Indimum

So, finally the Mumbai IndiBlogger meet came to an end...It was a terrific atmosphere at the Sea Princess hotel !!!

We all started with Anoop giving the introduction starting with Renie, followed by Karthik, BG, the groupies (ladies), me and finally Vineet - the most important person in the blogger meet coz it was him who worked a lot to get this done...For the person who said "Blogging was boring", this is the 4th Blogger meet I'm attending in the past 5 months. Trust me, I have attended all the blogger meets since I attended my first at Bangalore in February. This time, I became the bouncer...As usual, Anoop forgot about someone - this time it was Anwin coz he was taking a video of the introduction and I had to remind him...


Then, we moved on to the sponsors - HP, Jet Airways, Jet Lite, Big Rock and Sea Princess...We got an awesome support from the sponsors !!! Cheers to them !!!

Then, the introduction of the bloggers...Some had interesting and funny ways of introducing themselves and their blogs and most of them were very keen on tweeting with their phones/laptops just to make their names and tweets appear on the screen...

Then, the usual distribution of charts and making everyone interact with each other, get introduced, share their blog URLs and comments. It was real fun, as expected, and all the bloggers just wanted to continue with it...But, we had to move on to the next programme on the agenda...


Then, came Gul Panag with her sweet smile and casual attitude, which took everyone by surprise (including me). Imagine a celebrity casually chatting with people and mingling with everyone like they were her friends...Such was her attitude and character that everyone liked her immediately. Although some of us were literally falling over her as well...

Anyway, she had to moderate one of the toughest programmes in the agenda - Battle of the bloggers !!! And she did a wonderful job about it. Everyone was caught by surprise that they weren't the onlookers, but the contributors and they all starting expressing their views on how blogging can contribute to the existing systems in the country... It was really an exciting discussion and just because we ran out of time we had to end it. Had we continued with it, I don't know how long the discussion would've continued and Sea Princess would've eventually kicked us out


Before that, we also had a technical quiz from Big Rock and there were no unanswered questions !!! That was kind of a surprise as some questions were really difficult and the persons who answered the difficult questions walked away with a .com subscription for 3 years !!! Good job, Big Rock guys !!!

Finally, we had to end everything with a huge smile. Took a few pictures with all the bloggers, the team with Gul Panag, shook hands with the bloggers, exchanged hugs with the team, packed our bags and had to run off for our return flights...Everything ended just like that - with a snap of the fingers !!!

It is always a sad sight to watch a blogger meet getting over !!! But, that's how it is and we move on...

Until the next Blogger meet.... Coming Soon !!!

Adventurous Aircraft Ride before the IndiBlogger Meet

The idea was to reach the Chennai airport at 5:45 PM as our flight was at 6:55 PM so that even if we got slightly delayed and reach at 6 PM it would still be OK. BUT, we all got delayed just because one person couldn't come on time. Not even did that person come late, but also came without the tickets.

The person had to check-in, get the boarding pass and also check-in the luggage. Eventually, the system didn't accept the luggage because it was past the time for check-in. When we're about to feel that couple of us have to come in the next flight, our sponsors Jet Airways helped us check-in. Awesome Jet !!! We were able to check-in and had to rush to the security gates.....

This story is far from over !!!

Rashmi had already boarded the flight...

Next came baggage screening. Oh my God, those security walahs at the airport are the slowest on earth. Of course, they're doing a good job of ensuring that everything's secure but we were on the receiving end and could only wait...

Meanwhile, they started calling out our names - Balaganesh & family, Edin, Karthik, Shilpa. Apparently, Renie and Nandita fell under Balaganesh's family. We had to request the people boarding the Delhi flight - which was after half hour - to let us through but even then it was so late that they were about to close the gates. We had to take out our laptops, open our bags and show all the shit we have, adding up to our frustration.

Finally, everything was done. Shilpa, Balaganesh & Simi had passed through the boarding gate. Karthik and I fled for the gates, with Renie just completing his security check...At the boarding gate, when we said that there is just 1 more person on his way, he asked the million dollar question - "Wouldn't you board the flight if the other person doesn't turn up???" Karthik said, "That doesn't matter, coz he's just running down. Give us just 1 minute. We have to organize an event and we are all a team..." Man, that was tense, and that's when Renie came practically flying over the stairs and passed through the gate.

We boarded the bus which takes us to the aircraft and realized that we were the only people on the bus...When we boarded the flight, everyone was starting at us in a weird manner, probably thinking, "Are these the people who are gonna organize the Indiblogger meet???"

SACHIN!!!

The name itself sends a chill through your spine...He has finally done it...He has crossed the landmark of 200 runs in a single innings in ODI history....We all expected him to do it against Australia when he scored 175 runs and was out from a cheap looking shot....Some people also expected Sehwag to do it as he scores the runs in a quicker fashion but it was not to be...It was finally Sachin Tendulkar!!! I was there watching those moments....

3 Cheers to Sachin!!!

Birds in Pallikaranai

Guys in and around Chennai, in case you don't know, you need not go to Vedanthangal or Muttukadu or any other place if you have interest in birds. Just, come to Pallikaranai marsh which is beside the road which connects Pallikaranai and Thoraipakkam. There are a lot of migratory birds, viz. egrets, herons, painted storks, pelicans, stilts, etc....

Bird lovers, please visit this place as soon as you can coz the Winter is almost over....

My first Blog - A nasty night - true story

I was starting Bangalore to Chennai - arrived at KR Puram railway station at 11 for the 11:25 train. My bad day or I don't know what, the train was running late and there are absolutely no facilities in that ridiculous station to check the train's status. Finally, the train arrived at 12:30 and I got into the train. My coach was B1, but I unknowingly boarded B2 and woke up the person on my berth and he asked me to switch. So, I got settled on his berth and was starting to go to sleep. Then.....

Then, the TTE came and said that this wasn't my coach and that B1 was at the front. I got down and ran all the away. The train was at Whitefield. But, before I could reach the front, the train started and I had to get into the General compartment - that was the only coach with the door open. Then, I had to wait till the train reached the next station (Bangarpet - that was another 45 minute ride in the wretched General compartment).

Finally, Bangarpet arrived and I ran all the way to B1 and boarded. Again, there was a lady sleeping on my berth. I got frustrated and work her up and asked her to show me her ticket. Meanwhile, the TTE had arrived and was examining my ticket - well that's his job, ain't it? And, you know what??? Wait for it........ I was on the wrong train. !@#$@#!

Yes, I was on the wrong damned train and had to get down. It was so scary in the railway station. It was totally deserted as if it was in the middle of the jungle. Waited till 2 AM and then got into my train. This time there was absolutely no difficulty. Got settled down and went straight to bed.

I was thinking to myself when I boarded the General Compartment - "Why did I have to board the damned General Compartment??? I'm getting crushed left, right and center. If only some other doors were open...".But now, I realize that getting into the General Compartment was good. If I had gotten into any other compartment I would've been caught by the TTE and fined. Something made me get into the general compartment....I wonder what it was???