It is Christmas Day 1999 and having just enjoyed a shower I find myself in a bathrobe on my hotel balcony in India sipping a large gin & tonic.
Why India? Well I’m still unsure as to why I have just quit my job and landed here but what the fuck!.
The western world is in the grip of Y2K paranoia and here I am in this idyllic paradise far away from the fear and stress secure in the knowledge that if it does all go wrong I will enjoy much less of an impact here than at home. From my balcony all I can see is palm trees and the Arabian Sea. It is around 6pm and as I watch the beautiful sunset I think of home.
Around this time I figure it may be an opportune moment to call home and wish those I left behind a Merry Christmas. I retrieve my cell phone from the dressing table and call my sister’s number. Three rings and I’m connected. I duly chat with my sister and her husband before asking if I can speak to my dad. Whilst my sister is handing over the phone the weirdest thing happens…
A real live elephant wanders up the road outside the hotel without a care in the world. For a city boy like me this was something of a shock...
Why India? Well I’m still unsure as to why I have just quit my job and landed here but what the fuck!.
The western world is in the grip of Y2K paranoia and here I am in this idyllic paradise far away from the fear and stress secure in the knowledge that if it does all go wrong I will enjoy much less of an impact here than at home. From my balcony all I can see is palm trees and the Arabian Sea. It is around 6pm and as I watch the beautiful sunset I think of home.
Around this time I figure it may be an opportune moment to call home and wish those I left behind a Merry Christmas. I retrieve my cell phone from the dressing table and call my sister’s number. Three rings and I’m connected. I duly chat with my sister and her husband before asking if I can speak to my dad. Whilst my sister is handing over the phone the weirdest thing happens…
A real live elephant wanders up the road outside the hotel without a care in the world. For a city boy like me this was something of a shock...
Well bugger me with a fish fork I think…this might well be the best Gin I’ve ever tasted. Just then I snap back to reality when I hear the familiar tones of my father.
