Great Dane Traveling

Happy B.Day to ME

2009-08-03T13:49:00.007+05:30

Today is my birthday..
34 is the official age now...

Yes, I do feel older... I have more wrinkles around my eyes, my thighs are not quite as firm as they used to be, my back aches when I travel and sit down too long, and young guys are suddenly looking more and more cute...

But there are also so many great things about getting older: I have friends in many places of the world that still fill my life with joy, I have a big wonderful family of Mum and Dad + Dads wife, 2 handsome brothers and a beautiful sister, 7 crazy nephews and one wonderful niece,

I am a lucky girl... I have followed my heart and it has brought me to many different places and I have met a colorful and amazing bunch of people.
I do sometimes wish life would bring me to a nice quiet base, where I could meet a fabulous man and together we could have gorgeous kids.
But for now, I will choose to enjoy all the fun, crazy, scary, wonderful, weird, overwhelming and very very different impression, life brings me in India !
I dont think this is were I will meet my prince, but then again, you never know :-)

I spent yesterday with some good friends here in Mumbai. It was fun! I am so happy that I have met people with whom I just instantly relax. It is rare to find, and I appreciate it to the fullest !

Meet Shannon, Martin, Dawn and baby-Isabel....:

How can anyone resist this rubber face...?? Isabel makes the funniest and weirdest facial expressions. Its cute, but I kinda hope she will grow out of it...

Miss long leg Shannon ! Shannon is a witty-ass homey in disguise...!

And then there is Dawn. A fun loving southern bell.. Well, she is actual from up north, but she does the best imitation of a true Miss America !

Martin is officially my new sexy Mac-doctor..! My Mac has for some weeks now, completely denied to spit out a music CD. And I have been going crazy. Martin took over, opened the whole thing up and got the CD out !
He also ... my .... But that secret is safe with me ;-)

My Happy Dance after getting the CD out of my Mac.. !!!

Dawn had her birthday a few weeks back, her daughter Enas birthday was last week (unfortunately she was not there yesterday, as she was still getting over a stomach bug) so we celebrated triple birthday, and Shannon made a yummie chocolate cake !

I need BEAUTY

2009-07-27T18:01:00.000+05:30

Big strong trees on green fields, the swaying grass on the top of a hill. Sand dunes and long wide beaches with the waves of the salty sea kissing the shore. Fresh wind and a smell of clean air. Reading a book in a swaying hammock while listening to the birds and hearing the breeze move through the old apple tree.

I sometimes ask myself why I live in a huge city where all of these things, which I love, are so distant?

I am so tired of dirt and garbage piling up and rotting on the street, shattered or unfinished houses turning grey and ugly like big sad monuments of a development out of control, the moldy smell in my cupboard that will not go away till the rainy season is over, the constant traffic noise in the exhaust filled air.

I want beauty… Someone give me beauty!

Status Report

2009-07-12T09:16:00.002+05:30

I have been really bad at writing posts on my blog lately.
That could mean 2 things:
1. There is nothing to write about
2. I haven't had the time

And luckily it is the last reason that has kept me from it. Well, I guess combined with just a general "dont really feel like writing on my blog" feeling..!

But life has been busy. In a good way
Work has taken up a lot of time. The new collections have been coming in from the buyers, and I have been busy placing them with the suppliers and making sure all is going well. I LOVE this part of my job. It is creative and fun and requires a lot of close interaction with the suppliers. So I have been traveling a lot by train, taxi and rickshaw lately.
Most expats here have a car and driver, but not me. Kind of sucks sometimes, but I get by. And actually traveling by train is the fastest way of getting around.
But it does make me tired. (I wonder if the loads and loads of diesel exhaust you breathe in while riding a rickshaw also make you tired? How much of that can one person survive in one week?)

And on top of a busy work schedule, I am actually starting to have a lot more nice socializing privately too... YEAH..!! Have been missing that so much!
Dawn, who is a fun-loving, sweet and fast-talking American, is becoming a really good friend, and we try to hang out as much as possible. Her daughter Ena, is a hyper active toddler, with the most winning laughter and personality. She makes me laugh and hanging out with her is great fun!
Shannon, American and married to Martin, Danish, is the nicest person with a great sense of humor. I am sure we are going to spend more time together too. They have the most adorable 6 month old daughter, Isabel. I completely fell in love with her last weekend. Dawn and I are planing to babysit for them soon. We might just kidnap her :-)
And then I have met some nice Danish people whom I joined for a concert with "Outlandish" at The Hard Rock Cafe in Mumbai this week. That was fun. Sweaty and hot, like life in general around here.
Will be seeing a couple of them for brunch today.

So all in all, life here in Mumbai is looking pretty sweet...!

This helps, when I do sometimes feel a little homesick. For example this weekend, when a really good friend turned 40 (Yes, you are an adult now !) and they celebrated it with lots of our friends at a garden party. I would have given SO MUCH to be there..! Unfortunately that is the downside by traveling and moving around. You have friends and people you love in other places of the world, and you just cannot be there everytime something important or fun happens.
But I was there in my mind and with my heart !

Two colleagues from Portugal are coming next week, so there is some cleaning on the program this morning, and after that off to brunch followed by hanging out at Shannon and Martins place.
Looks like it will be another day in my fabulous life !

Elephanta Island - Gharapuri

2009-06-16T08:59:00.011+05:30

This weekend I visited Elephanta Island. It is an Island app 10 km outside Mumbai. It is an old hindu temple place, beautiful caves in the mountain with carvings of Shiva and other gods.
The original Hindu name for the place is Gharapuri. There are no Elephants there (there used to be one, a huge rock carving, but the Portuguese who discovered the place took it away. It is now in a museum)

No elephants, but lots of funny little monkeys, some a little more aggressive than others, but most of them just trying to find some leftover scraps from the tourists.

They really know how to make money there. Apart from all the souvenir stalls, this was the price to get in:
Indians 10 INR
Foreigners 250 INR

Still cheap and it was worth it, we had a great day. I want to go back after the monsoon season, when it is a all green and lush.

Street Kitchen

2009-06-13T09:24:00.001+05:30

- and this is how I met my Guru

2009-06-12T08:19:00.003+05:30

Many of you might say now: you have a Guru? Well, the yoga classes I am attending and practicing was founded by a Guru called Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
So last night I went to a gathering in Mumbai, where he appeared in full glory. And being in India, how can you say no to meeting a real life Guru ?

First of all, this was supposed to be a low-key thing. But this guy is so popular and doesnt come to Mumbai very often (he is based in Bangalore at the ashram there) so people came from near and far.
It was supposed to start at 7pm. We luckily arrived at 6pm, any later we would have never gotten in to have a seat. It took place in a big auditorium in 3 levels. No chairs, just carpeted "steps" for sitting. 1st floor was already closed of when we arrived, so off to 2nd floor. Here we ended up in a pile of people trying to get in and get a seat. Somehow we managed to get in and find a small spot to sit on. (I hope I didnt step on too many people in the process) People kept trying to come in, and by the entrance it more or less looked like a rock concert out of control. I was worried that people would faint in the heat.
I am not sure how many people were there, but I guess around 2-3000. That was inside, apparently there were a lot of people outside who never got in

Around 6.30 pm a group on stage started satsang (a kind of sing-along-song) I like it, but there was still so much commotion going on with people trying to get in, so it was a little hard to enjoy.

At 7.15 Guruji arrived on stage. People went crazy!! Clapping and shouting, hopping and dancing. And he just stood there, with a gentle boyish smile and enjoyed it. He was wearing a white traditional Indian outfit, called a lungi. Had long black hair and beard. He looked just like a Guru is supposed to.
Even before he started talking, it was so funny to see him. He clearly had a great sense of humour and was pretty self-ironic about the hole thing. So even if he was sitting on a sort of throne and being completely worshiped, he still came across as modest and humble.

Anyway, once he started talking to all us followers, it was in Hindi. Well, I suppose I should not have been surprised, since it looked like I was the only foreigner there. After a few minutes he asked in English: Does everyone understand Hindi? Everyone shouted YES, except from poor little me. He asked again if there was anyone who did not understand. I raised my arm, and peoople told me to get up, so I stood up. And there I was, blond, tall and very very foreign looking. I got down pretty fast again, and Guruji said that he was sure someone would be my private translator. A girl next to me volunteered very eagerly, and she very perfectly translated the important bits of what went on.

He was there for more or less an hour. Sometimes talking, sometimes just looking around or being half in meditation while the group was singing. People were so excited and shouted questions and comments to him. Some threw flowers on the stage to him.

When it all ended, some people rushed onto stage to touch the chair he had been sitting in, and the flower arrangements on stage were completely ravaged, people wanted to bring home a piece of him, I guess. But for us, it was time to get out. And as for any gathering with lots of people, this takes time.
But one little detail was still to come, to make this a night of lots of experiences.

In India you park your shoes or sandals outside. Also to this kind of thing. And try to imagine around 3000 pairs of sandals being placed outside, more or less neatly. And then 3000 people trying to find their sandals at the same time.... No, not easy.. We actually went to a restaurant to have a bite, and then came back a little later to try our luck.
After meeting your Guru, you should off course be filled with love and compassion, but in that crowd of sweating, pushing, shouting and not very organised people, I was so close to hitting someone a couple of times... Can you imagine, some people even stepped all over the sandals, to try and find their pair.

Still have no idea how we all managed to find our pair !

I was tired when I got home. And if I now have a Guru, I dont know. Not sure I know exactly how to incorporate that thought into my western mind. But I was happy I went, it sure was an experience in many ways !

(sorry for the bad picture quality, I only brought my phone camera)

Little Miss Elephant

2009-06-05T21:01:00.006+05:30

Please tell me why I left the camera (that normally does not leave my side) at home on the day a beautiful elephant decides to come strolling down the street where I work ?

So I settled with my phone camera (which I used to love, but love is fading badly next to my new favorite toy)

Two men were traveling along with this elephant, one was riding her, the other walking in front. They stopped just opposite our office, where the elephant got a well deserved drink of water, followed by a little wash to cool down. Kids and adults gathered around and all enjoyed to watch this beautiful big animal, with her graceful movements (YES, big huge elephants are graceful ! )

I swear the "driver" asked me from his seat high above, if I wanted a ride. How stupid was I not to say YES YES YES...!

No, thank you!

2009-06-05T20:56:00.000+05:30

Somebody PLEASE tell the Indian men, that long toe nails are not charming, masculine, sexy, hot, good looking or anything that even resembles the above !

Poo post

2009-06-02T08:48:00.002+05:30

A lot of people have asked me, what do you do when there is no toilet paper on the Indian toilets?

Well people, here is the answer we have all been waiting for !

Read it and enjoy ! Dont forget the comments !
Thank you, June, for clearing up this big important question.

I am Awesome - Award

2009-06-01T09:13:00.005+05:30

I have been given the perfect reason to tell you all why I am awesome! June (the creator of the JunteLaw) has nominated me, and the price is that I get to give 7 reasons for why I am awesome. And then nominate another 7 for the award.

Here it goes.
I am awesome because:

1. I have experienced many cultures. I am not afraid of changing my path, move to another country or take on a new job when things change. I dont get scared by new surroundings or new ways of life. I embrace it and meet people on their terms. India is now the number 7 country I work in: New Zealand, Norway, Greenland, Switzerland, Portugal, USA and India. Pretty good for 33 years, right?

2. I have run my own business. I started my own clothes line, just because I wanted to. Without money or much knowledge of how to do it. Granted it didnt exactly make me rich, but I DID IT !

3. I care for my friends. Having lived in different countries can make it difficult to always stay in touch with my friends. But they are in my heart and I love them much.

4. I speak 5 foreign languages. English, German, Portuguese, French and Italian. I also know 10 sentences in Hindi, but I guess that is not quite enough to qualify for speaking a language

5. I take great photographs. Especially after getting my own new Nikon D90 I take some really good shots. And they are just going to get better.

6. I also seek to know myself better. One of the great things about life, is that you constant evolve and change. And there are always new sides to yourself to discover. I love this. It makes me understand why things happen.

7. I am a good communicator. In my job I have to communicate with quite a lot of different people. And I am good at it. People trust me and confide in me.

Phew, that wasnt easy at all...!

And now for the nominating part.
These are some of the awesome people I know and read, and the reason why I nominate them:

Christina - miss mikkelsen - she writes with her soul

Jay - ptldme - he keeps me updated about what crazy things goes on over there

Jurate - a girl from foreign - shares experiences that are similar to min

Helle - raffinemang - I love her creative mind

Linda & John - Wary Meyers - Creative, creative, creative

Shannon - Nomade Notebook - Brave lady: married a Dane and now moving to India !

Jane - you do not have a blog, but you are awesome to me and you have to be on my list! Cant wait to be a part of this new adventure in your life (baby)

Paying the price

2009-05-31T20:50:00.002+05:30

My feet are back to being fat and swollen !

I guess you cannot just run of to a cooler climate, and expect to come back to the heat without having to deal with the consequences !

Home again

2009-05-30T12:40:00.003+05:30

It is Saturday, weekend, and I am back home in my apartment in Thane, Mumbai.

I have had some great 3 weeks in Denmark with family parties, beautiful spring, girls night out, catching up with some friends, a 2 day intensive personal course. And a ton of customer meetings.

It was great to be back, but it has been some pretty happening weeks, and I have to say I am glad to be back in my own little life again. This weekend is going to be all about relaxing and settling back into my own (deeply missed) routines again.

Even though it is absolutely great to stay with my family and friends when I am home, it is pretty exhausting after a while ( in 3 weeks I stayed in 9 different places).
Whenever I go home to Denmark for a visit I promise myself not to pack my schedule too much. But when I am there, there are always so many people I want to see. This time it got quite limited since there was a lot of work and work alone made it a pretty hectic schedule. Not to forget that I landed a nasty cold the days after arriving.
And even if I know I was not able to take time out for visiting more friends (without completely destroying myself) I still feel a little guilty for not getting to see some of my great girlfriends.
I guess I am writing this because I want the people I did not see, to know that it is not that I do not want to spend time with them. I do... Very much ! But it simply is not always possible.

When you are the person "coming home" it is easily expected that you come for visits. Especially because you dont have your own place and therefore it seems logical for you to come visit. And maybe other options are not really possible either.
But try to imagine how you would feel, if you had to visit 9 different places in 3 weeks, constantly traveling around with your suitcase. And not being able to be on your own and recharge your batteries...

My dream for the future (if I keep living and working abroad) would be to have a little place of my own, where I can stay when I am home. That would make it more peaceful and friends and family could come visit me.

Anyway....

Now I am back here, my suitcase is emptied and the first 2 loads are done in the washing machine and drying on my balcony in the hot Indian breeze.
Music is playing and I feel pretty good !

Springtime in Denmark

2009-05-28T22:47:00.005+05:30

I am back in Mumbai again, after some really great weeks in Denmark.

Still not quite over jetlag and getting home late after work, there is not a lot of energy for blog writing.
But I just wanted to share these pictures of a beautiful spring in Denmark.

Off line for a bit

2009-05-16T04:33:00.003+05:30

I am in Denmark for a few weeks, work and a bit of vacation.

Will post pictures of spring colors and other pretty little things when I am back.

2009-05-02T11:25:00.004+05:30

A post on a blog I follow, written by a witty & wise Indian female soon to be living in Copenhagen with her Danish husband, told a not very flattering story of an experience with a visiting Danes narrow mindedness.

And I wondered if the same could have been said about me?

In few words, she said that foreigners, especially tourists making a quick visit, have this idea that well-of Indians (or just normal hardworking people who get a salary) should be ashamed to enjoy the pleasures in life, while there are so many hungry and poor people in life.

My first reaction was to think: What a dick ! But then I realized that I have actually been acting a little bit in tune with his ideas.
My posts are filled with the impressions of homeless and poor people, the big social difference.
But I "forget" to write about how I have a great time shopping, enjoying my luxuriously big apartment with connected gym and pool and how I had cakes and coffee at the Hyatt the other night.
All "forgotten" because it doesn't seem "right" to have these pleasures when there are so many others who cannot have it..!

Well, that is just wrong ! Off course I am allowed to enjoy all the fabulous and luxurious aspects of my life here in India.
It is not just slum and dirt here. Not at all...!
For the future I promise to blog about some of the other aspects too, so this doesn't become some "I-am-a-foreigner-in-India-but-I-am-going-to-behave-very-morally-correct-and-show-my-big-heart-to-the-people-in-need" kind of blog !

This said, here is a picture of where I live. Nice, right ?

The olden days in India

2009-05-02T09:28:00.006+05:30

A friend of mine from US sent me these pictures from India.
Without being able to claim that I know a lot of the Indian history, I like the pictures, they tell stories of a different time.

The daughter of an Indian Maharajah seated on a panther she shot, sometime during 1920s

A British man gets a pedicure from an Indian servant

The Grand Trunk Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, was the main trade route from Calcutta to Kabul

A rare view of the President's palace and the Parliament building in New Delhi

Women gather at a party in Bombay in 1910

Read below what India was as per Lord Macaulay on his statement on 2nd February 1835.
(This shocked me)

Faces

2009-04-26T22:06:00.002+05:30

Out and About

2009-04-26T20:34:00.008+05:30

Had a great day today...

I have been planning to meet with Jurate and Ranjit, since Jurate and I "found" eachother on the Indian forum of expat.com. Last weekend I had to cancel, my stomach finally surrendered to new food and hot weather !

We planned to meet in Bandra East, where they live. (Mumbai is devided into many different areas, Bandra is more or less in the center) I was happy to go there as I wanted to see something else than my own neighbourhood. And because I wanted to go on another train ride.
Getting to the station is easy with a rick. Getting the ticket is a little harder. As in any other situation where there are a lot of people here in Mumbai, you need to stand pretty firm in the line, or you will never get to the front of it.

Getting on the train was no problem, since it wasnt too crowded yet. My station, Thane, is one of the first. I decided to stand right at the door opening, so I could enjoy the scenery and some air.

IT WAS GREAT...!
But if you ever want to try it, remember that it is on the stations you have to hold on, or you will be pushed out !

I got off at Sion station and took a rick to Khalanagar. The driver was the sweetest young guy, who found it really interesting that I was taking pictures. I wish I could understand what he was trying to ask or tell me.

Jurate and Ranjit picked me up at the designated meeting point, and we went to this great little local seafood restaurant. Simple, very very tasty and cheap, it has been voted the best seafood restaurant in Mumbai. Most of the food is made through a coop of local women and the profit goes back to this coop. It was really delicious !

After lunch I got a little sightseing tour around the area. We went past the waterfront, so nice to see the ocean. That area of Mumbai is very different from where I live, more lively and less conservative. We went for a drink at a bar in the shopping area of Bandra (have to go back there one day..! )

On the way to the trainstation to drop me off, we stopped at a store that sells a lot of European foods. Nice, I got some cream cheese, marmelade, olive oil, and peanut butter.
But, when we came out after app 10 mins, the car had been towed.... :)
We found the local policestation and they directed us to the parking lot, where it was kept.
Ranjit, being Indian and knowing how to get around, managed to avoid any bribes and we got the car back for 300 rupees (app 5,5 USD)

Going back home on the train was the craziest experience ever ! Sooooo crowded, that I feared for my bag of groceries and my camera being pulled away from me. I am sure lots of the women were thinking: "Poor white woman, she has no idea what she has gotten herself into". I couldn't get a spot by the door, and just had to let myself be moved around by the crowd. But I just couldnt stop smiling, it was such a strange situation.

When traveling in rushhour traffic, make sure to take a deep breath when you enter and take it all in with a smile, or you might just get a little cranky. When the compartment gets really crowded, the women momentarily turn into little monsters while trying to get in and find a spot to stand.
And make sure you move toward the exit a station or two before you have to get off, or you might not make it in time.

After getting of and getting in a rick I was laughing to myself. Maybe mainly out of relief for getting out alive :-)

(Happy Cobber-wedding Anniversary to my sister and Henrik - not sure that it is celebrated any other place, but means they have been married for 12 1/2 years)

Addiction

2009-04-25T21:16:00.004+05:30

Just next door to our office there is this amazing store that sells delicious treats.

My newest addiction are these dried fruit "cakes". They've got different nuts and dried fruits in them and no added sugar. All natural.

And look at the beautiful box they come in..

Already finished the last two, I guess I will have to pay the store a visit again soon.

Rickshaw parade

2009-04-25T17:52:00.006+05:30

Love how each rickshaw has its own little personal touch. It can be the color of the seat, the picture of a bollywood star mounted on the inside, the animal printed vinyl covering some of the sideboards.
Or as one rick I took a ride in, a complete rock 'n roll theme.

(camera phone picture)

Wind in your hair

2009-04-25T17:44:00.002+05:30

Turn up the volume

2009-04-25T17:17:00.006+05:30

As I think I might have written before (a couple of times) I really like to go on Rickshaw rides.
But the ride today takes the price !

The rickshaw was decorated with animal printed vinyl all over, and best of all... Had a BIG build on sound system.

So when I asked "music?", I got music... loud..!

Unfortunately I only had my phone with me, and on this little film you can hardly hear the music, but it just had to be posted, as it still makes me laugh...
Just imagine a groovy Indian pop song with some heavy base rhythm.

Driver got a big tip for a great ride !

Whats so special about Denmark?

2009-04-25T07:31:00.002+05:30

My curious and sweet maid, Sonali, asked me today: What is special about Denmark?

....

"Aahh.. we have a queen... and some princes and princesses.
We have a lot of windmills."

These were my very creative and thoughtful answers, and no, I am not very proud. I could have made some elaborate answer about the Danish mentality and our famous health care system, but she might not understand, since her English is a little limited.

I challenge you, my dear readers, to please write me 3 things you think are special about Denmark.
All you foreigners reading, I would LOVE to hear your opinion too!

The difference between you and me

2009-04-22T19:51:00.004+05:30

I think I have had my defenses up pretty strong when I first arrived here.

Right from when the decision was made to come to India for work, I had a lot of thoughts about how it would be like to live in a country with so many poor people. I read a little about the cast system, and got some mixed impressions as to how much that still exists.

And living in the city it is a little hard to see exactly how much it is still present in India. But there is no doubt, it is here.

I have been brought up thinking that all people are born equal. In a country where any young man or woman have equally easy access to an education, where no one is forced to live on the street and where you go to your doctor when you are sick, without having to consider if you can afford it.
We are so privileged.

My defense guard has dropped and suddenly I feel the effect it has on me, to see homeless people every day, to personally feel how differently people are treated according to their position in society.
It brakes my heart to see the sweetest young 18 year old girl being treated as a servant, because that, and only that, is what she is. Referred to as "those people" she belongs to the group of people that do not have a lot of options and for whom it is a part of daily life to be shown disrespect.
I thought it was only uneducated people that would treat other people like this, but it is not.

I am Gori-Bai, white lady, I am called Mam or Madame and I am shown a high level of respect. What have I done to deserve this except from being white?

It is not black and white, it is not simple and I am sure I have only seen a small portion of the whole picture.

Questions ?

2009-04-22T10:55:00.003+05:30

I wonder why it is sometimes so difficult to set some boundaries with people I like...?

How do you know if it is your spoiled ego and selfishness that rule? Why is it sometimes so difficult to open the doors to other people?

What is my limit as to how much I can help and how?

Fruity Fruits

2009-04-19T13:10:00.004+05:30

I once read a book (I think it was "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini) where a boy tells about when he, in his childhood summers, would crawl up the mango trees and eat the deliciously sweet mangos.
Sounds amazing, right..?

Well, I haven't been able to climb up a mango tree, but it is mango season here now. And there are so many mangos in the stores and stalls. And they are sweet, juicy and delicious. Fruit that have been allowed to ripe on the tree in the sun, just have so much more flavor than the imported once we can buy in Denmark.

When they are really ripe, it is a little difficult to cut them, because the pulp is so soft. Not a problem, then you just suck the succulent flesh of the stone with the juice dripping down your chin. Certainly doesn't make the experience any worse.

Mango is not the only delicious fruit here. This morning I had a big bowl of fruit for breakfast: Mango, Papaya, Pineapple and Banana. Sounds good, right ?

Wary Meyers

2009-04-19T12:38:00.003+05:30

I met John and Linda when I lived in Portland, Me. for 9 months.
The nicest people, and they make real nice pizzas too.

They are artists and designers with some great ideas and projects.

Their first book "Wary Meyers Tossed & Found", about how to restore and beautify finds from yard sales, will be on the shelves in fall. I cant wait to get a copy. I have no doubt that the images, the words and the layout will be just as inspiring as the writers themselves

They have now started a blog too. Check it out for some stories and inspiration.

Different world with different traditions

2009-04-14T21:33:00.002+05:30

Last week I met a 25 year old well educated man. He told me a little about his life.

About 6 years ago he met a girl and they fell in love.
For a few years they dated. But when they wanted to get married, his parents would not accept it.
She was of a lower cast than them.
Another couple of years went by and the guy finally agreed to an arranged marriage, thinking that he would learn to love the other woman.

He got married in November.
He is still in love with the other girl and feels miserable and uncertain about his life.

The cast system has been banned, but still exists here in India, mainly in the rural areas. The lowest cast are the so called untouchables who were, when casts were still strongly defined, forced to live outside villages, not allowed to enter temples or schools and only allowed limited access to water sources.
The cast system has been compared to apartheid.

I cant help wonder what makes a modern, well educated man agree to an arranged marriage? These different traditions with lower and upper cast, arranged marriages and very strong family bonds are for me so completely foreign. I knew that some families still follow these traditions, but it was still a surprise for me to hear about it first hand.
I had absolutely no idea what to say to him. My thoughts and ideas are from such a different world and upbringing. What could I say to his situation ?

I hope he finds happiness someway or another.

Art of Living

2009-04-12T19:43:00.002+05:30

For the last 6 days I have been getting out of bed at 4.45.

I have been taking a course at "Art of Living". It is an organization based in India, but with centers in more than 100 different countries.

The course was a 6 day course, from 5.30 till 8.30 every day. We did yoga, breathing lessons and mediation.
This has always been a part of my life, but I have been more a spectator than actually participated in it. It is the first time I have actually made a deliberate choice to learn more about it.
And I have really enjoyed it. It has been an amazing way to start the day. To take time out every day to take care of your mind and body is a really good investment.
You cannot help thinking about your life and what you are doing and where you are going.

"Art of Living" was started by a guy called Sri Sri Ravishankar, who is now the Guru of "Art of living"
I guess the term Guru raises quit a lot of emotions and questions in a western mind like mine. Cult, blind following, naive people, exploitation, etc etc...
And I don't know, I haven't researched it a lot. But I have met a group of really sweet people and I believe that whenever you choose to participate in something like this, you go into it with an open and healthy sceptically mind. And you take from it whatever you can use in your life and leave the rest behind.
And if you are lucky, you meet some people and ideas that can teach you something and bring you some amazing experiences.

For me it has been a great experience, and I hope to get the chance to do another course. Until then I will incorporate a little yoga and meditation into my daily life.

New habits

2009-04-11T12:39:00.002+05:30

In India they eat with their fingers. Not fork and knife, but all 5 fingers of your right hand tucked into the rice, gravy, vegetables, meat and other nice stuff on the plate.

The first couple of times I joined in this new eating method I felt awkward. Since childhood I have learned that eating with my fingers is dirty and not polite. And I was struggling to get it all in my mouth, and not spread out over cheeks and chin.

Now I think I have learned the tricks..
1. don't be afraid to get rice and stuff up and down your fingers. If you are going to do it, dig in.
2. work the rice with the gravy and the veggies. Make it in to a sitcky bunch.
3. scoop it up with 4 fingers and use your thumb to push it into your mouth.

And you know what? It is actually pretty nice. The food just gets a little more tasty and the compulsory sucking of the fingers.. well that's just an extra bonus.

So today, at home on my own, I spared the fork and knife and enjoyed my rice with paneer and tomato sauce with my fingers. Nice.

Ladies Only

2009-04-07T09:36:00.004+05:30

Yesterday I went on my first trip with the local trains here.

Everyone had been telling me how awful and crowded it was. And if you compare the trains to what we have in Denmark, it is pretty bad. But it was an experience.

I was going with Vrushila (she works for on of our suppliers) to Crawford market in South Mumbai where they have lots of textile accessories wholesale. The trip takes around 50 mins. Sanju had bought me a first class ticket, as she wanted to avoid too much crowds. The price was app 3,5 USD (the standard ticket is app 30 cents)

We got into the compartment at just the right time. It was a "Ladies Only" first class compartment. There were 19 seats (very close) and for the rest of the app 45 women, there was no other option than to stand and wait for someone to get off. And with very very little space in 38 degrees, it really doesn't matter much that the doors are kept open during the whole ride. It is still really hot !

In the next compartment, separated from the ladies with iron bars, the men were packed in close, but some still found the time and place for a deck of cards.

During the worst rush hours, people hang out the doors and some even sit on the roof.
However crazy it sounds, I just love it. In Denmark there are so many rules and regulations and the train wont even start if the door is open.

So even if it was a hot and sweaty experience, I am definitely going soon again.

I think I will bye the cheap ticket next time...

Pigeon Poop

2009-04-05T18:57:00.003+05:30

2 pigeons had apparently decided to take a little afternoon rest in my bedroom.

They scared the s... out of me, when I walked in. One of them was sitting on my bed, the other on the floor next to my bathroom.

I have bars in front of my window to prevent birds from flying in when the window is open. I guess it doesn't help much.

One of them made a poop on my bed.

I will make sure to always close my windows when I am not at home.

My balcony

2009-04-05T16:52:00.012+05:30

My balcony has become my favorite reading spot.

In the morning I soak up the sun with coffee and my book.

In the weekends I stay there till around noon, sweating my ass off. But anything for a nice tan, right ?

In the evenings it's a little cooler, and the atmosphere is wonderful.

Want to join me for a coffee?

Home away from a home

2009-04-03T22:21:00.003+05:30

There are a lot of people living on the street in Mumbai.

It is the tough reality in a city crowded with 20 million people, more coming every day from all over the country to seek their opportunity in life.

In India, almost half of the population live below the so called global poverty line. This means they get by for less than 1,25 $ every day.
My guess is that the people on these pictures have a lot less than that.

I just spent 40 $ on curtains today and thought it was a bargain.

These people don't need any curtains.

New best friends

2009-04-03T21:16:00.001+05:30

Oh my f.ing God, it is hot here !

Driving in a rickshaw during the city in heavy traffic is absolutely no fun when the thermometer reaches 38 degrees (100 degrees in Fahrenheit).
With dust and exhaust in the air, busses passing by with only 1 feet gap oozing heat from the engine, everyone honking their horn to get home a little faster. Not the slightest cool breeze to be found.

Please try to imagine a tall blond gori-gori (white person), hair sticking to my forehead, sweat marks on front and back of shirt and skirt, and silent sweat drops trickling down my legs, constantly wiping my chin for that little puddle that keeps appearing.
I don’t blame them if they smile at me a little extra these days.

Arriving at home, a cold shower and a can of coke from the fridge are my two new very best friends.

Lesson of the day

2009-04-03T18:12:00.002+05:30

When you are tired and decide to leave the dishes for the next day, make sure to rinse them well.

If not, you will have a ton of tiny tiny ants crawling all over your kitchen table the next day !

Simple Beauty

2009-04-02T11:01:00.001+05:30

Nighttime

2009-04-01T22:40:00.000+05:30

Fresh made juice

2009-03-29T19:30:00.003+05:30

Took a Sunday evening stroll to visit the local DVD rental store.

The hours between 6pm and 9pm are buzzing with people in the streets. Shopping, chatting, snacking and strolling just like me.

The DVD store is in a shopping arcade. Not new and fancy and shiny, but pretty worn down and dirty. But the shops are alive and selling anything from stationery and saris to fruits and books.

I stopped at a stall selling different kinds of snacks and fresh made juice. Ordered a watermelon juice. The juice I got didn't have a drop of watermelon in it, but it tasted real nice.
Whether the glass and the straw was clean, I don't know. And honestly didn't care. It was so nice sitting there at the open plaza, drinking my juice and looking at people enjoying their Sunday night out.

(If my stomach rumbles and complains later, I may regret my little juice adventure)

Time to shoot

2009-03-29T17:25:00.004+05:30

New toy arriving tomorrow with special courier from Singapore.... Look out for lots and lots of images on the blog.

Bollywood Superstar

2009-03-29T13:51:00.003+05:30

Today Sanju and I got filmed in the office.

They were making small informational stories about different careers and Sanju was telling them about her career as a Merchandiser in the textile business.

I acted as a Buyer to illustrate the procedures in her job.
They will show it on TV tomorrow afternoon.

Who knows what this will lead to? You never know if some influential movie maker will be sitting in front of his TV tomorrow discovering new potential.

Bollywood, here I come....!

Rickshaw-wrist

2009-03-29T13:47:00.002+05:30

I wonder if there is a medical term for Rickshaw-Wrist? You know, like Tennis-Elbow.

I am sure holding on for dear life in the crazy Mumbai traffic, can permanently damage you wrists.

Serenity needed

2009-03-26T20:45:00.004+05:30

So, in order to be allowed to stay in my apartment, we had to get some kind of permission from the police.
Once you have the right papers, getting it is not a problem.

The problem is finding out which papers they want.
We visited the local police station 5 times, the Police Commissioner Office 3 times, and went to several other places also.

One of them was a notary, who was needed to approve a document stating that I am here, and that Sanju will make sure I behave and if I dont, she is responsible (more or less like that)

A female notary had set up her business by the side of the road next to the courthouse. 6-8 people typing out all sorts of legal papers, 3 women stamping, a couple copying and then the notary herself signing the papers in the end.

A friend of Sanjus, who has helped us in this process, told me that she started out 20 years earlier, from the back of her van. Parked it there on the street and stamped away.

I got my very important paper after a while waiting in the heat.

Then we went again to the Police Commissioners Station.
The public offices here are very worn down, dirty and not at all as what I am used to from Denmark. There were not a lot of smiles to find the first couple of times we were there, but the last time, while I was waiting, I was writing a reminder on my phone. And suddenly the 2 men who was there turned into curious schoolboys and wanted to see my phone. It was funny. I had tea with them, when the local tea guy brought the afternoon tea in a big metal pot.

After a long waiting time and with the right papers in our hands, we went to see Mr High and Mighty himself (Police Deputy Commissioner) who was sitting behind his huge desk signing papers. I couldn't help thinking about the book I just read "Shantaram" and the movie "Slumdog Millionaire". Both tell a really grim story about the police system here, about torture and terrible conditions in the jails.

After our visit I asked Sanju if things were really like that. She said: "Oh, yes..."

It made me sick to my stomach.

Please grant me that serenity...

Sheetal

2009-03-23T21:51:00.004+05:30

"Mera naam Trine hai. Main Neelkanth Palms main rahati hoo!"

My name is Trine. I live at Neelkanth Palms.

When I came home today there was an envelope for me which the guard gave me. It was from Sheetal.
Sheetal works in the clubhouse here, and I met her yesterday when I started going to the gym. She was so sweet and nice, spoke some English but not a lot. I told her that I was keen to learn some Hindi and imediately she offered to be my teacher. She told me she would translate the phraces that I wanted to learn.

During the week she works more or less the same hours as I do, so we cannot really meet. She told me we could exchange notes through the guard.
I didnt think about it today, as I thought we would meet next weekend and talk some more.

And then I get this envelope.
Inside is a page with 10 sentences, written in English and in Hindi. And a few general words and explainations of masculin and feminine words.
At the end she writes: "Sorry for any mistakes in english sentence but hindi is always right"

I am thrilled. Can you imagine a better way of learning a new language, then by meeting such a friendly person who is this eager to teach?
I cannot, and I have alreday written her a note for tomorrow with some more phraces to be translated.

Rickshaw ride

2009-03-22T19:53:00.007+05:30

At the moment I only have the camera in my phone. But actually it is quit fun to use, because people don't notice the photographer.

Rickshaw ride -2

2009-03-22T19:45:00.004+05:30

Documentation of life

2009-03-22T10:23:00.003+05:30

I have never thought of myself as a jewelry person and it is only in the last years I have stopped giving old pieces away, because I didn't use them anymore. But in the couple of little boxes I brought with me to India, there are a few of my favorites.

Today I took them all out, to organize a little. And when the are spread out here in front of me, they are like a story of my life.

- There are the necklaces and bracelets of wooden beads from when I made them myself and sold them. My first trine.n pieces in stores.

- The pearl necklace used to be my Grandmothers, and I treasure it with great affection.

- A round golden pendant with my name and and a prayer from when I was baptized.

- The rings that my first grown-up boyfriend gave me on my first birthday together, and that are now worn and faded, because they have been put away for so long.

- A necklace and some earrings, all from girlfriends who have a permanent spot in my heart.

- My Portland bracelet, that was given to me by a dear friend so I wouldn't forget the time I spent with him and others in Portland

- My beautiful broche, that I have only worn a few times, but which I bought on my first trip to New York, and that reminds me of a great trip with an amazing friend and colleague.

- And then there are the new golden and colorful bangles, bought here in India, that tingle so beautifully when worn and which I am sure I will buy a lot more of.

It is funny to look back on which jewelry I bought at certain periods of time. A few pieces I remember as being important for me to buy, because they expressed a feminine side that I was so eager to reach. Some a more tough side of me, like the bear claw and the beautifully crafted antlers and ram horns.

Now they are lying here, all expressing sides of me. Some more present and representative of who I am today. But all equally important, because they have been a part of the process.

These pieces I will never give away.
Except from maybe to a daughter.

Chicken chicken chicken

2009-03-22T09:15:00.003+05:30

I went for a walk yesterday and passed this little shop.

The local chicken butcher.

The price of fresh air

2009-03-22T09:10:00.001+05:30

Mosquito bites UNDER the feet is no joke... And on both of them !?!

I guess sleeping with my window open is a bad idea.

Falling in love

2009-03-20T21:02:00.002+05:30

It is Friday evening and I am once again sitting on my little balcony, hoping my new incense stick will keep most of the mosquitoes away.
My neighbors are cooking their Indian dishes of aromatic masalas and curries. Like every evening the air is filled with the happy voices of children playing or swimming in the pool.
A group of girls have gathered on the porch of the club house and are singing.

On my way home I watched the crowds of people moving around in slow pace, some shopping vegetables from the many street stalls, some enjoying a delicious spicy or sweet snack and chatting with friends. The rickshaws moving quickly in and out and bringing people where they need to go.

The atmosphere and the people touch me, and I am so happy to be here.

"Tike, tike.."

2009-03-20T20:48:00.004+05:30

"Ok, Mam", "Yes, Mam", "No problem, Mam" etc etc... Only once in a blue moon do you get a "No, Mam" .

I was going back from shopping the other day, and when I told the driver where to go his answer was "tike tike" - ok ok. Well, that does not necessarily mean that he even understood what I was saying . There was a look in his eyes that convinced me that he had absolutely no idea where I was going. I found another rickshaw and got home.

An Indian man I met in Copenhagen told me, that if you ask an Indian, hanging by the tips of his fingers from a 20 story building, if he can get something done for tomorrow, he will say "yes, no problem, I will make it".

This lack of realism and ability to make an appointment (and keep it) gets really frustrating sometimes. When you have spent hours waiting for a maintenance guy or delivery service, and later you are told "Tomorrow, Mam"

But over and over again, I am won over by their big bright smiles and the gentle and oh so Indian shaking of the head. And it is just impossible to be angry when faced with that.

Womanhood

2009-03-19T21:07:00.003+05:30

I am surrounded by amazing women, my neighbors.

I have now bumped into them all a couple of times in the hall, or chatted from one balcony to the other. And they are so sweet and lovely. Curious about who I am and where I am from. And so extremely eager to tell me that if there is anything I need, I can just ask.

A pretty special friend whom I once lived with, used to go and welcome any new neighbor in the building with a flower or something. What an amazing thing to do. And for me now it is such a great feeling, knowing that right next door are 3 women who are all more than willing to give me a hand or any advise I might need.

Want to get to know these ladies better, maybe a tea party one of the next weekends.

(cant believe I just wrote "tea party")

Turning pages

2009-03-18T21:45:00.003+05:30

It is sometimes a little sad when finishing a book you have really enjoyed.

I have just read the book "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts.
The story is set in Mumbai, and is a biographical tale of the authors own experiences while living 10 years in the city.
He is so vibrant, colorful and personal in his descriptions of characters, places, smells and feelings that you almost get a feeling of having been there with him.
Especially his portrait of the slum and the people living there, gives me a completely different way of experiencing it first hand now.

I am really happy to have read this book while moving here and I strongly recommend it to anyone. Getting to know Prabhaker, Didier, Johnny Cigar, Khader Khan, Karla and all of the others, is well worth 900 pages of reading, whether you are planing to move to Mumbai or not.

(luckily I have found another book by an Indian author. So far it is very promising and I cant wait to jump into bed shortly and pick it up again)

4 hours a day

2009-03-18T21:02:00.003+05:30

There is a power shortage in Mumbai. So they have decided to turn off the electricity 4 hours every day.
And 2 of those hours are from 7.30 till 9.30 am. Just around the time I normally have my morning shower. So there are 3 options:

1. Get up at 7.15 and have the shower before they turn off the power.

2. Start the day with fat eyes, and take a quick shower just before leaving for work.

3. Take a cold shower

They all have their advantages and disadvantages. I guess I will take it from day to day.

(looking out my window to the slum area, I realize I have no problem at all. I have running water, hot or cold)

Fat eyes

2009-03-18T08:09:00.002+05:30

I dont use my a.c. a lot. Only a little when I go to bed to get the room temperature down before the night. And sometimes when I wake up. Then a little cooling down can be nice while waking up.
This morning the a.c. did not respond.

Power is gone.

This also means no hot water.
So now I am sitting here with fat, sleepy eyes in front of my trusted computer, that luckily runs on battery (at least for a couple of hours).

I suppose I could take a cold shower, but it was the same yesterday morning and my hair is screaming for a proper wash.
I will give it another half hour, then: Cold shower, here I come...

Silhuet

2009-03-17T14:36:00.004+05:30

I have just added a new link to my Daily Inspiration.

"Silhuet - For meget mening til at det kan udtrykkes, for meget udtryk til at det giver mening"

It is a blog written by Louise Juhl Dalsgaard. She has a gift with words and writes the most beautiful lyrics.

- For you English speaking people, I wish I could translate but I could never do it justice !

testing my patience

2009-03-17T14:01:00.003+05:30

I have been waiting for my washing machine for a week now. Several appointments have been made, several hours have passed waiting at home for the delivery and I still have a pile of dirty clothes in my spare room.

"This is the Indian mentality" or so it is said. But what about my mentality? The efficient Scandinavian one. Doesn't that count for anything?

Not around here.

I guess I just have to learn to play by a different set of rules. And maybe that is not such a bad thing after all ?

(ok ok, I will learn, but bring me the freaking washing machine! )

The Rosegirl

2009-03-16T21:53:00.003+05:30

After visiting some suppliers today, We took a quick trip to South Mumbai, since I wanted to see some of the attractions there. We stopped by the Taj Mahal Hotel, Gateway of India, Kolaba Str and the Oberoi Hotel.

But this little girl made the biggest impression. She was selling her roses and just sitting there waiting for someone to come by.
I had not brought any money, so I asked Sanju to buy 3 of the roses. Afterward she told me that the girl had wanted 5 rupees each, but Sanju had paid 10 rupees for three.

I just wanted to run back and give her the last 5 rupees.

(10 ruppes is app 1,25 Dkk or 25 cents.)

shots from the window of the car

2009-03-16T21:46:00.002+05:30

Drop me a line

2009-03-16T10:32:00.001+05:30

Love to put my stories here on the blog, but would be so amazing if you also dropped me a line in the comments when you stop by.

two-way communication is more fun !

HOLI

2009-03-16T09:21:00.006+05:30

Last Wednesday, before I started this blog, it was HOLI festival here in India. Below was written the following day:

"That night was the beginning of the festival Holi. It is the second most important festival here in India. It celebrates the beginning of spring and is a way of asking the gods for a good harvest. It is also called festival of colors.
In the evening I went to Mrs Boss and her family’s house, people in the building made a bonfire and burned away all the bad, remaining only the good. This was symbolized with coconuts, that were thrown in the fire. After the fire had died, the shell had almost burnt away, and left the sweet roasted coconut meet for us to eat.
All the girls were so curious to know who I was, and crowded around me. When I left that evening, they invited me to come and play Holi with them the next morning….

And so I did.

Playing Holi, basically means covering each other in color, while wishing “Happy Holi” which is considered a blessing. Water is thrown, both clean, dirty and colored. And lots of loud Indian music and dancing. The newest moves from Bollywood movies are copied and everyone is having fun…

For the youngest son, Rutva, it was the first time playing Holi, he did really well..

As for me, I am proud to say I was a favoured victim, and I left soaking wet, covered in colour (of which MOST part was natural colors)
And for the part that was not natural colors, well I wonder if that is why my hair is still green today ?

It was fun, and definitely something I will never forget!

By the way, the kids call me Auntie… What you call an elderly woman !"

Mental Note: Next time playing Holi, cover your hair in some kind of oil or lotion to protect from the colors. Almost one week later, my hair is still green !

Running lizard - or something

2009-03-15T22:38:00.002+05:30

This "little" fellow has decided to move in with me... Not sure how I feel about it.

He showed up out of nowhere in my wardrobe. Anyone wants to stop over and remove him for me?
(Note - he is app 6 inches long)

It is 10.36 pm Sunday night, and I am waiting for delivery of my washing machine. They said they would be here after 5.... And after 5 it is. Latest eta is 11.30. On a Sunday ??!!?

I love curiosity

2009-03-15T17:59:00.002+05:30

"Are you American?" was the opening question.

They had been circling around the bench where I was reading for about 15 min and it was obvious that they wanted to contact me.

5 girls of around 10-12 years, all a little shy but more curious. And a couple of smiles from my side was enough to convince them that I was safe.

That I was not American might have been a little disappointing, but Denmark was also ok.
"How is Denmark?"
- Colder than here, but I like it

"Where is Denmark?"
- In Europe, close to England and Germany

"Do you live alone?"
- Yes, I live alone (this really lifted some eyebrows)

"Why ?"
- .....

"Are you not bored?"
- No, I am not bored, I am used to living alone"

"Where do you go for dinner?"
- I cook at home most days
"That is good because most foreigners eat in hotels, which is difficult because the food is so spicy"

"Why do all the people over there have different hair colour? Is it because of the climate?"
- Actually I dont know, but maybe you are right.

Etc etc etc

I told them my name, and they told me theirs. I said that I might forget the names because there are so many new names right now, so they would probably have to tell me again next time.

That was ok, they said. As long as I did not forget their faces.

The wind is always blowing

2009-03-15T17:55:00.003+05:30

Sitting in the sun on a bench below my building, I couldn't help but wonder what the next breeze will bring ?

Shopping

2009-03-15T15:55:00.002+05:30

I went shopping today.

And found the most amazing shop with lots and lots of Indian style jewelry. And they had walls covered with bangles and bracelets. Golden, silver, stones, patterns, plain and color color color..
Amazing !

Here is my find for the day, but I am definitely going back !

Colours & Energy

2009-03-15T15:38:00.002+05:30

Last night I slept in my new bed. When I arrived there was already a bed here for me, but it was too short.... My feet were sticking out at the end. Hmm.. So a new bed was made, and delivered yesterday.

Strongly inspired by the most colorful Miss Birgitte I know, I shopped for colors when buying bed sheets. And I absolutely love it. I love my bedroom.

Friday a man called Aashok, who owns one of the factories we work with, and who is also becoming a friend of Mrs Boss, was here. When he saw my bedroom (before new bed and colours) he said "make sure only to open the part of your window that faces the south. And only a little"
I asked him why, and he said that there was a lot of good energy in this room, and that it would disappear out the window if I opened to the west and too much. On the other hand he said to keep the windows in my living room (they face east) wide open. Here the energy would enter.
Hmm.. I love to have all windows wide open and let the breeze come through, so I was a little hesitant.
When I first came, my bed had actually been made up in another bedroom. And my immediate instinct was to move to my current room. Aashok said that in every house there is a room where the power and the control lies. Here it is in my bedroom. So he laughed when I told him that I changed and he said "that's because you want power".

My bedroom is wonderful and the breeze is nice and fresh through the hole apartment (even if the windows in the bedroom are only a little open to the south :-) )

This is my amazing new bedspread.

Sounds through my window

2009-03-14T23:16:00.004+05:30

Women chanting, bells ringing, someone shouting, children laughing, dogs barking, swings squeaking. The melody of sounds that come through my window on a hot humid night.

Yellow and Black on 3 wheels

2009-03-14T18:01:00.004+05:30

Taking the auto rickshaw is my new favorite hobby.

You are what you eat

2009-03-14T10:41:00.000+05:30

I am not a Corn Flakes with Banana flavor kinda person.

Pool Dilemma

2009-03-14T09:55:00.000+05:30

While waiting for things to clear reg my residency here in the building, I am keeping a jealous eye on people swimming in the cool pool. And most of them are kids and men. Only today have a seen a woman, and she is wearing a full bodysuit… I suppose my little purple bikini is out of the question? How are you supposed to know these things? And who do you ask to learn about it? Mrs Boss might say that I should only swim if there are other women, and wear the same as they are wearing. But someone else would probably say not to care. And how do I feel? I guess somewhere in between. I don’t want to offend anyone, but can it really be true that I need to wear an armor to go swimming? Hmm, maybe the local mall sells sexy purple armors.

Warm and sticky

2009-03-14T00:34:00.004+05:30

Note for tomorrow:

Remove plastic cover on chairs. It may protect them from the dirt, but in a humid hot night, they stick to my thighs like flies to the flypaper.

Mumbai - First Impressions

2009-03-14T00:29:00.006+05:30

(Sunday the 8th of March, day 2 in Mumbai)
Heat, dust and the smell… These are the first impressions you get, when you walk out of the airplane in Mumbai. It is not nearly as bad as I had imagined by the descriptions, it is like a mix of spices, dirt, exhaust and people. But when you drive through the city, you come across places where the smell is less of spices and more of garbage and human waist.

Sitting here in my apartment with the windows wide open, the smells are more of masala, coriander, curry and many other delicious spices. It is Sunday, and it is lunchtime.The apartment is great, little furniture but lots of space for me and visitors. It is a fenced apartment block, feels strange to drive past gate and guards to your own home. In the garden with palm trees and grass, there is a pool area and a clubhouse with gym. From my window in my living room I can follow the life of children laughing and swimming in the pool, women crying out for them and the sound of traffic in the distance.

The window of my bedroom is on the other side of the building. The view is different here. Here is the slum area. Not the worst kind, at least here the houses are built of brick. But they are small and crooked and there is not much space to move around. But still the sounds of music and the voices of people sends out a nice atmosphere. During the night you can see the lights in the small narrow streets and from the open doors.

Sonali, the girl who comes to clean my home, lives there with her family. She is a sweet and smiley 17 year old girl, who speaks very little english. I am trying to learn a little Marathi, so we can communicate. I wish I could see her world. I dont think I can even imagine what it looks and feels like. Yesterday she wore new sandals, and was so proud.

There are lots of things for me to learn here. It is so different.

Why this Blog ?

2009-03-13T22:04:00.010+05:30

When moving around and living in different places around the world, it is always a challenge to stay in touch and let people know what you are doing, and how you are doing.

When in New Zealand in 1994-95 there was no internet and phone calls where expensive. The odd letter would find its way back and forward to Denmark, and I dont think I ever considered that it could be any different. Norway in 1995-96 was work work work. Greenland in 1999-2000 brought great stories of sledge dogs, darkness, northern light and the wide open space which were sent in emails back home to Denmark.
For a brief period of time in Switzerland in 2000, the emails were of climbing and hiking, but the important thoughts and feelings were mainly kept deep inside, afraid to see the light of day.
When I arrived in Portugal in 2003-04, I did not understand a word of Portuguese, so the discovery of messenger and long talks in the evening and night, gave me the chance to express my thoughts.
And then there was Portland, ME USA. Never have I been outside of Denmark and felt so at home and so quickly met people with whom I could easily share my thoughts and ideas. And the need to communicate with people far away was not so strong.

Now I am in India. More precisely in Thane, Mumbai. And what a different world it is. There are constantly new impressions that want to be put into words and that I want someone to hear.
But then along the way every adventure turns into everyday life. Not any less exciting and interesting, just more known and familiar. And it seems that the letters to friends and family become less and less.
But the impressions are still there. And they still want to be put into words.

My thoughts and ideas, my doubts and joys, will be portrayed in this blog, for friends and family and anyone else who should stumble by.

I hope you will enjoy.

Thanks to Jay Jay Fabulous

2009-03-13T22:00:00.007+05:30

Jay suggested creating a blog. And so I did.
Check out his cool blog about Portland ME