Yaaraan da tashan – part 1

So, it was a fine day that I had decided to fly back to Delhi to get on with the road trip. X and T’s tickets had been confirmed for the coming weekend, so all that was left unto me was to land back, climb on my car and drive back. So lame, right ?

Hyderabad, 22’nd March

I had a pleasant day, full of surprises on the day I was going to fly out. I got a (rather unexpected) ride to work on “Blink”. Blink’s another car (friend’s), which is real pretty and it’s of the most awesome shade of blue you could ever lay eyes on. I told my friend about my grand road trip plans, and how it all transpired. The thing about Blink is that when you are in it, you never find any traffic. At least it’s been the case with me so far. So, no traffic, I quickly reached work. Friend wished me luck and continued.

So I was thinking, today seems lucky! And it was still far from over. In fact, it was only beginning. Half an hour into work and me and my distracted state, I get a call from an unknown number. Now these day time calls from random numbers give me the jitters because I was spammed like hell, back in Delhi. So much So that I was forced to turn of my SMS tone. (Friends hated me for that). I used to get like 50 smss a day. “Was this another beginning of a similar spiral?” I thought to myself.

Anyways, I answered and had to strain to hear a heavy accented voice on the other side. The caller informed me that my has been pre-poned by a good 2 hours (do you believe that?). This situation might have been a dampener for people who had a “touch and go” schedule. Not me though. I was elated. I called home and told them I’d be joining for dinner.

There were no snags/delays, and I had the most comfortable flight back home (otherwise, I hate flying). I made a check list of things I had to do, in a day so that I could start on the drive back.

My Check List

• Get NOC from RTO which allows me to drive my car into any other state.
• See if my car was in good condition and it sounded right.
• Buy a pair of spectacles, and shades from my regular optician back in Delhi.
• Meet up people from Nagarro, possibly have lunch with them.
• Meet up some friends from ARSD.
• Meet up with friends I used to hang out with when I was in Delhi
• Meet up with some friend who I was not so much in touch with, when I was in Delhi. People from SMIT
• Have at least a good dinner with my folks.
• Pack up my swimming gear and bring it back. I so need it in Malaysian Township.

That was a small list of things I aspired to do in Delhi, in exactly one day.  Holy Cow! If today has been lucky, I would want the luck to continue shining on me for the following day, if I were to complete half of these things I’ve mentioned here.

So I reached home in decent time, had home cooked food after ages, spoke to mom, dad and sis after ages. Pretty soon, I felt sleepy, and dozed off to a nice peaceful sleep. I needed that to replenish myself for what seemed like a mammoth day!

Delhi To Hyderabad. On road !! Why would you do it?

So, almost everyone I talk to about my road trip plans has a similar line of responding . It starts with an exclamatory wow! and settles into more introspective “What?, Why?, and How?” . Also, there are people who go like “Hey … you’ll break your car/back/face“. One of the very interesting questions I got asked was “What will you do about the heat?“. A very interesting remark that’s gotten stuck in “That must have been the biggest risk you’ve ever taken in life“. Of course people tell you things. When they care.

My reasons for deciding to do it.

Any ways, it is certainly not a trip people take on an extended weekend. The distance is pretty steep, and I have no idea of the state of roads as of now. One thing I do know is I haven’t been doing any sort of major travelling since the past two years. I do feel the time to take a break and go for a hike. I believe this is a right time as I do not have that much on my plate. Touch the wood 🙂

My car has not had many chances to be taken on a longish ride so far. All it has done is “stop … go”, while I’ve travelled during the day time (to work, mostly). It’s just so crowded here in Delhi. On some occasional nights, when we got to go out to some party, or something, it did get a chance to flex it’s muscles, and purr along happily. Overall, it has been a rather staid life for her. Took me to office, at times, my sister to work, and then back to home. For this very reason, I am kind of detached to my car. I do rave about cleo from time to time, because I have history with it. Hope the feelings develop for Dhanno after this ride. Hope Dhanno enjoys this dash! (Dhanno is the name of my car)

Friends agreed to accompany. Now I would have never even dreamt of doing this alone. More than being scared of the daunting distance, I think I’ll simply get bored to death. Who in their right minds would do such a distance alone? Either they’d be really passionate about their rides, or must have some justifiable reason to do so. As of now, I cannot possibly conjure up a reason to do this alone. But when Mr. X and Mr. T decided to tag along, this was also checked off. (Mr. X has in fact done distances up to tune of insanity, but I suspect he likes driving in general) .

Apprehensions aside, my relocation has presented me with a very interesting opportunity to do this. I’d never go to visit someone for that big a distance (on road, that is). Now I do not think I would ever step into some of the states I’ll get a chance to go into. I do not have reasons, do I? So getting to see interiors of Uttar Pradesh,  Rajasthan,  Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh was a turn on. I’m so short on travelling experience it’s not even funny. Even girls laugh at me at times.

All of the points, might seem pretty irrelevant and tiny if considered separately, but together give me a formidable reason (least for me) to drive Dhanno from New Delhi to Hyderabad.

The story shall continue. Stay tuned….

Isn’t it ironic. Don’t you think?

I’m running through a set of emotions that seem contradictory. Yet, I can safely assert that I feel each one of them. Here, in hyderabad (or should we say Malaysian Township), holi had come a day earlier. I had a good time, and went out for a bit.

Now, its late evening, and as I was about to eat, I saw a friend’s (Yes, we had built a badminton court with bare hands) recently put up photos on face book. It was electrifying to see, because he’s my next to next door neighbour, so the faces on those pictures were familiar, H block DLF City, really upped the tempo this time, there was a Dhol walla, and lot’s of people I do not know as well. The feeling also left me feeling hollow, as I’ve played Holi with those people, for as many years as my memories take me to.

Amongst the other photos was also one, which somewhat stood out as far as I am concerned. He had clicked a photo inside my home. My dad was in the frame, though I wonder where mom was? I swear, the hair on the arms stood up. Goosebumps 🙂 . Later that photo made me cringe :(. I miss H block. I miss parents, I miss home, I miss relatives, I miss friends.

Holi is a real pleasure, when it’s celebrated with family and friends. To all my friends (at home or away, A very happy holi to you).

And the real kicker is, when I was with them/at home, I took it all for granted. Now that I can’t have them, I appreciate their value.

Miss you seriously.

 

A Grand plan.

I’m super excited. That’s probably an understatement to describe how I’m feeling.

It all started with a very vague idea. Back when I was in Delhi and planning to relocate to Hyderabad, a rather adventure freak of a person (referred to from now as Mr. X) suggested “Dude, let me drive your car over till Hyderabad, I’d love it”. I was at that point concerned with loads of other things, so I said “Yea sure”. I guess the inception of this particular idea happened at that very moment.

<Snip to present>

So I’ve been in Hyderabad for almost a month now, and continue to travel around like a tourist (although, I know my way around to a certain extent), and have no vehicle here on me.I like the roads here, nice slopes and great curves (pun to be excused). Traffic at times seems a little daunting (read : office rushes). I’ve seen worse though. Hey I’m from Gurgaon, what do you expect ?

<Snip to past>

There was this other person back in Delhi, (referred to from now on as Mr. T).

X, T and me knew each other from work. We all joined (my earlier company) at the same time, right at the beginning of 2009. Different backgrounds, but strung together by fate. X and I became friends instantly, we would often hang out after work. T had joined right from college, and he seemed smart (and charming). In fact, I did not get a chance to properly interact with T till early 2010. X had left by then, trying out hands at what he loved the most, “designing, conceptualizing, and trying”.  So I knew T, and I knew X, but T and X were unaware of each other’s existence.

So, as destiny had the grand plan, T and I got a chance to work in the same Project, from early on in 2010. He had been with the project ever since, and I was taken in as a mid way replacement for a resource who had decided to quit. T and me were naturally drawn to each other, as we had a few common interests. We loved eating, and had this zeal for technology. We also loved our music, but somehow the tastes in that context were mutually exclusive. Come to think of it, we also had a generation gap ;). Any how, we worked on this staggering project, with a client who was pretty demanding. Net result : we had to up our game, and work as a team. The project was fun, and we had our shares of highs and lows. As a result, I got to know T better. He’s a bright chap, who’s also a good-hearted person. At the time I left the company T and I had an awkward moment. We never said our goodbyes.

Towards the end of this particular project (I think, at the beginning of last quarter of 2010), X decided that he’d had enough of independent working, and once you get used to a steady income every month, the period of draughts seem worse as compared to withdrawal symptoms of cocaine addiction. He came back to the organisation he had left, albeit in a different role. He called up, and we met immediately. X and T got to meet each other and realise how different they are. There was a mutual feeling of “detest” (yeah that’s a very apt word). Circumstances ensued to tolerate each other a little more, and they did give each other a fair chance. Consequently, they got friends with each other.

<Snip to present>

So, I called T one fine day, and started to whine to him about missing my mobility, i.e my car back in Delhi. He understood my predicament, and said he’d be keen to drive my car on this road trip. He was a little apprehensive though. X was always interested. He’s done a few in the past, but this one would be his biggest one yet.

It’s going to be X, T, C on a road trip. A rather grand road trip, from Delhi to Hyderabad.