FYI, this work laptop I am using is not the best. The keys seem to stick and sometimes not work....so I know my typing is less then great right now. However, I am usually to tired and too lazy when I am typing this to worry about editing it.
My last entry left off with our shopping trip. I did forget to mention that when we drove back into the hotel the whole place where our car goes was filled with smoke (or so we thought). We quickly realized they were fumigating the place. We now realize this is something to hotel does frequently. When we exited the car you could feel the chemicals in the air, so we tried to get in the hotel quickly. Many of the workers were just standing around in it. I can't imagine what a terrible health hazzard that would be! A few days later (yesterday) as we were eating dinner out on the patio in the garden, they informed us that is was time to fumigate and so they moved us inside (mid-meal). They closed the doors and basically gassed the whole place outside. The really strange thing we noticed is that they left all the plates, napkins, etc out on the tables when they did this. We vowed right then and there to not eat breakfast outside the next morning!!!
Wednesday after we got back from shopping we showed Matt all the goods we got and enjoyed some Indian beer and wine. A couple interesting things....the Beer is Kingfisher (as well as the airline), it reminds me of Budweiser really. It's by far the cheaest option for an alcoholic beverage. There are a few Indian wines as well (Grover and Sula) that are OK. For the price (~$20/bottle) they are the cheapest options as well (from a wine shop, not from the hotel). Any US wines are ridiculously high (1 bottle of Sutter Home is ~$45). So, we're trying out all the Indian options now. Anyway, Wednesday night we had shopping show and tell and happy hour. It was quite fun. Then we went down stairs and they had a big buffet going on in the restaurant. We decided to eat there, which I actually thought was fine (lots of seafood, indian food, desserts, breads, etc). Matt and Alex didn't like it too much, especially for the price.
On Thursday morning Alex, Sandra and Matt went to the National Park. I am so bummed that I did not get to go. They saw tigers, lions, elephants, bears, gazells, etc. There were also lots of monkeys outside the zoo (while they were in line). There was a more traditional zoo portion, and then a wild animal part that they rode a bus through. They got really upclose and personal with some elephants. The pictures look pretty cool.
Thursday I hurried back from work to be at the hotel at 5:30pm. Sandra and Alex were treating me to some spa time. I got a pedicure and foot reflexology treatment. It was SO wonderful and much needed. Sandra got a mani/pedi and Alex did the foot reflexology as well. It was a beauitful spa. After the spa we all met up in our room for Indian wine. We were going to go to the nice Asian restaurant in the hotel (Zen), or go out to a restaurant that my co-worker suggested, but decided to just hang out with each other in the hotel room and order room service. It was actually a lot of fun. Sandra and Alex both live in San Francisco, so not very far, but we don't get to see them often.
Friday morning we all got an early start. Alex and Sandra left at 7am to catch their flight to Dubai. They decided to stay a day and a half there before heading home. I think that will be fun for them. Matt met my boss and they went to play golf at 7:15. I went to work. :) Turns out that f you leave the hotel before 8am there is minimal traffic. I got to the office very quickly. I realized there were very few cars there. I was the first person on the floor (analytics for US and Europe, so a lot of people!). The lights were off and I could not figure out how to turn them off. So, I ended up working in dim light for about 1 hour 15-20 minutes until the boss arrived at close to 9am. Everyone else was there by 10am. At about 8:30am the air conditioner came on, it was SO LOUD. I seriously thought something was wrong and I had made a bad decision being in the office by myself. But, turns out everything was fine. I had several really great meetings on Friday. I wil not bore all of you with the details (mainly because no one will care or understand), but I really felt like it was work wise a fantastic day.
When I got back to the hotel Friday after work we met up with the boss and his wife. Matt and the boss were both so sunburnt. You can tell they didn't use any sunscreen. It sounded like they both enjoyed the golfing. No carts, they had caddys. I guess Matt's guy was very helpful and was a very good golfer, so Matt sort of got a lesson as well. Matt's elbow has been sore lately, so that didn't help his game much. He said it was a bit confusing as the fairways for different holes cross, so you can be in peoples way a lot.
We had a nice but slow dinner (this one included the fumigating) and then headed up to get to sleep early.
We've also been able to talk with the kids a few times from the computer and work. Mason is doing well (regarding the seizures), so thank you for everyone who has asked and shown concern. The medication seems to be working and helping. Once we get home and he has more tests we'll try to re-evaluate and figure out a longer term plan. He has however gotten a cold/cough so I guess he's not getting much sleep. Mia has a little of it as well, but otherwise seems fine. They have told me that they skipped dance and school while we have been gone. I do know they went to the Exploratorium with Nana, Aunte Beth, Uncle Tony and Uncle Ben. Mia has told me twice that Pepper (the dog) had to stay home. It sounds like both kids loved that outing, especially Mason. My parents and Matt's mom have been trading off kid duty. We have a whole schedule. It sounds like it is all going very well and the grandparents are actually likeing the fact that they have the kids all to themselves.
So, that all leads us to today! Like I mentioned in an earlier post, Matt was invited to play Cricket with soe guys from the office. It turns out that they run a whole league at work. So, Ram and Noman picked us up from the hotel at about ~7:30am to go to the practice. They play on a community field, right in the midde of a neighborhood. It is most centrally located for the players on the team and was not to far from our hotel. The field s a big dirt soccer field basically. And wow was it crowded. There were 5 Cricket teams that were practising (imagine 5 baseball games at once on a soccer field) and also a group of people using one half of the field for a pickup soccer game. So, it was rather confusing to Matt and I who was playing what game, on what team, etc. Thankfully they play with tennis balls, instead of real Cricket balls. They don't have all the proper equipmet (helmets, pads etc) to use real balls. And, it's very much for fun, which is great. They started out with a jog and some simple warm up exercises. Then, they did some fielding drils (Matt did fairly well at that I think). Then they set it up like a game and took turns batting/running and bowling (pitching). I would try to explain the game here, but it's pretty detailed and I am sure I will get something wrong. So, I wil refer you all the the wiki page instead.
Matt did ok with the batting part. I could tel his elbow was bothing him as he didn't take full swings. There were also a ton of random people, so you feel like you are going to hit them. Oh, there were 3 women from the office on the team, had I known this I would have worn tennis shoes and played as well! The game really looked fun, and not that hard. I don't know why it is not more popular in the US. Maybe we should start a Cricket Team in Modesto?
Turns out Matt's skills were more in the fielding department. Oh, he was at a bit of a disadvantage because his shorts kept falling down. He's lost 20 pounds, and his shorts were too big! haha!
When everything was done they let me have a try at the batting. Turns out, I am not to bad. I think the co-workers were pretty surprised that I had some arm on me. :) Compared to the other women on the team I think I could hit the farthest. They were certainly faster runners then me (I was wearing sandals and didn't want to run). Anyway, it was so much fun! Oh, and Ram was wearing a Symphony/IRI Analytics Cricket jersey!!!! It was so cool. They had them custom made for there team. They have their names and numbers on them as well. I so want one!!! :)
Anyway, the cricket game was a success, and probably the most fun thing we have done the entire trip.
After Cricket, Sudipro dropped us at the hotel. Our room was being cleaned, so we went and had breakfast at the Barista in the Galleria. It was really good. Then after the stores opened we did some shopping. This place was much fancier then the other shopping we did, and certainly not the best prices. But we did get some things, and I found some Cricket jerserys for Mason!
Tonight we're hopeing to meet up with the co-workers again and do something. I'm sure if we do it will be fun.
Oh, and if you have Facebook, Matt has uploaded a few pictures.
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