Wednesday 09/09/09 With added monkeys!

Today was an awesome day......

Woke up early and the weather was dry and warm. Headed over to breakfast and was the first there. I was hoping to finish the first book of my course today and sign up for the exam tomorrow, my trainer is very thorough and doesn't like skipping exercises or chapters.. no matter how many times I've TCP/IPed the world lol. Our driver turned up and we had the big 4x4 to take us to the centre (the last car was tiny and its comedy to fit 4 largish blokes in it). We always like to rotate so Jason got shotgun, me and Andy got back seats and Peter was in the seated boot area. as we set off we caught some monkeys having breakfast.

The monkeys enjoying "bin-cuisine"

Animals dining out

As is true of everything in India the pecking order from "bin-cuisine" has its class levels and hierarchy. In the morning the monkeys are first to dine, then mid morning/afternoon the dogs followed by the cows head out to the bins. The next bit you have to see to believe, a dog jumps in the bin and starts moving stuff about, things he tastes but dosent like he throws out, the cows that followed the dogs then eat the food that's been discarded from the bins. Then the cows like to sleep off lunch in the middle of the road and cause as much nuisance as possible. Each day without a big steak or beefburger bring me and the guys closer to committing religious sacrilege ;-)

Our driver saw someone who worked at the center by the side of the road and stopped to pick him up, he jumped in the back along with Pete, the back now looked pretty cramped., Andy and I grinned... We continued, again the driver toots and pulls over to pick someone else up, he also immediately opens the tail gate and joins Pete and his new friend, Andy and I now start laughing as when we set off Pete was smug about the amount of room he had in the back. We departed again and yes the driver tooted and stoped for another pickup, Pete said " well guys move over as hes coming in with you", the new traveler then proceeded to open the tailgate and cram himself in, Andy and I were in stitches....
I packed a camera today on the trip to take a picture of a cow in the road, but always when you try to capture a moment with wildlfe there were none.

Andy, Jason and I arrived at the centre relaxed and ready to study, Pete emerged shortly after unloading his new found close friends ;-)

The day went well and I finished the book I was on, at 12:30 I was called to a room, one of the trainers had just finished his Masters degree and had bough in Samosas for everyone! After a week of rice and meat? I was in need of some stodge and boy these were just the ticket. The Samosas were the best I have ever tasted and I finished 2 of them off quite quickly! My trainer said that they were made in a local shop.... tomorrow I think we need to place an order for delivery!!!!!
1pm was here and lunch was served, I decided on an order for McDonalds, I thought it wise to be safe and I just ordered nuggets and a large fries, The maccy D's was a very familiar taste, if not just a little cold..
The rest of the afternoon went well and I booked my exam for 10:30 tomorrow. Spent until 5PM sitting mock exams and revising. Our diver turned up and took us back Country house, along the way we bribed him to stop off at "the English wine shop" for a box of beer. you should have seen the smile on the shop/stall keepers face when he saw Andy and me again.... "Another box of beer sir?". we loaded the 4X4 and got back to the country house, we gave the driver 40Rs for his help (50p). He wouldn't take it but we made him. But then he wouldn't let us carry the box of beer and got out and insisted to open the gate and carry it as far as we wanted.... having had to previously carry a box back from up the hill taking turns with Andy to carry, we though this was a sterling investment of 50p and hoped it wouldn't upset the Indian economy. Andy and I shared a cold one while chatting over today's study and going on about the amazing Samosas more that two grown guys should!
Dinner was at 7, after the previous days food at the Country house I wasn't that excited about what we might be getting, I did speak with the course manager today as we ate Samosas and remarked that this was better than the food they cook for us. wasn't. But wow tonight the food was first class (for India) the rice was fried and was hot, we had chicken in breadcrumbs it too was hot and 99% white meat (haven't seen any chickens around here at all?). It transpired that the cook had been replaced and we had a new guy cooking from now on, bonus. We celebrated with a beer.

Well that's it for today, some more revising and a good nights sleep is in order.....