Happy Birthday..... have a lovely day.. sorry there is no cake this year :-)

Hey guys :-)
I must apologise for my extended absence from the blog - Having a few issues with my "iGoogle" - basically my personalised page has been screwed for the past 1-2 months. Basically I had a section which showed me new articles that got added to the blog and for some reason my whole page got corrupted. I only solved it today but upgrading the machine to IE7 - must be the 1st time an upgrade to IE7 has solved a problem :-)
Same old same old from my end here - George has me slaving away ;-) Got roped into this "Foundation" project with Emmanoul which is keeping me busy. I still see Abha every few days - well until she left for India this week! ahh to be on holidays - I reckon I could handle that!
Have been reading the Harry Potter series of book again - I gotta say no matter how many times I read them, I never get sick of them! I think there's drinks on tonight? (Thanks to George for the reminder) - will do my best to make it but I have my "long run" tonight and I think attending drinks might compromise the distance and time!
hoep everyone is well and best of luck to Anne in her new role ;-)

Happy Birthday, Mr. Dodd

Dear Mr. Dodd,

Wonderful pictures, I was trying hard to see if Abha was there as she is now in India.

It is upset not many of us are keen to keep in touch with us three using the blog .... oh, well, I will be more than happy to keep you accompanied.

Love to catch up with you as I won't be working in the city in my next job. However, I have my lecture to go to on the 23rd. Please drink one more round for me that night.

I think Maithri is organising a drink on 1st June - Please come along if you have time. Guess it will be 6pm onwards at Westin.

Anne.

Back in Sydney at last.

Hello, How are you. Well I hope. I may well be writing to myself and having thought about it I have decided this will be my final piece. Note that the guy is wearing a helmet!! often I saw two childen on a bike as well.. !!

I realize people have moved on and that is wonderful. It is great to know everyone has found something in life, and at work and play that keeps them occupied. It has happened to me with this new role. And as you will know my recent travels around India and Asia Pac have left me little time to write myself. notice how close we are.. this day we hit one other car and a cyclist . but fortunately just taps in traffic.

I will be traveling again in three weeks time and will be away for another 7 days and on that trip I think I will have absolutely no free time. No complaints mind you. I am having a brilliant time, I enjoy the work and the people and the travel mostly and when away from home I don’t mind the long days – and anyway let me tell you there is nothing to do in some of these places unless you have someone to take you. And the hotels are very nice and the temperature in them is much more pleasant than outside. a much quieter traffic scene. the temperature was 43 degrees so I think people stayed in the shade !!! but note the women is not wearing a helmet again

Anyway, I certainly wouldn’t venture out on my own at night. That is not to be unkind to the people who live there but things are different. Not even necessarily unpleasant – assuming you have some tolerance of other cultures and ways of life of course. I enjoy experiencing all these new places and surroundings and atmospheres and cultures. And the people are really quite wonderful. some more traffic..

Back to writing and the reason for this being my last piece. The idea for this blog was to make it fun for people to keep in touch. Everyone has moved on now so I think it time to move on from the writing as well. If anyway wants to keep in touch they know my email and phone number - but, smiling to myself here :-) ………only three of you read this - I think it is three max these days....... the rest have already moved on and don’t keep in touch and that is fine - so I am writing to myself LOL

flying into Bombay

Anyway if you are reading and if you can make the time and if you want to see some more pictures – I show a couple below – and if you want to celebrate my birthday, than I will shout drinks in the downstairs bar at the Westin on Wednesday 23rd May, starting at 18:00. If you want to tell others who you may be in touch with - the more the merrier. who said they don't have air conditioned buses....

I look forward to seeing whoever is there. Best wishes ……..Michael

and yes the buses are crowded :-)

PS.. Anne just saw your piece.. thanks for the 18th thought :-) if only I knew then what I know now !!!!!!!!!! and if you want to see some HK pictures I will bring camera on Wednesday. M

Happy 18th Birthday, Gemini

Dear Mr. Dodd,

Not sure whether you are now at present ....
Anyway, just a quick note wishing you happy 18th birthday (again)!
We should get together for a drink or two when you return.

Soanne.

Postcard from Hong Kong

Hello, cannot resist posting this.. am sitting in Hong Kong airport, have a presentation to write... which have to give at a Sales Conference tomorrow and decided to check the wireless connections.... and yes there is a free WiFi.. cool eh.. so hello.. hope everyone well.

Am waiting for connection to the ferry to Macau. Looking forward to that I must admit. Very hazy here so not sure if the photos will be any good... As for drinks next week. As I left Chennai I was asked to go back to India again next week for more meetings and presentations, so I wont be back in Sydney until about 21st now. Hope we can catch up after that. If anyone arranges a date for drinks please let me know.

Best wishes.. Michael

Postcard from Bangalore

Arrived in Bangalore yesterday after two long days in Hyderabad. Weather is much cooler and actually rather English. View from my hotel is very Englash as well. However once one travels out to where our many office sites are one sees the India one imagines. Really quite startling. Construction everywhere, both Hyderabd and here. Think of the North Ryde complex and any one of the towers, Oracle or HP etc and think of buildings three or 4 times that size. That is the size of the campuses being biult and already built here. One of our Satyam campuses has five large buildings with another 7 storey tower going up.

Am working much longer hours than expected and meeting so many wonderful people. All very enjoyable. Am being extremely careful with food. I think red wine is safe so that is a good substitute :-)

I think we are down to 4 peoplke reading the blog so hello to Anne, Stephanie and George :-) Hope you are all well and maybe we will catch up later in May. I say that because I am working in Chennai on Monday and Tuesday, then in Macau for the rest of the week and next weekend. I am back in Sydney around 14th so drinks after that. I'll let you treat me for my birthday. :-) three drinks and I can still drive home :-)

Oh and did I mention the traffic.. how could I not tell you about that.. it is awsome.. I will never ever complain about Sydney traffic again. The drive from the office last night was 25km and it too 2 hours. Lots to see though and many many pictures taken along the way, well at that speed I could :-)

Best wishes.. Michael