Preparations

Traveling to another country is not something that you just decide to do and then go. In my case, it has been several months of preparation.

Immunizations:
I have received shots over several weeks for Hepititus A and B, Polio, and Tetenus. When I return from the trip, I will have a follow up Hepititus booster. Yesterday I began taking Malaria pills. I will take one a day beginning two days before I leave, throughout the trip, and seven days after returning. All of these immunizations have side effects. The shots have debilitated me and caused anal leakage so I guess I am okay. The Malaria pills are said to provide "vivid" dreams at best, or psychosis at worst. I did have a creepy dream last night that I remember so I must be subject to the "vivid" dream scenario.

Luggage:
My trip is scheduled for four weeks. Packing for a trip of this length provides some challenges. I don't want to take all the clothes I own, but I don't want to be left in my underwear waiting on a laundry service. Also, I understand that Indians dress conservatively. Chennai is a coastal city of seven million. Even at the beach, they wear clothing from head to toe. So I can leave my Speedo swimsuit at home! (OK, I really don't own any Speedos.) I don't need a jacket or anything heavy since the weather is supposed to be 100-110 degrees everyday with very high humidity. Jeans may be uncomfortable in the heat. I am going to stick to business casual at work, and light clothes for away from work. I will bring a hat also.

Hygiene:
For Americans traveling abroad, especially to a third-world country, we are less-than-excited about the cleanliness standards that the those countries enjoy. I have been told to bring hand sanitizer for the entire stay, be aware of rudimentary-by-American-standards for restrooms, and be aware that most Indians do not bathe everyday.

Food:
Another area that could be a trouble spot. I have been advised not to drink tap water, and only drink bottled water. I have been advised not to drink iced tea since I don't know the source of the ice. Stay aware from dairy products since the pasteurization process is not what I used to. This includes milk poured in tea which is an Indian standard (probably learned from the British). Sodas are okay if I can open the bottle or can myself. Avoid fresh vegetables or fruits. Definitely stay aware from street vendors selling foods. Since I am following the South Beach lifestyle right now, I should be okay. As Kim says, "how many overweight Indians have I seen?".

Communication:
Chennai is about 11 hours ahead of San Antonio. Therefore, if I call San Antonio in the Chennai morning, Kim will most likely be in bed. I have purchased an international calling card so that I can control the cost of the international calls. There will be exorbitant charges if I use my cell phone so I'll keep it turned off. (If you try to call me, that's why I am not answering.) There will be plenty of phones in the office that I can use to contact Kim, Kelly, and Kevin. I will have an Indian cell phone for local Chennai calls also.

Other preparations:
At home, I am the one who pays the bills, contacts repair people, takes in vehicles for maintenance and repairs, mow and water the lawn, kill insects in the house and flush them down the toilet, and other "guy" things. As you can see, Kim is the CEO in charge of our household; I am the grunt who does a lot of the busy work. While I'm away, Kim will have to do some of this herself. I will be providing instructions on how to pay bills electronically, but the rest is up to her. I have the utmost confidence that Kim will be fine in this; in fact, I'm sure I will receive suggestions for improvements upon my return.

My flight leaves at 6:40am tomorrow on United Airlines. Of course I have to be at the airport about two hours before that. I fly to Los Angeles and have a seven hour layover there. I continue on Singapore Airlines to Tokyo on a 11 1/2 hour flight. After a one hour layover, I continue on Singapore Airlines to Singapore for another 7 hours. I am one of eight members of my company traveling. We stay a day and a half in Singapore before continuing to Chennai. We fly Singapore Airlines again from Singapore to Chennai during a four hour flight. We arrive in Chennai about 10pm local time.

That's all for now...