Joys Of Traveling Are Not Too Many….
I have just got back from my last session. If you have read the last posts of mine, you must be knowing that I wasn’t really feeling so well physically(and mentally) in the session but I am glad that it went well(hopefully since I haven’t got the official rating yet). The delegates were, as like always, so very good and friendly. All of them showed a great interest in the module and I hope that I was able to discuss whatever little I know with them. As I always say, if the delegates show interest in knowing about how can they contact you once you are going to end the session, it’s a sign that they have liked what you said and fortunately, the delegates of my session did ask me for my contact details which does mean that were happy. Two delegates, before leaving on the last day, came to see me all the way to the cafeteria since it was the lunch time. What more I can say than this that I am so thankful to all of you guys for hearing me for 5 days and I hope you enjoyed the program. Thanks for all the kind words and I hope, I shall be able to meet you in some other program soon.
I normally travel on the same night when my session ends. This time, it was looking a bit difficult to do since I was coming back via an Air India airline flight and the pilots of this airline, had gone to an indefinite strike just a day before my departure. When I saw the news on the tv, I called my travel guy to change my ticket and get me another flight on any other airline. He hesitated initially saying that let’s wait for some more time to ensure that the strike is actually going to effect my airline but I was adamant that he must change it, to which he had to get agreed. Later on the next day, when I had to actually travel, I got the call from the Air India office as well that my originally scheduled flight is now cancelled and there is no news or info about the next available flight. Well, it didn’t matter to me at that time since I had already got a ticket for me from Jet Lite. Though the flight was a little late than the previous flight but one, it was actually flying on time and 2) it was not coming up too costly when compared to other flights, I said yes for it. There was another, new trainer who also had to travel to Delhi. His flight was also cancelled and now we both had to fly on the same flight. I hadn’t met him before than this meeting of ours. I can’t say that tI found him really nice but I can’t even say that I found him bad too. It was fun to listen stories and acting like being a dumb when he was showing me his stylish iPhone 4 thinking that I don’t know what’s pinch and zoom :-) . No, I am not mean if you just thought like that about me but I don’t like to break the illusion of many that they know too much, not knowing that the person in front of them, might be knowing a LOT more than what they know. Anyways, it was fun to spend some time with him on the way to the airport talking about world and then in the flight, listening again to him. It was quite late when we landed up at Delhi. He left for his home from there and me, well, I also normally would come back to home right away but this time, it was going to be a little different.
I never say that I know anything about any topic, especially when it comes to my work related topic, Oracle database. I always say that I know just a thing or two and nothing else. But (fortunately) many don’t believe on this statement of mine and tell me that I am actually keeping me on a much lower position than others, about which I have no issues. Some people really think that I am so much good and as it’s a normal reaction, if something is considered to be good( even when it’s not true but a hearsay only) , people want to have it in their possession. The same is happening with me since last three years as since that time, there is a company which is asking me to join them as a very senior member of their management team. Obviously, there is a good money involved too. But there is something which is making me not to accept the offer and since last 3 years, the owner of that company, whenever he meets me, says that I want you since I know who you are and how much of worth are you. Well, I always say that I am nothing but he always makes me quite saying that I don’t go after for those who are nothing. Anyways, so this time, before I had to come back from my program, I got a call from one of his staff members and she said a lot of things to me(out of which, some I disliked too). One thing which she said and which is something that I won’t ever bear , was that I always just say and never fulfill my promise that I shall come and visit their office. Well, those who don’t know much about me, I shall do anything if I shall say that I would do it, doesn’t matter how tough it may be to do it. As obvious , I didn’t like what she said to me and I told her I don’t come to Delhi often and whenever I come, it’s a really tight schedule of mine that’s the reason that I couldn’t come. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t do what I say. Since she mentioned it, I made a note to myself that I must would go and visit the office this time. I was originally going to come back the same night when I was going to reach Delhi but I decided for a night at my friend Sidhu’s place and in the morning, visit the office. She offered me to arrange an office cab for me which I refused. I arranged a call taxi for me and went to the office which is actually very far. I attended the meeting and came back. I am not going to mention the result of the meeting here. If you know me good enough, you can have a safe guess about it.
I have a colleague (and my teacher as well) who is also from my city. She also was coming back on the same day when I was going to come. I travel in the bus and she takes the train but since it was the same day when we both were going to travel, I thought I shall accompany her so I asked her to get a ticket for me as well. Before a colleague, she is my teacher so that’s the way I treat her too and it’s not very often that we would meet with each other because of our schedules. So it was a good opportunity to meet her but there was a problem, her compartment and mine, were very far away. I was in compartment C3 and she was in C10 :-( . Well, we decided that we would check who is sitting along with us and would try to request them to exchange the seat. She boarded into her compartment and I went for mine. Along with my seat, there was a lady sitting and on the other side as well, there were two ladies sitting. I told them the situation and one of them said that she would exchange her seat and give to my teacher. Well, what I couldn’t understand at that time since my teacher would come here, someone from here must also go to her place too. Yeah call me silly but it didn’t occur to me at that time. So I went all the way to her compartment, told her that there is a seat in my compartment. She was traveling with a LOT of luggage which was so much heavy too. I picked up most of it since I wouldn’t had allowed her to carry it as she is my teacher and a lady as well. After almost running, when we finally reached to my compartment, she made me realize about the situation. Now, when we requested the passengers traveling along with us to go, all who were sitting nearby to our seats refused since the other compartment was very far which was right as well since it would be massive task to go that far along with luggage. Then one elderly person, who just boarded into the compartment asked that do we need just one seat, to which we said yes. He said he will exchange his seat with us but on one condition, I must pick his luggage and get it settled in the new compartment. Hmm well, if you don’t know, I have an hairline fracture in my left elbow from an old(but very severe accident) and I have got my right elbow joint hit on the floor few weeks back which is not recovered still( I don’t know why) and gives a ton of pain. Its not broken fortunately but it still pains at times. Anyways, I had still had to do since I couldn’t ask my teacher to do so and it was my mistake to bring her all the way to my compartment. So I picked up the luggage of that person, ran(again) to the other compartment since the train was about to leave and it was a superfast train so within seconds, it picks up a very high speed. I ran so fast though that I actually reached to compartment C13. When realized, I ran back to C10, met that person, get the luggage settled and then, again ran back to my own compartment since it was just in time for the train to start. While coming back, there was a stranger lady who was carrying a baby, laptop and her bag and was almost rushing to compartment C4. I asked her that I shall get her luggage and she must run towards the compartment because it was impossible otherwise for her to catch the train. She said no initially but then said, it would be so nice if I would do so. Whenever I would see any such thing, I would try my best to help so I definitely said yes. I made her sit at her place and then walked towards my compartment within the subway that connects the compartments. When I finally reached to my compartment, I was sweating like anything and needless to say, both of elbow joints were in so much of pain. But at least, everything was settled for good now so I could sit back and relax. I didn’t realize still that the journey had just begun.
As I mentioned that the train in which I was traveling, was a superfast train and besides that, it’s a really posh train as well and with very strict checking for the tickets and other accompanying documents like a photo identification. Now, I don’t know why and how can one act like so stupid that they won't read something written on the ticket before they wont sit in it actually? It’s actually mentioned on the ticket that person must carry a photo identification card with him to get his identity confirmed otherwise, he would be considered a without-ticket passenger. But as it’s always, someone would definitely prove that he is actually that much stupid to do such an obvious mistake and in my compartment, this was done by two ladies who were traveling with their two kids(one of each). They were going to attend some wedding function I believe since they had their nails and hands completely done with the “art work”. When the ticket checker came and asked them for the photo id, guess what, both had none. Ironically, both said that they left their driving licenses at their homes and one even went ahead and said that she dumped her office badge, her credit cards even at home thinking that she wont need all this at all. Oh BTW, both didn’t forget to carry their smart and stylishly packed iPhones and their make-up kits and home cooked food(even when there was food which was going to be offered within the train) and if I may be a little blunt and say, their kids as well. Now, when the checker asked for ANY photo id, they had nothing with them and he fined them with a whooping 4000INR (for 2 adults and 2 kids, told you the train is costly). Well, there started the drama of story telling, tear shedding and calling to almost everyone at their homes from their iphones and asking what to do? Well the passengers who were traveling along with them, which included me and my teacher as well, requested the checker that if we can get any of their family members get a scanned copy of the photo id and send to any one of us in the email of ours, we can show it via our laptops, will it serve the purpose? Since those were ladies and were along with two(very stupid) kids, he hesitantly said yes but asked for a fax and not via email. So one of the passengers said that he would ask someone in his office to receive the fax and would show the document wherever the train would stop. When the checker left, those two ladies started talking non-stop about how they got the ticket from some very senior official with railway department who obviously was their relative and if their dad would be there, how he would had made that checker cry like a baby and how nice all of us are? Well,all looked almost settled but still the checker kept their original tickets with them so for them, it was not going to be over as long as it wasn’t really going to be over. I don’t make comments often but when I do, believe me, they can be very harsh and the best part, I do it with my killer smile :-) . Both of their kids were behaving in a very bad manner and both the ladies were busy gossiping about their office and I guess, about the whole god damn world and were least bothered about it. Well, they couldn’t help not doing so since that’s what ladies would do anyways but still, it was damn irritating to hear all of their stupid hue and cry over other’s makeup, husbands, in-laws, office and what not. One of the lady’s son got one corner of the table, which was in front of our seats(told you it was a very posh train) broken and that lady was like, wow, how strong is my baby alalalala and she said, show it to bhaiya(brother), which was pointed toward, well me. Hmm what the heck was so proud in it , I don’t know. But I did say, “kid don’t do it and make place for another case since already a case of your mom is open with the railways which she still has to deal with before she and you get off from the train” . Yeah yeah, I know it was a very sarcastic comment but as I said, if pushed, I am really bad and that’s exactly what that lady did when she asked her kid to show his heroic attempt to destroy railway property. All the other passengers, who were sitting and watching that idiotic stuff happening busted out in laughter at my remark and that lady started scolding her kid. Sigh, not sure why some people act in the most weird ways especially, when they are traveling or sitting in a public place.
At the same time, when this whole drama of ticket and all that was getting telecasted live, suddenly the train stopped. Now before you say that it’s a normal thing, this specific train from which I was traveling, doesn’t stop anywhere when it starts from Delhi. At times, it stops for 3 minutes at Ambala but that too isn’t often. Well, we all passengers thought that it must be that the train might have not got the signal to proceed so that’s why it stopped. But when the wait period extended to well over an hour and half, we realized that something terrible is wrong and it indeed was. A commercial train got derailed and blocked the track of our train that’s why our train had to stop and wait for the track to get cleared before it could start again. And this whole process took one and a half hour. I had booked a cab for me from train station to my home which I had to reschedule and later, even pay for the waiting period. But all said and done, it still managed to reach long before the night would end, something which I didn’t anticipate to happen given all the things happening. But finally, I made it to reach my place in one peace :-) .
While going out from the station, I had to get downstairs from a small bridge which connects all the platforms. While doing so, I saw an old getting down while holding her travel bag from one hand and from another hand, holding the railing on the side of the stairs. I asked her to give her luggage to me and just come down. I wanted to hold her hand but I had my own bag with me to carry and I just happen to have two hands. Anyways, she was really happy and said god bless you son. My car waiting outside the station for me. So I just got into and asked the driver to drop me at my home. There was a small accident that that stupid cab driver did on the way but thankfully, except getting my head collided with the front seat, there wasn’t anything else that did happen. I was at home and I am going to be here for another 15 days because there is a very important function coming up on 8th and I have to manage all about it. I am fasting today so would have a cup of tea before starting the day as there is a lot to do. Hope headache won’t accompany me at least for a week because I am better alone than it to be there.
I normally travel on the same night when my session ends. This time, it was looking a bit difficult to do since I was coming back via an Air India airline flight and the pilots of this airline, had gone to an indefinite strike just a day before my departure. When I saw the news on the tv, I called my travel guy to change my ticket and get me another flight on any other airline. He hesitated initially saying that let’s wait for some more time to ensure that the strike is actually going to effect my airline but I was adamant that he must change it, to which he had to get agreed. Later on the next day, when I had to actually travel, I got the call from the Air India office as well that my originally scheduled flight is now cancelled and there is no news or info about the next available flight. Well, it didn’t matter to me at that time since I had already got a ticket for me from Jet Lite. Though the flight was a little late than the previous flight but one, it was actually flying on time and 2) it was not coming up too costly when compared to other flights, I said yes for it. There was another, new trainer who also had to travel to Delhi. His flight was also cancelled and now we both had to fly on the same flight. I hadn’t met him before than this meeting of ours. I can’t say that tI found him really nice but I can’t even say that I found him bad too. It was fun to listen stories and acting like being a dumb when he was showing me his stylish iPhone 4 thinking that I don’t know what’s pinch and zoom :-) . No, I am not mean if you just thought like that about me but I don’t like to break the illusion of many that they know too much, not knowing that the person in front of them, might be knowing a LOT more than what they know. Anyways, it was fun to spend some time with him on the way to the airport talking about world and then in the flight, listening again to him. It was quite late when we landed up at Delhi. He left for his home from there and me, well, I also normally would come back to home right away but this time, it was going to be a little different.
I never say that I know anything about any topic, especially when it comes to my work related topic, Oracle database. I always say that I know just a thing or two and nothing else. But (fortunately) many don’t believe on this statement of mine and tell me that I am actually keeping me on a much lower position than others, about which I have no issues. Some people really think that I am so much good and as it’s a normal reaction, if something is considered to be good( even when it’s not true but a hearsay only) , people want to have it in their possession. The same is happening with me since last three years as since that time, there is a company which is asking me to join them as a very senior member of their management team. Obviously, there is a good money involved too. But there is something which is making me not to accept the offer and since last 3 years, the owner of that company, whenever he meets me, says that I want you since I know who you are and how much of worth are you. Well, I always say that I am nothing but he always makes me quite saying that I don’t go after for those who are nothing. Anyways, so this time, before I had to come back from my program, I got a call from one of his staff members and she said a lot of things to me(out of which, some I disliked too). One thing which she said and which is something that I won’t ever bear , was that I always just say and never fulfill my promise that I shall come and visit their office. Well, those who don’t know much about me, I shall do anything if I shall say that I would do it, doesn’t matter how tough it may be to do it. As obvious , I didn’t like what she said to me and I told her I don’t come to Delhi often and whenever I come, it’s a really tight schedule of mine that’s the reason that I couldn’t come. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t do what I say. Since she mentioned it, I made a note to myself that I must would go and visit the office this time. I was originally going to come back the same night when I was going to reach Delhi but I decided for a night at my friend Sidhu’s place and in the morning, visit the office. She offered me to arrange an office cab for me which I refused. I arranged a call taxi for me and went to the office which is actually very far. I attended the meeting and came back. I am not going to mention the result of the meeting here. If you know me good enough, you can have a safe guess about it.
I have a colleague (and my teacher as well) who is also from my city. She also was coming back on the same day when I was going to come. I travel in the bus and she takes the train but since it was the same day when we both were going to travel, I thought I shall accompany her so I asked her to get a ticket for me as well. Before a colleague, she is my teacher so that’s the way I treat her too and it’s not very often that we would meet with each other because of our schedules. So it was a good opportunity to meet her but there was a problem, her compartment and mine, were very far away. I was in compartment C3 and she was in C10 :-( . Well, we decided that we would check who is sitting along with us and would try to request them to exchange the seat. She boarded into her compartment and I went for mine. Along with my seat, there was a lady sitting and on the other side as well, there were two ladies sitting. I told them the situation and one of them said that she would exchange her seat and give to my teacher. Well, what I couldn’t understand at that time since my teacher would come here, someone from here must also go to her place too. Yeah call me silly but it didn’t occur to me at that time. So I went all the way to her compartment, told her that there is a seat in my compartment. She was traveling with a LOT of luggage which was so much heavy too. I picked up most of it since I wouldn’t had allowed her to carry it as she is my teacher and a lady as well. After almost running, when we finally reached to my compartment, she made me realize about the situation. Now, when we requested the passengers traveling along with us to go, all who were sitting nearby to our seats refused since the other compartment was very far which was right as well since it would be massive task to go that far along with luggage. Then one elderly person, who just boarded into the compartment asked that do we need just one seat, to which we said yes. He said he will exchange his seat with us but on one condition, I must pick his luggage and get it settled in the new compartment. Hmm well, if you don’t know, I have an hairline fracture in my left elbow from an old(but very severe accident) and I have got my right elbow joint hit on the floor few weeks back which is not recovered still( I don’t know why) and gives a ton of pain. Its not broken fortunately but it still pains at times. Anyways, I had still had to do since I couldn’t ask my teacher to do so and it was my mistake to bring her all the way to my compartment. So I picked up the luggage of that person, ran(again) to the other compartment since the train was about to leave and it was a superfast train so within seconds, it picks up a very high speed. I ran so fast though that I actually reached to compartment C13. When realized, I ran back to C10, met that person, get the luggage settled and then, again ran back to my own compartment since it was just in time for the train to start. While coming back, there was a stranger lady who was carrying a baby, laptop and her bag and was almost rushing to compartment C4. I asked her that I shall get her luggage and she must run towards the compartment because it was impossible otherwise for her to catch the train. She said no initially but then said, it would be so nice if I would do so. Whenever I would see any such thing, I would try my best to help so I definitely said yes. I made her sit at her place and then walked towards my compartment within the subway that connects the compartments. When I finally reached to my compartment, I was sweating like anything and needless to say, both of elbow joints were in so much of pain. But at least, everything was settled for good now so I could sit back and relax. I didn’t realize still that the journey had just begun.
As I mentioned that the train in which I was traveling, was a superfast train and besides that, it’s a really posh train as well and with very strict checking for the tickets and other accompanying documents like a photo identification. Now, I don’t know why and how can one act like so stupid that they won't read something written on the ticket before they wont sit in it actually? It’s actually mentioned on the ticket that person must carry a photo identification card with him to get his identity confirmed otherwise, he would be considered a without-ticket passenger. But as it’s always, someone would definitely prove that he is actually that much stupid to do such an obvious mistake and in my compartment, this was done by two ladies who were traveling with their two kids(one of each). They were going to attend some wedding function I believe since they had their nails and hands completely done with the “art work”. When the ticket checker came and asked them for the photo id, guess what, both had none. Ironically, both said that they left their driving licenses at their homes and one even went ahead and said that she dumped her office badge, her credit cards even at home thinking that she wont need all this at all. Oh BTW, both didn’t forget to carry their smart and stylishly packed iPhones and their make-up kits and home cooked food(even when there was food which was going to be offered within the train) and if I may be a little blunt and say, their kids as well. Now, when the checker asked for ANY photo id, they had nothing with them and he fined them with a whooping 4000INR (for 2 adults and 2 kids, told you the train is costly). Well, there started the drama of story telling, tear shedding and calling to almost everyone at their homes from their iphones and asking what to do? Well the passengers who were traveling along with them, which included me and my teacher as well, requested the checker that if we can get any of their family members get a scanned copy of the photo id and send to any one of us in the email of ours, we can show it via our laptops, will it serve the purpose? Since those were ladies and were along with two(very stupid) kids, he hesitantly said yes but asked for a fax and not via email. So one of the passengers said that he would ask someone in his office to receive the fax and would show the document wherever the train would stop. When the checker left, those two ladies started talking non-stop about how they got the ticket from some very senior official with railway department who obviously was their relative and if their dad would be there, how he would had made that checker cry like a baby and how nice all of us are? Well,all looked almost settled but still the checker kept their original tickets with them so for them, it was not going to be over as long as it wasn’t really going to be over. I don’t make comments often but when I do, believe me, they can be very harsh and the best part, I do it with my killer smile :-) . Both of their kids were behaving in a very bad manner and both the ladies were busy gossiping about their office and I guess, about the whole god damn world and were least bothered about it. Well, they couldn’t help not doing so since that’s what ladies would do anyways but still, it was damn irritating to hear all of their stupid hue and cry over other’s makeup, husbands, in-laws, office and what not. One of the lady’s son got one corner of the table, which was in front of our seats(told you it was a very posh train) broken and that lady was like, wow, how strong is my baby alalalala and she said, show it to bhaiya(brother), which was pointed toward, well me. Hmm what the heck was so proud in it , I don’t know. But I did say, “kid don’t do it and make place for another case since already a case of your mom is open with the railways which she still has to deal with before she and you get off from the train” . Yeah yeah, I know it was a very sarcastic comment but as I said, if pushed, I am really bad and that’s exactly what that lady did when she asked her kid to show his heroic attempt to destroy railway property. All the other passengers, who were sitting and watching that idiotic stuff happening busted out in laughter at my remark and that lady started scolding her kid. Sigh, not sure why some people act in the most weird ways especially, when they are traveling or sitting in a public place.
At the same time, when this whole drama of ticket and all that was getting telecasted live, suddenly the train stopped. Now before you say that it’s a normal thing, this specific train from which I was traveling, doesn’t stop anywhere when it starts from Delhi. At times, it stops for 3 minutes at Ambala but that too isn’t often. Well, we all passengers thought that it must be that the train might have not got the signal to proceed so that’s why it stopped. But when the wait period extended to well over an hour and half, we realized that something terrible is wrong and it indeed was. A commercial train got derailed and blocked the track of our train that’s why our train had to stop and wait for the track to get cleared before it could start again. And this whole process took one and a half hour. I had booked a cab for me from train station to my home which I had to reschedule and later, even pay for the waiting period. But all said and done, it still managed to reach long before the night would end, something which I didn’t anticipate to happen given all the things happening. But finally, I made it to reach my place in one peace :-) .
While going out from the station, I had to get downstairs from a small bridge which connects all the platforms. While doing so, I saw an old getting down while holding her travel bag from one hand and from another hand, holding the railing on the side of the stairs. I asked her to give her luggage to me and just come down. I wanted to hold her hand but I had my own bag with me to carry and I just happen to have two hands. Anyways, she was really happy and said god bless you son. My car waiting outside the station for me. So I just got into and asked the driver to drop me at my home. There was a small accident that that stupid cab driver did on the way but thankfully, except getting my head collided with the front seat, there wasn’t anything else that did happen. I was at home and I am going to be here for another 15 days because there is a very important function coming up on 8th and I have to manage all about it. I am fasting today so would have a cup of tea before starting the day as there is a lot to do. Hope headache won’t accompany me at least for a week because I am better alone than it to be there.
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