We'll see if we can keep this going...
10. ONLY TWO KILOMETERS. This is a variation on "only twenty kilometers." "Only two kilometers" during our bypass around downtown Hyderabad meant 16 miles.
9. ONLY ONE KILOMETER. A variation on "only two kilometers," except "one kilometer" actually turned out to be five miles to our Hyderabad destination.
8. CHICKEN 65. A very spicy Indian rendition of KFC’s "popcorn chicken." Tasty! Why is it called "Chicken 65?" we keep asking. Only Narendra John has been completely forthcoming: "I really don’t know." Now we assign a different number to every other type of chicken we are served: "Chicken 66," "Chicken 67," …
7. GO AHEAD. I’LL CATCH UP. Joe’s comment to the rest of the riding group whenever he sees a photo op he just can’t pass up, which is often. He (happily) spends a lot of time catching up.
6. YOU LIKE MORE. HAVE SOME. TAKE. Even in his broken English, our driver/guide Gope can be very persuasive about pushing food. These are imperative statements--not questions, not suggestions. You will eat more.
5. NOOOOO! This is what John defiantly yells at an oncoming bus or truck that is in the passing lane and threatening to run him off the road and onto the dirt shoulder. It’s a bluff that most drivers (a) never hear and (b) would laugh at if they did. When it’s clear a driver will or must persist in taking up all paved surface, John is obediently on the shoulder like everyone else. He just THINKS he scares trucks into veering out of his way most of the time.
4. DID YOU SEE THAT BIRD? Bob’s got the team sensitized to birds, even though he’s the only one who knows anything but crows by name. The best we can do is say "did you see that bird?" and try to describe it to him. We’ve recently seen a tree full of flying foxes (huge red-blonde bats) and hornbill—both rarely observed in the wild by ornithologists (see, Bob, we know what you are!).
3. I NEED MORE TELEGU BROCHURES. The first rider says a cheery "hi!" to folks we pass by. By the time Joe brings up the rear, anyone who’s still looking with interest at our entourage gets handed—from Joe’s bike—a brochure about Umri Christian Hospital. Joe’s always asking for more Telegu-language brochures. That will change to Marathi and Hindi as we move northward.
2. WHERE FROM? Folks we pass by or who pull up beside us in the car, auto-rickshaw, or motorbike often want to know where we’re from. "Where from?" is the usual question. Another way it’s said: "What is your country?"
1. CHAI? This remains supreme in our top ten phrases. We have chai from the nearest outdoor vendor at 6:30 am each day. If anyone in the USA can duplicate this tasty hot drink and market it they could give Starbuck’s a run for its money. This is far better than anything that goes by the name of "chai" that is served in America’s coffeeshops.
Stay tuned for next week's installment of our Top Ten Phrases of the Week! Thanks for your interest & involvement. We welcome your friendly comments and questions. Check back often for updates. Learn more @ www.bikeindia.org.
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2 comments:
I am surprised that you didn't get good explanation from Indian people for the dish "chicken 65"
The real reason it is called "Chicken 65" is because the meat used is from a Chicken that is 65 days old. It is a common term among poultry for broiler type Chickens. In other words it is another way of saying "Tender Spicy Chicken"
God bless you all.
Thanks for your comment. We eventually got the right answer to the question. As you point out, it is chicken that is 65 days old. At the time, however, we were having lots of fun playing with the phrase. Tough chicken, we joked, was "chicken 665."
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