Random musings of an international man
There are some experiences in life that you don't quite know for sure how to describe. Saying goodbye at the airport is one of them. It's bitter not because you're not going to see someone you love for some time, but because there's the uncertainity of whether you'll ever see them again. It's got that sweet aspect of eager anticipation - sometimes of the journey and sometimes of the destination.
----
The seats inside the Cathay plane were surprisingly small. Sitting in the middle seat, with the person in front of you reclined back, almost feels like being shut in a coffin. When an aircraft accident happens, there are precious few seconds in which everybody needs to make an escape before the smoke engulfs and incapacitates you. Seat 64F is not the position to be in if you hope to be one of those who makes it out in time. You try not to think about that, lean back your seat (passing on the dismay to the one behind you) and try to lose yourself in the hollywood flick flashing on the little LCD screen in front of you. All said and done, economics is the justification - a bit of discomfort and a gamble on life is well worth the roundtrip journey half the way across the world in under $1500.
----
There's a reason that India is a country that specializes in services. Indians are humble by nature, and it takes humility to serve well. Hotels over here are the true epitome of luxury, with people ready to run practically any errand for you at your beck and call. As a side effect, however, one may expect to face what can be called a 'Service Attack'. You find people serving where they shouldn't, and multitudes where there should be just one. Leaving my hotel in Hyderabad for a flight to Delhi, I was mobbed by about 7 people when getting into my cab - all seven having had some part to play in facilitating the simple process of beckoning a cab and getting my modest luggage in there. None of these seven was the cab driver. It'd have been simpler to solve a level five Sudoku, than to figure out how much tip is deserved for the whole service and who should get what.
----
The seats inside the Cathay plane were surprisingly small. Sitting in the middle seat, with the person in front of you reclined back, almost feels like being shut in a coffin. When an aircraft accident happens, there are precious few seconds in which everybody needs to make an escape before the smoke engulfs and incapacitates you. Seat 64F is not the position to be in if you hope to be one of those who makes it out in time. You try not to think about that, lean back your seat (passing on the dismay to the one behind you) and try to lose yourself in the hollywood flick flashing on the little LCD screen in front of you. All said and done, economics is the justification - a bit of discomfort and a gamble on life is well worth the roundtrip journey half the way across the world in under $1500.
----
There's a reason that India is a country that specializes in services. Indians are humble by nature, and it takes humility to serve well. Hotels over here are the true epitome of luxury, with people ready to run practically any errand for you at your beck and call. As a side effect, however, one may expect to face what can be called a 'Service Attack'. You find people serving where they shouldn't, and multitudes where there should be just one. Leaving my hotel in Hyderabad for a flight to Delhi, I was mobbed by about 7 people when getting into my cab - all seven having had some part to play in facilitating the simple process of beckoning a cab and getting my modest luggage in there. None of these seven was the cab driver. It'd have been simpler to solve a level five Sudoku, than to figure out how much tip is deserved for the whole service and who should get what.
posted by Anurag Batra at 4:16 PM
2 Comments:
This is pretty good....5 level sudoku...is easier than distributing tip to 7...funny
There are lucky few who get surrounded by the poor with expectations. Giving a small amount to one of them clearly telling him to distribute the same among all should solve the problem.
I begged of God His love and Compassion
Instead he showed me the poor to be loved.
He did not give me what I longed,
Instead he gave me what I deserved.
Love
to the International man.
Post a Comment
<< Home