Trip to Mumbai

After lot of juggles, finally the day- 2oth August arrived.
Waiting for the bus till 9:30, which was supposed to leave at 8:30; with a luggage bag in one hand and a laptop - LAPTOP in the other, sliding to AMCHI MUMBAI.
I could remember the suggestions / advises on Dance bar [by Mr.Mamu], Red light area [by my aunt], Epidemic [by parents and Mr.Venkat] & loads of ALL THE BEST.
With DUS movie on the small screen and quite a long conversation with one of the Infosys chap, sitting next to me, I felt asleep - infact a sound sleep - until I opened my eyes the next morning to find myself a few KM to Pune.
After 35-40 min of travelling the bus stopped near a Hotel at the outskirts of Pune, for which I was desperately wating to answer my nature calls. I had vada with sambar and that was really superb, was worth for 15 Rs. It was a 30 min break.
Journey ahead to Mumbai was through PARADISE – Pune-Mumbai Highway. Long, Double, Four paths Roads on which the driver gave some exercise to his right foot to vibrate the speed meter at 130-150 Km/Hr I guess.
Huge Green Mountains to my Right; nicely decorated with thin line of water streams and falls for every 200 Yard. The shepherds on the mountains danced in the rain, playing with sheep; even though I couldn’t hear I could sense their shouting. Towards my left was vast, widely spread GREEN land. Houses and the farms of locals have decorated the goddess earth very well. Later, after a day, I came to know that the PARADISE was KANDALA
The best part was the TUNNELS, which ran on an average of 500 mtr in length. It was completely dark when the bus slided under it. It reminded all my childhood mischief’s I used to do in tuition when power goes off.
The architecture I saw over those mountains made me to think on man's creativity & thoughts - FLYOVERS. Oh God I could see the bus traveling over it with a huge alcove under it, I held my breath until it safely landed on the other side of flyover. I reminded the local Hyderabad’s flyovers where it starts and ends on the same road beneath.
I could see people sleeping in spite of all the joy, How Unromantic??
Few minutes later I could see the mountains leaving behind me, I satisfied myself saying that “I will return to them in a week” and kept myself smiling for the rest of the journey.

Finally there comes the AMCHI MUMBAI after almost 15 hr of journey. I stepped out of the bus to find taxi drivers going ga-ga over the passengers; the place as read by a board said it was DADAR. There comes a message on my mobile which read “Welcome to Mumbai and thanks for choosing DOLPHIN network”. Thought of getting bus to the hotel but rain forced me to hire a taxi. Taxi roared to Hotel via Dadar, Mumbai Central, Victoria Station [CST], Fountain [Hutathma Chowk], Marine Drive.

Here comes the Hotel “Sea Green South”, opposite to Marine Drive. Hotel was not that good as I expected. Getting myself fresh and having lunch I strode to look the city.
Roamed around Marine Drive, Church gate, CST, VT. British architecture buildings, People playing cricket on Roads, Fields – they least bothered about the conditions [wet land due to rain, muddy clothes ….] and not to forget perfect figured beauties. Tired after roaming around the city for 3 hrs I returned to Hotel had my dinner and went to sleep.

Marine Drive

VT - Victoria Terminal


Next day Bhaskar[PL] and I visited the client place, located at Ballard Estate; Ballard Estate another example of British architecture.
“Yaha per sign karke andar jao” – the SECURITY shouted at us. I turned my head towards the direction of the voice, good built body with 2 heavy gold chains around his neck, 3 rings on his fingers, and an inch of red tilak on his forehead. Looking like a BHAI.
Some of the things I observed over there were: The working culture of Government sector and our IT sector is completely different. The way they talk with others, the kind to greet others are very much different. People are not so easy to deal with. Anyway upon all these the food over there was really good - right from starters till deserts section everything will be in front of you. The good thing is people over there following the queue system to enter the lift.

That week was only work, work and work nothing else. Morning to Evening at client location and after that in the hotel. Bored of work I took the law in my hand once or twice.

Last but one day I left the office early to book the return ticket. Train journey from Churchgate to Dadar was so good that u don’t need to try hard to enter or exit. Stand in-front of the door people will push you inside and you are IN. Again push yourself to the door path, people will push you to the platform and you are OUT. Finally I got down at Dadar station and booked the return ticket. While returning I preferred to catch a bus rather than train. Through some source I came to know that in Mumbai the Train Pass [Monthly pass] is issued but not the Bus Pass – STRANGE ISN’T IT?
Sitting at the Marine Drive I was in the deep thoughts for sometime - missing all the Friends, Roommates. It realized me that how every single moment spent with the close ones' is very important and Precious. It was around 9 pm when I realized where I am, it started raining; enjoying drenching in rain I was in the hotel.

Finally the day arrived to return back to Hyderabad. I remembered my words I made with the mountains – “I will return to them in a week”. I was so excited; and only because of that I had booked my ticket for 6 pm bus, but unfortunately the bus started late & in the darkness I missed them completely. “DEFINITELY ONE DAY I WILL SEE THEM AGAIN”

The bus stopped at Pune for dinner, after having my dinner I called some of my Friends in Pune talked with them for sometime over the phone. Now it’s the turn of “Bunty Aur Bubbly” on the small screen. Looking at the sky through the window and recollecting the moments at Mumbai felt asleep.

Trip to Mumbai - Praveen