I am Random!

   Mumbai, Nairobi and Accra ,  Kenya Wednesday, March 12, 2014 Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal 2: I collected my boarding pass and as I was passing through Kenya I was also recommended to be vaccinated against polio which the airport authority had arranged for. After all regular formalities of immigration, security check etc. I went in the airport lobby. When I checked my gate pass to reach the gate, I was surprised to see Gate no. 73 on it. My Gate  Did the new terminal 2 have so many gates?? Without wasting time I started walking towards it, I didn't know, how much time it would take. But then the moving escalators for walking made it easy and quick. The corridors glittered with decorative lamps and the chairs were colourful and comfortable. The lamp Comfy chairs  I reached my gate and I had enough time to spend reading a book. "Lady, you are not a Man" (LYANAM==LAYMAN) by Apurva Purohit, accompanied me through-out my journe...

   Nairobi ,  Kenya Saturday, March 15, 2014   My eyes opened to see dark clouds out from the plane window..  I was worried because the flight was 1 hr late, I was worried because rains were unexpected and more importantly I was worried because I thought the driver who was supposed to pick me up at 6:30 am would have left by now. It was 7:15 and I got down at the airport in this confusion.  My mobile network was unavailable. I inquired if any paid telephone booths were available at the airport so that I could call John (the driver cum guide) and ask if he was still at the airport. But no booths and more confusions. I requested one of the staff members of the airlines if I could use their mobile phone and she sweetly agreed. Thankfully he was there and I informed him that i would come out of the airport after I get a visa. The queue was long as two flights landed one after the other. Till the time I reached the counter I was not sure if Visa on arrival is...

   Sinhagad ,  Maharashtra ,  India Saturday, September 21, 2013 I was not sure if I could really get up so early just to climb up a fort. Although I am fond of trekking, I was not really prepared, mentally, for this, on the spot plan of SKJ (my boss) to accompany our official Swedish guest, John to Sinhagad. The fort is pride of Puneites, the place which is the best place of escape for Puneites and I haven't escaped to this pride for last 2 years. Although waking up early morning was a point of resistance Sinhagad was calling and the offer was irresistible. Me and Aks joined SKJ, John and Pramod at Dandekar bridge at 4:40 am. It was still dark outside and our vehicle started with a quick round of introductions. The roads in Pune look serene and large at this early hour. We reached at the base at 5:15 am. We had decided to climb the fort and travel back from top to base in the vehicle which Promod and the driver were supposed to drive till the top (the vehicle su...

Link to my travel blog to Hampi.. http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/ru2.patil/6/tpod.html Day 1:  Plannings and travel Travelling: It leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller. - Ibn Batuta. But it had been more than a year that we had not travelled to a place we had never seen before. Due to time constraints from office duties we could plan only for a long weekend. When looking for options to travel nearby Pune and a stay for 3 days, we screened a few beaches, some hill stations and some resorts but nothing clicked to both of us. And then suddenly Hampi was on mind and me and Akshay agreed. So, the place and dates were finalized and now the plan was to be placed on papers. Later Pratik and Shalvi agreed to join us on the trip. "How to reach Hampi from Pune?" was the first question on mind. We thought of Railways but we found no convenient train on the route. Then we thought if we could hire a taxi and drive to Hampi but a 600 kms night drive...