18 February 2009
15 February 2009
marathon redux
42.43km
4 hours 33 minutes 24 seconds.
i did not beat p.diddy's nyc marathon time, but it was epic.
thank you, everyone, for the good wishes.
(and especially anupam who shadowed me and provided bananas, water, cheers and photos. and zj, whos smile i felt the whole way)
i think id like to do it again sometime.
just past halfway
14 February 2009
mumbai meeri jaan
between charni road and marine lines
carter road promenade
mukesh mills
marine drive opposite vn road
vt station pedestrian bridge
colaba near bade miya
dn road citibank building
breach candy
darukhana ship breaking yard
bandra outside bagel shop
wadi bandar
wadi bandar.
250 households.
@ 5 people/house.
1 working pipe.
[non-working spaghetti pipes throughout]
entrance from street
north lane with spaghetti pipes
1 public tap/@ 10 households.
1 shared private tap.
public toilet facility under construction.
directly adjacent to railway water tank, no service.
less than 100 meters to well source, non drinking supply.
less than 500 meters from the bhandarwada hill reservoir, no service.
250 households.
@ 5 people/house.
1 working pipe.
[non-working spaghetti pipes throughout]
entrance from street
north lane with spaghetti pipes
1 public tap/@ 10 households.
1 shared private tap.
public toilet facility under construction.
directly adjacent to railway water tank, no service.
less than 100 meters to well source, non drinking supply.
less than 500 meters from the bhandarwada hill reservoir, no service.
water/works
manual and generator powered sluice gates.guardians of a system that has not changed much in the last 100 years.
13 February 2009
sauter st
apna chawl.
240 households.
@ 6-10 family members/house.
1 pipe.
[120 each side, south side has connections in house]
looking west
looking east
1 public tap.
6 toilet stalls @ rs.2/use.
directly adjacent to byculla fire station.
240 households.
@ 6-10 family members/house.
1 pipe.
[120 each side, south side has connections in house]
looking west
looking east
1 public tap.
6 toilet stalls @ rs.2/use.
directly adjacent to byculla fire station.
12 February 2009
the hits
someone asked, what are the 5 foods from here, that i would miss the most after i leave.
it was tough, and the list kept changing, but id have to say, in no particular order (and stretching it to 10):
1. really good homestyle dal, besan, korma or kichdi, with millet roti and seasonal vegetables.
2. monsoon patra with thick, gingery, masala chai in very small cups.
3. west coast seafood. fish curry and butter crabs, neer dosa.
4. paneer rolls from ayubs or a bombay triple decker off the street.
5. toast and amul butter.
6. alfonso mangoes. any mangoes really, but those are the best.
7. how could i forget idli/sambar/coconut chutney? or a cheese toastie. lunchtime standards.
8. fresh coconut water. essential to long run days. plain soda any other time.
9. sweets triple tie between kaju katli, fresh ice cream, and sesame chocolates.
10. masala omlettes or egg bhurji.
really, any meal that is a shared effort, in or out, with good company and conversation is never a miss.
it was tough, and the list kept changing, but id have to say, in no particular order (and stretching it to 10):
1. really good homestyle dal, besan, korma or kichdi, with millet roti and seasonal vegetables.
2. monsoon patra with thick, gingery, masala chai in very small cups.
3. west coast seafood. fish curry and butter crabs, neer dosa.
4. paneer rolls from ayubs or a bombay triple decker off the street.
5. toast and amul butter.
6. alfonso mangoes. any mangoes really, but those are the best.
7. how could i forget idli/sambar/coconut chutney? or a cheese toastie. lunchtime standards.
8. fresh coconut water. essential to long run days. plain soda any other time.
9. sweets triple tie between kaju katli, fresh ice cream, and sesame chocolates.
10. masala omlettes or egg bhurji.
really, any meal that is a shared effort, in or out, with good company and conversation is never a miss.
make my trip
this past week ive somehow slipped into a pattern that goes something like this:
browse flight itineraries.
choose a convenient and income sensitive flight.
book said flight.
find out that the flight is not acceptable.
immediately cancel flight.
try to re-book another flight.
'sorry miss, your credit card is declined'.
call creditcard.
discover that card is locked due to unusual activity.
assure customer service that the charges are indeed authorized.
try to re-book, declined again.
call creditcard.
re-assure that charges are authorized and the card is safely in my possession.
once card is re-activated, repeat sequence above, as many times as needed.
im on itinerary number three now, after hours on the phone with the travel agent, numerous emails regarding flight reimbursement feasibility, and at least 4 calls to my credit card company.
flight sequence #1 was denied due to a funny little stipulation in my grant contract called the 'fly america act'. sorry emirates, you lose. i need to have american flight codes on all my boarding passes. this is more difficult that it sounds.
flight sequence #2 was denied because the american carrier on the reservation failed to issue tickets to the agent.
flight sequence #3 will hopefully go through tomorrow after approximately two more calls to my creditcard issuer to assure them that yes, i really am charging three flights out of bombay in one week, and no, my card has not been stolen, and yes, i am expecting a refund of the cancelled itineraries, and no, i dont need anything else except for my card to work as soon as possible. and yes, i am in india right now.
maybe i should just stay?
except that the only thing more unpleasant right now would be trying to extend my visa with less than two weeks left.
flight sequence #3 has now been officially nixed, as contrary to opinion of the travel agent, air india and american airlines do not code share.
flight sequence #4 is out. klm and northwest are not the same airline. im outsourcing the project to my father now.
browse flight itineraries.
choose a convenient and income sensitive flight.
book said flight.
find out that the flight is not acceptable.
immediately cancel flight.
try to re-book another flight.
'sorry miss, your credit card is declined'.
call creditcard.
discover that card is locked due to unusual activity.
assure customer service that the charges are indeed authorized.
try to re-book, declined again.
call creditcard.
re-assure that charges are authorized and the card is safely in my possession.
once card is re-activated, repeat sequence above, as many times as needed.
im on itinerary number three now, after hours on the phone with the travel agent, numerous emails regarding flight reimbursement feasibility, and at least 4 calls to my credit card company.
flight sequence #1 was denied due to a funny little stipulation in my grant contract called the 'fly america act'. sorry emirates, you lose. i need to have american flight codes on all my boarding passes. this is more difficult that it sounds.
flight sequence #2 was denied because the american carrier on the reservation failed to issue tickets to the agent.
flight sequence #3 will hopefully go through tomorrow after approximately two more calls to my creditcard issuer to assure them that yes, i really am charging three flights out of bombay in one week, and no, my card has not been stolen, and yes, i am expecting a refund of the cancelled itineraries, and no, i dont need anything else except for my card to work as soon as possible. and yes, i am in india right now.
maybe i should just stay?
except that the only thing more unpleasant right now would be trying to extend my visa with less than two weeks left.
flight sequence #3 has now been officially nixed, as contrary to opinion of the travel agent, air india and american airlines do not code share.
flight sequence #4 is out. klm and northwest are not the same airline. im outsourcing the project to my father now.
11 February 2009
north of town
or where ive been for the last two weeks.
current e ward development plan map
e ward office holding pen
current e ward development plan map
e ward office holding pen
08 February 2009
less than twenty
plane tickets are booked, my visa is expiring, and i am leaving on the 25th of february.
the anxiety is not unfamiliar. i remember feeling a little like this about a year ago.
im excited to see familiar things, people i miss, and places ive forgotten.
at the same time confused and sad to go.
im not sure where home is, if its here, or there, or both, or someplace yet to be discovered.
until then, there should be enough time to figure out how to get out of the country in a somewhat organized way, finish as much work as possible, drink some good chai, and go for a few more bike rides.
in whatever order makes most sense.