First Week at San Jose

Quite an experience..new place..adjustments..very little though...missing my dear family and friends...Ganganagar... Saturday evenings...alpine apartment, the kids...and lots and lots to mention. New life out here...most of my frenz were actually waiting to get my response on how I felt being here...and comparison with India. Ha..ha.ha...Do you really want me to compare my home country to anything...India is the best place..anyday !!




Been to a nearby temple (Pic attached-taken from my nokia 5610) yesterday at livermore..30 miles from here...started working out..to keep myself fit...thoda time bitaya in the swimming pool..though I donno to swim..I was actually fighting with the water and got tired very soon...Hopefully I can add one more skill up my sleeve (swimming).....Kal se phir office hai...the thought eats me up.. :-(

Planning to go to LA the next long weekend thanx to Memorial Day... and also will keep updating the Kartik's thoughts (absurd , childlike) which keeps his brain cells working and adds to the cheap sense of humour I have ;-)

Landed in SFO

Transit Time of 2 hours and I was sitting next to a german guy on the way to SFO. The german was off to a vaction to Honolulu..and places around ( Donno how they manage $ all by themselves ). Saw couple of movies - The Gameplan and 27 Dresses..long journey ..11 hours..too much yaar..My Knees had put their hands up..they cud not sit for this long continuosly...Somehow managed ..reached SFO..and WOW..and shit..robotic life here...but streamlined having all the processes in place. Booked a cab and off to the Hotel..

Had longed to see the Oracle HQ..and this was the time...So many buildings on the way..catching my eye..Reached the hotel and there started a different life...a life afresh..without my friends in bangalore...have to start all over again..after living the "I-want-I-get" life in Alpine Apts. Its now I realize what my friends meant to me in Bangalore.. :-(. Life is very different here...Living in one of the best suites meant I had to do almost nothing as far as home-cleaning is concerned....Need to push off..office hai yaar :-(

Journey To US and The Granny

Little did I realize how far I am going away from home and especially India (THE place on earth), I bumped into an old Indian Tamil lady on my way to Frankfurt...Typical Indian Saree..and features of a Goddess..with the glow in her eyes she asked me "Where are you goin' ". I replied SFO. With a smile in her face she replied - "Oh..we will have to part ways after Frankfurt..I am off to Chicago...been there for 17 years now and before that 7 years in Egypt". I was floored not bcoz where she was living but the way she put across her words with sense of owness..and that we have to part touched me...we talked thru the journey on a lot of things...and suddenly she asked me "Kartik - Can you guess my age". I said around 65-70..keeping in mind the wrinkles on her hand. She smiled and said - I am 81 dear. I complimented her and also told that she was the first lady who does not want to hide her age.I was impressed by the way she talked, her humility and the way she played with her words.

We were in Frankfurt. I touched her feet and told her how lucky I have been to meet her. Let me close on this and add a new post on whom I met on the way to SFO from Frankfurt....