David's AW News: The Conspiracy Guy.

Greetings and Namaste from the Red Fox hotel Delhi.

I hope you had a fun-filled Halloween!

I didn't plan to be here (in Delhi today) but things happen that you don't expect. (see below).

Little North/South correction.

Last week I was telling you about our very peaceful time in North Goa.. If you missed it you can catch up here... as my good friend in Goa quickly spotted, I had made a big mistake! My humble apologies.. I should have written South Goa. South Goa is peaceful and still underdeveloped, North Goa is like an Indian version and more hectic version of Benidorm. Party zone and noisy. They still have beautiful beaches (so I'm told) but not as tranquil and unspoiled as you can find in the South. 

We have this system where we invite our suppliers to visit us in Goa, they stay at the hotel we use and can bring only a limited range of samples. In peace and quiet we can carefully access the goods, make our modifications, organise our design team and then.. after making our PO, we head to the beach to watch the sunset and eat fresh fish with our friends. This week we have seen three different suppliers. Much less stressful than working in Delhi.. except..

Well all good things must end and Tomas had to leave on Wednesday, he got a flight to Dubai and after a short break will head to the UK. Yesterday Mr Chatterjee and I went to the airport together, me flying to Delhi to catch an onward connection and Mr Chatterjee back to his hometown, flying to Kolkata. As always an emotional goodbye. It's Diwali in India, the festival of lights. It's all peace and love, and everyone dresses in new beautiful clothes and greets each other with "Happy Diwali" on every interaction.  So nice, the airport staff and crew all have the Diwali spirit..

Here in India it's all Love, Lights and Laughter. 

In Europe it's all Ghouls, Ghosts and.. Laughter.

All Ghoulish AW folk..  

And as usual the AW teams were having fancy dress competitions..

The Spanish team is celebrating their best month ever.. in Ghoulish fashion.

UK team.. the warehouse team too stressed and busy to take part, but accounts dept and marketing got in the spirit.

Hope your Halloween was as dramatic and fun.

Mine turned out to be a bit goulish.. 

So In Goa airport after wishing lots of perfect strangers "Happy Diwali" and saying goodbye to Mr Chatterjee I boarded a Vistara flight to Delhi. So very nice, I had the best food I have tasted on a plane, complete with Diwali chocolate fireworks.. and nice friendly staff.

Slightly strange chocolate fireworks.. 

Brutal News..

Then we landed in Delhi, only short lines at the immigration.. security took forever because the staff were in a jolly relaxed mood, but it was ok.. then to the business lounge, one of the best. I have four hours before my flight, so I open my laptop, grab a glass of wine and catch up with some work. I wish several random fellow travellers "Happy Diwali" which seems to bring so much pleasure to folk that it's addictive. Then I'm just thinking about going to the gate, when my phone pings.. "Your flight has been cancelled".. just that. No explanation or apology.. not even: "Happy Diwali, your flight has been cancelled". Just those brutal words.

I go and check the screens, everything seems normal. Maybe a mistake so I go and ask the chap at the reception.. who agrees it must be a mistake, but he phones Vistara office for me, and confirms it's true. But what to do..? 

To cut a long story very short.. it turns out that the flight was very light, maybe 50 people, some of whom were at a party of very rich Delhi people who were expected at a wedding the next day. An American lady had a similar story.  We settled down and kind of bonded in adversity.. 

The Conspiracy Guy

One guy (IT programmer) reckoned that because the flight was so light they had cancelled it to save money and the next day's flight would accommodate. A conspiracy theory that got everyone angry and upset and fights almost breaking out on the concourse.. A manager finally appeared and assured us it was a machine failure and nothing to be done..  We had been in the dark for three hours not knowing if we had an alternative route or not. Conspiracy theory man suggested they had kept us in the dark until the last flight to Singapore (where there are many connections) had departed.. This got everyone upset and angry again. Lots of pushing and shouting.

After a while I noticed the same manager at the next gate.. I wandered over to chat, wished him "Happy Diwali" - I said boy you have the toughest job in the world. He said but what can we do? Machine failure can happen anytime - I just do my best. 

Later they took us out of the airport, cancelling visa exit stamps, then to collect our luggage from a belt. Some luggage didn't come.. Conspiracy theory man, said this was on purpose to delay us further..more shouting..

Then we all trooped with our luggage (most of us) to a small ticket office with that manager and two staff to issue new flight tickets and hotel accommodation.   I'm standing on one side patiently.. just observing.. After a while someone quietly passed me a hotel voucher.. can I go now? I asked. Thinking I can get a taxi myself.. which I did and ended up getting a bit scammed by, but I made it bed..

So now I'm writing this update from the breakfast room.. this hotel is budget style but not bad at all.. nice friendly staff and all my new friends. We are all resigned to our fate, enjoying the experience for what it is..  I can't see the conspiracy guy, but I'm just reflecting how much a conspiracy can cause stress, upset and trouble. Words in the wrong mouth can be so dangerous. 

November is here.

Yes it's really November... wishing you a lovely weekend.

Check out all the new Indian stock.. so much coming it's quite exciting. And much more on the way.

Namaste, Happy Diwali .. Christmas is coming..

Relax and roll with it.. 

Take care.

David