This morning I tried entering the premises of a 5-Star hotel in a rickshaw and the security guard stopped me at the entrance. What if it was raining or I was wearing stilettos or worse still, I was a hotel guest (who prefers local transportation)? I was furious, and gave the security guard a good telling-to, though I suppose the rules from higher orders. Finally he let me in. And I definitely plan to bring it up with the management. Someday.
On a different note, a wise friend once told me that during the rains I must always have a fully charged phone battery, enough cash to take me through a day or two, a bottle of water and a packet of biscuits. Stocking up on edibles during travel is a bit ambitious. But cash and a fully charged battery are definitely workable. Yesterday though, the battery icon on my phone screen was visibly empty, just like my wallet. And it was raining buckets.
My usual reaction, out of sheer flood paranoia, would be to scuttle off to the warm comforts of home. But there was some internal force prodding me to combat rain, hail and storm, in pursuit of great conversation with an old friend, who I have known for many years.
So, there was not an ATM in sight. And it turns out that my buddy was stranded some miles away, trying to hail down a taxi, to no avail. Final the Red and White signature colours of an ICICI ATM caught my attention. We trudged towards it; I managed to get the cash. And then we spent about an hour and a half, trying to locate my friend. We could have missed him by a cat’s whisker, due to my dying phone battery. That would have been a shame.
Finally, we entered this Pan-Asian restaurant, somewhat drenched. But with child-like gay abandon.
We ordered for a drink and starters. And yeah, it felt like the three-hour trudge in the rain was worth it.
