1
Jan
Posts Tagged ‘weather’
4
Jan
First blood
We are safe and sound in Espoo, although there were some minor hazards on the way. We drove a car from Oulu to Kotka yesterday and the weather was as terrible as it can get in here: after two o’clock it was pitch-black outside, there were a lot of people going home after new year’s, and on top of everything else, a huge blizzard struck us after an hour or so. There was about a cubic meter of snow in the air between the windshield and the road on any given moment for 500 kilometers, expect when a truck came the other way (we lost sight of everything for a few seconds when that happened).
Despite the conditions we managed to get here in one piece, but our shining armor took a hit somewhere around Konginkangas. We were overtaking on a widened bit of the road, but we ran out of lane just a bit too early. The road got back to its original width, one of the cars on the other lane was driving close to the centre line, resulting in the side mirrors colliding and breaking into shreds. We had to drive a couple of kilometres before we could stop and examine the damage,which was luckily superficial – besides the mirror, of course. No scratches, no broken glass, and most importantly no personal damage. Just a missing side mirror.
Needless to say, we also changed drivers to give the unlucky one a break. I took the wheel and we got there safe and sound, but boy was it a stressful one. I’ve been driving on snow for years, but that stil doesn’t make it a walk in the park. I hope I don’t have to drive in a weather like that very often.
All in all, we have 600 kilometers behind us and only about 15000 to go.
5
Apr
First impressions
Riding in a rikshaw is pretty much like taking a ride in a joyride – keep all your limbs in the carriage, try not to fall out and enjoy. The beeping and tooting of various horns and the smells of the city (both in good and in bad) are a feature, not a bug.
The food is great, no doubt about it.
So far Le Méridien has been more than I expected, the pool is surprisingly long and the service is impeccable.
There are a huge number of hawks circling in the sky during daytime, plus some swallows and common pigeons. The hotel has its own geese, the function of which I haven’t yet grasped. Dinner…? Conveniently close, I’d have to admit.
Everyone’s been telling me how India smells bad and/or strange, but nothing too particular so far. Ok, there are open sewers in places and the waste disposal could be more efficient, but nothing impossible. And you get the whiffs of incence and fragrances of flowers and fruit every once in a while – something that’s very much missing from home.
And no, we haven’t been cold. Not in the very least. During the day it’s around +30 and above, but since it’s not humid, it’s very very tolerable, even enjoyable. Yeah, a sweat is easy to break by simply being there in the sun, but living is easy… 
So, all in all very pretty indeed, but the contrasts between poverty and richness are very striking as well. Makes me consider myself very lucky when I think the drinkable (free) water in our taps. Water is something of a sought-after resource down here, and it’s not a commodity that everyone takes for granted.
Tags: food, hotels, luxuries, money, people in india, previsit, service, swimming, traffic, weather
31
Mar
Why won’t it stop?
Only two more days to go in Oulu before the previsit, thank heavens. During past two years I already got used to having my bike out before end of March, but right now it’s snowing out there. Some five centimeters has already come down during the night, and right now the air is full of flakes roughly the size of a cow. Bloody bloomin bollocks.
I blame global warming.
Tags: motorbikes, weather, why I wanted a change
19
Nov
Winter times
A weather camera in Oulu this morning:
Weather camera in Nallikari, Oulu
No, that is not fog, it’s snow on the lens. I don’t care what people tell me, I think it’s cold and I don’t like it. Especially when its wet, heavy and jumping at my face on high velocity.
(Yes, yes, I know. I shouldn’t use “don’t” or “it’s” in writing.)
Tags: weather, why I wanted a change
Last week was a real roller coaster for me. Showing The Engineer around was quite a hectic job since almost everything in Finland was new and exotic to him. On top of all regular (to us) things, like a lot of forests, temperatures close to zero and so on, the first snow came on Friday. I don’t remember the last time with so violent blizzard-like first snow, so The E got exactly what he came here for.
I got my invitation letter from Bangalore on Friday and immediately filled the visa application. All it requires now is two photos and a letter that explains the essentials of my trip. After that the application and my passport must be sent to the Indian embassy in Helsinki, which will return the passport if a letter with sufficient stamps is provided. Otherwise I would have to personally visit the embassy in order to get my passport back.
I have done quite a lot of research regarding India already, but there is still a lot more to learn. There are things that cannot be learned by reading, but the cultural shock might be a little milder if I prepare myself well. Another way of adjusting would be to find some familiar things that I can take with me, either in my backpack or in my mind. Those would be music, books, foodstuff, exercise and other such things I’ve gotten used to in Finland.
I am still waiting for information about accommodation on my visit. It has now been two weeks since my query for an apartment, but nothing has come up so far. I hope this is not another thing that has been forgotten somewhere between other tasks…
Maybe I’ll give them a reminder just in case.
Tags: accommodation, colleagues from India, culture, practical stuff, visa, weather