Hyderabad, Day One

One thing that has helped me prepare for this journey is to speak with several different Firm people about their experiences here. Out of the 2100 people who work in Deloitte’s Atlanta office, many in the tax practice have been here on a regular basis, and some of the HR team returned from a training session here not too long ago. Some things they suggested I have taken to heart, and cannot wait to see how they will enrich the experience.

 

One item I picked up from both Linette Barclay in tax and from my 12 hour flight to Hawaii several years back is to not act on the urge to sleep once arriving, but to stay awake as long as possible. It helps with becoming acclimated to the time difference and forces the body’s internal clock to reset. Keeping that in mind, I stayed awake for a couple of hours after arriving around 1am this morning, then slept until 6:30am. After lounging around, I ventured downstairs to see what was for breakfast, and discovered a lovely buffet.

 

The buffet was a wonderful way to start the day. It is included in the room price of where I am staying, the Ellaa Suites (more on the hotel later).

 

The car ride from the airport to the hotel was something else. If you have ever been to New York City and taken a cab ride around Manhattan, then you have an idea about what the car ride was like. The NYC cab I consider to be the warm-up act for the Hyderabad car ride. The driver met me in a Ford Fiesta, right-hand steering, 5-speed, and we were off!

 

The ride from the airport was largely down the main highway through Hyderabad. Currently, there is a lot of construction on this road to build a raised highway similar to what an interstate highway is back home. The area has also experienced recent and repeated heavy rains, making the roads much rougher than normal.

 

Watching this guy navigate the streets was a sight to behold. Even though traffic was light, watching him weave and bob around trucks, other cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, stray dogs, three-wheeled rickshaw taxis, it was better than my best night at Malibu Gran Prix racing go-carts! I fully understand why the Firm would rather have us driven by local drivers than take our chances in a rented car.

 

The flight itself was great. Out of Atlanta, the two choices are Delta and Lufthansa. Looking at the ticket prices on the two carriers, Lufthansa was the much more economical choice by over $1200. The business class on Lufthansa rocks, there is no better way to describe it. The plane was an Airbus 310, a very roomy model. The seats are unlike a typical airplane seat. There is a large amount of legroom, the seats are wider, and they fold out to a bed or a recliner, your choice.

 

The personal entertainment system on the plane is quite nice. They offer a wide choice of movies, music, games, or you can just sit back and read while the flight attendants pamper you with beverages, hot towels, and food.

 

If you take Lufthansa, most likely you will change planes in Frankfurt. In my case, it was an ten hour flight from Atlanta to Frankfurt, and another 9 hours and many minutes from Frankfurt to Hyderabad.

 

Normally, the Firm has two choices of hotels to stay at while in Hyderabad, the Novotel and the Taj Khrishna. Since the Novotel was booked solid and the Taj is not a hotel designated for long-term stays, the Firm recommended a new place, the Ellaa Suites.

 

It seems like a nice place. They are very friendly and seem to want to go out of their way to make a good stay and a great impression.

 

The rooms and halls remind me of a condo I stayed at several times in Panama City Beach. Lots of stucco, tile, and green plants with dragonflies buzzing about outside.

 

The room itself is nice. I have wood floors, a king bed, hot running water, and a good view of the stadium.

 

From what they tell me, this complex has the hotel, and also has condos next door that many Hyderabad sports stars live in. Judging from the close proximity to the stadium, it would seem like a good location for that.

 

Tomorrow, Kishore, my coworker and buddy, will meet me downstairs and take us to the office. He has already been very helpful, following up on my airport driver and arranging for a driver during my stay.

 

For now, I need to find a razor (I forgot mine, but did bring extra blades) and stop rambling.

 

I will leave you with some pictures I took from the window of my room and some others that frame my first day.