'UNITED WE STAND! WE SHALL NEVER FORGET!'

That is what I saw inscribed on one of the US Army buildings near Miami Port. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, but the vehicle in which I was traveling was a little too fast for me to find enough time.  The sign was painted in big bold capital letters in the colors of the US National Flag (Red and Blue).  It looked magnificent. It gave meaning to the United States of America.

[If you haven't realized by now, this blog entry is more about my visit to the States. I returned early this week and was then at Mumbai (about which I will blog later maybe) and now back in Bangalore. There is so much to write, because it was a lot of good experiences and thoughts that crossed my short visit. For those who will continue reading, there are some pictures I've put up.]

Technology

Being in the technical field, you might expect me to enjoy the gizmo-like things you come across in the US. But believe me, it could baffle you if you are not used to living that way. To quote a few instances, I had a tough time (a real tough time) trying to make a phone-card vending machine spit out a card. I followed instructions, but each time I put a 20-dollar bill, it just spat the bill back out. This when I was still getting out of Miami airport. I don't even know if I am carrying an invalid $20 note!  After repeated tries and multiple vending machines, one of them showed me some pity and gave me a nice shiny phone card.

Next, you use the phone card to know what toll-free number you have to dial before you can access an IVR to enter a PIN and then call your desired number. Pretty simple, eh? What could go wrong here?  Well, you got to know that you have to start dialing USA numbers with 1 and then the area code and then number. Now if you thought USA is like India, where we don't normally dial the country code, and start dialing the area code, it doesn't work. That was a lesson learnt the hard way.

I reached the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach, Florida by a nice taxi ride. (It is always fun to be riding on vehicles that go on the *opposite side* of the road. It is scary enough, but what is even scarier is when you try crossing such roads. You always tend to look the wrong side and hear a screech behind you. Tip: Don't try calculating, watch BOTH sides.) I checked in and got my room key - which was a plastic card with a magnetic strip. Hmm.. nothing new. But when you get to the lift, you have to use your card to press the floor to which you're going. Now that was new (though I had seen it in movies when the rich hero takes his newly found acquaintance of the opposit sex to his penthouse suite).  I didn't even notice the card slot and kept pressing on '5' wondering if this lift wasn't meant to stop at that floor. A few trips up and down later, I followed suit when I saw someone use the card.

Things like these - especially on your first visit - could put you in rather embarrassing and wierd positions. You get used to it very soon though. Under the surface, every thing is plain logic.

More pictures and more screwed-up perspectives will follow. Keep tuned to this space.