Husband and wife Santa and Kabita preparing us dinner. We spent a night at their home in the remote Himalayan village of Baranumber, where all cooking is done old-school style in a smoky wattle-and daub annexe that serves as their kitchen. Food was amazing; so too was the maize wine they distilled on this same stove before our very eyes!
Preparing Dinner The Old School Way Read Post »
Now that I’ve secured a cat-sitter for Millie, I can start thinking about my return home. I have to renew my visa, you see, so today begins my search for a flight. At the same time Liz has clocked up a bank of air miles with her old business airline, Virgin, so if push comes to shove I could always use these to get back from Mumbai to the UK.
If, however, my experience will be anything like the famous Virgin Customer Complaints letter I think I’ll be looking for alternatives. Some of you may remember this one doing the rounds last year; it is now heralded as the greatest customer complaints letter ever written. It’s quite apt that it’s Virgin and that the flight concerned was from Mumbai to Heathrow, exactly the same flight I’ll be looking for. For those who missed it or have forgotten just how amusing the letter was we reproduce it here in all its glory, complete with photographic evidence:
Dear Mr Branson
REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008
I love the Virgin brand, I really do which is why I continue to use it despite a series of unfortunate incidents over the last few years. This latest incident takes the biscuit.
Ironically, by the end of the flight I would have gladly paid over a thousand rupees for a single biscuit following the culinary journey of hell I was subjected to at the hands of your corporation.
Look at this Richard. Just look at it…
A Virgin Flight From India Read Post »
I’m almost embarrassed to announce that Jamie has been mentioned again in the Times weekly photo competition. He didn’t win this time, but was runner-up with a shot he took recently in Fort Cochin, of a sweet maker. Here’s a grab of the Times on-line…
The Times Shortlists Another Followtheboat Photograph Read Post »
You’ll be pleased to know that this post isn’t boring news about photography competitions: instead of entering photographs I’ve been busy taking them. Viewing pictures is far more interesting anyway and they are a great way of us communicating and documenting life here in India to you. This first set I’ve called “Preparing Dinner”.
