Another Rest Day

Saturday rest day. Ahhhhhh... So many plans! But I achieved not much. As it should be. (But dammit, I haven't done my Sanskrit homework yet and it's almost bedtime...)

Had a lovely breakfast with (0v0) or is that (OvO) (skinny eyes or fat eyes for the Owl?), LIAsh and Tova. Oops, no group shot. Give the new arrivals some time to settle in first before sticking a camera in their faces! ;p

Today's breakfast was the first non-Indian meal I've had since arriving. Banana & Cinnamon Vegan Pancakes and a fruit salad. I didn't think to take a picture. I seem to gravitate towards pancakes all the time. From rotis to dosas to actual pancakes.

3 hours after breakfast, I met another friend for lunch (I promise you I'm eating my way through Mysore and gonna be a lard-ass after this month). She's a good friend of Maney, my rickshaw driver, too and invited me over to her flat for a lunch home-cooked by Maney himself!! (all permissions granted to post these faces here!) :p




On my way to lunch, I hopped into a rickshaw that had 3 students in the back. The driver stopped and said "Where you going?", named a price and so away we went. What beautiful kids! (and they didn't ask me for my country coin either, which made me love them more!!)


One more food porn shot for today: Dinner was a Ragi Roti. Only coz Nalpak doesn't have Akki Rotis on Saturdays. This is pretty much the same thing as an Akki Roti, just with a black-coloured flour which looks more appetizing. :)


Funny shots from around Mysore today. I've been meaning to take photos of this coconut poster, and since this dude was shut this morning, I took my chance. I'm not sure I understand how you'll save the farmer?


It's really juvenile, but I get a giggle every time I walk past phone shops with "STD and Local Calls" emblazoned on them.



And finally, even if I had these problems, I'm not sure I'd wanna be caught dead entering or leaving this hospital! BAHAHAHAHA! "Prakash! Take me to the PILES & PROCTOLOGY HOSPITAL. PRONTO!! My Mula Bandha seems to have grown a life of its own!!" BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Sorry, juvenile humour, see what I mean?)


My first week in Mysore is officially... OVER?!? Dammit, that sure passed quickly! I'm beginning to understand why people can stay here for 2 or 3 months at a time. I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms already and I'm not even halfway done. (!!!)

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Waterless

So it's true - our geyser really did burst. Thank goodness there's a tray underneath it which caught the excess water which flowed out through the overflow pipe into the neighbour's garden downstairs. So at least there's no water damage anywhere!

Unfortunately, because it happened on a Friday, there's no way anyone would come round to install a new geyser over the weekend. So we're waterless till at least Monday or Tuesday. It's unbelievable how you take water for granted, and how much of it you actually need. We went to buy a large 4 litre water bottle, and in less than a day it's 3/4 empty already.

Brushing your teeth alone uses more than 3 mugs full of water and even then, I'm still unable to wash ALL the toothpaste gunk out from between the bristles. Got to 'rough it' a bit and leave my toothbrush in less than pristine condition while we haven't got running water.

I had to shower at the yoga studio today, and that's probably the one and only shower I'll have today (it's middle of summer, with sweltering African heat). Kelly had to pop round to his mom's for a shower. We can't even do laundry or do the dishes! ...but that's not a bad thing coz we can be lazy and eat out.

We went to the neighbourhood Japanese restaurant last night, and amidst our moving stress and geyser misery, at least their menu made us laugh.

"Waiter, 1 raw ass, please! Would you recommend the large ass or special ass?"

Tourist Infestation

Cape Town's a beautiful place.

It has been named Africa’s Best City (US Travel and Leisure Best in the World Awards, July); Best Travel Destination in Africa and the Middle East (US Travel & Leisure magazine, 2004 through 2007); and One of the World’s five Bluest Sky Destinations (expedia.co.uk). In addition, City Mayors, a global local government think-tank, recently named Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille the world’s top mayor... read about it here. I'd even rank it in my Top 10 list of most beautiful cities in the world.

Hence, it's no surprise that in the height of tourist season (which is: NOW), this place is crawling with people from out of town. In the lead up to the Christmas/ New Year break, traffic starts getting more jammed, malls start becoming more crowded, finding parking and a spot on the beach become non-existent. Suddenly, people pop up everywhere dressed extremely badly: in nothing but their swimsuits, mismatched bermudas and loud floral shirts, with those hideous hiking sandals. Y'know, like these ones:


What really gets on my nerves are the extremely BAD drivers around town around this time of year. You know you've become one of the locals when you start checking out other people's licence plates, tut-tutting and shaking your head at them when you find out they're not CA plates and they've behaved badly on the roads.

This is good:


These are no good. Especially if you don't give way, cut into other people's lanes without signalling, don't wave to say "Thanks" when you've been given way to, double-park Cape-Townians into their lots, drive like a tortoise or drive like an a**hole:

Northern Province:

Eastern Cape:

Kwazulu-Natal:


...and the ultimate biggest culprits of super bad behaviour on the roads generally tend to be the guys from Jo'burg. Unfortunately, the majority of big city boys with GP licence plates tend to be the worse drivers. There's a reason why the running joke is GP stands for "Gangsta's Paradise".


OK, I've had my rant. I can't wait till tourist season is OVER!

Only in Africa Part 9: Dr. Cure-All

Every now and again, a random dude walks up to you in the street and hands out a flyer like in the pictures below.

While the Sangorma, or witch doctor, exists here... somehow I don't quite believe this guy's the real thing especially when there's no money back guarantee after the promised 7-day cure! I like how everything from penis expansion to removing ghosts from the home can be cured "with herbs from Jamaica". :)

Click on photos to view a larger version.

I am Coupon Queen

Yes, it's true. In my old age, I've gone from Dancing Queen to Coupon Queen. I'm turning into my Grandma!! I never thought there'd be a day when I'd be pleased as punch to go to the mailbox and find cashback rebates from Clicks Pharmacy. (it's like "Watson's... your perrrrr-sonal stooore") *sung to the tune of the cheezy 90s jingle*

They're giving me back R41, OK! That's like an almost-free box of multi-vitamins! (R48) Or 4 free orange juices at the pub! Or parking on the streets in Cape Town without having to tip the car guards up to 8 times! (or maybe up to 16 times, depending what a cheapskate you are) Woohoo, now I know why Ama was always so excited with her coupons, I've hit the motherload!

Only in Africa Part 7: Bring on the World Cup!

Only in Africa Part 6: Tell it like it is

We got stuck behind this truck on a highway in Jo'burg. It really lived up to its name.

Why would anyone in the transport business give themselves such a name? (...guess they were being honest...)

Only in Africa Part 5: Please try throwing your trash?

For a Singaporean super-used to having trash cans every 10 metres or so down any public street and having been ingrained by the government since childhood that these have to be used (or else "Fine $500"!), it was odd to come to a country where there was hardly a bin in sight to throw stuff away.

You end up having to carry your trash with you until you find a bin miles away, or just keep your snotty tissues in your pocket till you get home (and then forget about it till its gone in the laundry with your trousers only to have it come out as little powdery bits. YUCKS!)

The one trash can I finally found ended up being a "trial" bin. Vive l'Afrique! What happens after the trial ends? What if people reject the "trial" bin? ...Maybe it's a trial in case of the same reason here: Thailand Terrorist

Are terrorists creating an unhygienic world?

Weird & Wonderful Things

...that make you go Hmmm...

Who's the Boss?

Only in Africa Part 2: "Ammonia Fresh"

*Click on title to view original post*

Handy Andy cleaning cream is like Jif (now known as Cif) cleaning cream back home. It comes in all kinds of scents - including "Ammonia Fresh". EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Kelly's Motto