Break from life as i know it……

Starter

25 – 27th December,Mumbai

Actually, it started with Christmas night, with Silky coming in with the idea of a late night drive and we ending up in Barista…..chocolate excess….. :)

Some work, some study, one exam,a vroom drive back from college, pizza, choco lava and the mood seemed to be setting in…..

Another walk/ drive (within Airoli!!) for the 3 of us…….

What to do on New year was the question……original plan was rejected (too expensive), plan B got cancelled (mom dad decided to stay back), Plan C was in action (Trek, adventure sport….)…..then someone said, original plan was good….and we decided, we are going!! Bus tickets booked in a blink. Hotel ka dekha jayega….. Clint (4th member) informed ………his response……WTF???

Well, next day even hotel is booked…..

the break is on…….

The Break,

Monday, 28th December 2009,Mumbai

Got up at 11, like a lazy goose…….had lunch, spoke with parents, TV, slept again…..

& for the longest possible time, i did not check my mail…….then i did…..

Then went for movie, “3 Idiots”, with Bhargav (who was also on what can be called as a break)……

Contrary to popular belief, its not a very good or great movie, its just a set of funny jokes and situations pretending to give some message……

Tomorrow, we push off…….. :)

Tuesday, 29th December 2009,Mumbai

Nothing new happened, slept, woke up, slept, ate……….. :)

Nice cricket – SA v/s Eng, England batted well to get a over 200 run lead and then dismantled SA reducing them to 76/6…….i missed that part because someone gave a surprise visit….. but that’s fine, it had been a long Btime…..

And now i am off to Goa!!!!

Wednesday, 30th December 2009, Goa

Here we are…….me, Clinton and Bhargav…..and in true Goan style, walk to the hotel from the depot just because we have all the time in the world…..reach, check in, settle and move on……looking for bikes…..not available…….car??? not available……or for 3K/day, if you want……take a ric…..100 bucks to Colva!!!! Take it anyways…..

Clint wants flip flops, but he doesnt get any……..they are asking 150 bucks for a piece of cut out rubber he wont even use again!!! Not buying it…..

Colva beach……Boomerang……go sit…order some Carlsberg, Paneer Tikka, Seekh Kabab, 2 sandwiches, and god knows what not, after all we sat there for about 3 hours….doing nothing…… just looking around…….indians, foriegners, all kinds…..see for yourself….

After walking around the beach under a cloudy sky, next we push off to the CCD nearby….(after the auto guys told us they don't serve bhikaris, cos we refused to pay up 120 bucks to the city. Never mind) We could do with some cold cofee……

and then to the hotel…..

Me  and Clinton both knew a great place each where we  could eat……as we walked there , it turned out to be teh same place….Lounghinoes…..as laidback as place in Goa can be….if you dont call out, they will not attend you (On 1st, we left when our calls went unheeded for about 20 mins) …..the biryani was a bit dissapointing, but the caramel custard was yummmmmm…….

Head back to hotel, time to sleep……wats the time?? 10.30!!

You are on a real break if you dont know wat to do with all this time…

Thursday, 31st December 2009, Goa

Early in the morning, we are told the car we hired isn't coming. (The receptionist was pretty sweet about this, and even otherwise.) So off we go to Colva – our plans for the day depend on whether we get a vehicle or not.

Anyways, Savio was the savior, and his santro was ours….great, off we go looking for Varca Beach……but not before going about 10 kms in the wrong direction, but the road heading to Palolim beach was a joy….we decided to return there the next day….

Varca beach can be described in one word….pristine…..clean, empty, untouched by the crowds, mostly foreigners (not the drugged out bozos, proper, well fed,well behaved ones..)

We had a dip in the clear water, while Clinton napped (he says so, difficult to believe given the heat and all the beachwear clad people around!) ….before eating lovely Punjabi food…..

Akash joined us in the evening and we came back to South Goa, chilled out for sometime and headed for Calangute/ Baga beaches….the supposedly happening places……

Well, we know better now….

Had it not been for an obliging policeman who arranged for parking (at a price,ofcourse) we would have welcomed 2010 in the car struck in some traffic jam….but on actually reaching the beach (where the entire world and their friends were already present) it was a bit disappointing…..we had a feeling we messed up the new year, until we decided to enjoy the situation…….and it was fun…….never mind the occasional drunk you bumped into……or the repeated songs which everyone seemed to love so much….

 

 

Happy New Year brother was the sentiment, since most people did not know who the other person was……

 

Friday, 1st January 2010, Goa

The plan was to be up early and head for Palolim ……but we woke up by 12 and plans changed…..me and Clint headed for the market, Akash and Bhargav went to get the licence….then we headed to Varca for another afternoon of doing nothing…… :)

After dropping Bhargav and Clint for their bus, we came back in time for the sunset and some contemplative solitude, if you know what i mean, while Akash went trigger happy snapping waves,trees,beach,anything….. 

It was all very peaceful till an Indian ran after stray dogs who were provoked by his pet dog……one foreigner lady got into the act, “You are a moron, are you??” The guys wife, “Get back to your country, you b#%*#”, some others join in,  till one elderly uncle calms down everyone…….

Some of the things discussed during the day included how would we react if our wives insisted on wearing bikinis/beachwear, the life of a waiter, camera angles and zooms and so on…..

Another early night…….

Saturday, 2nd January 2010, Goa

Got up in the morning to find Akash missing….turned up after sometime….was trigger happy again, snapping chapels, buildings, roads…..anyways, last day in Goa and we head for a lovely drive to Palolim……another pristine but a bit crowded beach….fairly good, decent people, honeymooners, families, kids……soothing…..

Well, then that was it, and after another afternoon of doing nothing, we headed back to Margao….Savio took the car back without noticing the non functional horn or the broken/stuck together  nunberplate, but he noticed the slight red scratch…..

and so after 4 lovely days, we are all set to say bye to Goa….

But not before Akash has made a 1000 attempts at catching the sunset from the moving bus!!!

 

Eventful ride home with some expensive tasteless food, 2 smart kids behind talking all the time and their father puking all night….

Getting back……

Sunday, 3rd January 2010, Mumbai

Back home, decided to rest (or the word Clint hates ,chillax!!)…….and did just that…..from tomorrow….

Back to life, as i knew it…..

What i have been feeling…….

Joy

Hearing Jagjit Singh live, sorry Pamabhushan Jagjit Singh.

I asked Bhargav, what does one need to do to get that Padmabhushan in your name.He said just set out the difference in physical and mental soonapan – empty space and loneliness. (for the uninitiated ; JS did that in reference to the line – aakash ka soonapan, mere tanha man main…)

Learnt some urdu as well – khuld is heaven, vayas is someone who doesn't drink alcohol and maikhana we always knew…..but realised understanding the language is really important to enjoy the music.

Fun

Driving all around when mom dad were away in Jhansi – the best being rushing back from Bandra Bandstand to Airoli at 2 in the night, 21 minutes flat.

Cant describe

TA directors meet last saturday – Clinton is here and it was hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…….lets say one of the best afternoons, evenings and nights i have had in a loong loooong time……

somewhere in between, we also sat through a movie called Avatar – good to look at…….

Mindf^%&*d

You know why………same old shit….

Irritation

Some people are so damn dumb, they dont realise whats good or bad for them….

Funny

Waiting at the airport, waiting for someone. and thinking.

I dnt think apart close family and friends, anyone will understand why a tired me would borrow dad’s car and travel all the way for someone who’s described as a good friend…….samaj would enjoy such instances!!!

I’ll survive

The last trip to Bangalore…...a very old sher gives me hope…..

“Surkhuru (successful) hota hain insaan, thokre khaane ke baad.

Rang laati hain henna, patthar se takrane ke baad”

In essence, al the effort will pay…..

In hinsight, thats not very comforting – it was all labour, mindless, no value addition

Surprise

I showed up at a madrasi marriage reception despite exam an all!!! The host, the guest, and other guests are all wondering how come i showed up…… but one should try to honour a genuine invitation from a friend....

But Akash is wondering why he went all the way with me just to sit in the car!!! :)

Anger

Anyone would when people refuse to accept their fault and put all blame on you…….. and believe me, there is a mela of such people

in some cases, i am expected to be God, i’ll know things without being told and then i am expected to make last minute arrangements

In some cases, i am given multiple ideas, each one better than the previous one…..and rework……

Sometimes others decide for me whats essential or primary for me…..

And in my position i am always wrong!

You know, i just want to be a parent and a boss….i’ll not be wrong in most cases!

Anxiety

Some serious proposals have come in……jaane kya hoga baba re……

Plus, i have shortlisted Fiat Punto, Maruti Swift Diesel and Tata Indica Vista (a Tata is never out of my list) as one of the cars i plan to buy next year…..but the way things stand, i am not sure if i’ll be able to……..

Bravado

Exams – have we taken them too lightly??? or have been smart? time will tell……

Mixed feelings

Akash moving on to tackle good opportunities…..great!!

but that leaves me alone to handle my bike problems, PC problems, Accounts problems, doing all the listening in college, doing all the listening outside college, office problems, other issues, opinions, movies, mocha and rude, girlfriend problems, friend problems , developing contacts, routing information, social club problems……….and so on.

Anyways, all the best mate!!!!!

It felt nice

To see Nish is happy finally with a job and all…..

To meet up with old friends in Bangalore….

& flirting with new ones!!! :)

It felt great

The coffee sis made at her house – sweet and strong!

and the fact that she is actually independent!!

It feels lousy

To get up in the morning ……..

To find a reason to work – no , “they are paying you” has stopped working……

Most of the other things……

Enough. Just thought someone may be interested in knowing.

Smart.....

Taj Mahal would not have been so beautiful and long lasting if Shahjahan also would have called for quotations and decided for the lowest - On a pipe manufacturer's website

Some quotes by Sachin Tendulkar…..

A friend sent some quotes by the Master…..read on…. 

My big sister gave me a bat after returning from a trip to Kashmir, which is known for its high-quality willows. It wasn’t the best bat, but it was like a piece of gold to me. I used to imagine myself batting for India, hitting fours and sixes, the people cheering. I used that bat until it broke

I was the only one supporting John McEnroe — everyone used to call me “Mac” because I styled myself on him. I made my father buy me the same headbands and sweatbands and even grew my hair long. You wouldn’t believe the pictures of me from that time. I was also extremely naughty. Very, very difficult to handle. …I had a nanny who used to run after me virtually 24 hours a day, because I never wanted to go home.

My father, who died in 1999, was never a cricket fan, not at all. He was a writer and a poet: he taught Marathi, my mother tongue, at the local university. But he understood exactly how to get the best out of me. He always encouraged me and told my mother that he had full faith in me. It was probably reverse psychology, but as I got older I felt like I could not misuse that trust. He warned me against taking short cuts and told me to just keep playing, despite the ups and downs. My parents taught me that it is important to live every day of your life with grace and honour. When it came to choosing between cricket and going to university, he said: “You can play cricket, I know that is your first love, so go for it.” Of course, my parents were extremely happy when I became the youngest player to play for India, at 16. ..

Cricket is something very, very special to me. It has never been about owning this or that car and the other things that come with this life. An obsession with money or worldly matters was always thumbed down. My only dream was to wear the Indian cap and the Indian colours. In that respect, my childhood dreams have come true…..

Having children brings back all my old childhood memories, wonderful years. Now, every minute is measured and calculated. I still dream — without dreams, life is flat, you stagnate. I don’t go to the temple every morning, but I do pray. I thank God for everything he has given me, because life has been very good to me

Tendulkar, now in his nineteenth year in international cricket says, “I still play… because I still love the game. I would like to clarify this. It’s not about records. It’s all about loving the game and enjoying being out there in the middle. That is extremely special to me and far bigger than breaking records or creating new ones.”

Creating records happens after you’ve gone on the cricket field, but you’ve got to find a reason to go on the cricket field, and for me the reason is very clear.

From the age of three I’ve loved this sport and I’ve never thought about scoring the most number of centuries or runs in international cricket. Everyone enjoys breaking records, I’m enjoying it too, but that is not the reason for playing cricket.

“Whatever level you reach, getting better never stops,” Sachin Tendulkar said. “When I started playing, I always wanted to be regarded as one of the best and the idea was that when I stopped playing, people would remember my name. Being regarded as one of the best players is always a good feeling, and that drives you, it refuels you completely. You want to be on top of your game all the time and push yourself harder and harder. There’s a huge responsibility and it is a great challenge. I love that,” he added….

Tu kahi bhi rahe…….

Singer : Ghulam Ali        Poet : Sabir Jalalabadi

Tu kahin bhi rahe, sar par tere ilzaam to hai
tere haathon ki lakeeron mein, mera naam to hai

Mujhko tu apna bana, ya na bana, teri khushi
Tu zamaane mein mere naam se badnaam to hai

Mere hisse' mein koi jaam na aaya, na sahi
teri mehfil mein mere naam, koi shaam to hai

Dekh kar logg mujhe naam tera lete hain
iss pe khush hoon, mohabbat ka yeh anjaam to hai

Woh sitamgar he sahi, dekh ke usko 'Sabir'
shukr hai iss dil-e-bemaar ko aaraam to hai