The Terminal

A similar situation from one of the best movies by Stephen Spielberg, The Terminal was building up in my real life. Tom Hanks as Victor Navorski, who arrives in New York from Eastern Europe, suddenly becomes a man without a country and he is forced to take up residence in the JFK terminal. Likewise I was sitting in the terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, after changing two flights from Abu Dhabi and flying for almost six and-a-half hours. The saddest part was that I still had to wait for another 7 hours or so for my flight to Trivandrum, just like Victor Navorski in that terminal!

Accidentally I met Philip Eilmer from Austria who reached India for the first time with some great plans to explore its history, heritage and culture, starting from God’s own country. He was on a months vacation and was about to kick start the journey from Trivandrum, then a road trip to Kochi which includes a boat trip in the Alappuzha back waters and from Ernakulam to the tourist paradise, Goa and from Goa to Mumbai and back to Vienna, Austria. From our conversation I understood that he had done a wonderful home work, planning the trip and understanding the culture, civilization, population, each and every minute detail including the food system in each state, he is about to visit. We shared our views regarding the cultural difference, education system, work conditions, politics, people and resources in both countries. He was really excited and all set to visit some of the places and study more about India.

I realized that only 45 minutes were left for boarding the flight when they announced for security clearance. I had a nice time with him with such an interesting conversation and had a photo session and a coffee in between. We again met at the Trivandrum Domestic Airport about one and a half hours later. I wished him the best for his journey ahead and gave him my contacts. When I was walking to the parking area where my mom would wait, I was just thinking about the whole time I spend at the airport terminal. It was such a good experience from my perspective because rather than spending time with an ipod (which is my favorite pass time), communicating with a person from another part of the world, from a different culture, understanding his society, country and its history, was more exciting. More over I was happy to share with him my knowledge of my homeland.

I reached near the car park and mom was already there. She was happy to see me after 3 months and I got into the car. As we were driving home, I told myself “I’m going home”, what Victor (Tom Hanks) told to the cab driver in the climax of the movie.

J4L- Bal Tricks for a publicity...

Is Bal Thackeray looking for some cheap publicity as always? I don't think the statement Sachin made in an interaction with media on completing his 20 years in International cricket, is wrong. He had said "I am a Maharashtrian and I am extremely proud of that. But I am an Indian first. And Mumbai belongs to all Indians. " I strongly believe that Sachin didn't hurt the feelings of any Maharashtrian or he moved into the field of politics.

At least Bal Thakeray could have congratulated the maestro for completing a milestone and get himself in to the news columns other than making these kind of verbal attacks. Whatever! We don't have to give our ears to hear these kind of non sense. Let's honor the Little Master for his success and bringing Indian cricket to its heights. Long live Sachin...

J4LColumn- Driving in Style!!!

Hei friends, I just got this funny thing out there from the internet...I don't know who the creator is, but it's pretty true and enough for a laugh!!! Along with a cartoon, the post is before you...

Driving Styles...

One hand on steering wheel, one hand out of window.

- Sydney

One hand on steering wheel, one hand on horn
- Japan

One hand on steering wheel, one hand on newspaper, foot solidly on
accelerator. ..
- Boston

Both hands on steering wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering
in terror
- New York

Both hands in air, gesturing, both feet on accelerator, head turned to
talk to someone in back seat
- Italy

One hand on horn,
one hand on holding gear,
one ear listening to loud music,
one ear on cell phone,
one foot on accelerator,
one foot on clutch,
nothing on brake,
eyes on females in next car,
- Welcome to INDIA!

J4L column (Just for a Laugh)- Leader recovering

Long Live Jackson...

This Is It- an attempt to reel in some money from the Jackson name, but the fans seems genuinely willing to pay the ticket price and keen to see an icon soon after the shocking news of his death earlier this year.

The director is offering an intimate and honest look at the man who became "The King of Pop". The result was a guaranteed seller at the cinema. It's for sure that we won't be wiping away tears with a white gloved hand but I think this memory lane movie is a must see and a good enough reminder to load some Jackson classics back on to our mp3 players.

Somebody gonna hurt real bad!!!

I felt like I'm dead. I was lying on the road, next to my bike and people gathered around. Then only I realized, it was an accident! My bike crashed into another bike near the junction. I got up from there with my head weighing a ton, pain on my knees and bruises on right hand and leg. Two of my friends were among the gathered and they came to help me and it was them who argued with the rest of the people who witnessed it. Somehow I escaped from the scene without losing money for a compensation or anything.

I was bed ridden for the next two days and all my friends heard about the accident which I tried to conceal because it's the third accident in six months. There was a serious discussion between mom and dad as if they lost all their hope and whether I should continue using my bike. Suddenly, on the second day I received a call from my friend Vipin Pahela whom I used to share my secrets with, planning serious things, roam around with, chase those chicks in the city and had workouts in the gym. He was like blaming me for not letting him know about the accident I met with. He said, he never expected that I covered it up with him also and I told him , "Pal, its not like that. I'm ashamed of myself to crash my bike often like a kid who just started pedaling". Before completing the conversation, he hung the phone and reached my place in 10 minutes.

He sat next to my bed on a chair, with both his legs raised from the floor, on to the bed and eating those fruits my relatives had brought for me. In between he said, "The injuries are not up to my expectations. I thought it was a big accident!". I was terrified and sounded to me as if he wanted me to get killed. He was the type of guy who took serious matters as silly and we have to expect the most 'inappropriate' comments at the 'appropriate' times, to which I was used to. After an hour, he went home. Thats the last I heard from him for the next two days.

After reaching home from college, I thought of picking Pahela from his place to go to the gym and then a late night ride through the city. Reaching his place, I waited outside, giving him a call. Something similar to an Egyptian mummy came out of the house, almost half of the body wound with bandages and a black eye, it smiled at me. It was him! I asked what happened and he started narrating the story. He was on his way back to his home from college after the evening lab classes. As usual he was speeding at almost the top speed of his bike, Passion Plus can achieve and suddenly he felt like the pressure at the back tire is low. Without wasting much time for a pit stop, he turned around and checked. He didn't realize that the bike was almost off the road and was late to apply the brakes or to make a decision. Making a roaring sound,it crashed to the field by the side of the road and the rest was like a dream. When he concluded, I said, "The injuries are not up to my expectations. I thought it was a big accident!". This would exactly have been how my face had looked like when he passed this comment two days before, I thought and we burst out into laughter!