Friday, February 1, 2013

Bizarre .

While we're out sightseeing a floral arrangement appears in the bedroom. Chrysanthemums on top, a bit of palm frond for a tail and some white, soft , wispy material as a base. '' Quite remarkable " says ' the font ' once the shock of discovery has worn off. The front desk clerk asks if we like it. We lie.
Our last dinner in Chennai.Time to order a 'flavourful' curry.'  Angus attracted by the word 'Yetti '. 'The font 'wonders aloud if it might be too spicey. Angus replies along the lines of ' how spicey can a prawn curry be ? '.Two mouthfuls later he knows. Was the clue in the word ' flavourful ', ' chillies ' or ' spices ? '  The loss of vision is temporary.
The small print at the botttom of the winelist  - All prices are inclusive of 62.94% government taxes . '' This is a Christian country " says the wine waiter by half hearted way of explanation. This answer is, to say the least, puzzling on so many different levels. There'd be a revolution in Scotland if they ever try to tax booze at those rates.
Up at four. At the airport at five . We hand over our pre-printed boarding passes. '' Your flight is cancelled . Go to the ticket desk for a refund " says the Air India check in clerk with a rudeness that only employees of government owned airlines can muster. The ticket desk is closed. We peer through the windows. There is a man asleep on the floor and another asleep on the counter.
Who would have thought Air India was an operator of Boeing 787's ? They've all been grounded. Our flight is cancelled. The idea of finding a replacement aircraft inconceivable. The man at the check in desk tells us there may be another flight tomorrow. Time to buy tickets on another airline.

13 comments:

  1. What is a "bunt" speciality? For a moment I thought it said, "burnt".

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    1. Seems Bunts are Tulu speaking folk who live in Mangalore. Their style of cooking is apparently famous all over India. Anyway, that's what I was told by the waiter. Whether his answer makes any sense or is correct is another matter .

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  2. Laughed my way through the entire post. Trouble picking the funniest bit but the floral tribute on what is no doubt a yeti skin would be hard to beat. Only disappointment is that you didn't share what the Font had to say about the staff of the Air India office.

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  3. Angus, I have thoroughly enjoyed your posts about your trip! But I have to admit, that at first I thought the flower arrangement was a cat...

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  4. That floral arrangement should have given you an inkling of what was in store for you. If I didn't know any better, I would say that was the Yetti itself, but I guess it represents the national bird of India, the peacock. The white wispy material surely must be its nest.

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  5. A hilarious installment. What surprises me most about the liquor tax is the .94%...Did they thing rounding it up to 64% would put it beyond the pale?

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  6. wonder why every flight was cancelled. were the planes broken? or the weather monsoony?
    this is better than traveling with inspector clouseau!

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  7. The flower arrangement looks as though it is arranged on a flattened Maltese. And the sleeping man! Crazy place!!!!

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  8. The title of your post should have prepared me. Amazing.

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  9. They tried with the floral arrangement. Now Angus, just remember,we shouldn't go abroad and expect to find things exactly like home. LOL.

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  10. I hope that you made it home! That floral arrangement was "bizarre" to say the least.

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