Home Away From Home / Travel Companions

I finally arrived in Vadodara on Monday morning at 6:35 a.m. IST. Luckily I didn't have to go straight to the office because on this trip I will be working the night shift. I have always considered myself a night owl, preferring to sleep late and stay up late, but I had very worked the night shift.

I am staying at the Welcom Hotel again in the heart of the city. This time, there is a lovely new pool where previously there was only a large hole in the earth.

It's unlikely that I will be enjoying the pool much since my days will be my nights and vice versa. Plus, it is really hot in Vadodara this time of year. We are on the cusp of the rainy season so it is very hot and very humid. I'm hoping that the rain stays away until I leave on Friday but many of my friends here were hoping I was bringing the rain with me.

This year I am traveling with two new companions: Jo-Anne, a manager on my team and Gretchen, a black belt helping us improve our processes. Jo-Anne begged me to take her with me this trip and I was happy to oblige. She works with a large number of our partners at TCS and really wanted to put names to faces. This is Gretchen's first trip out of the US - yes, you read that right 1st trip out of the states. I'll tell you something, you would never know. She is a great traveler and is willing to try anything once. I'm happy to have her along.

Gretchen was really excited to see the cows roaming the streets on our way from the airport. This is definitely a different sight for us Americans but very normal for Indians. She is desperate to get a photo of this to take home with her. I found one for her...

Travel Days (plural)

India isn't quite on the other side of the world but it may as well be. Here are the details:

Tampa, Florida, USA to Detroit, Michigan, USA . . .1013 mi / 1630 km
Detroit, Michigan, USA to Amsterdam, Netherlands . . . 3911 mi / 6294 km
Amsterdam, Netherlands to Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  . . . 4285 mi / 6896 km
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India to Vadodara, Gujarat, India . . . 254 mi / 409 km

Totals . . .
Airports: 5
Airplanes: 4 (Mark would be interested in the types of airplanes I was in but I'm too tired to remember!)
Miles/Kilometers in the air: 9643 mi / 15229 km
Meals consumed in the air: 3
Hours traveling: 33
Hours slept: 5 (maybe)

So, where in the heck is Vadodara (formerly known as Baroda)? It is on the West coast of India, nearly the middle of the country (if split North to South).

(Lack of) Travel Blog

I haven't blogged for a while and a few people have asked me why. I'll give you a short synopsis of the events in my life since my last post in October.

Oct/Nov 2011 - Traveled to Thailand and the Philippines. The trip was amazing but I didn't blog because I didn't bring my laptop - just my iPad - and blogging by touch screen was just too much of a pain in the arse.

Dec 2011 - I got engaged!! Yay! If you are interested in that story, feel free to check it out on our wedding website at http://www.kimberlyandmark2012.com/

Feb 2012 - We bought a house!! It's a beautiful Florida home with our very own pool. Mark and I have spent countless hours preparing it (aka nesting). It is our oasis from the everyday chaos that is our lives.

Mar 2012 - I took on more responsibilities (than I'm probably capable of) at work. The stressors of a new job stuck me quite hard but I survived.

That brings us to June 2012 . . . and I am off to India . . . That may sound like I am not excited about the trip, it just means that it is my second trip and by now I am a seasoned traveler of Asia. I am thrilled to be visiting India again but the circumstances of this trip are significantly different. How, you ask? First, I'm not nearly as nervous (or scared) of the trip since I've done it before. Second, I'm traveling alone - Mike Pate will not be my traveling partner-in-crime and he will be missed. Third, I am visiting two new cities - Bangalore and Chennai. Fifth, and probably most personally difficult, I am leaving someone behind that helps balance me when the stress/anxiety takes hold.

I think that I will blog this trip a little bit differently, hopefully it works for everyone.

And with that . . . here I go . . . 

T minus 2 til Thailand

In two days, I embark on my next adventure - Bangkok, Thailand and Manila, Philippines.

I never thought I would voluntarily book a trip to Asia but after my trip to India I had to get back as soon as possible. Luckily Mark had planned a trip to Thailand/Philippines and let me come along.

Preparing for this trip is a 180 from last time. I have already had all of my shots, I'm less concerned about getting sick (but still a little concerned) and I'm not worried about what to wear (OK, that's not entirely true). Anyway, I haven't started packing, I haven't made a list and I'm not nervous. It may have something to do with who I'm going with. Mark plans on bringing a carry-on only. We will be in LA for 2 nights, Bangkok for 7 and Manila for 3 - and he is ONLY bringing a carry-on. I guess he has thrown down a challenge to me - only bring one bag. OK, I can do that but it will be a BIG bag. :)

As is always the case with me and international travel, Mother Nature is also throwing down a challenge. The monsoon season in Thailand has been very, very bad. There is flooding all over the country and Bangkok is on the brink of being overtaken by the rising waters. I guess it wouldn't be an adventure without a few hurdles to overcome. I'll just bring a bathing suit, raincoat and umbrella. It's just water after all!

จนกว่าจะถึงวันพรุ่งนี้ ...
(until tomorrow...)

Labor Day in Tampa

I figured that it's probably about time that I blog about my current town - Tampa. So here we go . . .

Most people thought I was crazy to move to Tampa from Chicago considering I'm a Midwest girl. I received lots of "but it's so hot in Florida" comments. Duh! It is Florida and the sun shines 12 months out of the year. Yes, it's hot and humid in the summer and there are torrential rains every day in the months of July and August but the other 10 months are gorgeous. The North offers beautiful days about 3 months a year. I decided I would prefer seeing the sun, walking around outside and enjoying outdoor activities most of the year to the alternative. I haven't regretted my move for a minute. Let me describe a typical weekend in this lovely Gulf coastal city.

Friday 
Mark took a quick walk to his favorite thing about Tampa (I come in a far second) - Publix. For those of you that don't know what Publix is, it's a supermarket - yep, just a supermarket. However, for those that do know Publix, it is the best supermarket out there. There is so much Publix loyalty in the South, I can't really explain it. Regardless, it was a beautiful morning and a short walk to get some delicious handmade sandwiches and a few pieces of their famous fried chicken.

Although it was a beautiful day, we needed to run to the mall to pick a few things up. The shopping options down here aren't quite as good as they are in Chicago (or other large cities) but it does the trick and we found what we were looking for, and more.

After a lazy afternoon, we headed to South Tampa / Hyde Park for dinner. South Tampa is an older part of town full of great restaurants and bars and really close to the water. We were dining at Ceviche a great, quaint Tapas restaurant. We began our meal with a bottle of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) - well you know how much I like bubbles. We were seated outside next to the pool with fountain and ordered another bottle of Cava. (If you haven't tried Cava, you should. It is delicious and reasonably priced for sparkling wine.) We enjoyed 4 different delicious tapas - all with fish or seafood - and then topped it off with an after dinner drink. It was a beautiful evening, complete with the best date a girl could ask for!

Saturday
We were off to St. Petersburg. St. Pete is on a peninsula jutting into Tampa Bay. I have been to the Gulf side of St. Pete on numerous occasions but this time we ventured to the Bay / Marina side. It's a beautiful town, very typical Spanish-inspired Florida. The hotel we visited, The Vinoy, was built in the 20s and is classic Florida.

It was another gorgeous day so I took a long walk around the marina, watching the boats, planes and people. It was a great way to spend the late morning and early afternoon.

We returned home to change in preparation for a Fall tradition - College Football. My favorite season is Football Season and we were so excited to kick-off the season with some good friends. Now that I live in Florida, I'm surrounded by University of Florida and University of Southern Florida alumni. I don't mind rooting for the favorite teams of some of my favorite people; however, I did change the channel a few times to check the score of the Michigan game (and Mark kept me updated by checking ESPN on his phone for me). We finished the football themed day with many good friends at Leroy Selmon's bar and restaurant for the UF game. Sadly, Leroy was in the hospital on Saturday and passed away on Sunday. He was such a champion of the Tampa Bay area - he will be sorely missed.

Mark and I visited his other girlfriend, Publix, on our way home to pick up ingredients for dinner. The best part - I wasn't cooking. He made homemade enchiladas that we enjoyed while watching episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The perfect end to a wonderful day!

Sunday
Mark's closest friends - Roger, Michelle and little Maddy - had driven down to Largo from Hilton Head for the weekend so we met up with them at Clearwater Beach. I love CB and take every opportunity to hit the sand and surf. After playing with Maddy in the sand for a while, we ventured to Frenchy's Rockaway Grille for drinks and lunch. Frenchy's is right on the beach and has a great view for people watching.

After Roger and Michelle put Maddy to bed, the four of us went out for an adult's only evening. We went down to Ybor City for dinner at Columbia. Ybor City is the historic district of Tampa and resembles New Orleans in it's architecture and the bars/restaurants/music available. Columbia is a Spanish/Cuban restaurant that has been open for over 100 years. It is a huge restaurant with lots of secret passageways (or at least that's what they told us). We had some mojitos, cava sangria and regular sangria. No, we didn't just drink. We had some tapas and paella. Yum.

We weren't ready to end the night so we headed out to check out Ybor. We had a drink at Gaspar's Grotto, normally a great indoor/outdoor bar - however it was a Sunday and kinda dead. We walked a ways down 7th Avenue to check out the sites. And by sites, I mean the outrageous outfits most of the women were wearing. I think I owe Michelle a pair of neon green hot pants for our next outing! ;) We finished the night at Double Decker where people were singing some pretty bad karaoke. It was a great night, with good food and even better company. We were so glad that Rog and Michelle came down.

Monday
Departure day...a lazy morning that lead to another visit to the mall - we couldn't pass up the Labor Day deals. We stopped into Seasons 52. It's a great restaurant where we enjoyed a few drinks, a great flatbread and delicious entrees. We'll definitely be visiting again.

As you can tell, most of my travels include good wine/drink, great food, beautiful ambiance and amazing company. Tampa is a great back drop for a great weekend!!

Fort Worth, Texas - Cowboys & Hockey

I've been traveling quite a bit lately but nothing too exotic. I spent a long weekend in my old 'hometown' Chicago with a bunch of my favorite people. Another long weekend spent on Hilton Head Island for the 40th birthday of my favorite man and all his wonderful friends. I have made several trips to Dallas-Fort Worth to spend with the aforementioned guy. :) I'm back in Fort Worth this weekend and thought I would share some experiences and thoughts of this 'rose' in Northern Texas.

When Dallas-Fort Worth is brought up in conversation most people think mostly about Dallas and very little about Fort Worth. That's too bad. Fort Worth is a great city with a neighborhood vibe - the best of many worlds collide in this not so sleepy town.

Upon arrival to DFW, I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and functionality of the airport. I spend a lot of time in airports - good and bad alike. Unlike most 'road warriors', I usually check a bag - I may be low maintenance in most things but I do carry an insane number of hair products that don't come in 3 oz or less containers (and sadly none of them really help make my hair look better). DFW has individual baggage claims for a few gates at a time. Yesterday, I landed early, met a friend passing through town in the same terminal, picked up my bag and was in the car on the expressway before my plane was scheduled to land. That's the way I like to roll.

Everyone knows that 'everything is bigger in Texas' and that is evident by the sprawling nature of the DFW area. The drive from the airport to downtown Fort Worth is easy but not quick. Mark drives a truck, which I think is a requirement in Texas, so I feel immediately one of the locals. Note that his truck doesn't have a gun rack - yet. I think I know what he'll be getting for Christmas ;)

Downtown Fort Worth is really cute. Many of the streets are red brick. There are twinkle lights in most of the trees. There are a lot of cute boutiques that cater to cowboys and cowgirls as well as the most refined cosmopolitan tastes. Probably the most notable attraction in the city is the number and variety of restaurants and bars. It reminds me a lot of a neighborhood in Chicago like Lincoln Park, Bucktown or River North. Everything is in walking distance. Of course, I have a propensity to wear sky high heels so sometimes I force Mark to drive even if we are only going a few short blocks.

There are many incredible steak houses in Fort Worth, including Del Friscos, Mercury and Bob's. Mark and I had an amazing meal at Del Friscos including martinis at the bar, champagne and a gorgeous Penner Ash Pinot Noir at the table, oysters on the half shell, fine cuts of meet and amazing cheesy potatoes (I love cheese!!) It wasn't cheap but it was worth every penny. It has old school steakhouse ambiance and I had the best dinner date in the place.

When I made my first visit here, my Dad told me to stop by the Stockyards. He hadn't been there for years but recalled that it was a cool part of town. He was right. Mark hadn't made it out there so we figured we would give it a try. The Stockyards are everything you expect when you think about Texas. Honky Tonk bars, country stores with traditional cowboy/cowgirl apparel and of course, the original Stockyards. We did a little shopping - I bought the most adorable cowgirl boots. We had a few cold beers across from the actual stockyards and of course we indulged on some of the best barbecue I have ever had at Coopers. This visit we'll be doing some more shopping - my niece turns 5 next week and I want to get her some authentic cowgirl boots and hat. We are also gonna stop into Billy Bob's Honky Tonk. Billy Bob's is famous for live bull riding, great barbecue and live country music. The best acts in country music have all played Billy Bobs. I'm looking forward to experiencing it myself.

So, what about the hockey, you ask? Mark plays on a hockey team and has a game tonight. Most people don't think about hockey when they think of Texas but this state has everything. I cannot wait to step into the cold field house and watch some cold weather sports. You can take the girl out of the North but you can't take the North out of the girl. ;)

If you haven't been to Fort Worth yet, consider it. It's a short ride from Dallas and has all the Texas charm you could want.

My next trip . . . Thailand and The Philippines in October. I cannot wait to see another completely different culture.

Day 12 & 13 - The Journey Home

The last day in India and the beginning of our journey home. The trip home will take nearly two days so we took it easy in the morning, focusing on packing all of the beautiful souvenirs we were taking home with us. We had a final Indian meal, sort of, in the dining room at the hotel. Mike and I both had Chicken Tikka Masala pizza - a wonderful fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine.

We left the hotel at 1 pm with 5 bags and 2 carry-ons. Our flight from Baroda to Delhi left at 2:30 pm. IST. We flew Jet Airways, which I would recommend over Air India every time. Air India is owned by the government and not run like other airlines. Jet Airways was more of what I'm used to as a frequent business traveler. The flight is an easy 1+ hour flight and of course I slept the whole way. Mike is amazed at how quickly I fall asleep in airplanes. I think he was probably mid-story when I was out and stayed out until we started our descent.

We landed at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi a little before 4 pm. We gathered our bags and proceeded to the ticket counter to check in. STOP!!! I think I may have mentioned this before but I'll repeat it as it's important to understand our situation - you need proof of a ticket before you can enter the airport and before you can be issued a ticket. Unfortunately, proof of a ticket needs to be obtained from a pre-ticketing counter. Trouble is American Airlines doesn't have a pre-ticketing counter. Supposedly, one of the local aviation companies was supposed to support AA customers - but there was no one at that counter either. After several attempts to get information on what to do, we were told that no one would be at the counter until 4 hours prior to the flight. Our flight wasn't until 12:30 a.m. - 8.5 hours later. Ugh!

After learning this information, we had no other option than to return to the arrivals area and hunker down for the next 4.5 hours. We found an acceptable location called Foodie's Bar. I'm not sure why it was called that as they didn't have much food - but they did have alcohol. Mike and I spent the next 4 hours playing Angry Birds, Solitaire, watching the French Open and making friends with a Canadian soldier who was in India volunteering at an orphanage. It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I was cranky, very cranky.

Finally it was 9 pm and we thought we could check in. We returned to the pre-ticketing counter and there still was no one at the counter that was supposed to be servicing AA. We inquired at the Information Desk and they summoned an AA representative to come escort us to security, show the guard our name on a list and then walk us to the AA ticket counter. We had finally made it into the airport!! We checked all of our bags and then went to do a little last minute shopping. I was on a mission to find a snow globe. Snow globes are traditional, fairly cheesy, souvenirs so I wasn't expecting much trouble finding one. Then I remembered, we're in India, nothing is easy here. There wasn't a single snow globe in the airport. Total fail on the one thing that someone asked me to bring home! :(

Since we were flying business class home, we were invited to the Kingfischer First lounge. Kingfischer is the local beer in India but they also have an airline - bizarre combination! It was a strange mix between mod and sad. But it was quiet and the drinks were free.

At 11:45 we began boarding our flight from Delhi to Chicago. The flight home would be 15 hours and 15 minutes, one of the longer direct flights offered by any airline. I had a great seat at the bulkhead and we had successfully swapped Mike into the seat next to me. Or so we thought. Almost as the cabin doors were being closed, the ticket holder for the seat next to me came by and said that he had to switch back because the audio/visio unit didn't work in Mike's original seat. Bummer! Mike went back to his seat and I switched with the guy next to him so we could still sit together. We figured we could figure something out. Turns out the audio/visio unit in my new seat didn't work. And add insult to injury, the reading light in my new seat didn't work either. We asked the crew if we could move to one of the empty first class seats and they said no due to 'policy'. Instead they provided us with portable DVR players pre-loaded with movies. Ok, that's not perfect but it's better than nothing. STOP! The power outlet in my seat (or was it Mike's) didn't work. OK, at this point, I was done. I was already cranky because of the layover. Now, I'm at my wits end. What else can I do but take a sleeping pill and attempt to sleep.

Sleep I did - for 11 hours. There wasn't anything else to do and I had slept very little the last two weeks so why not. It turns out in some ways, the lack of entertainment options was good for me. I had gotten my body back on ET and should be able to better manage jet lag.

Upon deplaning in Chicago, Mike and I rushed through customs and straight to McDonalds where Mike ordered a chicken biscuit, yogurt parfait and orange juice and I ordered breakfast burritos and a sweet tea. Oh to be back in the USA!

The flight down to Tampa was a breeze - First Class usually makes it so.

Mike was greeted by his beautiful family - wife Kerry, daughter Naomi and son Miles. They had come straight from church and were dressed to the nines. They were clearly happy for the return of their husband and father, as was Mike to see them! It was a wonderful way to arrive back home.

I can't believe it is over. All the anxiety I felt preparing for the trip, all the adventures I had with the three guys that made the trip memorable and finally meeting the team that works so hard every day to delight their clients was overwhelming and deeply satisfying. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had such a wonderful experience! I am also so blessed to have a home to come home to, friends and family that love me and a future full of dreams and opportunities. Life is good!

Until my next adventure....Namaste