Stop with the vacation pics....already!!

Sitting lonesome in my room and having Facebook as a steady mate through out the day, I hate but notice one thing. The whole world seems to be vacationing while I sulk sitting home alone. Each day as I turn on my FB page, newer and more exotic locations are tagged on various people's vacations. All of a sudden, it seems like I am the only constant while everyone else is moving.

If yesterday I saw someone visiting the Tower of Pisa, then today it was Vegas, God knows what tomorrow might see. Going by the number of travelers I know currently, it could be anything between Macau, Jo'berg or Miami. It seems I had forgotten that June is vacation time across northern India. And till last year, I was also on the travel bandwagon and didn't seem to notice or bother other people's vacations pics amongst mine. All of a sudden, with no vacation lined up this year, the pics are the only thing I have to see as vanity.

After dropping two people at the Int'l Airport within a space of 5 days last week, the whole vacation air seemed to drive me crazier. As the Airport neared, my excitement seemed to beat those of the travelers. But well, then again, I came back on four wheels while they flew off in a jet.

Now I clearly know how everyone in the past must have felt when I discussed my travel plans with them. I sail in the same sulking boat now trying to act over enthusiastic on their excitement. While the inner core was all about wondering how it would be at World Cup Football in South Africa. I'm sure Mohit shares the feeling. He does come up with the best line to strike out all travel blues and show me the brighter light at the end of the boring tunnel, "Baby, you get the trophy in Sept while the others just get 10 days of thunder."
True, how true!
So travel people, have fun and next year, same time, get jealous seeing me, my husband and our li'l one in some crazy and hot destination.............

Changes....then and now!!

It has been a long time since I wrote on my blog. In fact, this line has become a cliched starting line for some of my recent posts. Well, the lack of any writing hasn't been due to less happenings in the recent past but due to lack of interest on the part of the writer. Talk of happenings and never has so much happened for me/us in the last six months than any other time.

If I compare the last year, same time to this year, same time, then things are so different. We were holidaying in London last year and trying to cheer India's sinking cricket ship in the WC20-20. This year, I'm just commenting on how good people's holiday pics look on FB. Last year, I was trying to lose weight and look good. This year, I'm bothered I'm not gaining enough weight.  (Yeah, I have actually asked my doc that)

Same time, last year, I was happily spending money and wanting to spend more while this year, Mohit and I sit every night discussing investment and saving plans, something we've never done before. If last year was all about the couple that wanted to have fun, travel and generally give a damn. This year is all about being a family.

We've already had one addition to the family in the form of Ishaan, Prerna Didi and Jiyaji's first born. And now we're awaiting the second addition to the Bansal clan. Yes, for all those who are dull and still haven't understood, Mohit and I will be parents soon. We're expecting our first child and are thoroughly excited about it. From disbelieving friends to a happy MIL to a never-seen-before smile on Mohit's face, the mum-to-be is seeing it all. Of course, the nausea, the cramps, the baby ponch and the back pains are all there. But so is the thrill that came from that first kick on 20th May. Such are the changes in this year.

If 2009 was exciting and daring but full of a few let-downs, 2010 seems promising and will hopefully see brighter days. And if the sudden spurt in the baby kicks is any signal, then that's an 'Amen' from his/her side to that.

The wind in my face....

For every small town girl car rides/drives or geris as they are vernacularly called in Punjab are very important. With little to boast of for social gatherings, it is the four wheels that come in handy when meeting friends. From giggling to gossiping to eating to alcohol, everything is possible in cars in small towns, I learnt.

Car drives were an important part of my growing up. Graduating from being driven by a driver in my early teens to lucky friends who had access to cars in late teens to finally cabbing the whole lot around in my own car, geris have a special place in my heart. 

As a colleger goer, I remember our trio of friends going out in S's car from B.R.S. Nagar down to Doraha road. One special memory is a trip we took on a rainy afternoon to find our favorite isolated spot near the river to bury the four things that had kept us company during college. Those cup of teas and dal makhani-naan at the roadside tea stall are still embedded in me. I still hold that no one can enjoy tea as much on a rainy day as we did on our jaunts time and again.

There are two road trips with Mohit that I remember, both of which he would like to forget. The first one was on that special V-Day when I took him down to the Sutlej. The setting was just right, with the ring and the food, but the rain Gods had to come in to spoil the road back home. Seeing him toil for one hour to get the car out of the sloshy mud with the help of two villagers and almost wondering if the car might topple over still comes back in my dreams. Nightmares rather...

The special drive on the country side of the Scottish Highlands was doomed to be a special one, I was sure. Whilst the younger drives were enjoyable with rains, this one with me on the wheels in a strange land was a rather scary one. A tire burst and 4 hours later, we were towed back in a tow truck all the way to Glasgow. But then again, sipping tea in that wonderful weather with the beautiful landscape with Mohit and me, hand in hand in the backseat of that tow truck was kind of romantic too. I would've had nightmares about this one too if our insurance didn't cover the GBP 500 loss I incurred.

Coming back to base camp, there hasn't been much thrill in car drives in Delhi. With the driver in question (Mohit), never keen to drive around meaninglessly on crowded roads with fellow car drivers abusing you endlessly, my dreams of the wind in my face and rain drops on my brow seem to have ended......

In conversation with a taxi driver!!

I share a love-hate relationship with cab drivers. Love, because I have to rely on these radio cabbies to get me to my destination in due time. Hate, because they are always late when I am short on time and also when I am attending an important occasion. I hated my cabbie when he didn't turn up when there was an early morning flight to catch and hated him even more when he arrived 30 mins late to take me for my anniversary dinner.

Well, off late it has been more love than hate, seems the services have improved. And there was particular love(????) for one cabbie who picked me and took me to Panchsheel on 15th March 2009. With a big 6 feet frame and anywhere between 200 and 250 pounds to boast off, he seemed anything but tender. As he started driving, I screamed for him to slow down. He nodded and slowed, but only for the next 300 metres. Soon the bumps were invisible to him and after my third shout, he looked at me with soft eyes and smiled. Finally, he slowed down after I had added 4-5 sentences of plain truth.

As he slowed around Naraina, his phone rang. Looking at the display, the giant turned to a puppy and said sheepishly. " Haan, Mamma." I almost burst out laughing. He told her he was driving and would call back, but the 'Mamma' was in no mood of listening to that. She had some instructions to give and he followed all of them up with a series of " Haan Mamma's".

He hung up and smiled at me in the mirror. I suddenly felt bad at eavesdropping. He didn't seem to bother and suddenly started doling out his "Haan Mamma' story to me. That was my mother from the village, he told me. She calls me at all meals to ask if I had eaten, he added. Very sweet, I said and thought it would end there.

But the big man was emotional and kept going. I live alone in the city and she is alone in the village and we both really miss each other, he said. I nodded. "Today she had cooked my fav baingan bharta and had called to say so. She wanted to know if I get good bharta in Delhi or no. I told her yes. But she doesn't know I cook myself and I don't know how to make baingan ka bharta." He smiled and kept quiet. I wondered what that meant.

All of a sudden he started speaking. "She thinks that I have someone to cook for me since I drive a car, little does she know that I cook dal chawal and paranthas for myself everyday." All of a sudden it seemed to be turning into a movie story with the son in the city lying about his monetary status to the mom in the village.

Before more thoughts could jump in my mind, he started talking again, "what more can I do Madam, we are poor people? Cook once and then eat here and there! Who will cook Baingan ka bharta for me in big, mean Delhi? Sigh....."

Long Silence......

"Baingan Ka bharta is very easy to make. I can tell you how to make it and then you can tell your mother you ate it. She will be happy." I don't know from where that came.

"Nahi, Madam, hum garib kaha baingan khareedege."

"Baingan is cheap, no big deal. You can make it easily, maybe on a sunday or a day off." I was still talking I realised.

"I think Sunday should be good, Madam. Tell me how to make?"

"Do you have a paper?" I asked.

From nowhere, a paper and pen appeared and I felt myself scribble the recipe of baingan bharta on that crumpled piece. He seemed to be very interested and insisted I write in English as that would help in honing his english skills as well.

Between naraina and Panchsheel, I had shared a secret with this big guy who looked so hard on the exterior yet so tender on the interior. And during the same time, the mean looker had disclosed that he was a softie and that cabbie's can be good guys too.

So much for my love-hate relationship with them!

This one seemed all Love!!!