An Accident...learning...and unlearning.

The public works department completed their contract on the pipes on the water works tender.

The stones and rocks left over were kept away on the roadside.
The iron bars were forgotten too.
The sand was not moved off the road properly.
The holes that were dug were left for others to fill.
The workers went back home.
The contractor went back home.
And the people who used the roads and paths started to use this damaged road with no complaints.

The old man walked carefully over the stones so as not to slip.
He walked onto the road to avoid the iron rods.
The scooter swerved to avoid him.
The car behind braked sharply.
The lorry behind the car braked and skidded.
The cars behind all braked.
The scooters behind all skidded.
The lorry went skidding over the pot holes and turned around.


The driver of the Mercedes was driving at a 100 km/ph.
He turned to look at the lovely lady at the bus stop.
He smiled.
She smiled.
He did not see the lorry skidding towards him.
They collided.

The Mercedes collided and skidded over to the scooter on the other side.
And instantly switched off the lives of a man, woman and a baby.
And injured four others.


WHEN WILL WE LEARN?




Sameer Ansar
CEO
www.qtlindia.com

Hartal in Kerala.

While travelling or holidaying in Kerala, it is important to know that there is such a thing called "HARTAL" that can happen unexpectedly. These Hartals are politically enforced holidays that punish the common people to stay indoors for a day.

Most people residing in Kerala have come to terms with this crazy manner of declaring a Hartal at the smallest excuse. The working class plan immediately on how to spend the (holi)day that they have got. They buy a bottle of booze and good food and get set to either spend a day in front of the TV and party or with their family - eating and sleeping well. The businessmen curse these hartals as it means excessive losses and plot different ways on how they can get their staff to office. Since hartals do not allow cars to ply the roads, the business men plan ingenious ways to get staff to office by either hiring an ambulance to ferry staff or starting office at 6 a.m etc. The office shutters are downed and work goes on inside. If the hartal announcers find that people are working on a hartal day, then its hell for them.

People with weddings planned suddenly find that guests excuse themselves. Food goes waste and the event becomes a sad affair. Young graduates ready for their first interview suddenly lose all hope. Students who have prepared for exams are happy since they get an extra day to prepare.

So if you find yourself in the state of Kerala a day before a Hartal is announced, here a re a few tips.
1. Get yourself a two wheeler. Surprisingly, a hartal is lenient on two wheelers to ply the roads. They get angry with four wheelers. So go find a friend or a rental where you can get yourself a bike to freedom during Hartal

2. Ensure food supplies in plenty. Hartal means no shops, no hotels or restaurants. So ensure that you have readied yourself with needed supplies like Bread, milk, eggs etc the day before.

3. Ensure water supply for drinking in advance.

4. Ensure a full tank of fuel in case of emergency

5. Ensure that entertainment options are readied. Either have a television or books to read etc.

6. Plan ahead.

Enjoy...its God's own country.

Going to Kerala.

Its unfortunate to see travellers come to Kerala and follow a schedule and route to see places and return.

 There are three common ways they travel.
1. Land in Cochin, move to the hill station in Munnar, see the wild life in Thekkadi, the waterfalls in Vagamon, maybe visit Fort Cochin and return
2. Land at Trivandrum, visit Kovalam, Varkala, Ponmudi, drive down to Alleppey and return via Kumarakom to Trivandrum.
3. Land at Calicut, visit Wynad, Kannur/Bekal and return
This is not how you should experience Kerala.

Kerala, is really God's own country. It is a slow, peaceful, tranquil experience. To find a true holiday here you need to take a break from it all and erase your itinerary.

You need to drive on the inner roads(M.C Road) or take the sea side roads (from Alleppey via Arthungal to Cochin). Travel to places beyond Kuttikanam and find where the road ends and the silence is defeaning at Mundakayam.  Take a jeep drive across the hills where it takes an hour for a few miles and discover a top spot from where you see for miles and know that Kerala is indeed Green.

Discover idle countryside "chai" and "thattu" kadas with sizzling hot delicacies. Discover how a single newspaper stokes the knowledge of an entire village around a cup of chai or how a local issue is sorted over a bottle of toddy. Enjoy the pleasure of swimming in chilled, clear waters that flow down small hills.



To enjoy Kerala, drive away from the main roads, the towns and the traffic. Take a U turn, go down that small road that will take you to the most magical holiday.