The mother of all crossings at Shibuya- Japan Day 6

The previous post in this series is here..

After visiting the electronic city, we were going to Shibuya crossing to experience the worlds most not so pedestrian pedestrian event..

There was a request from the ladies to stop two train stations earlier and walk through a market which had beauty supply stores in Harajuku area. There was yet another uniqlo store there and me and my friend both got more pants (dont ask!). There was more eye rolling from the ladies and we made a mental note that sometime an extra suitcase purchase was required before the return trip.

we did stop by a few stores to get an idea of suitcase prices and made the long walk from Harajuku to Shibuya. We spent a good 30 minutes at the crossing, going from every point to every other point with the crowd and taking pictures and time lapse videos. Was very proud of the group for holding as still as possible for the time lapse videos.

Then we tried to get food there but we were not lucky. I was also reminding that group that while they could always get something to eat in the hotel (there was a Sizzlers and Starbucks at the Tokyo dome which some group members were eyeing since we checked in), I had to deal with wet clothes that needed laundry. So off we went to the hotel. While everyone else went for dinner, I ate a packet of Parle G biscuits, grabbed change and went to the laundry in the 7th floor. Waited there for 2 hours and by the time the clothes dried and got back to the room at 11 everyone was asleep.

While we were in electronic city earlier, our driver for the next days event called us and asked us if we could be ready by 4:30 AM the following morning. We told him “no way” and said 5:30AM was the best we could do.

the video highlights of Shibuya crossing..

We were to get up at 5 and be outside the hotel at 5:30. So I came back with the laundry and crashed.. Day 7 was going to be interesting..

Dream Job

Many a time when the daily routine got too stressful, San and me have had conversations that run something like this:

Me : I am tired. My health is going. Enough with this house/school district/money business. My parents gave me a good education. We can try to do that without this expensive school district thing or anywhere in the world. Let's retire. Or at least let me retire..

San : Can you come back to the real world please?

Me : Why can't I just start a drive through shop which sells only four things.. Maggi noodles, samosas, Chai and filter coffee? We can make a living doing that? no?

San : Where?

Me : anywhere on I-5. you will have a queue a mile long.. trust me!

San : usually shakes her head and walks off or says something to the effect of "by tomorrow your head will cool down and you will be back to work"

Recently we found a dude who is doing my dream job..

On a route between Rohtang pass and Manali, there is a guy who under a simple yellow tarp canopy makes simple omelet sandwiches and Maggi Noodles!

Hot noodles when it is really cold outside! Unfortunately he makes no Chai/Coffee to go with this. Still it is a pretty good deal for 30 rupees a plate.

Mochu's Cafe on the gate behind IT-BHU in Varanasi, used to be a favorite Saturday night hangout for us because our regular mess halls would be closed Saturday. Mochu would make us a plate of Maggi noodles for 5 rupees between 8-10 PM only. A big aluminum vessel where maggi was constantly added and removed.

Some of us south Indians would call it Mochus "Akshaya patram" where he kept coming up with noodles for a large crowd. He also sold us cheese sandwiches (2 nicely cut triangles with Amul cheese) for 2 rupees and Chai for 1 rupee. In winter when you see your breath condense in front of you, the hot Maggi would taste divine.. just divine.

In close to 20 years the Maggi plate price has gone up 6 fold, but the good news?

The taste has stayed the same!

ps. In the audio you can hear my FIL ask me :

Is it clean?

I say "the seat is clean".

He then tells me "not the seat.. the plates and spoons" and I say "you can't expect much here. The noodles is boiling. the hot noodles will kind of take care of the plate.."

funny how I switch cleanliness standards when we travel in India.

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