Saturday 12/09/09 Shopping!

I woke up to a warm sunny morning and prepared for breakfast. Breakfast now consists of a regular helping of 2 slices of brown toast with butter cheese slices then 2 fried eggs with Indian spices on them, all washed down with a few glasses of bottled orange juice. Then a coffee before the drive to the centre. The drive was its normal eventful self and I think the people have got used to me wishing them a good morning and waving whenever we slow down for corners. On one roundabout is a shack where all the locals and police have coffee, these are now referred to as "the morning coffee club", whenever we pass they now wave and smile back, Anglo-Indian relations still improving. After a few cows and the normal horn blowing we arrived at the centre. I have decided that 8 exams and one course are just simply not enough... So I booked 2 separate exams for Monday, this will be for a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician. This is normally a 7-9 day course but as Id just come off the back of a more complex MP exam and I have a good deal of experience in XP I thought id give these 2 exams a go. I'm one book and some prep away from my next MCSE exam so this is going to be a tight few days (hence the late blogs). Study went well, one thing I have noticed is that I'm drinking an inordinate amount of coffee mind you the cups are espresso size, but in the UK I only normally have coffee after dinner. I'm going to come back with a huge coffee habit!!!!! But it helps keep u sharp and awake during not so exciting sections of printer drivers and printer spooling!!!

At about 10:30 (more coffee) I went for a walk outside to get fresh air and see "Coco".

Coco is a puppy. He and his dad have adopted the training centre. I know India has Rabies, Monkeys and Mad (sacred) Cows, but it also has Coco.

Coco... aweee how can you not think hes cute!
Cocos Mum and Dad went there separate ways, or Mum found her way in to a curry... Cocos Dad tends to drop him off at the Centre and go away for a bit of peace and quiet, Coco is playful and when Daddy is there is allover him play fighting. Coco especially likes milk and Samosas and its the centre of attention whenever possible.

Ok just one more picture.... He promises he doesn't have rabies.. But still I don't want fleas!

I left the centre at 5pm and Andy myself and Jason decided to go up the hill to look for shops and get out for a bit.


A view down the hill of the shops....

I was after an umbrella as when it rains boy does it rain. As we were walking along the row of shops a few seemed to sell brollys, I found a shop that had a good selection and engaged the vendor, he was immediately helpful and before I knew it I was surrounded with hundreds of open Umbrellas, it must have looked like the umbrella scene from Madame Butterfly. After I had managed to get him to put them away again I decided on a classic black self opening umbrella with a a curved handle and a silver lining, very dapper and quite appropriate for an English man in India. This was much to the amusement of my American friend Jason who insisted that we look for a bowler hat to match. The cost 0f this fine purchase was 190Rs (£1.80). We then set of in search of snacks, chocolate and crisps in particular. After a short walk from my Umbrella vendor we found a shop with a small opening but it had crisps outside so we ventured in. WELL, this was a real gold mine, a cornucopia of goods in one little stall. It also had a cold box with Mars bars Cadburys chocolate, including fruit and nut... I piled his counter high with biscuits, chocolate, crisps, fizzy drinks, and more chocolate. I asked for air freshener he then offered me about 5 different types of shampoo, I then had to explain and mime what "Air freshener was and after I had been offered insect spray, deodorant and insect repellent he got the message. "Electric or non electric?", "erm, electric please". A glade 60 day plugin!!!!!!! would you believe it? then I asked for candles (the room suffers from a little damp and I want to mask the smell), scented candles it was. I kid you not this shop has it all from snickers to Indian cookware and clothing this is the place to be! Happily he packed all the shopping away and totaled the cost, it was about 580Rs (£6 and worth every penny), I sad to keep the change but he was quite adamant and made me take it from him... After a few more visits to shops and looking around the taylors we headed back....

On the way we were scouted buy a monkey and expected a raiding party to follow and try to relieve us of our treasures, I pushed him away with my trusty Umbrella and he decided to go elsewhere.. These monkeys are fast critters and after seeing one disappear the other day with a jar of olives (obviously having a martini evening with the other primates), you have to keep an eye on them.

The opportunist thief? or scouting party?



A fine selection of goods!