YEH DELHI HAI MERE YAAR!!!

Took a flight to Delhi to meet my sister... Was very excited to meet her and her family... Had met my parents and my in-laws when they visited us, but had not spent any time with sis / B-I-L and my nephew since the wedding... My nephew is 4 1/2 year old and i have not spent even 4 1/2 weeks with him since the time he was born...

So, to set it all right, S and I reached Delhi... Sis came to pick us up at the airport and after a hour long ride, we get to meet the family... My nephew thought that 4 1/2 years of silence was not enough and decided to stretch it for 1 more hour by sleeping all the time during the drive... And after reaching home, he decided stretch it a no more and eventually -- after accepting a bribe of bag full of toys and chocolates -- relented to "accept" his uncle and aunty...

Once, we got the approval, it was amazing fun after that... Every minute was fun for all of us... Those memories will linger in our memories for ever... Every time i miss my nephew, i just have to close my eyes and switch back to those days... Thats it... The golden moments just play themselves back as a youtube video...

Then came the most awaited part of any Delhi visit... Food!!! The foodie that i am, I could not wait to go out and freak out on that gorgeous food... Bro-in-law decided to see to test our apetite and took us to a place called "Punjabi by nature"... They decided to make sure that our apetite peaks by serving the food as late as possible... But boy, we failed miserably... Amongst 4 of us, we could not finish even half the food meant for 3 ppl...

Next day, sister took us to eat golgappa (pani-puri)... Though this pani-puri is not the best i have ever eaten (fyi, i am from mumbai and the pani-puri at my local gaadi is the best), it ranks right up there... And, the pani-puri did what it should do... It gave me a delhi belly...

Few more days of lots of fun with my nephew, great food cooked by my sis, yapping with bro-in-law and sis and driving a bullet-thunderbird and it was time to say alvida to Delhi...
More tears and more hugs and it was time to bid adieu to few more dear ones...

MUMBHAI!!!

So, after surviving the first round of shopping, i decided to go to my place... my city... Mumbai... After 1.45 hrs of airtime, I reached on a not-so-hot day on Feb 16th... It was hot and humid by any standards, other than Mumbai standards... Actually, a typical mumbai-ite would term it as a pleasant day... The moment I landed at the airport and the first drop of sweat tricked down my neck, I knew I was home...

There are a few things which characterize a Mumbai-ite... He loves heat and sweat... It doesnt bother him a bit... Secondly, if someone tries to act over-smart, knows how to bring the "shAAna" (over-smart fellow) down to earth... And I got to do that as soon as I landed out of the airport...

The auto-rickshaw driver tried to squeeze out a chota-Gandhi (100 rupee note) out of me for the ride to my place... When he started to act smart, the dormant-for-3-years mumbai-ite in me sprang up and gave it back so nicely that he did not even dare to ask anything extra for luggage...
Reached home at 3... Did not want mom and dad to come to the airport at 2 o clock in the afternoon... So had told them that i am scheduled to reach at 5... They were pleasantly surprised to see me early and then angry because I deprived them of 1 hour under the sun :-)...

Cups of tea followed with yap yap and yap... Then dad went and got the best sev-puri in the world... From the local gaadi... How funny that every one thinks that their shop serves the best delicacy... A bengali thinks that his halwai makes the best mishti... A mumbai-ite thinks that his galli has the best wada-pav... A londoner thinks that his lane has the best fish and chips... A new-yorker thinks that his local pizza place makes the best pizza... Funny, but true...

Relished the sev puri... followed by another round of tea...

Next day, went to Siddhivinayak temple... Try to be there every tuesday of my stay in Mumbai... Was there even 2 days before my sister's wedding... 1.5 hours in the queue and was not tired even a bit... Thats the amazing thing abt waiting in line at the Siddhivinayak temple... I have waited once for 7.5 hours and still had the strength to go and work the rest of the day in the office... After the temple, went and had amazing limbu-paani at a street side stall and then chaats again in the evening...

The remaining 2 days passed even quicker... Some gifts for family members and some for friends... Some more chaats... Lots of tea... More eating and eating and eating... Then wifey arrived...

Once wifey arrived, it was even more fun... Mom and dad were happier (even more happy than when i arrived)... First day, met college friends... It was the first time when Sneha met them... Met a very close friend with his wife and kid... Got to know that the other friend couple is expecting in June...

Next day, was even better... Relaxed the first half of the day... Second half, had to go to navi mumbai to meet cousins... Actually, the fact that it all fell in place was nothing less than a miracle... One cousin and his wife had to drive from Pune... The other one's wife had to work that weekend... The third one's kid had 10th standard examination going on... Eventually, after lots of planning and re-planning, the venue was decided...

Bombay traffic decided to show its ugly face today... 2.5 hours of wait and sweat in a non-ac cab were very difficult... Amazingly, not even 1 cool cab showed up on the way for us to switch over... Reached the venue 1 hour after the scheduled time...

But things switched after that... Next 4-5 hours were full of fun... Yapped Yapped and Yapped with cousins and their spouses and uncles and aunties... Amazing food in a restaurant (theme based on a mumbai local) with drinks... And a smooth ride in a MERU cab made the evening memorable...

Next day, more relatives, more delicacies to eat and more yapping and fun... Came home at 9 O clock after a long hard day... Thats when it hit me that in a few hours, I will be leaving Mumbai... Its all down hill from now... The crest is over, the downward slope begins now...

SHOPPING SHOPPING!!!

Wifey was given a license to go crazy on shopping in India... She had been a darling in the few months prior to the travel and deserved one such free license... But boy, did she use it like a Ferrari in the Catalunya Grand Prix...

The first pitstop was curtain shopping... The next one was the first amongst the many many ones for dresses... The next one (fastest lap so far) was for shoes... i have been promised by her that this is going to be he career best performance, so I better fasten my seatbelts for some serious damage!!!

Watch this space for more news and dont be surprised if this turns out to be the boost that Indian economy needed to get out of recession!!!

VISA, I WANT IN SIR...

Needed to get my visa stamped from the US embassy... The planning continued for more than a month... Umpteen documents, copies, statements, forms, certificates are being procured and arranged for this most important task of the visit... The entire visit was planned around the visa date so that the visa stamping is done upfront... The rest of the vacation is fun time...

Reached Chennai the day before the appointment... Checked in into the hotel, crashed immediately... But could not sleep for the whole night... Was checking the time every 3 minutes (really!!!) and by the time it was 5 am, was up like a spring... Ready in 22 minutes and could not be more nervous to go to the embassy...

Left 1 hr before the interview time and reached the embassy at 7 am... Hoping to be the first in the queue, but there were atleast 50 ppl already in the queue when we reached there... Then got to know that abt 50 odd were already in... Interviews were scheduled from 7 am in the morning, ppl reach the embassy at 6 am and the actual interviews do not start before 8 am...

This was my first ever visa interview and wifey had promised that it would be SOME EXPERIENCE... And u bet she was right... Waited in the queue... There were SO MANY ppl there, i felt that it was the queue to the gates of heaven... But wait, I think ppl do think that US is next to heaven, so may be i was really in the gates to heaven...

Then came the disappointing part... The way ppl (esp. students) were asking for their visa made me droop my head in shame... It was like going for a job interview without knowing that you do not qualify for the job and then begging for an opportunity...

Some of the funny QnA which i could not help but eavesdrop --

1 -
VO -- Why do u want to go the US?
CD -- Because the agriculture system in US is very developed...
VO -- What does agriculture have to do with ur degree?
CD -- Nothing, but i can learn agriculture after my MS.
REJECT

2 -
VO -- Why ABC university specifically?
CD -- Because this university does not need me to take a GRE and a TOEFL...
VO -- But why did u not take a GRE and a TOEFL...
CD -- Because this university does not need me to take a GRE and a TOEFL...
VO -- Did u apply to any other university?
CD -- No, because i did not like any other university which does not need a GRE or a TOEFL...
VO -- Do u know that GRE and TOEFL are a must for students interested in coming to the US?
CD -- But this university does not need me to take a GRE and a TOEFL...
REJECT

3 -
VO -- Why do u want to go to the US?
CD -- To learn to cook Biryani... (O???? YES!!!)
VO -- Why there? Why not here?
CD -- Because, the Biryani there is better...
REJECT

There are many many more funny instances of such interviews... But these actually made me sad... Is life so difficult in India that ppl are so desperate to go to the US?

Then came the most disappointing part (not that i really regret it, i would have this disappointment every time i go for any visa)... S and I were done with our interview in less than a minute with 1 Q each... The only Q for me -- how long have u been working for ur employer? the only Q for S -- Does ur husband have his own visa? Thats it...

We got the visa stamped and passport delivered next day at 10 am... After all the effort put in to create a stack of documents, only the first document on the top (the visa approval) was required...

Came back to the hotel, grabbed a bite and crashed again (to get over the sleepless night)... Woke up just in time for the flight... A 45 minute flight later, back in Namma Bengaluru... A crazy 2 hour ride in an ac cab later, home sweet home... Awesome meal and zzzz!!!

HOME SWEET HOME

For the first time in little more than 3 years, I was in a queue where no one could have stopped me from entering... I was in the immigration queue at the new Bangalore International Airport waiting to enter Indian soil... And I knew that there was no way that anyone could have stopped me from doing that... After all, it is MY COUNTRY, some place which i know that i belong... Something which I can call MINE... That feeling brought an instant smile which has lingered on ever since...

Since the first step (felt like the first step on the moon) after the immigration counter, I started thinking about everything that I could see and analyze it in my own way... Here is what I think at that instant...
1 - This new airport is beautiful... Hats off to the planners... I can not see any feasible aspect which makes this airport any way inferior than other airports I have seen till now... Obviously, there are a lot of other pieces which are out of our hands -- weather, dust etc... But, it is CLEAN (why is that even considered an achievement), nicely planned, nicely maintained so far...
There are some who find faults in this airport... But the easiest job in this world is that of a critic... Hail the successful and criticize everything else... If these same people were on the planning commission of the airport, then this would have been the best ever piece of architecture after the St. Paul's cathedral according to them...
Thats when I recall the not-so-famous lines of my friend Azzu... He says (unless, he has copied) -- Be the change you want to see in this world... These same people are the hypocrites who will throw trash right outside the bin and spit on the "DO NOT SPIT" board and park right under the "NO PARKING" board... So, they do not have any right to throw dirt that any fair effort of such magnitude...

2 - The approach road sucks though... The only road connecting the airport to the city goes through umpteen villages (or small towns) before hitting Bangalore right in the heart of the city from where one has to find the way to the destination... With the city traffic already in a terrible shape, this is one aspect where the planners have erred... There should have been something like a ring road around the entire city (with atleast 3 lanes on each side) which connects the airport... Later I learnt that the original plan was to create a high-speed train way (or a mono-rail or an expressway) around the entire city to connect the airport to the city and the access points of the train would allow multiple entry spots into the city. Brilliant idea except that the proposal turned out to be very expensive and there is more mulling going on. By the time, the green signal is received for this proposal and the dream turns out to be a reality, the solution will be too inadequate for the over bustling city...

3 - Traffic needs a blog of its own... Too much to finish in 2-3 lines...

4 - People -- The city has grown like crazy in the last 3 years... The new immigrants are no longer limited to the IT junta... Labourers from Andhra and Tamil Nadu are trying their luck in all the mega-construction projects being undertaken in the city or some mundane jobs elsewhere... There is a big chunk of ppl from the north-east india who can easily be recognized by their looks... These ppl usually find jobs in restaurants or showrooms or malls etc... Another set of immigrants are the parents of the kids who have settled here... The kids ask the parents to sell all their assets at their native place so that they can afford to buy a home in Bangalore... Naturally, the parents have no other place to live and have to come to stay in this city at a ripe old age... These elderly citizens can be seen taking walks in the parks (once abundant and now very few are left) in the early mornings or in the evenings...

5 - Family -- Most important... These are the people who are planning for our visit from months together... Utmost care has been taken to arrange for our favorite brands of cosmetics, favorite dishes, extra cell phone, power adapters (to enable US appliances to work at Indian voltage), bottled water and toilet paper... They will get up at 1 am in the morning, drive for 40+ kilometers (25+ miles) to reach the airport at 5 am, wait for us at the arrival gate without a cup of morning coffee just to catch a glimpse of their little ones... Choicest breakfast will be ready at home with hot water for bath... These arrangments will take them more than a few months, but all this will be done without the tiniest wrinkle on the forehead just with the anticipation of spending a few days with the people who matter the most to them...

6 - Helping staff -- The driver, the cleaning maid, the sweeper, the gardener, the cook... all the employees at home are waiting anxiously to see us after a long time... At the back of the mind, there is a sweet anxiety for "imported" chocolates and gifts... But they are very happy when they get to see that we have not changed even 1 bit in the last few years...

7 - India rocking -- In the numerous drive around the city, one cannot pretend to not notice that India is booming... The number of cars and two wheelers and cell phones have gone up like anything in the last 2 years... There is nothing that is not sold in india... American, Japanese and European cars... Latest cell phone handsets... You name it!!!

8 - Relatives -- The phone starts ringing over time with calls from the close relatives to enquire about our well being... All of them pretty much ask the same questions -- when did u land, how was the flight, what plans for the next few days and u have to spend atleast 1 evening with us... The affection behind each of those calls is very touching... In my case, there are a few more Qs -- Have u learnt Kannada by now? Atleast, can u understand the meaning? The moment I answer affirmative in Kannada, I get one more point towards the nomination for best son-in-law of the year...Close cousins leave work earlier than usual just to meet us... Neighbours drop in so do close friends who knew about our travel plans... Some ppl fret over less time allotted for them, and a tight vacation schedule leaves us in a difficult spot...

9 - Awesome food -- The choicest foods are waiting for us... We have decided not to hog street-side food until the visa appointment, so in the first 3 days, everything is limited to mother's kitchen (in my case, mother-in-law)...
The saga will continue...

LONDON CALLING

Spent 2 days in London en route to India... Beautiful city... Every nook and corner carries a big chunk of history within itself... Bone numbing chilly weather preceded by the worst snowfall in the last 18 years in London made things difficult, but still, once one is dressed appropriately, nothing should stop one from reveling in this town of amazing architecture...

S's cousin was sweet enough to accommodate us in their lavish London home during our visit and we had the most comfortable accommodation and the best home-cooked food in London... Their guidance helped us decode the maps and tricky London roads easily and left us using our brains only for sight-seeing...

Here are some points worth mentioning during the entire visit --
1 - Heathrow -- a mini-city within itself... Huge, clean and very organized... And the Indian diaspora just loves working at Heathrow... Reminds me of Russell Peters -- Indians can never think of bombing airports, because Indians love working at airports...
2 - Subway system -- very convenient and most-importantly, clean... I did not see even 1 trash bin (or litter-bin as it is called there)... Instead, there were message boards which said "Take your litter home with you"... Interesting concept, especially considering it works... Makes me wonder, is it so difficult to expect our transport system to be clean? I don't expect to do away with the trash bins, but is the effective usage of the trash bins too much to expect?
3 - Monuments -- Each of them stands apart in its own way... London Eye, Buckingham palace, Tower of London, River Thames, Lords cricket ground, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar square... Each one of them are legend which blend perfectly into this extravaganza called London... Makes me wonder, if all the heritage that India had could have been harnessed, how many Londons could India have boasted of?
4 - Crazy Cold -- I was wearing a jacket which was meant for Antarctica and 4 layers of clothing underneath... Still was numb to the bone... Had to sip coffee (2 pounds a cup) to keep me warm... Pity the cricketers who have to play with 4 sweaters on...
5 - Expensive -- Train ticket from airport to paddington station at 34 pounds per head... Train ticket at 2$ per line per head... whoa!!! Thats First class fare in Mumbai for an entire month (ALL U CAN USE!!!)... The Indian in me doesnt stop converting currency...
6 - Accent -- After seeing the UK accent being made fun of in US (esp. Emily in Friends), it was kind of funny to actually talk to ppl talking that way... Had to try not to burst out laughing...

Having said all that, I repeat, London is a beautiful city with loads and loads of history... Visit that city for atleast a week in summer... Unforgettable experience for sure... And dont forget to load your pockets before u enter the city...