Comments on Known Turf: Envy, back home

What amazes me is that our shopping malls are some...

2009-08-12T08:24:55.366+05:30

What amazes me is that our shopping malls are somehow managing to have sparkling clean loos, but our airport loos, both domestic and international,(in Kolkata at least) are pathetic.
In firang land, though, I do miss water in the toilets, since I seriously dislike using toilet paper.
I actually cart a mug along.

As a country I guess we are in serious need of 'toilet training'!

One of my friends has been in shock since we've co...

2009-08-09T01:04:30.811+05:30

One of my friends has been in shock since we've come back from Singapore. He sees everything he doesn't like in Calcutta: the dirt, the stink, dirty toilets, biased conservative people.

I spent a long time on the phone with him trying to help. He was a bit panicked about the fact that he's actually thinking such thoughts about a previously-beloved city.

I like coming home. I don't mind the dirt and the stink and the crowds so much. Actually, more than not mind, I've gotten so used to them, I don't let them bother me. But what does bother me is the constant disregard for any rules. I started driving in the city recently, and the sheer number of drivers ignoring traffic rules and courtesies amazes me. It's everywhere, not just on the roads. No rules, no courtesy. I guess the dirty bathrooms are part of this too.

Nice blog.

2009-08-08T08:07:13.900+05:30

Nice blog.

Well said. It's my one thought as well, every time...

2009-08-08T07:00:36.179+05:30

Well said. It's my one thought as well, every time I return. It took me about two years over here to get used to the fact that I could survive a loo visit, that I didn't have to hold it till I got "home"... wherever home was, at the time.

Not sure why there's such a disability when it comes to talking about the need for proper sanitation and toilet-training, quite literally. Methinks public-funded and organized HPV discussions might actually happen before the toilet discussion.

But then again, I just might be kidding myself.

I miss only two things when I come back from a tri...

2009-08-07T23:34:04.348+05:30

I miss only two things when I come back from a trip abroad: ice cream and clean toilets! How can an entire nation have such awful toilet habits?!