By Arjan Bhullar
Man it’s been a crazy couple of days out here. The trip started in Delhi but we have travelled to Chandigarh and are now in Bangalore. The group of people have really been able to become good friends in the last little while. Aside from the delegates, I wanna give a big shout to my main man Dustin and my main girl Kate! Also a big shout out to Minister Tim Uppal, a big sports (kabaddi) fan, and more importantly an amazing person. Many people have seen him on TV sitting behind the PM in his trademark blue turban….he’s a genuinely good guy who’s so humble and a man of the people and for the people.
Flying on the PM’s plane was damn cool! I consider myself sooooo lucky and so fortunate to be a part of stuff you only see on tv, like a red carpet to and from the plane, government officials and heads of state greeting each other out on a tarmac, being driven around the city as part of a motorcade
Many things in life that have come my way I’ve worked hard for and earned. I had goals and was able to work hard and reap the rewards but something like this trip was not in my control and I can honestly say I never thought in a million years I’d be able to experience this kind a stuff, life’s a trip.
Anandpur Sahib near Chandigarh was absolutely beautiful. I haven’t been able to see much of India in my previous trips because I usually had to stay focused on a competition, so this was really worth it for me. The entire delegation really enjoyed the experience, including the tour of the Khalsa Memorial Centre built close by. It is a state of the art facility which is absolutely unbelievable! It’s like walking through a museum, theme park and art show
The night was finished up with a dinner at a local “Dhaba”. PM Harper and the rest of us all ate outdoors in the middle of Chandigarh like true Punjabis. The guest for the evening was actor and singer Harbhajan Mann.
Bangalore has been a pretty cool experience as well. I’ve never been here before. I heard a rumor that the government of Bangalore hired a guy from the Lower Mainland to help re-design this city. Apparently the guy is a very sought after individual by cities around the world. If it’s true, then there was proof right when we left the airport because there is construction underway (to be completed in 2yrs) of a sky train that will take people directly from the airport to downtown Bangalore (identical to the line we had put in Vancouver). This is an absolutely beautiful city. Very different from the north. No smog, lots of greenery and an environment similar to Florida!
