Bed n' brekker

Yday was a fun morning. A meeting with TTDC to promote the bed n breakfast concept.

An announcement in the newspapers, phones that didn't work in the offices when you rang to confirm timings, official speeches thanking one and all for being gracious enough to do their job, biscuits and tea, forms to fill ,one spokesman from outside the govt and no one really too committed or well-informed about the concept being promoted.

The poor guys met their match in Ooty's vocal lot. The locals took the opportunity to run down the lack of infrastructure for tourists, 'roads that have to hold world records for the time they look to be laid ', 'drain-brains' in the district, environmental hazards caused by the govt; red tape encountered by those already in the business, apathy of officers and so on.

Of course the officers had the final say 'the govt will look into it and do the needful'.

The tourist guide who listed the do-s and donts of hosting foreigners had this to say. 'Dont give up your individuality. For instance, my wife a Tambram insists on people washing their feet when they visit the loo. She serves them kesari and bajji'. He tops it up with beer for which he charges the visitors.

But for me the icing was meeting my old neighbours from Coimbatore there. They came home for an impromptu lunch and chat and were on their way. Its the surprise and goodwill that lingers on fragrantly.