Dubai Diary 22nd to 25th Jan 2015

I was to visit Dubai over New Years; but a situation at home changed my plans. I had the ticket and visa so I thought of taking advantage of the long Republic Day weekend to unwind in the playground of the rich and famous. Feels nice to say it. :)

Having used it quite a bit from the time it has opened; Mumbai's International Airport - the GVK CSIA T2 has earned my respect as one of the best in the world - from a passenger's point of view. Honestly, Dubai's Terminal 1 looked haggard in comparison now. (Yes it is being renovated, but Mumbai now scores over it in immigration clearance (both ways) as well as providing amenities, duty free, dining and other such facilities. I thought that arriving back from Dubai would be a painful experience with customs. But, with baggage screening of check-in luggage being done by Customs prior to it being put on the belt; every person does not have to endure the X-ray check process and one can reach from craft to car in 40 mins or less.

I am not so happy about an institution that I once admired. It is dropping its brand equity, craft and service quality standards. Jet Airways. It was a pleasure to fly it once upon a time and now getting to be a pain - at least on short haul routes - be it domestic or international. After it's acquisition by Etihad; one would have thought that the fortunes of the airline would get much better - specially flying to its new step-home base in the UAE. But, that's not the case even though the airline has decided to drop the "Konnect" tag and fly as a premium full service airline. The 737-800 I flew happens to retain the old "Konnect" configuration and my knees were jammed against the seat in front. I am not a 6 foot + guy and if I cannot fit then I pity guys taller than me. Introducing meals back is fine as long as what is served is good. It was better to pay and buy rather than eat the (sorry for saying this) "crap" that is dished out as part of the meal offering. Check in was slow and was being blamed on the system. In-flight service was not bad though. I can't tell if it was the "Athiti Devo Bhavo" (Guest is God) principle or "white is right" that got Caucasian passengers better service?


Now this is not a Jet Airways problem alone. I have seen this happen one too many times. How do people get to carry two (virtual) suitcases into the cabin? Refer to the attached image of an over sized person with supposedly a cabin size conforming bag and a laptop bag. This man must have hit at least 2 or 3 people in the face with his bags while trying to reach his seat. Leave alone the nuisance he caused trying to force his bags in the cabin hold. I now am in complete agreement with Ryanair's baggage policy that enforces a strict cabin bag size on board. The other matter I cannot understand is that of cell phone use on board. Is it really a danger if the phone is not kept on "flight" mode? Apparently not; cause if it was, then airlines would have not allowed them on board in the first place knowing well that 50% of the idiots getting on board want to show off their voice and phones to fellow passengers even after being told that "all electronic devices should be switched off or kept in flight mode". I think people have figured that out that there is no penalty to disobey the instruction and do not bother to switch off the phone's connectivity when asked to. I am predicting serious "air-rage" days in times to come when use of phone is allowed in flight. Loud mouth passengers yacking incessantly on phone up in the air will certainly get into fights with co passengers trying to shut them up.

Dubai Airport - the taxi rank is quite organized. All taxis charge a flat AED 25 as starting fare. The premium black limos run the meter at twice the regular cab rate. But the driver will disclose the approximate fare if you ask before stepping in. Trust me, they won't take you for a "ride". The Cabbies in Dubai are generally quite honest and won't intentionally take you the long way home. At times, the roads are such that it resembles a taxiway leading to a runway - not the least distant path. What I would have liked to see is the driver name and taxi details being displayed along with a bar code like in Singapore to make sure that taxis remain safe and honest in times to come.


If a not so great looking person with money can be surgically crafted into a piece of work then why should Dubai - a desert-dom not look great and desire the best - including growing roses in its Miracle Garden? From what I hear it's not going to be all roses for foreigners in time to come as the Emirate is considering imposition of a small income tax. But until it does; enjoy the best things that money can buy. Happiness is relative and while some may be happy blowing away hard earned (or hardly earned as the may be); it is not the first thing that comes to my mind while walking around in a Dubai Mall. One needs to be a geographically sound navigator to read the mall maps as each mall is larger than the other. Dubai does set the standards for big, bigger, biggest and the benchmark is breached each year. Besides my pockets getting lighter; I too must have lost a couple of pounds walking and carrying bags. For me it was an expensive gym experience. 

The pain was much  needed as Dubai has plenty of sinful places to eat and entertain. There was no way I was going to miss an opportunity to eat at the Cheesecake Factory" or "Uno Chicago Grill" to get a taste of nostalgia of my days back in the US of A. Thanks to Facebook; had a mini school reunion at "Loca" a nice little Mexican place which serves authentic mex and tex mex food. The Chef's from Mexico. On a Friday; it runs a brunch and if that's not what you like then go after 4pm. The food and drinks are actually very good. Actually; some of these places offer better value for money experience then the exclusive "branded" ones. Had what I call good but not great experiences at "Cle" and "Pacha Ibiza Dubai". Both are now on the "must visit" list for Dubai so how could I skip them? The former; has the backing of Michelin Stared Chef Greg Malouf and the latter an off-spring of the famous parent in Ibiza. Both left me wondering if a visit was worth my time and money or, are they just meant to be an outlet for splurging and being seen with and as the "happening" people? I call such places the "less for more" experiences. While both are certainly not experiences that I would have missed had I not visited; it was good to visit them from my personal education point of view in terms of how concepts are evolving in the food and beverage space. New concepts give way to newer; and then there is  the "Wafi" gourmet. It's been around for I don't know how many years - untouched by time - in the way it looks and what it serves. There are many eateries that claim to serve the best Arabic food, but at Wafi Gourmet you can't go wrong. Maybe it's the temptation of the dates, backlavas, olives, salads, fresh produce, dry fruits that are laid out carelessly as display get the stomach hyper active or maybe it's the fragrance of the kebabs being grilled. It's magic.

Finally, one of the best experiences in Dubai is one that can be had for free. A walk on the beach. It was something that I could have done each day during my stay. The beach I visited is kind of man-made but I am not complaining. The 5 shades of ocean blue kissing the silver sands was nothing short of delight. I turned around 360 degrees and saw the towering Burj Khalifa piercing the sky in the distance, as well as the Burj Dubai resembling a massive sail boat in the sea. So much to visit and so little time. Great I will leave what I did not visit for my next visit "Inshallah".

I was back in India on the 25th; could not miss the Republic Day Parade telecast on 26th morning.  For the first time in its 66 years as a Republic; the President of the USA was being honored as the Chief Guest. Or it was the first time a President of the USA accepted to attend it. It just shows that India is no longer a nation that can be given symbolic importance. Dubai was wonderful; but then could, not agree more that "Sare Jahan se Accha - Yeh Hindustan Humara" (Better than the whole world - Is this India of mine). Yes that's what the parade band was playing as the brilliance of India marched by.

P.S. My reviews on some of the places I visited are on tripadvisor.com.

Turning Paradise to Hell

The Thai Prime Minister's recent faux pas on "Wearing Bikinis" (with reference to the murder of British tourists in Thailand) was all over the world press. He stated that tourist in Bikinis specially the good looking ones are making themselves vulnerable to attack; and that tourists should keep in mind the sensitivities of the locals while dressing up. The debate that followed - was he suggesting that women with less than model bodies can wear sexy swimwear and those with bodies to show off should restrain themselves? I think the whole point was missed:

First; that he is an army man and not a politically correct trained politician; and possibly his way of expressing himself is in line with how he would address and correct his troops. His intent was right only the way he said it was wrong. Second; two tourists were murdered and they were not the first; and I am sure that attire had not much to do with it.

There has been a steady rise in the "bloody" crime rate (against westerners) in Thailand with the increase of tourists attracted by its fame for "sex drugs and rock and roll" as much as it beauty and beaches.

A few months back; a minister in Goa demanded a ban on bikinis citing that it goes against the Indian culture. Goa too is facing a very similar situation to Thailand where several tourists (mostly westerners) have been raped and killed. Most of them have been connected to the various drug mafia factions that have now taken control of much of the tourist belt as is happening in Thailand or Bali or any tourist destination in the world. The ask by the minister became a point of ridicule on social media when Indians (not foreigners) posted images of the erotic temple statues in Kahujrao and pictures from the "kama sutra" with tag lines stating  - Is this not Indian Culture?

I think this whole "culture" sensitivity is a farce. Foreigners visit a place to have fun. Not that they cannot do it in their own countries; but the might of their stronger currency and the overall warmth of the Asian nations in temperature and people is certainly an alluring magnet. While most of Asian upbringing is based on dignity - modesty - chastity; secretly the openness of the west is every Asian's desire. I am sure that those very men who shout about the corruption caused by western influences would be the very ones caught in the liberal red light zones in Europe. Locals may hate the behaviour of tourists but in many places the "dollars" they bring run local houses to prosperity. Take away the tourism and kill the local economy.

There is really no culturally correct tourism. Every tourist is not expected to understand the local sensitivity and there is need for locals to educate themselves about tourist sensitivities. In Bali, unknowing tourists (both men and women) visit temples in shorts and they are asked to wrap a sarong. Yes someone makes money in renting sarongs but no one seems to get offended. If local politics are so concerned about the culture; then let them go after the biggest enemy of any culture - drugs. I find it hard to believe that drug mafias can set up shop without the blessing of the local protectors (politicians and police). A taxi driver in Goa once warned me not to enter a street at night saying that it was what local call "gang street". I looked on my left and saw the local police station right at that junction.

Well to put it in biblical perspective - it took one apple to turn paradise into hell; and in today's time its the several bad apples within our own societies that have turned our tourist paradises into hell. In a world where there are Countries that lash people for expressing happiness - let's not kill those who are just seeking out some fun.

Flying Comfortable & Relaxed

Following up on my blog on seat discomfort and Airbus's attempt to create saddle seats, there is a new development. Yes Airbus strikes yet again. In an attempt to make a uncomfortable, stressful and intolerable flight desirable to the passenger; it has patented a seat with a VR (Virtual Reality) helmet that in a way partially hypnotizes your senses away from all that is bothering on a flight like crying babies, badly behaved co passengers, lack of legroom, possibly no recline, tight seats, no entertainment or reading material, bad food (if at all served), and the list can go on.

The intentions may all be right but then if the flight or craft is not designed with real passenger comfort in mind; then, everything on the plane can break down except the VR helmet cause if it does then all hell may break loose on the aircraft.

Think of it; airlines can stop serving free booze, limit a passenger's need to take loo breaks, hit on the stewards (any sex), offer almost no choice in entertainment, have no cases of air sickness, and possibly even air-rage. I smell profit.

Thank God my travel days are waning now. It is frightening what an airline could do if permitted to mandatorily force passengers to keep the head gear on as soon as the doors are secured until they let the passengers out again. Influence loyalty, spends, likes, dislikes, and what not. Of course this is just guess work and the head gear may be a few years away and may not be cheap for airlines to implement. But if airlines weigh the cost of carrying 250 persons on saddles  with such VR helmets that take away the pain as against just 160 on the same craft using normal seats - then that may not be just a thought anymore.

Seat Fight

A few days back, I read about a mid air fight between two passengers where the flight had to be force landed post a diversion. Reason; the passenger in front wanted to recline the seat and the passenger at the rear was being inconvenienced. Both were fare paying customers and right in their own way - the front person had the right to recline as much as the seat allowed and the person at the rear did not want crushed knees. (There are gadgets called "knee defenders" available that prevent the front seat from reclining to their capacity and apparently after this incident they are now banned on aircrafts). The culprit then has to be the airline for installing seats with such a low pitch (the distance between 2 seats) and allowing it to recline. The airline being a low cost one justifies that it has to maximize the number of seats on board to justify the low fare. But I have seen even full service carriers adopting the same pitch in economy as many low cost carriers to pack in a few more business class seats up front. I have travelled on one budget carrier where the seats do not (thankfully) recline in any row based on the low pitch in all its standardized aircrafts.

Airlines state that the passengers have a choice and know fully well what they are contracting when buying a ticket. True. But the airlines have taken this game a bit too far where there is very little difference left between the low cost budget and full service airlines - be it fare or offering. I refuse to fly a limited service budget airline on any route greater than 90 minutes be it international or domestic. Just not worth it anymore to play the "extras" game for a net saving of 20% or less with all the negative caveats and stress of baggage weight, size, food, water, number of washrooms on board, etc. At times these airlines end up costing more than the full service full fare airlines based on the rigid unfriendly attitude of airline staff in permitting a non conforming bag on board or the over priced extras you buy on board. It's now become more or less a norm not to allow a cain bag weighing more than 7 kgs and conform to the 55-40-20 size including wheels and handle. Most hand bags weigh about a kilo - that leaves 6kgs to take on board. So the passenger is forced to buy bag weight or travel with very little personal effects. Lotions, deo, foam, gels and all the other potential bomb making items we call toiletries have to be in  less than 100ml packs or they go into check-in bags (cost). Some airlines have learnt the lesson and are easing up but for most customer is on the bottom of their agenda.

I have read articles on how seat manufacturers are seeing these incidents as an opportunity to rehaul design to make seats more passenger friendly with the new lesser pitch being adopted. Airline seats are by and large quite expensive and even if available; most airlines will not readily replace them based on the overhaul costs. Then again, airlines are being called greedy (like in the article pasted below). Could be, but with most airlines losing money this allegation may not entirely be correct. Airlines counter by saying that high fuel cost, impost, charges and taxes by airports and landing authorities are forcing out profits; and as a result the airlines are being pushed to their limits to collect revenues from whatever possible sources - even at the cost of passenger comfort,safety and satisfaction.

An airline used to have the tagline "Fly the friendly skies". That was many years back when flying was fun. Today, I go into a depression at the very thought of taking a flight. Flying is no longer what it used to be and all the constituents that make up air travel are blaming each other for the mess.
While the blame game is on - the seat fights will only keep growing as humans genetically have started becoming taller and fatter while the net area occupied per seat is getting smaller by the day. This form of passive hijack by ordinary passengers will soon be a norm rather than an exception. Surprisingly, no one seems to care.

Air Travel Is Becoming Inhumane, And It Won’t Change As Long As Airlines Remain Greedy  http://elitedaily.com/news/world/air-travel-is-stressful/734026/

AIRBUS WANTS BICYCLE-STYLE AIRPLANE SEATS, WHICH BEATS THE "STANDING-ROOM" ALTERNATIVE

http://www.bustle.com/articles/31559-airbus-wants-bicycle-style-airplane-seats-which-beats-the-standing-room-alternative

Majority of Americans Are Against Using Knee Defenders on Airline Flights 

http://skift.com/2014/09/02/majority-of-americans-are-against-using-knee-defenders-on-airline-flights/

We Found the Smart Aircraft Seat that Could Spare Millions of Passengers’ Knees   

Marisa Garcia, Skift

@designerjet

Budget travel to London

LOL - title - can it be true? My initial plan for the summer of two zero one four was to visit Bali (Indonesia) and throw in a couple of days in Singapore and possibly Vietnam to get a well rounded dose of fun for everyone in my family. Beaches, shopping, amusement parks, natural wonders, history,great  food, great hotels; what more can one ask for?

"Why are we doing Asia again?" I was asked by my united family. "It's hot in summer and the places are so boring" I was told. Well, kids can only kid; and my wife behaves like one when holidays are the topic of discussion. "So where do you want to go?". Prompt came the reply "London - just London if nowhere else close by".

London can be a great idea, except; 15 days. To my mind its too long, boring and super expensive. It's hard to fight the family - specially on subjects like holiday. So, no choice but to change the mindset. The English weather strangely appeals to my entire family; and yes, I would truly not mind a holiday in ol blighty. It took away the task of being too nomadic traveling from place to place. It's not just the capital of UK but of the whole world; and while it may sound like spending too many days there, at the end of it, it's just not enough. I did have a budget in mind and informed my kingdom that we would have to cut on style and expenses for a well measured holiday there. "Put us in a no star hotel, and we don't mind economy class either - just make sure we are on a decent airline" is what I heard back.

There was a time when I could fit my whole family in a room. Now, the children are young adults and having them in the same room is impractical unless the room is 30m2+. As it is - one room in Central London is expensive; two; gulp. Of course there are apartments, but then the good ones are not cheap either and the net saving is barely 15%. Visas; the Brit visa is a near Rs 9000 per head for just 6 months. Airfare; the cheaper fares on good airlines are all non refundable.  Shopping; the daughter has now become a consultant to mother and between the two of them my wallet would lose weight very fast. Boy, was I in trouble.

Fortune favours the brave, and it did favour me. I got a relatively good price on Virgin and I booked 2 rooms at the Tune hotel (www.tunehotels.com). Split my stay at two of their properties; that is, at Liverpool st. and King's Cross at an average of GBP 120 a night (in total) inclusive of air-conditioning et all. I knew the rooms were small - but then - it's better than what the family was prepared to cut back to. I develop budget hotels but when it comes to my holidays I love luxury. I don't care much where I stay when on work - but holidays- I don't know. Anyway, I did not have a choice - unless I was prepared to loosen my wallet more (like let it tear) - had to stay in good affordable accommodation in Central London; else, stay a bit further away - which too was not acceptable to us all.

So a budget holiday it would have to be. Would it be fun - let's see. Summary of my experiences:

1. Visas: The visa process is run by VFS and the latest change is that forms have to be filled online ( http://vfsglobal.co.uk/india/ ). Which meant; could do it directly without the help of a travel agent. UK is pretty good about somethings like not insisting on producing air tickets, mediclaim etc. With a filing fee of nearly Rs 9000 for a 6 month short visit visa, the applicant better be serious about visiting. When it comes to the visa costs, I say "I love America". Single fee with the visa term decided based on risk. So also Canada. I think UK should follow suit too unless the pricing for longer duration is intentional to keep the numbers low. It should however have a special deal on family visas. Filing the form online was easy but time consuming. The appointment with VFS straight forward. Got there at the designated time and was let in on time too. With the holiday rush and requirement for presence of all applicants for biometrics registration; we got our turn 4 hours later. VFS charges an obscene amount for sending a SMS and/ or courier to intimate you on your application and deliver it by courier. I avoided the extra charges as I asked and was told that the applicant is informed by email on when to pick up the passports.

2. Airport to hotel: Repeat visitors familiar with London transport know that it has one of the most expensive - yet finest public transport system in the world. I was travelling with wife and 2 kids and my extended family included 7 pieces of luggage in tow. Train or Tube - not practical. Booked a mini cab. Cost - a bit cheaper than if would have travelled by train - with the convenience of an airport to hotel drop. Estate car that could load all of us comfortably from Heathrow to Liverpool St. - GBP 56 (http://www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk/London-City/qqto.html) Got a quote - filled a form - paid by card. Got a call back from OTS (to India) to confirm the booking and verify the details. Comforting. By the time I got to London, I had the driver's number and cab details. Was greeted at the airport by a friendly Somalian; owner of a very nice Mercedes Van (much larger than the estate I had booked). I did use OTS again and will certainly recommend it.

3. Travel within the City: Black cabs are great - I love them - but only at night when there is no traffic. Daytime; I love to use the bus rather than the underground. If you are going to make only 3 - 4 trips a day in Zone 1; then use the Oyster card for an adult and Child travelcard (zone 1 to 6) for an under 15. Under 11 - no ticket on bus or underground required if traveling with an Oyster card or day travelcard holder. While traveling on the underground, the Oyster card is billed on basis of stations travelled measured by entry and exit point; the bus has a single fare however much the distance (as long as it's in the same bus). Bus fares are much cheaper than the tube - but the trick is to find a bus that takes you exactly where you want so that you don't have to change it. Assure you not difficult. Would use the day off peak travelcard otherwise.( https://account.tfl.gov.uk/oyster ) London is a fab place to walk despite its willyweather and we did take some seriously long treks inside the City.

4. Travel out of the City: National Express or bus services are more economical than trains for sure. Children travel half price, or at times even lower. With the net, it's very easy to figure out the costs. On the train too; there are discounts if traveling as a family or with one more adult. Cost cutting requires a bit of research.

(Take a break from London and visit any of these day visit or more towns Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Windsor, Brighton ( http://www.londontourist.org/trips.html ) Or if shopping excites you then nothing like a visit to   http://www.bicestervillage.com/  Designer Outlet.  

5. Food: None of us in the family are great fans of true blue fast food and we did not visit any such eatery in all of 15 days there. Most eateries will average out between GBP 10 and 15 per head including beer/wine or soft drink. Ask for the Kid menus - most places have one. Wagamama, Yo Sushi, Itsu for Japanese; Maroush for Lebanese; Dishoom for Indian (with a twist); Busabathai for Thai; Cabana for Brazilian; Royal China for Chinese - were easily our favourites. I quite like the coffee and atmosphere at Costa Coffee; but Starbucks "rocks and rules" all over the world. On my daughter's must have list - Lola Cupcakes http://www.lolas-kitchen.co.uk/ . Yes, they were very good. And on mine - a nice salt beef on rye sandwich with a slice of pickle chased with Earl Grey tea at the Selfridges.  A trip to London would never be complete without a visit to a Pub and they are quite economical. Honestly; I am not so much into expensive "see-food" and there are several places in London where GBP 100 a head is just the starting off menu. I am sure its great tasting food and an experience; but its something I would not miss except maybe visiting a Gordon Ramsay restaurant (my online teacher for making great food). Eating at the food stalls at the Spitalfields market or Brick Lane is an experience and so easy on the pocket. It's so nice to sit outside early evening for some coffee and crepes; or an English high tea. As I write, I am drooling at the thought of the scones I had with clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam.

6.  Stay: There was a time when lesser than a 3 star hotel was unthinkable. Nowadays, stars really don't matter but reviews on the likes of tripadvisor do. There are plenty of budget options ranging from CitizenM on one (higher) end of the budget spectrum to Premier Inn and easyHotel at the other. Tune, Formule, Ibis and a host of other brands fall somewhere in between. Rooms are small (12 - 16 m2) and service is limited. But there are some expensive many star  hotels in london offering maybe 50% more space at 500% higher rates and service that you could frankly forget. What I got at Tune were 2 rooms; 1 with a queen bed and 1 twin. Both rooms adjoining each other (not interconnected). The beds were comfortable, linen and towels quality clean. Space to park large luggage under the beds. We still lived out of bags by making our cabin bags as the wardrobe (Inconvenient) - but then these rooms were not designed for long stay. Bathrooms were small and the shower area really small. But it was clean with Villeroy & Boch fittings. Toiletries were really very good. TV, Aircon, daily towel change, wifi come at a price. I took the pack. It had a tuck shop by the reception that sold hot and cold beverages and small packed eats. Well located with plenty of breakfast and dining options within a 100m radius. It took a day for us all to get used to the rooms and the hotel; after which, neither the size or service were discussed as inconvenience. I still love luxury hotels and would not stay elsewhere at a resort destination; but in a city like London a Tune worked for us just fine. Going a step further in my adventure to be even more budget minded - I would attempt staying at one of the branded designer hostels that have started popping up all over Europe.

7. Attractions: They can cost a small fortune as entry to most tourist traps are pricey. Each person has their own wish list while traveling and while one may believe that I am "Uncle Scrooge" my own opinion is that I am a value seeker. Fortunately, there are lots of things to do in London for free or next to nothing. Spend half a day each at the Hyde Park, Regents Park and Kensington Park (Diana Memorial). Paddle boat in the serpentine (GBP 12 per adult for 30mins) or cycle around the park (GBP 3 per hour) or just laze on the lawns. Several galleries and museums have no admission fee. Then there are markets, concerts, street plays and performances all for free. ( http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/free-london ). Movies are expensive, concerts and plays even more. But the quality of the venues, auditoriums and shows so high that its every penny worth it. The earliest and last birds catch the worm in London when it comes to the best priced (affordable) tickets and there are several licensed ticket vendors around the city from where one can check a pick them up from. For a day of sightseeing; just buy the travelcard and go from place to place atop the London red buses. Beats even the hop-on hop-off bus in terms of price.  ( http://www.londonforfree.net/outdoors/bustour/bustour.shtml ). If you are a fan of cricket, go for a game to the Lords or Oval. The tickets are not that pricey. Historic and modern architecture, fancy cars, window shopping, nicely dressed people, watching hundreds of nationalities sharing space with you is just so WOW.

Point is one can do as much or as little in London; and either way you will feel that your holiday and money have evaporated in no time.

My final bill for 15 days (I will keep the shopping aside):

a. Airfare for 4 - GBP 2100 (all adult fare)
b. Hotel - GBP 1800 (2 rooms)
c. Food - GBP 1350
d. Travel -GBP 300 (including trip to-fro airport)
e. Sightseeing, concert, attractions, movies - GBP 500
f. Misc GBP 100 (phone card, adapters and other such things)
g. Weather - Free

Total - GBP 6,150 or 410 a day.

No bad I guess considering that a good 4 star  hotel/apartment alone would have set me back by GBP 250 or more.

Some tips for the uninitiated:

- London tap water is safe for drinking and unless you find the taste unappealing; ask for tap water at restaurants and refill your water bottles. Buying bottled water is a waste of money and in any case your tea coffee, lemonade are all made with tap water.

- Many take away eateries run a happy hour just before closing time (hint) which actually happens to be dinner time for most Indians.

- Luxury brands don't announce "sale" and "deals"; but most have it all year round. Ask for marked downs or promotions - else you will never know.

- Don't get VAT invoicing done until you are sure that you have reached an end of your shopping spree. The handling fee per VAT invoice is quite substantial so try and make just one for each outlet.

- There is no difference in price between a regular and visitor Oyster Card. So don't get rushed into buying one overseas. Children between 11 and 15 can travel free on London transport by getting a Junior Oyster ID card. Make sure you do that 3 weeks ahead of visiting. There is a fee of GBP 10 but every penny worth it if your stay exceeds greater than 4 days.

- Discounted concert and theatre tickets can be booked on ticketmaster ( http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ ) with an option to pick them up at the venue.

- Prepaid SIMs. I have stopped using Matrix as they work out quite expensive. Pick up a "Lebera" SIM. Beats the rest in rates and calls from lebara to lebara numbers are free. http://www.lebara.co.uk/

- Lastly; do not convert. You will have a terrible holiday if you do. Go by the bread index of conversion if you still feel like it. On my bread index - GBP 1 = INR 20

Baggage and Ryanair

How do I define Ryanair? A low cost limited service airline that offers you great fares in Europe and scares the hell out of you on permissible baggage that you can carry along with you and other such fees.

Accepting the balance that great fares comes with greater penalties I booked Ryanair from Stansted to Cork and from Dublin to Gatwick. My experience:

The booking process is fairly uncomplicated and it does have an informative uncluttered site.  Did you know that Ryanair allows

"PRE-FLIGHT CHANGES

24 Hour Grace Period for Minor Booking Errrors

Customers who book directly on the Ryanair.com website have a 24 hour grace period from the time of original booking, to correct any minor errors (i.e. spelling of names, incorrect routings/dates) made in their original booking.

Please contact Reservations where we will be happy to assist you."

Honestly I did not know it and I think all carriers selling tickets online should follow this example if they are not doing so already. I have lost a small fortune in ticket cancellations on account of date corrections, name corrections, and minor mistakes as the airline would not allow any changes once the booking was made.

I was travelling on a holiday and obviously could not do away with luggage. Ryanair baggage rules state:

CABIN BAGGAGE

One cabin bag per passenger* weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, plus 1 small bag up to 35 x 20 x 20 cms.

Due to cabin space limitations only 90 cabin bags (55 x 40 x 20 cms) can be carried in the cabin, any remainder will be carried free of charge in the aircraft hold.

Oversized cabin baggage will be refused at the boarding gate, or where available, placed in the hold of the aircraft for a fee of £50/€50 (fee subject to VAT on domestic flights at applicable government rates). If you are unsure, check at the Bag Drop desk before going through security.

The cabin baggage weight allowance is more generous than the 7kg rule set by most other low cost carriers and permitting a decent size second bag is quite a plus. But; a very stern 55x40x20 rule started me and scared me in the face.

How was I and my family going to pack clothes and personal effects for 5 days in what is a traditional overnighter size bag? I had no choice but to book an extra bag, and I opted for a 20kg allowance for GBP 20. I checked all the cabin size bags I had at home and each one was a bit here or there in terms of size as compared to the Ryanair standard. None violated the 55cm and 40cm rule; but all of them were a tad over 20cm. I did a bit of reading on the net and was put at ease by some reviews that basically said that while size does matter; the airline will allow modest variations as long as it does not hit the eye as being too far out. Do note that the 55cm length includes the handles and wheels as well.

I was staying at the Tune Hotel Liverpool st. and had researched my travel options from there to Stansted airport. The hotel is actually a fab option as it too follows the same principles of a budget/low cost limited service carrier; that is, great basic prices with pay for the add-ons. The location is a plus as it is barely 300mts away from Liverpool st. station/underground/national express/london bus.

I had never flown out of Stansted before and was quite looking forward to experiencing an airport that is not as crowded as Heathrow. Taxi is obviously the most expensive option; but when there are 4 passengers - I wondered if taking the train or bus made any sense. Guess it does. National Express A9 cost me GBP 20 and the Stansted Express train from liverpool station would cost me almost as much as children pay half price and the adult fare is GBP 8. Took about an hour to get there - no trouble at all.

Another rule to remember with Ryanair is "Print your boarding card on A4 sheet paper on your own". There is a heavy price to pay for getting it printed at the airport. I had to proceed to baggage drop for two reasons - first, drop the check in luggage; second, get my visa and passport checked. Thank God that people respect queues in the West and despite a bit of a haphazard start; organized queues start taking shape at some point. My check in bag weighed 20.5kgs. The ground agent tagged it and sent it on the conveyor. Relief. Documents checked; boarding card stamped; then off to clear security and on to boarding gate. I checked all my off-size bags at one of the numerous sizing boxes near the check in area. They all cleared the test as none were filled to their seams. But then, there was this lingering tick of getting past the boarding staff.

Once I reached the gate, I was pretty sure that I would not be bothered as the other passengers in the queue had equally unconforming bags; and better still, loaded to max limit I suppose. The baggage bins inside the 737-800 can accommodate any standard cabin size bag and has not been designed specifically for the set size. I think the pressure put on the site is there with the  express purpose of either selling bags or maybe making sure that passengers don't abuse the cabin bag allowance. I am all for it if it is to promote the latter practise as I hate sharing space with passengers who virtually carry the equivalent of a full size luggage bag inside the cabin in some form or the other inconveniencing fellow travellers.

On the way back from Dublin, the experience was no different; but for the fact that my check in bag weighed 21.5kg. The ground agent suggested that I reduce some weight else there would be a penalty of 10 Euros. I obliged and transferred about a kg to my cabin bag and that was fine with the handling staff.

I enjoyed my overall experience with Ryanair. It's not a flying monster as some would have us believe but a well thought of operation. I would think the extra charges are a way of deterring passengers from jumping out of the rule box to ensure the efficiency of the operations process. Yes it does make money from those who do jump the rules; but then, why not?

The aircrafts were clean despite a 20 minute turnaround; the staff polite if not friendly; and it even allowed passengers to carry their own food and drinks on board. Add to it a near on time schedule and I am a satisfied customer.