Not that strange, but it was funny!

KathSF

(From one of my emails to "home" in February 2000)

Last night, at around 10:00, I decided that I wanted a beer. Not that easy of a thing to get in Udaipur. No liquor stores nearby and most restaurants are unlicensed and/or closed at that time of night. But I decide to give it a shot, and ask one of the guys at the local used-bookstore-cum-corner market if he sells beer. "No," he says, "but I can get it for you. 100 rupees per beer, and I have to go a long way for it, so you have to buy two." I agree, give him 200 rupees (4+ bucks) and he heads away on his motorcycle. I am to meet him back at the shop in half an hour.

Forty-five minutes later, he's back at the bookstore, furtively looking up and down the street, and shooing away the young boy who keeps trying to come into the shop to talk to me. Suddenly, mysteriously, a panel in the floor is pushed out from the inside, and an anonymous hand appears from under the floor. The bookshop owner tells me to open my bag, QUICKLY! I squat down while "the hand" delivers first one cold beer, then the next. I rapidly wrap the beers and stuff them into my backpack. "Now, GO!" he whisper-barks. Deal done. I walk off laughing.

__________________
Happy trails!

steven_ber

hello kath,

sounds like great fun, the kind of thing we all love about india.

however, i will probably be in udaipur on new years eve and am now a little worried about the availability of beer.

i was rather hoping to not have too rely on a bookshop (only joking).

could you give me a little more info on this, thanks.

it wont stop me going to udaipur, but it would spoil it a little.

Gerlinde

Dear Fellow Drinkers,

just opened one Kingfisher on the occasion of Steven's Birthday!!

Do not worry, there will be enough beer on New Years Eve in Udaipur. We have even canned beer now, what in general I do not like due to environmental issues but for travelling it's fine.

And here comes another true story...checking in at Pushkar Palace - as most of you will know, a highly holy place and hence DRY - with my briefcase with six cans. While filling the form my alarm clock starts ringing in the briefcase.., what to do?? Nothing, but reaching my room with the ringing briefcase!
Cheers, Gerlinde

Gerlinde

The question was about my ticket story (Sikkim Thread)...

April 95 we joined hand with a new partner, owner of an agency which also bought train tickets as noted on his bills.
June I sacked one guy this partner had brought as Himachal expert but he did not know anything about the hills.
September one railway clerk got raided and had 7 ticket slips in an envelop from our company and a few Rs. more on him as in the morning. 5 days later the one office what our partner kept under our name got raided too. All books etc. got taken by CBI.

July 98 (just after discovery that this partner had cheated us badly) we got the Tiz Hazari court invitation....Not knowing for what, the lawyer had to "pay" 200 Rs. to get the charge sheet and it was due to "Corruption, Conspiracy and against the Railway Act". 7 tickets got the ticket clerk supposedly 35 Rs.
Now, already criminals we had to organize assurities for the first court date - this and the following years is a story what is too long for now - will come into my Indian Memories.....
In short, we are still on bail, only once some arguments were changed, in the meantime we have the third judge and are getting only new dates. Next is 7.11.01. If you are in Delhi we can meet at Tiz Hazari!
Gerlinde

mike_r

Beer is available in most restaurants in Rajasthan but is listed in code. Usually under 'Refreshments' as "Box KF". KF for Kingfisher. Don't be too surprised when the waiter brings you a pot of tea, cups & saucer. With a wink & a nod he will proceed to pour not tea but beer from the pot! Try not to embarass the waiter by asking for beer either. Ask for it by its proper name: Box KF.