Travel
This week’s featured nonsense
A 50-year-old man’s guide to Vande Bharat toilets
July 27, 2026
Since summer holidays have begun, I have travelled by Vande Bharat a few times – to Bangalore, Mysore, and right now, I am on my way to Madurai. In my younger days, train journeys were simple. Now everything has changed. Vande Bharat is not a train. If you have been in one a few times,
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My mother boards an airplane for the first time in her life
I have realized that I am not the only threat my family can offer to pretty air hostesses. My mother is far better at grounding the careers of air hostesses. … Read more
Reluctant husband goes on a picnic with wife’s friends
Four nights back my wife turned towards me in bed and stared at me. Having been married to her for the last six years I knew this was a dangerous … Read more
Flirting with an air hostess with a baby in hand
This is the story of me flirting with an air hostess with a baby in hand and my wife in tow. Here is how it happened – My daughter Rhea, … Read more
How Dawood Ibrahim almost got arrested from his hide out in Madurai
When miracles happen too often, they cease to be miracles. The opposite is also true. When you start traveling less and less, every travel starts seeming like a miracle. That … Read more
The six stages of an amazing Indian Railways train journey
It isn`t without reason that Railways has a separate budget. No, it isn`t because Indian Railways Ministers have always wanted to have a wallet (or a purse when it was … Read more
Traveling to Manipal & delivering at TEDx
I was in Manipal to give a TEDx Talk recently. Find more details about it here. The experience was exhilarating to say the least. It all started with an innocent … Read more
My trip to South Africa – Part 2
If you haven’t read My trip to South Africa – Part 1, I request you to read that first. This post is second in the series. – – – Part … Read more
My trip to South Africa – Part 1
As always, everything written below this line is exaggerated to make you laugh. If you aren`t able to laugh after reading this…try a smile instead. If you find smiling difficult, … Read more
Meet you in Cape Town, South Africa
Those that were impacted by my last trip to a phoren country will now be shuddering. That`s, if I told them about my forthcoming trip to Cape Town in South … Read more
Packing – only to unpack
Packing one`s luggage is an art. Especially since, as the old Tata Indica advertisement proclaimed, we love to carry the World with us. The Tata Indica ad is so true…when … Read more
Jammy’s performance in Leh, Ladakh
ibibo`s top management (which surprisingly also includes me) was in Leh, Ladakh for five days recently. Half of the time was spent closeted inside a conference room defining future strategies … Read more
The wonders of Google!
In early November 2007, I had traveled in an Air Deccan flight from Chennai to Delhi. As always happens with me (and compulsively so!) I wrote a funny piece of … Read more
My flight back to Gurgaon, alone
The Gods have been good to me so far. Today, I made a discovery which I think being a God fearing gentleman, I should share with the rest of the … Read more
My adventures – Chennai to Gurgaon
Finally! This post is to announce my arrival in Gurgaon. The city is all gur and no gaon. At about 9.15 a.m. on June 25, the pilot of the 6.15 … Read more
Difference between train and aeroplane – first time flyer guide
Since fewer people than earlier are going in for plastic surgeries after defaulting on their credit card and loan payments, one can safely assume that the Indian Economy is booming. … Read more
Lateral Thinking – 2
A man waved a cloth and another man died. Why? Update: Answer 1: The man waving the cloth was announcing the start of a duel. As soon as the cloth … Read more
Train-ed Romance
Central Station, ChennaiTrain Number: 2601Train Name: Mangalore MailDate & Time: 9 Feb, 8:15 p.m.Destination: Kannur, Kerala 8.30 p.m. I have just installed my Reliance data card, and believe me…it lives … Read more
And then, one year flew by
This post is dedicated to an ardent reader Himani Sahni of Gurgaon who will be celebrating her birthday on January 31. Last year, she had mailed me requesting a funny … Read more
Airport Security: Don’t take it personally
By Melvin Durai Melvin Durai is an India-born, North America-based humorist, writer and occasional stand-up comedian. His humor columns, acclaimed for being both funny and thought-provoking, are carried regularly by … Read more
Inside the Jet Airways flight
Last evening I left Mumbai by the 7.50 p.m. Jet Airways flight and reached Chennai. I want to share with mere mortals like you, a small encounter I had with … Read more
The Kingfisher Class – Part 2
Since The Kingfisher Class – Part 1 was first written, I have traveled by Kingfisher Airlines twice. On all the three occasions, I had fun. Come be a part of … Read more
The Kingfisher Class – Part 1
I never knew red could be such a pretty color. I realized the beauty of the color after seeing the pretty Kingfisher air hostesses clad in red mini skirts with … Read more
Traveling – the things we will miss in future
When I went to Madurai, I went alone. It was quite an experience traveling alone after being married for two years. Let us call this Jammy`s Law (like Bouyle`s Law) … Read more
Cheap airlines and cheap thrills
On Friday I flew back to Chennai. The cheap airlines might have brought ‘flying` to the masses but they have also taken off the royalty built around flying. At 5 … Read more
I have arrived. At the airport
Now it is the time to answer my own question “Why am I telling you about my airplane high-jacking incident?” Answer: I have arrived in life. I have booked a … Read more
I have never sat on an airplane
I promise. The first time I tried, they said I shouldn`t sit ON the plane. The last time I tried, they said there were no vacant seats available. I remember, … Read more
Lessons from traveling
They say traveling makes one a broadminded person. In my last 3-4 days in Hyderabad I have gained a lot of broadmindedness. First and foremost, never ever empathize with the … Read more