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Tag Archives: Jakarta
Braving malls, masks and gifts… Jakarta’s Block M Square and Pasaraya Malls
I’ve already confessed to paultry posts about experiences in Jakarta. I’ve also admitted I’m not a big fan of shopping or malls… This post braves both!
Before I left Bombay for Jakarta earlier this month, my partner requested I buy us a mask or two and replenish our empty ‘gift cupboard.’
Why masks? Well… it has become one of our ‘things’… we’ve separately collected masks here and there. So when we came together, our masks did too.
Glimpse of our masks…
Confession time…
I admit, I’m out of practice and outta shape with the whole work-life balance thing. Not only has getting to the gym suffered completely in the last few months but, I must confess, I’m a recovering workaholic who has completely fallen “off the wagon” and slipped back into bad patterns with the Jakarta project.
As Lady of the Cakes succinctly diagnosed my condition “Bad case of projectitis!” and very aptly prescribed “3 hours of blogging faffery!”
And I couldn’t agree more!
Which is what made my trip to Bangalore such a delightful break from intense non-stop work. I’ll confess, I still did a couple of hours both days, but in a relaxed detached manner. This morning my emails were made from the guest house terrace while leisurely sipping my 2nd morning espresso, listening to the birds chirping, enjoying blue skies and a balmy breeze with feet propped on a stool.
One night in Bangkok… I mean Bangalore!
Having literally just breezed through Bangkok airport on my trip back from Jakarta to Mumbai, I find myself throwing jeans and a t-shirt into a small bag for a quick trip tomorrow morning to Bangalore.
I admit it… I have a special fondness for Bangalore… and I can’t wait to be back after years! (more…)
Convenience vs Cost – Calling for creative travel advice!!
I’m convinced there are far greater experts out there who can extract both value and convenience when planning international flights. As I plan my next trip back from Mumbai to Jakarta, would love to tap into the collective world wide WordPress wisdom for travel advice…
Where I want to book today…
So here is my criteria:
- Avoid crappy cramped overnight flights. Appreciate overnight for long haul flights can’t be avoided but these 4 – 5 hour overnight flights are killers!
- Stick with ‘preferred airline’ with access to business lounges, internet, khanna/pina (food/drink) as have ‘gold’ status (for now!)
- As direct as possible so avoid spending extra day(s) in airports – yes the romance of exploring airports for hours long ago vanished!
- Economy fare because, well, the client is covering the cost and for them – the cheaper the better! And we all like happy clients. 🙂
Seems pretty simple, right? (more…)
Bonus time in Bombay – Jakarta I’ll be back again soon!
Today I was supposed to be in transit to Jakarta… but I’m instead waking up in Bombay. What happened? Did I miss my flight? Was there some major life tragedy that derailed everything? Nope! Just a simple delay in the launch date for the project which means more time home rather than away. (more…)
“How come you don’t have an accent in Hindi?”
Just as my English has a “chameleon” quality (see “Can you drop the Indian accent?”), I’m often asked “How come you don’t have an accent in Hindi?”
I’ve got Hindi, what about you? (Photo: http://www.tattoodonkey.com)
Usually I explain that I have lived in India for more than a decade, studied Hindi in Delhi for a year augmented mid-way by a very helpful 6-week stint at the Landour Language School (near Mussourie).
What follows is generally “Aaah! That explains it!” type response. Because the ‘real’ Hindi is naturally from North India!
Yet I’m aware that my vocabulary has shifted between what is typically heard in Delhi to ‘Mumbaya’ words. And has deteriorated abysmally as my universe in Bombay is almost exclusively English.
When I lived in Delhi (1995-96, 2003-05) there were multiple daily opportunities to speak Hindi or at least ‘Hinglish‘ – in which one switches effortlessly between English, Hindi, blending words from each language. Today, I’m honest enough to know that when folks complement my Hindi, they are being terribly kind – even I can hear how badly I mess up!
However I have a few perspectives on this… and wonder if anyone else agrees? (more…)
Shine On Award!
With the recent project in Jakarta, I’ve been struggling to make time to do anything other than work. So it took a trip home to Mumbai and a little breathing space to say – “Thank you Gina of the fabulous A 4star life for the Shine On Award nomination!”
I can’t miss your blog and its in my “all time favourites” like Zhongguo Jumble, Kiwi Gypsy, Lady of the Cakes, Ottominuti – You folks are my blogging idols!
To accept the award, I need to share random 7 facts about myself (different to earlier award – Liebster) and nominate 15 other blogs I enjoy reading. If I’ve nominated you (ie blogs below), feel free to ‘accept’ and pass on the joy to others! (more…)
Life’s simple pleasures… the joys of doing laundry?
You may think I’m insane… but right now… the simple pleasure of doing my own laundry in my own washing machine is pure bliss! The ritual of putting it up to dry and then taking them down after a few hours to stack in a pile to go to the press wallah tomorrow morning is such a joy!!
The clothing quandry of working professionally away from home in hotels includes:
- Don’t bother to do laundry. If traveling only a few days, imminently do-able. If not… (Most trips now 21 days)
Happy clean clothes drying in the balcony
- Selectively attempt to hand wash and dry in the hotel room (Works for the ahem! ‘unmentionables’ but not everything)
- Live in the same clothes repeatedly (Nope – can’t do!)
- Pack a massive bag and lug around enough clothes to last the entire trip (Generally, if I can’t carry it on the plane myself, don’t to take it!)
- Do send clothes for laundry and live with the consequences
None of these options are ideal. With all my trips back n forth between Mumbai and Jakarta, I’ve tried a modified approach: (more…)
“Can you drop the Indian accent?” – Accents and voice overs
Recently, I did a voice over in Jakarta for an ad pitch. They were looking for a middle-aged woman with a North American accent who could speak with warmth, like a mother to her growing child. Now…
Where the deed was done!
- I’m indeed a ‘native’ English speaker
- I’m certainly from North America (yes the Canadian prairies count!)
- I’m quite happily in my 40s so the right ‘age’ (more or less)
However… I don’t exactly have what you would call a typical ‘Canadian’ accent any more. Truth be told after a decade plus in India, it has more than just a tinge of an Indian lilt.
So given just how Indianized my accent has become, it was no surprise that my friend who arranged the voice recording begged me “Can you please drop your Indian accent?”
Apparently I succeeded in reclaiming my ‘home and native land’ accent. We were able to ‘nail’ the recording in only 5 takes – including options for the client to consider.
Now I’m not a professional at doing voice recordings, so it was an amusing experience however it did prompt me to think about how our accents adapt to our environment. (more…)
The sounds of travel… death by baby wail!
Oh those innocent little tykes. Those big dark moist eyes. Those little fingers that fetchingly reach out. Cuteness incarnate until… Mouth opens wide and unleashes…. THE HOWL!!!!
Yes I’ve shamelessly borrowed this from an IDBI Fortis campaign – hope my friends there will forgive!
There is something about flying in and out of India. For that matter most countries with a youthful demographic. There are always kids – LOTS of kids! And in some cases, they have the most amazing lung capacity. One sets another off and soon there is a symphony of screeching.
On my recent trip from Mumbai to Jakarta, I had their sweet serenade from the queue outside the airport, the wait to check-in, then the wait for immigration, followed by the wait for security so that even before stepping foot on the plane… their lungs were clearly well-primed already for the coming concert. My head was throbbing in accompaniment long before we even took off!
These munchkins are champion caterwallers and – alas – can keep it up ALL night. Nothing can hold back the anguished wails. Noise cancellation headsets at ear bleeding levels cannot compete. (more…)
Everyday Asia 