel by train, as it connects most places, and is very inexpensive: a two-day 1,900 kilometer trip can be achieved for $10-$30.   Should I go north or south?  Hmm, what goes best with Monsoon?

I’ve had recommendations to see Karela 8 hours to the south, Mysore a few hours from Bangalore, Jaipur to the northwest, and at some point I have to go to Calcutta (Kolkata) to the northeast on business

About Brie Austin

Co-author of I'd Do It Again, he is a columnist/reporter for a variety of magazines in the areas of music, lifestyle, nightlife, travel and business. He also writes business documents and creates copy for websites.