October 1, 2024

Dear Colleagues      

Season is changing again, and another round of random reflection is now with you:

1. While it is nightmare to get a taxi on arrival at Mumbai airports, the system of getting a taxi at Bengaluru airport seems to be very smooth. Not only that parking of various service providers is systematic, the nuisance of touts for ‘private’ taxi and ‘private’ hotel is minimal.
2. Design of airport terminals vary a great deal. Delhi and Bengaluru terminals entail long walks on departure and arrival, despite huge plots of land made available. In comparison, the ramp coming out of the airplane at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa takes a passenger to immigration counters in less than 100 feet. What a pleasure!
3. When traveling by train was the norm, book stalls at stations used to be a must visit. From daily newspapers to children’s books and novels, it was a treat. Book stores at airports never really developed in the same way, as digital reading became popular as air travel became popular. A recent glance at the bookshop at Delhi airport revealed new reading trends; books on self-healing, ancient history and ‘guidance’ by religious leaders dominated the shelf space.
4. Changing seasons in rapidly urbanising habitations are associated with various forms of viral and infectious diseases. While this phenomenon is not new, its intensity has increased manifold. Someone in most households is down with fever and body-ache this past month.Spending on treatments and loss of income are serious for daily wage earners, maids, drivers, etc. They continue to report for duty even when unwell!
5. Walking through the streets of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, gives an eerie feeling when you realise that first ‘anatomically’ modern humans started their journey here. The human history of evolution began in this region nearly 300000 years ago. It is also argued that severe climate changes triggered large scale migration from this region towards Asia and Europe; Egyptian and Indus valley civilisations followed.

Stay well, thanks

Rajesh

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