A Traveler's Memoir

I said, “Dev, I smoke weed.  He looked confused.  I said, “I smoke ganja.”  That moment! it changed my life. Now, I had the perfect life every middle-class man dreamed of. We started a homestay on loan, grew our own rice, had a house surrounded by plantation, and numerous pets. Life started to look different.   I woke up at 6:30, workout, deliver milk to the dairy, meditate, have breakfast, spend a few hours on the farm and then go meet friends. Weekends were busy with guests. Probably in a few years, I might get married, have kids, and take them to school. Maybe get a bigger car and house.  I wasn't happy. I'm not saying that's not life. But, maybe not for me right now, not for someone who felt being tied up all his life. Not for someone who wanted to see the world, put himself to the extreme, and live to the fullest.  Selfish love can be poison and That’s my family. The day I understood the definition of Love, I saw wicked people all around me. My wi...

Two days ago the General Manager of Club Mahindra visited my father. He asked about me and assured a job in the resort. When my dad told me about it, he did not stress much but asked me to think about it. I'm sure, he didn't like me going through this. I liked the offer, but first, I wanted to go as far as I could go on this journey. I never got a chance to decide for myself throughout my life, so now When I make a decision, I want to stick to it. He is having a tough time at work and sounded low. After working for 22 years in the industry his MD said, he is not in favour of the company, which hurt him. He may not be in favour of the company, but he is always in favour of the employees and that's how an HR should be. In recent times, with people's increasing greed for money, ethics are fading. I call it hospitality while they call it business. I tried to tell him, even if we startup we have to be like that to survive our corrupt system. The day I put down my papers at T...

I was forced to wake up at 6 since a guest called for water bottles, as I passed the reception greeting Karthik, he asked for some black coffee, while I waited to take it down, Jai arrived and said he would take care of the coffee and asked me to get fresh and come back. Selvam Sir called to ask me to collect my pay for 3 days from the previous month and handed my offer letter too. I received 1160 rupees, I kept 1100 safe, With the balance in hand, I started on my daily walk. Jai wanted to join but was stuck with Apton sir to make a room. I stepped in, we finished the job and hiked a hill, adjacent to the resort. I bought some juice and sweets which we sat down at a pear plantation sipping and snacking. Even picked some fresh carrots on our way back. It got stressful for Jai later when he had to do service, after a tough walk. Bugger is strong and challenging. He sticks on and is a good company. When we came back, I got to know Nitesh and Savitha had come to meet, they tried calling ...

Kathirvelan from reception wanted to go home due to a death in his family, he needed an advance but was denied. He called Swami in the Kitchen asking for some cash. Swami asked everyone, I gave 200 while Raghu gave a 100.  Any organisation can be a success only when its employees take ownership of the business or consider the company's vision as theirs, else it would just be a political war with the company as a country, for example.  Our guest in 111 from Palakkad, who worked in the gulf, has come for a vacation with his wife and two kids. Today, he called asking if he could get ragi porridge since his little girl wasn't keeping well, they had the ragi flour. I checked with the chef if i could make it, he agreed. I went up and got the flour and asked the chef if I could make it too? I grew up eating ragi porridge for breakfast almost every day since childhood and I bet I am good at preparing. The chef simply noded a go-ahead. For a moment, it took me to my days in Bangalore w...