Subcontinent adventures

i was getting home sick by day 5 of my india trip. it was at best leisurely but i had virtually nothing to do except crawl out of bed in the afternoons go down to where 3 maids waited on me and get them to make me any indian foods i desired. And the mangoes. I have never eaten so much mangoes in my life. The mangoes there were succulent and sweet and i couldnt refuse them despite almost covering half the table with their skins.

I had almost gotten used to being the SIngaporean chick that was desperately misplaced among my hosts' friends and family. A cultural divide? Perhaps. Most though i was chinese when i said i was from SIngapore. It was not difficult to understand why though and i didnt think too much of it. My golf lessons ended rather abruptly since i started to get bored after the 2nd session. The 7 iron was simply too heavy for my delicate arms and i was never going to get used to the fact that the only interaction i would have in this sport is between my clubs and the ball, occasionally the caddie and frequent jibes from a golf partner who most probably will kick my ass at every hole.

The flight back was a nightmare. I came to bangalore airport with less than 30 rupees left and upon reaching the counter, was told that my ticket home had been cancelled. So i was stranded for an hour or so while i made alternative plans as to how i a m going to get my ass back home. At first i thought about Business class, then bumming me to another flight on another airline then i decided, "No, i must get on that flight.." SO i did some crying first, an appeal to emotions.. "Im just a girl in bangalore, i have no where to go but home.."

I was then accused by the airline manager of being a baby but he did do me a favour by confirming my return leg. I offered him Nizam's chicken rolls in graititude and sang a few lines of "Ho laam he" which he politely declined. In desperation, i was still a showgirl.

Tired and exhausted from the whole debacle, i went to the Coffee Day branch they had at the boarding gate and decide to indulge in a chocolate dessert.. My first choice was a chocolate truffle, so i asked for one and then remembering i was a pauper i asked how much it would cost me. "56 rupees.." i took out my wallet and poured out 27 Rupees.. no way will i have half so i asked what i could buy for 27 rupees.. he said nothing.. but i asked for the chocolate donut.. he said it was 28 rupees.. i did something that was so out of character at this point. Usually, i would go to a money changer and change 10 singapore dollars and then use 1 singapore dollar to buy the donut and have rupees in my pockets for the next 2 years or so.. but this time, i did something very Indian.. i said

"Its 28 rupees and i have 27 rupees... its only 1 rupee nah!!"

He swayed his head quickly absorbing whatever logic he conjured from my sentence, plonked the donut on a paper plate and gave me a serviette.

"Can i bring this up? just like this ha?"

And the swayed returned and i politely reciprocated with a "tikke.."

I was planning to have The Alchemist as a reading companion back to Singapore but his last pages greeted me as i waited for my transfer flight from Colombo to Singapore. So in an hour and a half, he left too.

The plane had trouble taking off from Colombo, technical difficulties, and it was delayed for 2 hours. I could have been approaching The Straits of Melaka by then but i was taxi-ed in Colombo airport with 2 singaporean ladies who did not take advantage of the threading prowess of Indian beauticians and decided to brandish their brand of unnecessary manliness in the shape of a moustache. Very unbecoming. I would have asked for a volunteer from the flight to give them free threading but i was too tired.

Finally, the stewardess smiled and said we were ready for take off. It was at THIS POINT that the Singaporeans decided to ask the stewardess if they could change flight citing "No confidence and faith in the flight.." I wanted to kill them.. their requests were denied and we touched down at 0830 at T1.

The donut really sucked. I didn't appreciate that. I want my 27 Rupees back.

Graduation

THis is somewhat a graduation trip for me. INdia. Angad and me. THis was the promised land. Not in the redemption of sins kind of way, but the kind that lasted 4 years with the words:

A: COme to INdia na?!
D: Okie. i will.

2 years later..

A: Come to India na?!
D: ya.. i will

Hence, after 4 years of promises and pledges and dreams of maharajas and a life worth every damn rupee i can convert my singapore dollars to, i made it.

What is India like? well, im in bangalore, an IT hub so im not going to regale you and blow smoke up your ass by telling you of kings on elephants, though there are an awful surplus of dairy cows that linger on sidewalks, dumps and entrances of KFC here.

--------------------------end of part one ---------------------------------------------------

Leaving

I will be leaving for India on Friday to finally satisfy my lust for the promises of a land touted to be better than SG, of course, such testimonials are devoid of any objectivity since the touts themselves are of Indian origin. Anyway, its more of a golfing expedition above anything else. I just want to learn the game in a non-local setting. Why? Well, its more expensive here and i would lack the discpline in meeting some coach at the driving range every alternate weekday. I guess in a different environment, i will be more driven and less distracted in picking up the sport.

I am envisioning cool hilly landscapes since i will be going to OOty, a hill station off Bangalore, thats kind of like our Genting Highlands, minus the screaming singaporean kids and ringgit.. its more quiet there, i hope. See how im getting all presumptuous. I will laugh myself to death if i go there and see more Singaporeans and no hills and just cows everywhere. According to One, there are so many cows there, if they have to emergency evacuate me, they would have no where to land.. Right..

Its just going to be a week, i might hit Goa or Cochin depending on whether or not i have the time and energy or am drafted into the Indian National Golf team. (if they have one)

antszeiyertee

Im anxious. worrying over the things i can not control and believing that sleep deprivation will make me a greater participant in the grand scheme of things. What things? ah, the usual.. questions that we ask ourselve on a daily basis.. the kind that hits you mid-shower and you start biting nails and smoothing your brows. "Is life going to be like this? is this it?" "where's the kaboom?" "life sure sucks.. why can't it be easier?" and you fret when you realise that it could be as sucky or worse, suckier. So we have said "sucky" and pouted like the 12 year old brats we really are.. what then?

im anxious. Over not being good enough. knowing that the evaluation process and ultimate decision as to whether i have enough self worth and value addedness rest in the palms of the powerful few. A small and elite class of people, who probably went through the same thought rantings like im doing now, long ago, and now, in the comforts of their leather upholstered Porsche Carerras are grinning in the soothing moonbeams of nostalgia.

IM anxious. really. can't sleep and can't think straight. i need good sleep. to be soothed before bed and then wake up the next day feeling bright as a daisy and refreshed. but first i got to get these eyelids to close.. then perhaps..