First month - Pune

This is an email I sent in Oct 2007, a month after reaching Pune.

This is All India Radio from Pune (formerly, the Voice of America from Foster City) :)

Life is moving on a good speed so far. Reached Delhi on Sep 1st, Pune on Wed (5th) evening and forced our way with our friend Deepa into her home :)

Started looking for aptts on Thu and Fri (6th and 7th) and moved into an one on Sat (8th), got kids admitted on Monday (10th) and they started school on Tuesday (11th) and started complaining about home work Wed (12th). We also got a telephone on Wed (12th). We got a "bai" on Mon(10th) and changed her on Tue(11th) and confirmed another on Wed (12th) and hope to get a gas cylinder today Thu(13th)...:) All fun stuff....

Pune is a nice city, crowded like others but not too much dust it appears. And the weather is, as Goldilocks (and the 3 bears) says "just right - not too hot and not to cold"

The key thing left is a car. In the meantime we have a chauffeur driven vehicle "at call" - a 3 wheeler auto that we have exchanged cell phone numbers with. He drops me and the kids in the morning and when Rashmi needs him, he is just a cell phone call away. Telecom is truly liberating us from the corrupt rental cars and taxis. :)

I am negotiating through what Maruti has a similar offering as the certified cars in US - with 1 year warranty. At least we wont feel bad if someone scratches a 2nd hand car. :)

Thats all for this broadcast folks. The next edition will be available....when I get power back :)

Regards