Uncertainty Over

Shekhawat (in green) insists on going to Bangkok-Patayya

The Bangkok Tour is on. All uncertainties over it taking off in November were lifted today when we were informed that more than the requisite minimum of 20 have signed up for the tour. Prominent among them are Kiran Prakash, Bihari Milwani and his wife, Nahid Siddiqui, Pushpa Gupta, Naseem Khan and of course, Bhaswati Bose. They have all paid the advance for their flight tickets, thereby confirming participation.
This is however, the first step in a series of formalities we shall have to abide by for our first overseas tour from the Club. After securing the best airline deal (based on which the exact dates of the trip would be fixed), the next step would be to obtain confirmation on hotel bookings and local travel, both in Bangkok and Pattaya.
There is also the detail of travel insurance and only after that, can we venture into applying for a tourist visa. Clearly, there will be many a slip between the cup and the lip and in the event of rejections/ dropout, a back-up of 10-odd names on a ‘waiting list’ is being drawn up. (In fact, there

The tree falls upon a car (photo courtesy Siba Prasad Maitra)

are many who want to go, given the attractive economics of the tour, but their passports have not yet come through.) Should all go well, the contingent will balloon to 30 members.
In all this, a big question mark hangs over Shekhawat. He was actually the one to have initiated this tour, but his health has let him down of late. It is not even a fortnight since he has come out of a critical medical procedure, but he is now gung ho, eager to go to Bangkok-Patayya. Much as nobody wants to exclude him, prudence (and more importantly, his wife) demands he does not risk his life by going on the trip. A clearance from his doctor (also required for his travel insurance) should settle the matter.
Meanwhile, a tree crashed in the neighborhood due to the rains, causing panic in the Garden. Newspapers and TV are full with reports of people getting crushed to death under falling trees in different parts of the city. Dilip and Kajal Babani rushed home to check. Banoo Apa informed she had to crawl her way through the fallen tree which was blocking her path.
Siba Prasad Maitra has sent us this picture (above left) of the devastation he was witness to early morning.

Geeta Latte:
Best of luck dears... 👼💐👍