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Travelogues

Keyhole Perspective


Shaili Chopra watches her neighbours pack for their 'foreign' trip to a mere 35 cities over a period of one month and five days.

"Pack the cooker, rice, instant potato, my mustard, curry leaves and may be your underwear if there is any place left." Just a bit of conversation I overheard at my neighbor's residence while they were busy packing for their tour to Europe. Not a very huge family size, just five kids, and parents. As a typical Indian program, the visit was confined to a mere 35 cities over a period of one month and five days.

Of course there was a lot of commotion across the fence. A swarm of their relatives in dark green-golden bordered attire, beautifully decorated faces, constantly knocked loud enough for me to get excited and run across to peep through the key hole. I watch them thronging at the neighbour's door with long lists of what foreign goods to bring back.

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I walked in to my neighbour's house in the evening to help my friend, only to find that she was too busy preparing packed food to carry with them. Lending a hand at packing it all in foils was all I could do.
It does often surprise me how most Indians in this fast moving world have the capacity to speed through holidays as well.
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They set off early next morning. It took me about half an hour to get the thought of how they would manage out of my head. It does often surprise me how most Indians in this fast moving world have the capacity to speed through holidays as well. The concept of relaxation on a holiday seems quite boring. We seem to want to log in at all places; click all possible snaps in front of each monument as proof of our visit to show back home. And to top it all, first shop for the nephew's new born, neighbor's aunt, granny's maid servant.

The saddest scene is if you are a vegetarian - McDonald's offers you only burgers with lettuce and mayonnaise and KFC probably has finger fries! Well most cheese burgers too come with ham ! Try your luck with some typically local cuisine around Europe; you'll end up finishing the table condiments to kill your appetite. With Indian tastes and life style, holidays abroad can be an ordeal of sorts. Imagine desperately wanting to spit your beetle red concoction in Singapore? Or dying to pee in the European countryside? Worst of all, surviving on bread for 35 days! No murg masalas, rotis and chawal?


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