It did not take me much time to go for the first trip of this tenure here in US. The first weekend itself my roomies wanted to go to a water theme park and I did not say no. After all, it is at their mercy that I can see the places around as I don't own a car. Hmm, I have to take the license and take a car fast. Otherwise you will become too dependent on others...
And this theme park was further north, on the way to Niagra. They did not chose Niagra as they both have been already there. When they are going there again, they want to go with a tourist visa to Canada also so that they can visit Toronto also. And they told me that Niagra is beautiful from Canadian side...
The thing about going north is that it gets colder, and the things were not different here also. The first ride that we took was a water ride and what else to say! That sort of took the steam out of me. I started shivering as soon as I came of water and that shivering continued as I was standing in the queue for the next roller coaster ride. I don't blame the first ride completely for this as there was the added ingredient of nerves before the first roller coaster ride for some time...
The ride was named as Predator and it had a warning written in front that people with back pain, High BP, heart disease etc should not take this ride. But little did I realize that my back will get such a pounding from that ride. It was the worst ride that I have ever been. Not because it was less scary, but it was hurting physically also. Now, that is something that I have not experienced in all the rides that I have taken till now...
Did kayaking for the first time in my life here. It was a nice experience especially trying hard to move it forward in a straight line... :-)
Err, did I mention that I skipped most of the high thrill rides as I was a little scared??? May be not. You know, sometimes somethings are better left unsaid...
And altogether it was a nice first weekend Saturday back in US...
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Back 2 USA...
Over confidence is not that good, afterall!
In my last trip here, I had no issues at all in reaching the destination. I reached my friend's house in San Francisco, without bothering him at all. And I thought, "Hmm, I am really good! I did not face any problem in doing things that were all first time for me, including boarding a flight!". While going back also, everything was so smooth that, I concluded that traveling is just a 'Baye haath ka Khel' for me...
Little did I know that, these were the things that happens not because I am good, just because I was lucky enough...
This time, the flight was at 3.00 AM from Bangalore and I realized the first mistake, I did not have a pen. I had to wait till some one sitting next to me in the waiting lounge to complete his immigration form. And this cost me precious time as I realized that the queues in all immigration counters were getting longer by the second. I some how scrapped through it to find that the flight is delayed one hour. Suddenly, I realized that the biggest challenge for me is to stay awake so that I can listen to the announcement to board the plane. I did that somehow thanks to some energetic kids running around shouting...
I didn't even know when the flight took off from Bangalore. It had a stop in Mumbai and then we left for Frankfurt. On the way, somewhere around vienna, I could catch a glimpse of land below, and Boy, that was beautiful. Europe is indeed beautiful. I wish I get a chance to visit Europe some time. Okay, I agree that I am luckier than most. But then, there is no limit to human greed...
I Frankfurt, we had to get off the plane as some cleaning had to be done. I took my hand bag and went for a walk inside the airport, came back and realized that the flight will be one hour late because of some technical snag. I tried to spend time immersing my face in a novel "Catch 22". I had bought it during my first onsite trip, still have not crossed the page 40. I suddenly found myself looking around the waiting lounge (Not vayil nottam...).
Finally the flight took off and reached Chicago 2 hours before my connecting flight to Rochester. I thought there is plenty of time. But by the time I got both my check in bags, I found that I am only 30 minutes before time. I some how, reached the United Airlines counter and they asked me to leave my checkin baggage there without checking in and run to catch the train to the domestic terminal. I reached there 15 minutes before time and was shocked to hear that there is no way I was going to catch my flight.
I was some what relieved when the boy at the counter told me that they will allow me to take the next flight to Rochester without paying even a single penny more. I was happy. At least nothing bigger happened. They it suddenly hit me that my luggage will be send in the first flight. I got anxious and informed him the same. He told me that he will send a message to the check in dept if I can give a description for both of my bags. I gave the same and he send it out...
Through out that flight, I was tense about the luggage. I reached Rochester and was waiting to recieve the luggage. The tension grew and after some time, I saw the grey suitcase coming out. I was so relieved, I went running took the bag and kept it along side my hand bag. But, there was no sign of my red bag. I waited and waited. Then I suddenly realized that there are no more bags coming in. I was left wondering what to do next. Then I saw a pretty long queue and I came to know that none of them had recieved their luggages. I also went and stood in the queue.
One guy in the queue had 8 of his bags missing. I don't know how he managed to check in 8 bags. Then there was another guy, who was missing only two bags. But it was not his bags which had gone to wrong destination, but himself. He somehow boarded the wrong flight and reached here. No wonder, he did not find his luggage as it had already reached its correct destination.
I lodged a complaint and I realized that my bag had gone for a trip to Richmond, Virginia. After two days I recieved my baggage. I am just happy that I atleast was able to catch my correct flight. Err... Am I getting overconfident? No God, Please dont teach me another lesson!!!
In my last trip here, I had no issues at all in reaching the destination. I reached my friend's house in San Francisco, without bothering him at all. And I thought, "Hmm, I am really good! I did not face any problem in doing things that were all first time for me, including boarding a flight!". While going back also, everything was so smooth that, I concluded that traveling is just a 'Baye haath ka Khel' for me...
Little did I know that, these were the things that happens not because I am good, just because I was lucky enough...
This time, the flight was at 3.00 AM from Bangalore and I realized the first mistake, I did not have a pen. I had to wait till some one sitting next to me in the waiting lounge to complete his immigration form. And this cost me precious time as I realized that the queues in all immigration counters were getting longer by the second. I some how scrapped through it to find that the flight is delayed one hour. Suddenly, I realized that the biggest challenge for me is to stay awake so that I can listen to the announcement to board the plane. I did that somehow thanks to some energetic kids running around shouting...
I didn't even know when the flight took off from Bangalore. It had a stop in Mumbai and then we left for Frankfurt. On the way, somewhere around vienna, I could catch a glimpse of land below, and Boy, that was beautiful. Europe is indeed beautiful. I wish I get a chance to visit Europe some time. Okay, I agree that I am luckier than most. But then, there is no limit to human greed...
I Frankfurt, we had to get off the plane as some cleaning had to be done. I took my hand bag and went for a walk inside the airport, came back and realized that the flight will be one hour late because of some technical snag. I tried to spend time immersing my face in a novel "Catch 22". I had bought it during my first onsite trip, still have not crossed the page 40. I suddenly found myself looking around the waiting lounge (Not vayil nottam...).
Finally the flight took off and reached Chicago 2 hours before my connecting flight to Rochester. I thought there is plenty of time. But by the time I got both my check in bags, I found that I am only 30 minutes before time. I some how, reached the United Airlines counter and they asked me to leave my checkin baggage there without checking in and run to catch the train to the domestic terminal. I reached there 15 minutes before time and was shocked to hear that there is no way I was going to catch my flight.
I was some what relieved when the boy at the counter told me that they will allow me to take the next flight to Rochester without paying even a single penny more. I was happy. At least nothing bigger happened. They it suddenly hit me that my luggage will be send in the first flight. I got anxious and informed him the same. He told me that he will send a message to the check in dept if I can give a description for both of my bags. I gave the same and he send it out...
Through out that flight, I was tense about the luggage. I reached Rochester and was waiting to recieve the luggage. The tension grew and after some time, I saw the grey suitcase coming out. I was so relieved, I went running took the bag and kept it along side my hand bag. But, there was no sign of my red bag. I waited and waited. Then I suddenly realized that there are no more bags coming in. I was left wondering what to do next. Then I saw a pretty long queue and I came to know that none of them had recieved their luggages. I also went and stood in the queue.
One guy in the queue had 8 of his bags missing. I don't know how he managed to check in 8 bags. Then there was another guy, who was missing only two bags. But it was not his bags which had gone to wrong destination, but himself. He somehow boarded the wrong flight and reached here. No wonder, he did not find his luggage as it had already reached its correct destination.
I lodged a complaint and I realized that my bag had gone for a trip to Richmond, Virginia. After two days I recieved my baggage. I am just happy that I atleast was able to catch my correct flight. Err... Am I getting overconfident? No God, Please dont teach me another lesson!!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Adieu Mr.Woolmer!!!
The death of Bob Woolmer, coach of Pakistam Cricket team, is being considered suspicious by the investigating officers of Jamaican police. This is quite an unfortunate end to one of the most respected coaches in cricket world. I hate to think that some one has killed him because Pakistan crashed out of this world cup, after all this is only a sport, something which should be more of a timepass.
Even though my heart wants to think that his death was because of some natural cause, the stories coming in the media are saying otherwise. I am sure he was a strong person and is not meek enough to commit suicide. So the remaining option is that he was murdered, which is sending shivers down my spine!
He was merely a professional coach who was doing his job with utmost sincierity. If some mad cricket fan has committed this crime, then that is the worst thing ever to have happened in a sports field...
I was quite shocked when I heard that a fan of Steffi Graf stabbed Monica Seles. Another such instance was the death of Andreas Escobar, the Colombian footballer who was shot dead because he scored a self goal which lead to the ouster of Colombia from football world cup.
If not to this extend, I heard people wrecking havoc in Mahendra Dhoni's house and all. I don't think true lovers of sport can resort to such acts of vandalism. Burning effigies and all are fine, but hurting the families of these sportmen are unpardonable. As Rahul Dravid rightly pointed out, they do have their right to live peacefully in this country.
I just pray to god to give sense to these people to understand that sports is meant for fun and it is nothing more than that. I am really sorry for Bob Woolmer. May his soul rest in peace!!!
Even though my heart wants to think that his death was because of some natural cause, the stories coming in the media are saying otherwise. I am sure he was a strong person and is not meek enough to commit suicide. So the remaining option is that he was murdered, which is sending shivers down my spine!
He was merely a professional coach who was doing his job with utmost sincierity. If some mad cricket fan has committed this crime, then that is the worst thing ever to have happened in a sports field...
I was quite shocked when I heard that a fan of Steffi Graf stabbed Monica Seles. Another such instance was the death of Andreas Escobar, the Colombian footballer who was shot dead because he scored a self goal which lead to the ouster of Colombia from football world cup.
If not to this extend, I heard people wrecking havoc in Mahendra Dhoni's house and all. I don't think true lovers of sport can resort to such acts of vandalism. Burning effigies and all are fine, but hurting the families of these sportmen are unpardonable. As Rahul Dravid rightly pointed out, they do have their right to live peacefully in this country.
I just pray to god to give sense to these people to understand that sports is meant for fun and it is nothing more than that. I am really sorry for Bob Woolmer. May his soul rest in peace!!!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
In Her Shoes!!!
I like this movie more for the poems in it as much as the movie itself. It's a watchable movie, feel good movie, the kind I like. I had posted one poem by Elizabeth Bishop from this movie. Now I am intending to post two other poems from the same movie. It just made me sit up and do a search in the web for the complete lyrics of these. Enjoy!!!
Let Evening Come
-------------------
Let the light of late afternoon shine through chinks in the barn, moving up the bales as the sun moves down.
Let the cricket take up chafing as a woman takes up her needles and her yarn. Let evening come.
Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned in long grass. Let the stars appear and the moon disclose her silver horn.
Let the fox go back to its sandy den. Let the wind die down. Let the shed go black inside. Let evening come.
To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop in the oats, to air in the lung let evening come.
Let it come, as it will, and don’t be afraid. God does not leave us comfortless, so let evening come.
Jane Kenyon
I carry your heart with me(I carry it in my heart)
---------------------------------------------------
I carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root
and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
E. E. Cummings
Let Evening Come
-------------------
Let the light of late afternoon shine through chinks in the barn, moving up the bales as the sun moves down.
Let the cricket take up chafing as a woman takes up her needles and her yarn. Let evening come.
Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned in long grass. Let the stars appear and the moon disclose her silver horn.
Let the fox go back to its sandy den. Let the wind die down. Let the shed go black inside. Let evening come.
To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop in the oats, to air in the lung let evening come.
Let it come, as it will, and don’t be afraid. God does not leave us comfortless, so let evening come.
Jane Kenyon
I carry your heart with me(I carry it in my heart)
---------------------------------------------------
I carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root
and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
E. E. Cummings
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
