A Donkey's Tales: House Arrest & The Tales of Torture!

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I know I left the post about my Jodhpur trip incomplete but there is just so much happening and I'm already feeling the pressure. A lengthy backlog is building up as each day passes by when I laze around (ala donkey of course!) and don't update the blog. I gotta crib all I want this very post and get over with it coz its VACATION TIME!!!!
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I'm under house arrest as I write this. A bunch of kidnapped Black Guys call up their people and say - They is treatin us good and we are chillin in $hit! That was Dave Chapelle on one of his act. Oh hell..just see it for yourself! He keeps me company on days such as this! :)

So whats important is that one line. I mean its house arrest for me with lots to eat, movies to watch, friends to chat with and what not. So basically I'm chilling in $hit too! (Get that now or do I spend more time explaining it to you?)Have watched the sun come up, throw a few rays down in the afternoon (its winter and its brrrr...) and now its getting back into the blankets as it gets cold & dark in the evening. The problem is I've no keys to the house with me and even tho I'm so ready to catch the really scarce sunlightI dare not go out leaving the door open. Its la totura when you get sun in the winter and cant go out!
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Moving on with the sob story. It looked like I was destined to spend my days off riding across India coz I was all set to miss my flight. First it was Satya's bike that decided to test my resolve by refusing to start in the morning on Friday i.e. 15/12/06. I had borrowed his since mine was with the dealer getting the starter fixed. The very first thing I did after I rode it back home was let him know that it was messed up. And it heard me complaining and decided to give me a hard time by not starting on Friday morning when I had to return it to him. So a mechanic and good 2hrs later, it finally started and I left for office for my performance appraisal. Now the entire year went by but my boss for some reason decided to do it on the very last moment.

It was 1pm, I was at work, no travel arrangements of any sorts to get to the Bombay airport, satya's bike still to be returned some 12kms away and still no boss! So I just left work leaving my past years escapades to be sorted out by my boss alone and returned the bike to satya at 5pm. Booked a cab last moment for 4 times the price of a bus ticket (the punishment should fit the crime rite?) and made it home at 5.45pm later than the cab itself! Started at 7pm, remembered that I left a few documents home, went back home and started again, dropped mom at Senapati Bapat Road and hit the highway at 9m. Kept praying all the way till we reached Panvel at 11pm coz there was now some hope I would catch the 1.40am flight! Airport at 12.15pm and then on it was a breeze. The KLM staff was courteous (& cute) and I managed to get a good seat.
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The flight itself was extremely long, tiring and boring! Though on Leg1 from Bombay to Amsterdam, I met a young 25yr old SAP Consultant from Dusseldorf, Germany by the name Mark. He was here to understand the processes in the India Subsidiary of his company and integrate its operations with the parent in Germany. So there was this talk of Auto-Bahn, Munich OktoberFest and his near-death-experience during a rickshaw ride in Ahmedabad. These firangs do such ghastly things in Fear Factor but are such sissies when it comes to real life! Imagine getting scared in a rickshaw ride? Whats so scary about jumping a few lights, going straight up at on coming traffic and squeezing between two buses? Huh...I really dont understand these guys! Leg2 had Amandeep Grover for company from Amsterdam to Detroit. A nice surd from Delhi travelling first time. He had that I-Have-Arrived kinda demeanour but mostly gave away the jitters when he asked questions about immigration e.t.c.

I didn't mind one bit coz I remembered how cocky I was when I was 'going abroad' for the first time. As if I had breakfast in India and lunch in America, dinner back in Bombay everyday! Leg1 & Leg2 were 8,1/2 hours each spent playing games and sleeping. The immigration staff at Detriot was in good mood coz the bloke asked me why wasn't I staying in US when I had L2 visa! He prolly had met the first indian who had all legal grounds to stick around but wasnt keen to do so! Leg3 would have been good too but for the airline staff bungling up the seating and giving me a seat far far away from that cute Indian girl (Who had a boyfriend waiting at the airport btw. So what? Shilpa was waiting for me with 3 of her friends! huh!).
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Reached Buffalo finally at 4.30pm on 16/12, Saturday after almost 26hrs of starting from Pune. Guys took me to the mall to keep me from falling asleep. When I finally managed to hit the bed, I sank like a rock sinks in the ocean. 17/12, Sunday was spent in visiting the Devalayam at Buffalo and Niagara. Niagara is just 30mins drive from here! It was cold and there weren't many people when we reached at around 4pm. No stores open so no coffee and it was freezing. We just hung around a bit, clicked a few pictures and came straight back to Buffalo. Went to Dunkin Donuts and had bagel and coffee after what seems like a lifetime! Amol, thou shall burn in envy when I tell you that I ate a toasted Blueberry Bagel with Cream Cheese.
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Monday 18/12/06, spent in sleeping and so was today. Feel lazy and feel good that there is no work to do, no schedules to keep. Just not sure how long will the feeling last. Hopefully it lasts for 40days! This weekend onwards should be fun since we leave for PR & USVI on 23rd and then return from Boston, NY e.t.c only on 2nd Jan'07. I can't wait for to get to VI...Sandy beaches, sun, lotsa sea food and beer! Cheers!
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