My trip to India in May '09

After spending more than year abroad away from family and friends in homeland, anybody would be excited to visit the home country. So was I. From the time I booked my flight tickets, I was literally counting my days to fly back to India.

With the crammed leg space, TV panel with faulty touch screen and no volume, I had a terrible flight journey from London Heathrow to Bangalore through King Fisher Airlines which was supposed to be a 5 star flight experience. I was pleasantly surprised when I was greeted with a bouquet from my family members who had come to receive me in the BIAL airport. My mom gave a kiss on my hand and she was almost in tears to see me after 14 months.

The moment I opened my baggage, my nephew Sunil who is a 2years old cutie pie was all excited to watch a checkin bag full of toys. He was jumping around in excitement and happiness with the toys and tent I had brought for him from UK. Feels so great when you bring joy in other's faces. doesn't it?

Day 1 in India, I was like 'What the hell? Where have all the trees in bangalore gone?' at the first sight of shock in store in Bangalore. Drastic change in last 1 year mate. I did have some problems in the initial few days while crossing the roads as I had got used to the UK roads where vehicles stop for pedestrians to cross even when it is not a red signal.

With the mercury levels touching 39C, I was having a tough time in the initial couple of days in Bangalore to get adjusted to the peak Indian summer. I fell sick coz of the climate change, food change and lots of travel. Got stomach upsets and had become too weak and it took me almost 1.5 weeks to become normal. Whatever be it, I was back in India and the very feeling of it makes you feel so good.

I met my granny and 2 months old nephew of mine in my native in Tamilnadu. Itz amazing to play with kids and pamper them. It felt so good to visit my home in my native and the best part was the big swing in the house which my mom had bought for me. I love playing in the swings!!!. I wanted to take my family members out on a trip to Kodaikanal or Ooty for 3 to 4 days as it will be good break from routine and escape from the summer for all. It started with the 4 day plan to Ooty and Kerala which got dropped. All I managed in the first week of May, was a fun filled trip with my family members to Hogenakkal (Famous falls in Tamilnadu). I did have a ball of time in Hogenakkal to visit the falls, take a boat ride and taste the yummy fish fries there.

Unfortunately I had to work from my company's Bangalore office, during the whole of the second week of my India trip . I hated every bit of it to work during vacation. All I wanted was to catch up with friends, hang out, eat out, freak out and spend time with family. IPL2 coincided with my trip and it was fun time to watch cricket with family and friends. Though I could not meet most of my friends during my India trip, it was good to catch up with atleast few of them after such a long time.

3rd week of my trip was fun filled one as I took my family members, bro's family, sis family to Ooty for 3 days. We had gone to 'Black Thunder' (Theme park near Ooty) on the day one was it was so much fun. I hated the strong chlorine water in Black thunder to the core as I got tanned properly. Cottage we had booked in Ooty was so good, homely and so spacious which made things we more exciting for us. We were all literally shivering coz of the low temperature in Ooty and we needed 2 layers of blanket/rug while sleeping as even the room heaters didn't help much. I still miss the fresh carrots, famous rusks of Ooty and yummy mushroom fries I had in Ooty. Everyone of us had a blast in Ooty and Cunoor.

Well I hated the where I had to return back to UK. Well who doesn't? I was not ready to sleep in the last couple of nights. I was roaming around the whole of last few days as I wanted to enjoy every bit of my trip.

Met and freaked out with my friends. Had ball of time with family and friends. Misunderstandings with some people. Amazing trip to Hogenakkal and Ooty. Awesome home food and sweets. Few movies. Lots of travel. Gifts to family. Peak Summer time. 5 days office work in between vacation. Stomach upsets due to food infection. Dine outs. Multiple layers of tan coz of Black thunder chlorine water and freaking out in summer. What not? It was a great and memorable trip overall.

Well, you have no idea how much I was praying that I should atleast land after noticing the worst turbulence of my life at 40000 ft in the air, just an hour before scheduled landing in London Heathrow airport. Luckily the turbulence stopped after 5 to 6 minutes. I was so relieved to land safely in one piece!!. I still wish that my India trip should have been longer and never ended :-)