The Shots...

Okay, so I remember shots a lot worse than they are. Turns out it wasn't "so bad". :-)

I seem to recall massive needles that, when the liquid is injected, feels as if it is cutting a path right through your muscle (one didn't feel particularly good going in today but it wasn't a HUGE pain). But I think the main concern I had was getting five. For India, you need:

Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid
Tetanus, and
Polio Boosters

With follow-up Hep shots in another month and then six months from now too apparently. When I got back to the office, everyone was asking me how the shots were and if I fainted.

Then they told me not to worry about the plane ride either. Apparently, we are to be flown first class for both 9 hour jags. This means lots of room, my own TV, and fresh socks. I found it odd that I get fresh socks but clearly they are not taking any chances that someone might have a foot odor problem and, I gotta be honest. If Travis were flying with me, that would be a blessing. Ha!

One guy told me that filet mignon is served and all the drinks you like of any kind. We have a two-hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany where we are encouraged to shower in the executive lounge and where breakfast is also served and then we'll fly another 9 hours into Bangalore with the same sort of service we had on the first flight. All in all, if I have to worry about impending doom in the form of a fiery crash, at least I can be wearing fresh socks on the way down!

Preparing for Bangalore...

For more than two years I avoided India even though my boss kept mentioning I should probably go. Not because I did not want to experience another culture or country other than the United States; I do - and more than just India eventually. Mainly because of what I have to do this Tuesday. My immunization shots. Five of them, all in one day. "Oh, it's not bad.", my staff told me today. I'm sorry but I fail to see how five shots all in one day cannot be, at least, marginally "bad". They will ask you if you faint during shots, they told me. I plan on telling them no but, on the other hand, I've not ever received five at once either so maybe I better lay down. I'm finding that as I get older, it's best just to go ahead and lay down for most things.

Then there's the plane ride. Two separate nine hour jaunts with a layover in Germany is what I'm hearing. No doubt that too will be "not bad". Anyone that has ever prepared for a trip with me knows that I get a little OCDish when I travel. I will pack my bags and then check them a minimum of three times to make sure I have everything. I will go over my itinerary at least five times. I will make sure that my IDs, passports, and all relevant documents are in easy to reach places and then I will double check those places over and over again. I will break into a cold sweat while I stand in the security line because, for some reason, I now think I'm a criminal and they will spot me. I have no idea why this comes out when I travel. And this, mind you, is when I travel domestically. Now that I have to travel internationally, I ought to be in a full fledged Rainman frenzy that will make any security personnel definitely prepare for a strip search by the time I arrive. But I'm not worried because it will be "not bad".

Finally, there is the heat. I attended a Working with Indian Nationals course a month ago, to prepare for when I might go to India (never imagining it was right around the corner) and in that class they gave us a few facts. India is a marketer's dream at the moment because it is a country of billions. And, of those billions, some absurd statistic (around 80 to 90%) is under the age of 19. This is why companies like Coke, Apple, etc., are trying to get footholds there - young market, big sales. Hershey wanted to sell chocolate there. They quickly discovered that chocolate melts in 100+ weather where air conditioning is not the norm.

Let's think about that again...air conditioning is not the norm. So...yeah...five shots, a full day in a plane, and 100+ weather where I'm not allowed to show any leg or wear shorts will not be bad. Other than that...I can't wait. :-)