The thing that strikes you about everyone in Chennai (and one would assume hopefully the rest of India) is how nice, welcoming and generous everyone is (with the obvious exception of the scheming thieving tuk-tuk drivers!). People often say that Americans are full of hospitality, but compared to Tamil Nadu, they are not even close…. Continue reading →

Before you think I’m going to head off on some Mills & Boon romance thing, don’t worry, I’m not. This love affair is not of the romance kind but with a little gadget that no Indian can resist the charms of. It is the mobile phone. All around you see people clutching their mobile as… Continue reading →

I’ve just come back from can only be described as the single most surreal event in my entire life. I’m still trying to mentally process what happened, because I’m not altogether too sure what has happened. If that makes sense. Allow me to place the scene… One of my work mates, Farooq, had his marriage… Continue reading →

I’ve been in India now for (*checks watch) 1/3 of a year (or four months for those of you who don’t work in fractions), and I must admit, it really doesn’t seem that long. Weeks are zipping by, and, rather more depressingly, so are the weekends. However, I’m beginning to wonder whether or not I’m… Continue reading →

One of the great things about living in India is the opportunity to learn a new language. In India you have over 14 different languages to choose from, but it makes sense to learn the local one 😀 I’m living in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the main city called Chennai (it used to… Continue reading →

Just had a little argument about the best way to make coffee today. I was asked if I want a coffee, to which I replied, “sure, I’ll boil the water”. This was met with a blank expression along the lines of “why the hell do you want to boil the water?!”…Err, to make coffee? Well,… Continue reading →

Just a little fun, no offense meant from this list 🙂 It’s just some of my observations from the last few months of living in Chennai. A Honda or Skoda is considered a premium luxury brand The tuk-tuk driver demands Rs 150 for a trip that you know should cost Rs 70. But you end… Continue reading →

Thought I might write about a typical day for me in India. Could be incredibly boring for some, could provide useful information for others…who knows?! My day usually starts around 9:30 – 10am when the maid comes in and starts cleaning the apartment. You don’t have hot water on demand, so you have to turn… Continue reading →