Filter Coffee #013

On Travel, Tourism, and Vaccines

✈️ World Tourism Day, a day of reckoning for the travel and tourism industry world over!

Dear friends, business travel and travelling for pleasure have both come to a standstill. Some have ventured on despite the risk of exposing themselves to the virus. They may take precautions themselves, but fellow travellers may be indifferent to the safety of people around them. Please remember that the precautions you take while out in the open are largely for the benefit of others around you, and you expect the same from them. But it clearly doesn’t always work that way. If it did, why would Bangalore catch up with Delhi and Pune by crossing the two lakh mark? People keep telling themselves to be positive in life. but here’s the problem - they are negative in their attitude towards wearing masks and following the social distancing rules. This negativity may not make them positive, but will surely make others around them positive. So, virus wise, it pays to be negative!

Getting back to my original refrain about travel, today is World Tourism Day, represented by the colour blue. 

Way back on 1st November 1974, the UNWTO i.e. the 🔗United Nations World Tourism Organisation was established under the aegis of UNESCO. The two-fold purpose of creating the WTO was to make tourism a medium that would fuel economic growth and promote ecological sustainability in any given country that offered tourist attractions. WTO is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and has as many as 158 member countries. However, the organisation recognised that membership should be inclusive to give impetus to tourism, so affiliate membership has been opened to private operators and other entities engaged in the travel and tours business. I gather there are nearly 600 affiliate members.

Though founded in 1974, it was only in 1980 that 27th September was chosen as World Tourism Day. A Nigerian national, Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi, suggested this date, as it was the day when the charter of WTO was formalised.

The 2019 World Tourism Day was hosted by India. The theme was: “Tourism & Jobs - A Better Future For All”

However, 2020’s celebrations are set to be truly significant for many reasons. As per the Policy Brief of UNWTO, for the first time in the 40-year history of World Tourism Day, the official celebration will not be hosted by a single country. Instead, nations from the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Chile joining with observer status) will serve as joint hosts. The theme this year is “Tourism & Rural Development”.

In addition, it would be extremely challenging to make an impact this year as the pandemic has seriously affected the tourism industry as a whole. According to the policy brief:

Tourism has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first five months of this year, international tourist arrivals decreased by more than half, and some $320 billion dollars in exports from tourism were lost. Overall, some 120 million direct jobs in tourism are at risk.

My wife and I are very fond of travelling, but our choice of route/destinations does not always coincide (when it does, that means I have no choice). I love the laziness of cruises and doing short shore excursions. My wife likes places with lots of history and loves to visit museums. She follows the tour guide like a lamb (hope she is not reading this, I can be butchered with one look), and asks him so many questions that he starts avoiding her. When that happens, in comes feedback on the guide “He doesn't know anything. Imposter, cheater, third rate character...” and so on. That’s the reason I prefer geography to history. You don’t need a guide to see what’s around you. Ah! Yes, there’s one thing in common. Both of us are not fond of going to malls in a foreign city, but we go anyway to buy kitchen hardware and other supplies. According to her, everything else is available on Amazon in India!

The other disagreement that we have is about local commutes. She has this uncanny ability to spot a bus stop or an underground / Metro station, and I, for one, am looking out for Taxis. I tell her, “Why should we punish ourselves by going by public transport?” and she gives me a look reserved for disobedient kids and says, “Your corporate travels have spoilt you. You have become a snob.” I soon find myself following her through the turnstile of a Metro station. Now, who is the lamb? Ha! No prizes for guessing. That said, we are quite disappointed that we will not be able to travel at least until next year. World Tourism Day for us is at best a calendar event.

My friend tells me that he takes what is now popularly referred to as a workation. He and his family go to a seaside or hilltop resort where there’s internet connectivity. The family takes a vacation and he splits his time between work and holiday. I am not sure how safe it is, but many Techies are going on workations. If the concept appeals to you, and you want to know more, you can find a lot of info on 🔗this website.

Even if you plan to travel in these uncertain times, how will you be doing so? Travelling by road is considered by some to be safer than flying. I think everyone is trying to get comfortable with a travel mode and becoming convinced that it is safe. A few of my friends have recently flown to and back from the US. They seem nonplussed by all the talk of the same air being circulated for over 18 hours inside the aircraft multiplying the possibility of a virus infection. But 🔗another theory put out in the Wall Street Journal is that contrary to popular belief, cabin air is less of a concern; virtually all commercial jetliners are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, similar to those used in hospital operating room, capable of blocking 99.7% of airborne microbes. Cabin air is circulated vertically, from ceiling to floor, and refreshed every two to three minutes. Between flights, aeroplane cabins are scrubbed down with anti-microbial disinfectants.

Friends, having engaged you in a rather serious discussion around travel and tourism, let me provide you with some relief by presenting you with some funny flight announcements:

The pilot asked before take-off,  “If anyone is flying for the first time, please press the flight attendant button.” When no one pressed the button he said “Good, then I’m the only one.”

“Hi, I’m Captain Amanda Smith. Yes, I’m a female pilot and as a benefit, if we get lost on the way, I won’t be afraid to stop and ask for directions.”

“Our flight attendants will be coming down the aisle to collect any trash, along with any chocolates or jewellery. Unfortunately, they don’t accept husbands.”

💉 What’s the scene with the covid vaccine? 

No one knows for sure as to when the common man will have access to vaccines, which seems to decide restoration of normalcy. We hear about clinical trials, collaborations, and various other initiatives, but there seems to be no light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. When will we progress towards testing the vaccine on humans? How do we inspire confidence in people that it will have no adverse effects or allergic reactions? We need thought leaders who exhort the common man to get vaccinated without fear. That’s what I believe happened when the Smallpox vaccine was administered.

Remarkable story around making people believe in smallpox vaccine!

In 1796, Edward Jenner, an English Doctor, successfully developed the smallpox vaccine. Smallpox is the only disease that has been completely eradicated by extensive vaccination. The journey to this stage was indeed arduous, particularly in India. The British were determined to propagate the benefits of vaccination and devised various means to convince the common man who feared that he might get the disease rather than be inoculated against it by the vaccine. It is said that the British had the ulterior motive of ensuring they had a healthy source of manpower to carry out their deep-rooted commercial agenda. It is believed that it is on this basis that the East India Company justified the cost involved in administering the vaccine to a large population. Insofar as the erstwhile princely State of Mysore was concerned, the British called in an IOU (a return favour for having reinstalled him) from the Wodeyar of Mysore and sought his royal support to popularise the smallpox vaccine among the common people.

In a captivating article titled 🔗The Indian Queens Who Modelled for The World's First Vaccine ” sponsored by the BBC, Ms. Aparna Alluri says:

When Devajammani arrived at the Royal Court of Mysore in 1805, it was to marry Krishnaraja Wadiyar III. They were both 12 years of age and he was the newly minted ruler of the southern Indian kingdom. But Devajammani soon found herself recruited for a more momentous cause - to publicise and promote the smallpox vaccine. Her unwitting role was captured in a painting commissioned by the East India Company to "encourage participation in the vaccination programme"according to Dr. Nigel Chancellor, a historian at Cambridge University.

I hope the COVID vaccine, too, when mass-produced, will have the desired success and celebrities from all walks of life, Bollywood and beyond, will encourage people to get vaccinated.

🛣 From my Archives:  The Indian Roads

I got this from my dear friend Chandy John more than 6 years ago, and given the travel theme of this newsletter, I thought I should share it with you. It’s interesting to see that the state of affairs on Indian roads hasn't changed in all these years.

It was apparently written by Coen Jeukens, a Dutch functional Architect for Baan Apps Distribution, who worked in Hyderabad. I reproduce it as is. I personally loved the ending — a much needed positive note.

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Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows:

Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is "both". Basically, you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the intended direction. 

Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back. Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still, some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.

Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts), or, just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar. 

Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.

Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion en route to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur and are licensed to irritate.

Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.

Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hour, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.

One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest to their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. 

Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.

Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience (for those with the mental makeup of Chenghis Khan). In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like a premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. Upon encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes. Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licenced to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously. 

Of course, all this occurs at night, on the trunk roads. During the daytime, trucks are more visible, except that the drivers will never show any signal. (And you must watch for the absent signals; they are the greater threat). Only, you will often observe that the cleaner who sits next to the driver, will project his hand and wave hysterically.

If, after all this, you still want to drive in India, have your lessons between 8 pm and 11 am-when the police have gone home and The citizen is then free to enjoy the 'FREEDOM OF SPEED' enshrined in our constitution.

Having said all this, isn't it true that the accident rate and related deaths are less in India compared to the US or other countries?

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Finally, a friend suggested that I skip #13 and number this edition #14! Well, talking of superstitions, let me share an anecdote attributed to Osho (Acharya Rajneesh). There’s an Osho ashram in Koregaon Park, Pune. 

During a  discourse, a firang is said to have asked Osho, “Guruji, do you believe in superstitions like if a black cat crosses your path you should not proceed further?”

Osho replied with his trademark wit and wisdom, “It depends on whether you are a man or a mouse”.

Hope you enjoyed this edition of Filter Coffee — lucky number 13!!

Until next week, take care and be safe!