All-Star, Break.

I just eclipsed the half-way point of the trip after a torrid fortnight, as detailed during my long week away from home in Corbett, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Nepal and extended quickly into a business trip to Mumbai for 3 days. It was time for a restful weekend in Hyderabad to recharge my batteries.

Good timing as well, as I got to participate in my first real cricket match! An intra-office battle under the lingering mid-day heat. Naturally, I wore a Red Sox jersey (Dice-Kaye), however, I went by the alias Greg Ganguly (surname taken from an Indian cricketer). My 2 goals were to not make a duck at-bat (0 runs) and to not let any balls by me. I exceeded expectations in the field when I made a nice play on a sharply hit, moving fly ball for a wicket (out) and kept all other balls in front of me nicely. Batting was tougher than I thought, and I made a 6 (hitting 1 boundary!) and then got bowled out by Scott. It was the side event of the match.

Additionally, the Hindu Holi festival started this weekend. As I mentioned in the Nepal entry, people celebrate by throwing water at each other and intensely colored powder. The only way to not participate is to not leave your house! (so wear scrubby clothes) Sometimes, you don't play Holi, but Holi plays you... we were chased on multiple occasions by packs of kids, women, hooligans, and even grown men. Almost every person or car that we encountered got touched.

Since it's the half way point, I thought that I would add some reflections. I hear that my blog content is getting too black and white. In the spirit of Holi, let's add some color to it!

• Things I still miss from the States - my girl and our apartment (and maybe our cat, sometimes), the salad bar/accessible healthy options in Cali, the city, me mates, the winter in Tahoe
  

• Things I love about India - the work and the team here, the food!, my set-up (I am getting spoiled by these conveniences), close travel options that are normally exotic, meeting new people and getting their take on things, talking cricket (World Cup is coming up!)

• Things I will never get used to - when queues/road-lanes don't get honored, flight delays, the disparity of wealth

• Funny Indian sayings - "tuk-tuk" (taxi); "dickie" (trunk); "the same" [as in: I will continue this list from the same (thing we were just discussing)]; their directness - "you look tired"
  

• Most interesting aspects of the trip - learning new religious, historic and political climate, in context. learning about things that I never had even heard of or considered learning about. seeking out Jewish cultural activities.