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Notes From India

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25 odd days in India were probably the busiest and most hectic times in recent memory. The trip hardly qualified as a 'vacation'. Reached early morning on 27th and was off to Shirdi on 28th morning (4:00 am). Worst scenario possible: school holidays, sunday and unprecedented rush. Result: 3 hours of pushing and shoving and at the max 4 seconds of Baba's darshan. To top the day's workout, my mom-in-law, aunt and me lose our slippers to the crowd. Great way to say 'Welcome to India'. Travelled from Shirdi to Mumbai barefeet.

Celebrated the new year at my in-laws' place and the chinese food ordered at 7:30 pm comfortably made its way to the house at 11:45 pm. Guess everyone was in the mood for chinese. In the end, it wasn't that great. But the anticipation and excitement for food was just priceless. Wish that never happens again.

Went to a resort just outside Mumbai with my closest friends for a day and a half and had a great time there. Considering the events that were to follow in 2009, it was hard to imagine that I would be able to meet these guys again. But it happened on the last day and we went to dinner together.

Thanks to Appa's 60th birthday function, we were able to meet all the relatives and cousins in the hall and that saved a trip to most of their homes. We wouldn't have been able to squeeze out the time to go there anyways.

Sidhya came and we had a ball. Frankly, I did not think she would be comfortable with me and Kirti, specially considering the times we spent in Seattle last year. I have successfully taught her to call me Ghajini and she very innocently calls me 'Ghajinikant' for reasons best known to her. But she does say "Ghajinikant, I miss you" everytime we have a phone conversation or when its time for me to sleep.

We were planning (and almost certain) to buy a house this visit. But the houses we checked out did not meet our expectations and the house that we kind of liked, the price did not meet our wallet's expectations. So owning that dream is ....still a dream.

I am already kind of homesick after coming back last tuesday and the ongoing employment situation is not helping one bit. Everyone is under lots of pressure to find new work or possibly a new job, but it is very slow and things don't look much brighter.

But at least the India trip happened and I don't have to think what if...

Now, I have a new thing to worry about and it is not going to be pretty.

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