July 27, 2007 - Mumbai (Bombay), India

"Always give a hundred percent, and you'll never have to second-guess yourself."
~Tommy John

While living in Colorado I found there weren't four, but six seasons. Summer, Autumn, 'Mud' Season, Winter, Spring, and 'Mud' Season. In India, six seasons are also recognized. Spring, Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Winter, Monsoon. Theses six seasons are depicted in elaborate silk rugs, created throughout the country.

Today, in the midst of monsoon rainstorms, we watched local dabbawallas at work. Dabbawalla translated into "worker of lunch boxes."

It is important to understand that there is not enough room on commuter trains for men to carry lunch boxes. After the woman of the house finished cleaning up breakfast, she makes a fresh-hot lunch for her husband. A dabbawalla picks up this meal and other husband's lunches in the neighborhood, takes the lunches to one of six exchange places, and they are then distributed throughout the city. This is a carefully orchestrated delivery service that has been successfully operating for over a decade.

Some facts about the dabbawallas:
+ 5,000 Employees
+ 200,000 Tiffin (lunch) boxes
+ 400,000 Transactions everyday
+ Error Rate = 1 in 16 million
+ 60-70 kilometers of total area is covered
+ Absolutely NO technology is employed
+ Average age of worker is 54 --> most are 3rd generation workers
+ Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association is the original business and has been in business for over 100 years
+ The company has continued to work through natural disasters and wars
+ To have your lunch delivered fresh is 300-350 Rupees for an entire month ($6.00 US)
+ There will be a Discovery Channel special on Dabbawallas airing August 15, 2007