My first long weekend outside Milton Keynes

Preface:
This time I had booked my train tickets well in advance so that I would not decide against travelling at the last moment. I decided to visit Yash in Manchester. Initially I had decided to take a train to Manchester Picadilly on Friday evening and return on Monday evening - Monday being a bank holiday. but the train services were disrupted on Monday, so I decided to return on Tuesday morning. The plan was to report for work straight from the station. And that was what I booked my tickets for.
Suddenly the flat in MK where I was staying looked very big for the two of us (Puru and I). Prasanna had left for India only a day before. Puru would be home alone during the weekend and I was feeling very bad for him. But then, I had asked him if he would come with me and he had declined.


The holiday begins:
I reached the station around 8:15pm, fairly excited. The train was on time. It was the 8:36pm Virgin service to Manchester Picadilly. My plan was to spend the night at Yash's, visit Blackpool on Saturday, travel around Manchester on Sunday and visit Liverpool on Monday. Well, the plan had always looked hectic to me, but it grew upon me after I was docked in my seat and the train left the platform. I had a chicken sandwich and a cup of tea on board (don't look so surprised, I am trying to cut down on alcohol). Then, I switched on my laptop and tried to read a few documents - didn't have much option, as I was not carrying any book or magazine with me.

The train reached Manchester Picadilly on time and I rushed for the 'Metrolink'. I had thought that it was a tube as we have in London, and was looking for a ticket counter to buy a ticket. However, I could not find any open window. I went back to the train station thinking I would find something there, but I was told that I could get the tickets at the platform itself. I went back and found a ticket machine at the platform. Thank God I had some change with me! My destination was Gmex. I got on the metro and once it rolled out of the station, I realized it was a tram. The first thought that came to my mind was KOLKATA! But the trams there were so different from those in Manchester. The ones in Kolkata are considered to be a menace for the traffic. The tram tracks have caused so many accidents there. Strangely, none of that seemed to be a problem here. I was in my thoughts when I reached my destination. I found Yash waiting for me when I came outside the station. His place was just 2 minutes walk from there. He was staying in a service appartment. We had dinner and hit the bed as we had to leave early the next morning - Destination Blackpool.

Day1 - Blackpool

Pic. Tower and Promenade, Blackpool

We woke up early on Saturday, had our breakfast after our morning ablutions. But by the time we were ready, we only had enough time to run all the way to catch our bus to Blaclpool. We did manage to catch the bus at 8:30. The bus reached Blackpool before time. We got down at the bus station and walked down to the Promenade. Promenade is the stretch of road that runs along the coast in Blackpool. Before I go any further on what we did there, let me tell you something about Blackpool. Blackpool is called the Las Vegas of UK because of its casinos, pubs and other attractions. We saw all that all along the Promenade. From the bus station we reached North Pier on the Promenade. The Promenade was a very broad strech of road, with space for usual traffic and a separate lane for trams too. Also, there was ample space for everybody to walk and have fun.

We looked around the North Pier, then went into the tourist information centre, bought ourselves discounted tickets to the Sea Life Centre and gathered some more information on what was there to see for us in Blackpool. We had planned to visit the famous Tower in Blackpool as well. We went there but the ticket to the Tower also included a Circus show and other stuffs which we did not have time for - we had to return the same evening. So we looked at the Tower only from the outside and moved on. Our next stop was the Sea Life Centre where we saw beautiful fishes, sea horses, octopusses, even ray fish and sharks. The Centre had taken a lot of care in creating the same environment for the creatures as they would find in the sea. The has even recreated the Amazon rain forest which was very interesting. I left the centre mesmerised by the sharks.

We skipped Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum which is the biggest wax museum outside London, because I had already been to the biggest. Our next stop was MacD for lunch as we were feeling really hungry by then. By that time the sun was shining in all its splendor and people had come out to enjoy the sun and have fun at the beach. We went to Central Pier next, hit the beach, clicked some photographs and came back. What did you expect? No we did not play in the water, because we did not have any change of clothing for one and second we had only about 4 hours before we had to catch the bus and we still had so much to see.

From the Central Pier we moved on to the South Pier. South Pier has many attractions. There is a mini golf course for you to have fun, the fun-filled Pleasure Beach and a huge indoor water park. Though there are fun and games on all the Piers and all along the promenade, these three attractions at the South Pier stand out. Golf was not out cup of tea, water park was a no no, so we went to Pleasure Beach. The entry to the park is free which is very good, because that way only those have to pay who really want to enjoy the rides (Did someone say good for parents?). Once inside, you have 3 options - to buy a wrist band for £30 to enjoy all the rides unlimitted number of times, or to buy tickets to rides which you want to take, or to just see people having fun. I would have loved to buy the wristband, but again time was a factor. Probably the most famous ride in the Pleasure Beach is the Pepsi Max Big One roller-coaster - which was, at one time, the biggest roller-coaster in UK. So we decided to take that ride. Yash wanted to see the river caves as well, so we bought tickets for those as well. It cost us £11 each for both the rides. Considering this, the £30 wristband is a great bargain. But to enjoy it completely, you need to have one full day. The roller-coaster ride had a fair share of waiting time involved with it. We had to wait for almost 20 minutes for the 3 minute ride. But you forget all that as soon as your ride starts. The feeling is just exhilarating. After that the river cave was a smooth sail through time. It is more for the children, so you people keep that in mind when you go in there. We had a llook around the park and then moved on to our next destination - Ripley's Believe It Or Not. They have a lot of fascinating stuff in there. You would be mesmerised and awestruck at the sight of their collection.

Pic. 'The Pepsi max Big One'

Pic. View from the top of the ride - probably the most thrilling ride of my life till date

After all this we still had sometime with us, but our legs were begging for rest. We dragged ourselves to the benches made near the South Pier and sat in the Sun. There we saw people taking helicopter rides. Yes, you can take helicopter rides for £25 each and I felt it would have been a nice experience. But Yash vetoed it and after resting for some time, we took a tram to North Pier as we could not walk any more. We reached North Pier and decided to take a close look of the sea from the Pier head. The view of the sea from the pier was amazing. I wondered how the sea would look like at sunrise and sunset and left the place to return to the bus station for our return journey. We were parched by then so on our way we picked some juice from a store. We reached the bus station at 6:30pm and our bus was standing there. But the drver had locked himself in and would not open the door till 6:50pm as the bus was at 7:00pm. That was wierd and Yash and I spent the time sipping at the juice (it was a life-saver).

Finally the driver let us in, and we set off for Manchester. We reached Manchester at around 8:20 pm. on our way back home from the station, we picked our dinner from Sainsbury, came to our room, washed up, had dinner and lay dead on the bed with the thought that thankfully we had decided to stay in Manchester on Sunday. However, I did regret that I did not have enough time to enjoy all the rides at Pleasure Beach. Blackpool is certainly not a one day trip. You would have more fun if you decide to stay the night there.

Day2 - Manchester
We woke up the next moring, very relaxed as we were in no hurry. My legs were still paining from the abuse I had subjected them to the other day. However, the weather outside was gloomy. It was clouded and raining quite heavily. I really wanted to see around Manchester, but the weather washed my spirits away. Yash and I had a late lunch and finally when the rain stopped, we headed for Old Trafford - yes you guessed it - to see the famous footbal stadium, home to the current premership champions - Manchester United.

Pic. MUFC Stadium, Old Trafford

We took a bus to Old Trafford, got down at the Lancashire Cricket Club and headed straight for the football stadium. I cannot explain how it felt to see the stadium, even from the outside. We reached the museum reception all excited, but our spirits hit a rock bottom when we were told that all stadium tours were fully booked for the day. We could see the museum, but I felt that it was not worth, if we could not see the stadium. So we decided against it. We click a few photographs of the stadium from the outside, visited their store and came back to the Lancashire Cricket Club. Those of you who know Yash would be knowing how crazy he is for cricket. He wanted to get inside and see the ground, but they were having a match and we were not allowed inside without a ticket. It was not our day I guess! And so we headed back to our abode. It was better to rest and prepare for another tiring day in Liverpool.

Day3 - Liverpool

Pic. Albert Dock, Liverpool

This time around we got ready and reached the bus station in time. Our bus reached Liverpool well before its scheduled time. I had checked on the net and the tourist information centre would have opened only at 11 am - it being a bank holiday. So we had a lot of time. We walked to the City Centre, waitin on our way at beautiful Victorian buildings like the World Museum, Library, etc. The City Centre in itself was buzzing with life, though all the shops had not opened till then. It was bright and sunny and the city looked splendid in the morning sun. We collected as much information from the tourist informationc centre as we could and then caught a City Tour Bus to Albert Dock. The history of Liverpool and Albert Dock is very intersting. I will skip the history of Liverpool and get to Albert Dock. The guide told us that it was designed by a dock supervisor and not an architect. Strange, and hard to believe when you see the dock. The War Memorial at next to the Albert Dock is also very beautiful - probably the biggest war memorial in the world. We took a cruise on the Mersyside Ferry and I must say it was a nice experience. We were sitting in the open on the Ship at first, but then it became very chilly soon, and we moved indoors. The sight on both sides of the river was beautiful. The cruise lasted for about 50 minutes and I would have missed something had I not taken it.

Pic. Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool

After the cruise, we went to see the famous Anglican Cathedral. No matter how much I praise it, you have to see it to believe it. However, I have to write something about it. The huge red structure took my breath away when I first saw it. To put it simply... it was huge. The main entrance of the cathedral has a huge metallic statue of a man which appeared very strange to me. The inside of the cathedral was simply majestic. The calmess and serenity of the place just bowled me over . The rise of the tower, the beautiful painted windows... it was all so divine. The church was made by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It was very intriguing to know that this was Sir Giles first such assignment that too when he was just 21. The architect is the same quy who designed the red phone booths that are synonymous with England. The view from the top of the tower is equally breathtaking; on a clear day, it is said that one can see as far as the Blackpool tower. Rest I would leave for you to see whenever you have the chance visit the land of the Liver bird.

From the Cathedral we went back to Albert Dock to take the Beatles Tour, but the tour had closed down by then. So we took another bus and went to the City Centre once again hoping to catch a quick bite. We spent some more time wandering around in the market but then the shops had begun to close down and we couldn't do much. We decided to return to the bus station and wait there. We still had some time, but we were tired to the core and had no more strength to walk. I got burgers and fries to much on while we waited at the bus station. Finally the bus came and no surprises... we dozed off within mimutes after the bus left the station. After we reached home, we just freshend up and hit the bed... the holiday was over and tomorrow was going to be another hectic day at office.

The next morning, on board a Virgin Train for my return Journey to Milton Keynes, I slept all along. Whoever said holidays are relaxing had surely not walked as much as I had in the past 3 days. As the train reached MK, thoughts of how the journey had come a full circle came to my mind. It had been very tiring but the enjoyment was worth all the pain. There was, however, one regret. Yash and I had visited the football heartland of England - Liverpool and Manchester each are home to two famous football clubs (Liverpool and Everton footbal clubs in Liverpool and Manchester United and Manchester City in Manchester) - but could not see any stadium. Had that been possible, I would have felt it was a complete journey.

Looking forward to many such sojourns.

-CK-

Happy Friendship Day

This year I celebrated friendship day in style - like never before. I was in Pune, again, on deputation, but this time for 3 days only (1st-3rd Aug). But I decided to stay for the weekend so that I could meet some friends. I am not going to discuss work this time. Anyways that was insignificant to what i had done the last time I was in Pune.

Eve of Friendship Day:

On Saturday morning (4th Aug) I checked out of the guest house and went straight to one of my collegemates place in Magarpatta City. After having spent some time with him, I borrowed his bike to visit other friends. I picked one up from Hadapsar and met the others at FC Road. Over lunch we decided to visit Panshet and nearby areas the next day. So we called one more friend of ours who was still sitting in his office on a Saturday afternoon. After much persuasion he agreed to come. Having decided all that and having booked a Qualis for the next day I headed for Kalyani Nagar to meet another classmate of mine (from DPS). I met her and told about the plan for the next day.

Friendship Day:

I got ready by 8:00am as the car was supposed to come and fetch me at around 8:15. But it cam only at around 9:00am. Aman, Apurva and Shankar we already in the car. We headed for Minakshi's (my DPS classmate) home to pick her up. having picked her up we picked one more friend (Sandy) in Hadapsar and left for Pashan where Vidushi was waiting for us. By the time we reached Pashan, we had decided we were not going to Panshet but to Panchgani. Thank God that Vidushi did not agree and said that she had to reach home by 6:00pm otherwise we were in for a really long picnic.

After much debate we headed for Tamini Ghat. I had absolutely no idea what that place is like, but by the time I realized I was awestruck by the view all around. It was no particular place that we were planning to go, it was just a long road in the Wstern Ghats and believe me the sight in the Ghats during monsoon is breathtaking. You need to see it to believe it - so much greenry and water all around. There were waterfalls, big and small, streaming down the hills all around. We were practically driving in the clouds - one moment you could see the hill that lay ahead, the other moment nothing was visible, except a think layer of mist - or were those the clouds? We kept on driving, making short stops at waterfalls and to take snaps, but more importantly to let the view sink in. At times I wondered how Scotland would be, since I've already hard so much about the place, but whatever it would be like, it would not be better than what I was seeing then - I was sure.

We had our lunch at a dhaba which appeared suddenly out of nowhere. There was this solitary building on the one side of the road in the midst of agricultural land. Facing the dhaba was a hill which had several waterfalls running down. The view from the place where we were having lunch was such that any five star hotel would be envious. As far as the food is concerned, the dal was fabulous, while the chana masala was very hot. The chicken, however, was pathetic, but we didn't complain much because it was around 3 pm when we had sat for lunch and none of us had had breakfast.

After lunch we carried on with our journey ahead, but after a few kilometers the sight was not as beautiful. So we decided to return. We dropped Vidhushi home at 7:00 pm (I guess we managed pretty well). But, I had to return to Mumbai the same night and by the time we reached station with our baggages, it was around 10:00 pm and it was raining heavily. But that is another story...

We had a great time in the lap of mother nature. The experience will remain etched in my memory forever. I recommend this beautiful Ghat to one and all. Now don't just sit there. Get up, pack your bags and get going. Keep a pair of extra clothing and a towel. You'll need it after you get wet, else you'll be shivering like we were. Don't forget to devour the local bhajia and chai that is available.

Acknowledgements: To all those whom I call my friends and more importantly to those who consider me as their friend.
Happy Friendship Day to one and all!

In the photograph (L-R): Apurva, Vidushi, Aman, Shankar, Minakshi (and you know me)

Cheers,

-CK-

B&PP (Mumbai) TimeOut!

The Billing and Payments Platform (B&PP) team from Mumbai was given a much deserved and awaited break by the company. We were sanctioned a day out in the Nishiland Water Park, Panvel. But the people in the group are so habituated to work that it was a tough job to convince people to come, because after a difficult week, people would rather relax at home with their families than go on a picnic that would be equally tiring - physically. The second challenge was to organize the event. The scheduled date for the picnic was 23rd Dec, but it had to be rescheduled to 17th Dec due to some unavoidable circumstances. So the organizers, I was one of whom, roughly had three days to organize the event and make it a success. But when the money was not a headache, we had only the arrangements on our minds.

Day1 (Wed,13/12/2006):
The organizing committee sent mails to all SPMs and PMs for the list of all interested people and designed posters. Mails were sent out to generate awareness and interest in the people. Work, ranging from transportation to entertainment and first aid to discipline, was divided among the members. I was made incharge for entertainment.

Day2 (Thur,14/12/2006):
All from my project dropped out of the picnic because four of us, including me, were assigned weekened support task, and the rest feared that they will have no one for company. We tried to find a work around but failed. In the meantime preparations were on full swing hoping for the best.

Day3 (Fri, 15/12/2006):
The day began with a high level meeting of SPMs, PMs and our Group Head to identify why people from our project were not going. Finally a work arround was arrived at and the four of us were allowed to go for the picnic. It was then time for me to put my head down and prepare for Antakshri, as I was supposed to host it. I was only too glad at the prospect.

Day4 (Sat, 16/12/2006):
It was support time for the four of us in my project. I had to be in office from 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm. We got the banners for the buses late in the evening, and all was set for the picnic, the next day. Two buses, one leaving from Andheri and another from office, were scheduled to meet in Mulund and then move on to Nishiland.

Day5 (Sun, 17/12/2006):
The Time Out: It was a late start as the buses arrived late. Both the buses met at Mulund, and after a short stop headed for the destination. We had a very enjoyable round of 'Antakshri' in the bus. We reached Nishiland at 9:45 am. The entry and food coupons were distributed at the entrance itself, and inside the park, we got our locker keys. After breakfast, we changed into our swimming costumes and hit the pool as soon as we could because we had time till 2 pm only, after which some other events were planned - away from water.

We had a good time in the pool and on the slides. There was a small slide on which we had a lot of fun. Surprised? But trust me, it was a lot of fun. Some people were trying to climb the slide, and each time anyone did that, there were at least three people who were determined to bring them down. It was great fun because everyone had set the child inside him/her free. We were all playing like a bunch of kids. My team (project) was the last to leave the wave pool, after we had an exclusive wave session. Then, after our ablutions it was time for lunch. We were so hungry that we ate like dogs. My throat was so sore after all the shouting in the pool, that i wondered how I would anchor the 'Antakshri' later in the day.



Post lunch, people were asked to gather in a shade over the lake where chairs were already laid for the events. Antakshri and Dumb Charades were scheduled for the afternoon. We started off with 'Antakshri' which stretched a bit too long. But we were thrilled by the participation. I hope people loved it. By God's grace all went well. It was an inter-project competition and BReCon Development won hands down. BReCon Design were the 1st Runners Up.

Antakshri was followed by Dumb Charades with a Tea Break in between. I must say here, that the organizers of the event had done a lot of research because the movies that were given to us to enact... Let me not say anything. Please try to enact this - 'Zimbo Comes to Town'. See! Due to lack of time, this event had to be left incomplete. It was followed by an address by our Group Head who promised us many more such outings in the future. Finally we packed our bags and left the Park at 6:45 pm for our journey back to Mumbai. Thus ended the B&PP Timeout.

The Experience: It was a picnic worth every penny spent and a must attend for all. Those who missed it were really unfortunate. But then, I am sure, they had very strong reasons. On the personal front, it was a great place to be if you want to expand your network. Where else could you chat with PMs and SPMs in an informal way, and even pull their legs, and they would take all that with a smile? Right! this was the place and the time.

Credits: It was a great picnic, but it would not have been successful without the efforts of the IDU Head, the Group Head, the HR Team, the Admin team, the Organizers and all the participants. I extend my thanks to all those involved. Cheers...

-CK-

My 'Roadies' Experience

Dear Readers,

This post of mine is not on the same lines as my previous posts. Enough of debatable topics. Here's a description of my trip to Daman. So sit back and experience my first such road trip. I will try my best to make this post as interesting as possible. As usual, your comments are most welcome. They will help me make my write-ups even better.

Cheers

Planning for the trip had started in November itself, but as fate would have it, last moment assignments left only the four of us - Akshat, Prasanna, Puru and myself - for the Daman trip. And what better means to commute except (yes!)BIKES. So the plan was ready, maps downloaded from the Internet and printouts taken. Everything was finalized on Friday (1st Dec, 2006).

Akshat and I set off for Daman on Saturday, Dec 2nd at 2:30 am from my flat in Powai. We were scheduled to meet Puru and Prasanna (who were coming all the way from Pune) at 3:oo am near the Eternity Mall in Thane. We were there as per schedule, but the other two got lost on their way from Pune to Thane and reached the rendezvous point at 3:40. Waiting for them in the dark, with sleepy eyes, was the most difficult part of the journey. But the journey had just begun.

From there we took the road that would connect us to the Western Express Highway. To our dismay, the road was broken at several places and we were stuck between a carvan of trucks. So we had to eat a lot of dust till we reached the highway. There onwards, it was smooth sailing. Believe me, the Mumbai - Ahmedabad Highway has to be seen to believe that it is so smooth. A realization fell upon me that had Laloo kept his promise of making the roads of Bihar smoother than Hema Malini's cheecks, he would have made such roads. We took a halt every half an hour or forty minutes, got down at some dhaaba to have tea or just stretched our legs.

The sight at the break of dawn was mesmerising. The highway looks so beautiful in the light of the rising sun. The highway meandered through the hills, and a cool breeze blew all along. The air was so fresh - completely different from what we get in Mumbai - that i felt intoxicated (ab kisi bhikari ko achha khana doge to uska paet kharaab hoga hi naa... waise hi we in Mumbai are used to the dust and smoke, not air).

We reached Daman at around 8:15 am. As we entered into Daman, Puru went on a hunt for a wine shop. Finally, we stopped at one, and purchased 4 large cans of Kingfisher Strong. But, Puru had other ideas. He bought two small cans also, and made me drink one then and there while he drank the other one. I literally did the morning kulla with beer.

We were at he 'Sunset Beach' by 8:30 am, feasting on our cans of beer and gorging some wafers. After all it was time for breakfast. Once we were done with the beers, Puru and Akshat left to collect some more ethanol after taking oders from each of us. By the time they returned I was already shaking. They returned with some vodka and more beer. I made three large pegs, one each for Puru, Akshat and myself, while Prasanna sipped hi beer. Thereafter, I remeber making the second peg and drinking half way through it. After that, i donot remeber anything till probably 3:oo pm. Yes, you got it. I had passed out.

We came back to our senses at about 5:oo pm and left the beach. We found a hotel and checked into a 4-bed room. The room was a tad expensive, but we were not in a condition to negotiate. All I wanted to do was hit the bed again, or probably visit the loo as my head was still spinning. As soon as we entered the room Prasanna, Puru and I hit the bed. Only Akshat had the energy to go pay the money and sign the register. After some time, we all freshend up, had a good, long bath and watched some television. In fact, I was the only one who was watching TV. Others were sleeping like corpses. I managed to wake them up with great difficulty. We had some soup and a light dinner and went back to sleep. That was the end of Day 1 of the trip.

Day 2 started at 8:30 am as all of us came back to life. We had to leave the room by 11 am but none of us was in a hurry. We packed our things, ordered for some tea and went through our ablutions. We left the hotel at around 10 am and set of on our bikes for some new beaches.



We headed for Moti Daman and reach there in about half-an-hour. We had to cross a narrow bridge which is only for two-wheelers (that too a one-way) and pedestrians. We stopped at the gates of the fort, clicked some photographs and went ahead. Our next stop was the Bom Jesus Church which is a great representation of Portugese architecture and culture. The church, built in its present form in 1603, stands testimony to the bygone era. After the church we stopped at the light house which was a first for me. I had never seen a light house so closely, before that day. After the light house, we went to Jampore beach. It is a long stretch, with people coming in large numbers. We put our luggage down, changed and hit the water. The water was very salty and the sun was out in its full splendor. We had a short game of soccer among the four of us - Puru & I in 1 team and Prasanna and Akshat in the other. All seen and done, we set back for Mumbai.

The road that connects Moti Daman to the highway is two lane with lots of shade. It was a pleasant drive till we reached the highway. As soon as we reached the highway, we were hit by a puff of dust and the sun was glaring down at us. It was around 3 pm when we reached the highway, and soon we realized that we won't be able to drive in the heat. After about an hour, we reached a Reliance petrol pump, refilled the tanks, and got down to refill ourselfs with some late lunch. After a grand lunch, it was time to stretch our bodies. The restaurant staff was kind enough to arrange two char-pois for us. We left the place at 6:30 pm, after the sun had set in the horizon, and set on our road trip back home.

Finally, we reached Mumbai at around 9:oo pm with regular stops in between. But, it took us about an hour to reach our place - all because of the lovely traffic of the city. We realized that we had left the fast lane and the fresh air far behind. That was the end of the trip. Day 2 ended with a very late dinner after which we hit the bed. Prasanna and Puru spent the night at my place, and left for Pune the next moring.

Loking forward to more adventures and trips!

-CK-