Memories: The Earliest

I've been thinking about those moments ages ago - and I tried to remember which one's the earliest. I think the earliest was either watching a procession of elephants or watching my sister go off a slide into the mud. I don't know which one's earlier - both happened when I must have been around 2-3 years old. As ridiculous as it may seem, these moments are like freeze frame in my head. 

I can still see my sister wearing the striped dress with big red, white dots - she happily came down the slide without seeing the muddy ground -thanks to the rain. And, we had to go home, across the road, for her to change!

The Mumbai Kadubari Factory

It's all about my friend and his adventure:

My dear friend goes to Mumbai on a business trip and gets to stay in a pretty new hotel. One evening, he tells the autowallah to take him to the hotel, and the autowallah doesn't know the place. So, he gives directions and when they reached the hotel, he asked the auto driver if there's any other common landmark to get to the hotel. "If you say kadubaari ke saamne [meaning: near kadubaari]... everyone will know " said the auto driver. 

The next evening again, another autowallah doesn't know the hotel - so, he says kadubaari ke saamne - the autowallah goes to a few others standing nearby, they have an autowallah conference, and he comes back with a smile saying he'll take them - and took them to the correct place.

Now, this dude is curious to know about this 'kadubaari' [I bet you are too...]- asks around and doesn't get a sure answer. The day they were to move out of that hotel, lady luck smiles on him. He finds the same autowallah who gave him this kadubaari tip. The moment he gets in the auto, he asks "Bhaiyya, yeh kadubaari kya hai?" The autowallah signals him to wait, drives for a short distance and stops. He points to a building in the distance and....

Update: here's the version update from the dude himself!!

autowallah: "uthar dhekiyee.. oh compound wall hai naa... oh factory hai"
my friend: bhaiya kadubari ek factory hai???
autowallah: haa.. haaa... isko bolega cadbury... CADBURY!... yeh chocolate hai naa.. ooh banayega uthar... bahuth famous hai"
my friend: !!????!!!

Can you guess what that was? ... the autowallah says "Woh Cadbury factory hai! Chocolate factory........." :P

I found this story so funny, I still laugh thinking about it.  On top of it, he says "can you imagine what those autowallahs must of thought of me - fellow works in an IT company and doesn't even know to say Cadbury! :)

Hope you had a good laugh there! 

Disclaimer: If I got any of that Hindi wrong, please leave the correct message in a comment.

My holiday calendar

While we are all busy looking back over the year gone by, here's my holiday calendar for 2009. I finally (!) got the confirmed list of holidays for 2009 :) And couldn't wait to see how 2009 holiday scenario would be... the best bet is end of September :) I will be updating this as the days go by and let's see what this looks like at the end of 2009! Did I survive, where did I go and how much of India did I see...

 

@ Pranav, thanks for the idea of marking travels on calendar - I didn't realise the extent of 2008 travel until I did that :)

PS: If you didn't know, you can share and/or embed your Google Calendar

The new forum and me!

We got a new forum! What's the big deal? We moved over from Groups. Sounds like something you'd do with a switch in the URL. I wish it was as simple as that - after more than a month of managing this switch, making sure everyone's doing what they are supposed to do... making sure people are not doing what they are not supposed to do... running in to walls... looking into every little thing that needs to be done .... it was my first taste of managing something from scratch to launch.

Needless to say, yesterday I was like the schoolkid waiting for the exam paper - When I was in school and college, there used to be this inexplicable calm that would descend over me just 5-10 minutes before the exam. I'd close the books, just walk around and relax - that is, irrespective of my state of preparation. Yesterday was something like that - I had done my bit and made sure everyone had their AIs set - but, it was being pushed in PST. So, I'd know the result when I wake up!

And, yes, I woke up before 6am this morning - had a wash, read the Bible, and logged in around 6:30am - what a relief ...and excitement too! To see all the work done open for the world to see :)

I guess this is a kinda rant - I might come back sometime later and edit this - but for now, am resting after those hectic weeks! It is a breather before phase 2 begins... As they say in my team, this one is Christelle's baby... ya, been mine - we've hit the first milestone... soon, we'd be working towards our next steps!

Just for now, I'd look back - and smile... and tell myself, all that's needed is Patience and Perseverence :)

Dudhsagar Falls, Goa - By Road

It was a long weekend and we decided to go to Goa for 4 days. Day 3, we decided to go up to Dudhsagar Falls, 60 km from Panaji. It was as unpredictable as it could be – riding along railway tracks, crossing streams, my great fall – by the end of the day, I’d say it’s definitely one of the crazier trips.

From Goa, travel along NH4A towards Ponda – proceed towards Molem beyond Ponda. Once you reach Molem, watch out for the signboard for Colem. You’d turn right there and ride to the end of that road (about 7km). You’d find a number of guides/pilots willing to take you on a bike (for about 360INR). They are not the best people to ask for directions – they are more interested in scaring you in to riding their bikes.

We decided to go on our own and turned left – thankfully, there were some very helpful local folks who gave us directions. Before I get on with our route, a couple of pointers - There are a number of routes to the falls and the easiest would be to take the train to the Dudhsagar station. The road looked quite used (relatively) - still, not your normal road. Be prepared for some tough and careful riding. If you are not game for riding, you should take one of the guides along or take the train ride. It was a moment of relaxed riding that resulted in my head injury. Enough of scares – let’s get on with the route!

Turn left at the Dudhsagar board at Colem and find your way to the manned level crossing. As soon as you cross the railway tracks, you’d find a mud road going up to your left. You should leave the tarred road and get on to the mud road into the bushes. When you go up the mud road, you’d reach an unused railway track. This unused railway track will lead you to a path right next to the railway track in use. You’d reach around the 49/500 or so signboard. Keep riding till you reach 46/000 and 45/900. You should also find a milestone that has 51 on one side and 50 on the other. Around that spot, you should look for a bridge beneath the railway track. Look for the steps leading down – you’d also find a path for bikes. Riding down that path will lead you right into the stream flowing below the bridge.

As long as it is not monsoon, the stream should be crossable – it was hardly ankle-high when we crossed it last weekend. Once you cross the stream, that path would join another road at right angle. Turn right at this road and ride on – it is not a short ride from there – at least 10kms, I’d say. Somewhere along this road, I had my near fatal fall – resulting in 4 stitches. Please ride carefully!

The mud road, with slopes – up and down – and stones, big and small – will be your riding challenge. Keep riding till you reach the board that points to the falls, and refreshments (a closed shop).

It is quite a short walk from there to the falls. You'd cross the water a couple of times before you can get right in front of the falls. It is one trip where the journey is much better than the destination (purely, my opinion). In fact, if you are game enough to walk 14 km, it would be one of the nicest walks you’ve ever had.

The Valkyries

And each man kills the thing he loves,
By all let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword.
(The Valkyries)

What do you think?

That odd moment!

I hear the rain and soon the power goes off. Dark. Quiet. I hear the rain a lot clearer, the thunder too! The lightning is brighter - no artificial light to pollute the scene. I stand at the door and watch - the rain I can hear but not see, the lightning I see but can't hear, the buildings bright at a distance, the neon lights burning atop the building on the main road, the headlight odd vehicle lighting up the street below, the headlights of vehicles on another road leave designs on another wall...

...just another night to go, and I'd be gone...the building would get taller, the lights brighter...

Where?

That's the question rolling in my head right now. After a very different trip to Kolad, now am wondering where to go for the long weekends in October. Having trouble making up my mind and finding company :( Too bad!

<end of rant>

10 years ago...

... CMC, Vellore was a part of life

...I sat watch over someone dear - I got to know what it's like when you just can't do anything to make things better :(

...I finished school - got out with 84%

... It was my first month in college

... I travelled long distance alone, for the first time!

... I didn't have an email address :O [crazy, but true!]

...I don't remember spending time online at all!

That's the year of 1998!

Two things prompted this post - one, I found the Visitor card used in CMC and, two, I'd written Aug 22, 98 in my Bible [most probably, the day I got it!]




So, what were you doing?

Complicated water!

The other day, we decided to go out for a team lunch. Three of us left ahead of the others (another three!) - and were supposed to have ordered started before they came in. We enter the restaurant, and I found myself walking oh-so-carefully - the place was so dark, you couldn't see your feet! We dutifully follow the guy leading us, get to our table and...

The guy: Ma'm, would you like to have some water?
My friend: Yes, please!

The guy: Normal water or mineral water?
My friend: Mineral water

The guy: ... ... ... ... Aquafina

My friend: ...hmm...
[Me was busy listening to this conversation and reading the menu. Turns out neither of us got the first 3 brands!]
Me: Sorry, can you please repeat that?
The guy: ... ... ... Aquafina
Me: Aquafina, please
[Am never gonna get those other names! Later, I got to know, one of the missing three was Avian]
The guy: Sure ma'm [disappears into the darkness]

Two minutes later... he comes with two bottles of Aquafina - one normal temp. and the other chilled water!

The guy: Is this ok? [points to the cold bottle - wants my friend to check the temp!]
My friend: We don't want cold water...

Another 5 minutes go by before we have water in our fancy glasses! Can you imagine someone really thirsty walking into a place like that! Maybe, just maybe, next time I should learn to say 'Normal room temp. water' or 'cold Aquafina' - all for a glass of water!

A minute later, the other three walk in and the first question was 'have you ordered starters?' We'd ordered, but not starters!!

Tabs!

Am I glad they have tabs in browsers? With my vertical Taskbar close to getting full with all the open browsers/documents etc., I was clearing up the open windows - closing the ones not needed right away... and realised I should count how many tabs I've got open in my browser - somewhere between 20 and 30 - after closing a bunch of 'em!

Kolad - River Rafting

Two lazy weekends and I wanted to get out! I knew a group of colleagues were going to Kolad - a place known for river rafting on the Kundalika River. But then, I hadn't signed up for it because I tend to travel in smaller groups - it's pretty much been a group of two to four over the last 2 years. And as the week wore on, I was getting restless and my friend, who was going along convinced me to try when I said some people are dropping out! A mail and a ping later, I was on!!!

The train gave a lot of opportunity to get some slow shutter photos. The next morning, we got in to the bus and headed towards Kolad. We headed straight to the rafting spot - and soon we were listening to the safety instructions. I'd say that was the scariest part of it all! Example: If you get under the boat, kick with all your might! Ouch! It looked quite precarious to sit on the side and not in the raft - but once we were in, I realised it was a lot bigger than the average bench you'd find at a roadside tea shop!

A practice session and a splashing match was going on while we waited for all the rafts to get in to the water! The guides were definitely better at throwing water - and our guide threw water on us as much as he threw on the others. Soon, we were out in the river - it was sunny and someone wanted rain. Soon, it didn't just rain - it poured cats and dogs. Got to say, being on a raft in the middle of a river, next to rapids - is one of the best places to enjoy the rain. The only thing I missed was my camera - couldn't risk taking it along :(

Once we were on the much calmer side of the river, they encouraged us to get off the raft and into the river! Not exactly something you’d want to do if you didn’t know to swim. But then, they pretty much dumped you off the boat – so, yes, for the first time in my life, I was in the water – floating, thanks to the life jacket. I’ve got to thank Pranav, the helping hand, who went out of his way to help me feel comfortable in the water – nice to have such people around you.

Soon we were out and were heading towards our resort – our bus stopped at the end of a road and we had to travel the rest of the distance in a jeep. It was indeed one of the most memorable transport (not the most comfortable, mind you!). A rusty, rickety jeep with seats coming apart – and, on top of it you go racing on a bumpy mud path with another jeep in equally bad shape! Weren’t we happy to be out of it!

A quick wash, lunch – and I wanted to get out. So, off we went – me, Sandeep, and Kiran – walking down a path to the river. Kiran was the one spotting all those little things – me dutifully following him to the subjects :) That reminds me of another – Satish – the ever helpful friend of Ram & Sandeep. He’d always find subjects for our cameras!

We were back soon and it was tea-time. While we were waiting for the rest of the group to gather for another walk, we had tea and took more pictures. I got one of my favorites from the trip – a macro of a flower.

Soon, we set off for another walk – a much larger group this time.

Other than the river and the rafting – nothing much out there. On the whole, a good place for a relaxed weekend. This trip was more about people than about photography :)

Quick notes:

Walk around the place – you can get close to the river too. A word of caution there – always one foot at a time! The river looks much shallower on the surface.
Be prepared to get drenched – quick-dry clothes, footwear that dry easily, and a dry bag for your electronics.
Get your directions before you leave – the places aren’t marked really well and mobile networks aren’t perfect out there. You’ll have to rely on the directions you have and the locals

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Rain, tea, and flowers

It was a last-minute decision - to join the river rafting trip. This picture is one of my favorites of the lot. You know why?



It reminds me a lot of things... the little things of the trip. It was a place where you could never predict the rain - it pours, it stops, its quiet... and it starts all over again! In spite of it, we sat there outside sipping tea, watching people play volley ball and shoot at the lone basket. There was this brown doggie around the place - nuzzling everyone in hope of some food. Chit chat. Chase the dog. Watch the sky. Observe.

Me, my camera - "what's your camera?" they ask. Wow for the SLR. I walk around with my jacket over my camera bag - I'd rather get wet and keep my camera dry! It is a crazy world!

The sky darkens. The terrace beckons - we leave the drops on the flower and go to the river. We didn't really leave them behind, did we?

When it rains...

I cross a river each day...Yup! There's gushing waters :P on the way to work!

It takes an hour to get to the other side of the HiTech(!) Railway Station underpass - no, there's nothing hitech about the underpass - it's just the name!

Thankfully, I don't drive to work - watching the cab make it's way through is like a thriller movie -will that guy sneaking up on you get ahead of you.... without bumping into you, the car ahead of you, or the one on the right...

The earth seems to move so much - there are gaping holes all over the place! And, I used to think Hyd has fantastic roads... duh!