Chennai Trip

Over the weekend, we drove down to Chennai in the year old Ford fiesta. Took the bangalore-chennai highway vira Hosur, Krishnagiri, Vellore. Roads are as good as (sometimes better) the bombay-pune expressway. Around 350 Kms, but did that in 5 hours with 30 mts break in between including the city drive times. Took a breakfast break at Hotel Tamilnadu, Krishnagiri - This has become the whole family's habit on any drive that crosses Krishnagiri. Food here is awesome.

While going, we started early at around 5:30 in the morning and did beat all the weekend traffic. Had a peaceful drive. Even I got to drive for 30-40 mts. There are four tolls - 25-35-45-30 rupees respectively for cars. After every toll, you can even find restrooms -well maintained ones. So far, I've always been forced to search for a decent hotel and have some snacks on such occasions. One big relief that you dont have to do that!

Coming back, we started in the afternoon at three and when we were out of Kathipara junction it was almost 4:15, and sun was hitting right on our face till sunset. Reached home by 8:30 with a Hotel tamilnadu break at around 6:15 in the evening at Krishnagiri. My advice is that never enter this hotel at this time of the day! While you are eating, you are eaten my mosquitoes. Such big and nasty ones and you are scratching all over yourself in no time.

The only problem in the whole drive is our country men/vehicles/herd of cows in the numerous towns and villages that you happen to pass by before you reach chennai. They dont realise the speed of the vehicle and happily cross at their own sweet pace. They even drive as if they are in US - all in the wrong side! They dont care a damn about their lives. Real scary as if you hit them, you are the one who will be repenting your whole life if something happens to them.

Anyways, that doesnot bother you too much as there is lots of good if you leave this out. Enjoy the drive.

Today is one of those bad days - Mostly because of the lack of proper sleep combined with anitbiotics. Added to that is couple of problems from unexpected fronts at office and I was really in a foul mood and sleepy when I entered home. After half an hour of trying to get Kimaya understand what I say, I was fed up.

Then there was Andrum Indrum Endrum programme that was being aired in Vijay TV. This is a concert by Ilayaraja with all the leading singers. What beautiful compositions - After I heard a couple of songs, I was slowly getting back to normalcy. Then I was drowned in it.. Any day, any year, i guess, these will give me that kind of serenity that I would need!.

I think Vijay TV aired this program as two parts. I had heard the first set lonnnnnnnnggggggg back and now this. The only problem that I found in the whole programme was Ilayaraja's daughter singing Mayil pola - Oh, that was awfully out of tune and if a person like me who has a little knowledge about music can identify that, I dont know how these muscians on stage put up with that! Am sure that it was something that could have been avoided.

Nevertheless, the nice feeling after hearing those songs, did not leave for a while.. Long live Ilayaraja.

I had a post on Marlabs's announcement of their new BI head who is none other than my hubby and that was a proud moment for me. One more such moment happened in November end which is this article:
http://dqindia.ciol.com/content/industrymarket/focus/2007/107112704.asp.

This is an article on Business Intelligence in Dataquest's November edition.He has been quoted in 4 places in the article. Needless to say that am really really really SO proud about this.

Thanking God and my lucky stars :)

Am 4 days late in wishing everyone for the new year in the blog.. but better late than never.. So here is wishing all of you a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year 2008. Asusual, there were lots of mails wishing new year - all kinds of categories - beautiful, funny, sentimental etc., etc., The best new year mail that I got was this...Enjoy maadi...
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Hi Folks !

It’s that time of the year when I look back and want to thank all of my friends & relatives who have sent me emails this past year........

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat shit in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it all to a sick girl (Penny Brown); who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $50,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

Or from the senior bank clerk in Nigeria who wants to split $7 million with me for pretending to be a long lost relative of a customer who died intestate.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena is going to grant every wish of mine.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca-Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

Thanks to some of you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

And thanks to your great advice, the other day, I couldn’t even pick up the Rs. 500/- I found dropped in the car park because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

If you have reached so far…then here’s wishing you and your family a very happy New Year and may all your
wishes come true…..without having to forward this email as a necessity!!

Have fun, write more original mails and send less of such forwarded mails in 2008!!

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Yaaahoooooooooooooooo! Am home alone after 1 year and 5 months.... One part of me feels guilty about having left Kimaya at Mettur with my parents, but another part of me shoo shoo's me. Anyways now that I've left her there, there is no point feeling guilty, right. I can as well enjoy this unexpected quiet feeling.

To be frank, I did not know what to do with the time I had for myself with no restrictions.... Yesterday since I was tired, I did not give it much thought. Today I feel lost, though I went and bought couple of books, something to eat, roamed around the mall for an hour, watched Cheeni Kum (some movie, that I've been wanting to watch to see Tabu and even tried couple of times, but with some interruption, I was never successful), had junk and browse net for hours..Ofcourse last but not the least - with teacher... I'm trying to find out hard things that I can do. Hmm... I've grown used to Kimaya being around.

I strongly advocate the thought that even parents need rest at times. It is more because of the guilt associated with leaving the kid elsewhere - not counting schools and play time, makes the parents miserable. I'm trying hard to overcome this feeling. She is very happy there. So why do I crib?? God knows why!

I've, rather, my other part has been looking forward to this break, hence I decide to ignore my part thats been constantly nagging me and enjoy while it lasts..

The function that did not happen on Nov 19th happened on Dec 19th, that is yesterday. Yes, my dad's sashti aptha purthi went on very well. It was a very small function and it happened at home. Only that varuna bhagawan played spoilt sport and made every place around 'nasa nasa'. I was so happy to see my parents getting married and we were all making fun of dad and mom. Appa was asusual very emotional about the whole thing.

Got home yesterday late in the night to go to office today... Tired and so good nite.

We had an impromptu holiday last month. My dad's sixtieth birthday celebrations got cancelled because of a death in the family and that happened on the day we were about to leave from here. We had plans of visiting Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Thirukkadaiyur, Thirukkarugavur, Sembangudi and Nallicheri. And all those got cancelled. Since we had prepared also so much for this absence at office and Amma and appa were so upset, we decided that we will drive down somewhere and have a holiday.

So I chose Mudumalai from three options - Chikmagalur, Mudumalai and Karwar. Since he will be driving, I did not want it to be anything long which ruled out Karwar. Since we decided that we will leave my parents back in Mettur, and Mudumalai will be closer from both ends, we started our journey on Tuesday morning(Nov 20th) 5:40 am from Bangalore. Stopped at Kamath for breakfast. It was a 224 Kms drive via Ramnagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Srirangapatna, Mysore, Najungad, Gundelpet, and Bandipur. Till Mysore the road was great. From Mysore to Gundlepet, it was a bumpy drive. Once we enter the forest area, we were back on good roads.

Monkeys and deers were the only wild animals we managed to see in the trip. We took the van safari. As the review in Outlook 32 weekend getaways suggested, it was a bumpy ride and was not worth the money as we did not see any elephant. We did see one, a tamed one in the wild. Kimaya paid attention to the hen that was hanging around the elephant while we were trying hard to show her the 'real' elephant. It was really funny! That apart, it was a great holiday.

We stayed at blue valley resorts at Bokkapuram. (www.bluevalleyresort.com). We were the only ones staying there as it was during weekdays in off-season. Food was made after ordering. Even though the choices were limited, it was good and fresh. There was no TV, phones were not reachable (only BSNL works!). We were surrounded by fresh air and blue mountains. We went for walks, drives, ate, slept, played with Kimaya in the children's play area and played monopoly for hours before sleeping.

Initial plan was to drive straight from there to Mettur via Sathyamangalam on Saturday morning. We realised that Ooty is just 30 kms from Mudumalai and when my mom showed some enthu to see ooty, plans got changed. We checked out from the resort on Friday morning and drove down to Ooty via Kalhatti. There is another route from Theppakkadu (Mudumalali) via Gudalur, but as people adviced that this road is good, we took this even though I was skeptical about the 36 hair pin bends I read about in the week end getaways review. But I was glad that we took that road. It was an excellent drive. Car stopped at two places because he tried to take it in second gear when it was fully loaded. From experience, our advice is stick to 1st gear on the bends. They are pretty steep, but safe as long as you follow the rules.

We visited the botanical gardens and boat house - took the customary walk and the motor boat ride and left from there at 4:30 pm. Had to take a diversion to Kothagiri as the Coonoor road was blocked. Reached Mettur at 9:30 pm taking the Mettupalayam, Annur, Perundhurai, Bhavani route. There were bad patches but overall, it was a comfortable drive.

After staying Mettur for a day, we started early in the morning on Sunday at around 5:30 and reached Bangalore at 10 (Madivala) with a 30 mt breakfast break. It was excellent road all along and we just cruised through.

So all good things (Sigh!) ended and was back to office on Monday!!!!