back to Valsad

After a long journey full of hussle I have reached back Valsad last night. I had to fly from Bangkok via Kolkata to Mumbai from where I had to go on train to Valsad. Unfortunately I did not have any reservation for the train what made the journey a little difficult and adventerous.

At the train station in Mumbai a young Indian lady helped me getting my train ticket for Mumbai to Valsad what was just a general ticket. Travellers holding a general ticket have sit in the Second Class or upgrade on the train if there is a free seat available in the high classes. So the train I was about to use had just two Second Class coaches that were completely overcrowded on arrival already. I decided to board a Sleeper Class coach and sit on the ground in the entrance area. Many travellers did the same but it was just me who was asked for a ticket. I could not convince the unfriendly train conducter to just let me sit there as there was absolutely no space in the Second Class coaches. Well, he chucked me out at the next station (just me whereas he did not even ask the other travellers there for tickets) telling me there would be a train just behind on which I might get a free seat. Just behind meant that there was another train running one hour later, so I was waiting one hour for a train of which I actually knew it would be as crowded as the one on which I have just been. Anyway I entered 3rd AC compartment this time and got to know to one very nice family. They said they’ll help me getting a seat on that coach although I was still wondering how they gonna manage it on the fully loaded coach. As a free seat was finally not available they were so kind to offer me one of their bed while they were sharing another one. The train conducter on this coach was not even interested in the whole situation.

Arriving in Valsad after midnight I thought it would be relatively difficult to get a Rickshaw to my place far off the center but I was welcomed by a Rickshaw driver who obviously knew me already. He even knew where I was living and offered me good price as well. I did not even had to bargain.

off to Bangkok

Last night I arrived in Bangkok on Air Asia, Asia’s leading Low Cost Carrier. The city of Bangkok is more or less comparable with Delhi but seems to be a few years ahead. I did not expect such a crowded city. But in terms of photography Bangkok might be the most interesting place of the three cities in South East Asia I have recently visited. Unfortunately I am staying for two days only as the city definitly worth a longer stay.

From KL to Singapore

Last night I was travelling on night train from KL to Singapore. The train ride was quite curious actually. I was travelling on “Special Train 1011″ which was scheduled to leave KL Sentral on 10:11 PM and arrive in Singapore at 7:55. After experiencing KL as a modern and well organized place I expected a good train ride as well but was disappointed with that what the Malaysian Railway offered me. The train departed with one hour delay at 11:11 PM but arrived one hour earlier as scheduled at around 7 AM. Boarding the train I noticed that I was the only passenger on my coach - for the whole ride to Singapore. Later I found out that this was an extra train for Diwali but was not well promoted and so there were just 40 passengers on the train. Also the comfort was not that great and it was very very cold because of A/C.

Anyway, arriving in Singapore I was welcomed by an amazing town that is even cleaner, more organized and more modern than KL but therefore very expensive as well. Also in the skyline competition it is Singapore that has to offer the better Skyline although there are not such great towers like Petronas Twin Towers in KL. Thus the Skyline in Singapore is more estethic…

byebye KL

Well, no fireworks but at least I could take this night shot from the Menara Telecommunication Tower in KL. At least it is showing some citylights as Diwali is the Festival of Lights. So byebye KL and see you again on my next trip to South East Asia.

Happy Diwali

Wishing all Indian readers and friends a happy Diwali or Deepavali (this is how they call it in Malaysia and Singapore). Well I hope to catch some photographs with fireworks but actually I’ll be sitting in the night train from KL und Singapore so let’s see… hope there will be fireworks tomorrow night in Singapore as well.

More KL

I am still hanging out in KL (a common code for Kuala Lumpur). Yesterday I went to visit the Sky Bridge connecting the Petronas Twin Towers. Like the living root bridges in Cherrapunjee this is another unique bridge but a modern one. Today I have been on the observation deck of the Merena Tower. This is KL’s communication tower and it provides another stunning view over this awesome city. Unfortunately the sky was not that clear so turned some photographs into black and white. More photographs can be seen on Flickr as usual, check it out…

 

South East Escape

So as Diwali is coming with seven holidays and the few days before Diwali there is also nobody in the company and no work for me I have decided to make a short trip the some of the most amazing places in the world - to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok. For four days I am exploring Kuala Lumpur now. Kuala Lumpur looks like a copy of some typical american cities, big skyline, big cars, etc.

In the course of this trip to South East Asian Countries I have also changed the title of the blog from Incredible India into Fascinating Asia. Well, both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore have a big Indian community actually but nevertheless they have nothing to do with India…

Well, after staying and working in Valsad for exactly one week now it is time to drop some lines about ths place.

With Ida and Valentin I am sharing this apartment in a place that was proposed to be a holiday resort just at the beach of Arabian Sea. In fact most of the apartments remain empty the whole year and are only used by some people from Mumbai who may not have the money to escape to Goa for Diwali, India’s New Year Festival.

So the place may sound idyllic to you guys but honestly it is not! Although locals say that the beach and water here would be the cleanest all over Gujarat both are actually dirty or at least not very inviting to take bath. It feels strange to have a beach in front of your house and not being able to go swimming…

The apartment itself is okay… well I am not having a pillow yet so nights are not very comfortable but ok. We have a guy who is looking after our house, cleaning it and washing our clothes, or I should rather say he is dipping our clothes into water… Sometimes our garbage that we collect in special bags can be found distributed over the street in front of our house and probably it is just a question of time till they start burning garbage in front of our own door as well like they are doing elsewhere.

At least for Lord Shiva people here are trying to offer best comfort in his temple. One night his statue was dressed in a Micky Mouse pyjama for the night. Ofcourse he got a mosquito net as well.

in Valsad

Last weekend I arrived in Valsad where I’ll be doing a training with Gadhia Solar Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd. now. I’ve been picked up by Ida and Valentin, two other trainees from Austria and Germany as well, from the railway station. All three of us are staying in an apartment just 30 meters from the beach which is honestly not very inviting to take a dip.

The atmosphere in the company is very relaxed. There are around 60 to 70 employees at all. Most of them are workers producing and constructing the panels. I am working in the office where it is my first task to give the company a complete new corporate design which I will be doing with Valentin. We are also giving presentations and lectures for students and make them aware of climate change and tell them how to safe energy and stuff… This morning there was a presentation in front of 2000 students. So I am sure I’ll be having a nice time…

in Mumbai (Bombay)

On my way to Valsad where I will start my training in the solar company I have just landed in Mumbai. Unfortunately I do not have really much time here as I have to proceed further to the place of my training but I am planning to come here several time during the training.

I am relatively impressed by what I have seen from the air. I mean I knew that Mumbai is the financial capital of India but what you see from the air is a complete different place from everything I have seen in India yet. I am just in the airport terminal and got connected to a free hotspot there so let’s check out how the city really looks like. I am sure there will be a lot to see… at least temperatures are quite nice with 26 degrees celcius when I landed this morning at 8 AM.