Vehicles have a very weird effect on me, almost stuporific. I can never stay awake for more than a few minutes in any moving mode of conveyance, which really surprises me. Supposedly, my grandad used to simulate an auto or a scooter with me on his lap when I was young and I'd instantly fall asleep. If that didn't work, a simple stroking of my head would be enough to take me off to Dreamland. I still have no idea why or how this happens but it does make me feel better that insomnia will always have a simple solution for me.
Moving on, I recently went on a few trips with my family to Mysore and Udupi. On the way, I was discussing with my Dad how franchises like CCD and Kamath have become so popular and widespread. He said it was because of standardisation. Now I didn't probe furthur because he was a bit tired and had other things on his mind. Plus, being essentially me, I wanted to find out for myself what he meant. What I found was that standardisation meant making things exactly the same everywhere. Now, I can understand McDonald's doing that since they've got the food to taste the same everywhere. But CCD and Kamath have gone one better and made the DECOR the same everywhere. The same tiles, same layout and even the same smell in the toliets (air freshner, I mean)!! Now, I can understand why everything has to be the same but after a while it becomes monotonous. When you travel, you expect variety, the uncertainities of the road. But if every rest stop is the same, it kind of defeats the purpose. Now, all these are the problems normal people face. With me, things tend to be a little different. I have this absolute brain freeze, almost like amnesia when I take a nap at anytime other than at night. So when I wake up, I have no idea what the time is, where I am or what I'm supposed to do. It's gone so far as to me waking up after an hour's afternoon nap during my vacations and running to the bathroom and taking a bath to get ready for college!! On trips like this, due to the above mentioned vehicular stuporification, I face this problem when we stop to have a bite. With every place lookingf the same, déja-vu sets in and I keep questioning myself whether we've travelled any distance at all! But then, I learn to adjust and this amnesia never lasts long.
Even now, my parents are planning another trip to Vellore or some other place. Déja-vu, you had better stay away this time. I don't think I can handle one more coffee-coloured tile or Combiflam smelling toilet anymore.......
Çiao!
Moving on, I recently went on a few trips with my family to Mysore and Udupi. On the way, I was discussing with my Dad how franchises like CCD and Kamath have become so popular and widespread. He said it was because of standardisation. Now I didn't probe furthur because he was a bit tired and had other things on his mind. Plus, being essentially me, I wanted to find out for myself what he meant. What I found was that standardisation meant making things exactly the same everywhere. Now, I can understand McDonald's doing that since they've got the food to taste the same everywhere. But CCD and Kamath have gone one better and made the DECOR the same everywhere. The same tiles, same layout and even the same smell in the toliets (air freshner, I mean)!! Now, I can understand why everything has to be the same but after a while it becomes monotonous. When you travel, you expect variety, the uncertainities of the road. But if every rest stop is the same, it kind of defeats the purpose. Now, all these are the problems normal people face. With me, things tend to be a little different. I have this absolute brain freeze, almost like amnesia when I take a nap at anytime other than at night. So when I wake up, I have no idea what the time is, where I am or what I'm supposed to do. It's gone so far as to me waking up after an hour's afternoon nap during my vacations and running to the bathroom and taking a bath to get ready for college!! On trips like this, due to the above mentioned vehicular stuporification, I face this problem when we stop to have a bite. With every place lookingf the same, déja-vu sets in and I keep questioning myself whether we've travelled any distance at all! But then, I learn to adjust and this amnesia never lasts long.
Even now, my parents are planning another trip to Vellore or some other place. Déja-vu, you had better stay away this time. I don't think I can handle one more coffee-coloured tile or Combiflam smelling toilet anymore.......
Çiao!
