Wakayama Japan may not be in your list of places to go or in your travel album. But if you are in the oil industry or interested in seeing the country side of Japan, write it down on your list. I just completed 3 weeks of my stay there and believe me as much as I was initially struggling how I will survive there, I started to like it. This is not a withdrawal symptom but all that time I spent has been a discovery process. The locals were very nice – they could not understand me but always made an attempt to help, using sign language. Sometimes I felt I was in an ancient movie but thoroughly enjoyed the human connection. I stayed near the central train station got to see many authentic Japanese places in walking distance. If you are a sushi lover, Welcome to Sushi Heaven! My colleagues say that they get the best sushi in Wakayama. City has a beautiful coast line marred by oil refineries. Oh well! but that’s the major employment for it’s people. And then the mountains covered in oranges were quite a scene. However don’t go picking one because they are all privately owned and someone will come after you. I learned it first hand! There is a lot of touristy stuff which you can find on the Japan tourism website but none of those sites would talk about Mr. Magic. Mr. Magic Pizza is a cozy little Italian pizza place owned by a gentleman in his 50’s. He is the owner, the cook, the bartender and the entertainer. Not only we had a good dinner, we enjoyed an evening of Billy Joel songs and many others. In a city where hardly anyone speaks English we found an English speaking music major who loved western music. 
Mr. Magic had never been to US but he knew quite a lot about different states and their history. He asked us questions about economy as he got himself a glass of beer to dine with us. Amazing host! Then he cooked some spaghetti and next, picked his guitar, gave us an evening of “feels like home”. People like Mr. Magic live their life to their pleasure with no regrets. Mr. Magic’s story may not travel too far but if you travel there do see him. And then the cafeteria lady who almost cried as one of my colleagues went to say good bye. Only thing she ever understood in English was thank you. But my colleague’s sign language made a connection with her. Lastly ‘Garam Masala’ – an Indian restaurant run by a dad and his son. Both very quiet, always smiled but cooked the best dishes. One day I walked up to the restaurant and it was closed. As I was about to turn back the dad saw me. He opened the restaurant just for me with a closed sign hanging on his door. I don’t think I would have got that service anywhere – that was truly different! As I leave Wakayama today, I think my business trip had an entire different meaning to it. This is why this is not my travelogue, this is their story – Mr. Magic, the Cafeteria lady and the Garam Masala owner!
Archive for the ‘Social Networking’ Category
A truly “United” experience
Posted in Life, Public Service, Social Networking, Travel on January 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Welcome to United Airlines. We have charged you the top price for our old plane which should be retiring in another year. However we want to make sure you pay for every piece that’s left in it. We understand other airlines offer newer business class seats and upgraded services but we offer a different experience. We bring back the memories of old days, limited service style and equipment. It costs us to maintain our old style and hence the price of your ticket. We guarantee that if champagne spills on a fellow passenger one of the crew members will attend when they have time. You will get attention though. We will also make sure that if a cargo door is loose, we will stop the plane when it’s half way during take off. It does not matter that service containers are not secured properly and plates and trays fall all over the place as the plane comes to a screeching halt. If we did not mention before, we do not provide timely updates regarding departure because we do not bother our customers again and again. As for in flight entertainment we provide the system where you can only watch what we play, when we play. Please use headsets provided by us because headset Jack in our seats is incompatible with any headsets manufactured in the last decade.
Lastly we want you to have some fun in the air. For this we have provided mechanical seats with 6 levers so that you can play and figure out how to get your seat adjusted. Please be safe. We hope you have a great journey and if there is anything we cannot do for you, please don’t mention it to us. Thanks for choosing United.
@ travelogue from daras
Around the globe in two weeks
Posted in Life, Social Networking on December 22, 2009| 3 Comments »
Tokyo Tower Dec 2009
Now let me dash straight to 2009. I have a 3G international capable cellphone (accessory# 1). Called American Express travel for a flight from New York to New Delhi (direct flight – 14 hours) (accessory # 2). Booked a hotel and a cab using my iPhone (accessory #3). Had few credit cards in my pocket (accessory# 4). I packed a compact 22″ suitcase with four wheels (accessory #5). In less than 20 hours I travelled half way across the globe – door to door. If I were to take a train from North India to South India, that would be 36 some hours.
I spent a week in my hometown – crowded but it’s my home and I love it! Then packed the same bags again and off to Japan – the land of rising sun. In another 10 hours I was there in Tokyo. Attended several business meetings, ate in good indian restaurants and Hard Rock Cafe! I was still carrying the same cell phone, same credit cards and my digital camera (accessory #6). In these two weeks except for time zone changes, there was nothing else different in my travel – just like domestic travel.
So I travelled across the globe realizing that the world has truly become small. Thanks to new age technology, better airlines and global facilities at hotels, restaurants etc which make you feel the same way – just like home. Now some people travel for a change – they go to nature’s destinations like lonely islands or beaches. For road warriors like me, nothing can beat the home comfort. So good luck my fellow travelers, get your accessories and your bags – I will see you somewhere when I go around the globe again!
daras 