Monday, November 30, 2009

Discovered Vijayawada; Now Back in Hyderabad !!!

On Sunday the 29th.

3 :55 PM Run all the way to the 10th platform, to learn that the train was delayed by 20 minutes, BUT Errr NO it came 40 minutes late. Well, somethings the westerners will tease us eternally about. I was just deaf to all the comments that followed.

Took an AC couch back to Hyderabad from Vijayawada which resembled nothing less to a general compartment, I was a lot more aware of burping uncles, the tobacco smells, chips packets thrown under the seat (coz under the seat it is safe ???) crying babies, specially coz of the company I was in aswell, maybe if it were all Indians with me, I would have felt less nauseous (???) all through the trip controlled the urge to puke, and no way I could have gotten out of the compartment to get fresh air as both sides were filled with standing passengers whose seats were not confirmed. Shared 2 seats between 3 people...


I just don't remember the last 2 hours of the ride, and spent the last 5 agonising minutes with people banging there bags against me... with the smell of pits of sticky aunties and stinky loo's.


Got back home, Mom is Happy, Pythogorianne runs fever !!!


Stepped out of the station and looked for the Auto guys, NO Ma'am out of Luck, Aaj tho Bandh hai, My luck took an "off" Finally find an auto guy after 20 minutes of standing there with my heavy back pack, and heavier hand-bag filled with laptop and papers from the research. Agreed to pay him 90/- to go to west marredpally first So I could pick my Dog up and then to east marredpally (Auto Guy keeps the 100 note I offered, Penalty That I didn't mention Mahindrahills. Glad to be back Home. Pepsi too.

But After a real good night's sleep, I woke up at 5 am like I was doing all the 10 days while I was in Vijayawada, and when I realised I had nothing lined up, no taking care of the logistics, no Interpretations, no endless spread sheets, No Emily (she is the best person to work with So focused and Just so very well planned) No one looking lost because I was on phone with my Dad, I felt pretty weak, and super unproductive.

So to resume my trip to you guys,

20th Nov: Mom woke me up at 5 and pushed me through the 40 minutes coz the train was at 6:05, She walked me down and it was still super dark, chilly, and NOTHING ON THE STREETS, NO AUTOS, and I live in Mahindrahills a place where it is difficult to find autos at 9 am on Monday's for a decent fare. And There was the messenger from Allah, My Musalman brother from the 1st floor, starting his bike, I wouldn't even have thought about it, but Mom just asked him as soon as he came out of the gate "please Bhayya auto tuk chod do" and He went to a mosque close to the railway station, dropped me at the mosque, and said " Happy journey" That was the only exchange of words between us. (I was filled with a new respect for my 1st floor brother, Only I am leaving this place in less than a month, sad isn't it?)

I get on train at 6:04 and it moves, Emily looked super RED, I knew why. The train ride (it seems to me now) went very fast with my naps, transmission (Hari Kunzru's) and chats with Emily + our exchange of notes on what is to be done.

1:00pm We get off on Vijayawada station, With the Board "HYDERABADI BIRYANI" welcoming us. I call the regional Manager to inform we arrived, he only speaks Telugu along with every one else we met through the course of our stay in Vijayawada, even those who entertained us, So all communication had to pass through me, I liked it, and I was more sure then that the Translation and Interpretation is the field I would love to work with the occasional dash of teaching and script writing or adventure sports instructing or film buffing or traveloguing or science fiction criticizing... (wait My list is endless sorry I used the word "SURE" too hastily)

1:15 The regional manager arrives and BOOM, The Boombastic schedule takes over.

The pattern of the day remained the same through out the visit "Branch visits, interviews with the staff, and then meeting the clients to interview them. Breakfasts Lunches Walks Tete a Tete's Shoppings and 2 movies found their place in between the super packed schedules.

With Me visiting various villages in Krishna district, I feel lucky now that I got to see my state so well, It is indeed a Beautiful place. I prayed to Mangalgiri Narsimha swamy to bless my family, and Everyone I know or have met even if it was for 5 minutes in my life. I went to Hanuman Junction, I thought the Hanuman there looked so primeval in a statue made of all silver, longest tail and best of all curly black hair. Hanuman was just reminding me of My Dad Ashwin and Gopi. Strangely that night I had a dream with Thatha and Hanuman. Maybe that was Hanuman's way of reminding me "hey look who you haven't thought of in a while".

Amidst my 5am to 7am or 8pm schedules, I managed to visit Kanaka Durga in Vijayawada. The weavers in Mangalgiri and Pedana, fish auctioning in fish market Machilipatnam; 6km walks on the treadmill combined with ab exercises... I just have soooo much more to write here, BUT I just will tell you more in person, Consider this a preview to my HIGH DECIBEL NARRATION of what I experienced.

You are my pillars of Support, No matter how far or close you are living now physically I love you all The MOST. I just want to tell you that I am learning the term "unconditional" from Pepsi. I adhere to exercise that.

PS: That last bit got way too senti than I wanted it, maybe coz I am running High fever (??)

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