Friday, July 07, 2006

A journey and settling in!

This time last week, I was still in Hyderabad still not sure about how I would be reaching here. There seemed to be not much options left. My dad wasn't at home and he was also going to come. HE arrives on Saturday morning at 9 in the morning. By that time, we had someone say they could arrange for reservation by some Sampark Kranthi Express leaving at 11 AM. So it was a rush to the station.

Things didn't work out since it was a Saturday and we had to sit in a cramped position near the toilet in a reserved bogie for the whole duration of journey till Bhopal. In between we had a berth given in Nagpur which was useful since my parents used the concept of time-sharing on it. At Nagpur I was able to meet my friends Prasad and Pravin. Then we enter MP and we have quite a reception in the form of a chain-snatching gang almost snatching mom's chain but ma was too alert for any nonsense of that sort. A minute later we heard screams and I came to know of at least 2 people in the compartment whose chains were snatched and a person's whose purse was stolen. Oh the modus operandi was to pull the train chain in some God-forsaken place and then go along the track and capitalise on any opportunities available. That was quite a welcome and has taken away all desire of traveling by train in MP.

We reach Bhopal at 3 in the night(or morning depending on your being a nocturnal creature or not being one). Dad is not well at all. We go to the waiting room and I try to get some medicines but it was in vain. We managed with something in ma's purse and some Limca. At 5:30, we go and engage a cab to Indore. My task being to stay awake in the front seat so that the driver doesn't fall asleep and it was quite a task, since I didn't get to sleep in the train and the previous two days too. We reach Indore at 10 and then life gets real easy. We had lots of family friends taking care of us.

I have a great lunch at a real good hotel in Indore called Sayaji. Do go there if you happen to visit Indore. At 4:30 we start off with the rain pouring heavily. Reach my home for the next 2 years at 5:45. Manage to get my room allotted and after some time my parents leave along with batch mates who managed to get a ride to the city. I go to my room and find that the senior in the room next to mine is an acquaintance from Hyderabad, so that makes the transition easier. I meet some people and then go have dinner. A meeting is scheduled at 11:30 and by the time I sleep for the first time here it was 4!

Then I get my system on Thursday and life has begun in earnest here!(Oh the assignments, meetings and quizzes had already started)

The place is truly beautiful and the joy of watching football matches on the screen in the auditorium is really worth experiencing!!!