The adventure continues

I arrived at the airport in St. Petersburg on Sunday to be told that my flight to Frankfurt was delayed for three hours. This meant that I would never make my connection to India, and without a visa to get into Germany, also meant a 24 hour stay at the airport. Not a pleasant thought. Luckily I managed to get onto an earlier flight but they wouldn't check me in for my flight to India. We landed 45 minutes prior to my next departure and I rushed through security and from one terminal to the other, arriving at the gate 20 minutes prior and I wasn't turned away. And then I realised that I had left my book on the plane. I'm busy reading Shantaram. It's a fantastic book and gives you an incredible insight into India and every day life.

I arrived in Pune, or Poona, depending on who you ask, at 4am and found myself in a very quiet airport with only a handful of people milling about. This was not the India I expected. I had been warned about pickpockets and hordes of people that would welcome me. The drive to the hotel was uneventful and quiet and the hotel itself is neat. India is not unlike any African country, like Uganda, Kena or Tanzania. And I've spent a lot of time travelling through Africa.

India is magical, it has a charm to it and the people are kind and friendly. The traffic is fantastic, it amazes me how the cars, bikes, scooters and people maneuveur themselves around eachother with a sense of order that can only be understood by those that live here.

I've been a little over the top about the food. In Africa, or Thailand for that matter, I have never worried too much about getting sick but I have heard so many stories about India that I am being overly cautious. I brought a box of snack bars and have only eaten those since I arrived, and have had the sum of two cups of coffee. I keep on wanting to open the bottle of mineral water, or a sprite in the fridge but I'm just not prepared to suffer the consequences, especially with a 20 hour flight home ahead of me. It's a pity because I love spicy Indian food. I think next time I'll be more adventurous.

Unfortunately, as is always true of most of my business trips, I won't get much time to explore. So I think I'll just have to come back.

Total exhaustion

Russia is amazing. The people fascinate me, in the same room you have the most beautifully dressed woman right next to someone that looks like she lives in the 20s. The same holds true for the cars, new, old and "oh my god, that thing still goes?" all on the same street.

The Russians have a fantastic tradition. At dinner you toast, constantly. Each time you do this over a shot of vodka and you have to drink the entire glass. So a meal lasts for hours, and comprises countless toasts to whatever or whomever you like. There are two rules, the third toast is always to the women, and one other, I think the seventh, to people that are not with you; be it friends, colleagues or family.

I'm used to presenting, I do it all the time. What I'm not used to, is presenting to a group of people that don't speak English and require the services of a translator. Part of me felt like I was addressing the security council of the UN. But then I'd need an interesting name like Hanky Cheescake. So I've spent most of the day with earphones on or off my head and a mic clasped in my hand in an attempt to speak very very very s l o w l y, listening at the same time to the interpreters to make sure they are keeping up with me, or me with them.

And now it's time to go to dinner, to drink and toast.

Wish you were here.

Not even a week gone, and Im outta here

Ok Im not really leaving.....my first week in Toronto has been fantastic. Im still wearing a tee-shirt in the mornings when I go down to Starbucks for my non-pretentious Cappucino. Lisa has informed me that in order to become pretentious, I need to order a Venti, Low-fat, Splenda-in, Extra shot espresso, Wet, Cappucino, to go.

But I do have to leave. Im going to Russia tonight for a few days and then to India. We have a big project start-up meeting in Saint Petersburg this weekend and then I am visiting our office in Pune, India.

I am coming back though - next Thursday and the good thing about this is that it makes the wait for Keith and the dogs that much shorter. We webcammed today and I spoke to the dogs, Troy watched me on the screen and Jessie just knocked the webcam over!

Ill be in touch

First visit to the ER

I got bitten by a dog yesterday. Nothing too serious and it wasn't her fault. We were having coffee in Yorkville and she got a little freaked when her dad went inside and she pulled out of her collar and ran off. I was so worried she would get hurt and ran after her into the traffic which had luckily stopped for a red light. I grabbed her, trying to stop her and she obviously thought I was going to hurt her and bit me. Then she ran off again. She was hiding behind a car when I got to her and a lady stood with her while I fetched her dad. Then I noticed that my hand was bleeding.

So off we went to find a medical centre. The one I ended up at was closed so I took the subway to the nearest hospital and presented myself at the ER. I got signed in and then started the wait. It wasn't too bad, the hospital was clean, people were friendly and nobody asked me if I had insurance or where I was from. They just put me in line to treat me. First I saw a nurse who gave me a tetanus shot and cleaned up my hand. The a doctor who gave me some anti-biotics. Four hours later I was home.

I have a green hospital card from St. Michaels. Im in the system now.

Getting settled

So yesterday was my first day in Toronto, and there were things that I needed to do. A few months ago, my friend Daniel gave me the name of someone at the bank. Till now, everyone has told me how difficult it is to get credit in a new country and that nobody would give me access to a line of credit and that it would take my a year before anyone started looking at me seriously. So I thought I would be proactive and I emailed the guy at the bank. And so we started the process of me sending him paperwork, and him asking me questions. When I told him I was coming he asked me to come to the bank and met with him.

I went out for dinner last night and everyone laughed when I told them which branch I schlepped to. They said that between my home and the branch, there were probably a thousand other branches that I could have visited. Here's why. I arrived a little early and walked into a small branch of the Royal Bank of Canada in a suburban street north of downtown Toronto. There were no glass partitions, security doors or guards like there are in South Africa. A lady came up to me to ask if she could help and I told her who I was. It was like something out of a movie, the next thing the bank manager was grinning at me and shaking my hand, introducing me to everyone who walked past, offering me coffee and something to eat and telling me all about his family and which clients at the bank also work in the medical field. I went from office to office and slowly met everyone. At the end of my three hour visit I had an unsecured credit card, a personal checking acccount, cheques, a debit card, a pre-approved mortgage and a personal and business banker. The bank manager then called me a cab and escorted me outside. I guess it helped to email ahead.

I then went downtown to the Canada Service Centre to apply for a social insurance number (SIN). It took me all of 15 minutes. Next was a cellphone and a local number and voila, I'm part of a city that works.

Now all I need is for Keith and the dogs to arrive.

Time to seriously blog

I left South Africa last night. For over 8 years I have talked about leaving South Africa and going to live in Canada. Once I got close, but mostly it's just been talk and my friends know that. Until now. I surprised even myself.

I left South Africa last night. The last few weeks have been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I never expected how much goes into closing up a 34,75 year old life, and attempting to start another one. The internet is an amazing resource, how did people do it before? How did they know to apply for confirmation of driver's license without the 100-point list on sacanada.org? Saying goodbye was harder than I ever thought.

I left South Africa last night. Before I left I decided to extend the tattoo on my arm. Trust Lawrence to do it at the last minute. It's not like I didn't have four lists, categorised, and incomplete. I had to get another tattoo. When I arrived at the artist on Tuesday morning to fill in the areas that had been outlined there was no power! So I went to another artist and asked him to do the job and he agreed. Halfway through the power went out. Luckily I had half a day left and we finished the tattoo. How appropriate that it was load-shedding that first had me make my mind up, and load-shedding that left a last impression on me.

I left South Africa last night. I lay awake on the plane wondering if this really is the right thing to do. It is better to leave, for all the reasons that I am leaving, or to stay? Is it worth being so far away from the people that you love, really love?

I'll let you know in a little while.

I live in Canada now.