Trip to India : Observations & Experiences – Part 1 of 2

– Kuwait Airways is quite a decent airline.

– No airport/baggage tricks this time. Airport staff behaved well and so did I.

– Almost all the shops & public places in Chennai have a box titled ‘Tsunami Relief Fund’. How many of them are genuine?

– Prices have skyrocketed in India or I have remained grossly out of touch for very long. Whatever it is, my budget went awry.

– The background music in Sun TV‘s Tsunami appeal advert churns the stomach.

– Fleecing by the auto drivers in Chennai would never stop.

– There are mechanics, who do work on Sunday nights – in case your vehicle gets punctured. Just that you would have to walk few kilometres to find them.

– Met some of my close friends – some of them after several years.

– With the arrival of Data One – BSNL‘s Broadband service (256 kbps for 500 bucks a month), Internet services would be moving to a different level.

– Lost a gold ring within hours after it was presented to me.

– Marina beach presents a desolated look.

– After a long time, it was pleasing to see Cauvery gushing with water.

– Trichy is littered with ‘kavidhai’ posters on Tsunami.

– Flyovers have been built over the narrow roads at Trichy so much so that, at some places you could jump into the balcony of a house from the flyover & viceversa.

– Almost got a heart attack when I heard that Srirangam – the island between 2 rivers, faced water problem last year. Effect of building more & more apartments axing the lush green coconut & mango groves.

– The modern public convenience near Srirangam temple is really, really well maintained.

– People don’t bother switching off their mobile phones even when they are at the sanctum sanctorum of temples. Hearing “manmadha raasa” tune while worshiping Lord Ranganatha doesn’t augur very well.