Daman. Sunset. Dec 2006.
It's a new beginning; quite literally for me. This year the sun finally sets on things i have left behind... shores left long past, that dim in the distance as i watch the faint lines blur and disappear into the blushing horizon. And somehow, the sunset brings a sense of relief and an urgency to move forward, move on and let go of anything that wasn't mine. Indeed there is an immense sense of relief. Perhaps because i am watching the sunset from a distance, on this gold sprinkled sandy beach of new beginnings, new associations, hope and love... And as i sit amidst the wind; the salt in the wind that has dried the salt that welled in my eyes in not such a distant past, a distant shore though, i feel it even more... that nothing is ever the end until you are dead.
The New Year was ushered-in amongst new friendships; some wonderful people who welcomed me with warmth. Hyderabad, Mumbai and Daman. Bottles & Chimney; getting drunk, driving (not me!), Mocha; some more drinking (coffee this time), Biryani, some more driving on Hyderabad roads (not me again), Go Karting (that's the only 'driving' that i managed. Baah!).
Much has changed in Hyderabad in the 7yrs since my last visit. The part of the city that was still at a nascent stage wore a crowded look. Unfortunately i couldn't visit the old city; the plate was full. On our way to Mumbai from Hyderabad, I was surprised at the number of Budget Airlines that have cropped up - Go Air, Spice Air, Kingfisher to name a few. The best part, no auntijis as airhostesses. Sometimes while traveling on Air India, one feels like a school kid what with air-hostess auntijis ordering you around like school teachers. Almost makes me nostalgic. :p
It was amchi Mumbai after Hyderabad. After about 20yrs! A night drive on empty Mumbai roads and a tete-a-tete with Mumbai Police as we parked at Nariman Point in the dead of the night. It didn't help that we drove through and parked on the wrong side of the road. Well, they didn't know that we were all high on beer as well! Not much was seen of Mumbai, but what made an impression on me was the sense-of-humour Mumbai autowallahs possess, something that their brethrens in Delhi are in severe need of. While we were driving through Mumbai roads at night, a friend noticed one of those 'drunk driving messages' only much more inspiring this time. It said, 'Jeeyoge nahi toh peeyoge kaise?' Translated it means, how will you drink if you don't live? See! Not preachy at all, lots of sense... and humour. Damn good life-funda i thought.
After our one-night-stand with Mumbai, a stopover at a dhaba for aaloo-parantha and some yummy creamy dahi later, we were driving through the Western Express Highway to Daman (again moi driving. Not!). I love endless roads and endless drives with the window open. I like the wind on my face. Something that i don't get to do in the AC cabs here. Someday i would like to stand and smoke at the train door, while villages and green fields rush past me, you know like they show in the movies? :)
Daman was a different experience. A sleepy town that was a Portuguese colony not so long back. Unlike other beaches that i have seen till now, the sand here was dark grey. I thought dirt at first, but was told it's because of the rocks they are coloured so. We walked through the slush and mud of the sea in an attempt to see how far the water had receded during the day and we sat on the rocks in the evening only to realise that the water had filled in and surrounded us. We spent time sitting on the beach, gulping down beer, munching on fried pomfret and prawns - fresh catch we were told, playing dumb-charades. Evenings were spent watching enthusiastic junta dancing to latest Bollywood chart-busters and even more enthusiastic Gujjus dancing to Gujju tunes that seemed to go on and on and on. All courtesy the local 'Power DJ'. :) And amidst these moments, 2007 came knocking at our door. We welcomed it with a bottle of Champagne. (Pronounced cham-paag-ne. Yes i used to do that as well; helped my English. My spellings were almost always correct ;D)
It's back to the grind, back to same old same old new.
Moral of the story/life lesson learnt:
Jeeyoge nahi toh peeyoge kaise?
*And i sit with my glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label as i write this* ;-)
Wish you all a very Happy New Year. Hope that all you wished for, craved for, prayed for comes true this year. :)
The New Year was ushered-in amongst new friendships; some wonderful people who welcomed me with warmth. Hyderabad, Mumbai and Daman. Bottles & Chimney; getting drunk, driving (not me!), Mocha; some more drinking (coffee this time), Biryani, some more driving on Hyderabad roads (not me again), Go Karting (that's the only 'driving' that i managed. Baah!).Much has changed in Hyderabad in the 7yrs since my last visit. The part of the city that was still at a nascent stage wore a crowded look. Unfortunately i couldn't visit the old city; the plate was full. On our way to Mumbai from Hyderabad, I was surprised at the number of Budget Airlines that have cropped up - Go Air, Spice Air, Kingfisher to name a few. The best part, no auntijis as airhostesses. Sometimes while traveling on Air India, one feels like a school kid what with air-hostess auntijis ordering you around like school teachers. Almost makes me nostalgic. :p
It was amchi Mumbai after Hyderabad. After about 20yrs! A night drive on empty Mumbai roads and a tete-a-tete with Mumbai Police as we parked at Nariman Point in the dead of the night. It didn't help that we drove through and parked on the wrong side of the road. Well, they didn't know that we were all high on beer as well! Not much was seen of Mumbai, but what made an impression on me was the sense-of-humour Mumbai autowallahs possess, something that their brethrens in Delhi are in severe need of. While we were driving through Mumbai roads at night, a friend noticed one of those 'drunk driving messages' only much more inspiring this time. It said, 'Jeeyoge nahi toh peeyoge kaise?' Translated it means, how will you drink if you don't live? See! Not preachy at all, lots of sense... and humour. Damn good life-funda i thought.
After our one-night-stand with Mumbai, a stopover at a dhaba for aaloo-parantha and some yummy creamy dahi later, we were driving through the Western Express Highway to Daman (again moi driving. Not!). I love endless roads and endless drives with the window open. I like the wind on my face. Something that i don't get to do in the AC cabs here. Someday i would like to stand and smoke at the train door, while villages and green fields rush past me, you know like they show in the movies? :)
Daman was a different experience. A sleepy town that was a Portuguese colony not so long back. Unlike other beaches that i have seen till now, the sand here was dark grey. I thought dirt at first, but was told it's because of the rocks they are coloured so. We walked through the slush and mud of the sea in an attempt to see how far the water had receded during the day and we sat on the rocks in the evening only to realise that the water had filled in and surrounded us. We spent time sitting on the beach, gulping down beer, munching on fried pomfret and prawns - fresh catch we were told, playing dumb-charades. Evenings were spent watching enthusiastic junta dancing to latest Bollywood chart-busters and even more enthusiastic Gujjus dancing to Gujju tunes that seemed to go on and on and on. All courtesy the local 'Power DJ'. :) And amidst these moments, 2007 came knocking at our door. We welcomed it with a bottle of Champagne. (Pronounced cham-paag-ne. Yes i used to do that as well; helped my English. My spellings were almost always correct ;D)It's back to the grind, back to same old same old new.
Moral of the story/life lesson learnt:
Jeeyoge nahi toh peeyoge kaise?
*And i sit with my glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label as i write this* ;-)
Wish you all a very Happy New Year. Hope that all you wished for, craved for, prayed for comes true this year. :)
