This visit Bombay cost me a bomb but it was worth every penny...:-)
I had booked the to and fro tickets on the cheapest available flight - Spicejet, this would be first and the last time that I would ever book a ticket in a no frills airlines - man just to save a few undred bucks I realised that I was missing a lot of convinience but again it was an experience for which I am grateful. The Spicejet air-hostesses are goodlooking though not handpicked - this is just fyi.
The Bangalore - Mumbai flight started right on time - I was having a funny Happy feeling as though I have no worries at all. I got a window seat in the not so comfortable cramped plane. Its really difficult when you have funny structure with long legs and small trunk. The plane started the take off at 9.30AM, as we moved towards the vast openness, I had a feeling as though some one was welcoming me into her arms with warmth and caring. It was a real pristine feeling even in the emptiness as if I was nearing to God - never felt this way before.
As I looked down, the reducing landscape reminded me of Google Earth. As the size of the world below started diminishing it felt as if I had reached the heavens. The contours merged into a single dimension giving a view of the vivid colored layers of nature. The blue rivers merging into the brown earth and the earth into the green forests - this was pleasant site to watch making me wonder from where did this all start.
As we approached Bombay the concrete jungle ememrged showing it wicked greedy face. I was desperately trying to identify the places from up above could make out Sion as it didn't seem to change much but the other places all seemed the same with a lot of scrapers touching the sky - there seemed to be no limit to the upward expansion - having conquered the earth we are now trying to pull down the sky. The fight landed in right on time and as I had no luggage checked-in the came out of the airport pretty fast with out any hasles. The whole airport seemed to have changed - with proper directions and all. Out side there was a proper Taxi/Rick stand no husling nothing.
I asked the rick wala to take me via Powai because it had been a long time since I had gone through that way and was having a nostalgic feeling as that was the route which we used to take while going to college - I was reminded of the days when Abhijit used to get his car and all four of us would be returning and I used to be the bakra always. The ride around Powai lake and the stink of the typical Bombay slums reminded me of the good old days. The unpleasant smell somehow brought with it a feeling of familiarity. Somehow we made through the snake like slow moving pathetic traffic onto the Eastern Express Highway.From there it was a smooth ride. At the time of alighting the rickwala begged for 20 rupees more - never experienced this ../ Bby rickwalas were dignified enuff to never debase themselves to such lower tactics. This was pretty saddening.
In the evening I decided to meet Sai at Thane. The nostalgia again hit me ... went to Thane by train-enjoyed the ride .. it was great getting back to the crowd. I met Sai at (to be precise 'outside') McDonalds - the crowd here never changes :) We then went to Tip Top where we discusses about SPJain Dubai over the Snack buffet - got all my apprehensions about SPJain cleared. Said goodbye to him and again boarded a train back to Mulund then home. On the way I met R..... Mami and then on went to their Mulund Sriram house had a chat with Rajammami and all then straight home.
Day 2--
Abhijit called up at 9 AM sayin he reached Bby while I was still in bed... said he will reach by 12.00 - man he didn't call up at all an d when I called he hsaid he wud b there by 1 so I went to Meera aunty's place and had 2 dosais and from there went to Sarayu Mami's place on Meera auntys request to trouble shoot the issue Sarayus were facing with the comp. It seemed that the DNS driver was having some problem - couldn't resolve it; felt really bad for the old couple as it was their only means of communication with their sons. Then I went back to Meera aunty's house and had lunch.
I had booked the to and fro tickets on the cheapest available flight - Spicejet, this would be first and the last time that I would ever book a ticket in a no frills airlines - man just to save a few undred bucks I realised that I was missing a lot of convinience but again it was an experience for which I am grateful. The Spicejet air-hostesses are goodlooking though not handpicked - this is just fyi.
The Bangalore - Mumbai flight started right on time - I was having a funny Happy feeling as though I have no worries at all. I got a window seat in the not so comfortable cramped plane. Its really difficult when you have funny structure with long legs and small trunk. The plane started the take off at 9.30AM, as we moved towards the vast openness, I had a feeling as though some one was welcoming me into her arms with warmth and caring. It was a real pristine feeling even in the emptiness as if I was nearing to God - never felt this way before.
As I looked down, the reducing landscape reminded me of Google Earth. As the size of the world below started diminishing it felt as if I had reached the heavens. The contours merged into a single dimension giving a view of the vivid colored layers of nature. The blue rivers merging into the brown earth and the earth into the green forests - this was pleasant site to watch making me wonder from where did this all start.
As we approached Bombay the concrete jungle ememrged showing it wicked greedy face. I was desperately trying to identify the places from up above could make out Sion as it didn't seem to change much but the other places all seemed the same with a lot of scrapers touching the sky - there seemed to be no limit to the upward expansion - having conquered the earth we are now trying to pull down the sky. The fight landed in right on time and as I had no luggage checked-in the came out of the airport pretty fast with out any hasles. The whole airport seemed to have changed - with proper directions and all. Out side there was a proper Taxi/Rick stand no husling nothing.
I asked the rick wala to take me via Powai because it had been a long time since I had gone through that way and was having a nostalgic feeling as that was the route which we used to take while going to college - I was reminded of the days when Abhijit used to get his car and all four of us would be returning and I used to be the bakra always. The ride around Powai lake and the stink of the typical Bombay slums reminded me of the good old days. The unpleasant smell somehow brought with it a feeling of familiarity. Somehow we made through the snake like slow moving pathetic traffic onto the Eastern Express Highway.From there it was a smooth ride. At the time of alighting the rickwala begged for 20 rupees more - never experienced this ../ Bby rickwalas were dignified enuff to never debase themselves to such lower tactics. This was pretty saddening.
In the evening I decided to meet Sai at Thane. The nostalgia again hit me ... went to Thane by train-enjoyed the ride .. it was great getting back to the crowd. I met Sai at (to be precise 'outside') McDonalds - the crowd here never changes :) We then went to Tip Top where we discusses about SPJain Dubai over the Snack buffet - got all my apprehensions about SPJain cleared. Said goodbye to him and again boarded a train back to Mulund then home. On the way I met R..... Mami and then on went to their Mulund Sriram house had a chat with Rajammami and all then straight home.
Day 2--
Abhijit called up at 9 AM sayin he reached Bby while I was still in bed... said he will reach by 12.00 - man he didn't call up at all an d when I called he hsaid he wud b there by 1 so I went to Meera aunty's place and had 2 dosais and from there went to Sarayu Mami's place on Meera auntys request to trouble shoot the issue Sarayus were facing with the comp. It seemed that the DNS driver was having some problem - couldn't resolve it; felt really bad for the old couple as it was their only means of communication with their sons. Then I went back to Meera aunty's house and had lunch.
In the end Abhijit came at 3 picked me up and we went to R-mall to buy gifts for S(iddharth) & S(hruti). We decided on perfumes. The selection was done by Ghone with emparting of some gyan on perfumes to me. There seemed to be heavy pressure on the sales guys as they just kept hoarding around us. In the end we zeroed on to some Spice flavors. We packed the perfumes and headed to Thane - Ghones place then changed our clothes went to the venue - Tip Top again. We had some fun here, some leg pulling sessions and then the function ended at 9PM. Then we were back on our way to our homes. Next day morning Abhi picked me up on the eastern express highway and we were off to the airport. Thats how the trip ended.
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