Sunday Morning – Nov 14, 10am
For everything to be ‘wrong’, I sure am having a GREAT TIME!
I’m here, safe – and that’s always something to be thankful for… But my gracious it certainly has been one micro-drama after another…
First – somewhere over the Atlantic, my blood glucose monitor crapped out. It worked fine in Chicago – but by the time they served breakfast prior to landing at Heathrow, the little thing just wouldn’t work. It’s an important piece of equipment for me – I check my blood sugar levels about 5-6x each day to determine how much insulin to take. (Since my pancreas doesn’t cooperate anymore, it’s up to me to do that work.) Not knowing where my levels are is a little scary, but by the time I left Heathrow I already had an answer about where I can buy one here in Bangalore. Small world, huh? Another interesting factoid – people wrongly assume everything in India is very inexpensive, but that’s really not always the case. I already knew computers and cell phones are a lot more expensive in India than in the States. Well, now you can add glucose meters to the list as well – the same unit that would cost me $19.99 @ Walgreens (and I’d have a coupon to get it for FREE), is going to cost me $35-$40 here. But I’m not complaining – just happy to be able to put my hands on one… I can’t afford to do target practice with a blindfold on – and that’s what’s happening here until I get to the pharmacy! 🙂
Next (I’m going in chronological order) – they detained me (briefly) at customs. Silly bureaucrats. My Indian visa is a 10-year Multiple Entry visa valid through 2017… My old passport expired in 2008 and I got a new one. I have been here a dozen times using two passports – my new/valid one, and the one containing my visa that’s good for another six years. Well the guy at customs wasn’t going to let me in. Oh, my, what a conundrum. I bit my tongue; I was patient. He got his Supervisor… And then I watched an all-out Indian-Bureaucratic-Battle unfold. Apparently the Supervisor knew it was fine – he even pointed out how I had pages of stamped entries into India in the new passport using the old (valid) visa. But the front-line guy wouldn’t let it go – said it was an old process, and that it shouldn’t work that way anymore. It reminded me of the old Wild Kingdom shows on television where the hyenas and the cheetahs would fight – because these two guys got ROUGH! Long story short – I finally got in. But I think I’ll get a new visa before the next trip just in case I get routed through this guy’s line. 🙂
Next (yes, the fun never ends) – I waited for my luggage. And waited. And waited. Yes – you know what’s coming… My luggage didn’t make it. I waited almost 45 minutes at baggage claim before we knew for sure – but apparently, my luggage and all my goodies from home are stuck at Heathrow. And to add insult to injury – the driver from the hotel assumed I had missed the flight and left without me. The day is NOT off to a good start – but for some reason I’m entirely giddy to be here.
Next – I caught a ride (makes it sound so casual and easy, doesn’t it?) with a driver from another hotel here near the Ashok. It wasn’t the normal fanfare upon my arrival; I think I arrived during a shift change. Regardless, Roshan was here to greet me and take me to my room. But hold it….. not MYYYYYYY room? What’s wrong with this? He explained that there was a corporate event starting in a few days and all the pool-view rooms were already booked. I didn’t really care – I just wanted a shower. Fast forward 45 minutes (post-shower – wearing yoga clothes, stupidly the only thing I cared enough to pack in my carry-on) and I went downstairs for breakfast and “My Balu” was at the desk. Once he found out that I wasn’t in “my room” there were some words exchanged – they were in Kanada, which I quickly pointed out was “not fair game”… seems Balu was not pleased that I didn’t get my room. I went on to breakfast and shortly thereafter he was at my table with another key. Seems a room had been opened up for me – figuratively and literally – they had assigned me to stay in ‘my’ room with a balcony door overlooking the pool… and when Balu handed me the key, he told me he had already opened the balcony door and my room was airing for me. God, I love this place… does anyone question why? They truly do spoil me.
So the restaurant staff told me that the craft exhibition was going on at the Art College next door. I think I’ll head over there and buy some new clothes! 🙂