Visa, hotel and stuff

Hooray, I got my visa! I finally got the letter from India and after waiting for two hours in the Indian embassy this morning I've been granted a one year business visa. I'd asked for two, but I can only assume that as the letter from India mentioned one year, they decided to go with that instead. Still, that's one worry out of the way! I just need to go and pick up my passport tomorrow at 17.00, which gives me a nice excuse for leaving work on time.

The hotel is also booked and confirmed. There was a bit of doubt as apparently there is a trade fair on that week and so hotels were all booked. However the place the Bank has a relationship with, the Taj Gateway, made me an offer for a higher grade of room. It's more that we normally pay, but apparently the room has wooden floors, plasma TV, etc. I wonder if they'll notice if I take the TV? It's not like I'd be nicking towels or anything.

The Lonely Planet mentions the restaurants as being very good but expensive. Seeing as the deal we have with the hotel includes 15% off in the restaurants, I'll have to give them a try. Another good thing is that the hotel will arrange for a car to pick me up and bring me back to the airport. I was wondering how I was going to get cash in small enough denominations to pay for a cab or an autorickshaw. I have no idea what kind of denominations the cash machines dispense over there.

Still, apart from that, a fairly crappy day at work. But it's the weekend soon! I need to go into town on Saturday and buy a suitcase as I don't actually have one.

That's all for the moment.