Brown Motion

A particular incident in Trivandrum highlighted the nature of customer service available today to middle class Indians. I was on a budget as I traveled the south of India and had decided to spend in the $35 to $40 per night range for air conditioned accommodations in any of the medium size cities I was visiting.  Due to undue tourist interest in certain locales some properties commanded premiums but for the most part either through smart negotiating and help of some of the unknown contacts that had pre arranged my lodging at a discount I was able to hit my target range.  Now comes the service part.  My last stop on the way back to Pune involved a night in Trivandrum.  When I showed up for check in there were two demure gals in traditional Indian sarees to welcome me to the hotel.  They began by mumbling a whole bunch of something that I could not follow. Now I know my hearing is probably going - forties and all but I swear they were below 20 dec...