There's a Pranab in the petrol tank!

I was hoping to cheer myself up a little by revisiting some happy images from my Taipei trip. Just to take my mind off the petrol price hike, which is unprecedented and indecent. What's the bet Pranabda will pretend to 'bow' in front of mounting public pressure and announce a lower hike. But even at an extra 5 bucks a litre ( it's a little more than 7 tonight), car owners may just take to the streets... and it isn't just the rich who own cars in India, remember.

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Before my thoughts turn any darker and murderous, let me take you through these pics. Most of them are of the W Hotel in downtown Taipei. In keeping with the irreverent W philosophy, most services start with the letter 'w'. The bar you see is called 'Wet'( clever!) and 'WHATEVER'' is the aluminium sign that greets people in the lobby.The place is so wired and cutting edge, nearly everything is remote controlled, including the potty. There are panels with buttons for bodily functions - angle of the derriere on the toilet seat, pressure, temperature of the seat, temperature of the bidet water. Why, the smart potty second guesses whether you want to pee or....terribly daunting!

The view from my window was pretty impressive - I could see the iconic '101'tower, which was the tallest building in the world till Dubai's Burj Khalifa beat it. And now even the Burj Khalifa is second to the Skytree in Tokyo.

I have never ever been to Japan. This is a huge loss!! My friend Anita Pratap has invited me... and I am most tempted. It does seem absurd. I love the cuisine, culture, Kabuki, Kurosawa... what's there not to love about Japan? Where I am headed next is Croatia. Can't wait!