When the masks come off…

After socially distancing for so long, it’s going to be hard to adjust to post-pandemic life

Over the last year, Covid has been the one thing ruling all our lives. The months of lockdown made us hunker down at home, washing our hands and sanitising with a certain manic energy, wiping down surfaces and rubbing doorknobs clean, as if our life depended on it. We stayed away from family and friends, socially distancing for fear of contracting and/or spreading the virus. And slipping on a mask when we left home became almost second nature to us.

But while all of this may have kept us safe, it also left us scared. Not just of the virus, but of our fellow human beings. Instead of seeing people as friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, or just mere acquaintances, we began regarding them as a clear and present danger. They became – in our mind – less human beings with whom we had a relationship and more disease vectors who might kill us if they got within breathing distance.

There was no question of hugging and kissing anyone in greeting. Even a handshake was potentially life-threatening. Instead, we went in for jocular elbow bumps while surreptitiously checking if the other person’s mask was covering both nose and mouth (spoiler alert: it hardly ever was!).

But now that Covid numbers are trending down, and the pandemic seems to be on its way out, we have to find a way to reconnect with the significant humans in our life. We have to learn to share a meal, give a hug, sit in close proximity, kiss someone goodbye, without breaking into a nervous sweat or obsessing for days after that we may have, in fact, contracted Covid.

Speaking for myself, I am finding it incredibly hard to slip back into the rhythms of pre-pandemic life. Even at gatherings where I know that everyone has been tested in advance, I tend to keep my mask on, as a measure of abundant caution, taking if off only when I am eating or drinking. I have still to have a meal with any of my friends, even though I know that they have been religious about isolation and mask-wearing and are, therefore, no danger to me. And when I do go out to eat with my husband, I panic when a fellow guest comes up unmasked to say hello. At a rational level I know that we cannot get infected in a couple of minutes; and yet, my entire body tenses up until that person leaves the table.

INCH BY INCH

We have to take baby steps to gradually expand our Covid bubble

It’s the same when I go out for a walk. I keep my mask on throughout, but even so my heart skips a beat when I pass by groups who have decided to leave theirs off, or just wear them as a jaunty chin covering. Yes, we are outdoors; yes, we are in contact only for a few seconds; yes, the Delhi Covid numbers are vanishingly low; and yet, my fear of contracting the disease persists.

So, what’s the solution? How do I get over my overwhelming fear of other people and go back to a modicum of normal life?

Well, I guess the only way to do that is to take baby steps. Which is why I have resolved that over the next couple of weeks, I am going to gradually expand my Covid bubble.

First on the cards is a quiet dinner at home with a couple of friends who have been as diligent about following the

Covid rules as us – as good a way as any of easing myself back into the world of socialising without getting completely overwhelmed. Next, I am going to venture into conducting work meetings in person rather than on Zoom – masks on for the most part, but off when we dig into the obligatory coffee and cookies. And then, there’s the family reunion my sister and I have been fantasising about for months.

At some point, I guess, I will have to try and get comfortable with the idea of meeting strangers without masks as well. But those days are still far into the future.

As I said, baby steps…

NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC SEEMS TO BE ON ITS WAY OUT, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO RECONNECT WITH THE SIGNIFICANT HUMANS IN OUR LIFE

The views expressed by the columnist are personal

What happens when you take a standard BMW 3 Series sedan and stretch it by 120mm? You get the 3 Series Gran Limousine, a more spacious and comfortable take on the original, aimed squarely at chauffer-driven owners. Stretching a car to liberate more space in the rear seat is an age-old formula that works quite well in India. Mercedes’ long-wheelbase E-class for one has is the favourite in its class, the Skoda Superb is purposely built on a long wheelbase for greater legroom in the back and then the S-class, 7 Series and A8 are sold here in long-wheelbase form only. Even SUVS like Mercedes GLE have benefited from being built on a longer wheelbase.

The best-selling BMW in India was the 3 GT, whose main selling point feature was the extra leg room it offered over the standard car. This augurs well for the 3 Series Gran Limousine, which replaces the 3 GT but doesn’t have the same quirky looks.

At first glance, the Gran Limousine looks almost identical to the regular 3 Series and it’s hard to tell the two apart unless you park them side-by-side, where the difference in the length is noticeable. From front it’s almost impossible to tell the two apart except on some variants of the limo version, which have more bling on the nose.

Cabin culture

The Gran Limousine’s long rear doors open wide, which makes it easy to access the welcoming cabin. BMW has absolutely aced it with rear seat comfort, which is truly exceptional. The seat cushioning is finally judged – not too hard and not too soft, with lots of generous bolstering all-round. But the real kicker is the well-designed back rest, which despite being fixed, seems to be set at just the right angle. The large windows and massive sunroof brighten up the cabin and make it feel even roomier than it is. BMW has even added strips of mood lighting on the seat-backs for that little bit extra ambience.

What’s missing though are rear sun blinds, which in our climate you need to cut out the blazing sun. Despite this being the coolest time of year, the air-conditioning had to work hard to chill the cabin, which puts a question mark on the air-con’s performance in the summer months.

Move to the front and there’s no big difference between the regular 3 Series and this long-wheelbase car. The supportive front seats with an extendable thigh support is carried over and its easy to find the ideal driving position. The open pore wood inserts on

LONG STORY SHORT

The Gran Limousine’s long rear doors open wide, which makes it easy to access the cabin

the dash aren’t polished as on the regular 3 Series and there are a couple of other small enhancements like acoustic glass, new Cognac-coloured leather trim, a bit more chrome on the dash and steering wheel, and a more powerful and richer-sounding 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Overall, the cabin has been tweaked more for comfort than sportiness and that’s something that extends to the way the longer 3 Series drives as well.

Behind the steering wheel

Within the first 100 metres of driving the 3 Series Gran Limousine, you can immediately feel the effects of the longer wheelbase and softer suspension. It has a suppleness you only experience in larger and plusher cars and the way it soaks up bumps and ruts is very impressive. This limo version doesn’t feel as sharp as the regular 3 Series and it doesn’t dart into corners with the same verve either. But it’s still a BMW at its very core and the fun-to-drive factor that defines the brand hasn’t been dumbed down greatly.

THE DIESEL SOUNDS A BIT GRUFF, BUT THE SMILE-INDUCING PUNCH IT DELIVERS OVERSHADOWS ITS FOIBLES

A pair of strong engines power the limo version; a 2-litre 190hp diesel and 258hp petrol. These are the same proven engines that power a wide range of BMWS, the regular 3 Series included, but it’s the diesel that I prefer over the smoother and more refined petrol. Yes, the diesel sounds a bit gruff, but the smile-inducing punch it delivers overshadows its foibles.

The `51.5 lakh starting price, which is a cool `4-5 lakh more than the equivalent standard 3 Series maybe a sticking point for some. But, those vital extra square inches you get for the money is what makes all the difference. The 3 Series Gran Limousine is easily the most comfortable car in its class and it’s great to drive too. For the price of one, you get the best of both worlds.

The views expressed by the columnist are personal