How I almost F**ked it up

Can you believe what I did??? After all that enthu abt going back to India, I went to the airport without my passport???!!!!!!!!!!!

It all started with me taking out the passport to fill the VAT refund forms and I left it on the table.

I checked my travel pouch one final time. The passport section was a little raised. So I assumed the passport was there..

Had asked the Cab to come at 5.30. He came at 6 and after filling petrol and wading thru the London traffic, managed to reach the Airport at 7.15.

I felt something missing on the way and as soon as I got down from the cab, I opened the pouch again to confirm. Again I saw the raised passport section and was convinced everything was there... Went to the check-in desk at 7.30. The lady asked for my passport and I cool’ly opened my pouch and put my fingers inside the passport section and to my horror, just found a few sheets of papers.. I had folded my e-tickets and put it there...

Thank fully I had Mukul and Rahul with me and they immediately called up Dhiraj (I hadn’t bothered to recharge my mobile as I was leaving that day.. L )to check if the passport was at home. Of course it was there, lying on the table... They immediately called up Chaithu and he got his car and the three of them, including Ninad, started immediately(it was almost 7.45 by the time they started).

The desk closes at 9.05. The cab driver who knew the way to Terminal 4 took an hour to reach... Chaithu had taken the car just a couple of days back and had to rely on Tom Tom.. While we usually drive as per the speed limits. But Cab drivers give them a damn and they break just before the speed cameras. I was so scared if they could make it in time.

But thankfully they made good time

08:45 PM: They were within 3 miles. I went to the check-in desk and asked them if they can atleast weigh my stuff and keep everything ready so that as soon as I get my passport, they can gimme the boarding card. After some pleading they agreed and did it.

09:00 PM: My day wasn’t good... The TomTom directed them to Terminal 3 and it was quite some distance away from T4. And it was 9.

09:03 PM: Dhiraj ran to the underground and took the train to T4. The stupid train started only after 5 minutes. And it takes 3 minutes to reach T4

09:05 PM: The lady at the check-in counter wants to close the desk... I plead her to wait just for a few more minutes...

09:08 PM: The train starts.

09:10 PM: More pleading...

09:11 PM: The train reaches T4

09:13 PM: I get my passport and give it to them and get my boarding pass...

09:15 PM: Ran towards the security desk and on the way let my mobile flying... I collected it in 3 parts... thankfully it was just the frame... Vaalzhga Nokia...

09:18 PM: Reached the gate and found lot of people waiting to board... Ufff relief after a looong time... probably the longest hour and a half in my life

The story is not over...

They had given me 2 pieces of boarding pass... And in all the tension, I saw the 2 pieces and thot my seat number of 18H. I went there and sat. After some time another guy came and said “excuse me, this is my seat”. I was like oops... and I checked one of the pieces. It was 28H. I went there and found that that was already occupied and his BP also showed 28H. The airhostess came and checked. She said this 28H is not your seat number sir, your seat number will be in the other piece of Bp they gave you... I rummaged thru all the pockets of my Cargos and gave her that small piece of paper and it said 18K... I had mixed up 18F and 28H to arrive at 18H at the first instance... ufffffff.. so picked up my luggage and went to 18k again...

And another twist... there was this Firang who was in 18G... She was like “Excuse me... Can you do me a favour?? I know it’s asking for too much.. ” and I was thinking ...oh no, no more confusion... she continued.. “I have a friend of mine whose at 19B. If you don’t mind, can you please sit there??”.. 19B was an Aisle and there was another Firang at 19A. So instead of being sandwiched between 2 ppl in 18k, I happily went to 19B and still had got a Firang next to me ;) (She was too tired and slept thru most of the journey is another sad twist to the story... )

Rahul had asked me for a separate blog abt the Kingfisher experience... so more details in that.... J

Random. Part 2

• Probably the last series we will see Dravid batting... It was very sad to see one of the greatest Indian batsmen struggling with lack of confidence. It's so evident even when he fields. Lots of missed catches and misfields from the guy who's on the verge of becoming the man with the most number of catches in Test cricket... :( I guess he will announce retirement soon after the second test unless he comes up with a very good score..
• First time Sachin scores a century in the fourth innings for a winning cause... That's one thing the Maestro hadn't done till now... Wat more is left for him to accomplish!!!! the 2011 world cup.. ;)
• Yuvi's innings of 85 is as good as the 87 he hit against the Aussies on debut. This test is more like the debut for him...
• Yet again another news abt Infosys reaches us thru news websites. This time something as important for us as the % of salary increase...
• A fitting final send off for Bush from Iraq.
• My equities loss % has dropped below 45% after a looong time.
• Had one of the laziest weekends. Just 2 movies and a bit of shopping.. spent all teh other time at home.. playing 3 different versions of NFS and a bit og Clive Cussler.
• Got so tempted by the new offer for XBOX 360 premium...60 GB, an extra wireless controller, 3 ok ok games, all for 170£... will probably buy it today or max by this week..
• Got the tickets for my S'pore trip today.. yuppieeeeeee
  
• Just overheard the manager and came to know my replacement IS coming on the 2nd of Jan. So my travel is also as good as confirmed... yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooo
  

F1 2009: First impression

This year when the technical changes were announced by FIA for for the new F1 cars, to cut the costs and speed, I wasn't much worried. They did the same thing the previous years and the teams came up with various solutions to make the car faster. But one look at the new car built under the new rules, I was shocked.. The car looked like a skeleton. It was more pronounced in the BMW cars. BMW had those cute little horns on the nose and on the engine cover and a lot other small aerodynamic stuff all of which have been stripped off.. The most obvious change is the new front wing which looks lower and wider, making the car look like a Crab and those aweful wings standing behind the car like an Air Traffic Control Tower...
The FIA calls it cost cutting. To stop teams spending a lot for aerodynamics. The withdrawal of Honda will strengthen FIA's calls for cost cutting... The next plan is to introduce standard engines with a lower power in 2010...
Hey isn't F1 supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsports where new innovations are made in the auto industry? Might as well have a F1 race of cycles. a lottt less cost, a lot less area to develop and a wayyy lot slower...

The 2009 Car

The 2008 Car

Tagged

Five names you go by: (in rough order of frequency)
Gowtham
Dhammu
Gow
G (Only i use it ;) )
Can't think of anything else..
Three things you are wearing right now:
Shirt
Pant
Leather Jacket
Two things you want very badly at the moment:
Time to complete "The Lost City"
A Payana request to India.
Three people who will probably fill this out:
Brinda - if she hadn't already filled this
Ramya (If she reads this)
Mangala (again If she reads this)
Two things you did last night:
Studied for my certification.
Tested the new electric candles i bought.
Two things you ate today:
Corn flakes as usual for BF
Special mixed fried rice for Lunch
Two people you last talked to on the phone:
Arul and Anitha
Two things you are going to do tomorrow:
Watch The day the earth stood still.
Play NFS underground.
Two longest car rides:
Delhi to BITS Pilani.
Trichy to Kanyakumari.
Two of your favorite beverages:
Buttermilk
Paanagam( a jaggery based drink usually distributed during Thiruvizhas)


And now, Tag, you are it..

smallchange.in

Just read this article on rediff.. I felt exactly the same way as Vishal Dadlani felt.. i was thinking of the same words when i started my blog abt this. somehow was not able to complete it and became one of my hanging blogs.. but this article voices my exact feelings.. Do join the campaign if u felt the same way... (the site seems to have an occasional problem.)