Summer rains!

Its been raining here in Noida for the last 4-5 days. And the weather has been nothing short of a spectacle - breezy and nippy in the air, dark, misty clouds in the morning and cloud cover for most of the day, lovely greenery with wet leaves dripping with raindrops - the sights of the north Indian rains in the summer is a rare one indeed. And quite beautiful! Reminds me so much of the weather back home in Bangalore, where its pleasant for most of the year.

The lovely weather here in Noida this week has brought about smiles on people's faces. There is a sense of cheer in the air, in the absence of the hot sun that is the norm here at this time of the year. No wonder people use the word, moody!

Of credit cards, cash and India's growth story...!

Every thought of how paying telephone bills either in cash or by credit card can actually be a reflection of India's growth story? I never could have imagined the connection between a regular telephone bill payment and India's GDP growth rate, till recently!

My internet connection at home was misbehaving and I had to land up at Airtel's customer service centre in Noida last Tuesday. I reached this centre at around 1.30 p.m. , just after lunch. As I walked into the crowded service centre, the first thing I noticed was the change in the layout since I last went there around 6 months ago. The service centre was cleaner, more spacious and had an air of class about it. I had only 20 minutes to wrap up my conversation about my faulty internet connection at this service centre. I went straight to the enquiry counter and explained that my internet connection at home was not working properly at times and that there were issues with it. The service agent checked up the status on my bill payments and noticed that there was on bank transaction that had not reached the phone company in time- so much for online banking! I told him that it was not my problem, as I had paid the bill on time.

Eventually, I managed to cancel that old bank transaction and asked the service representative to fix the issue with my internet connection immediately. He suggested that I make an on-the-spot payment for my old bill and that he would immediately put in a request for speedy resurrection of my internet connection. I did not have time to argue and agreed.

When I then asked him about the billing counter, he pointed me to the far end of the service centre, where I noticed two queues - one for credit card payment and one for cash payments. And the queue for the credit card payment option was at least 3 times longer than that of the queue atthe cash payment counter. That sight had a message for me, that was loud and clear. And it hit me hard(positively and brought a smile to my face!).

Although it may seem like a mundane billing counter, I thought that the longer queue for credit cards clearly demonstrated the kind of growth India is growing! I am not anywhere close to being grey-haired, but in all my growing years, when there was no internet, no mobile phone, no credit card in the country, it was cash all the way. And to see that the number of people owning credit cards far outscored the number of people lined up for cash payments at a remote customer service centre of a famous telecom company, made me realise how much this country has progressed. Not only was the ownership of mobile phones increasing, but also, the ability to pay bills using hitherto high-end products was a revelation! I don't live in 300 B.C., don't mistake me!

These indices of a larger number of credit card owners than cash payers may never hit the headlines of any newspaper. But for somebody who has seen the upward migration curve of India, the sight of those two queues at that service centre was a huge statement. It was an attestation of the new India that is ready to take on the world and live life, king-size!

Cheerio!!

A trip to the Wagah Border

Its the closest I ever got to Pakistan. Its the first time in my life that I felt the palpable excitement of Pakistani presence, beyond a cricket field. This was when I went to the Wagah Border on Republic Day this year and to the Golden Temple just hours before getting to the Indo-Pak border.

My first impression on seeing a Pakistani soldier, inches away from the Indian border, was one of toughness.I felt that they were immaculately dressed in dark green army outfits, with sharp noses and incredibly piercing eyes.Their posture in "attention" position, was one of "I am ready to take on the world".Their style of marching was incredibly aggressive, yet classy.I will never forget the moment when I saw this smart soldier march towards the Pakistani flag, make a right turn and slam his foot into Pakistani soil with a thud. I was a few hundred feet away from him, but the reverbrations of that foot slamming the ground was felt quite a distance away! I shudder to think what he would have done had the gates been open!!:)

I also think that the concept of a retreat in possibly one of the most patriotic spots in the world - what with Pakistanis and Indians screaming at the top of their voices with passion for their countries- is a remarkable thing.With practices of a lovely march by the Indian Border Security Force followed by a similar exercise on the Pakistani side, the national anthem on either side of the fence being played one after the other, the opening of the gates for a few minutes where the Indian and Pakistani soldiers meet, the playing of hot Bollywood numbers such as Kajra Re to up the tempo,and with the lowering of flags of both the countries in tandem(& with immense respect) were a treat to watch!The highlight of course, was the fever pitch patriotism on either side of the Wagah Border, what with the few hundred Indians who had assembled into the stadium screaming Jai Hind and Vande Mataram, and the Pakistanis trying to match the decibel levels in the vicinity, if not exceed it. All in all, an immensely patriotic place and one of the most unique places I have ever been to. Would love to go there again!.

The defining moment for me actually came after the retreat, when people on either side of the border were allowed to right up to the gate of the border(see pic) and meet each other, shake hands with each other, speak to each other with the barricade on, and indeed see the other side of the fence up,close and personal. This is allowed for just 15-20 minutes, but it was sight to behold! I also saw many Pakistanis walk along the gate at a far end that did not have a barricade, touching the small fence that divided the 2 countries, and smiling at many Indians.This was a far cry from the acrimony that usually exists on the sporting arena,when the two countries meet or when the political games are played out in Delhi and Islamabad. This was reality on the ground with people meeting each other - I guess this is what politicians mean by 'people-to-people' contact. It was phenomenal to see and I would like to do it again. And maybe one day, even cross the border using the bus that plies between Delhi and Lahore, given that Lahore was just 23 kilometres away from where I was standing on that wonderful January 26 evening!

Of course, there are a few things that I did not like there - such as special seating for women such that they had chairs and benches to sit while we guys were left standing and jostling for space, a VIP seating arrangement for people with "access" to be seated right next to the gate that divides the two countries and the sad planning (on the Indian side at least) in accommodating people. There were tons of folks who could not even sight the retreat in full, and were pretty much seeing the entire 30 minute show through handycams and digital cameras of people around. Anyway, as with many things in life, this needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, I guess, because, the larger picture of patriotic fervour was something else!!

Jai Hind!!

Why I think Sania Mirza is right?

So much has been written about India's tennis ace, Sania Mirza deciding to skip the Bangalore Open in March 2008. Experts have even written obituaries of her sizzling career with almost no future. Veterans of the game have ridiculed her for having taken the stand that she will not play tennis in the near-term within the country. Commentators of the game have gone on record saying that she should reconsider such decisions, as ATP tournaments rarely come to India, players like Venus Williams are coming home for the first time ever and that Sania has a great opportunity to defeat the top 10 players in her own backyard, given the crowd support and momentum.

But well, hang on a minute! Has anyone ever seen the champion's point of view? She just says that she finds it so difficult to focus on the game, given the innumerable distractions and "imposed" controversies, none more than the one to do with the Indian flag and her feet. Call it the mastery of the cameraman to have brought in that controversy to the front pages.

I genuinely feel that Sania is standing up for herself, for her values.She is just saying to the world that she may love the country immensely and will do anything to represent the country and win,but, she will not accept such demeaning behaviour by people instigating such controversies.

In my mind, she has demonstrated enough by going all out in the Fed Cup despite nursing an injury.How many times have we seen the other tennis ace, Leander Paes go out and do it for India in the most extenuating circumstances? But, the difference is, he was never ridiculed for anything and rightly so. Similarly, its just not right to accuse Sania with mundane things such as short skirts,because that is how the game of tennis has been played for decades. Alright, connoissuers of the game can argue that back in the early part of the last century, girls played tennis with full trousers,but unfortunately, they need to remember that Sania Mirza is a reflection of the generation next.She is a core part of the new breed of achievers emanating from Indian sport.She is the next big hope of a country to win the coveted Wimbledon crown, down the line, which means she needs to play on grass like in the upcoming Bangalore Open. However, the current environment is not letting her build that expertise.

She is ranked in the top 30, which is no mean feat for an Indian sportsperson.So, why stop the juggernaut with such "imposed" controversies? I just hope she gets back on track soon and shuts out all the negative vibes going around.We have had a Prakash Padukone get us an All England Championship many years ago;we have had a Geet Sethi give us crowning glory in billiards many times;we have Olympic bronze medals from shooting and weightlifting.We have had Leander and Mahesh bring us many a doubles championship for us.Let's not stop Sania from getting us great glory in individual sport,for our country!

Taare Zameen Par - an awakening

I guess I am human. Immensely human. More human than I ever thought I could be.Incredibly emotional too, behind the razzmattazz of the practical world too.Learnt so much from an 8 year old boy today, that there is more meaning to life than the mad rat race that I find myself a part of.I watched the movie Taare Zameen Par today.

There may be enough number of people who are writing reviews on this masterpice of a movie.However, to me,it was more than a movie.It was a loud,clear message, going beyond just childhood and the pressures that the so-called, "non-performing kids" in society go through.This theme is equally applicable to adults too.People in a wild rush,out to achieve so much in professional life, and pretty much forgetting to lead life in the bargain.The kid in the movie keeps quiet and goes through the agony of nobody understanding him, and not just the agony of being a so-called non-performer.How many of us find ourselves in that same situation of being a part of the rat race, and not even feeling like we belong there?Our true desires,elsewhere.Our true talents, elsewhere.Our true dreams, elsewhere.Our true ambitions, elsewhere.Our true drives in life,elsewhere.

I am incredibly shaken by this movie.Oh yes, I am!Its given me the message, that one is not a loser in life, if one is not a part of the "regular" crowd. Its ok to be offbeat.Its ok to be different.Its ok to have talents and imaginations that do not form a part of the mainstream.Its ok to be lonely, yet dreamy-eyed.Oh yes, it is.There is life beyond a corporate office, and a professional career. Yes, they are important, but if one is not a part of that race,its not the end of the world.

One of the greatest movies I have ever seen in my life!

The excitement of a vacation...

Its been a year full of speed, agony,trials and tribulations, along with opportunities to meet new people in a different part of the country,acclimitise to a different culture, adapt to an alien environment, converse in a language that is not exactly second nature to me, work for endless number of hours in increasingly fluid environments. Its been one big, action-packed year for sure!

But hey! Tomorrow is the last working day of this calendar year.And we have a ten day vacation! Its official too! I can't wait for the moment when I shutdown my computer for the final time this year. It is going to be a moment to cherish and indeed, as I sit in front of my computer right now, its a moment I am so eagerly looking forward to. The very thought of putting up that "out-of-office" reply is an intriguing proposition!

Taj Mahal & Fatehpur Sikhri

That sublime monument; one of the seven wonders of the world; the epitome in the expression of love for a soulmate;the pinnacle of serenity - the Taj Mahal. It has got to rank as one of the privileges in my life of having seen this mesmerising monument twice in my life, the second trip that happened last weekend.

It was a sudden trip that one of my office colleagues suggested, to which I just nodded. And I was so happy that I went with them. We had a great time together, thoroughly laughing through the day, sharing some seriously good jokes with each other, walking endlessly around the historic monument, and yet, having the bent of mind to understand and appreciate just why such a great monument attracts people from all over the world.

The Saturday that we reached Agra was one of those days when the Taj would be open for only half a day - a visit by some dignitary would close the doors of the great monument for the public at large after 1.00 p.m. This was the first message that greeted us at Agra Cantt station. But thankfully, the cab driver was genuine and knew what he was talking and infact drew up the agenda for us through the day.

We reached the Taj Mahal at around 11.00 a.m. and after winding our way through the weekend crowd, we finally reached the great tomb in 45 minutes or so. The very first glance at the classic monument had me breathless. I was gasping for words and staring at this world-famous structure endlessly, while my friends were busy taking photographs. The charm of the place, the serenity that hits you, the passion that the king(Shahjahan) had for his wife (Mumtaz) hits you hard.The symmetry of the monument catches your breath, the path-breaking architectural thinking that masons of those days had dumbfounds you, the greenery of the garden around and the subtle trickle of the fountains in front of the monument adds great flavour to the moment.Quite simply, an exhilirating experience.

And as you near the monument and see flocks of people from all walks of life and from innumerable countries, you realize how great a monument it really is. And not just monument- it is an expression that the world understands. The expression of love.

We walked around the entire marble structure and took a number of snaps. We looked at the hallways, the intricate designs, the freshness of the marble, the inscription of the Quran etc as well. Simply, mind-blowing!

Finally, we waded our way out of the monument, given that we had to exit the place by 1.00 p.m.

Fatehpur Sikhri
Once we were out of the historic place, we nudged along to the parking lot to head to Fatehpur Sikhri. I have never been to this place. But it was yet another experience to remember.On arrival, we were hounded by more than a handful of local guides, claiming expertise in their knowledge of the history behind the place. Finally, we chose on guide, who was persuasive and seemed committed(don't they all?!). But he turned out to be a good choice. I personally learnt a lot about the history of the place.

We went around the huge open space in Fatehpur that had long hallways, huge corridors, vast open spaces, blocks on the wall that was an announcement booth to signify the arrival of King Akbar for his prayer, hostel rooms, huge lights,a small pond and a temple that had marble windows such that nobody could see anything from the outside but the reverse was possible.

Heading out of Fatehpur, we got into a rickshaw and went to Sikhri, the huge palace.This was a sublime experience. the perfection of the place, the magnitude of the palace, the thinking behind the various structures - vegetable market, women's shopping corner, panch mahal(5 storeyed tower), school, meditation centre, palace, prayer hall, one palace for each wife of the king(3 wives - on Turkish, one Islamic and one Christian- lucky king!),the carvings, the gardens, the walkways & paths, the surrounding horizon, the elephant tower - was truly a fantastic experience.

This trip taught me the lesson about how much of a royal time the Mughal kings had in India. They may have taken away a lot of the riches from India back then, but they also contributed immensely to the current historical landscape in the country with such stellar monuments such as the Taj Mahal and the palaces & forts at Fatehpuri Sikhri.

All in all, a weekend well spent and truly memorable indeed!

Feel good factor!

I used to hear from my bosses in the past that there is no greater professional certificate than a client coming back to us for a repeat project. He used to say that, it is the only true merit of a person or a team or an organization. I never knew that such a feel-good-factor could manifest itself in a personal environment.

I got a call from one of my former clients in the US today. And this, from somebody who I have personally never met, but interacted extensively over the phone and email. More than anything else, it had been some time since we had corresponded with each other, but the minute she had some requirement in understanding a market dynamic in India, she remembered me. That really made me feel on top of the world. I mean, she is the head of a business unit of a leading technology company and interacts with a million analysts in her life. And could have easily chosen to reach out to any other analyst in any other firm. But, she remembered me.

It was a great boost to my confidence, and a great certification of my professional contribution in my sphere. I genuinely felt happy after a very long time today! It was a very simple thing in terms of a client reaching out to an analyst, but her choosing me over everyone else, gave me an enormous boost!

Its a memorable day in my professional life today!Pure meritocracy DOES exist, after all!

Why Outsourcing is Not Worth It?

So much has been said and written about the outsourcing industry in India and all that it has done to the economy. I beg to differ.

While there is merit in the financial benefits that have accrued to millions of human beings, who have received different types of exposure in this industry, I believe, that the trade-off and loss is far too high,for us to even bother about the benefits. Look at the average executive in his/her mid-20s; typically dreary-eyed, operating on a reverse clock that the human body is not accustomed to(which is tantamount to punishment);no regular food(ok, the occasional pizza is fine, but not every other day); lack of social life; inability to converse with people at a normal pace;greater familiarity and ease in using computers rather than having a man-to-man or face-to-face conversation;lingo that boasts of the 'yo-culture';living away from homes in remote cities;inability to participate in Indian festivals thanks to companies' policies of having only vacation as per the US calender;working for the benefit of the Americans - everything to their advantage.

What's the point? Why lose our own individuality and ability to contribute to our own nation? Why, such a big trade-off? Why, forego the simple thrills in life of going out with a lovely girlfriend on a nice, wintry evening for dinner, and instead, wasting time sitting in front of a computer or talking to an American whose face we don't even know?

Isn't this any less than the slavery we were subjected to by the Britishers for 180 years? How different is this from that? Maybe, that was more brutal and had capital punishment et al. But, I think, this outsourcing is nothing short of professional slavery - submit to somebody else, who is only out to exploit us.

Get real! This is India- the country that gave the world the digit zero; the country that gave the world vegetarianism; the country that gave the world religious ethos;the country that the world looks up to for democracy and management of diversity;the country that produced the greatest chess champion; the country that created history in winning a cricket World Cup; the country that brought home laurels in the form of a Nobel Prize in economics; hell, the country that gave the world the concept of kamasutra!

Why are we wasting our time losing our sleep to somebody else on some other corner of the planet, whom we don't even know?

I am writing this at 00.45 hours after just having gotten home, after an 18 hour day; that should explain why this industry is so not worth it....

The week that was...

The week that has just gone past, has to rank as the best week in 2007, so far. What a phenomenal time I had back home in Bangalore. There is another 7 hours for my flight to take off, and neither am I getting sleep, nor am I able to enthuse myself to get back to Delhi. The very thought is suffocating, to say the least!

A week replete with quality life - catching up with old friends, scouting the latest places in my city, checking out the movie halls, visiting the most sublime and oldest restaurants in town(CTR, veena stores, MTR, lakeview..slurp!). Not to mention, relaxing at home, enjoying home food, putting my legs up and watching an engrossing test match between India and England(India won, yippee!). Just a great week indeed.

Wish holidays lasted longer, or that one didn't have to change cities in this pursuit of a 'career'. Anyway, will write about that some other time...

India won!

Congratulations to Rahul Dravid and the Indian team for pulling off a series victory on foreign soil! That too, in Old Blighty! This series win is especially good because it had an all-round contribution from a vast majority of the players, throughout the series.And that, in the context of Indian cricket, is a rare phenomenon, given that we rely on a handful of great champions to contribute more often than not.

It was with great interest and spirit that I watched Dinesh Karthik. His 91 in the first innings' of the Oval test was quite a sublime performance, what with his ability to read the swing very well and cover for it. Infact, there were occasions when I noticed that he was able to hit through the line in seaming conditions and that spoke volumes about his confidence. Great shot, Dinesh!

But, for me, despite the entire team's performance, what stood out was one gentleman called VVS Laxman. That guy is pure magic, when on song. He may not have scored a century in this series, but his sheer stature, presence in the middle, ability to make batting look ridiculously easy, decimate the opposition with style and panache rather than brute power just amazes me no end. He is quite a magician for me, and I just hope that he is able to accelerate a bit more in the later half of his career and do better justice to his talent. Not to mention, his terrific catching abilities. Quite a magician, who I would watch all day long, if I had the time. Seriously, magical!

Of course, the fact that four legends - Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly - might have played test cricket for the last time in the Old Blighty. And it was great to see the spirit in their enjoyment of the victory, as if it was a school kid being given a lovely chocolate that he has longed for. Such is the spirit of thrill and effort that has made these four wonderful artistes the great men that they really are. Of these four,as a fellow Bangalorean,I couldn't feel more proud than I did, when Kumble knocked off Glenn McGrath's record and went on to win a 'Man of the Match' award for his first(and I guess, last) century in test cricket. Great job, Jumbo! And the Indian captain, hails from my college in Bangalore, just another feather in his great cap! He was just the same in college too - quiet, but steely! It shows that he meant business at a very early age!

Next stop, the masala of one-day cricket. But, I must confess, the thrill of watching good old-fashioned, hard-nosed test match cricket, in England, with its aura of tradition had a thrill of its own. The Indian victory, just added the cherry to the pudding!

Blissful holidays!

Ah! I am having the best time I have had in a long time. Away from the razzmattazz of the corporate world, far away from bosses, clients, teams, laptops, powerpoints, emails and all the paraphernelia that adds up to what is called the 'corporate life'. And I am just enjoying at home,cooling my heels, catching up with old friends, having home food, watching some sublime test match cricket, catching up with some movies, reading at leisure, sleeping for hours and trying to eliminate the dark circles that had accummulated over the last 3 months.

Aah, holidays! The most sublime time in life!

Weekend is here!

After a mad week of spending a good 18 hours in office everyday(never used to be this way earlier, groan!), I finally have my weekend. This is the best part of my life - weekends. Its MINE. Nobody interferes withit - not clients, not bosses, not juniors, not seniors. Just realised this week that weekends are indeed one of the great charms of life. And I am actually going to be going out and seeing the world. The last few days have been reduced to navigating around the office buildings and returning home and nothing else. Not even been getting to eat on time.

Its the weekend!Am out off to enjoy it in Dwarka, New Delhi!

Back in action

I know I have not written in this space for the best part of the last 3 months. I guess transitions of a job change as well as change in city, have their own manifestations and demands on time!

I have finally settled down into my new place in Noida. The firm is interesting, people are exceptionally busy,and the heat here is quite not what I am accustomed to. I seriously need to figure out ways to cool myself,and stop feeling so heavy everytime I gulp down a glass of water to beat the heat.Even sitting inside the office within an air-conditioned environment doesn't suffice!Its so damn hot here! Gosh...Bangalore..how I miss you!!

Will keep these posts updated from hereon in!

2007 beckons...!

Ah!A lovely year just got over.It was quite a memorable one,what with three trips during the year - Shimla,Chandigarh and San Francisco.Truly memorable.Met a lot of interesting people, made new friends, saw lots of new places, tried to become a better photographer and in between all this, had a good time in office too. Couldn't have asked for a better year bang in the middle of the first decade of this new century!

I guess, in between all this, definitely did make a sincere attempt to become a better human being.

There is a certain romance associated with anything new and I feel the same about 2007 as well. A strange excitement, as if this is going to be one of those defining years - though I cannot fathom where, how and why. But well, the romance would be killed if I were to pre-empt that! So, will wait and watch and try to have a better year.

2007 also has this very interesting titbit of having the most number of holidays on weekdays. So that's a good start already!!

Let's see how it goes! Happy New Year!!

Shane Warne retires...

Its the end of an era,a magical era. There has never been a time in the last 15 years when I have done anything else, when Warne was bowling. Hats off to this magician! Thanks so much,Warnie, for the fantastic aggression,competition,display of skill and indeed reviving the dying art of leg spin. It was a delight to watch you play and I plan to get hold of DVDs of your best spells to treasure for eternity.

I will never forget your battles in India on turning tracks against Sachin,VVS and the like. Not to mention the endless spells worldover that bamboozled the best of players. It was a delight and indeed a privilege to have watched you and your art in all my growing years. Watching you compete taught me lessons of being highly competitive and approach my life with a never-say-die attitude. Thank you so much! I will miss you

Wish you the very best of luck in the future, and I still hope to see you on TV. It would be great to listen to the voice behind the magical hands and the razor sharp cricketing brain, with a microphone!

In the typical Aussie way, "Cheers, Mate!".

Training, training,training!

One of the best days in my corporate life thus far! I will remember today for a long time.

After a very long time, I took a training session with a couple of my colleagues. This was in primary interviewing skills for a new induction batch. The whole session lasted two hours, and I never ever realised how the time went past. It was an exhilirating feeling to demonstrate to the new joinees about various approaches to an analyst briefing, the kinds of challenges, simulated scenarios, different techniques to tackle different types of people etc. It was seriously enjoyable too.

And the crowd was younger than me, for a change!:).

Reached San Francisco – but my baggage didn’t!

Well, I finally made it to the west coast of the US. Such a long flight, but fortunately, I wasn’t feeling tired at all. If anything, I was wide-awake, fresh, and raring to go!

After deplaning, I realized that my checked-in baggage hadn’t arrived from JFK airport. The airline had checked my baggage right through till San Francisco, from Chennai. But looks like it got lost in the big JFK airport! Anyway, true to the American customer service tradition, the airline officials jotted down the details, and even tracked my suitcase down electronically. They even showed me the photograph of the type of suitcase that I was talking about, from a slew of designs of suitcases!

I exited the terminal in the knowledge that my baggage would reach me at the hotel the next day. And outside the terminal, I had my first glimpse into how infrastructure, and support services in and around an international airport can make life for a foreigner so much easier. I am talking about a shuttle service to the hotel that I was to be housed in. There was a Hotel Shuttle Bus Stop and scores of vans and shuttles from different hotels flocked in one after the other to pick up people from the airport to their hotels. It was such a brilliant way to accommodate customer needs right from the minute that they decided to book their rooms in these hotels. While I initially didn’t know that these shuttles operate in blocks of half hour (one trip to the airport every 30 minutes), I noticed a public phone booth with extension numbers to these hotels. I called up the hotel that I was supposed to go to and in a matter of 3 minutes, the hotel shuttle turned up. Impressive! Its just amazing how customer service is so brilliantly done in this part of the world. Its just amazing. While these things may be a given for the average westerner, for somebody used to “negotiating with” with local cabs and auto rickshaws back home, these sorts of experiences are in a different league altogether! And it makes one learn so much more and become richer by the experience.

For the rest of the trip, I used this shuttle service from the hotel to the airport, and from thereon, the local train to scout the city of San Francisco, and indeed a lot of California. The public utilities and transport systems were just outstanding! I had absolutely no problem in figuring out my ways around this big city; the maps were accurate to the T; the routes to be taken to reach different places were accurate; the schedules of inter-city trains were on the dot each and every time; the schedules of connecting buses were hassle-free; most of all, there was complete ease of travel, lack of pressure, systematic, regulated and highly efficient transport systems, which made my stay so memorable. I didn’t even have to look at the clock and wonder if I am going to be charged double the rate like all of us are charged, back home after 10 p.m!These systems here operate at the same level of efficiency, are free of human interaction and are available at standard tariffs 24 hours a day. Nobody to cheat you, nobody to fleece you, and nobody to misdirect you.
Amazing!

Anyway, got to my hotel, to experience yet another great service experience. Complimentary high speed internet! That helps!

JFK Airport & New York City

I am back in the big city after exactly one year. And the exhilarating feeling that buoyed me in 2005 has resurfaced. While I am not about to exit the terminal, as I have only 2 hours, the sheer pulse of the city is visible right at this incredibly busy JFK international airport. The fact that New York city is the world’s melting pot is epitomised by its airports and the sea of humanity that converges there. Multiple dialects, multiple currencies, multiple cultures, multiple views, opinions and feelings are all available in one place. It just amazes me no end as to how this city has the power to integrate, digest and absorb such diversity into its fold every day of its life. Incredible!

I have been running from gate to gate, as the terminal from which my plane was scheduled to take off has been changed to some other terminal. And the airline officials at the new terminal are waiting for me with a smile (unlike the usual grumpiness that lateness is normally associated with!). One of the highlights of seeing what customer experience is all about, was when I boarded the flight to San Francisco at the JFK airport. The captain of the plane walked down the length of the aircraft, greeting everyone in the plane with a beaming smile, talking to them about the weather in Sfrisco, how the day was and what plans he has for the flight. Simple, yet an incredible lesson of how customer service can be replicated in the manner we do it at home i.e. if someone visits us, we spend the first few minutes greeting them, smiling at them and talking of general things. That’s exactly what the captain did, a la customer service style. Every time I come to the US, and every time I fly these airlines in this country, the quality of customer service just keeps getting better. You may recall the amazing experience I had with a delayed flight last July at Memphis airport (again on a flight out of New York City!).

As for JFK airport, well, I guess I have this to say. Based on what I had heard from my dad all these years, that there is a flight departing or arriving at the JFK airport every two minutes, I can only say that it’s the reality of the day. Two minutes is a long time at JFK airport. The various management lessons I learnt of scheduling, operational efficiency in providing better service, speed of delivery, were all visible to me at the JFK airport. Lines of aircraft stood one behind another waiting patiently to take off, one after the other. No blaring of horns that I am accustomed to back home!

Next to me is an old lady, who is alternating between sleeping and reading a Spanish book! Am off to sleep now. Should be reaching San Francisco by 10.30 p.m.

Day 1 – Chennai to Paris

I am writing this as I am sitting in Paris airport. It was a long flight from Chennai to Paris and I slept through most of it. I thought I’d have an interesting neighbour, but ended up with an Indian national settled in Paris and he was old hat! And a touch serious! So, I thought I may as well catch up on my lost sleep, considering that I was beating a deadline through the week, having sleepless nights getting approvals, travel documents, print outs of every discernible document that I needed (two copies each, lest one of my baggages doesn’t turn up when I land in the US). So, I slept through the flight.

We reached Paris an hour ago and as soon as we got into the bus, the modernity, technology, systematic approach to life in the wild west hit me rightaway. There was this bus that we had to board and reach the transit terminal to catch the connecting flight to New York. The manner in which the documents were checked, the way the bus was structured, the procedures followed to help the old people into the bus with specialized systems was just a glimpse of the attention to detail that westerner adhere to.

I got to the terminal, and after the security check and then baggage check (for a second time) by a hot French blonde, I entered the waiting area in the terminal. Clear-cut messages of the schedules of various airlines to various destinations in the world were the first thing that hit me inside the terminal. For the first time in my life, I noticed a public phone where I could use my own credit card and call anywhere in the world (I had heard of call collect and the usual ISD or IP phone, but this was different. telephonic model!)

I then scouted around the airport terminal across various duty free shop which were replete with the best booze possible (even a teetotaler like me could appreciate the variety on display!), scores of porn magazines, foreign exchange counters, a café that had the typical French toast, croissant and butter! Not to miss, the terminal was of course full of very good-looking women(charms of travelling!).

Well, as I am typing this sitting in this Paris airport, two Indian girls sitting next to me are speaking aloud about life in the US, life back in India, the learning experience, college education etc. While I am never one to eavesdrop, the volume of the voices of these two girls is so high that even if one doesn’t want to hear them, it comes and hits the ear straight!

Well, its another two hours for my flight. Let me scout this terminal a bit more and add to my international exposure?!!:)