Gripevine

 Friday the 13th marked a milestone for India, not because they won a cricket championship, not because a new leader came into power or a new law was passed in Parliament. It was because four men were sentenced to hang for a brutal gang rape in December 2012 that repulsed not just India, but the world. So what is the milestone that has been achieved here.....? First was the way the men and women of India reacted to the crime, they thronged the streets of New Delhi and brought the capital to a halt as they demanded for justice. The President, Prime Minister and the top police personnel must have heaved a sigh of relief after the funeral of the 23-year-old student whom the people called "Brave heart" and "India's daughter" was concluded without incident in the early hours of Dec 30, 2012. The funeral itself was conducted under heavy security presence, in attendance were cabinet ministers and prominent politicians. When she lost her brave battle to liv...

Money makes the world go around, and nowhere is that saying truer than in India. From the moment I arrived at my hotel in Chennai, right up to the time I checked in at the airport to fly home, I found myself constantly having to dole out money for things that I would not have to pay for here in Malaysia. TIP EM! Tipping is not just the norm in India, it's the culture. As a foreigner, especially one from a country with a higher currency rate, you are expected to tip your way through your trip. If you fail to tip somewhere along the line, expect to be treated in an uncooperative manner and worse still be insulted. For instance if you forget to tip the guy at the shoe counter at some tourist area, be prepared to hear audible grumbling about stingy foreigners. This despite the fact that you had already paid to deposit your shoes there. In short you will be expected to dish out extra money for whatever service you request. That aside, there will always be helpful wannabes tagg...