Fuel price puts the brakes on fun

INDIANS are a social race. They love family gatherings, whether it is a prayer, birthday, wedding or a funeral. ‘

They will not miss an opportunity to spend time with and support family and friends.

Indians also love to entertain and they do it in a big way – though there is a trend among the younger generation to have smaller functions. But in all these functions food is the key ingredient to happiness.

Meat is not served at Hindu weddings.

To make up for this, it is customary to have a party the night before where guests can drink and eat meat dishes to their hearts’ content.

We must not forget the watering hole at Blue Lagoon, which has been a popular chilling out venue for Indians. It has also been a popular picnic spot for families on Sundays and holidays.

But then came Covid-19. It turned our lives upside down.

All fun ended abruptly. For two years we endured lockdown restrictions. We could not go about normally, attend functions and socialise for fear of contracting the virus.

The worst affected were weddings and funerals.

As the Covid-19 restrictions dragged on, life became unbearable. While holed up in our homes, we were bored to death.

The booze ban added to our misery.

But there were many people who kept the boredom at bay by trying new hobbies.

Some took up gardening, home improvements and other DIY projects.

Just when we all breathed a sigh of relief that the worst of the pandemic seemed behind us and life could return to normality, another crisis loomed.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine sent the oil price soaring.

Not only has the cost of living gone up, but it has also put the brakes on travelling.

Motoring has become too expensive and those of us who were in the habit of doing unnecessary errands now have to curb our shopaholic behaviour and watch the fuel gauge instead.

Sunday family outings, a favourite pastime for the Indian community, have become a rarity. We have to think of petrol and mileage before we decide to visit a distant relative in Tongaat or Umzinto.

T MARKANDAN

Kloof