One of the first things I did in Kerala was get an old style shave with a straight razor at an old barber shop. This was a first for me, and I gotta say, I’m a convert. There’s nothing like a smooth shave with a straight razor, followed up with all the creams and after shave lotions applied at the end. Makes you feel like a real man!

That said, there is a huge element of trust involved in letting a stranger stroke a sharpened blade across your face and so close to the jugular. I know it’s ridiculous, but I couldn’t help but think that I was in a pretty compromising position and with one flick of the wrist, this guy could end me. Then I figured that would probably be pretty bad for business and is not likely to occur often.