Valley Chai

quick check-in after 2 months of arriving in bangalore with self and family. most things are in place, except for the cable tv hookup. more on the gadgetry later. but i thought i’d post about a few aspects of bangalore life and contrast with bay area life in the next few posts. here’s the first one, around the morning routine.

what a difference! my routine in the bay area typically started waking up at around 7:30am, usually woken up by wife. i go through all the usuals, and occasionally get a quick bite of breakfast like a fried egg or the instant idlis, something with the batter in the fritz, courtesy wife. in the mean time she is are getting the kids ready, and i sometimes help in with their bags, dress and breakfast. i strap them in the back of my jeep wrangler sport, and we dash off by 8:30am or so. i drop the kids off at day care, and land at work by 9:15 or so, after wading through the 880/237 interchange. on my way to cube at work, i grab a large coffee (free) and toast with butter ($0.25). i grew to savor the smell of fresh butter on warm toast after 3 years of this routine.

here in bangalore, i get up around the same time, to the noise of an occasional auto on the street or the vegetable vendors’ cry of kuppo (or similar sounding). i do the bare minimum usuals, and step out to take a walk around the neighborhood (koramangala 3rd block) for about 25 min. the area is mostly residential, and the cross streets are lined with beautiful homes and the roads are pleasant with the awesome smell of wild purple flowers that dropped from the trees overnight. gotta catch it before they sweep it off in the morning! it’s also a great time for people watching - you get to see a spectrum of lives unfolding, and may be reflect on my own good fortunes. it’s the closest i ever get to a prayer. i return for for a quick shower (the bucket-and-mug experience as opposed to the shower experience) and i might get a cup of coffee while the geyser is heating the water, while i check out the times of india. and then i get hot breakfast (you name it!) and i am ready to go. the maid gets the kids ready, prepares my tiffin box. the driver arrives in the mean time, washes the car (every day!) and we set off in our mariti swift zxi. the driver is late on occasion, just to keep things interesting. i drop the kids off at the pre-school and show up at work by 9:20 or so. i get an instant tea (with tea bags) cut with a spoonful of milk and i am set for work.

i do think i get a more satisfying morning experience in bangalore. most importantly i do get the time to take a nice walk in the morning without worrying about the pesky weather conditions - it always is pleasant enough to step out in a t-shirt and shorts. i get a more satisfying breakfast and probably a chance to experience my natural lazy self in the morning for once. me and wife talk a bit more with each other in the morning as opposed to rush-rush routine back in the bay area. and the stress-free ride to work is a major difference not just because i don’t have to fight the traffic myself, but because it allows me to bond with my boys along the way.