Let the battle begin..........

I am writing this from the Blocker Bldg ,a kind of Octa here.
I have been here for some 2 weeks now,the land of milk and honey,but as yet I am not floored by the place.In fact I cant say that I am enjoying life here.At this point I am reminded of something that I had written when alone in my room,almost 4 years ago,one afternoon in Trichy,hardly a month into college then.
New to college and living in hostel, with all the rigours of ragging,I wondered whether it was worth it to leave home.I even wondered whether in future I would be able to reflect back with pride on the 4 years ahead.I still have the page with me,and whenever I read that it makes me laugh,for those years have been the best in my life yet,and indeed I can reflect with pride on them.I made freinds for life and became a better person.
Now I find myself with similar thoughts again.But the circumstances are changed slightly.No more am I a wide eyed young boy coping with ragging and living alone.But if I felt dejected then now I feel cynical.
For finally the Rat Race has me too.Thats what it is here,a veritable rat race-a rush to find jobs and aid,with secrecy and stealth.Once you get one,you can be the picture of magnanimity,but not till then.I do not think I will ever make freinds here-colleagues maybe ,but never freinds for everyone has their own axe to grind.
Incidentally, I too truimphed in the race,getting the post of a copy editor in the local newspaper.Ironical too that all my engineering skills and education could not get me what my avocation could-70 dollars a week for 2 days work.I am looking forward to it and hope to learn from it as well.
Again I ask myself whether it was worth it to come here leaving all my freinds behind.I was reading Paulo Coelho's "Manual of the warrior of light" in which he says there is no joy in reaching an empty paradise.True indeed, I know now.But if I feel anything at all like what I do about NITT,my time spent here would have been worthwhile.
There is a an event called Ekta in which we are asked to perform a skit, giving us a chance to have a good time and show our talents,but I didnt feel motivated at all.For me,having had the whole of Barn up in applause two years in a row, and having earned the respect of some of the most talented people at NITT,there is no drive left.I do not think I will ever be interested in extra curricular activities again.
My classes begin tommorow.The time for brooding is over,but these days that have churned out such thoughts in my mind deserve to be put down for posterity.Today I stand here straddling my past and the present.I have always thought I deserved to acheive much more academically,for modesty is hardly one of my faults:)Now I have my chance to see for myself how good am I.
But I look forward to it, for academics is the only thing that will drive me here.
Let the battle begin......................

The voyage of horror

I will start off with what happened at Calcutta airport.My flight was not connecting which meant that I was exceeding my quota of 30 kgs-mine was 44kgs.I was told by the agent that by showing my BA ticket they will allow me but they didn't baggage charge for 14 kgs was Rs 1800 approx.I had smthg like 1000 rs only.I went and talked to the airport duty manager,he refused and told that I have to pay the fine.The amount I came to know only at the counter and when I told him I had only rs 1000 he told me nothing can be done.They would not accept dollars also.he sent me to the duty manager again,I requested him to reduce the fine.finally he agreed.he waived off 7 kgs.I paid fne for 7 kgs which was rs 955.As you then know I was rushed off to special security check up and check in.I was running all over with 46 kgs of luggage and now find it hard to believe that I could lift and run with that all over the place.I was the last to board the flight-the bus taking me had only 2 people.Flight landed at Bombay at 8.15 am.Food was bad on the flight.I immediately called up Anupam.he was sleeping,I told him to call home and tell .After claiming my bags I went to the exit where they run free buses to Intnl Terminal.I immediately got one,The journey took 10 mins.There I immediately went into the terminal.Inside I first had to check in the boxes.There I was told that the BA from London to Washington was delayed and so the BA staff had booked me on United Airlines(UA) instead,the first available flight,at 11 am london time.So I was to spend 8 hrs at London isntead of 2 .They asked me to check in my bag also.I was allowed to keep my file folders though.I checked in and then called home.The flight was scheduled for 1 pm but eventuallly took off at 3 pm IST.The food was good,there was a Tv for everyone on the seat handle.The flight landed at Heathrow at around 8 pm local time.The best thing BA did was that they put 4 of us together- a girl recently married going to join her husband,and 2 working men,one at SAP and the other at Patni computers.All of us were headed to Washington and were seated together.It was still light at London.There was a bitterly cold wind blowing.We went into the transfer terminal-for people who dont have a transit visa to UK-we cant go out into London,we just check into the next terminal bldg.There were walkways there,you simply stand and they roll on like escalators.At the terminal our problems started.The security had been beefed up.We were told we enter carrying nothing or dont enter at all.All I had was my file folders and a book,as did my friends-but even that was not allowed.He told us to get a transit visa,check out and come back into the departure section where we might be allowed to keep them.So we all went to the immigration counter and filled out forms for transit visa.That was easy,we got one for 24 hrs and walked out.To find out about carry on luggage we went in and found all UA counters closed bcos the next UA flights were almost 10 hrs away.So there was nothing to do but wait.We were not provided hotel or lounge acco,which is mandatory if delays are for more than 8 hrs bcos they were already full and only for executive class passengers.As night came on at Heathrow it got colder and colder.Luckily I had my NITT jacket.The seating arrangements at Heathrow were terrible.We had to occupy chairs and not leave them or someone else wld have sat and the chairs were more like seats on public buses-mumbai airport had brilliant seating compared to this.It was night and all shops started to close.Only 2 duty free shops remained open.Only 2 of us had sweaters on.the other 2 felt really cold.We went and sat at one of the shops.people were sleeping on the chairs inside.By this time I was hungry and thirsty,and there are no drinking water facilities in Europe.Water costs more than beer and soft drinks here.I had to pay 1.5 pounds for a half size bottle of water!Then we kept on sitting and talking.I felt hungry,paid some 2.4 pounds for a sandwich containing slices of cucumber and tomato.pathetic to think that I was paying more 200rs for that.Just when it was getting unbearably cold an airport official arrived distributing emergency blankets.these are scotch brite sized packs when folded.They are made of kevlar-nothing but the polythene gift wrapping paper(silver coloured)-but surprisingly effective.two of us slept in the cafe itself.me and another guy went and we found a corner where there is less wind,spread out the sheet and slept on the floor of the airport..Everywhere there were people lying and sleeping.I got up at some 6 o clock in the morning and went to check.The counter of UA was open.They told us we can checkin only at 8 am(3 hrs before) but also told us that only a clear plastic bag containing imp papers wld be allowed in.Everything else-files books etc had to go ina hand baggage.So we got up and purchased a bag for 7 pounds.We put all our files in it.i kept only documents required for immigration with me.Flight gaian was delayed and instead of 11 am it left at 3 pm.But the flight captain was an ex army pilot-he made up for the delay by 3 hrs almost.I must say one thing about Heathrow-its huge.I have never seen anything like that.It has some 10 terminals for international flights-each terminal is bigger than the entire Mumbai airport together.each terminal has 55 gates for departure.so there can be 55 flights waiting to take off at any time form one terminal.Planes are like cars on the runway there.One is accelerating while another is just taking off.This flight had less leg room(economy class).I saw the movie on flight and we landed at Washingotn at 2.30 pm local time.We had to fill out Customs delaration and i94 card on flight.There were lots of security checks everywhere and went in for immigration clearance.That over I had to claim my bags.Except my bags everybody elses arrived.My freinds left,for people were waiting to recieve them.I talked to an airport official-she told me some bags to Houston were lying unclaimed on another conveyor belt.I went and found all my bags there.Then after customs I checked in baggage again.I converted my rupees to $.I got 17$-@54Rs.I went carrying my back pack-now this was a domestic flight and it was allowed.I waited at the departure gate.There are no phone booths like India-for Isd calls you need a calling card.I found one girl going to TAMU on the next seat.I slept all the way on the flight-I was completely drained out.At Houston airport I found my luggage and found that trolleys arent free.$3 for one.We took one trolley and like crazy somehow went down to the inter treminal train taking us to the exit.Outside I found 4 other people waiting for the 9 pm shuttle to College.We got that and arrived.I was staying with some students who had come in a week ago.I had jet lag only the next morning when I got up to a splliting headache and am fine since then.Everybody says its unbeleivable that I recover in just one night-I think its bcos of my trip to south that I dont have any,my body had got used to it.The last thing that needed to go wrong was this.3days ago when I tried to open my big suitcase- the one I felt had smthg wrong-I found the combination has got changed.It was not opening.So I tried 1000 combinations twice-no result-third time I got it open.Now I have got a calling card for 5$.Me and harsha have shifted to our new apartment.Its terribly hot in here, as hot as Trichy.And campus is huge-I get lost everyday.I have to get a cycle again.More later.

A whistle stop tour

Its been long since I blogged.A lot has happened since.I am recording this so that I may never forget the most eventful week in my life.

I went on a whistle stop trip of Trichy and Ambasamudram via Chennai,in 3 days flat,leaving Calcutta on 6th August and returning back on 9th August!!!

The highpoint of it was my visit to college,though it was for a few hours only.

I remember that on our final journey back in May somu and I were discussing that the true impression we had left on our juniors,of the life we had led,would only be known when we return back,based on the reception we get from them.

I must say I was really moved by the kind of reception I got and it made me feel that I have lived a meaningful life here.Walking alone all the way from gate to the hostels,I remembered that I had traversed that path hundreds of times,but never have I been more alive to the beauty that lay on the way-the delicate smell of moisture on the grass and neem blossoms on the trees outside Octa,the sights and sounds of mornings we harldy saw-than I was that day.It could have been my return from just another vacation,or a night out,for it all seemed so normal-only it wasnt.And that is the maddening aspect of life,it goes on as though nothing has changed.

The other indelible memory I will have is spending evernight on a bus.I spent more time travelling than anything else and its a miracle I got through it all.

Once back it was time for more shopping and packing till finally August 12th arrived.The account of that journey will be in my next post,for it was a horrendous one.