Though I was born in one, I never lived in a small town before. My life is full of Mumbai, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Cairo, Dubai, Jakarta.....So when I shifted to Doon there was excitement and apprehension. Plus of course those questions from friends and relatives about "How is life in Doon"
So here is my answer to all. A list of what relates, frustrates and ingratiates me to Doon. It's not in any order nor is it comprehensive. Just what comes to my mind instinctively.
Morning tea and newspapers is a distant dream as newspapers are never delivered before 8 AM.
Public sector has better product than private sector.BSNL broadband is far superior to Tata DoCoMo or Airtel.
Summer is over and the split AC slots and pipes are still lying unused.
The longest dry spell in the last six months was two weeks.
If you speak in English you must be a NRI.
If you speak in Hindi you have not studied at Doon school or Welhams.
If you don't speak you are not from Doon.
I have lost count of the number of private colleges I see in and around Doon. No wonder, there are more Gyms here than I have seen in Gurgaon.
Morning walk at 5:30 am could mean a pedestrian traffic jam. 6:30 am would give you more elbow room.
You can see Rooney, Gigs, van Persie Tees everywhere. Manchester United store opened here more than 3 years ago.
Children love schools so much that most have six days a week classes.
It is difficult for private sector to find talent here. What with ONGC, FRI, Geological survey and various other public and government sector enterprises offering the worst pay packet but "no work" culture
Smart, young, non pot bellied cops on mobikes recording your traffic infringements on digicam and booking you on the spot. No we aren't talking about NYPD. It's the Dehradun Traffic Police Flying squad.
BMC or GMC must borrow the book "Road Maintenance inspite of heavy rains" written by DMC experts. (B= Bombay, G= Gurgaon, D= Doon)
The areas with the narrowest roads are the most posh and expensive.
Two wheeler drivers bully the four wheel drivers.
Traffic jam on Rajpur Road does not mean that Mussorie has an influx of tourists. It means Pacific Mall parking is full.
The place is a botany student's delight.
Every local is an expert in Botany.
Rain on the left side of the road and sunshine on the right is a normal feature.
I have seen more complete and perfect rainbows in my last six months than I have seen in my whole life.
The way children say Namaste with pride and confidence makes Hello sound so unpatriotic.
Vegetables have a distinct taste, no I am not talking about the taste of pesticides or pollution.
Yes, we buy locally grown vegetables. And yes we pay the same price as in Gurgaon or Mumbai. Indian Standard Price, you see.
Sorry, unlike Mumbai only seasonal vegetables are available.
There are mangoes beyond Alfonso too and better than Alfonso too.
I can technically be floating on clouds; they do come down low enough to meet us mere mortals.
Driving to Mussorie is quicker than driving to Defence Colony from Gurgaon; except on long weekends when the whole of Gurgaon and Defence colony descends on Mussorie
My housing complex is in a designated rural area so it has a talaab and an akhara.
Solve this riddle. My electricity connection is to a meter which on records is attached to another apartment. That apartment has a meter which has no name or address. The electricity board officials tell me that the meter in my apartment name which is a third meter cannot be traced. So how do I get a meter in my name?
No local (me included) goes to the famous tourist spots. They are not interested in seeing the filth left behind by the tourists.
Oh and before I forget, Doon has a spa hotel which charges Rs 35,000 per night. But no one in Doon has heard about it and everyone in Gurgaon and Defence Colony has.
Ok folks, Did you know Dhoni got married here in Doon. So tell me Dhoni, are all small towns similar to Doon?
So here is my answer to all. A list of what relates, frustrates and ingratiates me to Doon. It's not in any order nor is it comprehensive. Just what comes to my mind instinctively.
Morning tea and newspapers is a distant dream as newspapers are never delivered before 8 AM.
Public sector has better product than private sector.BSNL broadband is far superior to Tata DoCoMo or Airtel.
Summer is over and the split AC slots and pipes are still lying unused.
The longest dry spell in the last six months was two weeks.
If you speak in English you must be a NRI.
If you speak in Hindi you have not studied at Doon school or Welhams.
If you don't speak you are not from Doon.
I have lost count of the number of private colleges I see in and around Doon. No wonder, there are more Gyms here than I have seen in Gurgaon.
Morning walk at 5:30 am could mean a pedestrian traffic jam. 6:30 am would give you more elbow room.
You can see Rooney, Gigs, van Persie Tees everywhere. Manchester United store opened here more than 3 years ago.
Children love schools so much that most have six days a week classes.
It is difficult for private sector to find talent here. What with ONGC, FRI, Geological survey and various other public and government sector enterprises offering the worst pay packet but "no work" culture
Smart, young, non pot bellied cops on mobikes recording your traffic infringements on digicam and booking you on the spot. No we aren't talking about NYPD. It's the Dehradun Traffic Police Flying squad.
BMC or GMC must borrow the book "Road Maintenance inspite of heavy rains" written by DMC experts. (B= Bombay, G= Gurgaon, D= Doon)
The areas with the narrowest roads are the most posh and expensive.
Two wheeler drivers bully the four wheel drivers.
Traffic jam on Rajpur Road does not mean that Mussorie has an influx of tourists. It means Pacific Mall parking is full.
The place is a botany student's delight.
Every local is an expert in Botany.
Rain on the left side of the road and sunshine on the right is a normal feature.
I have seen more complete and perfect rainbows in my last six months than I have seen in my whole life.
The way children say Namaste with pride and confidence makes Hello sound so unpatriotic.
Vegetables have a distinct taste, no I am not talking about the taste of pesticides or pollution.
Yes, we buy locally grown vegetables. And yes we pay the same price as in Gurgaon or Mumbai. Indian Standard Price, you see.
Sorry, unlike Mumbai only seasonal vegetables are available.
There are mangoes beyond Alfonso too and better than Alfonso too.
I can technically be floating on clouds; they do come down low enough to meet us mere mortals.
Driving to Mussorie is quicker than driving to Defence Colony from Gurgaon; except on long weekends when the whole of Gurgaon and Defence colony descends on Mussorie
My housing complex is in a designated rural area so it has a talaab and an akhara.
Solve this riddle. My electricity connection is to a meter which on records is attached to another apartment. That apartment has a meter which has no name or address. The electricity board officials tell me that the meter in my apartment name which is a third meter cannot be traced. So how do I get a meter in my name?
No local (me included) goes to the famous tourist spots. They are not interested in seeing the filth left behind by the tourists.
Oh and before I forget, Doon has a spa hotel which charges Rs 35,000 per night. But no one in Doon has heard about it and everyone in Gurgaon and Defence Colony has.
Ok folks, Did you know Dhoni got married here in Doon. So tell me Dhoni, are all small towns similar to Doon?
