You can only imagine how excited we are. It's March 10th, 3:55 a.m. and we arrive to Pune, India. The hotel sent a driver to pick us up. We didn't know but Brent went to the hotel at 2:30 a.m. to ride with the driver. After going through a long line in customs at the airport our luggage was already off the plane and waiting for us. We got the luggage and went outside the baggage claim area and there was Brent. I can't tell you how relieved we were.
Sign in airport in hallway leading to customs.
As we exited baggage claim there was Brent at the door waiting on us. A welcome sight! Our plane landed 30 minutes early. This was about 3:30 a.m. March 11th.
We are staying at Oakwood Premier Pune. It is walking distance to where Brent lives.
Right next to the door is a electronic key entry. If we want electricity (lights, air conditioner, washer to work) we have to put the room key in the slot by the door. We found that out the hard way the first day. We took the key out to go to Brent's. When we came back the room felt like an oven. The clothes I had left on in the washer were still ringing wet and the cycle had not finished. This is to conserve electricity. The hallway lights only turn on when someone walks in the hallway. The hallway is not air conditioned so it is always hot there.
People walk by constantly. When I wake up about 6:30 a.m. there will be people walking by constantly.
The entrance to our hotel has three guards on one side and at least three on the other side of the circle drive. We walk past them at least four times a day. They always greet us with "Good Morning."
View from our balcony.
Right across from our room. We are on the ninth floor. I don't know what this is.
The lower level rooms have their own courtyards. Grass is very rare here so this is impressive.
View from the balcony.
You must leave the front building to go to our building annex. This is the walkway we take every day to leave the motel. The rocks on each side are beautiful. However, yesterday morning Jessica and I found out that Indian women remove the rocks every day to sweep under them with a small straw, handmade broom. The man at the end is a guard and he is so nice. He greets us every day with "Good morning." If we say "Good morning, how are you?" he seems rather embarrased and responds with "I am fine, madam, thank you."
We cross a water bridge to go to the main lobby.
Gary is deciding on the continental breakfast. The continental breakfast consists of an Indian buffet, American western type buffet, pastry buffet, fruit buffet, and steam vegetables buffet. Gary has fresh watermelon juice each morning and we both get an omelette. I have a picture of the omelette to show later.
Pastry buffet.
In a hallway leading to the lobby. We are on our way to meet Brent and the family. We haven't seen them since the first week of January.
This is our hotel. Oakwood Premier Pune.
To enter the motel you must have your purse, bags checked and then you must walk through the metal detector. They have now done two full body searches (using the wand) on me even though I am in and out all day.
Gary standing on the other side waiting on me. Two guards guard the front entrance. This is in addtion to guarding the circle drive.
Full searches of vehicles. They run the mirror under the car and then check the trunk. Again, even though we are in and out they have checked Brent's driver who comes to pick us up every day at least twice.
HERE IT IS! Seeing the kids for the first time. Bennett is squeezing the breath out of me. As soon as he ran to me and hugged me as hard as he can his first sentence was "Ma, I don't want you to let go of me the whole time you are here. I just want you to hold me the entire time." We met them at 11:00 a.m. Brent had insisted that after we got to our room at 3:30 a.m. that we try to sleep until 11:00 a.m. I am so glad we did.
Sutton wasn't sure who I was. He was just a tiny baby when they left.
Jessica, Brent, Sutton and Betsy.
Our hotel has a small playground.
Sign in airport in hallway leading to customs.
As we exited baggage claim there was Brent at the door waiting on us. A welcome sight! Our plane landed 30 minutes early. This was about 3:30 a.m. March 11th.
We are staying at Oakwood Premier Pune. It is walking distance to where Brent lives.
Right next to the door is a electronic key entry. If we want electricity (lights, air conditioner, washer to work) we have to put the room key in the slot by the door. We found that out the hard way the first day. We took the key out to go to Brent's. When we came back the room felt like an oven. The clothes I had left on in the washer were still ringing wet and the cycle had not finished. This is to conserve electricity. The hallway lights only turn on when someone walks in the hallway. The hallway is not air conditioned so it is always hot there.
People walk by constantly. When I wake up about 6:30 a.m. there will be people walking by constantly.
The entrance to our hotel has three guards on one side and at least three on the other side of the circle drive. We walk past them at least four times a day. They always greet us with "Good Morning."
View from our balcony.
Right across from our room. We are on the ninth floor. I don't know what this is.
The lower level rooms have their own courtyards. Grass is very rare here so this is impressive.
View from the balcony.
You must leave the front building to go to our building annex. This is the walkway we take every day to leave the motel. The rocks on each side are beautiful. However, yesterday morning Jessica and I found out that Indian women remove the rocks every day to sweep under them with a small straw, handmade broom. The man at the end is a guard and he is so nice. He greets us every day with "Good morning." If we say "Good morning, how are you?" he seems rather embarrased and responds with "I am fine, madam, thank you."
Gary is deciding on the continental breakfast. The continental breakfast consists of an Indian buffet, American western type buffet, pastry buffet, fruit buffet, and steam vegetables buffet. Gary has fresh watermelon juice each morning and we both get an omelette. I have a picture of the omelette to show later.
Pastry buffet.
In a hallway leading to the lobby. We are on our way to meet Brent and the family. We haven't seen them since the first week of January.
This is our hotel. Oakwood Premier Pune.
To enter the motel you must have your purse, bags checked and then you must walk through the metal detector. They have now done two full body searches (using the wand) on me even though I am in and out all day.
Gary standing on the other side waiting on me. Two guards guard the front entrance. This is in addtion to guarding the circle drive.
Full searches of vehicles. They run the mirror under the car and then check the trunk. Again, even though we are in and out they have checked Brent's driver who comes to pick us up every day at least twice.
HERE IT IS! Seeing the kids for the first time. Bennett is squeezing the breath out of me. As soon as he ran to me and hugged me as hard as he can his first sentence was "Ma, I don't want you to let go of me the whole time you are here. I just want you to hold me the entire time." We met them at 11:00 a.m. Brent had insisted that after we got to our room at 3:30 a.m. that we try to sleep until 11:00 a.m. I am so glad we did.
Sutton wasn't sure who I was. He was just a tiny baby when they left.
Jessica, Brent, Sutton and Betsy.
Our hotel has a small playground.
I will try to add a little everyday. I've already taken so many pictures. You are caught up down on our travel to India and seeing the family for the first time! I love it here!
1 comment:
So glad you made it there ok, can't wait to hear about your adventures in addition to Jess's blog.
HUGS,
Karen
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