Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory aka Google HQ

Anyone who's read Roald Dahl's "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory" will know that Willie Wonka's factory was every kid's and chocaholic's dream. And Google HQ in Mountainview, California has to be every employee's dream.

I was there thanks to Monika - who I know from Esalen - who has the rather amazing job of being Google's coach and heading up their Personal Development University. I asked if I could come and workshadow her and she said "sure". So at 11.30am today I entered the Google "campus" and saw a beach volleyball court (with real sand) and jacuzzis with folks relaxing in them. And this was before even getting to reception!

I am going to list all the wonders I came upon. I'm sure they are every worker's fantasy. 18 state of the art gyms; 18 amazing cafes serving free organic food - all sorts of cuisines from sushi, to Indian, to salad bar; fridges all over the place to grab free soft drinks from; various points to grab homemade cookies and banana bread; ice cream dispensers; smoothie bars (and yes - it's all free!); places with wheatgrass shots; a massage centre that employs more therapists than any spa in the US (200 to be precise); massage chairs; sleeping pods (for naps!); beautiful outdoor areas to work and hold meetings; not a suit or tie in sight - plenty of shorts, jeans and skateboarders; heated toilet seats; beanbags and sofas around every other corner; places to leave clothes for dry-cleaning/ repairing etc; free bicycles and rickshaws to travel around the campus; free shuttle buses to Santa Cruz/ San Francisco and other locations; an organic garden; loads of amazing classes and lectures; ping pong tables and arcade games dotted around the office space; rooms for nursing mothers to express their milk; gourmet dog biscuits (because you're allowed to take your pet to work). I'm sure there's plenty more I could say. I felt like I was in office heaven !!! I wish every disgruntled employee in the world a taste of the Google good life.