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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">==========================================<br>
L O W L A N D S - L - 20 November 2008 - Volume 01<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
From: <span class="ep8xu"><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);">Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc.</span></span></span><span class="hccdpe"> </span><span class="ldacoc"><<a href="mailto:roger.thijs@euro-support.be">roger.thijs@euro-support.be</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="hccdpe">Travel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I'm
virtually in jail.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I'm
actually on a congress at the Renaissance in Powai, North of Mumbai.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I
arrived at the airport yesterday shortly before midnight with a Jet
Airways flight coming from Newark with a stop in
Brussels.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">After 90
minutes I finally got my luggage and 10 minutes later I found the taxidriver
sent by the Renaissance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">On the way
to the hotel he told me how safe the streets in Mumbai are.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Howerver,
when we arrived at Marriott territory, after 2 am, all cars have to
stop al a double pike, one opens the cap, inspect the space
around the motor, inspect with mirrors under the car, etc. All
incoming cars are thoroughly searched by Hunter security, day and night (this
even for cars driving exclusively for the Marriott ressort).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">When one
finally steps out the car at the hotel entrance, it continues: the
luggage was X Ray screened at the entrance of the hotel and I had to go inside
through a detecting gate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Today I
made some pictures of the surroundings (most through the windows at the 7d
floor).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">At ground
level I was not allowed to make pictures of securty, reducing the possibilities
of finding a good angle of vision..</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I did a
walk towards the lake. Below, behind the wall close to the lake, there is, hidden
from distance, a fence under electrical tension. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">On the
premisses Hunter security guides are walking with dogs.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I'm sure
Americans like this. It confirms their vision of the world outside the US.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Other
surprise: I thought I knew a bit about Indian cuisine from Indian restaurants
in Brussels, London,
Oxford...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Food here
(served to the public of the congress, allmost all from India) is
completely different.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Even what
is marked with very spice in Europe is
supersweet compared with what they serve here.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">As a result
it does not matter whether you take vegetarian or not-vegetarian food: it all
just tastes very strongly yo the spices.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Also the
cakes at coffeetime are not sweet at all, but taste to a variety of spices.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">The slightly
browny milk with a little coffee-tast comes in 2 versions, a vegetarian one and
a non-vegetarian one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Even the
(veggy) cool drinks are very spicy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Further I
don't understand how people here deal with malaria.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Before
leaving, II got a prescription from the Antwerp
"Tropisch instituut" for taking one Marlone starting 2 days before
departure and continuing for 7 days after return in Belgium. This came to two boxes of
12 tablets each for a total of 100 euro. One cannot do that for a liftetime?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Inside the
Renaissance it is supercold and one needs to wear a pull, no musquito will
survive that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">(outside,
that's where the guards with the dogs are walking, it is 35 degrees
Celsius)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I'm still
in the area till Tuesday morning and eventually will send additional
travel stories </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">(I'm moving
to a local hotel chain though tomorrow, the Orchid in Vile Parle)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Regards,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Roger</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">from the
Renaissance network, hoping the message passes (through security and the
gateways)<br style="">
</span></p>