21.8.2010 von Jean Jacques.

OK, India is a mess. There is no question about that.

No infrastructure at all to start with and it is falling apart.However hard you try not to, you cannot avoid stumbling across the misery which is present everywhere.

On the other hand, the people are great, the food is excellent and if you can retire to a little peace of heaven like a 5 star hotel once in a while, it is a great place.

I was there on business. Not my first trip to India, but my first one in Delhi, which to my mind, is a step up on Mumbai. Despite the fact that there is a clear “Bollywood” influence in Mumbai which can be felt in the scene and going out places.

On business does not mean you always have to work at the weekend, and when in Delhi, one must do the so-called Golden Triangle and visit the town of Agra (where the Taj Mahal is) and the town of Jaipur famous for its old forts and a few other things.

How to get there? Plane is an option of course and probably quicker. Although the distances are around 250 km for each leg, with the state of the roads (I actually would not call them roads and believe a new word should be invented for the succession of pot holes mascarading as an un-identifiable thoroughfare) the expected average speed by car is in the low 50s (and I do not mean miles) . This is however how I decided to do it. At least one can see some of the countryside on the way.

Might as well do it the right way too. So a chauffeur was hired and a Toyota Novali (never heard of them before).

I was hoping to be able to get some sleep on the way, but it is basically impossible. One jumps from one pothole to the other. Once in a while there is a stretch of a few kilometers where one can accelerate to 80km. But that is only theory. You can try but the pre-condition is that you beep your horn all the way to warm all the trucks, who all drive on the fast lane (fast lane makes me laugh) and other vehicles (some of which do not have a name in the english language) that you are coming and wanting to pass.

It works once in a while and you can relax for a few minutes. Again, that is theory, because as a rule you will come up face to face with a cow who is strolling along, completely oblivious to the danger it is exposed to, or lying down in the middle of the road. And of course being India they have absolute priority due to their holy status. Mind you, I do not know what is better, a cow or an elephant…

In any case your progress is very slow, bumpy with non stop braking and accelerating jerks. To top it all, there are 2,500,314 horns (both the Bovidea variety and the ones found on vehicles) blaring out all the time all around you.

All still acceptable, till it starts raining. The usual heavy monsoon downpours. Then you cannot see anything anymore. You cannot slow down as you are already traveling at snail pace and any touch to the break pedal would mean an instant stop.

But eventually you make it. And it is well worth it in the case of the Taj Mahal for instance.

Did I forget to mention the odd camel and the 1.789.111 stray dogs and monkeys as additional hazards on the roads?

You have to go to the Taj very early, sun rise is the best time for the light and before the crowds arrive. They get more than 3 million visitors a year. That raises another question… The entry fee and the fact that those visitors will more than likely spend one or two nights at the hotel means that there is undoubtebly revenues being made. I wonder who pockets it all, because Agra like any other town is crumbling down slowly but surely.

The hotel I was in round the corner was certainly more than pleasant and I could have stayed there a couple of nights.

(Photos to come)

But there are only 2 days at the weekend, so after a bit of souvenir shopping (marble of course and it is heavy but the baggage allowance in business class allows for that), it is back in the car for the 250 back-braking kilometers to Jaipur. Some interesting views, but then again typical, coming out of town.

Late afternnon arrival, another very nice hotel although I would not like to step out of the hotel compound on foot. I did not either.

(Photos to come)

Quite a few things to look at in and around Jaipur and it nice to have a driver who knows his way round and had prepared a little tour for you.

By the way, that  perticular Sunday being the Indian National Day (Independance Day from the British) it is declared as a “dry day”… No alchool to be had. Is that a reaction maybe to the drunken Brits ruling in those days. I wonder…

A moment of panic there. No Gin & Tonic for aperitif? Fortunately that does not really apply to foreigners as long as you are prepared to give your passport number and fill up a form when ordering your drinks. That attracted a few black looks from the locals. I suppose I could have invited them to my table, but my expense account probably would not stretch that much, and believe me there are a lot of people in India.

Will I go back to India? I think the answer is YES of course. So much more to see and experience. Apart from that from a business point of view I am scheduled to go in the second half of October, after the Commonwealth Games. The current saga is worth following. Only 30 or so days to go and it is a mess. Nothing appears to be ready, the town’s - New Delhi - planned face lift is basically just a mud bath. Once again as it appears to be the rule in India, corruption is prevailing. God knows where the money is ending up. The governement is appointing one committee after the other as watchdog to the comitte which was appointed the previous day. At least this is how it appears to me after reading the local press in the past couple of weeks.

Anyway, yes I will go back and this time I am going for cricket. I have rarely seen a nation so devoted to it. Some international matches are scheduled India v Australia, but what I am interested in, is the local league.

All I can say is: Incredible India

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27.6.2010 von Jean Jacques.

I guess that many European friends were as shocked as much as I was that there were only a few weeks left before my departure from Shanghai. As a result, there was a last minute rush of visitors. I did not mind at all.

It gave the opportunity to play the tourist in China and Shanghai. An added bonus was, that some were still around for the final goodbye aperitifs and parties. Like if I needed encouragement to have even more to drink.

There are must things any first time visitor in Shanghai must indulge into.

Rest to follow

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5.3.2010 von Jean Jacques.

 Or was it Wednesday??? Hard to remember. Pastis, Wine, Calvados, Champagne flowed in large quantities…

Went to Graffiti on Changle Road. Had not been there in a long long time. Pastis, Wine, Calvados, Champagne were consumed in large quantities…

Good fun was had by all, even Philippe who some unknown reason had to have a ride in a Porsche…

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23.2.2010 von Jean Jacques.

At least for most of us here in China. There are of course a couple of friends still enjoying it in the Maldives (this is for you Theodora) or in France (Philippe and co).

I guess it is not too late to wish everyone a Happy New Year of the Tiger…

Like most “expats”, I escaped the mainland for 1 week’s rest in Thailand. Phuket to be precise. Not my first time there of course but always an enjoyable experience. This time no laptop, no disturbance from work. I was really able to relax.

Typical day: Stopping for a cup of coffee on the way to the pool

spend the morning reading under palm trees …

A couple of beers at lunch time with a snack

Back to the pool in the afternoon

Early evening stroll in the sunset…

Find a pleasant little restaurant for a small dinner

early to bed

A real needed break…

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5.1.2010 von Jean Jacques.

Off to Oscar’s.

Might have to try a couple of their whiskys…

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21.12.2009 von Jean Jacques.

Not quite the weather I was expecting but it fits the season perfectly. Beginning to have this xmas feeling… Settling in back home slowly…

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6.12.2009 von Jean Jacques.

Came back yesterday from a week in Singapore. Work of course but the schedule allowed for a little bit of time off.

Stayed at the Shangri La on Orange Grove. Not a bad hotel at all…

Obviously a lot of money around in Singapore judging by the constant stream of super cars …

It is always a bit weird for me to see xmas decorations by almost 30 degrees temperature and it is winter in Singapore. As they say, there are 3 seasons there… Hot, Hotter and Hottest. In any case the town is in full xmas swing…

Made it to the Singapore Flyer which being the largest observation wheel in the world is quite cool…

Quite an impressive construction…

with great views all around…

Next on the list Sentosa Island … with enough time for a couple of rides…

Some good views from there too…

It was also good to be back at Raffles for a couple of Gin and Tonics in the Long bar…

I did some work as well. Promise…

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