So much for making an American breakfast. Out the window. Had to go to work and so did Vinod, etc. So yeah, that didn't happen.

You know, it's interesting. According to actual mileage from here to work (one-way), it's 4.5 miles. How long does it TAKE to go that distance every morning? 25 minutes. Not. Kidding. Plus, it costs about Rs. 60 each way. Of course in dollars, it's paltry, it's like $1.40 or something. But lemme put this in perspective. I can get a relatively nice cheap lunch for about Rs. 20. Let's go ahead and compare that to like, a Big Mac Value meal at McDonald's, which is $5. So three of these meals at Rs. 20 is what I can eat to equal one auto ride to work. To convert it into American sensibility again, you're talking about $30 a day to go to work for about 9 miles of traveling.

Yeah. That's just preposterous. And I have to spend that every weekday, when I could be having a nice 6 meals a day if I chose to. However, I've become somewhat of a miser since I've gotten here. I'll go get idli (it's like these baked sourdough bread things) and sambar (tomato/lentil soup) at a local eatery for Rs. 5. Then I'll go to lunch and have thali (roti or rice with a number of different curries) and get that for Rs. 40. Last, I'll go to the same restaurant where I had breakfast and have tomato soup for Rs. 20. That comes up to Rs. 65 a day-- about $1.40 for an entire day's meals. Now lest you think that it's JUST because I'm a cheapskate, it's actually also because I try to eat low-calorie things now, and most of that ends up being vegetarian. So having all these items, and then running every day is cutting down on my weight. So yeah.

Longest blog yet? Perhaps. But I'm always thinking of new stuff so who knows, this might be eclipsed by something in the future...

Peace..