Random Rambling

Today I have some tidbits about India for you. This time, no pictures, just some writing on things to know about living in Pune, India.

The weather — Honestly I love it. It is like we live somewhere between Arizona and Florida all year. Pune is located about 1800 feet on the eastern slopes of the western mountain range. That is about 1/3rd of a mile up. The mountains and the elevation protect us from most of the humidity from the nearby ocean (90 miles from the sea/Mumbai). The seasons are Winter (Nov-Feb which have day time temps in the mid 80s and low 60s at night), Spring is pretty much March (it gets hotter), Summer (April – June where temps are usually in the high 90s or low 100s and evenings in the mid 80s), and monsoon/rainy season which is July – October. India gets more rain than any other country on the planet and most of it comes in the Monsoon season. The temperatures during the day are still in the 70s and low 80s but you could flash floods anywhere. Right now we are in summer and it is very hot but honestly I spend most of the time indoors with AC so it is not as noticeable. The Indian sun is very intense so staying in the shade cools it down a few degrees for sure. All this to say is that I haven’t worn more than one layer of clothing almost my entire trip (i put on a sports coat for work sometimes). I love wearing polos and light slacks to work and hanging out on our balcony at night in shorts and t shirt.

Power outages – We were warned about these. Due to the large population and the fact that most electricity is generated via coal and gasoline, India is prone to random blackouts. Some neighborhoods get it worse than others. Our neighborhood near Baner in Pune will have short bursts of outage that do not last more than a few minutes. Other areas of the city will have the power out sometimes between 4-8 hours on the same day every week. It is always best to have a small power back up keep your devices charged just in case! Most buildings do have short term power backups and generators though.

Head Bobble – Yes it exists and once you get used to it it can be very charming. I think it has a wide variety of meanings and you just have to try to figure it out based on body language – could mean no, could mean yes, could be i like you, or could be get lost. Most people that are native around Pune do it but I have noticed several people from the more northern parts of India do it less.

Buffet Protocol – I am not sure if this is a post COVID protocol but outside of western hotel brands, buffets are not long lines of never ending food that you choose and put on your plate. The buffet restaurants I have been to give you a ton of food but they serve it to you on plates. So you eat probably just as much because of the volume but the restaurant picks your food for you and your portion size. I have usually liked most of what was served so haven’t really asked to be given more of any particular item. Just a different way of doing it. Probably less food waste too.

Packages – do not send candy, coffee, or a refill of your prescription meds to India. We did all of the above and they confiscated our package. I do not think foreign residents can have their meds brought in and hence why that was seized. As for the candy – I guess there was a secret drug trade that involved shipping candy all around India that contained illegal drugs. So candy is banned from shipping now. As for the coffee….still can’t figure that one out.

Booze is $$ – Liquor is heavily taxed in Maharashtra and imports have even more tax. Suffice it to say, booze is very expensive in India. A 750 mil bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon (if you can find it) is 5,000 rupees or $61. A shot in India is 30ml and a double is 60ml (to put it in perspective a shot in the US is about 60ml). So in that one bottle you could get 12.5 US style shots at almost $5 a shot. And that is for booze you have at home. Liquor at bars and restaurants is even more expensive. A 750ml bottle of Bombay Sapphire is $35 and Absolut Vodka 750ml bottle is $28. Typical cocktails at restaurants are usually with tax close to $10 and if you want just a mixed drink you will be paying close to that too. There are some local Indian liquors and some are good. But some are terrible and it isn’t worth the cheaper price. It is very difficult to find a real imported beer here. There are some labels like Becks and Carlsberg but they are all made in India. Kingfisher is everywhere and is usually $3-4 a glass so it is a little more affordable.

Watch Out for Indian Wine – I am not commenting on the taste or flavor just a warning. Indian wine does not keep for more than a day. So if you open a bottle, drink it that day. Tami got super sick twice before we learned about this rule. I am not sure why the reason but trust me on this.

That is about it for this week. Stay tuned further along in May. We travel to Bali in two weeks and will document the trip. Have a good weekend!