The problem with this world is globalisation. Recently I travelled to London on holiday and was going to stopover at Dubai where my three-year-old neice Anika lives. Most of my London trip was spent thinking about that perfect gift I could buy for her.

I looked high and low and then some. Finally running out of time and tired of stomping through the streets of London, I zeroed in on a toy that I thought would make the perfect gift for her. I paid good money and then immediately regretted my decision.

The weight of this toy was backbreaking. And in the absence of being able to afford a cab, I had to lug this huge toy to a tube station. My only consolation I thought was the look of happiness on little Anika’s face on receiving the gift.

Alas, the wickedness of globalisation put paid to my well-laid plans. After I reached Dubai, while paying a perfunctory visit to a mall there, I saw the exact same toy displayed. There was a minor price difference but apart from that there was no difference.

This is the problem of now travelling to most parts of the developed world. The same chain stores are everywhere. And they are laid out in the same malls. The joy of shopping and bringing back memories of the countries visited is now lost for you just buy high street brands that are now everywhere.

Next time, wiser by this experience, it may be better to just not buy gifts. Or buy them locally.