scribblings

After what could be ages, i had an opportunity to go out of madras on a week-long tour. Though predominantly academic, it was indeed a nice one to enjoy as a break from routine.

Having left on a hot friday noon, it was a rather eventless train journey of about a day. There was this mallu couple, who were all over each other all thro' the journey. And then a couple of guys, from some where in madras, going to write some exam in b'bay, and other guys, i dont remember. I reach pune and find my way to the venue of the conference, hoping to be able to check into my accommodation and find some rest. We are greeted with a message that the bookings are available only from the night and we have to spend the day with some others, in a flat for the time being. I land up there with the gumbal which came on the train and after freshening, meet up with Shamanth, good old friend. Choice of company for the day, did matter a lot.

We start off on his bike for a quick and nice lunch of parattas and hit the Bombay - Pune highway. It is an awesome road to drive and/or ride one. The traffic being a bit on the heavier side, we had to reduce talking and hence quite a lot seeing until we got out of the Pune/Pimpri-Chinchwad metro. The country side on the warm saturday afternoon was a pleasure to watch. He drove me thro' the road which seems to have been a well maintained one, prolly too new to get tampered with yet. The plan was to drive to Lonavala and get back by the evening. We did accomplish that. Some of the places on the road did make us get off the bike and take stroll along or feel bad about not getting a camera along. The ups and downs and the long stretches of road with mountainous terrain on both sides was good to watch.

The mountain-top view of Kamshet Village and the railway line the road and the river running parallel still lingers in the mind, i must go back to that place and take a picture. We did walk along the railway line for some distance, watched a couple of trains pass from the top of the hill, and one other speeding express while just standing right next to the railway line. Getting hit by a speeding train is one particular fashion in which, i do not wish die.

The ride itself was so good that one did not feel bad for not spending a 'long' time at Lonavala. We just visited one lake, whose name never got registered. Got back just in time to find that we had to check-in at shikshak bhavan and take care of dinner ourselves. So we decided to eat and then he would drop me off, just that my luggage was too heavy to go around carrying on a bike. We did however go to a restaurant, which arguably served the best tomato-noodles-cream soup i have ever tasted. The sizzlers for dinner were nice, though i couldnt finish it. Got myself on an auto to reach the place, only to find that i would have to share the room with some others. it so happened that i was put up with a bunch of kannada speaking guys from dharwad, and that was in the 3rd or 4th floor of the building (*though they actually called it the second). (Aah i had to climb stairs...)

The next morning gave me time to roam around this building. To me, it was a perfect example of an ill-designed, not-maintained, building which must atleast have a good view from the road, if only it were maintained properly. For the morning, i ended up exploring some parts of the area around this building by walk. Believe me, A sunday morning walk is always refreshing. After meeting up with Shamanth for a late breakfast, at about lunch time, on his advice reached the Govt Engg College, Pune for to its Boat Club and possibly also witness a session of the BCQC. The boat club is nice place with good shade and breeze to sit alone only. If only one could find good company, it couldnt get better. The BCQC dint seem to happen anyway there, till i left, which was after spending about an hour there. Just watching the scenes and the boats.

Got back to our accommodation, and we were picked up for the conference inauguration. Like any other lecture and conference inauguration it was a strain for one to stay awake, which i actually managed to. The dinner was served there.

The next three days (Monday - Wednesday) saw the sincere man inside of me. Being a regular person to take the bus sent and attending the conference and lectures and eating the food there and all that made it impossible for me to roam around the city. (not that it had many inviting places, still i dint roam around a lot) Did learn some bit of science and made a good load of friends there.

The wednesday evening, i got chance to again invade the city. By then, we were shifted to this place called Hotel Central Park. This was in a more busy area of the city and i went around the place trying to see if i can do some real shopping, rather than the windows. However, i couldnt do much else.

The thursday morning left pune to reach bombay that afternoon. My uncle was there to pick from the station and then till saturday was just the eat-sleep cycle with some 3 movies with cousins and some more of window shopping at the malls there. I realise i am very bad at shopping. I cant ever get myself to feel that i should buy a thing. and then for the records, i left bombay on saturday evening to reach madras on sunday night. This journey will remain in my mind for sometime to come because, each other person with one berth in that coupe had a guest occupying his/her berth along. I was the only solitary reaper. Quite surprisingly, all the trains i travelled kept time and i dint lose of my belongings thro' the trip.

Ended up mailing some of the ppl i met at the conf and i m told i was prolly the only one to mail after conf. may be i m the only one who wishes to know ppl along with science while others wish to know either or neither.