May Day: Air India Resumes UK Flights

Air India will be resuming flights to and from United Kingdom (UK) starting 1 May 2021. The news comes after the Airline suspended travel between India and the UK during 24 to 30 April. This was because of the huge surge in COVID-19 cases across India, that is on average over 300,000 a day, leading the UK government to tighten restrictions on travel between the two countries and adding India to the ‘red-list’.

Air India will start by conducting flights between Mumbai and London Heathrow on 1 May, with a return flight occurring on the same day. Thereafter, flights between Delhi and London Heathrow will resume on 2 May, which will then be followed by Bengaluru and London Heathrow on 5 May. This will enable thousands of Indians in the UK to be able to return home. Previously, this was rather challenging due to the limited services offered by other Air Carriers between the countries.

Ready for May Day Take-Off | © Trak.in

Requirement to Rebook & Revalidate

It is important to note that Air India will require passengers who have already booked the aforementioned flights to rebook or revalidate their flight tickets by contacting Air India. For those booking fresh flights anew, booking and validating can be done via the Air India App, website, or other third-party vendors offering flights.

Travel from India to the UK now comes with caveats, and Air India has reiterated the need for passengers to factor in the UK’s travel guidelines in relation to COVID-19. The Airline said, “It will be the sole responsibility of the passengers to ensure his/her eligibility to enter the destination country. Air India will accept no liability if non compliance results in denied boarding.”

Bengaluru Culinary Delights

The following gastronomic captures illustrate a plethora of Bengaluru’s culinary delights that demonstrate perfection in fusion of worldwide cuisines:

Spiced Infused Nachos
Screaming Hot Pakoras!
Dosa with Samba and glorious chutneys!
South Indian Thali
A plethora of Vadai
Cheesy Jalapeno Fries
Ice Cream Thali!
Pista, Almond & Mango Icing Dessert
Bruschetta, Cheese & Chilly Chutneys
A plethora of Rice infused dishes full of Cashew Nuts

Bengaluru – A City of Quirks – Part Two

The following snapshots of Bengaluru, India further illustrates how words and locations continue to create unrivalled hilarity:

A sign located amongst trees warning of video surveillance to detect those littering. Where are the cameras located – in the tree trunks!?! Quite the covert monitoring if proven to be true…
A local eatery urges diners not to ‘wash hands in plates’. Surely the effort of doing so is far greater than just heading for the restaurant sink!
A plethora of Vegan Ice Cream flavours on show, only that none of them have labels, so it is quite the task asking staff what flavour each one is. Indeed, the finger point and saying ‘this one’ becomes the norm…
An auto rickshaw driver names his desired fare for the journey, only to inadvertently put the metre on. Did his great scam become a great flaw!?
The Permit Room Bar in Bengaluru provides you intricate instructions on Yoga, not least the ‘Vertical Ass Grab’
A Tree Surgeon works his way up the tree, but its not entirely clear that he will be able to cut branches without any equipment to hand…
Yellow number plates signify that it’s a taxi driver’s car. Just to let everyone know that he’s having a grand time, he puts his feet up quite literally!

Bengaluru – A City of Quirks – Part One

The IT capital of India, Bengaluru (also dubbed the ‘garden city’) has become the epicentre of creative quirks. The following captures illustrate a plethora of unrivalled hilarity whether you are walking the streets of Bengaluru, delving into culinary delights or just simply marvelling at intended or unintended nuances:

Toilets; Lavatory; W.C; Restroom and now the above at Mamagoto Restaurant, Indiranagar

Cream Stone Ice Cream chain insist you devour this glorious provision irrespective of any monsoon downpour

Before you even have a chance to withdraw from a local ATM, you will be subject to suspected fraud with ‘Skimmer’ (whatever such a term means)
List of extensive park prohibitions and then the last one mentioned is being a ‘nuisance’. Surely everything mentioned beforehand is exactly that – so how to define what being a ‘nuisance’ is…??

From a distance what does it appear that they are ‘experts’ in…

The local way of warning trespassers ‘don’t bum our sofas out by placing yours’ at Chumbak store that aim to ‘tickle the humour of an Indian customer’

‘Safty First’ – ‘Speed Next’ – The driver says with bricks unstacked and one step away from tumbling off the truck…

Makes sense not to wear a helmet as it might obstruct the ‘tree size’ log you’re carrying…

Frivolous Fruit Stall

Final product looks unblemished

Unwashed utensils equates to glorious refreshing fruit juice? Surely such a statement defies logic. This is not the case at the Sree Ganesha Fruit Stall in the district of Thippansandra, Bengaluru.

Indeed, the menu is lacking a spot of ink and has a basic structure to it but the variety on offer is evident. Whether you prefer the conventional orange juice, exotic flavours such as Papaya milkshake or the local taste of sweet Mango Lassi, law of averages indicates a high probability that you will like at least one flavour on offer.

You might be tempted to order the whole menu!

The Auto Rickshaw drivers will casually stroll up to the counter and nod their head to indicate what drink they want, as being regulars they need not go through the ordering process. Moments later they have gulped down their refreshment and are back to their livelihood.

If you are the cleanliness conscious type, then be sure to request your refreshment in a plastic cup or else live like a local and have it out of potentially an unwashed glass! Either way the taste and texture is flavoursome especially for those with a sweet tooth.

Get your five a day in at a bargain

In terms of prices you can expect to pay between 25 to 60 Rupees (£0.40 – £0.75 per cup). If you attempt to ask them how they made it or what content is inside it, in return you will get a headshake. Quite simply enjoy the disbursements of flavours especially on an intensely hot day with streams of dust and petrol fumes around you!