Journey to my first phone

Not long ago, I used to daydream seeing others, who used to sport swanky Nokia handsets, talk to their near and dear ones or just mere showoff by keeping ringtone alert loud; I used to feel terribly jealous and question myself "When I will pose like those people?" That was six years back ! :)

I used to walk a km from my hostel to Avenue Road along with my friends, every alternate day after tasteless mess dinner to call my home and apprise my mom the regular stuffs at a tiny yellow-coloured call-booth. After the call, we never missed to sip a cup of tea at a small shop owned by one good-looking aunty, whom all my group of girlfriend-starved friends stared and go over top imagining everything they would. Even I fell to their trap, not that I was sadhu before ! Anyways back to where I was, if you are confused whether this crazy guy used to walk so long to call home or see that aunt, that too in Silicon City of India. Well, the answer can be YES to both, but my mother’s order to call her every other day overshadowed any damn reason. Although the motives were many, I used to go there only to call my parents and siblings located 650 Kms away from Bangalore by dropping never-ending stream of one rupee coins in the yellow-box and the reason was I didn’t possess the gadget called Mobile Phone or Cell Phone! Even I could not even imagine gadget like Tata DOCOMO OneTouch Net Phone back then .

Although we used to find solace being part of a breed called engineering students where a saying goes “Life takes backseat when you join engineering, in terms of girls “. If you are wondering when Baba Ranchodddas  said this, well author of this post believes so, and my engg brotherhood supports this claim. Sorry, I don’t consider outliers.
I used to visit home once every three months. Although I never used to insist my parents to buy one cellphone fore me, but they could sense my urgency to grab one, especially when some mama buys new phone and along my cousins, we go awe with it and in no time, test every single feature [can’t help, born to be engineers].

It was December winter of 2006 and I happened to visit my family during preparation holidays of my third semester exam. The atmosphere at home, my irritating bro and sis and constant pampering of my mom by serving dishes of my choice made me forget that I had come home to prepare for my third semester exam with loads of books in my bag. After a week stay, I boarded Udhyan Express – Departure Time, 8.10 pm, Wadi, Seat No. 21 AC 3 tier. I always preferred traveling in Sleeper compartment, but my dad insisted me to book this time in AC.From my past experiences, I knew  AC coaches were filled with boring travelers who were on their own for whole 24 hours. Get a life, guys!
To my dad's guideline, I said to myself  -Why not? It was free for me then, because I was still a proud dependent of an Indian Railway Servant, not anymore as I slog now to have a title called Software Engineer. Although I reluctantly agreed, I opted AC 3 tier rather than my dad’s initial guideline to book my seat only in 2A. I boarded my train in time with two heavy bags, piercing through people standing at the door to get my seat. Someone had already occupied my seat, and since the passenger was quite elder, I decided to sit at the side berths out of due respect to his age. I saw a girl occupying the lower side berth and obviously, she had booked. She had wrapped herself in a shawl covering her from neck to toe, wearing spectacles and cursing me from within as I trespassed her seat for which she was owner for next 12 hours. After seeing each other’s face for next half hour, I decided to start the conversation with her.I noticed she was reading some fat novel. I asked which book she was reading! She said something and I didn’t give a damn about that. I recall the author was Danielle Steele, and that was the first time, I was hearing this name. And later I found out that she was an ardent fan of this romantic novelist. We were lost in continuous chat and stopped until some old uncle reminded us that it was 11.30 pm and asked us to switch off the single light which helped us to gaze into each other's eyes. I still prefer an Upper berth in trains and it was same that day too.Reason: I love sleep and can’t tolerate if someone wakes me up early, especially in train. I believe many people who are fond of sleep and travelled in trains agree with me. But that night was different. Although we exchanged goodbye-and-it-nice-meeting-u pleasantries, nothing much had progressed and I didn’t want it to end here. I just wanted to wake up early let whatever happens. I had no gadget to give alarm, but I had up my mind to talk with her again next morning.

Next day, I checked my watch immediately when I woke up. Without any alarm or anyone waking me up, I got up on my own for first time in train at 6.30 am and I was relieved. I didn’t want her to see myself as a very desperate guy. So I behaved normally and went to do my daily chorus. We still had good two hours left and it was Hindupur I believe. I bought two cups of tea for both of us and continued our chat. Bangalore Cannt came, and she had to get down. I used to get down usually at Majestic, but this time, responded to the situation. I got some weird sense of feeling that something good was going to happen; and without thinking twice, I just got down and helped her with luggage. For those, who are thinking it’s just out of JAB-WE-MET, in fact, we both were pleasantly surprised and astonished later to see how similar it was to our life. Please note: this happened in Dec ’06, way before JWM released.

To my surprise; she shared her phone no. even without asking. I knew it made no sense asking number from her, when I myself didn’t possess one. But I knew “mera number aayega” but when, I was not sure! She insisted to give a miscall. To avoid getting trapped, I told her my cell is switched off and I kept it deep under my luggage. She later figured out that I lied then :) To my bad luck, I didn’t kept a pen to note down her no. Neither did she had. I promised her I will call back her once I reach hostel and just recited her no. on the way back. The moment I reached hostel, I messaged her using my friend’s mobile. This continued until I consumed those 100 sms of my friend, and it was getting really weird because he was one big flirt with girls , and he wanted those free sms badly. I decided to buy a sim. May be I am the first person on earth to buy a SIM before buying a handset. But yes, I did ! I used to remove his sim and chat with this girl until we really decided to meet again. It was exam time so I postponed the meeting and stopped chatting for a while. I went to home for 3 week long vacation after exams.To my surprise, my father gifted one nice cool phone to me. And there began the journey! I had my first-ever mobile phone before my first-ever date!

                                                
Today I own the phone in the image above after changing so many phones en-route, still I can never forget the journey to my first phone ! :)

Weekend trip @ Jog Falls

When it pours, it pours and pours to make the place I visited last weekend a heaven , and thats what has happened with monsoons playing spoilsport in few places like my native Gulbarga , and floods in malnad, the home for JOG FALLS .

Let me start my saga -

What can you expect from a lazy software engineer on a weekend ? Yes, you are right-on the spot, I was sleeping nicely when the sun had already come over the head and half the day was over. But for me , it was a still happy hours :) A sudden call from my friend Nings as we all address him woke me up from my sweet dreams.
"Are you coming to Jog Falls tomorrow with us or not ? If yes, board the train at 1.50pm from Blore city else sleep again !" - Bossy voice woke me up completely from my dreams by now, and checked my watch . It was 12 noon already . I suddenly gushed to bath room , finished my chores and was ready to reach railway station by 1pm. As expected, traffic jam in Bangalore never allows a lazy guy to enjoy the Bus journey peacefully. It was already 1.45 and bus was still in Mysore Bank Circle. I ran for life when it reached Majestic, then underground in station. The moment I stepped , train came. Thanks to Indian Railways for their punctuality. It was right this time i.e as usual 10 min late, not like, last time, when I missed train to Salem during Yercaud trip. If you are wondring ,what I am saying, read my previous post .
Back to my train journey, well. I had already booked a seat throwing my bag on a seat with a old handsome man assuring to take care of it. But by the time , I boarded and reached my seat, bag was somewhere and seat owner was displaced uncontroversially. Yes, a Patien aunty had occupied my much-guarded seat. :( What can I do apart from standing dumb-faced and searching for a seat. Luckily, old man who was guarding my seat got down at Yeshwantpur and I got a seat . Bliss started now. I enjoyed the whole journey glancing here and there to check out the girls sitting in front and back and even sideways. Fun apart, the moment I crossed Biruru, the nature welcomed me with rains and amazing views , long coconut trees, green grass, also paddy sprouting up lavishly and sunflowers struggling to find sun who was lost among clouds. I reached Shimogga at 7.30 pm, papi alias Papu ,its his pet name received me at station. We went straight to his home. finished our dinner after meeting his parents and watched TV, discussed few matters together and slept at 12 . Let me remind you we have nt booked any vehicle, there was a gang waiting to be joined next morning along with us . But we just slept after sharing the reminescences right from last day of college till date.

I woke up at 5.30, yes, I know you are surprised after reading above that I woke up at 12 the day before. Even I wanted to sleep still but all had to be ready and catch bus at 7.15 on a rainy sunday morning. We assembled at 7.10, took bus and started shimogga from 7.30 am . Reached Sagara by 9 or 9.30. The whole lot was hungry , we had our breakfast, as usual, Idly-vada to be at a safer side. Started at 9.45 an reached JogFalls at 11 am . We roared, watched a Kannada movie Meravanige in Bus and were too excited , after all we were going to see the splendour blessed in this part of the world.
We were dumb-struck seeing the majestic falls laced with clouds . The sunday crowd was unbearable on a rainy morning at a splendid spot by tourist authorities, yet none dithered our zeal to trek down. Last year, we had come here. Steps were being constructed but this time , entire 1388 steps were ready ! Shouted , screamed, captured pictured of this blissful spot , nothing less than a real treat to eyes. As we moved down, clouds disappeared and the view was more clear , with falls sprinkling water like heavy rain on us. We were drenched completely, still we marched until we reached the goondi or the bottom of the falls where falls dipped the earth making horrendous voice. The milk-like river water was gushing and the boys were on top of the world screaming and dancing taking the crowd along with us and engaging them in our excitement . It was tota l gala time over there. The view which we watched, I feel that we were blessed enough to have such a view and return safely with no single accident on the way, considering how far we had gone into the waters . It was 2 pm and there were no signs of Sun god appearing . We realised even he is having a nice time sleeping on a lazy sunday except rain god and us ! :) We returned to the top by 3. Rats were fighting in our stomachs and a just before soccer game was about to start, Hotel Mayura , KSTDC saved us .
What we plan, and what happened ! Yes, you were wondering how the script is going so smoothly ! Story is not yet over , my friend :) The famous SRK dialogue from OSO translated to all my brethrens across globe. We took tickets back to Shimogga at 3.15 . And take my words, the bus moved only 100 m in 2 hours. The crowd and traffic jam sprang up . And if we would have compared it to Blore traffic jams, it would beat by 20 - 1 difference. Finally, the jam was softened and after such a hue and cry, banging on top of the bus and a near riot, we reached Shimoga at 9.30. I bid bye to all my friends accompanied throughout with such a memorable trip . I quickly finished my dinner, and had to rush back to Bangalore, to start earning my bread and butter. Boarded a bus and reached in time by 4 am and room by 5. I checked my mails early morning and jumped to my bed without disturbing my roommates. When I woke up it, it was 11.35 am and office ! ? !
What happened next ? We will catch up for coffee and discuss about that !
But the trip came to close and I was relieved ! Yes, my dream of witnessing Jog Falls in full glory is fulfilled ! I can assist you in your next Jog Falls trip anytime , before check out the amazing pictures of my friends and Jog Falls , and do comment, how was my journey and blogpost :)

A weekend trip @ Yercaud

I always wonder why people spend so much and die to go places like Switzerland when our India , indeed incredible , has so many places .
Yes, Yercaud is one of those beautiful places where nature has poured all it's glory to the brim and it's overflowing literally ! I had heard this place few times before but never knew that it's worth a place but the trip on 30 th and 31st May , 2009 totally disproved me and infact, it was a relaxing as well as adventurous trip and also the first one with my friends@IBM ever.

Mithun, Mayank , Neeraj and myself planned suddenly and went for the trip.Mithun and Mayank had done most of the pre-arrangements but plans are not meant to be followed, or truly speaking, they could not be followed by gluttons like me ;) I missed the Kochuvelli express , busy eating at Barbeque Nation and later Taxi, too. I made it finally and reached Yercaud around midnight 2 am on 30 may .That's the start of the adventure and wait, it does'nt ends here, its just a beginning . MM Holiday Inn was our hospitality partner [ we had to pay heavily thou ;) ] Ladies , Gents , children seat were good, but Rose garden was the best for all the photo-shoot and worth a place to take ur wives there ;) The loop-road drive for more-than 2 hours was the best part which many tourists miss. Mithun , our senior -cum- guide was there for us anytime always and took all the pictures and also , the snaps of or one-and-only Neeraj and photogenic ,Shivraj simply came out the best along with Yercaud's hallmarks ! Montfort School is amazing but we could not go inside , since it was too early in morning and we were returning back to Blore. The catch of the trip was the amazing weather, greenary everywhere, trek down to water-less kiliyuru falls ,company of amazing colleagues and the return journey in Mubarak's [ our taxi driver ] Indica with a view so picturesque that you will get to see that only in Discovery Channel or NatGeo until and unless you pack your luggage and head to yercaud next weekend .Mountains laced with greenary and clouds, heavy rain in evening and hindering the sight from the cottage were the moments to cherish and ofcourse, a bottle of beer gave high to the already fun-filled weekend .
I truly agree my country is simply incredible !
Incredible India !

NOTE: The best time to visit is in summer , as you will relieved by the superb weather and serene climate and you will appreciate only during this time, as it will transport you from your hectic routine + soaring temperature in summer to a place which I call HEAVEN or ಸ್ವರ್ಗ !

A weekend with my family :-)

May 1st : I had invited my family [ dad,mom, younger sis and bro ] to arrive but they had postponed the plan by a day a week ago and you know, since it's an International Labours Day and to add a plum on a pie, it's a holiday in India [ not every country grants this day as holiday , love to be an Indian techie ] so had to spend whole day with my lazy roomie's .But we began our adventure of cleaning the complete home. It turned out to be more tiresome then what it takes to make it dirty ! I was awake till 3 am that day all excited watching movies on my ThinkPad . Day finally ended when I had no other choice to sleep as I had to recieve my parents next morning .

May 2nd : 7 am : My alarm [ also used as a mobile phone ;) ] woke me although I was so reluctant . A quick fresh up and off to Bangalore City Railway Station by 8.05 am . What a peace over there on a Saturday morning on Platform 4 ! It really feels good when still the world around you is waking up . You know, these cases are rare as my day usually starts @ 9. But from now on, I have resolved to start my days early, minutes before 9 . Anyways back to SBC [Railway Code: Bangalore City Railway Station] , I have grown up learning these codes from my dad who is a veteran Indian Railways fan and ofcourse , an employee working in Central Railway Zone.
Oh again , deviated ,so sorry ! It was so peaceful where I grabbed a cup of coffee and The Times of India copy, train arrived at 9.20 [ Expected time:8.50 ] By then I had already finished all the leaves of the paper and before that, two kids who were cousins one studying U.K.G in Bangalore and the other one finished his Senior K.G in Pune [Trivia : Senior K.G = U.K.G , I learnt from them this terminology :) ] just stood beside me, took the Blore times.Now, it striked you that they were exploring the pics of any beautiful lady's which even striked me ? NO ! they wanted to sit and displace/rather push me out of the seat meant for a single adult but still, I helplessly sat just to pass time with those naughty kids .Plenty of space was created for them and they started to tussle over an serious issue : Door of a train is foldable or not ? - Gosh ! They made so many arguments between them that I began to question myself that why the door is really not the way they explained .I had no other choice but to enjoy their silly but to be true, they were out-of-the-box statements from kids of age 5 who were so smart . Wow! The future of India is really in safe hands ! They can even make a train run without the tracks or create doubt in other's mind that the train bogie's really need a door. I was just looking the funny side of it ,now jokes apart -
I received my parents , a warm welcome too . We were in our flat (rented) in a Volvo which took just 30 min where usually it takes 45-60 minutes to reach for me any other day. I had a good nap after heavy lunch @ home .Later, in evening , the ever magnificent Shiv Mandir was refreshing to my pious mother .
A bit of shopping at the crowded Total Mall ,expected on weekend and that too, a first weekend of a month where everyone's bank account is credited with their salary . :) A good tasty dinner at Udupi Park but these guys made us to wait for long to get ready with the table for five. We reached home around 11pm and retired around mid night for a touring day tomorrow .

May 3rd : I had booked a cab for a day and after lot of calls a day before from driver1-> driver2->driver3, and finally driver 3 turned up .The first 2 drivers gave the way to the lucky one who complained of their unavailabilty .
Driver named Srinivas turned sharply at 8.45 am when we stepped out of home. And Bangalore Round started literally.
Ragi Gudda Hanuman Temple ,J.P.Nagar -> Nandi temple + Mahaganapathi temple ,Basavanagudi -> ISKCON ->Veer Anjaneya Temple,Mahalakshmi Layout -> Halli Mane , heavy lunch along with an expected rush on a weekend -> Science Centre + Govt.Museum , Cubbon Road -> Shopping @ Commercial Street.
On the way, all were quite pleased to get the glance of the beautiful Vidhana Soudha ,High Court, M.G.Road with closed shops and ever-industrious 'Namma Metro' staff who have spoiled beauty of MG road as of now and then, the list goes on and on ;) We reached home around 5.oo pm ,after fresh up, packed our luggages ,boarded in the cab and zipped off . Karnataka Express was scheduled to be @ 7.20 pm .Driver and I started fearing when it began to drizzle . As you know, when it pours, chaos and traffic jams rule the K.G Road near Mysore Bank Circle on the way to Majestic, headed to SBC[ Read above again if you dont know whats SBC ].
Confirmed seats in A1 coach was a sigh of relax before we left our rented flat here, because a waiting list in KK Express or Udhyan Express will hardly ever fetch you a berth to even sit until you reach your destination unless you grease the palms of TTE . There was an emotional see-off as expected but I invited them again for a longer weekend again in future . :)
I came back room , watched RCB win against MI and guys, to be true, Anil Kumble is the lucky mascot for the trouble-struck and sad-to-say a downtrodden fair-playing team . But yes, they are turning back as phoenix after a hiatus in IPL season 2 .

So this was the weekend what it was supposed to be , and I enjoyed it thoroughly with my family .Feel free to comment on places I visited and the one's which I could not !