40,000 feet above Poland

Well, finally back en route to home - do I really want to keep doing this? Night upon night in hotel rooms in countries I wouldn't choose to visit if I was paid to. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy travelling, just not for work and without those I love. I think it's probably time for me to rethink what I'm doing - perhaps something with less travel, more pay? We'll see...

Anyway, I'm in the World Traveller Plus cabin and the flight is pretty good. Two movies down, two meals down and an hour or so from landing.

All good...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone 4

Location:711 miles from London

Finally

I get an upgrade! At long last and approximately 200,000 combined airmiles, I have just officially been upgraded to World Traveller Plus! OK - I know it's not exactly First but it will make the flight home MUCH more enjoyable.

I'm just sitting in the Kingfisher First Lounge in Delhi and it's pretty cool actually. Lots if modem furnishing, decent coffee and (at last) free wi-fi...

After having curry solid for the last four days I'm looking forward to something non-spicy. Only problem is we're going out with some friends tonight for...an Indian!


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Location:IGI T3 Rd,New Delhi,India

Indian Mission Statements

There must be a blog somewhere that captures Indian mission statements and the roadsigns. For example, to try and get some lane discipline:

Keep sane - stay in lane
Use your brain - stay in lane

The above picture was taken from a fast food restaurant!


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Back in India

Arrived into Delhi last night for a week in India. I'm staying at the IBIS Gurgaon again which is where I stayed the first time I came out here. Hotel hasn't changed but the surroundings have - it's much more developed now and even has a KFC next door.

Have to say that the wildlife hasn't altered much...

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Location:DLF Golf Course Rd,,India

Mumbai contrasts

I was trying to find sme pictures that show the true contrast in Mumbai - the old vs the new but couldn't find anything that really summed it up. This is probably the best I can get. The slums are literally everywhere, you don't have to go looking for them, they're at the side of the street, they're outside the hotel, they even encircle the airport...

Free Weekend

So, today is Saturday and I have a couple of free days...problem is I've nothing to do...

Mumbai is not really the sort of place where you can just go and have a wander around. It's too busy, the sights are spread out and its raining anyway. Therefore, its going to be a day of blogging, watching TV and a couple of movies perhaps, coupled with an hour or two in the gym.

Yesterday we were out at a couple of customers. What never ceases to amaze me is just how long it takes to get anywhere here. A couple of miles can literally take you a few hours - the traffic is just intense, there is no way I would ever drive here. What made it worse yesterday was the ending of the festival of Ganesh. A great sight but it makes Mumbai travel all the more difficult!

I still find it hard to accept the contrast here, you can have a brand new building on one side of the street and a fully-fledged slum on the other. To a Western mind its hard to stomach...

Last night I ate at the Italian at the hotel, Stella restaurant. Was excellent food, albeit a little pricy, particularly the wine. You cannot get a glass of red for below 700 INR (around £9). They had a great wine list as well...

Rush job

This made me laugh...its the baggage tag from my delayed case...note the "Rush" request...

The Leela Kempinski

A few more pics of the hotel.

Half of the buffet in Citrus restaurant, the choice is amazing...

The outdoor pool...


The (very) well equipped gym...


The hotel lobby...


The Jamavar restaurant...



...blogged from my iPhone

Location:Mathuradas Vasanji Rd,,India

Spoke too soon...

So, I arrived in Mumbai early this morning, around 01:00, however my luggage unfortunately did not. To be fair it was pretty much expected...a 15 minute dash for me to make the connection meant there was pretty much zero chance of my suitcase making it...

One thing that does annoy me though is that after I had waited the hour and a half for all the baggage to be unloaded and went to ask the baggage handlers what was happening, they already knew my bag would not be there! Why don't they tell you that before you wait for that length of time!

Anyway, a few forms later, 3000INR in hand I left the airport and headed for the hotel. Luckily, the hotel is within 5 minutes of the airport. I'm staying at the Leela Kempinski and it is a very nice hotel.

Today has been a day of just hanging around really. I can't go out and do visits as I only have the clothes I arrived in, well plus what I could find at the local shop (not much). I'm told the bag should arrive overnight and be with me tomorrow...fingers crossed...

In the meantime, I'm debating what to have to eat tonight, the hotel has a Chinese, Indian, Italian and general restaurant...

On the road to Mumbai

I'm currently just flying over Athens en route to Mumbai. An interesting journey so far, I got a Lufthansa flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt which should have given me an hour and fifteen minutes layover before the connection to Mumbai. Unfortunately the flight was over an hour delayed leaving Heathrow which mean I arrived in frankfurt with less than fifteen minutes to spare. An absolute mad dash through the airport and I made it on ti the flight with 2 minutes to spare... Quite a dash I must say...

Anyway all ok so far. A little disappointed with the 747 we're in. I can't remember the last time I went long-haul with overhead screens? Still, plenty of reading and viewing material to indulge plus a glass of red I'm my hand...and relax....

...blogged from my iPhone