Some observations and helpful information for travelling, understanding, living and being in India:
Monkeys = Kangaroos
Squirrels = Possums
Camphor = Eucalyptus
Tourist vehicle = Taxi
Anything with wheels = Transport: auto rickshaw, cycle rickshaw, private vehicle.
Fee for service = 'I'll find out where it is after I've told you it's Rs 200 to get there.'
Expresso = Cappucino
Cappucino = Latte
Latte = Flat white
Coffee = Nescafe
Coffee or tea = plus milk and sugar (lots)
Half set = A 2 1/2 cup pot of tea or coffee with sugar and hot milk on the side.
Full set = Is probably 2 pots.
(Caution: This works well until you order tea in a Tibetan community, where tea no sugar gets you salted tea, and if you get that sorted, tea with no sugar or salt, is black.)
Mineral water = Bottled water.
Water = Stainless steel jug, brought to the table with glasses. Generally filtered and quite okay to drink, just use your best judgement depending on where you are.
Butter toast = Very lightly toasted, that is warm, bread with butter in a spoon.
Curd = Yoghurt
Toned milk = Pasteurised milk with the cream skimmed off. Water and skim milk added to prevent separating. Low fat and not homogenised.
Full Boiled = Hard boiled.
Half Boiled = Soft boiled.
Boiled Egg = Confusion. Best to just be surprised.
2 pieces = 2 eggs
Cutlery = Numerous spoons per person, per dish, various sizes. Often wiped clean with a thumb prior to table setting.
Parantha = Bread
Chipatti = Bread
Roti = Bread
Naan = Bread
Kulcha = Bread
Bhatura = Fried bread
Puri = Fried Bread
Dosa = Crepe
Appam = Crumpet
Uttapam = Pancake
Idli = Dumpling
Dahl = Dahl
Dahl fry = Dahl, but swimming in a bucket load of ghee.
Party Crackers = Jatz. Beware of brands containing sugar, jeera, masala etc.
Jeera = Cumin. (It's in everything.)
For food in general, if you see something you want on another table, point and order it there and then. Don't try to order it later by describing ... or order at your own peril.
For example, what started off as one chipatti, with a fried egg on top, and spiced potatoes on the side, with tea no sugar, ended up as a masala omelet between two chipattis, and salted milky tea. The omelet was excellent. We gave the extra chipattis to one of the beggar children along the road, and the tea ... well Brian valiantly tried to acquire a taste for it, this being his second encounter. Me? No.
Opening hours = 10 am 'ish til 9 or 10 pm
Closed for Lunch = 2 pm til 3.30pm
Geyser = Hot water system inside the bathroom, with or without a shower.
Deluxe = Standard (as for hotels and buses)
Semi-Deluxe = Marginal
Standard = Go with the masses and take your life in your own hands.
Head wobble = Yes or no, and often 'I don't know, but I'll tell you something anyway.'
Self service = Order at the counter and often pick up from the counter.
Fix price no tension = No bargaining
Fixed price = maybe or maybe not, but assume yes, and often you're offered up to 15% off anyway.
This list is a work in progress.
Monkeys = Kangaroos
Squirrels = Possums
Camphor = Eucalyptus
Tourist vehicle = Taxi
Anything with wheels = Transport: auto rickshaw, cycle rickshaw, private vehicle.
Fee for service = 'I'll find out where it is after I've told you it's Rs 200 to get there.'
Expresso = Cappucino
Cappucino = Latte
Latte = Flat white
Coffee = Nescafe
Coffee or tea = plus milk and sugar (lots)
Half set = A 2 1/2 cup pot of tea or coffee with sugar and hot milk on the side.
Full set = Is probably 2 pots.
(Caution: This works well until you order tea in a Tibetan community, where tea no sugar gets you salted tea, and if you get that sorted, tea with no sugar or salt, is black.)
Mineral water = Bottled water.
Water = Stainless steel jug, brought to the table with glasses. Generally filtered and quite okay to drink, just use your best judgement depending on where you are.
Butter toast = Very lightly toasted, that is warm, bread with butter in a spoon.
Curd = Yoghurt
Toned milk = Pasteurised milk with the cream skimmed off. Water and skim milk added to prevent separating. Low fat and not homogenised.
Full Boiled = Hard boiled.
Half Boiled = Soft boiled.
Boiled Egg = Confusion. Best to just be surprised.
2 pieces = 2 eggs
Cutlery = Numerous spoons per person, per dish, various sizes. Often wiped clean with a thumb prior to table setting.
Parantha = Bread
Chipatti = Bread
Roti = Bread
Naan = Bread
Kulcha = Bread
Bhatura = Fried bread
Puri = Fried Bread
Dosa = Crepe
Appam = Crumpet
Uttapam = Pancake
Idli = Dumpling
Dahl = Dahl
Dahl fry = Dahl, but swimming in a bucket load of ghee.
Party Crackers = Jatz. Beware of brands containing sugar, jeera, masala etc.
Jeera = Cumin. (It's in everything.)
For food in general, if you see something you want on another table, point and order it there and then. Don't try to order it later by describing ... or order at your own peril.
For example, what started off as one chipatti, with a fried egg on top, and spiced potatoes on the side, with tea no sugar, ended up as a masala omelet between two chipattis, and salted milky tea. The omelet was excellent. We gave the extra chipattis to one of the beggar children along the road, and the tea ... well Brian valiantly tried to acquire a taste for it, this being his second encounter. Me? No.
Opening hours = 10 am 'ish til 9 or 10 pm
Closed for Lunch = 2 pm til 3.30pm
Geyser = Hot water system inside the bathroom, with or without a shower.
Deluxe = Standard (as for hotels and buses)
Semi-Deluxe = Marginal
Standard = Go with the masses and take your life in your own hands.
Head wobble = Yes or no, and often 'I don't know, but I'll tell you something anyway.'
Self service = Order at the counter and often pick up from the counter.
Fix price no tension = No bargaining
Fixed price = maybe or maybe not, but assume yes, and often you're offered up to 15% off anyway.
This list is a work in progress.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.