Initiation & Challenge

WOW 2 blogs in one day!

So story continues...My first proper day and initiation to Indicorps.

CHALLENGE: 1) to use a bus to travel from Indicorps to Gandhi Ashram across AMD.
time 15.45 2) limit of 50rupees for my trip
3) arrive experience and learn at Gandhi Ashram
4) to return before 17.30 via bus or shared rick
5) experience all there is to offer
Challenge was set, bus no. unknown (although if i did know it, i can't read Gujarati!), destination known, costs unknown, what to expect highly unknown, risk? of course not!
30mins later:A museum and gardens dedicated to the memory of Gandhi 'Father of India'. I had successfully negotiated the first fews task, what a breeze!The house of Gandhi himself, standing in the most peaceful and beautiful surroundings i have seen so far; on the edge of the river. Fully recommend to anyone. So all that was left was to negioate the journey home not knowing which bus just rough direction to aim. On i jumped, i say on; what i mean is on the bottom step practically off!

All this excitement and for only 1rupee!! however the journey was not over. A sudden swing to the right after a very brief traffic jam and i had taken the opportunity to jump off - it had decided to go the wrong way! i was off, and in need of another bus. Luckily my blondness had left me, and the phrase i had learnt that morning came to my rescue: "Jhavoo chay" * spelled phonetically* "i need to go to"

So off and onto the next crazy bit of transport, another 1 rupee journey later and successfully request to get to ;income tax' and my journey was almost complete. Short walk down Ashram Rd to the BATA showroom and i was back, on time too! 3 points and a win for Taylor in the bag.

So only the evening to now fill, what could possibly happen? Meeting back at the host home after a 20 minute walk, over crossroads, through underpasses and over an open train track. Kavan had already organised a football match with his brother and friends so the stage was set: India V England the local crowd would be going wild!ok there wasnt really a crowd but the atmosphere was fun and competitive. It happened to be my first reality check when 2ltrs of water later i had to lie down intaking deep breathes and remembering it was only my first couple of days and although it seemed darker and therefore colder it was still 33 degrees. SMOG in the evening.
With dehydration obviously common, the brothers knew what to do to snap me out of it... a bike hopper trip for breeze and barley water!!! tasted like a common British pint without the side affects and very refreshing. I was still getting used to being on the back of the bike and knew i would have to find confidence quickly...
So suddenly and miraculously feeling pretty great we hit the second trip location, Kavan's old college, similar style to the University but had some cute features like grass banks beside an open ping pong table and open theater areas with practices commencing. This really made me think of Jenny (Babe) and how much training she needed to get to this level of production (granted it was more performing arts based and only a bit of fun) but the enthusiasm is there:
So we headed to the grassy bank where we lay for some well deserved peace, peace did not come, instead a bat imitating a vulture decided to brush my shoulder and i can honestly say i dived for cover. Thinking i was under attacked, as i had not seen what had opened fire on me i was relieved when i saw it fly into a tree and just hang there looking down. In actual fact they are very beautiful a do have a wing span commonly up to 2/3feet.
So another successful day!

First Days

Namaste,

Ok so second blog.

My apologies for not having a chance to do a follow up sooner + a lot of info so i am going to do short stories (not all) and then you can ask about specific ones!

Map for guidance (West side of the river):

* My First night, the real journey has begun!
after successfully negotiating my way through the day, the night had arrived. With sudden news of a host family i was off, shipped onto the back of a 150cc Honda racing machine(or near enough).We shot through the very quiet streets of AMD (Ahmedabad)with at this point only a couple of thousand crazy cyclists, ricks, cars, tractors, cows & street dogs. weaving through the obstacles and good pace, a wierd sensation occurs.... although your life seems to be on the line every 20s, there is a deep level of understanding and trust in each and every person on the road. Hard to describe apart from the feeling that although playing 4-way chicken at a crossroads, there is no doubt that all will cross safely.

* Host family
So after my first 5min experience of bike hopping, i arrived in a neighborhood just East of the university. Host brothers Kavan & Manan are brilliant! Host parents are both welcoming and lovely. Home is compact and typical of a lively family, with a dirt garden with two enormous trees that have peacocks forever looking down at you.

Sky TV is on and everyone chills in the lounge under the fan. I will be staying with Kavan in the lounge, whilst everyone else is next door. Morning, and woken to the question of 'you like some chai?'. Yes, even at 37 degrees piping hot tea is a must! More creamy and slightly sweeter i struggle not to sweat more, whilst enjoying the home comfort. Breakfast and i am pleasantly delighted that my first dish happens to be sliced mango, complimented by mango juice (liquidize and mix with ice - ICE MELTS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET IT FROM MIXER TO CUP). Overall effect is = simply love in a cup.

ok breakfast done - time for back garden cricket.

This, i would soon find, would become a bit of a tradition for the next 3 days. Only two stumps and laundry lines blocking the eye sight of the catcher, however the outcome - 1st ball: spin delivery to leg stump = out for a duck & 2nd ball (great connection)- caught of trousers at 2nd slip = out for a goose.

* Now 6.30 and slightly late for 1st practice at the University ground. Again the ground is dusty but it is great to see so many people occupying the facilities and field space to play football, cricket, tennis or simply running/ walking. There is a real sense of opportunity as this is the only part of the day that sport can be played and players stay alive, except late evenings. After training and watching some youngsters play football, Kavan leads me to a court where some of his friends are playing tennis and a small quick cricket match underway.
TIME TO APPLY MENTAL TOUGHNESS - 2nd opportunity to attempt to display any form of cricketing ability. Outcome - 2 defensive, 2 decent drives, 5th ball and gone... not me, but the side of club has splintered off (nearly perfectly spherical). Kavan explains how it was wasn't my fault but the bat was not brilliant, instead it was home-made by a young lad who is insisted it was not my fault.... hmmm decision: cricketing career over!

* Trying to overcome my cricket experience, i am fortunate to bike hop with Dush (Dushyant)to the Indicorps office. Having had a successful session in the office, everyone heads to the riverside for a spot of plate chucking. Being the first social activity i take the opportunity to talk to everyone. As the light falls bats (in large numbers) appear. It then struck me, a feeling of peacefulness as the sky seemed to echo a loud song, later to be explained as the prayer song. It is played fom a mosque about a mile away loud enough that anyone and everyone will be able to listen and prayer at the same time no matter where they are. For me it was a beautiful location, music and for once no beeping horns.

* Back home, Kavan and Manan take me on a moonlight walk around the local area. A stop off at a little shop for soda and ice cream is so good, considering it is still 31 degrees. Classic memory: dog using a bus stop as a bed!

* Next day Kavan decides to take me on a 6am walk around the university.... i will let the pictures do the talking:

Spot the peacocks


ok i am going to leave it here for this blog.

thanks for reading....

Arrival

Flying out from Gatwick to Dubai:

Seat No. 24H (aisle), largest plane i had been on to date. Flight was fantastic, recommend flying with Emirates, food was plentiful and very good. Enjoying my last bit of alcohol with a cold white wine and starting conversation with Sutlav, sitting next to me with his mum. Being 20, he was explaining how he fell in love with Motorsport and that the choice of study in India/ Bombay was very limited to three categories; Arts, Commerce, Sciences. After inviting me to visit his house in Mumbai, if i ever traveled through, we separated on arrival at Dubai.

Terminal 3, Dubai is the cleanest place i have ever whitnessed! With every single perfume bottle and duty free item being polished i felt very dirty after sitting on a plane for the last 8 hours. With three hours to go until my connecting flight, it was brilliant to bump into the only other White/ British person in the terminal. Kate, 20; flying to Kuala Lumpa and who happened to be from Winchester. After a well-deserved PULP (fruit smoothie ice drink) she filled me with confidence about my trip to India and all the potential hazards.... great! Leaving her to board my plane for the final stint to Ahmedabad, i was finally starting to feel nervous.


Arrived in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad to a very warm reception and lots of attention regarding the western lifestyle. Many questions regarding economics,sport and my reasons for being in India were all common topics.

Dimpy greeted me a short time later, at which point an unforgettable car journey through the organised chaos of Ahmedabad's streets. So many bikes, tuk-tuk's (rickshaws)and cars flying and switching lanes at will; all at the same time as avoiding walkers who had found themselves in the middle of the road. Dogs were wandering and cows happily stopping traffic, but nothing in comparison to the amount of noise from the relentless horns being blown by any and every vehicle. To overtake it would be not be a successful pass if the horn had not been blown at least 10 times, just in case the previous 9 had not got through to the driver in front.

Finally reaching Indicorps, opposite the BATA building on Ashram Rd, the temperature rising slightly to 37 at 6.30am. I was made aware that the typical day would start at 5/5.30 or as soon as there was light as this is the coolest part of the day. Training will be commencing at 6am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Having been shown the complex, compact 5 story building, and facilities i would be thrown onto the streets on the quest for breakfast. With Dushyant and Dimpy leading the way to a small road-side hut, we found sustenance in a samosa looking pastry, filled with vegetables and covered in hand-made tomato ketchup and sprinkles. The overall feedback on this initial dish was: filling, but unsurprisingly hot! At which point, my bottle of water could not stop the burning sensation.

At returning to the complex, i was fortunate to have the chance to shower and have a well-received sleep. 3 hours later, i woke to the sudden increase in heat, now 42 degrees Celsius. Dushyant decided to introduce me to lunch, a short walk later, and arrived at a cafe 'cinemasala', situated above McDonalds. My first experience of lime soda-sweet was very well received and a great refreshment for 30 rupees (40p).