I think I'm turning Indian?

It seemed like the going rate for an Indian passport was a few weeks in the Himalayan sunshine, Rs/30 for a genuine Kula hat from Himachal Pradesh, being able to order two strong white coffees without sugar - in Hindi, and successfully fending off touts, auto drivers, beggars and omnipresent 'venders' with various levels of; no ... nahi, ji nahi, nahi chahiye, or just a plain flick of the wrist.

Partial confirmation of said return on investment was forthcoming in Dehradun, Kanwali Road Medical Store to be correct, at the time of Australia levelling the One Day Series with India, when the local storekeeper had to enquire whether said gentleman in Kula hat was actually from HP!

Drought followed on the plains.  In Gurgaon, whilst our friend Amit thought I had acquired the mental equivalent of Delhi Belly, his wife thought the shown pick from Dehradun was of an individual of striking Indian-ness.  Perhaps she was just humouring her house guest, or taking advantage of an opportunity to present her own point of view.  Who knows?  The mixed messages being received were as consistent as road directions to anywhere in India.  Nowhere else can 1.5km appear as close as 200 metres walking distance as in India.  But I digress.

Sixteen hundred and sixty something kilometres is a fair way from Delhi to Hyderabad, whether you're on foot, auto, or going by Indian Railways.  The latter advises arrival after a mere 26 hours, but the truth has to allow for some margin of error, on the upside of course.  Plenty of time to get acquainted with the local fellow travellers.  Eight berths.  Nine persons.  That doesn't compute, but DG has her own take on why conventional maths gives way to the Vedic version in such circumstances.

After a friendly round of intros, shared snacks, and jokes about the value of six precious pieces of cheese pakora for Rs/ 30 from the Indian Rail food walla, the conversation turns to the justification for eating meat, with the bearded Muslim in seat 15.

Clearly I haven't understood that God has designated man as the superior 'animal' to all the sentient beings, and thus to survive, has the right to kill other animals for food.  Reincarnation?  Yes, he believes, but to whether with his belief system it's only in human form, not the edible fish, mutton, chicken form?  I get no answer.  Cows are off the agenda too, at which point the three way conversation between the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist, is endeavouring to get to the bottom of such complex life questions.

Agreeing that each holds their own different position, a ??? world peace is obtained.  So simple really.  Perhaps if our political leaders would spend less time on shuttle diplomacy and more time in IR Sleeper Class, we'd make some progress and agree on something.  Just as the intrepid travellers did.

Flicking through the iPhone photo file I find a ???? of a Kula hatted gentleman.  The response is unanimous.  Indistinguishable from the Chief Minister for Kashmir.  The pendulum of Indian-ness has swung back in my favour.

Further proof however comes from the carrier of all messages, India Vodafone.  I now no longer receive text prompts from them in English ... but in Hindi.

Namaste!