Some very sad news to share with you

This is a difficult day here.

One of our students named Sachin was killed in an awful accident last night. We had finished Day Three (with a pizza party, because they had beaten the high score record) and he had just dropped off a friend at his house, when a double-decker bus hit him on his motorbike and ran over him with its tires. His body was totally crushed, and his face was unrecognizable even though he was wearing a motorcycle helmet.

Sachin is in the middle of the picture, in an orange striped shirt, standing behind me.

The whole building is in shock and many people are taking off work this afternoon for the Hindu funeral. He was only 23 and married just six months. He had called his wife just before leaving the building to say he was coming home, and he was just 2 kilometers from his house. So close to home, and yet so far...

Life is so short.

In case you don't remember, or aren't sure, or haven't heard it directly from anyone for a while... If you are my friend, I love you, and miss you. "Wish you were here." I think you'd like it, in spite of all the craziness. (I'd even let you sleep in the nighttime, don't worry, and behind securely locked doors!)

I may not have been perfect at times in the past, but I did the best I could at the time with the knowledge I had in the place I was. I'm still trying to do the best I can today, with the knowledge and strength I have today. Every day is a learning process, and I am becoming a better person, and hopefully a better son, better brother(in-law), and better uncle... and a better friend too.

We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know Who holds tomorrow. Tell your husband/wife, tell your kids, tell your friends that you love them and that they are important to you.

You might not get another chance to do so.

Love from India, from my heart,

Roger

Just when you think it can't get any worse...

Day Three of our new daytime shift schedule went pretty well, and we got back to the hotel finally in the late afternoon. Go wash up a little, grab the newspaper to catch up on the world, and go down to the restaurant for some dinner. (Amazing, they actually remember my name from two nights ago!)

I had a nice salmon curry (certainly can't get THAT in a Swanson's TV dinner back home) with rice and some mineral water. The wait staff were all very friendly and helpful. However the curry was pretty spicy and when the waiter noticed the look on my face, he came over to ask if he could "cool it down" for me. He took it away and brought it back shortly. The curry sauce was still hot temperature-wise, but he had stirred in some coconut milk to lessen the spicyness. Mmm good.

I was now pretty tired and it was getting past my bedtime; remember that I needed to wake up at 4:00 in the morning to get to our new 6:00 a.m. class. So I paid the bill, included a nice tip, and waved Goodbye to everybody for the night.

Take the elevator (a "lift") back up the my floor, say "Good evening, sir" to the security guard standing there, and walk down the hall to my room... where I see the door standing wide open. WHAT? Who's been in my room and left the door open? Forget that. Who is STILL in my room, and waiting on me to come in and jump me?! I call the guard over and tell him my door is open, and to please go in and check the room. He just gave me this uncomprehending look, so I repeated my request, and he just looked at me, said something in Hindi or Maharati or whatever, and said something about "8:30" when he pointed at his watch.

It was evident he wasn't going in himself, so I called out "Hello?" and slowly advanced into the room when there was no response. Everything looked in place and nothing was ransacked: camera, wallet, money, passport, clothes were all where they were supposed to be. But what if he is hiding in the bathroom? Well, the shower has clear glass walls and there's no door on the fancy separate room where the toilet is, so maybe he's hiding in the closet waiting on me... or under the bed.

Nothing. Nobody. Nowhere. Just an open door. Once I was satisfied there wasn't anyone wrong inside, I closed the door and locked it tight, just in case he was still OUTside, waiting to come back and get INside.

When I called down to register a notice with the front desk they apologized for the strange incident. The door was now locked so I started working on email and desk stuff. I thought I heard a noise. No, it’s nothing. Keep working.

Then another noise. Coming from the entry foyer. Coming from the door! The handle is moving, and I hear keys in the lock!! The guy is back, and HE'S COMING TO GET ME!!!

I tiptoed over to the door, verified that someone was messing with the handle and keys, took a deep breath, pounded hard on the door, loudly shouted "WHO IS THERE?" and flung it open. Standing there is a hotel security manager in a suit and tie with a set of electronic keys... and there I am standing in my underwear. Oops. Uh, Hello.

Turns out the front desk had sent him to investigate with his electronic lock memory gadget... but hadn't bothered to phone the poor guest on the other side of the door to let them know.

Once I realized what was going on and that he wasn't going to murder me in cold blood (in my underwear) I recovered, and then gave him a little tongue lashing. (Looking back, I was pretty tired and cranky on top of being scared or at least nervous.) "Next time you come up to check someone's door and fiddle with their lock, PLEASE CALL FIRST!"

He sincerely apologized, I calmed down, and we discussed the unlocked and open door situation. He said he would investigate it and get back with me. I reclosed the door, relocked it, and redialed the front desk to ask them to PLEASE call the next time they sent someone up to check on an irregular situation.

After sitting around for a while, waiting impatiently to hear back and then placing another phone call reminder to the front desk, the Duty Manager finally called me around 10:00 to apologize and to tell me that according to their electronic records the last key used in the lock was my own. The only thing I can think of is that when I left to go down to dinner and the door closed, it did not latch and close fully. That much I can go for... but then how did it end up wide open and back against the wall, latched against its magnetic door stop?

So why was the security guard not standing right there to secure an open and unlocked door? Or why did the guard not simply pull the door closed, to secure the room? And what did he try to tell me in his language, that seemed to include the words "8:30" ?

Oh Lord, it is now past 10:00 at night, I am tired and cranky and just a little shaky, and I've got to get up at 4:00 a.m. for work. Please give me a good night's sleep...

"Oops, THEY did it again..."

Well, the plan WAS to sleep on Tuesday during the day, like normal, because I had been up all Monday night, like normal, so I could go in and teach on Tuesday night, like normal.

What happened wasn't "normal" ...but seems like it is becoming normal.

At 3:00 a.m. in the morning, as I was winding up the previous night's work and preparing to go to sleep before the evening's class, I got a surprise call from the project Team Lead telling me to be at the office by 5:00 to teach a DAY-TIME class. What?

After several emails to my other trainer here and to our bosses back in the States we found out that they were indeed serious, and that the local team "thought" they had informed us of the schedule change (oh, really?), and that Yes, we did need to be there in spite of the fact we would be teaching a class and would have been up for 24 hours straight.

What's weird is that after a trans-Atlantic conference call with our hiring manager and our supervisor (two different companies) we were told to go ahead and go to sleep, that the schedule change would NOT take place... and then barely ten minutes later we got new direction and were told that we DID have to go in after all!

:(

There has been lots of miscommunication right from the beginning of this project, which is not surprising since there are four different companies (and me) involved, but it IS surprising when you consider the professional caliber of the people and the reputation of the respective companies.

Oh well, what can you do when you are the little guy? "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

So I took a quick shower to wake myself up, grabbed a cold sandwich from the 24-hour window downstairs, and called a hotel car... since of course no transportation had been arranged for us.

We got to the office in plenty of time and had a short meeting with the Team Lead to go over what they thought they had communicated to us, but really hadn't. Class ended up going well, considering the circumstances, as Brian and I were both very tired. I had a little trouble focusing on the material.

Not that this was any comfort, but the employees in the class had their hours changed too! They normally work the night shift (answering phones for customers in the US, so they have to keep American business hours) but for some reason on this three-day training they had to come in for a daytime shift. Great, now both the instructors AND the students are falling asleep in class!

Prasad looks half-asleep but Takshil and Shahab are feeling good!

Tuesday was hard, and by Wednesday we were just running on just steam, but Thursday (today) was a little better. Tomorrow starts another three-day class... and then we go back to the night shift for the rest of the project! Change is the only constant thing here.

Sometimes it seems the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. Two previous times we have gotten phone calls from project management in the middle of our sleep time asking where we were and WHY we weren't at some important meeting, when they should have known what our schedule was and that we were sleeping. Again, all you can do is say, "We'll be there as soon as we can."

And now the strangest thing is that this last group got the highest scores on the Final Assessment that anyone has had so far, a 98.5% average grade! Shh, don't tell anyone, or they'll keep changing our hours every week!!

:)

Very happy students from our class; they won a pizza party because they beat the record high score!

"Oops, I did it again!"

Here it is Monday, our day off, and I missed it again. I finished class at 5:00 a.m. and got back to the hotel around 6:00, changed and once the sun came up at 6:30 went for a good run and walk on the beach and got back at 7:30. Checked email, took a shower, went downstairs for breakfast, and came back up... intending to take a good nap and then get up and do some sightseeing on the afternoon of my free day.

But however I was so tired from these six-day weeks that I slept right through the whole day and didn't wake up until 11:00 p.m. on Monday night!

People ask what we do on our days off here, and I reply that there is only one open day since we teach two three-day classes each week, and that, if you want to keep your body on a normal schedule, our free "day" is from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the next morning! It would be like an American worker in the States staying awake to go sightseeing from 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on your day off. Not only would your body be sleepy and not at all ready to do anything physical, but there wouldn't be a lot of things open to see and do!

So here it is, now 1:28 a.m. in the morning on Tuesday, wide awake and ready to go.

:(

Guess I'll check email, do my expense accounts, and send in the weekly reports to the boss.

Then probably about 6:00 a.m. I'll be tired of work, go downstairs for breakfast, and then go to bed for the day. (Literally, for the rest of the day!) Then wake up around 5:00 p.m. this evening, shower, go downstairs for dinner, and head off to work Tuesday night. Hmm, Monday wasn't much of a touristy-sightseeing day off, was it?

:)

Strange, huh? But after a solid string of six nine-hour days, with an hour of transport on both ends, you get pretty tired and sleep is very welcome.

Well, I'll post this note and get back with you after class on Tuesday to tell you if I managed to get in any mini-sightseeing this afternoon before class!

Not quite the Black Plague...

...but I think I'll eat at the hotel restaurant tonight, thank you very much.

Last week there was an outbreak of cholera here in Mumbai that has sent over 300 people to the hospital. The government has been trying to hush it up, for fear of scaring off tourists, and say it is "merely gastroenteritis" but the newspapers (just like back in the USA) are being a thorn in their side and raising red flags.

It was centered at the Crawford Farmers' Market "townside" about 40 kilometers away (Mumbai is a very long peninsular city) so we have nothing to worry about up here. Still, I think I'll eat at the hotel rather from a sidewalk food stall today.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=IN&addtohistory=&city=mumbai

Fewer cases are being found so they think the worst is over. And suddenly the city government has found money to clean up the Crawford Market.

:)

Newspaper headlines from Mumbai!

From The Times of India:

"Arab couple held for 'indecent' act of kissing in public, deported for a lapsed visa."

"Peacock poaching parties create flutter. Birds being slaughtered by rich."

"Rubber bullets and colored water will be used on rioters."

"Students teach illiterate parents at night and score high marks."

"World's tallest man searching for love."

"Three western hostages rescued in Iraq."

"Good news: bird flu may not become pandemic."

"Prince Charles and Camilla to arrive in New Delhi tomorrow."

"Students fail exam, threaten to fast."

"India vs. Pakistant in big cricket game."

"England to have birth control nurses for all schools, even primary."

"Cholera outbreak or gastroenteritis? 300 fall ill at Crawford Farmers Market."

"Indian athletes win medals at Commonwealth Games in Melbourne."

"Guess who's coming to dinner?"

Well, the "who" isn't a surprise, because it's just me. It was the "where" and the "what" that was interesting.

"Where" was the white-linen restaurant here in my hotel: Saffron. "Where the Chef presents Indian Cuisine from the Royal Homes of the Nizams and Nawabs of Bhagyanagar and Avadh. Enjoy a delectable selection of juicy kebabs served straight from the skewer, curries and biryanis in a lighter and more modern approach to suit the person you are today."

Appetizers (or "Starters") included...

JHINGA SUNEHRI: Tiger prawns steeped overnight in a marinade of yogurt, chili carom seeds, ginger and garlic, grilled in a tandoor.

SAUNFIYA PANEER TIKKA: Cottage cheese cubes packed with ginger, mint and raisins laced in a flavorful marinade of fennel, turmeric, yogurt and asafoetida.

ACHARI PHOOL: Stuffed cauliflower, spiked with mustard, sour mango pickle and yellow chili power, finished in a tandoor.

LAKHNAWI BHARWAN ALOO: Potato barrels stuffed with cottage cheese, crushed potatoes, dried nuts and fragrant spices, finished in a clay oven.

Entrees included...

MURGH ALOO KORMA: Tender chicken morsels and new potatoes simmered in a rich cashew and almond curry, finished with fresh cream and saffron.

PANEER LABABDAR: Cottage cheese chunks cooked with tomatoes, onions and cream finished with dried fenugreek powder.

Accompaniments included...

BHARWAN PARANTHA: Lamk kheema, aloo or paneer.

ROOMALI ROTI (no description, just Roomali Roti)

RAITA: Pudina, boondi, aloo, palak aur hara pyaz or mixed vegetables.

The waiter must have noticed my helpless look when faced with all these choices and twelve more pages of exotic foods, so he came over and suggested the Jhinga Sunehri and Murgh Aloo Korma. It was verrry good.

HEADLINE: "Day-long Holi restricitions in Hyderabad"

Hyderabad, March 14: Commissioner of police A.K. Mohanty has imposed restrictions on Holi revellers that will continue till 6 am of March 16, 2006.

Off limits:

* Throwing colour or coloured water on persons, places, and vehicles or smearing people with colour, on public roads, and in public places in the twin cities are prohibited.

* Movement of two-wheelers and other vehicles in groups on streets and public places disturbing peace and order and or causing inconvenience, annoyance, or danger to public is prohibited.

* During this time sale of alcohol is prohibited. Mr Mohanty also directed toddy shops to close down. Wine shops and bars attached to restaurants, excluding bars in star hotels, in Hyderabad and Secunderabad will remain closed till 6 am on March 16.

"I'm leaving, on a jet plane. Don't know if I'll be back again..."

Good morning!

It is (oops) now 12:01 so I guess it is afternoon. I am sending in my hours for the last two weeks so I can get paid.

Now that that is done I will start packing. After that I will go downstairs and have lunch.

We are supposed to leave for the airport at 3:00 this afternoon. The plane isn't until 5:20 and the airport is only 15 minutes away. We get in to Mumbai around 7:00 something and the hotel is supposed to have a driver there to pick us up.

The J.W. Marriott is a verrrry nice hotel. Brian says it is right on the beach.

:)

It will be nice to visit a new city. They say Mumbai is not as developed as Hyderabad, and to be ready.

Brian and I went to a big museum yesterday. It was interesting, but after living in ThemePark World you get pretty jaded.

I got $100 in Indian Rupees from the ATM yesterday, courtesy of my Fireman's Fund credit union card, so I am set for an adventure.

Sunny day out. Today is "Holi" a special day for Hindus. People toss colored powder on your friends and family, and squirt you with colored water from squirt guns. There is a special one-day city law against doing it to passersby and people you don't know, but the hotel recommended we don't go for a walk today and only to take a hotel car if we need to go out.

Guess it's a good thing I'm not going jogging?

:)

I will miss Hyderabad. It is busy and the traffic is crazy, but it grows on you. How nice it is at home to have a car, and the freedom to drive anywhere at any time.

Recent newspaper headlines in Hyderabad

"9,000 child labourers freed, now in school"

"Salaries up 16% in I.T. services last year"

"12% of city drinks water with excess uranium"

"Wal-Mart may enter India with local partner"

"Staggered school start times ease traffic"

"Daily power cuts may last three hours"

"No trip to Taj Mahal disappoints Bush"

"Kite-flying banned as dangerous activity"

Our last class in Hyderabad

It is 3:23 a.m. on Monday morning and Syed and Kumar are right now finishing the review exercise for the final assessment, given at the end of Day Three of our training classes, so I am taking a little break to post a message to my blog.

Last night (actually Sunday morning, after work) on the way out of the building Brian asked, "Do you know what tomorrow is?" "Uh, Sunday night?" "Yes, but it's our last day at the Cyber Pearl building!"


Oh, no. Our five weeks here in HITEC City have gone by so fast. We have made so many friends, seen so many sights (well, not really, considering the little free time we have had with only one day off per week... which we usually spend sleeping to catch up on rest!), eaten so much good food, and have so many good memories to take home with us.


This blog is just a short glimpse into my trip here. Actually, we have six weeks left up in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) so there are more memories (and interesting pictures to come still) but this is the end of our time here. We have two days off (which will probably be spend frantically sightseeing) and then fly from Hyderabad to Mumbai on Wednesday evening. Thursday evening we will go into the office there to make sure things are set up and ready to go, and then classes start on Friday night.


There are lots more pictures available at http://photos.yahoo.com/rogeragness.
Just look for the orange, white, and green flag of India. One album has pictures of friends from class and one album is sightseeing pictures.

Can you believe it? My hotel room door just buzzed and the room steward delivered this nice bouquet with pink anthuriums... to me! Maybe they want me to stay?

Trainers training trainers... to train

It is the responsibility of Brian and me to teach the new Siebel software to the employees of the client company over here, and then to also teach our replacements. For the first few weeks we taught by ourselves, then once Kumar and Syed came on board there was a special three-week "Train the Trainer" session where (1) they observed us teach two classes, (2) we co-taught two classes together, and then (3) we observed them teach two classes on their own, giving them helpful critiques afterwards. This is to ensure high quality for future students, because next week Brian and I will go to a different city to train employees there.

Brian Covington (from Knoxville, Tennessee), KVS Chalapathi and Syed Asad (both from here in Hyderabad), and me:

Syed celebrated his 28th birthday while we were here, so Brian and I ordered three (small) birthday cakes from the snack place downstairs and shared them with the 35 people in class that day.

It has been a real pleasure getting to know these two men and working with them. Both have been working with Siebel software for many years, and Brian and I feel good that we will leave the project in good hands when we go to a new city next week.

My hotel(s) in Hyderabad

The first few weeks here in Hyderabad I stayed at the ITC Grand Kakatiya Hotel Sheraton and Towers. However, most of the guests were displaced by the arrival of President Bush's advance crew and security team. (Would you believe that EACH of the 65 sniffer dogs got their own room in the hotel? I am assuming they shared a room with their handler/partner, but you never know.)

:)

There is a nice drive up a slight hill to the hotel from the street. It is set back quite a ways from the passing traffic, which is probably good for security. And that makes it quiet, too.

There is room for several cars under the porte cochere. This is where our driver, Osman, would pick us up every night at 8:30 p.m. to take us to work, and then drop us off again the next morning at 7:30 a.m. One night it was raining hard (the first time in six months, they said) so the overhang was quite welcome.

The hotel was named the Grand Kakatiya because "Kakatiya" was the name of the ruling family of this region of India several hundred years ago. This nice garden is actually on top of the discotheque, which is below ground level.

After we got booted from the Sheraton (albeit graciously) we moved over to the Taj Krishna. It is a verrrry nice hotel too. I've never stayed any place so elegant. I am glad IBM is paying the bill, and not me!

This is the Taj Krishna at night. The light cycles from white to blue to pink to purple, and then back to white again. (I am glad my room is on the other side of the hotel!) Of course, we're not there at night anyway. And when we are, fortunately the curtains are very thick and can block out all the daytime light very well.

The Taj Krishna is full of gold leaf, statues, tapestries, and marble. It is a great place to stay. They make your bed for you, shine your shoes, give you new towels, and even do your laundry. My own mother doesn't do that for me any more!

:)

And there is a red rose in my laundry when it comes back, folded. My mother NEVER did that.

More Pictures from President Bush's visit to India

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George Bush shake hands at a photo opp.



The orange/white/green flag of India flies along with the Stars and Stripes of the United States.



President George Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shake hands after a speech.



President Bush tries cricket, but decided he will stick with baseball!

Mrs. Singh, Laura Bush, Primer Minister Singh, and President Bush appear to the public.

The newspapers were full of stories about President Bush's visit.

President Bush's visit, as seen by the Indian press

NERVOUS COPS CARRY OUT HOUSE SEARCHES

"A 12,000-strong state police force is being deployed in the streets and around venues for the Bush visits. A 300-strong US security contingent would provide both inner and close-proximate cover to the president, along with 65 sniffer dogs and 145 bomb-disposal teams."

IN HYDERABAD, THE GLOBAL BOSS GOES DESI

"He enthusiastically rolled up his sleeves, enjoyed the tribal dances, spoke to farmers and self-help groups and, hold your breath, even patted buffalo. Mr Bush made bold to pat a sturdy jet black Murrah buffalo. The buffalo, quite unaware of the significance of the moment, urinated when Mr. Bush and the Chief Minister came near her."

NO-FLY ZONE

"A clear blue sky awaited President Bush as the city was declared a no-fly zone during his visit."

"A JOLLY GOOD MOOD"

"The president's body language and casual attire were indicative of him being set for an informal day."

HYDERABAD TO GET US CONSULATE

"It will be instrumental in organizing trips for American digniaries, business delegations, and foster interactions between scientists from the state and those from the US. Also, the consulate will work towards enhancing the image of Hyderabad and the state as a tourist destination."

BALLOONS BANNED FOR SAFETY

"Director General of police Swaranjit Sen on Thursday issued orders prohibiting flying of kites and balloons on Friday during U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to the city. Mr. Sen told the police top brass at a meeting that balloons and kites may obstruct movement of helicopters, said sources."

LAURA STARS IN SESAME SKIT

Warm and friendly First Lady of America, Laura Bush stole many hearts as she made her first public appearance at Eagle Studios' in Noida on the sets of Galli Galli Mein Sim Sim, the Indian version of her favourite kids programme Sesame Street.

FIRST LADY MEETS SPECIAL CHILDREN

"Her hectic schedule included a visit to spastic chidren and the homeless at Mother Theresa's Sisters of Charity."

"GO BACK BUSH" SLOGANS FILL RS, LS

"Go back, Bush" slogans rent both Houses of Parliament on Thursday, as all extending crucial outside support to the Congress-led UPA government, like the Left Front, Janata Dal (S), and Samajwadi Party, stalled proceedings of Parliament, forcing adjournment."

DAY OF DEMOS

"Protests marked the anti-Bush feeling among Muslim organizations and the Left parties in Hyderabad."

DUBYA'S SOJOUN HITS NORMAL LIFE

"An old man sitting nearby seems to know a lot about Bush's men. "You know why they are wearing those dark goggles? They have some X-ray power. The can see you inside out," he said. How does he now? Well, he had seen it on the TV."

"I AM PROUD TO BE IN INDIA, SAYS BUSH"

"What struck me during the conversation was that India is a country that recognizes the importance of religion and people of faith. India is an amazing country. People belonging to different religions are so proud to be Indians."

HOMAGE PAID TO MAHATMA

"The US President and his wife laid a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi. They also paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation. Not far from Rajghat, protesters shouted slogans against the U.S. President as a barefooted U.S. First Couple laid a wreath and showered flower petals on the memorial."

A RELAXED BUSH LOOKED MORE LIKE A BEER-BUDDY TO CEOS

"It was a U.S. President one rarely gets to see and hear. When George W. Bush put in an appearance at the Indian School of Business to shoot the breeze with a group of local entrepreneurs, and students of the business school, he did not give the impression of a man worried about his declining approval ratings back home, the continuing bloodshed in Iraq, or the challenges posed by Iran’s decision to go ahead with its nuclear programme. A relaxed George W. Bush, after changing from a blue-sweat shirt and trousers, into a formal three-piece suit at the ISB, with David Mulford, the US ambassador to India, at his elbow spent some quality time with the entrepreneurs. “He was great fun to be with. In fact, he looked like a guy you go out and have a beer with, or generally hang around, and not the most powerful man on earth,” says Sashi P. Reddy, CEO of AppLabs, and one of the participants at the interactive session."

KISS TOPS BUSH GIFT LIST US

"President George W. Bush left Hyderabad with an unforgettable gift: A surprise peck on the cheek by a woman self-help group member from Chittoor. Mr. Bush was going around the pavilion for women self-help groups at the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (Angrau) here, escorted by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. When he arrived at a stall displaying forest produce, K. Nagarajamma of Chittoor in southern AP, a 29-year-old mother of two, told Mr. Bush, “America adhyakshudini kalvatam oka kala sir.” Dr. Reddy translated for Mr Bush: “Meeting the U.S. president is like a dream.” Mr. Bush smiled, nodded and was about to move to the next stall when Ms. Nagarajamma pointed to Mr Bush’s cheek. Mr. Bush apparently thought there was something sticking, but understood almost immediately. He bent down, and the petite woman reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Mr. Bush responded with a big “Thank you,” as everyone watched in disbelief. Asked later what made her kiss Mr. Bush, Ms. Nagarajamma said with a smile: “It’s a gift from my side!” After Mr. Bush left, the women crowded around the new star, who just blushed.

PHOREN PEDESTALS

"The lecterns from where Manmohan Singh and Bush address the press on Thursday afternoon had to be imported from the White House. Each podium weighed enough to need at least four persons to lift it and built to withstand a lot of pressure, even trom the speakers."

and...

THE MOOD AFTER THE VISIT: THANK GOD IT'S SATURDAY!

"After three days of ceaseless round-the-clock vigil, the Indian intelligence and police establishment - especially in and around New Delhi and Hyderabad - must be looking forward to this weekend."

QUOTES

President Bush: "India is the 21st century is a natural partner of the U.S. because we are brothers in the cause of human liberty."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "President Bush has been very unchivalrous. He is not taking Laura to visit the Taj Mahal."President Bush: "Don't mention the Taj. That's what Laura has been saying... Mr. Prime Minister, if you invite me again, I'll go visit the Taj."

I JUST SAW PRESIDENT BUSH!

Wow, the opportunity of a lifetime! President and Mrs. Bush are right here in Hyderabad, where I am working... and I just saw them go by!

This is Marine One, the president's helicopter, as it flew past my hotel room window. I waved, and I think they waved back!


And this is both Marine One and Marine Two, or was it Two and Three? (Four of them were shipped over, disassembled, in cargo planes!)

More details later tonight, after I recover from my excitement...