A Day Before Zero

Well. This is going to be real Short. Couple of statments. Couple of Excuses. Thats it.

The very intention of starting this blog area with a post DAY ZERO is to annual the proceeding of my INDIA JOURNEY chronologically. ATLEAST ONE POST A DAY.

Oh yeah I didnot do it.

I can blame it on m y TIGHT SCHEDULE. Hell with it. I did not want to record everything and dictate myself as the craziest person on earth. Each day had a short story in it and I am just amazed and struck, So I cant write about it.

AM I STICKING TO MY RESOLUTION OF SETTLING IN US.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I Guess YES. But I could sense the loss of fervour and intensity this time.

GOD ONLY KNOWS ;)

Vish

Anna Poorna and GAZINI

After a good ride inside the city for 2 hours, finished my dollar exchange. ICICI bank visit and got tickets for Gazini.

Tip: Donot do dollar exchange at the airport, do it in some taddy shop. Say you have got 100's and now only 300 but depending up on the rates may need more. He will tell a price. SAy you are not interested, he will increase it atleast by 15p. Donot laugh, it is good enough for 2 square meals.

The same day evening I went with my family to Annapoorna Park, hogged and was still wondering on how small the bill was. My mom is still surprised, when I ordered my second coffee after the bill was paid. Man Coffee there is GOOD. At 15 Cents It is HEAVEN. (Hey Starbucks Donot STand upon me).

Gazini. Memento inspired. Sooper Songs. Sooperb Dance. Intelligent First half. Time nicely spent. Some points to be noted.


1. Theaters here are humoungous. The one I went Ragam, had atleast 1000 people.

2. You can talk to the next person. No Harm.

3. You can shout, make comments in the first half. In second half if you shouting to disturb "SERUUPU PINJIDUM" Man tht was a scene OFF SCREEN.

4. Actually figurega avlo soopera ille. My sis made sincere effort to filter and show me the good ones. Yet.

5. If you have a old driver in your home, allow him to drive. Read as Your DAD.

Thus came the end of DAY ONE.

Quite Eventful. ;)

Getting life by its HORN

Enough is Enough.

Nothing excited me as nothing changed. I was getting sick by my American Eye on All Indian things. I could realise me falling in to a trap which I normally will make a good fun off.

"Perya Pudingi ivaru. Porathathu Amajikaryele Pesare pechu mattum America born mari"

I WAS DOING EXACTLY THE SAME.

I called my sis, asked her if she is free. Who cared for her reply :P. Hollered at my dad for the car keys. Got it and went to the passeger side AGAIN. Loud laugh. Who else my dad. Loud Cry. Who else my Mom. Ignored both and got in the car.

Indica V2. Diesel. 5 Speed. Lodakku Vandi. It has been 2 years since I drove a Manual Car. First time a Diesel. :((

Pickup. Kilo enna velai. Took the car out got my sis in, warned her of my direction sense and Vroooomed.

Now your attention please.


1. In India officially you have to drive on your left. But Donot be surprised if you see Vehicles on all your sides. I will try to get a photo to illustrate my point.

2. There are Roads and There are Pit holes. Sometimes both and Sometimes later alone. Someone mistook the concept of SPEED BREAKER.

3. They honk for the way. First time I was honked I said "Sorry", then atleast 10 to 15 minutes I was feeling jumpy everytime I was honked at.

4. If you make a mistake, Donot apologise. Shout at the opponent at high decibel. Important. Shout First. It should come natural for gals ;).

5. Maintain the road at the center. It will give you a false security that "Atleast one side it is safe".

6. Donot bother to see Rear view mirror. Trust me. It will terrorize you.

7. All you have to do is concentrate on the first vehicle before you and DRIVE. Rest of the people will take care about themselves.

8. Donot put seat belt. I could see funny looks on me :(.

9. Prior expereince in Road Rash would be good. If you have option of slow speed and MAXIMUM TRAFFIC, try that mode.

10. WEll I AM SCARED.

Vish

Mom and Sentiments

All most every one of the poeple I meet and get acquinted with will be appaled at one stage at my extremities.

I am at my EXTREMES. Simplicity Bores me.

I owe this Gene to VIJAYALAKSHMI, My mom. Man she is an unused, misused arsneal. She is a primary source of shaping up my outlook on woman.

"I am bored in here. I go to temple, and go to discuss astrology and tell your sis not to fight with me."

"Vishnu, I knwo it is quite 200 pm there, Sorry to disturb you this time. Is it possible to arrange 2 lakhs in another 30 minutes, I have an open call for Infosys for 36 Lakhs"

Both the above statements were made by the same person in the span of 3 months. Especially when she made the second statement, our TOTAL net worth was half the Infy Call she was making.

OOOF. You call me an extremist. Visit my Mom. :P

Tears flowin down the street. Ore senti. Quite honestly, All things were there where expected. Not even a single change caught my eye.

Had food. Simple food.

Rasam Pathiram Same. Rasam taste same. Plates Same. Cutleries same. Rice Same. Water tumbler same.

What in the whole world you guys expect me to feel for. NO FEELINGS. I came in after 2 days, thats what I felt.

Except my mom loking like me as if jumped out of mars ;). I seriously doubt she should have been wondering, how did this humoungous thing came out of my womb ;)

Vishnu

TVS Scooty -- Bindaz ride

I dashed in straight to my Grand parents place as it was an order. Oh Boy. No changes in teh house, color of the walls, not even the plate served. They had gone thin or is it me seeing everything small.

I should warn you. Buildings that looked impressive in your younger age will be dwarf and make you wonder is this the same one or it got buried under.

india is not BIG MAC ;)

My sis was too there, trying to look like a grown up, which she can never be. After all my SIS ;)

After quick round of Vellai Color Biscuit and Murrukku, we decided to head west. My Home. I came out and my driver offered to take my Sister's scooty and leave the Amru return in the Indica V2.

Na Na Na.

Not my taste. Me and My sis Vrooomed in the Scooty. Same old streets. Same Old People. Same old wrong side driving ;)

To be honest the scooty is good, better than I left it, Think they had done an extensive rework.

Fun Started.

Vish

Day One -- Police Station Comedies

Well My First Offical Visit is to a police station. My offical fan is a 35+ year old police woman. ;)

I was too cool to the lose oof my cell phone and made occasional comments on it in my ususal sarcastic way, she was delighted that she recieved one complaint on which no action needs to be taken ;)

She praised my relationship with dad "you both look like friends"

I am not sure if she is taking a dig at my matured looks or sight adichufing my DAD which often happens :P.

OK I inherited Brain and he Looks :P


Vish

Day One

I stepped out and asked my dad where is the car. He led to me one. Ohh WOW!! I had seen this. Amby. Dear Old Amby. And this one is Really Old Amby. But it took all my luggage and I sat in the passanger seat and by instinct I went to clutch and gear, to realise I am missing the steering wheel.

Tip Number One: They have steering wheel on the right. It is not a mistake.

I asked about the connecting train and times. My dad had 2 second sitting in Kovai@0615 and 2 unreserved in Allepey@0325. There was 75 minutes to catch the Allepey, and asked the driver, if we can. He said he will try, it will take 45-50 minutes. I asked how far? he said 16 - 17 Kms.

Tip Number Two: They have donot drive fast in India. It is just too many parameters.

He was pretty fast, except the 2 Mobikes, the road was free and we managed to come in 40 minutes. We got down and was swamped by porters. His arguemnet was we are coming from US (Thanks to my labels) and why should not we give money to him. If he was not drunk, I would have hired him. I politely said a No and Thanks, tipped my driver (40%) and went in. My dear Chennai Central. People lieing all around, scartching the crotch. No pun. Some familiar smell. Yup. Urination and Excretion done without any Discretion.

Tip Number Three: Have a deo at all times in your cabin bag.

The train came and aporter who was not drunk, told we might get Second AC and he will get a trolley to get our things till the compartment and demanded 80 bucks. The train came. He went in search for a trolley, did not come for a while. I enquired the Railway police man, he guided me to station master, I woke him and he guided me to the unmanned passenger comfort office, before which the trolley came.

Tip Number Four: Trolleys are available for free in Chennai Central. Just Ask.

We went to an AC compartment talked with TTR, who said we can get a ticket till cbe. Got the seat numbers and setteled. Paid 100 bucks to my dear porter. As usual he said he did not have change. I told him "Donot Drink with this money" and paid him 100. Somehow I felt happy for making a man smile. OK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TARNISHING ME "Sarayama makkan 100 roopa kuduthanda". So what :P. It is just 2 bucks.

Tip Number Five: Think in Dollars, you can be happy and you will make others happy.

Read diwali special Kumudam and AV. Same old stories and same old Ilavasa Inaipugal. The jokes had gone stale in AV. sent some SMS and got calls back, people are atleast sounding excited to see me. Had cutlet, bread butter, koyya palam, Appam masala on train. Gave my phone to dad, who asked the driver to get the car at train arrival.
We got in CBE and got all our luggage down to realise his Cell Phone was missing. Some one stole it. :)).

Tip Number Six: Donot keep your Cell phone outside, if you are sleeping.

TTR suspected the train staff, Honestly I suspected them as well the TTR :)). He asked to mention about Railway police in front of them so they might budge. I Did. They did not. Went out and went to the police station, gave a complaint, took tons of advices and bad jokes. Laughed and gotta comment "You and your dad are more like friends"

Tip Number Seven: Laugh a lot. It relaxes you and gives you good comments.

Day Zero

The trip was plainly sooperb. I traveled via paris, just 2 flights. I was requested by a gentleman to take care of his wife and 2 children travelling alone till chennai.

Man, I guess I really donot look young and bubbly as I wish to be. Do I look like some one with whom you can trust your family. Good Grief.

But. Trust me I gel with children so wonderfully. It comes natural as some part of mine has not grown up yet. Huhh "I am 16 and I refuse to Grow up" is my USP :P.

Ashitha (or is it Avishitha Ooops ... ). This is my new friends name. She is 4 years old and an Angel. OK. Another Angel. So what :P. She slept of in my first leg so no issues. But while changing planes in Paris, we became close friends. Ok she calls me uncle. So what :P. She made a huge fuss in the plane that she will sit only with me and the whole journey we were roaming the plane as if it was a two tier AC compartment. We were buckling up in the same seat, with she on my lap against any conceivable air rules. OK. She was mistook to be my daughter and was commented too. So What :P. But when we parted at chennai, she thought she will see me again the next day and gave me a huge hug and sweet kiss. Man. She is an Angel. If somebody asks a reason for getting married. She is one.

Heard about train friends. The airplane too is one such place. Chatted with too many businessmen, professionals, retired people, children and promptly exchanged the goodwishes, phone numbers and forgot them :). But quite healthy crowd and good view points. It was fun.

Landed in Chennai, with no expectations. collected my baggage and came out to see my excited dad and my excited friend. Trust me I had no excitement. I did not miss them. It was as if I waved a bye the day before. Nothing has changed. My dad is as bald as I left him. My friend is as good as I left him. No changes. Absolutely.

Kept my first step out of the zero line at 210 in the night.

Fun started rolling.

24 HOURS

It has been exactly 24 hours since I landed in India, smelling the Anna International Airport after 2 years and 51 days. Some where in this 24 hours, something happened. Something so strongly happened that I told my parents "I might be settling in US for good".

I donot think it is a snap decision taken in a second, but I donot know what initiated the process. I told it.

But one of my prof always suggested to give a cooling period of 24 hours before bugging him with doubts in answer sheets. I did gave. Yet this blogspot.

To all those patriots who are going to pounce on me and thinking of tasting blood.

WAIT.

I do love India. I do love to be Indian. I do be proud and confidently prouder than most of the people for the very fact that I am Indian.

This blog is just a funny way of looking in to my country after a BIG gap.

Just donot lose the vein of humour, however sarcastic, however pungent it is.

Vishnu