Over the years, several attempts to return to India have failed: first COVID, then other commitments, then the festivals I wanted to experience coinciding with work or other travel. To manifest the trip for 2024, I asked for a Lonely Planet India as Christmas gift last year.
So for this 9th trip to India, my agenda was
- Meeting our Indian team members and work a couple of days in the Gurgaon office
- Visit my best friend Sankalp
- Meet lots of other old friends
- Explore Rishikesh and Dehradun and
- Experiencing the Holi festival
- Enjoy Pondicherry
So after the first couple of days, what can I say? There are things that have dramatically changed in India and there are things that have not changed at all.
Change
- More liquor stores and they look super shiny
- Even more coffee than chai then last time
- Instant payments with your phone (does only work if you have an Indian bank account)
- Confirming everything with an OTP (taxi rides, train booking, logins)
- Electric cabs 🚕 and auto rickshaws 🛺 available
- Speed bums on high ways
- Stray dogs everywhere
- Lots of trash on the streets
- Honking with no end
Most of the first week, I spent in Gurgaon working with my team member and the rest of the Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle Team on our data.
Manat, Shubhankar, Chris, Satvik
For lunch, we went to the neighbouring Ambiance Mall and ate ourselves through the international food offer: Nando, Chilis, Manchurian and YouMee.
Team lunch
On Monday night, we went out to Cyber Hub for a team dinner including our old colleagues Paritosh and Kushagra.
Team dinner
Chris & Vividha
Muskan & Yash
Wednesday night, I explored Galleria Market - the third and last place for going out. So considering that there are only three places it was not so unusual as I thought that I stumbled on a colleague in 32nd Avenue the night before.
Cyber City & Cyber Hub
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