Vacation is beautiful

Even though I hardly miss home when I am away from home, I really do have a good time at home. I packed a couple of books to read at home but I never had a chance to touch them. So busy all the time. Isn't it good? - This topic would take a long to write. So, will write later.

I've been trying to improve my writing skills for the past few months. I do feel that it has improved quite a lot. Still a long way to go. It was just two days back I read poomanam - she is really good. I really loved the post she had put in her my-think-pad about her brother. I even read it for my mother. Poomanam's style is terrific. Thanks to the blog-jantu friends who fell in love with the short-tempered durs. They guided me to poomanam.

Now it's time for making resolutions. Not because it's the beginning of another year. I am re-starting/continuing my research after a very relaxing vacation which changed some major equations in my life. On getting back to Munich, what changes should I make in my life style and other activities? What all should be my accomplishments in the next spell of research - until I take next break or get some internship?

This is the time to think and make the master plan. I even need another small plan to follow the master plan properly! (how many levels of recursion should I need?). Will be putting another entry with some of such ideas and plans for the future.

Gotta go for a "nishchaya-thamboolam" - marriage engagement. There will be food there :)

Signing off,
Sands.

The day when I am everywhere

I am writing this post from Dubai International Airport. Today is December 9th 2006. And today I am actually no-where!

Yes, I started from Munich on 8th December and will be reaching Kochi on 10th of December. Today I am spending all my time in three flights and two airports - which could be said that I am no-where or even Every where :) [See the title]

This post is going to be in "God of small things" style. That means, you would find some things from present, then past, then some things about future too. There is no guarantee that it would make any sense to the reader. (Actually, God of small things didn't make sense to many!! Anyway I liked the book and the style too)

The first thing I noticed when I landed here was that, while some things are kept very well, some other stuff are not maintained well. For eg., the bus which took the passengers from the flight to the lounge was no way comparable to the ones you see in Germany (Esp. Munich). The security check was even worse. I don't expect that sort of congestion in Munich Airport. But once you enter the lounge, you see the difference. You will be standing in a very well maintained, clean, beautiful place. The duty free shop, the artificial palm trees and pillars with golden spirals on top of it and even the carpet which gives you the feeling that you are on real desert. You continue to walk and find that the Internet facilities and the area for smokers, these two things simply suck. It's a huge airport and I could find only 20 systems altogether. One end of the lounge has 10 and another 10 at the other end. And a couple of them doesn't work too. However, except for a few things, the Airport is one among the best.

The past two days were hectic for me. Thursday was the best. My day started at 9 in the morning and it was 11:45 when I was back at home. And then I had to do the packing. Slept only for 4:30 hours. Even yesterday was pretty busy. I missed the S-Bahn (Suburban Train) which I had planned to take to the airport. Anyway, I had expected it and had put enough buffer time. :)

Had quite long discussions with Peter, yesterday. Professor was busy and the talk was for just 30 minutes. I went around to say bye and to wish happy Xmas and new-year to my colleagues. When I told about going to India, one of them asked

"Are there poisonous snakes in the area you live?"

"Yes, there would be"

"Would it be possible to get the tooth of a poisonous snake?"

"I don't know, let me see"

"If possible, get one for me. I would pay if it costs"

"May I know what the purpose could be?"

"I just want to use it on my chain/necklace"

"Fine, Let me see whether it's possible"

It sounded a little funny to me. But when I thought about the "tiger-nails" I used to wear, there is nothing funny in wearing tooth of a poisonous snake.

The airport is quite crowded. I can see many Indians. It's a long time since I saw these many Indians together! I am going to see today even more. In the wash-room, the sweeper was an Indian, and should I say explicitly that he was a mallu? It was written on his face that he's a mallu. I cant believe this - those people who don't do any work in Kerala are doing any kind of job here. He comes abroad to become a sweeper. I know, opportunities are less in Kerala, still I can say it for sure that he wouldn't have thought about doing some human-labour there in his home land. Mallus come to Gulf for doing this work here, and the work in Kerala is taken care of by Tamilians. I think, a mallu coming to Gulf is exactly as a Turkish guy going to Germany. His land of opportunities. (Notice the structure of the second last line. It really says where am I located now)

In the afternoon, I'll be going to another land of opportunities - Bombay. Thinking about how the airport will be in Mumbai, I know it's going to be no where near Munich/Dubai. Still it'll be my first time in Bombay airport. I will be meeting my friend Nisha there. Lately, wherever I go, I have someone there whom I know. Some relative/friend etc. My network is growing.

Last night, the S-Bahn which I took after the one I missed, it stopped in between two stops for sometime. Something like the stop in between "Peramboor" and "Chennai central" (there was no foul smell). I started to get tensed. If it gets stuck there, I cant even get a taxi near that place. Anyway the halt was only for 5 minutes. In the next stop, Jimmy and Arun joined me. They just came to see me off. It was definitely a nice gesture even though it was not necessary.

Even in the flight I found an acquaintance of mine. He too is going home with his family for Xmas. Lucky them - they have a direct flight from here (Dubai) to Trivandrum.

A couple of years back, I used to wonder - "how come my father has friends wherever he goes?". But now I am kind of having it in a Global sense (a little exaggerated). Feels good :). Is this something to feel good about? [See the title again]

In the flight to Bombay, I should not take liquor. I am going to meet her. She's not going to like it. Usually I don't care whether others like it or not. But I should care in this case. I would be sleeping all the time in the flight. There is lot of pending sleep. I am suffering from high levels of sleep deficiency.

Some people tend to forget even the minimum manners. Like, warning the person sitting behind you, before pushing your seat back. Yesterday the lady who was sitting in front of me just pushed her seat back and hurt my leg. Similarly, today after the security check in Dubai, the guard was shouting at me "GO" when I was getting my things back from the conveyor belt and wearing my belt around my waist. I think, these things should be learned from Germany (Munich). How nice the people there are. Very decent people.

I am hungry and thirsty. I had one cappuccino and one croissant (26 DHS). The croissant was ultra-bad. :(. The water which I had collected from the flight also is over. And as I said, many things are neglected in this airport, there is no drinking water available anywhere!

So far, that's the story. Let me go around to get some more stuff. The post is quite long. I heartily congratulate you if you read this much.

Signing off, Sands

Nobody to talk to :(

The past two days were the worst days of my German life. I am not at all in my normal mood. Something is haunting me. I know what is it. But cant write it here. My peace of mind has gone somewhere - I am disturbed to the core. Yesterday was actually THE WORST!! The whole day I was in my room - doing almost nothing.

I am lucky that today I had lot of work to do. It is already 9:20 and I am still at office. This is the first time I am staying late. Because if I go home, I know I will be more disturbed.

Okay Junta, the blog is already enough cryptic. I had to do something - just for the sake of doing. Hence I thought of blogging. Please, no questions. I am desperately waiting to reach home - this feeling too is a new experience to me. Going home and talking to my parents, sister, friends and all will give me kind of relief. Anyway in one week I should be back to normal. By that time, the fight which is happening between my brain and heart will have a winner.

signing off, Sands.

PS: This is a post I would never expect from me. But it happened. I promise you - this is the last time.

The thief in the ship

There is a saying in Malayalam "kallan kappalil thanne" - the thief is in the ship itself. The saying is not the perfect one for the situation which I am going to describe. Still it's what came to my mind.

Most of us have lived with different roommates, they all were different in their own ways. You might find roommates who eat all the stuff you buy or who makes the place always dirty. Or even the other way - you eat all the stuff he/she buys and he/she never says anything. Anyway roommates give you a better knowledge about how people are.

Now, I am staying as a paying guest. Many times, the house owners get fed up with the "guest" and kick him out. I am sure that's not happening here. I am a very good tenant who helps them with the problems with their computer and other small helps. Here the villain is the landlady's (hostess's) son. He eats my food! Not just once.. many many many times.

He takes the juice, ice cream, sausage, meat-rolls and what not! The first day he took he told me that he was unaware that it was mine. But it continued. I come back from somewhere and find nothing in the fridge. Do you know hows that feeling? It's a lovely feeling.. words cannot express it.

Almost every night his brother comes to me and apologises for this food thief. Anyway the "thief" is not ready to stop. I am not directly talking to this fellow because I know he's going to be here only for only two more weeks. So his brother is asking him to be decent.

Last evening, I had one of my friends with me for dinner. I just started cooking and this "thief" came and requested me whether I can give him some food. I don't understand why I act like an "asshole". Instead of saying "balls to you", I thought - "poor fellow, he's hungry". I always think I have a heart made of stone. Still at these kind of situations I just cant say anything. I get this "poor thing" feeling and I offer help. Anyway I gave him food.

In the table, he was behaving even worse. He was taking the curry as if the whole curry was for him. Finally I had to put a control on that. You see, I was trying to be nice and he was exploiting me more!

I really appreciate him. How a man can be this shameless? Now, you might be thinking - he would be young. No!! he's 25 years old. Actually older than me.

After all of that, I came back to my room and laughed for sometime. The whole affair was really funny. It's a new experience and learning.

Wanted to write some more things. Not now.

Signing off, Sands.