Saturday, December 26, 2009

The mega flop show....yet again

Well there are few people who are crazy about biking.......i have read many of their travelouges on various bike expeditions......i always dreamt of one such expedition in my life......if you think the first two lines does ot have any relevance with the title please have patience (Just came to my mind....for patience read my previous blog)


flashback - circles circling

Five months before...to be precise Aug 4..the following was the conversation between me and Kaushik(my friend...as crazy rather crazier than me)

Kaushik: http://protrek.multiply.com/journal/item/2
mother of all bike trips
me: hmm
Kaushik: nammalum polam da
me: namma himalayasa suttindhu pogalam (hee hee...too much of desire)
shall we do it this dec
for the christmas
vacation
???

Well this is how it all started......

After conversing for few hundred lines over the google chat....we decided to go till New Jalpaiguri by train ......carry the bike as luggage and proceed to Darjeeling and Bhutan by bike from there......u would trust me the entire plan was done on Aug 4th between 5:41 pm and 6:55 pm on Aug 4th.......

"for those who didnt know we were master in planning trips"


more dicussion........Aug 18

Kaushik: did u ask ur parents for permission?
me: no permission....only information.....
bhutan plan irrukunu theriyum...
Kaushik: :) there is peril in driving so much distance da
me: aana bikelanu theriyadhu
Kaushik: adappavi
roads are pretty good once in Bhutan, but on the Indian side, not so good
me: adhu parthukalam....


planning for leave...Oct 15

me: is 30000 enuf for bhutan trip?
Kaushik: should be more than enuff da, we will plan to reduce it further
me: hmmm..ok
i am yet to apply for leave
Kaushik: apply da
me: lookin for a rite time to apply
will do it next week

Nov 6

Kaushik: when is ur leave?
me: i have taken from 25th to 13th


Planning for the bike parcel
Kaushik: irukkiya?
i called irctc for information on bike transport, they said i have to goto the counter to get any information. nothing available on phone or online
me: hi
Kaushik: sunday poi vijarittu varaen
me: okie
i will also enquire here in blore



Finally decided to make the trip from 24th Dec to 13th Jan...(note: 24th night was my train to guwahati)



Nov 11....More planning

me: dai...we will have to show our accomodation details at the entry
of bhutan
Kaushik: we will book in start of dec da, its too early for that
me: okie
u r responsible for identifying the locations in Bhutan



getting few info abt bhutan....Nov 15

Kaushik: in 2008 only 21000 tourists were allowed into Bhutan, excluding Indian nationals, to protect the environment of Bhutan and to avoid excessive modernization
:)
me: excluding indians....so no problem
see being an idian is much advantageous :)
Kaushik: ya, Indians and Bangladeshies can enter at will
i was discussing the same with a guy here
:) only time , being indian is useful
me: dai being an indian we can also enter nepal freely
.
.
.
.
.


Dec 13

me: hi da
Kaushik: hi
me: yenna officela irrukiya
Kaushik: hmmm, came jus now
iru checklist anuparaen
meanwhile u check reservation status
me: ok
Kaushik: id?
me: my tkt confirmed
.
.
.
.
.
me: dai updated the chk list
chk it
Kaushik: looks good da
sweater, blanket idellam vera naan vaanganum :(
me: hee hee
Kaushik: torch edukkuda?
me: just like that....in case we face some problems ith the bike in the night


Dec 23

went to railway station for confirming on Parceling the bike...following is the conversation between me and Boking office guy (translated to english).....

me: sir, I am going to Jalpaiguri tomorrow....i am carrying my bike in the luggage van....how early should i be there for loading it as a luggage...
officer: to Jalpaiguri??? not possible....booking possible only to Howrah or Guwahati
me: but sir, when i enquired last time you told it is possible...i had enquired twice
officer: but things have changed since then....not possible...go and check in the parcel office
me: ok..thank you sir

@ parcel office

me: sir, I need to parcel my bike to Jalpaiguri...how long would it take?
officer: 15 days
me: but sir i need to send it urgently
officer: best is 7 days
me: is there any way i can get it faster..
officer: carry it as luggage...
me: but sir they told it is not possible to carry as luggage
officer: they will say all those stuff...just go there early and give it a try..
me: ok, sir.thank you

back at home....informed the same to kaushik

Kaushik: yen da
me: illa bike mudiyumanu nalaiku varikum theriyade
Kaushik: hmm, yes da
udambu vera total damage da, its becoming worse
cough escalated to fever
me: dai ozhunga medicine yeduthuko
Kaushik: taken
me: hmmm
last minute hitches
is really irritating
the bike stuff was a total shock
Kaushik: yes, even when we planned for so long
me: that too that bloody guy confirmed me that it is possible
tomorrow i will try again
Kaushik: in efficient railway buggers
still working in stone age

Dec 24 Morning

travelling by bike to the railway station to give one more try...kaushik calling

kaushik: dai oru problem da
me: yenna sollu
kaushik: i had gone to see the doctor in the morning...i was not keeping very sick
me: oh...how are you now...what did the doctor say
kaushik: he suggested me not travel...he suspects something serious....i dont think we can make the trip
me: hmmm...ok lets cancel the trip... i am going back home...will call u after reaching home

in the next one hour..tktts cancelled...vacation cancelled

@12:30
Back to office (working from home)


well for many it would have been really difficult to take this...but for us...it is not becos...

well at the start of a blog i had written a line...actually i missed out a word

"for those who didnt know we were master in planning flop trips"

hee hee hee...this is not the first time...vazhkaiyil idhu yellam sagajamappa

next trip on the planning

3 comments:

  1. Hey... nice post... :) I'm hoping Kaushik's feeling better now and there's nothing to worry...

    Am sure that behind every successful trip, there was once a flop plan.. :) Ur next trip will be awesome... :) Cheers!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Ravi

    Hard luck dude. I was looking forward to write a blog about your trip ( as i told you)...May be you are destined for a better and bigger trip da...and yeah nice blog though the tamil part was a bit difficult to understand :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. mummy:( nice blog:) and by the way how can u scold railway people..unakku irrukku da mavane...gavanchukarren..

    u know wat..my sis has become a fan of your blog..

    nee vandhu oru flop trip try panni irundhaalum adhu enga ellarayum nalla sirikkavachuda:)nee oru comedy piece..

    and yeah get well soon for Kaushik and better kuck next time for our sweet vetti ravi anna:)

    ReplyDelete