02.14.08
Fascination with Bombay Central
Okay just to tick people off – Yes, I still think it is Bombay Central and not Mumbai Central. Haha.
Growing up in India invariably meant visiting relatives during the summer vacations. For me it was either heading to Delhi (North India), Kerala (South India) or sometimes Baroda (West). Now, since we live in the Central suburbs, I was (and still am) fascinated by the western suburbs. Going to Delhi or Baroda was always special. Cool relatives. Also, it meant taking a train from Bombay Central.
What a station! I felt, as a kid, that all trains in India left from and arrived there. It felt that big. It was like Bombay VT. The tracks ended there! The trains couldn’t go any further. The same thing for the long distance trains from Bombay Central.
When I started my Masters at TN Medical College (Nair Hospital), it meant getting off at Central. I was genuinely excited. When one is walking on the bridge, you could see the long-distance trains. The bridge itself is a great place for people watching.
Good times. Good times.
PS. Next post will be on the Da Vinci days in Corvallis.
02.08.08
I miss …..
The past few days have been alternating between really busy days or absolutely lazy days. At times I am amazed by how much I can get done in a day or how I can avoid work altogether. Anyhow, my sugar and caffeine levels are dropping and I will be stepping out to get a cup of tea in a few minutes.
Staring out of the window for a bit and ….. wait …. XY just walked over to my desk here. Well she is the German technician who works in the lab and she asked me just now not to give out her name or initials. Super cool gal who is fun to work with.
Alright back to the post.
I miss:
1. Messing with new arrivals in Bombay especially when it comes to the local trains (cruel, if you haven’t done it. Not so when you have. It is fun ….. really).
2. Home-brewed beer courtesy of Rick in Oregon.
3. Playing with Nathan.
4. DG’s drunken desh bhakti. A friend who slept with the Indian flag on New Year’s eve.
5. Saying hindi gaali’s to people when I am getting out of a crowded train at Dadar. Some stupid f …. fool will hold on to the bar and refuse to get off in Dadar during peak hours. Such people rightly get slapped by everyone.
6. Conductors who never have change for you but will empty their pockets out for the babe in the bus.
7. Special cutting chai at the GK naka near SIES. (Word of advice: Never eat GK’s samosas. I have seen how they are made and its not a wonder even the cockroaches won’t eat it)
8. SP’s inability to breathe when she is laughing. She ends up combining the laughing and breathing resulting in high-pitched noises).
9. The utter respect the macchi-waalis command over regular people.
10. The gaalis that macchi-waalis give. I have seen the worst people blush over the utter crass nature of these gaalis. (These gaalis will be shared, if requested).
11. Trekking in Maharashra.
12. Being the only person who can understand what AB is saying. Now his wife (SN) can understand him too.
13. Aai’s idlis, vegetable upma and vague Tamil sayings (I think she makes them up. Hahahaha)
14. Dad’s burnt cabbage subji. We never eat it but I still miss the burnt smell which is a clear indication that he is in the kitchen and not Amma.
15. RI trying ridiculously to look cool with kids 10 years younger to him. They will call you Uncle, if you hang around kids too much.
16. Biking my way to Nilesh’s place.
Alright time for a walk and tea. Kulti.
(Translation: … too lazy to do it right now. Maybe later).
