The Efficient Packer

I'm pretty non-fussy when it comes to packing. I pick an outfit for each day using pure arithmetic, dump it into a suitcase and its all done. However, this time I decided to save space by taking less clothes and washing them to reuse. That way, half my suitcase was empty for all the shopping I would do.

I rubbed my hands with glee (and some sanitizer) and went off into the wild blue yonder.

Unfortunately, pure arithmetic hadn't taken into account the complex weather conditions which wouldn't allow my clothes to dry at all. It was either too cold or too rainy.

I ended up buying more clothes and filling up my suitcase with unwanted junk. Oh well, at least I had space.

Best laid plans

Ever meticulous and cautious, I do weeks of research about a place before I actually land there and Darjeeling was no different. After careful digging around and tons of time spent on the internet, I finally prepared my masterplan - the itinerary for my vacation. Hotels were called, tickets were booked, local taxi numbers were noted, wardrobe was planned (and replanned about five times), goodbyes were said and I was on my way.



Only, someone up there had a different agenda in mind.



Absolutely nothing worked as per the plan. Which is no problem to someone gifted with as many grey, blue and pink cells as I, but it kinda gets a wee bit heavy on the pocket.

So we reached Bagdogara airport from where we would take a taxi to Gangtok, but were informed that there was a huge landslide and roads to Gangtok were closed. We'd have to go there via Darjeeling.

So what was the issue you may ask. Well, in case you don't know (and that's rather obvious), Bagdogara, Darjeeling and Gangtok form a triangle. One of the first principles of a triangle is that you can't go someplace via some other place without doubling the time. After a 5 hour trip we were in no mood to go winding about on mountain roads for another 9 hours. Besides we had scheduled our hotel dates in Gangtok first.

Anyway, reason took over and we decided to start our vacation with Darjeeling instead. Unfortunately when we reached Gangtok after a few blissful days in Darjeeling, Nathula pass was closed, I ran out of camera memory, the famous Kanchenjunga sunrise was blotted out with clouds and we got stuck in another landslide on our way back and nearly missed our flight.

Did we enjoy the trip? You bet we did. How much did we spend? At least 30% more than our budget!

Momos

It was 3pm. I was surveying the lush greenery of the tea gardens of Darjeeling with awe when my tummy gave a low growl. Distracted, I looked at my watch and realised what my tummy was trying to tell me. I hadn't had anything to eat since morning and tummy was angry.

I looked around the tiny little tea-shops that dotted the landscape and approached them expectantly.

"Do you have anything to eat here?"
"Yes madam, Momos"
"One plate please"

As I sat on a broken wooden bench, gazing in wonder at the rolling mountains merging into the green slopes, the tea boy came up to me with a steaming plate of 5 tiny momos.

I picked one up, dipped it in the chutney provided, blew off some steam to cool it down and put a giant bite into it.

I have never tasted anything so divine. The chutney was the hottest, spiciest one I had ever eaten and the momos just melted into my mouth. In almost no time at all I had gobbled up all the five.

"Another 2 plates please" I asked, my appetite totally on overdrive even as my tongue was on fire. "And some of your famous tea to go with it".

The tea boy grinned and took down the order.

Half an hour later, tummy was satisfied, palate was in heaven, tongue was burnt to cinders. After all, I had gobbled down four plates of the delicacy.

Food

Sometimes I get very childish when I'm in a dumb restaurant waiting for hours for the food to arrive. I then make creative use of my time with the material at hand.

Here's the bored, pissed off me on the empty plate.

Personae Dramatis

This applies not only to human beings, but also to mundane things like vegetables as I very recently discovered to my chagrin.

I decided to make this Sunday very special for my boy by serving some of my fabulous home cooked meals. I am normally not your kitchen-types but I do make some killers.

So when I went shopping for vegetables, I realised that I had a lot more to learn than a silly MBA.

"Bhaiya, zaara woh choti waali lauki dena" I said
"Woh baingan hai memsaab" he replied.

I was stunned. I looked at the vegetable closely and decided to buy something I could recognize correctly instead.

"Those strawberries - how much are they?" and my mind drifted off to all those innovative uses I could put those lovely red strawberries to.
"Those aren't strawberries, madam, they are litchies"

AArrrgghh.

I decided to go to some other market and try my luck there. This one was very deceptive I thought sourly.

Half an hour later, I was haggling with a vendor on the prices of ginger which turned out to not be ginger but arbi.

Oh well.

I came home and cooked a potato dish instead.