I'm back at the hotel after a long day at the Accenture office. It wasn't a hard day - just long. I made it through the day without feeling seriously groggy, but I can feel my body needing some sleep.
We had a very nice breakfast at the hotel. The buffet had a large selection of both western and Indian fare. I tried a little of everything; well, a little of 20% of it. I'll try the other things tomorrow.
Arun, the project manager for our team here in India, met us at the hotel to drive us to the office in a gleaming, new Honda. The ride was amazing. I have been told that traffic laws exist, but there is no evidence of that. Lane markers on the road are for decoration only. Stop lights are observed only if there is a traffic cop to enforce it. Right turns are made by just moving into traffic until oncoming vehicles stop (like the British, drivers use the left side of the road, if they are forced to choose). It's hard to believe all the people who ride motorcycles (and there are a lot) continue to live.
The office is modern, but decidedly different. There are guards posted at every elevator lobby at every floor. They inspect my temporary ID badge very carefully, even with escorts. The site itself is under construction so that the routes to the parking garage are dirt and rather treacherous. That is not different from many parts of the roads, though.
I had a late call to the US, so I ended up not having dinner. I tried to meet Laura and Arun at a local bar, but my cab driver was not a native English speaker, so when I finally realized he had taken me to the hotel, I got out. I had some cheese crackers in my room, but I'm not that hungry. I guess my North Indian lunch at the Accenture office at 2:00 lasted through most of the day. Still, it feels good to have some protein.
Posted by Rob Reid at April 27, 2004 12:12 PM