Long Overdue Update

It's been over a month since my last update and much has happened since then. First and foremost, I'm in the early stages of the "move beard" and it is already proving to be bothersome. For starters, the heat in India makes a thick beard less attractive than the last beard I sported during a Cincinnati winter. Second, curry. Curry and beards apparently go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mixed reviews from the local crowd on the beard, but my employees love the idea of seeing me bearded until the transition from Pune to Phaltan is over.

The last few weeks have brought me the gift of Vijays. Many of you may remember: A Tale of Two Vijays from previous posts, but if not I will refresh your memories. One Vijay is affectionately called "Cool Vijay" and the other "Not So Cool Vijay." Well both were back in India in September and made it to Pune and Phaltan to visit with me. Congratulations to Cool Vijay on finally getting married to the woman of his dreams and special thanks to "Regular" Vijay for being a souvenir mule and carrying some goodies back to my parents in the US.

Finally can share this gem of Cool Vijay :-)

Cool VIjay stayed with me in Phaltan for the past two weeks and we had a blast working together and living the bachelor life in Phaltan. With the annual Q4 cost cutting initiatives coming up in Cummins we tried our best to keep the cost of his visit low. One way we accomplished this was ensuring Vijay did all of his own laundry rather than sending it out to the cleaner which charges less than $1 per load.

Having the Vijays here visiting in India was a total flip flop of just last year when I was questioning them about life in India and how different the US must be. I definitely felt like the relative Indian with these two. It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I was thinking how cool it would be to come to India and visit these guys and now here I am with these two visiting me. Cool Vijay also had the opportunity to meet 3 of my latest "lady friends" out in Phaltan. "Lady," "Rat Momma" and "Rat Baby" are three stray dogs that have started coming around more and more to the Phaltan bungalow. I intend to keep "Lady" as a pet, as she is the cleanest, and find Rat Momma and Rat Baby (because they are filthy and scrappy) entertaining, but itchy.

Rat Momma and Rat Baby love sleeping on my cook's slippers.

No Phaltan puppy will ever replace my favorite dog; Kevin, a street dog in Koregaon Park.

The last month also brought Amzah, from SPDC, to India to train some of our associates on MHEs. Amzah was a huge hit with the associates and an amazing instructor as well. Although Amzah didn't speak Hindi and the associates are still learning English there was an unspoken bond between the two and the results of Amzah's hard work shows in the efforts and attitude towards safety the India associates demonstrate daily.

I've also gotten a new driver now that I'm staying out in Phaltan much more. Nobody will ever replace Shashi, my old driver, but I certainly do not miss the tiny Tata Indica that he had. Ganesh is a local Phaltan guy that used to drive for Bruce (I never remember his last name) while he was here in India from Cummins US working with TCL2. Ganesh was really excited to have another American guy to drive for and wanted a photo shoot Vijay and I last weekend.

And for all you snake fans.... look who showed up at our Lonikand warehouse two weeks back..... Yes a cobra :-(

Amidst all the preparation for the facility startup, I found time last Sunday to accompany around 50 or the PDC associates on a bus trip to a beautiful waterfall "near" Phaltan. I had been telling the employees that once I was settled in Phaltan I would have them over for a party, but haven't gotten settled enough to accomodate 100+ people at my place so they took the initiative, planned the outing, arranged for a bus and picked me up at 7 a.m. on a Sunday. I have never rode on a bus asides from grade school so being on a bus, especially a bus in rural India, was a big change for me, but the employees were stoked that I agreed to ride on the bus with them rather than in my car so I obliged. The day began at 7 a.m. Sunday morning and the team dropped Vijay, Reetika and I off at the bungalow at 10 p.m. that night. I was exhausted, but had the time of my life and I know the employees were incredibly thrilled as well.

The dancing was totally out of control! These associates were unlike the well mannered, studious young employees they appear inside the 4 walls of the PDC once on a bus with the latest Hindi dance music blaring from the sound system. I was not safe from the taunts of the associates and ended up dancing in the aisles (the best I could while driving on very poor roads on a rickety old bus) of the bus while being instructed by the young men and women as to how to dance to Indian music. Unfortunately there are not any photos on my camera of my dance moves, but I'm sure when ever visitors show up at IPDC they will be treated to the videos of me dancing that the associates took.

The bus driver's "assistant" sticking his head out of the window between the cab of the bus and the passenger section to see the DVD player's titles. I was waiting for him to be decapitated; thankfully he survived the trip.

Cool Vijay in the midst of Dance Dance Revolution... The dancing wasn't limited to the bus either. The bus was stopped and I was actually pulled off, the stereo was removed, hooked up to an inverter for power and we danced on the side of the road. It's a bit embarrassing, but my legs were sore for 3 days after this trip!

Mohini is a regular mountaineer! She took her sandals off and walked me barefoot down the steep, rocky trail to the base of the waterfall. She was even quick to catch me when I slipped from a rock into the lagoon!

Oh yeah! IPDC has had its first receipts as well! Finally! Slowly, but surely we are beginning to receive inventory at IPDC. As soon as the CTO is received we will be able to begin dispatching material as well. Pictures to follow soon. I'll end this post with a Phaltan sunset.