Near Death Experience

I had my first near death experience in India last night. It wasn't trying to cross the street in the frenetic Mumbai traffic. It wasn't a deranged mugger. It wasn't even a mad bombing terrorist. It was a salad at the hotel restaurant.

A little back ground.

The first hotel I stayed at was nice, but in a rough area. Inside the gated compound was lovely. Two hotels and a convention center, a gym, a huge swimming pool. Very nice. Outside was a fairly run down industrial area. I was trapped. The studio here, Crest Animation, found me a great place in Hiranandani, much closer to the studio and in a lovely area. So yesterday I moved to the new hotel.

I'd been eating the buffet at the old place, which was very good, but decided to try something off the menu at the new place. I ordered a mixed greens salad and a toasted sandwich. When the salad came it was a little different that I had expected. A tiny little bit of lettuce in the middle o the plate surrounded by varieties of stick salad, carrots, celery, cucmber etc., arranged like the spokes on a wheel. I looked at it for a moment then said, what the heck and dugion. Now here's the good bit. It didn't really resemble anything I would have called a mixed green salad, so when I saw what looked like a single green bean nestled in the center of the lettuce I didn't give it a single though. I popped it into my mouth and started chomping away. Okay. Okay, yes, it's funny. Alright. I'll just sit here until you stop laughing.





All better now? Yes. It was a blisteringly hot green chilli disguised as a green bean. I should have known better. I'm in India. They like hot stuff here. Hottest thing Ive ever eaten in my life. I nearly passed out. I went through a giant bottle of water and the waiter brought me a glass of milk. After I had recovered somewhat I explained what had happened and he graciously brought me a nice plate of lettuce that I drowned in blue cheese dressing. I assume it was blue cheese, I couldn't really taste anything. The sandwich seemed okay. Again, I couldn't really taste it. Maybe tonight I'll stick with the buffet.