Did you miss me?

Yes, I've been bad again. I've had a lot to do over the last few weeks preparing for this:

I'm writing from Hyderabad, India right now. Like many companies in the US, my employer has set up some operations in India. I've been sent here to establish relationships and scope out the steps for moving some of the tasks that my team currently handles to this facility. It's not a bad thing; I'm not firing people and offshoring their job, OK? It's just that we have a lot to do, and having some of that work done here is the best way to use the resources at our disposal. Plus, I get to visit this really cool place!

It took a long time to get here. There were two flights invovled, one that was 7 hours long and the other that was 8 hours long. I did get to fly business class so it wasn't too rough, you know. But, I was eager to get out and walk around the day -- really stretch my legs -- the day after I arrived.

Everything I've read about India is true. There are hovels situated next door to nice residences and shops. There are cows in the street.
And camels, too.

There are also beggars in the street, although not as many as I had thought I'd encounter. Yesterday, I felt like a total cold-hearted bitch as I brushed off a beggar woman holding a baby. She was persistent, too. After we got in the car, she knocked on the windows and pleaded until we pulled onto the road.

On the other hand, there are lovely and delightful children here, the food is fabulous (if you like Indian food, and I do, I really, really do!), and the weather is wonderful. This is the monsoon season, but it's not raining all the time. There's a brief shower every afternoon, but other than that it's just fine. The air temp is around 80-85 degrees F, with some cool breezes. It is overcast with clouds, but that blocks out much of the brutally hot sun.

This morning, I went out early for a swim and some exercise in the pool. Then I just lounged poolside for a little while to take it all in. I'm so soaking in this experience so I can "replay" it later.

View the full photo set I took yesterday in the Charminar district here. More to come...