On Tuesday, September 15, 1998 we both traveled again to India for consulting service to a new mushroom company in Pune,
A business man from Connecticut had begged us to go there and help them out. They even paid us up front and booked our flights in business class.
So we caved in and went another time to India... On KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Amsterdam in seats 15 A+B.
On Wednesday, September 16, we landed ahead of schedule at 6:50 in Amsterdam. With our telephone card we did call Mom, Dad seldom came to the phone.
Pieter called with his brother Thé and around 10:45 we continued with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Mumbai. The time difference with The Netherlands is 3.5 hours and the flight takes some 8 hours.
We were one of the first passengers to be outside at 23:20 (again only carry on!) but after some 20 minutes there still was nobody!
With my sharp hearing, I just picked up the name "Vedder" and walked towards the person and said: "I back your pardon, did you mention the name Vedder?". It was our person, without name shield and his driver stood behind the masses of people. They just got there too late, due to a party...
We got dropped off at the Iskcon Ashram temple where his family was a life patron and thus had access to two rooms...
ISKCON Temple in Mumbai famous for its HARE KRISHNA
There was in 1998 in our room, NO SHOWER and it did not smell clean either.
Thursday, September 17, by 1:00 we each were in the rather short twin beds, with our feet sticking out. Our own goose down travel pillow helped for having some more comfort!
By 4:00 they started waking up everyone for prayers... by means of an instrument that sounded like elephants trumpeting. NOT pleasant to wake up to after only 3 hours on the mattress!
The monks started chanting...
By 6:00 we went with our person to the Rail Road Station.
Train ride to Pune got cancelled due to heavy rain and tracks being under water...
Our person started calling for 3 airline tickets instead and suddenly realized that he had sent his driver off...
So by taxi we went to the airport and had a kind of breakfast there before take off at 11:00.
So by taxi we went to the airport and had a kind of breakfast there before take off at 11:00.
Again we got dropped off at a hotel and now Pieter was quick to jump into the shower, while I started to unpack.
Soon, Pieter yelled at me from the shower, that I had to repack everything: "We're NOT staying here he said firmly, after he'd shrunk from ICE COLD WATER!"
After lunch at the mushroom farm owner's home, we went to his farm for a first observation.
Afterwards we got dropped off at the Taj Blue Diamond Hotel in Pune, very good! It is in the same group as the Savoy in Ooty.
Hotel Taj Blue Diamond Pune just click link.
Pieter did attend right away a Rotary meeting in the hotel. Again, a meeting without any food, like before in Ketti Valley, Tamil Nadu/India.
We ate some cookies with fruit in our room.
We continued with our work and got up at 6:00 for having first breakfast before the driver of the owner came to pick us up.
On Sunday, Pieter did video tape while on the road due to less traffic that day.
We slept very well due to this hotel being a good distance off the main road and thus quiet.
Some of the staff members we knew already for many years as they'd worked for Pond's India at the time we consulted there.
On Saturday, September 26, we packed up and checked out after one more delicious Indian breakfast.
We went to the mushroom farm and together with the harvest manager Shubhada Sandeep Cruz, some photos got made when she handed me fresh flowers... We have them on our video tape!
Never seen those photos.
We did receive a very special gift, a beautiful stag, entirely made out of leather.
Did post about this gift in a previous post: {History of the Poinsettia} in 2011.
We got dropped off at the Train Station by 17:35 and our carry on luggage got placed for us in the overhead rack.
Pune to Mumbai
Dadar written on the back so we knew where to get off.
Just in case Amjad our driver would not be there...
By 20:45 we reached Dadar Station and the same driver from September 16, Amjad, recognized us and he dropped us off at the airport.
Checked in and we had time for relaxing in the Taj lounge before take off by 0:50 on Sunday, September 27. This stretch was flown by Northwest Airlines and the service was by far not as courteous as from KLM!
We landed in Amsterdam, called my Parents and flew on to Atlanta at 13:05 and got home by 19:15.
End of our Indian travels for work! That means 10 x for husband Pieter and for myself 7 x.
It is never easy such a long journey with time changes and lay overs etc.
But we always did it with love, for educating those that needed it MOST.
Thanks for your visit and comment!
We got dropped off at the Train Station by 17:35 and our carry on luggage got placed for us in the overhead rack.
By 20:45 we reached Dadar Station and the same driver from September 16, Amjad, recognized us and he dropped us off at the airport.
Checked in and we had time for relaxing in the Taj lounge before take off by 0:50 on Sunday, September 27. This stretch was flown by Northwest Airlines and the service was by far not as courteous as from KLM!
We landed in Amsterdam, called my Parents and flew on to Atlanta at 13:05 and got home by 19:15.
End of our Indian travels for work! That means 10 x for husband Pieter and for myself 7 x.
It is never easy such a long journey with time changes and lay overs etc.
But we always did it with love, for educating those that needed it MOST.
Thanks for your visit and comment!
Related links:
My 6th Consulting Trip to India with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
My 5th Consulting Trip to India & Visit of Taj Mahal | previous post by me
Pieter Hands Check to Rotary Club Ketti Valley, India | previous post by me
My 4th Consulting Trip to India after HUGE Landslide | previous post by me
Husband Pieter's DANGEROUS Trip back from India | previous post by me
My 3rd trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Consulting for Pond's (India) Limited Mushroom Project | previous post by me
My 2nd trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Brindavan Gardens Mysore with Luxury Heritage Hotel | previous post by me
My 3rd trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Consulting for Pond's (India) Limited Mushroom Project | previous post by me
My 2nd trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Brindavan Gardens Mysore with Luxury Heritage Hotel | previous post by me
Lalitha Mahal and Maharaja Palace Mysore | previous post by me
Chamundeshwari Temple and Chamundi Hills in Mysuru India | previous post by me
Trip from Ooty to Mysuru through Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary | previous post by me
Wearing a Saree for ONE Day and Lending my Jeans | previous post by me
Pond's (India) Limited Mushroom Project | previous post by me
My 1st Trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Husband Pieter's ADVENTUROUS 2nd Trip to India | previous post by me showing the Qutb Minar
Chamundeshwari Temple and Chamundi Hills in Mysuru India | previous post by me
Trip from Ooty to Mysuru through Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary | previous post by me
Wearing a Saree for ONE Day and Lending my Jeans | previous post by me
Pond's (India) Limited Mushroom Project | previous post by me
My 1st Trip to India - Consulting Together with Husband Pieter | previous post by me
Husband Pieter's ADVENTUROUS 2nd Trip to India | previous post by me showing the Qutb Minar
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeletewonderful memories again!
It is great, that you not only save the pictures, you save all thos documents too, a real wodnerful memorie-collection!
Wishing you and Pieter a lovely weekend!
Love and hugs, Claudia xo
Dearest Claudia,
DeleteFond memories and we got over the bad experiences!
We always kept a diary and a scrapbook.
Hugs,
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteen schöner Post erfreut mein Herz.
Alles Liee
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteDanke, es macht Freude das zu lesen hier.
Liebe Grüße,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, Your leather stag was a handsome gift. They have those leather animals in Taiwan, too. Most of them are realistic and would make nice ornaments, but I wonder who buys things like the full-sized horses made of leather? Also, in Monkey Year I showed two leather monkeys that were a little on the odd side.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim,
DeleteIndeed, this leather stag was a very handsome gift and also size wise!
Guess there always are people with enormous homes that only go for big displays, not always more beautiful!
Hugs,
Mariette
Love the stag. it is so beautiful! Oh dear, you travelled extensively in India.
ReplyDeleteDearest Krishna,
DeleteYes, we really did cover a large part of India and by far not all of it as it is such a vast country!
Hugs,
Mariette
The joys and pitfalls of travel, cold showers and not something anyone normal person likes.
ReplyDeleteThe stag is awesome
Dearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteIndeed, for getting to work this way was a bit too much to handle. But in the end it worked out and we keep the fond memories and enjoy the awesome leather stag!
Hugs,
Mariette
Unfortunate experiences with the hotels, terrible beds, cold showers, etc. Even though you had some bad experiences, the memories are always good.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend Mariette.
Dearest Sami,
DeleteYes, it was quite an adventure arriving at work this time but hind sight, you can laugh about it as we managed it well.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello dear Mariette!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and wonderful pictures from your tour in India!
The tower and the hotel looks so impressive!
Like your leather stag! So beautiful! Thank you for sharing your lovely memories!
Have a lovely day and a happy week! Hugs!
Dimi...
Dearest Dimi,
DeleteThis was by far not a tour but just our journey to work and a rather rough one this time.
We did not have photos, only video so I could not show much here.
The stag indeed is very special.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hola marietta!! Cómo estás?? Que lindo viaje a la india.. yo quiero conocer
ReplyDeleteQuerida Angélica,
DeleteNo fue un viaje de vacaciones, pero una especie de viaje de terror a trabajar... Pero al final funcionó bien.
Abrazos,
Mariette
Dearest Mariette, I could not have done that these past 15 years and it would have been very reluctantly prior to that. That is/was a massive amount of work and travel stress the two of you went through. I am in awe of you both for your physical wherewithal in doing it six times. Because of the physical problem I had for years without knowing it...I found I had to rest verify during a day. a minute perhaps, but it had to be done. You two just really did accomp[lish an amazing lot. I admire both of you.
ReplyDeleteXXOO
Dearest Katie Isabella,
DeleteGuess for being in it together, except for the 3 times that Pieter went alone, it was a big help!
It always was a lot of travel stress to begin with and then the unknown of yet another multi-million dollar company you're supposed to get back on track with higher quality, yield and efficiency. Never easy and quite a challenge but we were daring enough for doing it. Can you believe that once coming home and having to catch up there, we never ever found the time to look at photos, slides, video... Glad we kept a diary and a scrapbook. So it was all there, ready to assemble and relive -- finally!
Thank you for your kind words.
Hugs,
Mariette
First of all,I say that your new header is beautiful. Such a sweet angel with a beautiful poem!
ReplyDeleteI always admire you have saved the pictures and those documents. How wonderful that You and Pieter share many wonderful memories.Happy new week to you,Mariette.
Dearest Tomoko,
DeleteThank you, it is indeed a beautiful poem and the celestial harmony of likely hearts is so true.
Just like your dear Parents and so far we both have lived that.
Indeed we saved and put aside for 'later' when we would find time to look at it... Always rushing to the next thing, also our home and big garden that we all maintained by ourselves. Now it is urgent for getting it all together for dear Pieter to relive before it would be too late. Life is so brief and we all strive for making memories and leaving behind a foot print in some people's hearts...
Hugs,
Mariette
You’ve been through good experiences as well as not so good ones. But overall it must have been all worth it because your travel was to help those people. Oh but still, cold shower, noooo! :-)
ReplyDeleteDearest Tamago,
DeleteIt was one of our roughest trips, regardless of the business class ticket. But we survived the cold shower etc. Now one can laugh about it.
It certainly was worth it to help numerous workers out for improving their job!
Hugs,
Mariette
Uma viagem que eu gostava de fazer, gostei do novo visual do blog, aproveito para desejar uma boa semana.
ReplyDeleteAndarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
O prazer dos livros
Caro Francisco Manuel,
DeleteEsta não foi uma viagem, mas apenas a nossa viagem para o trabalho! Não tão bom desta vez, você poderia ter lido se você usou o botão traduzir.
Boa semana!
Mariette
Hello Mariette,
ReplyDeleteVery nice posts about your trip to India, lots of fun memories for the both of you!
About the so-called "global warming", I agree with you, in the north it is freezing and I just saw in the northern Alps houses have over 2m of snow on their roofs.
But here in France is is a fact and plants, insects and wildlife in general are impacted.
But I think it is a normal process of up and down temperatures and our governments, based on computer data projections seize the matter to make the populations pay this carbon tax....
I don't believe in a real global warming, only here and there a warming can be experienced but tomorrow, in a month or in 5 years it change colder climates again, we don't have enough hindsight to have a real idea, and computer projections are not reliable on medium and long term
Warm hugs and many thanks for sweet comments and fidelity :)
Dearest Noushka,
DeleteWe sure have had some very interesting trips to our work in India and fond memories in general!
Having worked and lived near active volcanos where at times when gasses got emitted, the goats dropped dead and of course other wild life too, that has nothing to do with the regulated carbon foot print. Only one eruption causes so much more at once; what do those scientists say or who do they blame for that?!
We always have to step back and look at things from a distance for not loosing perspective and also keeping in mind that in the time frame of the world's existence it is nothing. One thing is certain, there is ONE far mightier than any government or ruler on this little planet and He will take care of things ultimately.
Sure it hurts our hearts when natural disaster affects the most vulnerable and those are often the animals and birds, being it a drought, a wild fire or volcanic eruption, flood or whatever. Over time it all gets evened out but we don't have such 'time'...
Hugs,
Mariette
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeleteWhen was your photographer did cut my feet off.. it is quite an art for potting this on yourself.with the use of a half corset,the silk batik of the sarong is being held in place,I do wear a while camisole under the cotton embroidered lack blouse,My white embroidered lase kebaya came from Batik Nyonya Indo, Yours with very good husband his still strong and hearting enough to do all the good time with you!
Hugs from Michiko
Dearest Michiko san,
DeleteOh my goodness, you are referring here to my blogpost: {My Indonesian Silk Batik Sarong & Kebaya}
Wrote that almost six years ago now... And indeed, photographer/husband Pieter, did cut my feet off in the photo...
But it still is a great memory.
Sending you hugs,
Mariette