...my first stay in a 5 Star Hotel...

This summer, while in Bangkok… we checked in a 5 star property of ‘The Radissons’. It was a very-very plush hotel, huge lobby, super huge overhang, everything was huge. We soon neared our allotted room; as I opened the keyless door of the hotel room, my son smiled at me giving that distinct - daddy-knows-everything look…

  

This reminded me of a few incidences which happened with me when I stayed in a 5 star hotel for the first time …

As every middle class family, most family vacations were in comfortable, logically priced hotels i.e. lesser number of zeroes in the room tariff, items on menu restricted to two digits.

…some years back, I had one memorable stay in one of the upscale hotels in Mumbai. This was the first time I actually got to see the inside of a 5 star hotel.I was there for induction in my newly joined organization...

I still recollect seeing wall-to-wall carpets; fountains at places where I could never imagine, amazing light effect, largest ever bouquets in the lobby. My colleague questioned, “itna bada bouquet dekha hai kabhi?”, I said, “bouquet???, isme lage huay phool bhi kahbi nahi dekhe.”

The room had more never-used-before things waiting to welcome me. The pillows were so soft they nearly suffocated. The accidentally discovered mini-fridge, had such brands stuffed in it that if I spoke the label names aloud, people would think I am French…

.

The large King sized bed and glass-walled, see-through shower cabinet (James Bond types) puzzled me more than impressing.

…dinner was brilliant bland… as I decided to hit the bed a problem arose…the sheet was tucked soooo tightly that it refused to pull out. As I tried harder the scene changed into WWF match between me and my bedding...

Next morning, as I opened the bathroom door, the sweet freshener smell reminded me that I am stay put in a 5 star!!! As I surveyed the ‘my-flats-bedroom-sized-bathroom’, I realized the absence of a fundamental element –‘bucket’. I dialed 202, the voice on the other exclaimed… “You need a bucket sir?”, “Haan Ji and send a mug too!” The pause was much longer this time.

It was only later that I realized why the person was so hesitant. There bathroom had no tap !! :)

To start the water flow from the shower...I started patting the wall panel, expecting to make a accidental discovery of a hidden mechanism, but all efforts in vain. It will be embarrassing for me to tell you, how I managed to wash the undergarments… made them hang on the showerhead, 90 degree of hot water, in full force aiming at the clothes... that was one hell of a hi-speed hot wash...

Other historic stumble upon were – a look at the laundry rates, cost of washing and ironing was more than the cost price of the undergarment to be washed. TV took an hour to beam images, as I hunted for the power switch only later to realize that it is operational by ‘remote’ only … while getting down the elevator, I made faces looking at the mirror on the back panel, without knowing that its one-sided and people in the lobby are watching me do the act…

I compensated all these miseries by deciding to walk off with a few of those cute little bottles of bath gel and shampoos etc.… no complain!!!

A Dream Drive...

Come monsoon… and the very thought of rainfall makes us nostalgic. dark clouds, intermittent showers, green foliage, spick and span black roads, hazy vision, cold weather, smell of soil in the air, earth seems dancing to monsoon tunes…

It was (still is) raining cats and dogs. By 1700 it became gloomy, as I watched out of my office window it started raining heavily. Again, I am the kind of person who wants to get drenched in every rain.

I do enjoy getting soaked in the first showers, just to welcome rains (and to thank god for giving us the much needed respite) … enjoy the rest of the season from the clean-dry surroundings of my office / home :-). Never did I think that I would enjoy the rain driving alone in a car.


Enter my dream possession... a 4x4, MHawk engine, 2.2 liter, Black SCORPIO diesel, this beast changed it all. As I was watching out of my office space, each drop of water hitting the pane was inviting me, challenging me rather… “come out and race with us”. Looking at the torrential rains I could not resist the urge to drive. I crossed my legs, leaned back, I saw my NIKEs’ yelling at me - ‘Just Do It’. I dumped my lappy, stuffed other paraphernalia and left office.


I never dared driving in rain in my old Alto. I must say that, my trusted Maruti, never ditched me midway…never. I always reached home / office early for the fear of breakdown…as low BHP, less torque and ground clearance, smaller wheels etc. made me drive it with extreme caution. But it was very-very reliable and I respect Maruti a lot.

Anyway back to my (yet to arrive) SCORPIO...


So got myself strapped in the ‘cockpit’, ignition – check, auto headlights - check, auto wiper - check, defogger - check, fog lights - check, iPod with gazals - checked. I was all geared for the wet combat.


...visibility was poor, a few hundred feet may be, streams and growing puddles of water everywhere, potholes camouflaged underneath. Traffic was off-road, small cars were driving slow... almost at halt with their fog lights on… I smiled as I remembered my time during ‘Alto’ days. Trucks were crawling on left. Bikers took shelter where ever they could. And there I was in my mean-machine, feeling safe like in a cocoon.

All the while the auto wipers were doing their task well - never had to bother changing the speed – they had rain frequency sensors ;). Defogger kept the windscreens clear. Bridgestone Desert Dueler 604V provided that mind blowing grip... Desert duelers were being soaked in rains...they were not complaining.

Once on clear highway, I pressed the paddle and touched 80 KMPH as I wanted enjoy the drive and did not want to finish my drive soon, but my exit came in 5 km. The feeling was so electrifying that decided to drive further along the 4 lane. Another 30 km on the highway, took a ‘U’ turn, and made another 30. I felt I was part of the ‘Highway Patrol’.


Every puddle whizzed past… effortlessly. With an amazing ground clearance of SCORP , today I was hunting down puddles… tackling them head-on rather than steer clear of them…without fearing about water getting in the hood or bottom hitting the road surface.

With ABS light winking at me... reassuring their capability of stopping the beast at short notice.

The performance was numero uno...I was overtaking the fancier breeds like  VDIs’ LXIs’, VGT’s etc. and occasional 350i and A4… in rains they all seemed toys… dwarfed!!!  Clear patch gave a strong urge to hit the magical number of 100 kmph, but I decided not to... else my dream run would end earlier ;)


Eventually the 5 km drive back home turned into 70 km of sheer pleasure.

Mission accomplished, the SCORP had landed. As I end, I remember a quote - 

"There is no replacement for displacement" - Wolfgang Bernhard, Chief Operating Officer, Chrysler Group

…I want to do this really when I own a Scorpio some day !!! and I will take you all along !!.. until then...enjoy monsoon, drive safe...

 

Monsoon Cravings...

.. thinking myself to be one great writer (read tweeker), blogger of some sort...I write on topics which would make other appreciate and enjoy what I write... but a minute later, I realize that I am a foodie (# 1 khaau) basically... so writing and updating on food is what enthralls me...

.. come monsoon & people will give you all sort of 'gyan', avoid eating on roadside, it's an open invitation to all sorts of diseases... but yeh dill kahan maanta hai, aur woh be apne jaison ka.. right?? Rains means food... I crave for typical monsoon food...

... pipping hot dal-wadas... a squadron of fried green chili peeping, waiting anxiously in the 'thali', ready to attack your intestines...winking at you, as if saying, aao yaar muajhe chakho to sahi bhai... mazaa aayega..yumm !!..

... 'karari' paapdi chaat or bhel' on sidewalk, in light drizzle, trying to squeezing yourself under that 5 holed garden umbrella...which is already a shelter to 4 other 'khaoos & petoos' like you is worth a try... water dripping from the top, soaking your bhel, thereby making it perfect with each falling drop... what an experience...

...garma-garam bhajias, then three are a whole variety of them, right from the common, tasteless 'aaloo' ones to more exotic 'mirchi', 'pyaz', 'phool gobi', 'palak', ' diced tamatar', 'baingan bhajiyas' ...

do try the (unheard) layered bhajiyas this monsoon, here the guy places a 'gobi' floret between sliced 'pyaz' and 'tamatar', dips in the batter and deep fries.. all three together... he also makes pakoras with 'Maggie noodles'... they are just yumm... you get it at only 1 place in Ahmedabad... we all go there... the list goes on....

Non vegetarians can relish fish pakoras, prawn pakoras (prawns are filled with grated cheese, onion, garlic & green chili mix stuffed inside... perfect is the word!! While deep frying, the pakoras burst and cheese oozes out... these taste best with 'kakdee aur hari mirch ki chatni'  hummmm.. muh may paani aa gaya :)    

...roasted makai, another of my favorite, with yellow butter and special (hygienic masala) sprinkled on top, 'momos' is another delicacy enjoyed best in monsoon, its traditionally a Tibetan dish, vegetables or minced meat is the filling, this goes in a 'poori' and made into half moon shaped crescents, then steamed over chicken stock / tomato soup (for that special ting and aroma) in a special cooker...

...leave aside regular 'samosa', 'dabeli', 'vada-pav', for now and go for these monsoon special delicacies... take me along too :)


...all of these must be accompanied with a 'Chai'.. this India bhai.. here you get 'masala chai, adraak wali chai, elaichi chai, kadaak-meethi, etc. etc..

...enjoy these when its drizzling, eat till you are drenched...

Happy Monsoon!!!