MY RECENT ENCOUNTER WITH JELLY FISH…… A BOX JELLYFISH AT THAT!

I planned for my holidays down to the minutest detail. Hotel with the best review, beaches which are most blogged and raved about.  I flew from Bangkok to perhaps the most beautiful airport, Koh Samui. The beauty of the landscape was breath taking.  It was a caravan car which taxies passengers from the landing strip to the arrival. I was getting ready for what I thought was going to be a once in a lifetime experience. In a way it turned out to be one!

Koh Samui is one of the picturesque islands in Thailand. It is serene and inviting, with waters that are calm and enticing. It was just like any other day of planned holidays to this beautiful island. A day to laze around, to do nothing and just hibernate either in the shadows of the umbrella to read or take that occasional swim in between pints of Singha & Chang beer.

I saw young kids in their floaters, guys and gals sunbathing while floating even in knee deep water. The sun was well hidden behind the clouds and that decided for me to leave my beach recliner and take a dip in the sea water of Choeng Mon. It was picture perfect.

As in any parts of Thailand, the waves are far from menacing. In fact, there were hardly any. It was more like still water of an indoor pool. Not exactly a great swimmer, I stopped at 5ft., started my customary forward strokes and floating with my face up. Then it happened!!!

Suddenly, I felt my body was burning especially in my chest and stomach area. The burning was so severe as if somebody was spraying me with acid or hot oil. It made no sense to me as I was floating in the ocean!

The realization that something is attacking me took some 5 seconds or so. Took few steps forward as I stood upright and saw I was engulfed with black slime around my chest and arms. It looked like blackish reaper which later I realised was tentacles of a beautiful creature called BOX JELLY FISH. I was unable to breath but brought myself to grab whatever I could that were stinging my chest, stomach, arm and threw them away.  I was stumbling and screaming at the kids and the grownups nearby to leave the water immediately. 

I was gasping for breath as my respiratory system was barely functional. I felt like the layers of my skin were being peeled off. An angel of a lady screamed for Vinegar and the hotel crew got two cans of vinegar and I was bathed in the areas where the tentacles were visible. The blessed lady scraped off the tentacles which were still stinging and injecting doses of venom.

By now it was already 4/5 minutes from the time of attack and I almost gave up breathing or rather I had no strength to breath. The massage lady made me take a whiff of camphor like substance, something like a balm that is applied for headache or cold in the Asian sub-continent. It was a task to breath, but I could manage to keep my lungs active inhaling in greater frequency than before. I kept asking for medical help and oxygen and the hotel crew called for the same and the ambulance arrived in 15 minutes. The nurse checked my vitals and fixed the oxygen mask which made me believe that surviving from this ghastly situation looked like a possibility. 

The drive to the hospital was some 15 odd minutes through the ring road of Koh Samui. The Doctor in his nonchalant way did say that he is yet to see a “live specimen” stung by Box Jelly fish as most come in coma state or have breathed their last. He gave me 12 hours to survive and then another 72 hours as deadline for the aftermath of venom in the body.   It was not exactly encouraging but it did help me prepare myself for the worst.

I was bathed again with Vinegar to remove the last shred of tentacles and then took a shower. I had regained some strength by then and eyed the pretty nurses around. It was then I realized that my mind was diverted to earthly aspects and smiled and muttered to myself that I am going to beat this.

Take away from this incidence is VINEGAR as the only antidote and a definite must for swimming in the sea of Thailand - STINGER SUIT.

This incident notwithstanding, I look forward to my next visit to Thailand. This time, I definitely want less excitement.

Aurora from MGR to Rajni

I am not too sure whether my excitement is to see the movie Kabali or to see any tamil movie in Aurora.

It seems just like the other day when Aurora was showing MGRs Kavel Karen, rickshakaren, vetaikaran...from 12 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 9 and 9 to 12. Not to disappoint the Malayalee crowd, on Sunday 9 to 12 noon the classic and serioust flick of Madhu/Prem Nazir / Sathyen will be shown.

For a SIES student from tamil division, I always used to wonder why is that Malayalam movies have the same cast movie after movie. It was like a family of 15 odd people moving around as a troupe to act in some 100 movies.

At first sound of the bell,there will be a frenzy dash for gate which will be manned by a hapless guard, who will eventually leave his post to a much tougher looking local dharavi born bouncer.

 Bouncer will also have business interest of being the inside man for the touts sellingtickets in black. An Old lady will have 50 odd tickets rolled and hidden in her no look (can’t look) area.

Promoting a movie is not recent a phenomena, MGR and Shivaji, used their massive fan base to just do this 30 years ago.

The purist would like to sincerely see the photo posters of the existing movie neatly displayed on the left side of the entrance and to the right would be the ‘coming attraction’ Claims and prediction whether the movie will run for 15 weeks or 25 weeks will be made then.

Cat calls and whistles followed by roaring laughter and reprimanding by a serious movie buff will be followed by a nice live fight. It will be over in 5 minutes and they will continue to enjoy the movie being seated in the adjacent rows. When the show gets over, both will do their best to avoid each other but will loudly ask engaiya avan... The proud lady from his family would say .... vittu thallu ya....

With all these happenings, Aurora was the place to be with family for movie watching.

It is sad to hear that this could well be the last movie of Rajni and the last movie to be shown in Aurora. Chennai Super King.... ku whistle podu...Rajni will b probably be the last Super King from Tollywood.

The Cynic in me!

Just the other day, I was coming back from HK and as it always happens, the in-flight toilet was messy, the toilet cover was soiled, there were tissues lying everywhere.   I did manage to lift the cover with my feet and did my small job and came out with a sigh of relief.  I managed to convey to the next entrant that it was not my doing and prepared him for what he was about to experience!

Funny thing is, there were people of different nationalities in the flight but without giving the benefit of doubt to our own, I was sure that the mess was made by a fellow Indian. As always, I made small talk with a blonde lady sitting next to me and raved about our rich culture and heritage that she will experience in India. It was her first visit and she was going to visit some exotic places which most urban Indians do not wish to go.

During my working hours, I represent India with my principals from Europe/USA and China. I keep talking about our teeming millions under the age of 30s and the massive consumerism which is driving the economy. By 7.30 in the evening, I am mostly worn out and by virtue of habit, vent out my spleen on honking motorists.

I smile wryly, seeing people standing next to each other on the highway, attending to nature’s call, chatting freely, while at it. I’ve always wondered what might be the topic of discussion - the growing economy, PM’s drive for Swatch Bharat or the Greece’s fallout!!!

The challenge for any Indian executive or a businessman when they receive a foreigner is taking that route from airport to the suburbs without showing them our Mithi River or Dharavi!

Driving this point closer to home, in our own Bhakti Park, I have perfected the art of totally ignoring plastic, metalized wrappers and skilfully jumping over dog poop!

I guess,most people in India, like me, are pampered in getting things done for them, may it be washing the car, making tea, washing, ironing, domestic chores etc.  Picking the wrapper and throwing it in the dustbin is beneath us.  Why should we, when we have people to clean things for us?  

That is probably why I slyly choose to ignore what a foreigner supplier friend meant when he said, “You Live Royally in Pits!”

"15 or 50+”….does it matter?

As I take some more strides in 50s, I guess the life has taken a full circle. Till the age of 16, my life was all about sports. I never actually excelled in any of them. But then, if one had to consider just enthusiasm for the same, I might probably rank right up there.

Like many in their teens, I was oblivious of the talent of the others, I just thought it was a matter of being spotted whilst playing and I will make it to the Mumbai Team. Well, forget Mumbai, I did not make it beyond Division E in Kanga.  I made it to the first eleven mainly because the Captain liked to throw his weight around and I was the only player with whom he could.

I find it strange that people of my age actually think sports or any physical activities are behind them and their indulgence is limited to watching and giving their sports wisdom with full gusto.

 I can now afford a branded pair of shoes, tennis racquet or any accessories and feel totally convinced that I fit the bill.  But then, what I think is what matters and I am totally unmindful of the chuckle as I walk past guys of my age potbellied ( more than mine J), with a fag in hand thinking the world is meant for taking a pot shot at others.  Come to think of it, just the other day, I hit an ace not because the other player could not run towards the net to reach the ball. It was actually fast enough.

Till my late 20s, the Swimming Pool was something I could see only in movies. It was associated with ‘western ladies’ in ridiculous glares and polka dotted swim suits. Only stinking rich business men and their sidekicks hang around to get bashed up or get killed in the pool for the mystery to get solved by our hero.

It is a nice feeling to get into pool now. I splash around manage to reach the other end of the pool, filling all the void I used to feel those days watching extras and villains in their ill fitted swim suits.  Actually, more than the swimming, I always wanted to recline and read a novel by the pool side.  

Now, of course, all proper gear in place, swim glares, head cap ( more to cover the greys). Very careful to check when the pool is without any kids who just keep doing lap after laps much to my dismay. My best time is when I am out of the pool, hair disarray, getting in dry cloth but body wet enough for all to know I was in the pool.

So what was my passion in till 15, which I lost it in between is coming back in big way in my 50s.

I am not complaining nor am I taking a deep breath to tuck in my tummy which still is a pot of concern. Next year this time, it will not be there, I mean that ghastly extra flab.