Incredible India!!!!!

New pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/chadgriggs

After arriving in Jordan an hour or so late from my flight from Cairo I rushed to rent a car. I was able to get a car and get into the city in record time. Although shortly there after my car was leaning towards one side and ended up getting a flat tire. This was interesting not only because I was on a very tight schedule but also because I had never changed a flat. Surprised at what I had remembered as amazing Jordanian hospitality, the little stand selling fruit or at least the two guys that worked there had no interest in helping me out, rather point to the end of the street and to the right that must have been a tire shop. Anyways, in less that 10 minutes I am proud to say I had the tire changed and ready to go.

It was amazing being in the city and exploring all that felt like a little piece of home that I had left several months back. After spending so much time in Egypt now I was struck with the better way of life people in general are accustomed to in Jordan. I guess in the end it is no different than that of the United States compared with Mexico, not to say there are those from both countries that aren’t enjoying the finer things of life. Which brings me to the question of Egypt’s prime resource that everyone talks about is the 75 million people that make up the country this young large population one in which Jordan has little in comparison. Which makes me ask the question now sitting in India how do you take full advantage of this resource of human capital. Is it simply empowering the people, or what is it that will take Egypt to that next level. In my role as international business analyst for Asia Business Channel I guess that is a lot of the question that has been presented to me in a way one in which I look forward to looking into deeper in my travels throughout India and as I return in a week’s time to Jordan then back to Egypt.

Anyways, back to Jordan I was able to do my worldwide trip throughout the capital of Amman and see everything and catch up on everything that I wanted to although some of my favorite people were not there, Francisco has gone back to Italy, and Basel just happens to be headed to Egypt on the same day that I was going to be passing through Jordan, what are the odds.

My flight to Bombay was with Royal Jordanian, another symbol of Jordan’s success a truly world class airlines that has recently become a part of the one world group and was on a brand new plane. The flight was half empty and I was lucky enough to be in exit row with no one else sitting to the left or right of me so I had more room then if I were in First class.

My flight arrived early in the morning, 4:45am on time. I step off of the plane and am immediately reminded that I am now in India. What does this mean to you reading this I wonder…..Some may go to the bad the heat, the unknown, the surprise, the poverty that some think of…. No to be what made me realize that I was back in India was the amazing amount of people everywhere, and I am just talking about being in immigration. It was like a small little world if you will, mostly Indians, but a small parcel of all different nationalities and of course as I look to my left a Chinese flight crew of about 20 stewardesses and the 4 pilots. Reminding me that India and China are a force to be reckoned with now and in the future weather we like it or not.

As soon as I pass through customs and get my bag, each of which are scanned by customs as we exit the airport. And of course I am greeted by a driver and butler with a big sign with Hyatt and Mr. Griggs. The car was steps away and just a short drive to the Hyatt Regency Hotel http://mumbai.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp . The hotel is very new and modern, as I got there at about 6am I was really tired and told them to be sure and wake me up if Ammo called and I was still sleeping. I didn’t sleet but until noon as if I felt I hadn’t slept at all on the 6 hour flight. The drive from the hotel to Ammo’s apartment is about 45 minutes to the heart of the city right on the coast with amazing views of the water crashing up against the shores. We meet up with his friend from college who was back in town for my first chance of a great Indian meal which I had been looking forward to ever since I had left on the MV explorer over a year before.

I let them take the lead in ordering and so they did, I think we had not only our table but the table next to us covered in food, every dish you could imagine and it was amazing both the veg and non veg as they call it dishes.

As Bombay by and large is not a tourist destination as I came to learn, it is more of a business center, or a LA of India if you will. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the city and then in the evening we went to the roof top of the Intercontinental hotel which is a short distance from the apartment. It has a great view of the bay and surprisingly enough we ran into two of Ammos friends who had been in Padre with us over Spring Break about a year ago.

The next day we explored the city and then headed to the hotel to enjoy the Spa. Once we arrived one of Ammo’s cousins had the presidential suite so we went up there to explore. It was massive with several bedrooms, living rooms and the likes. The Spa was first class, I had a deep tissue massage that was great for getting all of the kinks out of my back from the flight and general stress from work. Complete with a rose petal bath, and then the Jacuzzi and work out facilities. It for sure ranked up there with the best massage I had ever had. We stayed in the apartment for dinner, having his cooks fix a traditional Indian meal for us.

The next couple of days were filled with spicy Indian breakfasts (a real change from the cereal and toast) upon completing my first Indian breakfast I came to realize that the way I would describe the difference between real Indian cuisine and American food. Is that Indian food is all about the flavors, general a little spicy to really spicy depending on how you tell them to prepare it compared to the American quantity of food…. This is of course different if my mother is cooking which has both…..I love you mom!!!!

One of the nights I think it is note worthy to say that we had dinner and drinks at the Taj hotel, one of the most famous hotel chains in India. Very refined and traditional Indian hospitality, with great service.

Today I spent the day exploring the city, Ammo got one of the drivers from the hotel to pick me up and show me around town. We started out with a stop at the Gate of India which was built for when the Queen and King of England first visited India. We also went to the historical sites and buildings including the House where Gandhi stayed at when he lived here. Kind of interesting to see, but reminded me a lot of the Ann Frank house in Amsterdam, just a random big house in a neighborhood. One of the more interesting things is the washing area as they call it. It is a huge area outside that have cement water holders kind of like an endless array of small pools where there are men banging clothes, sheets and towels on the cement and washing them.

Well, I better run. We are flying to Goa tomorrow. It is a beach town off the Western coast just South of Bombay so I am looking forwarding to spending the next couple of nights there. I will do a full review of my trip once I am back.

Chad