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 . . .