“Ice melts too damn fast around this joint.”

         The ‘Joint’ being referred to was India and the guy referring to it as such was an American named Max. We were drinking sunset whisky and sodas on the terrace of the Hotel Rockholm. Fifty feet below, a relentless legion of waves was crashing upon a cluster of large, rugged chocolate boulders. The sky was rummaging through her trousseau of luminous pastel evening gowns.

“Don’t get me wrong, mate” (Max had just finished a four month stint as a bartender in Sydney.) ‘It’s beautiful here. Fascinating place, India.’ (O.K. so, now it’s a ‘place’) Been traveling around India for six months. Hell of a challenge but, like I say, fascinating. Just so damn hot, though. There must be some idle cockeyed scientist who could resolve this problem of melting ice. I mean, I realize most of them are working on ways to eliminate famine and disease so that the really nifty new weapons of mass destruction that they’re developing won’t become obsolete. After all, weapons of mass destruction would be pretty useless if the masses of humanity were already dead from disease and starvation.”

         “On the other hand,” he continued, “There are those of us beyond the pale of disease and starvation who are having a pretty good time living and part of that pretty good time is a consequence of a steady supply of whisky and soda. And, a key ingredient to a good whisky soda is ice. Problem, here, is the damn ice melts before you can finish the drink.”

         Actually, there was a little bit of ice left in his otherwise empty glass where as my glass was still half full of watered down whisky and soda, but no ice. I pointed this out to him.

         “Well now, you see, that’s another problem,” he said. “Here we are amidst the magnificent splendor of the sun setting into the Arabian Sea. We’re lounging on the terrace of a charming hotel and yet, I feel like I’m in a race against time trying to finish a drink before the ice melts. I should be relaxing. Instead, I’m drinking too much. No wonder so many ex-pats in Asia are alcoholics. That’s why I say some scientist ought to come up with an ice cube that lasts longer.”

         We ordered another round of drinks and Max said,

         “On the other hand, maybe scientists ought to leave the ice cube alone…,Are you familiar with Ayurveda?”

         “The ancient Indian philosophy?”

         “It’s a science of life. There are five basic elements or principles…space, air, fire, water and earth. The Ayurveda says that cosmic consciousness exists in all matter. It is the universal energy or spirit, if you like, that is manifested in the five basic elements. Our little buddy here, the ice cube, is a classic example of this. In its solid state the ice cube is a manifestation of the earth principle. Latent fire in the ice liquefies it, manifesting the water principle and then it eventually turns into steam thus expressing the air principle. The steam disappears into space and, so there you have it - all five elements present in one substance. And…let me just have a drink here for a second…O.K. and all five elements are a consequence of the energy issuing from cosmic consciousness. So, the point is, according to Ayuveda, that energy and matter are one.”

         “So, you could say that a whisky and soda is actually an energy drink.”

         “Of course it is and I’m going to finish this one while the ice cubes are still manifesting a bit of the earth principle…cheers!”