Its now been quite a while since I got back from the US. I was there in the months of June and July 2004. I am based in India which is almost on the other side of the globe from the US. The shortest route between the two nations might just be through the centre of the earth.

As most would be aware, India has become a major IT hub and traveling to the US and other nations is quite common amongst IT professionals here. So when I was planning to travel, I was hoping to find many Indian accounts on the web about things that they found different in the US and what to expect and what not to. I found some info on travel sites but strangely did not find any first person accounts of US travel by IT professionals.

So I had decided back then that when I get back I will write all that I have learnt. It has taken me many months to get started but finally I have. I was in the US for only 20 days so I am sure I have seen and experienced only a small fraction of life and society in the US. So all things that I say are essentially IMveryHO. Readers of this piece who disagree or feel they can add to what I have written, please use the comments section at the bottom of this article.

The cities where I stayed:

1. Scottsdale, near Phoenix, Arizona
2. San Francisco, California
3. Ypsilanti, near Detroit, Michigan

The reason for my trip:

1. I had to meet some business acquaintances as well as some members of my family and friends.
2. I was a speaker at the ODTUG conference at Scottsdale Arizona
3. A speaker at JavaOne, San Francisco and also had a book signing there. I have written a few books on Java technology: Harshad Oak Bio.

My story begins with: