The car was in very good condition, and the driver was extremely helpful. It was nighttime, and we had to have our dinner. After some deliberation, we decided to go to the first restaurant we sighted that looked neat and clean. Bangalore is known for its restaurants and tasty South Indian vegetarian food. After satisfying our murmuring hunger, we reached the hotel.

My nephew had booked a nice hotel. Every hotel has its own unique way of placing the switches. The first things we searched for were the AC remote and the TV remote. We never watched TV throughout our stay, even though IPL cricket matches were on. This short journey itself was tiresome.

We searched for the AC remote—nowhere to be found! After a few minutes of struggle, we called housekeeping, and the remote was mounted on the wall. The AC did not seem to work properly. Even at 18 degrees, the temperature did not seem to go below 25 or so. The housekeeping staff kept saying it was centralized air conditioning and it would take time to cool down. Until we got up early in the morning, the AC never seemed to lower the temperature. It wasn’t bad, though.

By the time we went to bed, it was 1 a.m. Any new place I visit, whether it be a home or a hotel, I have to explore and understand. My wife plays a great part in this. Where is the sofa? Where is the side table? What distance is the bed from the wall? Where exactly is the washroom? Which direction is the washbasin facing? Similarly, the toilet seat too. Where is the faucet and the flush? It takes quite some time to figure out and memorize. What if I have to get up in the night to use the washroom? This done, we went to bed.

Since the function was to start at 9 a.m. and breakfast at 7:30, I would say we had a long nap rather than a short sleep.

So, bleary-eyed and half-asleep, we made it to the hall where the function was being held.

Continued in 217. Function, Fun, Frolic and Frustration Too - Part 5