Baby, I am on fire!!

So today was the first day I actually cooked! I made rice for the first time and no it didn't get burnt. I totally rock or what!

Being a closet feminist I have this great fear that for the rest of my life I'll have to thanklessly cook not just for myself but for a future husband and kids (Hint: Any chefs out there? Maybe I can marry you). I don't want to get stuck in the cycle I was hoping to delay my foray into the kitchen as much as possible but well I had to do it someday. And today it was.

Anyway, the date for leaving is coming closer. Its exactly a week now. And like all desis my suitcases are full of things like pressure cooker (of which I am intensely afraid of) , masalas and ladoos (which my cousin made for me).

And my ex-colleagues who very sweetly gave me a farewell party and loads of gifts like an ipod Nano and a beautiful wrist watch which shows dual time and the support staff gave me a wonderful parker pen.

And no, the gifts don't stop there. My friends gave me a gorgeous blue top and a collage of our photographs.

And my shiny new laptop is waiting for me in London.

And i'll update this post as more things happen.

Till then adios!

Update (Sept 3, 9.00 A.M): Leaving in 24 hours :O

Peak Into My Head

I stumbled upon the Visual DNA site after a long time and I decided to do this for a lark! If you were to peak into my head, you would probably find this :)

It has been ages since we all tagged each other. So I tag

TD
Sindhu
Curious
Vrij

Go ahead, do the tag and then tag four more people...

Endings and New Beginings

So, today was my last day of work. It feels like a chapter which has been closed.

It's weird to say your goodbyes, put your stuff in a box (that's three years of your life) and walk out of the office teary-eyed. I can't imagine myself getting emotional and crying because I always prided myself to be one of those people who think with their head and not their heart.

The last few days have been like this - close a bank account here, a phone connection there...

Then sign the lease contract for the apartment at the University, send some documents for my course work etc.

So there are endings and new beginings and life continues...

P.S: For the first time in this season the monsoon has shown its full glory in Delhi. I am loving it.... :)

Down The Memory Lane Again

I was reading about the French revolution recently. The gore and the bloodshed which ensued as people were slaughtered by the guillotine. Suddenly my memories flew back to 7th grade English literature class.

Circa 1994

I remember reading a classic called ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ which was about a brave Englishman who saved the French aristocrats from the guillotine.

I remember that when the rest of the class was on 3rd chapter, I had finished reading the entire book. The intrigue, the hidden identity of the hero and the French spies filled the mind of an 11 year old girl and she couldn’t stop turning pages until she had read the story to its end.

I remember visualizing the foggy shores of Dover and cliffs of Calais, the English channel, green and beautiful Richmond and the various characters in the book.

Fast forward to 2003

I was 20 years old, crossing the English channel for my first ever trip to Europe. I could barely contain my excitement as one night I would be going from Dover and reaching Calais from there in a few hours.

I must confess that it was a bit of a let down, and all because of the modern marvels of the world. When my coach reached Dover, we were loaded onto an under water train and after a while we alighted at the Calais train station. I didn’t see the foggy shores of Dover or the cliffs of Calais, only the modern structures of the train station and the train underneath the water.

Hopefully, this time around, as I go for an year, I will try travelling by the more traditional method – a steamer and hopefully it won’t be a let down!


Catch the e-book here. Though nothing beats reading an actual book whose pages you can turn.

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In a completely unrelated incident, I spent the weekend in dusty heartlands of Uttar Pradesh and forgot to pick up my stock of sweet cigarettes. Does anyone know where can I buy them in Delhi?

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Also has anyone ever visited Khurja? I was blown away by the amazing pottery and ceramic work (again)! I could have bought everything but one thing caught my eye - a boat shaped tea cup. It was innovatively carved and I absolutely had to buy it and I will definitely take it saat samunder paar with me :)

Random funny incident of the day

I was going to Gurgaon for work and I stopped to ask a thulla (police man) for directions.

Me: XYZ constructions kahan chal rahe hain?

Thulla (Very eager to help a journalist): Madam, yeh Erection (Eriksson) ki building key samney Contraction (Construction) chal raha hai.

Me (Ready to burst into peals of laughter): Thank you