Day 13 in India

It had been almost 2 weeks since I reached India. Started to settle into the daily routine and getting used to the weather. Though it’s still cold, the weather started to get warmer day by day. The Sun was out, in the chill cold wind, one could feel the HOT and COLD at the same time.

Life is like as I was in KL, with not much familiar faces around here that I recognized. Every day is gym and home; work and rest, eat and sleep. Classes were good in gym. Most members enjoyed them, receiving good feedback. Getting to know the roads well, direction to gym and home. Resting at home after classes in the morning and evening. Fresh juice after classes day and night. All food are spicy including vegetables, anyhow, manage to find substitute for this.

Egg Sandwich from Gym

KFC set meal in India was served without coleslaw, frieds or potato.

As substitution, one extra piece of fried chicken is given.

No chilli or Thai source, only tomato ketchup. 

Adding Rs. 25 each, you can add-on 4 different choices:

half sweet corn, coleslaw, medium sundae or chocolate brownie.

KFC Brownie Sundae

Indian School of LICKONOMICS

Transportation stills the same. Cars all around in the morning, non stopping of horns that will drive you totally crazy. Ride on the rickshaw is getting cool, as scary as it’s; the rickshaw rider and the car driver always seem to know how to avoid each other.

Morning traffic outside apartment area

Another day ends. Another day begins. Another nine weeks to go before I could go back to the place that I’m most familiar with; back to those people that I’m closed to.

Day 11 in India

I never expected today would be the first challenge since I arrived India.

I woke up a bit later than usual this morning as my class was only started at 10.40am local time. Don’t have to go to gym so early as I have nothing to do. Manager didn’t have morning class, which mean I had to go on my own, rickshaw ride again. Even though it’s scary, I had to depend on it for the days to come after manager goes back to KL. The ride was not as scary as the first, guessed I started to get use to it in India.

One funny thing teaching classes in India was that when you asked if they understand or know what you were talking about, they don’t nod their heads to say yes, but they will shake their head in the “∞” motion. I was very confused, was that a YES or a No? Anyhow, I assumed that was a YES. The best part is, I started to have that “∞” head-shake motion too. OMG…


Shery fetched me back to apartment after classes. Manager was awake. I made the lunch for both of us, have some chat with him. Talked about Toni in Malay, as don’t want him to know our conversation, about what happened to the kitchen and my food. Did some house cleaning after meal. Prepared for the evening combat class that was scheduled, team teaching with Toni. We both have our own playlist set in our ipod, I will start the class, and swapped alternately every 2 tracks. I did 6 tracks, he did 4.


It was about 2 hours right before we went to gym that my manager show me Toni’s profile in LesMills. I have no idea that he was the LesMills Master Trainer and Presenter for BC39. Okay. I felt the pressure now. Team-teaching with a Master Trainer? “GOOD…” I have no choice, had to put on more than 100% in this class, 100% of instructions and more than 100% of energy.

Honestly, it’s the class that I sweat the most since my first class in India. I guessed because of the amount of energy and concentration that I put into it during the class. It’s not as tension as I worried. It was a good experience to be able to team-teach with the Master Trainer, to learn something that I’m lacked of. The class response was good, members enjoyed it, and wanted both of us to team teach more Combat classes in a week, not just once. Well, let see how first ok?


Back in apartment, was still excited about the Combat class. I had some discussion with manager during dinner. Continue my usual routine at night, emailing, facebooking, and msn chatting before going to bed.

Day 9 in India

Manager was gone on the weekend holidays, will be back tomorrow. I was all alone in India for these few days, with Shery taking good care of me, treating me drinks and meal. He always said that I should myself like home in India even if after manager goes back to KL end of this month. Such a nice man. 

The Brazilian instructor Toni was finally backed in India early this morning about 2am. I heard someone was making lots of noises outside in the living room and the kitchen while I was sleeping. Heard lots about him when he was away for holidays, back in his home country. Not so much of good things about his personality. Knowing all these somehow made me wondered how would such person look like to behave in such way; and worse, I have to deal with him for next 2 months to come when I’m in India.


Woke up in the morning, someone was knocking my door just right after I finished my morning routine and about to change to go to gym for morning classes. It was the long-heard Toni, standing about 6 inches taller than me, fit and good looking, at the door. He greeted me, asking where was manager, and when he needed to start his first class. Told him about the schedule as what we had planned last week before manager going for his holiday.


I went to the kitchen to prepare my light breakfast. It was in a mess, like a tornado had swept across. Plates were here and there, spoon and forks were everywhere and the floor was dirty; it was cleaned the night before I went to bed. It seem like the stories about this guy is somehow real.


Finished my classes, went back home, opened the fridge to heat up the packed and ready cooked chicken breast meat, and it’s opened. Damn, he ate my food without asking my permission. Where is he from? Didn’t really chat with him for the day as he’s sleeping in his room, that’s opposite to mine, all day, to recover from the jetlag.


Resting at home whole day, doing my work and laundry, preparing for Monday classes; went online, check my mails, and chatted with friends before went to bed.


Another day ahead….

Outside Apartment

The Guard House

The Block I'm Staying now

Inside the Lift. NO No.13

Lounge Area at Block Entrance Lifts are behind the Wall

Apartment's Living Room

Kitchen

My Room, Sharing with Manager in the Meantime

The Attached Bathroom                      The Wardrobe

Day 7 in India

The last day of my first week in India.

The weather was warmer today than the past few days, though it’s still cold. Morning gym classes were still on. Fresh juice session after that. We went to the MGF mall for lunch, with Shery and his wife, to celebrate manager’s birthday.

While waiting for everyone to come, I went to the only bookshop in the mall to have a look on books that they sell. Variety of books, mostly related to India and only a minor portion of fiction at the corner. Anyhow, the bookshop is having discount, books are much cheaper as compare to KL, even before discount, only that the quality of books are not as good as in KL. Bought a book, got a cup of hot chocolate at a local café outlet, which is just right outside of the bookshop, chilling myself with reading while waiting.


We were in the mall waiting for 2 hours before heading for lunch in another restaurant in the mall. After discussion, everyone agreed to have buffet lunch, as have more choices. All food were spicy, vegetarian or non-vegetarian food; but thank goodness they have salad. It’s days that I don’t have a taste of vegetable without any spice. Took half big plate of salad, with steam rice, butter chicken and butter cheese (looks like tau-fu, but it’s cheese) for the first round. Another half plate of salad with butter chicken in the second round to eat it with roti. We sang birthday song, have some cake. Then back to apartment.


Preparing the new schedule with manager the whole evening at home. He guided me through how to do the payroll and what to do when I’m here by myself. Have some rest before going out for classes again in the evening, and manager was leaving for somewhere else for his holidays alone.


Nothing much about the night. Shery fetched me home. Had my dinner while chatting with friends online. Watched few episodes of Merlin before going to bed.

Day 6 in India

The very first thing I did after wake up was to look outside through the room window. All I saw was thick white fog, the usual sight from the window was hidden behind the thick mist. Shery was right.


Finished morning routine, went to the living room. Manager asked how’s the weather, I opened the living room window to let him see the view. The apartment across the road was invisible in the fog, can barely see our neighbor’s balcony. After few moment of consideration, we decided that we should still go to gym to teach class instead of cancelling them.

Photos taken at 8am at home and on the way to gym

Photos taken after back at apartment around 12 noon.

Gym was quiet. Only few members around. Finished our classes. Went to Fruit Juice, having the mixed fruit juice today, India Orange mixed with India carrot, which is red in colour. It taste bit bitter, but still nice to drink. The fog started to fade out in the afternoon Sun. Weather was warm with the Sun and chill in the wind.

The Mixed Carrot Orange Juice

India RED Carrot

We went to do some grocery shopping after that at mall nearby to buy food for manager’s birthday party at home tonight. Back at apartment, prepared lunch for both of us, cleaning up the house after that for tonight. Went online to check mail and chat with friends after that. Take a short nap before going to gym for the evening classes.


The sun started to set about 6pm in winter at North India. Did my classes, done with shower, went home with Shery as manager went off early to prepare his party. Reached home, he’s on phone. I had to help him do the preparation. All set at 10pm, no one was here yet. According to manager, 10pm in India mean 11pm.


He’s right, his friends only came around that time, and I was starving. Started the party, took my dinner, and went to the room to do my work: online and chat. Stay up until 1 am local time, decided to call it a night. Got myself ready for bed, his guests were still around. Off the room’s light, good night India. See you tomorrow.

Day 5 in India

Today was the Lohri Festival, a day that full of adventure in India as well.

http://www.indiaparenting.com/indianculture/festivals/fest109.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lohri


In rained before dawn, making the weather colder in the morning than the days before. Manager did not have class this morning, which mean I have to go to the gym to teach classes by myself. I was given 2 options, drive to gym or take the rickshaw. Seeing the way how Indians drive here, I think I will leave driving to later time; and there goes my rickshaw adventure in India.

Walking out from apartment at bout 8am local time. The cold weather froze my hands immediately. Few rickshaws were waiting at the opposite of road. Chose one of them, and told the person the gym address, a known landmark in the town. 

I’m not sure whether I’m too heavy or the guy is too skinny, but he had to stand up all the time to pedal to rickshaw till we reached the gym. Poor guy. The rickshaw was moving slow, I supposed even the cows were walking faster than us. The road condition in India is bad, unless it’s the highway, holes here and there, he had to avoid the holes, therefore the rickshaw was moving all over the road, from side to center, from left to right. Cars were horning from behind before passing us, from the right, and from the left when we were in the middle of the road. I was holding to the side of the rickshaw so tight along the way, afraid of the rickshaw being knocked down by any of the cars. The scariest part, he went into the opposite lane to take the shortcut to the gym. Imagine all the cars were moving towards you, with the big lorries and buses. You really need a strong heart to handle the situation. 

It took about 20 minutes for me to reach the gym. Paid him Rs. 40, which was bout RM1.50, and went into the gym to teach classes. End of my adventure? The best yet to come.

Finished my 2 classes, shower and got everything done, time to head home. Walked out from the building and spotted a rickshaw. Stopped him, and told him the name of my apartment, Belvedere Tower. No sure if he understood what I said, he just signed me to go up, and I did. 

He started to pedal in the usual direction as I remember as the way home, thinking of him might that the U-turn at the front, not far from the mall, but he just went straight on. I thought he knew another route to go back to my apartment, so I just let him lead the way. As he pedaled further and further, it started to lead into the highway, and I started to get panic. Stopped him nearby the traffic light, and so happen that there was another rickshaw next to us, I asked the passenger about my apartment, and he directed the rickshaw guy to another way, and the rickshaw guy followed. So, I thought, good, we were back on the right direction. 

The guy continued to pedal for about 5 minutes, and stop in front of a building, a local telco tower. I almost fainted on the spot. Apparently he only knew the word TOWER. With no choice, I told him to go back to the gym, which take him another 15 minutes or so, and direction him from there back to my apartment. Thank The whole journey took me almost an hour, when my apartment was just 5 minutes of driving distance.

Back in apartment, manager was waiting there. Asked me how the first rickshaw ride was. Told him what happened, and have a good laugh. A totally new experience.

Rest at home the whole afternoon, the cold weather always made me sleepy. Take a short nap before going to gym again for another two classes in the evening. I was told that tonight we will go to Shery’s house to celebrate the Lohri Day with his family at the bon fire.

Finished our classes in the evening, done with shower, we drive and followed Shery to his place on the other side of Gurgaon. It’s bout 10pm, and the highway was started to be covered by fog. Reached Shery’s place about 20 minutes later. Was told that the double stories bungalow that he owned worth USD500,000 in India. What a rich man.

We sat around the fire, ate the sweeties prepared by his wife. They were all waiting for us to have their late dinner. After about half an hour, dinner was ready, and we were served with Roti, Butter Chicken and Spanish, typical Indian food, it tastes much better than the meal we had in one of the restaurant in the MGF Mall. After main course was the dessert, his wife prepared homemade fruit yogurt salad using cereal. It tastes really good.

 

We spent some time at Shery’s place before going home. The fog was getting thicker since we arrived, according the Shery, it will be thicker as time passed, and the next morning the fog will be so thick, that the visibility would not be more than 5 meters.

I don’t know how the weather would be tomorrow, but we were having problem driving home in the thick fog. It’s worst than driving in any heavy rain in KL. Shery guided us out until the exit of highway which was near to the gym. 

Along our way driving from Shery’s house and on the highway, the speed meter barely reach 50 kmh. We couldn’t really drive fast as the fog was so thick that it reflected the head light, and all we saw were white, in a distance of few meters only. We really have to stick our face close to the windshield to get our way, and we almost come to hit the road divider along our way home. It’s almost 12 midnight when we finally reached our apartment. It took us almost 20 minutes to drive home from the gym building.

Getting myself ready for bed, have 2 morning classes the next day. I wonder how would it be the next morning, would the fog gets really thick as Shery said it would be?

Day 2 in India

Woke up in 7.30am local time. Looking out from the  window, all I saw was fog. Temperature was about 5 degree. Freezing cold day. Manager not feeling well, have to replace him to teach the BP class instead of shadowing. Another instructor from India, Shery, came to fetch me to the club for the class. He looks bit like Tai-Ko, but he is a person with kind heart. A helpful person that lots of connections.

Did the class, with 7 members, without preparation, luckily I didn’t screw up any tracks. Looking out from gym, still thick fog out there after finish class. It was 9.40am local time. Should be a cold day again. Seated at the member lounge in gym, online, check my mail, chit chat with friends in WLM and wait for Shery to finish his class, to send me home.

Went for the Fruit Juice stall for the orange juice again. Bought the ready-cook breast chicken packages and some breads; and a lip blam for the cold weather. Back at home, heated up the chicken for brunch with manager, with the bread. Sat at home, watched TV with blanket over me, foggy weather, without any sun, was told it’s going to be lots more colder than last night. Need to get myself some sweater. Was told this weather will last longer and getting colder till mid Jan, before the weather turned warm again

Internet was down today, can’t go online, don’t know what’s wrong with the connection. Hopefully it will fine later. Resting at home, watching TV, wait for time to pass. Life in India is relaxing. Not many classes to teach in a day. More time to rest. Yet get boring easily. 


Foggy whole day till in the late evening. Definitely a cold night ahead. Went down to mini mart in the apartment area to check out what could we get. Bought lots of chocolate, with some Maggie. ^_^

Dinner. Discussion of new schedule. 17 classes a week, with few express class (30 minutes), not so busy though, as compare to KL.

11pm local time. Having mild headache, think it’s time for bed.

Day 1 in India

Touched down at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 9.40pm local time. Immigrant clearance and baggage collection took half an hour, which according to my manager, was fast. The night was foggy and the temperature was 11 degree, which made it feels like I was in Genting Highland.

Transportation was here when I came out from the airport. On the way back to the apartment in the Opel on the highway, I was told never drive in the fast lane in India as the heavy vehicles will hit from the back without stopping in your car is in their way. Driving in India with no signal is common, the only driving skill that one need is to drive through all the possible slit one can find. Every driver is a HORNIC as that is what the driver will do when drive, to sign other cars or the pedestrians.

Apartment looks nice form outside, was told it’s one the high end residential. It’s spacious inside. 4 rooms with individual bathroom. Temperature in Gurgoan was much lower, dropping to about 5-6 degree, as compared to Delhi which is more congested.

Took my shower after the quick tour in the house and set down for light late dinner. One significant scenario in India is the power supply disturbance that happens quite frequently, that one have to get used to it. It happened during my shower. Imagine the nice hot water turned into icy cold water that was nearly 5 degree suddenly, everything shrunk.

Connected to the internet after meal using my manager laptop at 1am local time, thank goodness the line was fairly fast, just that the WLM keeps disconnected. Chatted with few friends who were still awake in home country, sent out few emails to siblings and friends. That was my night of arrival.

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Woke up at 8am local time, the start of my first day in Gurgoan India. After usual morning routine, we were on our way to the Celebrity Fitness located in the JMD Regent Square. The traffic was smooth in the morning before 9am. After that the road will be jammed with the morning crowd of cars. A journey that only takes 5 minutes will turn into half an hour before reaching destination.

Have a quick tour in the gym, was introduced to the gym staffs, to get know the place and to be known by others. One good news, free WiFi connection in the gym, can online anytime with my laptop or iPhone. Went to change for my first BC class of the first day. Checked through the sound system in the studio, getting familiar with it and started the class.

Sweat for an hour with 6 members. Took my shower, grab my laptop, sat myself down at the lounge area and connected myself into the internet, while waiting for my manager to finish his class. Chatted with few friends who are concerned about me in India.

Time flies. An hour passed. Time to get disconnected and get ready for the city tour. Temperature for day time was about 12 degree, as compared to the day of my arrival which was 2 degree, the weather is considered warm. First stop was a stall at road side located at DLF Phase II section, the Fruit Juice, which sells fresh India Orange juice that was compressed by a hand-rotation machine. The taste of the juice was nice, sweet with a mild sour taste. Had 2 big glasses of it, which is about 1 litre in total.

After the fruit juice was the mall tour. Went to one of the malls in Gurgoan along MG Road, the MGF mall. It looks like the Leisure Mall in Cheras, consists of 4 levels, with local and international brand stores, with more selections of Adidas and Nike gym wears compared to KL.

Walk around with few local instructors. Went for lunch at the food court which located at the top most level, at the Arabian Nitez. We had 2 plates of grilled chicken which consist of 8 pieces of chicken each with 2 Nan-breads. Quite nice. After the meal, nature calls, my first detoxication in India after the earlier fruit juice treatment.

Spend a few more moment in the mall after meal before heading back to apartment. Second detoxication process took place. As the time approached evening, temperature started to drop. I could feel the change of temperature as start to feel colder even with jacket and track pant.  Suppose to go out for dinner in Pizza Hut, but end up staying at home eating ready-made chicken chops at home, heated with microwave. 

Almost the end of the first day in India. Getting ready for second day, BP class at 8.30am local time. Have wake up early again. Good night my friends in KL.