10. Habitual. Don't even think anymore... people's thumbs act without signals from the brain
9. Gone deaf hearing others honk, so can't even hear themselves honk
8. Find it easier to honk than use their legs to apply brakes
7. Believe they are the only ones who are awake and it is their responsibility to alert everyone else
6. Believe that Indians are very sensorial people and hence their driving must excite every sense including the auditory ones
5. Think that the driver approaching from the opposite direction must be blind and hence a head-on may be avoided by incessant honking
4. Because every provided aspect of a car must be put to good use... why only leave the horn behind
3. Scared that if they don't honk every 2 minutes, they just might forget how to use it
2. Maybe one day... yes one day... all this honking just might make the car ahead of them learn to fly!
1. Every bus and truck says "Horn Please"... I rest my case
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour
I started from St. Louis yesterday afternoon and a logical stop was Nashville since it is about 5.5 hours Southeast and on the route to Tampa (where I am trying to get to by Monday night).
After spending the night in Nashville, I decided to do a few things in and around Nashville before departing for Atlanta (the next logical stop on my journey). However, the weather played spoilsport and with drizzle abound pretty much all day long, I decided to skip Nashville highlights like the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Parthenon and head straight down south towards the Jack Daniel's Distillery.
As some of you may know, me and Jack go a long way. However, we parted ways about 2.5 years ago when I decided to big goodbye to old friends like Bud, Jack, Jim, Miller, and stay away from old favorites like Boulevard Wheat. In any case, I felt that it was time to reminisce the good ole' times and go to the hometown of Jack - Lynchburg, TN and find out a little about it's history.
The journey from the hotel to the distillery took about an hour and took me through Shelbyville, TN and some other nondescript towns which could pass of as Anytown, USA.
The entrance to Jack Daniel's in the city of Lynchburg, TN is really low-key. Quite unlike the grandeur of other places such as the Anheuser Busch historic buildings. I headed straight to the visitor center and got my number for the tour. Spent 10 minutes or so in the visitor center learning a little bit about Jack.
Some facts:
* Jack is believed to have been born in 1850 and died in 1911
* Jack inherited the distillery and started running it at the age of 13 from an uncle of his who went on to pursue Ministery and handed over the distillery to Jack
* Jack Daniel Distillery is the oldest registered distillery in the United States
* The reason why it was started in Lynchburg was because of the spring water source. To date, the spring water is used as the base ingredient and is credited with contributing to the distinct taste of Jack Daniel Sour Mash Whiskey
* Each barrel used to age the whiskey is only used once and then discarded
* The barrel is still handmade (or 'raised' as they say around here) without any nails or glue to prevent poisoning the taste.
* Lynchburg where the distillery produces the whiskey is DRY and hence no alcohol can be served or sold there
An important fact here that I was unaware of (I feel pretty stupid now) - Jack Daniel Whiskey is NOT Bourbon. Jack goes through a "Mellowing" process, ie, passes through Maple Charcoal (takes a long time) and that gives it the unique composition, smoothness and texture. However, Bourbon doesn't get mellowed and hence Jack is different.
The tour guide was a true southerner and I only understood about 15% of what he said due to the heavy accent. He seemed like a real nice fella who knew this trade for a long time and knew all the details and facts behind how the distillery worked (I think he worked there before).
We started the tour with viewing the place where the Maple wood is burnt to make charcoal for the Mellowing. Then we proceeded on to see the only original building on the tour (the office where Jack worked). This houses the "Safe" that is credited with Jack's death. Apparently unable to open the safe, in a fit of rage, Jack kicked it. Yes, he kicked an iron safe, and fractured his toe. Unknown to him, diabetic condition exacerbated the wound and Jack died 6 years later in 1911 from gangrene.
Then we proceeded to see the stills where the fermentation takes place. Then we proceeded on to the vats where the mellowing takes place and here is the best part of the tour. The tour guide raises the lid to the vat where the whiskey is being poured, all so slowly, drip drip drip, over the charcoal. You get a few chances to sniff 140 proof whiskey and the distinct aroma of Jack. I wouldn't be lying when I say that the sniff itself gives a little buzz!
Then we proceeded to see the bottling unit and the warehouse where the barrels are kept for aging. The aging in the barrel is what gives the color and the caramelization inside of the barrel provides the sweetness to the whiskey. Standing in the warehouse is like taking a shower in Jack Daniel's. The aroma is so strong and intoxicating, I wonder how the workers here walk straight after a day at work!
Now here is the part that astonished me the most. This distillery is supplying the famous Jack all over the globe, but it is much smaller than one would imagine.
I then proceeded to Lynchburg Main Street and it is like walking on a Hollywood set. Very pretty and very historic, with all the buildings dating back at least a century. A walk through this quiet town was a perfect way to end my visit to Jack.
Cheers, old buddy!
After spending the night in Nashville, I decided to do a few things in and around Nashville before departing for Atlanta (the next logical stop on my journey). However, the weather played spoilsport and with drizzle abound pretty much all day long, I decided to skip Nashville highlights like the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Parthenon and head straight down south towards the Jack Daniel's Distillery.
As some of you may know, me and Jack go a long way. However, we parted ways about 2.5 years ago when I decided to big goodbye to old friends like Bud, Jack, Jim, Miller, and stay away from old favorites like Boulevard Wheat. In any case, I felt that it was time to reminisce the good ole' times and go to the hometown of Jack - Lynchburg, TN and find out a little about it's history.
The journey from the hotel to the distillery took about an hour and took me through Shelbyville, TN and some other nondescript towns which could pass of as Anytown, USA.
The entrance to Jack Daniel's in the city of Lynchburg, TN is really low-key. Quite unlike the grandeur of other places such as the Anheuser Busch historic buildings. I headed straight to the visitor center and got my number for the tour. Spent 10 minutes or so in the visitor center learning a little bit about Jack.Some facts:
* Jack is believed to have been born in 1850 and died in 1911
* Jack inherited the distillery and started running it at the age of 13 from an uncle of his who went on to pursue Ministery and handed over the distillery to Jack
* Jack Daniel Distillery is the oldest registered distillery in the United States
* The reason why it was started in Lynchburg was because of the spring water source. To date, the spring water is used as the base ingredient and is credited with contributing to the distinct taste of Jack Daniel Sour Mash Whiskey
* Each barrel used to age the whiskey is only used once and then discarded
* The barrel is still handmade (or 'raised' as they say around here) without any nails or glue to prevent poisoning the taste.
* Lynchburg where the distillery produces the whiskey is DRY and hence no alcohol can be served or sold there
An important fact here that I was unaware of (I feel pretty stupid now) - Jack Daniel Whiskey is NOT Bourbon. Jack goes through a "Mellowing" process, ie, passes through Maple Charcoal (takes a long time) and that gives it the unique composition, smoothness and texture. However, Bourbon doesn't get mellowed and hence Jack is different.
The tour guide was a true southerner and I only understood about 15% of what he said due to the heavy accent. He seemed like a real nice fella who knew this trade for a long time and knew all the details and facts behind how the distillery worked (I think he worked there before).
We started the tour with viewing the place where the Maple wood is burnt to make charcoal for the Mellowing. Then we proceeded on to see the only original building on the tour (the office where Jack worked). This houses the "Safe" that is credited with Jack's death. Apparently unable to open the safe, in a fit of rage, Jack kicked it. Yes, he kicked an iron safe, and fractured his toe. Unknown to him, diabetic condition exacerbated the wound and Jack died 6 years later in 1911 from gangrene.
Then we proceeded to see the stills where the fermentation takes place. Then we proceeded on to the vats where the mellowing takes place and here is the best part of the tour. The tour guide raises the lid to the vat where the whiskey is being poured, all so slowly, drip drip drip, over the charcoal. You get a few chances to sniff 140 proof whiskey and the distinct aroma of Jack. I wouldn't be lying when I say that the sniff itself gives a little buzz!
Then we proceeded to see the bottling unit and the warehouse where the barrels are kept for aging. The aging in the barrel is what gives the color and the caramelization inside of the barrel provides the sweetness to the whiskey. Standing in the warehouse is like taking a shower in Jack Daniel's. The aroma is so strong and intoxicating, I wonder how the workers here walk straight after a day at work!
Now here is the part that astonished me the most. This distillery is supplying the famous Jack all over the globe, but it is much smaller than one would imagine.
I then proceeded to Lynchburg Main Street and it is like walking on a Hollywood set. Very pretty and very historic, with all the buildings dating back at least a century. A walk through this quiet town was a perfect way to end my visit to Jack.
Cheers, old buddy!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Medical conditions of the Indian traffic
RightLanaMania - An acute condition describing a driver's inability to let go of the right lane on a 3-lane road until he has come within 5 meters of making a left, upon which he will make a sharp left unaware of the 200 other cars on the road. This is a chronic condition where the patient has an unexplained love of the right lane and fear that if he ever leaves it, he may never be able to get back on it.
Honkitis - A condition of the palm or the thumb where the patient's brain has trained the palm or the thumb of the driver and now ceded all control to them. Hence, the brain is no longer in control. Instead the palm/thumb automatically express feelings of the brain such as "Come on.. move it you du*b piece of s***", "Can't you see the light turned green, you a****le", "I am coming, you better get out of my way d*ps**t", etc.
FlashLightomia - The patient suffering from this is quite often a victim of Honkitis and flashlightomia is a further extension of that condition. However the real victim of this is the light stick in the car which is repeatedly put through unusual amounts of stress by repeated flashing on part of the driver. The patient generally starts with good cause such as turning on the high beam on a lonely stretch at night for better visibility and then turning off the high beam when approached by a car from the opposite direction. However, this typically does not last long and the driver starts to get supernatural feelings such as "If I flash my light, I have the right to go first" etc.
IBelieveHeCanFly Syndrome - A delusional state of mind (not sure if originally triggered by a song of the same name) where the driver perceives other cars' ability to fly over the rest of the traffic in front of them. Such a driver will experience a sudden urge of Honkitis hoping the car directly in front of them simply lifts up Harry Potter style and makes room for their car. But alas, the only resolution this delusion can lead to is a case of Getoutofcarandshoutarium in the driver in front of them.
ICouldCareLessitis - A classic case of simply caring about what affects the patients' immediate realm. This is a harmless condition and one where the scientists debate whether it might actually be good for the Indian society.
Driftontia - This patient typically suffers from inability to keep their car straight on the thoroughfare even if the road and the lane markings are straight. This user can be observed provoking Honkitis in other drivers on the road due to their unexplained need to start drifting from their lane. This is a very serious ailment since the driver will drift right and then drift left for no plausible reason whatsoever. Even worse, the driver is completely unaware that he is doing so and hence will be in total denial that he is suffering from this disease.
GetOutOfCarAndShoutarium - This is a rather mild condition where the driver simply gets the urge to stop what he's doing, get out of the car and shout. This usually yields no results as all the other drivers are suffering from Icouldcarelessitis. However, drivers should be cautioned that sometimes it can yield to road rage cases and could be fatal.
GiveWayNotPresentInMyDictionaria - Patients suffering from this are reported to not ever do a blind spot check or when making a turn, bother to turn their necks to see what existing traffic, on the thoroughfare they are approaching, might be affected. A patient suffering from this also demonstrates symptoms of Stopaphobia (see below) wherein, they believe, their stopping or slowing down or giving way while making a turn may lead to some unholy inevitability.
StopaPhobia - Patient's inability to come to terms with the fact that sometimes he may need to stop. A patient with this disease can often be observed not wanting to stop when he spots another car reversing in front. In such cases, the patient rather than waiting patiently, no pun intended, will butt up against the car in front and make it only harder for the other car to finish their task of reversing and thereby prolong the agony of all involved. Such patient can also be frequently observed coming face to face with an oncoming car from the opposite direction on a very narrow stretch of road with only enough space for one car to pass. In these cases, patient's conditions of Honkitis and Flashlightomia experience a sudden flare up and can only be resolved after one bout of Getoutofcarandshoutarium has taken place.
Honkitis - A condition of the palm or the thumb where the patient's brain has trained the palm or the thumb of the driver and now ceded all control to them. Hence, the brain is no longer in control. Instead the palm/thumb automatically express feelings of the brain such as "Come on.. move it you du*b piece of s***", "Can't you see the light turned green, you a****le", "I am coming, you better get out of my way d*ps**t", etc.
FlashLightomia - The patient suffering from this is quite often a victim of Honkitis and flashlightomia is a further extension of that condition. However the real victim of this is the light stick in the car which is repeatedly put through unusual amounts of stress by repeated flashing on part of the driver. The patient generally starts with good cause such as turning on the high beam on a lonely stretch at night for better visibility and then turning off the high beam when approached by a car from the opposite direction. However, this typically does not last long and the driver starts to get supernatural feelings such as "If I flash my light, I have the right to go first" etc.
IBelieveHeCanFly Syndrome - A delusional state of mind (not sure if originally triggered by a song of the same name) where the driver perceives other cars' ability to fly over the rest of the traffic in front of them. Such a driver will experience a sudden urge of Honkitis hoping the car directly in front of them simply lifts up Harry Potter style and makes room for their car. But alas, the only resolution this delusion can lead to is a case of Getoutofcarandshoutarium in the driver in front of them.
ICouldCareLessitis - A classic case of simply caring about what affects the patients' immediate realm. This is a harmless condition and one where the scientists debate whether it might actually be good for the Indian society.
Driftontia - This patient typically suffers from inability to keep their car straight on the thoroughfare even if the road and the lane markings are straight. This user can be observed provoking Honkitis in other drivers on the road due to their unexplained need to start drifting from their lane. This is a very serious ailment since the driver will drift right and then drift left for no plausible reason whatsoever. Even worse, the driver is completely unaware that he is doing so and hence will be in total denial that he is suffering from this disease.
GetOutOfCarAndShoutarium - This is a rather mild condition where the driver simply gets the urge to stop what he's doing, get out of the car and shout. This usually yields no results as all the other drivers are suffering from Icouldcarelessitis. However, drivers should be cautioned that sometimes it can yield to road rage cases and could be fatal.
GiveWayNotPresentInMyDictionaria - Patients suffering from this are reported to not ever do a blind spot check or when making a turn, bother to turn their necks to see what existing traffic, on the thoroughfare they are approaching, might be affected. A patient suffering from this also demonstrates symptoms of Stopaphobia (see below) wherein, they believe, their stopping or slowing down or giving way while making a turn may lead to some unholy inevitability.
StopaPhobia - Patient's inability to come to terms with the fact that sometimes he may need to stop. A patient with this disease can often be observed not wanting to stop when he spots another car reversing in front. In such cases, the patient rather than waiting patiently, no pun intended, will butt up against the car in front and make it only harder for the other car to finish their task of reversing and thereby prolong the agony of all involved. Such patient can also be frequently observed coming face to face with an oncoming car from the opposite direction on a very narrow stretch of road with only enough space for one car to pass. In these cases, patient's conditions of Honkitis and Flashlightomia experience a sudden flare up and can only be resolved after one bout of Getoutofcarandshoutarium has taken place.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
New Delhi (DEL) - Singapore (SIN) - New Delhi (DEL) flight review on Air India
March 7, 2009
New Delhi (DEL) to Singapore (SIN)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI480
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 319
Actual flying time (in air): About 5.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * * * * (4/5)
Flight service rating: * * * * (4/5)
Comments: In two words - "Surprisingly good".
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the aircraft used on this leg and the Air India staff was definitely courteous.
This is a 122 seater aircraft and and only has one coach section. The galley and 2 restrooms are in the back of the aircraft.
Seats - The seats were quite comfortable and the seating arrangement in coach was 3-3. I was a little surprised at the colors since they didn't seem to be inline with the Air India theme and upon questioning the staff I found out that the aircraft was earlier an "Indian" aircraft and was now being used by Air India on the Delhi Singapore route.
The pitch and recline was comfortable and the leg space didn't seem to squashed. But you do have to keep in mind that I am only 5'6" and it doesn't take much to satisfy my leg space needs :)
Aircraft - Seemed fairly new and a modern aircraft with all digital bells and whistles evident when one boarded the plane. The upholstery and the material quality was at par with aircrafts used by other airlines on this sector.
Audio/Video - There was in-seat entertainment in coach and that was a definite surprise for me on Air India. There were 6 channels in total with two different audio options on most programming. They were playing one Hindi, one English, one kids, one general TV programming. On top of that they offered about 12 radio channels and also the flight progress video was available. Not much in terms of what they offer, but better than the hanging screens. The video screen seemed like 9" size widescreen and the quality was good.
Staff - Courteous and smiling. The staff on this leg was relatively young and well mannered.
Food - Decent. The options in veg and non-veg were both Indian dishes. So in case someone didn't want Indian food, then I guess they would have been out of luck. Free flow of alcohol was available as with all Air India international flights.
This flight departs 1/2 past after midnight and arrives into Singapore at 8.30 in the morning. While, you do have to stay up late to get on the flight, it makes up for that by having a very convenient arrival in Singapore and one can utilize the full day on arrival.
This being a night flight, I must caution readers that most of the flight was spent sleeping, so my views about the staff etc. should be tempered with two things - (1) relatively short duration of the flight and (2) most of the passengers are sleeping, so staff obviously doesn't have to do much.
Now on to my return leg.
March 15, 2009
Singapore (SIN) to New Delhi (DEL)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI481
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 319
Actual flying time (in air): About 5.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * * * * (4/5)
Flight service rating: * * * * (4/5)
Comments: The aircraft used on this leg is exactly the same and nothing much else to comment on this return flight.
Staff on this leg seemed a tad bit older and more stern. However, still they were courteous. They were gladly helping out passengers with their overhead luggage, which comes as a surprise after flying on American Airlines for the last 6-7 years and on American, the stewards point blank refuse to help with anyone's luggage.
There was an issue with some liquid dripping out of someone's overhead luggage and the staff quickly resolved that issue and apologized several times even though it wasn't a fault of theirs. So kudos to the staff on that.
My daughter kept busy with the video channel playing Hindi movie songs and another one playing some sort of Producer Guild awards.
All in all, a pleasant experience flying Air India and for once I can say that I wouldn't mind flying AI on this sector/route again.
New Delhi (DEL) to Singapore (SIN)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI480
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 319
Actual flying time (in air): About 5.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * * * * (4/5)
Flight service rating: * * * * (4/5)
Comments: In two words - "Surprisingly good".
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the aircraft used on this leg and the Air India staff was definitely courteous.
This is a 122 seater aircraft and and only has one coach section. The galley and 2 restrooms are in the back of the aircraft.
Seats - The seats were quite comfortable and the seating arrangement in coach was 3-3. I was a little surprised at the colors since they didn't seem to be inline with the Air India theme and upon questioning the staff I found out that the aircraft was earlier an "Indian" aircraft and was now being used by Air India on the Delhi Singapore route.
The pitch and recline was comfortable and the leg space didn't seem to squashed. But you do have to keep in mind that I am only 5'6" and it doesn't take much to satisfy my leg space needs :)
Aircraft - Seemed fairly new and a modern aircraft with all digital bells and whistles evident when one boarded the plane. The upholstery and the material quality was at par with aircrafts used by other airlines on this sector.
Audio/Video - There was in-seat entertainment in coach and that was a definite surprise for me on Air India. There were 6 channels in total with two different audio options on most programming. They were playing one Hindi, one English, one kids, one general TV programming. On top of that they offered about 12 radio channels and also the flight progress video was available. Not much in terms of what they offer, but better than the hanging screens. The video screen seemed like 9" size widescreen and the quality was good.
Staff - Courteous and smiling. The staff on this leg was relatively young and well mannered.
Food - Decent. The options in veg and non-veg were both Indian dishes. So in case someone didn't want Indian food, then I guess they would have been out of luck. Free flow of alcohol was available as with all Air India international flights.
This flight departs 1/2 past after midnight and arrives into Singapore at 8.30 in the morning. While, you do have to stay up late to get on the flight, it makes up for that by having a very convenient arrival in Singapore and one can utilize the full day on arrival.
This being a night flight, I must caution readers that most of the flight was spent sleeping, so my views about the staff etc. should be tempered with two things - (1) relatively short duration of the flight and (2) most of the passengers are sleeping, so staff obviously doesn't have to do much.Now on to my return leg.
March 15, 2009
Singapore (SIN) to New Delhi (DEL)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI481
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 319
Actual flying time (in air): About 5.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * * * * (4/5)
Flight service rating: * * * * (4/5)
Comments: The aircraft used on this leg is exactly the same and nothing much else to comment on this return flight.
Staff on this leg seemed a tad bit older and more stern. However, still they were courteous. They were gladly helping out passengers with their overhead luggage, which comes as a surprise after flying on American Airlines for the last 6-7 years and on American, the stewards point blank refuse to help with anyone's luggage.
There was an issue with some liquid dripping out of someone's overhead luggage and the staff quickly resolved that issue and apologized several times even though it wasn't a fault of theirs. So kudos to the staff on that.
My daughter kept busy with the video channel playing Hindi movie songs and another one playing some sort of Producer Guild awards.
All in all, a pleasant experience flying Air India and for once I can say that I wouldn't mind flying AI on this sector/route again.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sandhi Vichhed
Should I feel bad for this bloke? He has a mobile shop selling all (Har) kinds of Doo Doo....
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Delhi Driving Rule Book
Action: The light has just turned green
Reaction: Honk
Reason: All the drivers of those 20 cars in front of you are sleeping or have no motivation in the world to go anywhere, so it is your duty to get them going!
Action: A car has approached you from the opposite direction
Reaction: Flash your lights
Reason: The driver in the car opposite you obviously cannot see your car that is at least 6 ft wide and it is your responsibility to alert him of your approaching monstrosity by flashing your lights. Of course, he may miss your car, but he will not miss your flashing lights!
Action: You have just come upon a road that has at least two lanes
Reaction: Do not stay in your lane. At least be hogging 10% of the other lane
Reason: You are paying road tax. Get your money's worth. So what if other's have paid road tax too. It is yours that matters.
Action: You are driving at 80 km/hr and you spot a pedestrian 100 ft away standing on the median
Reaction: Honk like crazy and flash your lights. If possible, stick your head out, Ace Ventura style, and scream your lungs out too
Reason: That pedestrian is on a suicide mission and he has chosen your car as the weapon of his destruction. While he may not be scared of your speeding car, but your honking and your flashing lights will be a huge deterrent to his mission. If suicide does not occur, for you it is however, mission accomplished... Well.. until you spot the next pedestrian.
Action: You are stuck in a traffic jam and a space of 5-10 ft has just been created in front of the car in front of you
Reaction: Honk and if that fails, flash your lights
Reason: How dare that ninkampoop in front of you not immediately occupy that 10 feet space just created. Has he forgotten we are in an atomic reaction where we have 1 billion elements and it is the responsibility of all these elements to keep moving, colliding etc. Any drastic mistake, like him standing still, could have far reaching repercussions on this mega experiment.
Action: You just got into a fender bender
Reaction: Get out of the car, scream a few obscenities at the other driver, keep a grim look on your face, shake your head violently a few times and then move on
Reason: You are a responsible element of the atomic reaction and have not forgotten that this was "meant to be". You understand for any atomic reaction to be successful, collisions must take place. So, keep on moving until the next collision.
Action: You have to make a right turn and there are only two lanes
Reaction: Occupy the second lane meant for people going straight, but do keep your turn signal on
Reason: You are paying road tax and how dare the authorities only make one lane for turning right. They are the ones at fault and not you. At least you are being considerate and flashing your turn signal. So what if the person behind you had to go straight and has now missed his green signal. He also should blame the road authorities for their stupidity and not you.
Action: You are stuck behind a car wanting to go right while you want to go straight
Reaction: Honk like crazy, flash your lights. If all else fails, get out of the car and get down to have a meaningful discussion with the car in front hogging the lane
Reason: How dare he. And how dare he blame the authorities. When you do the same it is different. It is because you are "special" and he is not ;-)
Action: You want to turn right and there is a car coming from the opposite direction
Reaction: Make the right without waiting for that car to pass
Reason: You have already watched The Matrix and "There is no car"!
Reaction: Honk
Reason: All the drivers of those 20 cars in front of you are sleeping or have no motivation in the world to go anywhere, so it is your duty to get them going!
Action: A car has approached you from the opposite direction
Reaction: Flash your lights
Reason: The driver in the car opposite you obviously cannot see your car that is at least 6 ft wide and it is your responsibility to alert him of your approaching monstrosity by flashing your lights. Of course, he may miss your car, but he will not miss your flashing lights!
Action: You have just come upon a road that has at least two lanes
Reaction: Do not stay in your lane. At least be hogging 10% of the other lane
Reason: You are paying road tax. Get your money's worth. So what if other's have paid road tax too. It is yours that matters.
Action: You are driving at 80 km/hr and you spot a pedestrian 100 ft away standing on the median
Reaction: Honk like crazy and flash your lights. If possible, stick your head out, Ace Ventura style, and scream your lungs out too
Reason: That pedestrian is on a suicide mission and he has chosen your car as the weapon of his destruction. While he may not be scared of your speeding car, but your honking and your flashing lights will be a huge deterrent to his mission. If suicide does not occur, for you it is however, mission accomplished... Well.. until you spot the next pedestrian.
Action: You are stuck in a traffic jam and a space of 5-10 ft has just been created in front of the car in front of you
Reaction: Honk and if that fails, flash your lights
Reason: How dare that ninkampoop in front of you not immediately occupy that 10 feet space just created. Has he forgotten we are in an atomic reaction where we have 1 billion elements and it is the responsibility of all these elements to keep moving, colliding etc. Any drastic mistake, like him standing still, could have far reaching repercussions on this mega experiment.
Action: You just got into a fender bender
Reaction: Get out of the car, scream a few obscenities at the other driver, keep a grim look on your face, shake your head violently a few times and then move on
Reason: You are a responsible element of the atomic reaction and have not forgotten that this was "meant to be". You understand for any atomic reaction to be successful, collisions must take place. So, keep on moving until the next collision.
Action: You have to make a right turn and there are only two lanes
Reaction: Occupy the second lane meant for people going straight, but do keep your turn signal on
Reason: You are paying road tax and how dare the authorities only make one lane for turning right. They are the ones at fault and not you. At least you are being considerate and flashing your turn signal. So what if the person behind you had to go straight and has now missed his green signal. He also should blame the road authorities for their stupidity and not you.
Action: You are stuck behind a car wanting to go right while you want to go straight
Reaction: Honk like crazy, flash your lights. If all else fails, get out of the car and get down to have a meaningful discussion with the car in front hogging the lane
Reason: How dare he. And how dare he blame the authorities. When you do the same it is different. It is because you are "special" and he is not ;-)
Action: You want to turn right and there is a car coming from the opposite direction
Reaction: Make the right without waiting for that car to pass
Reason: You have already watched The Matrix and "There is no car"!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
New Delhi (DEL) - Shanghai (PVG) - New Delhi (DEL) flying experience on Air India
March 1, 2009
New Delhi (DEL) to Shanghai (PVG)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI348
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 310-300
Actual flying time (in air): About 6.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * (1/5)
Flight service rating: *** (3/5)
Comments: I am aware of the preconceived notions about Air India and I am going to try my best to avoid making this post an Air India bash. However, at the same time, I will attempt to keep my post as true as possible and let people make their own judgements. So here goes...
This is a two-class aircraft. The seating configuration in Business is 2-2-2 and in coach it is 2-4-2. The bulkhead row is row 6 and the exit row is row 11. One word of caution for those sitting in the center section with 4 seats. For instance, if the seating is (7A, 7B) - (7C, 7D, 7E, 7F) - (7G, 7H), then the armrest between 7D and 7E is fixed and not movable. The armrests between 7A and B, 7C and D, 7E and F, 7G and H can be raised. So if one wants to lie down flat in the center section, that is not possible.
This being a smaller aircraft, coach only has one section and the galley and the restrooms are all the way in the back of the aircraft. There are 4 restrooms in total in coach at the back of the aircraft, 2 on each side.
Seats - The pitch and recline was decent and comparable to any other airline. Nothing great, nothing bad. The seats seemed clean. The legroom was a little limited. Since this was a relatively short flight, it was fine, however for anything longer than 7 hours, you would surely crave for an extra inch or two.
Aircraft - It was definitely showing its age and seemed like it had been in service for at least 15-20 years. The carpeting was worn.
Audio/Video - There are 2-3 hanging overhead screens with projectors. The video quality was very poor and the projectors seemed like they needed a replacement of bulbs. The colors were totally off. The picture quality was also poor since it seemed like VHS/VCR was being used. Surprisingly, the audio in this aircraft is still of the piped variety. I am not kidding. At least the piped earphones were individually packaged in plastic bags, which will lead me to believe that they may have been sterilized. Let's hope that is the case and move on :)
Staff - Staff was courteous. I wouldn't say that they were doing anything extraordinary, but they served the passengers well and no untoward incidents to write about. I do not take alcoholic drinks, so the staff was a little surprised that after their repeated attempts of offering wine, whiskey and beer, I only asked for water. They probably aren't used to people turning down their offers for free alcohol! LOL...
Food - There was a vegetarian Indian option and non-vegetarian continental pasta option. I stuck to veggie and the quality of the food was okay.
Toilets - I wish I had something better to say here, but if one has travelled in Indian Railways, then the toilets in this aircraft were very reminiscent of that! The doors were rackety and didn't shut properly. However, they were clean and usable. So I shouldn't complain... right :)
Now on to my return leg.
March 5, 2009
Shanghai (PVG) to New Delhi (DEL)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI349
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 310-300
Actual flying time (in air): About 6.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * (1/5)
Flight service rating: *** (3/5)
Comments: The aircraft used on this leg is exactly the same and nothing much else to comment on this return flight. Air India gets this flight into Shanghai at 8 pm local time and then turns the plane around and departs Shanghai at 10 pm. This being a nighttime flight, I chose the exit row for the extra leg room. I was able to work on my laptop for about 3-4 hours, which was only possible in the exit row or bulkhead. Had I been in the regular seats, there is no way I could have opened my 14 inch laptop. So, for the business travelers, do keep this in mind!
Word of caution for those wanting Indian food on this return leg. It seems like Air India is unable to secure any provider of Indian food in Shanghai. So they fly with a limited amount of Indian vegetarian trays from Delhi itself. So if you do desire Indian food, then make sure you specify Indian vegetarian as an option during your flight booking. I was lucky since I had done so and after 5 days of all Chinese meals, I tasted some Indian food. A happy tummy solves more than half of the gripes ;-)
New Delhi (DEL) to Shanghai (PVG)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI348
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 310-300
Actual flying time (in air): About 6.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * (1/5)
Flight service rating: *** (3/5)
Comments: I am aware of the preconceived notions about Air India and I am going to try my best to avoid making this post an Air India bash. However, at the same time, I will attempt to keep my post as true as possible and let people make their own judgements. So here goes...
This is a two-class aircraft. The seating configuration in Business is 2-2-2 and in coach it is 2-4-2. The bulkhead row is row 6 and the exit row is row 11. One word of caution for those sitting in the center section with 4 seats. For instance, if the seating is (7A, 7B) - (7C, 7D, 7E, 7F) - (7G, 7H), then the armrest between 7D and 7E is fixed and not movable. The armrests between 7A and B, 7C and D, 7E and F, 7G and H can be raised. So if one wants to lie down flat in the center section, that is not possible.
This being a smaller aircraft, coach only has one section and the galley and the restrooms are all the way in the back of the aircraft. There are 4 restrooms in total in coach at the back of the aircraft, 2 on each side.
Seats - The pitch and recline was decent and comparable to any other airline. Nothing great, nothing bad. The seats seemed clean. The legroom was a little limited. Since this was a relatively short flight, it was fine, however for anything longer than 7 hours, you would surely crave for an extra inch or two.
Aircraft - It was definitely showing its age and seemed like it had been in service for at least 15-20 years. The carpeting was worn.
Audio/Video - There are 2-3 hanging overhead screens with projectors. The video quality was very poor and the projectors seemed like they needed a replacement of bulbs. The colors were totally off. The picture quality was also poor since it seemed like VHS/VCR was being used. Surprisingly, the audio in this aircraft is still of the piped variety. I am not kidding. At least the piped earphones were individually packaged in plastic bags, which will lead me to believe that they may have been sterilized. Let's hope that is the case and move on :)
Staff - Staff was courteous. I wouldn't say that they were doing anything extraordinary, but they served the passengers well and no untoward incidents to write about. I do not take alcoholic drinks, so the staff was a little surprised that after their repeated attempts of offering wine, whiskey and beer, I only asked for water. They probably aren't used to people turning down their offers for free alcohol! LOL...
Food - There was a vegetarian Indian option and non-vegetarian continental pasta option. I stuck to veggie and the quality of the food was okay.
Toilets - I wish I had something better to say here, but if one has travelled in Indian Railways, then the toilets in this aircraft were very reminiscent of that! The doors were rackety and didn't shut properly. However, they were clean and usable. So I shouldn't complain... right :)
Now on to my return leg.
March 5, 2009
Shanghai (PVG) to New Delhi (DEL)
Carrier: Air India (AI)
Flight: AI349
Class: Coach / Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 310-300
Actual flying time (in air): About 6.5 hours
Aircraft rating: * (1/5)
Flight service rating: *** (3/5)
Comments: The aircraft used on this leg is exactly the same and nothing much else to comment on this return flight. Air India gets this flight into Shanghai at 8 pm local time and then turns the plane around and departs Shanghai at 10 pm. This being a nighttime flight, I chose the exit row for the extra leg room. I was able to work on my laptop for about 3-4 hours, which was only possible in the exit row or bulkhead. Had I been in the regular seats, there is no way I could have opened my 14 inch laptop. So, for the business travelers, do keep this in mind!
Word of caution for those wanting Indian food on this return leg. It seems like Air India is unable to secure any provider of Indian food in Shanghai. So they fly with a limited amount of Indian vegetarian trays from Delhi itself. So if you do desire Indian food, then make sure you specify Indian vegetarian as an option during your flight booking. I was lucky since I had done so and after 5 days of all Chinese meals, I tasted some Indian food. A happy tummy solves more than half of the gripes ;-)
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