Mosquitoes On a Plane

It's a bit muggier this week. The rain is creating huge potholes in main roads in the city. For some reason, the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has not learned to pave proper concrete - the kind that doesn't turn into Swiss cheese with a bit of moisture. Who is surprised, with the recent collapse of the Punjugutta flyover still fresh in everyone's minds. But then again, it could have been the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's (GHMC) fault. The two will probably be blaming each other but will need to file formal grievances with the High Court of Andhra Pradesh (APHC). You would not be surprised to find out that most people here blame beauraucracy and corruption in government and businesses for the ailing infrastrcuture that is putting a sort of drag on the country's already-phenomenal growth.

I used two domestic carriers for my roundtrip air travel to Bangalore over the weekend - Indigo and Kingfisher. Indigo is a no-frills, discount outfit. Kingfisher is more upscale. Same mosquitoes on both... The mosquitoes get trapped inside the main cabin during boarding. This could be minimized if planes docked at terminal buildings using closed jetways, but all Indian airports I've travelled through unload passengers on the tarmac using open staircases. You then either board a bus that takes you to the terminal, or you're close enough to walk there on your own. Luckily I've been taking my Malarone regularly, and I have also perfected my swatting, crushing, and clap-smacking techniques for killing the little bastards.