Driving, working, some more driving...

A couple of difficulties to overcome at the office before you can actually get some work done.
First of all no driver to be found this morning so slight delay in getting the day started. Luckily I’m still on Ladakhi time, meaning: go with whatever flow comes along.
Printers: nah, they’re not compatible with the laptop at hand.
Wireless: maybe, sometimes, try again.
The telephony system: a whole other world, no universe.
A shiny phone is sitting on my desk but doesn’t seem to be connected to anything and its main purpose would be to … pretty much just sit shiny on my desk.
Making a call with the local mobile seems to either be impossible due to the network being busy (I kept getting this guy on the phone saying: "Network is busy, kindly dial after some time" - see movie), me not being able to get the right numbers dialled or people simply hanging up as I seem to be completely incomprehensible.

You need to put one, two or no zeros at all in front of the number (depending on the time of day I guess).
Couldn't get the conference call going so they sent in a blind man to help: the blind leading the blind, we're on a roll. But at least he knew what he was doing. Thank you sir!

Despite all difficulties we managed to get some useful contacts in the Fair Trade business (tea –oh joy-, seed oil, juice).
And they so happen to be located in Kerala.
So, hopping on the next flight out (thanks to Roja, setting up our entire schedule).
Tomorrow morning first thing: deep South beware: team IBM is on its way (and will stay over the weekend while we're at it).

Tonight however, team IBM was slightly less productive.
Getting our driver to the right secret Bandra hideout was almost as difficult as getting a phone call done.
Bandra, home to many a Bollywood celebrity and to Kabi, our local beacon in Mumbai life was the place to be for cooking class (this week: Rajasthan cuisine by chef Kannu - oh yes, as Indian as you can get).
Food and company was great but the drives keep being a challenge.

Leaving Bandra, the rickshaw driver got clear instructions from Kannu to drive us back to the hotel. Straight home, no detours, no stops.
About 10 minutes into the drive, I realized I had forgotten my loyal friend “Laptop” at Kabi’s. Turning back however, was no option for our rickshaw driver. There was no stopping him.
He was determined.
Straight ahead.
A man on a mission.
Mission: "Drop off white people at Planet Residency asap".

We signalled, we yelled, we pointed in the direction we came from. All to no avail. He kept nodding his head fiercely which sort of got us in a twist: Did he understand? You think?
If so, why did we keep on driving at full speed direction "away from Kabi's"?

Finally, we called Beacon Kabi again. (You have to know Kabi spends about half of her days talking to our drivers in Hindi, explaining what we can’t get across.)
We were however slightly too quick to hand off the phone to the driver who got clear and firm Kabi-like instructions reinforcing the message to get us to the hotel. Now!

The poor man didn’t understand a thing. That was what he was doing and had been doing all along.
About 5 minutes and 5 kilometres later, we finally managed to get hold of the phone again. Explained situation to Kabi, Kabi explained to driver, driver made U-turn.

20 minutes later, laptop and I reunited.
On our way. Mission: Planet Residency.