Bangalore to Hyderabad by train

Hmmm.. Its close to 2 months that i moved to Hyd for work. I work for CA (formerly known as Computer Associates) as a Software Engineer.

Its been an on and off journey to and fro Bangalore Hyd as almost once every week (during weekends) to finish off my house construction. It’s really been an exciting journey each time and every time. Have seen a lot of people writing about their train journey and always wondered if at all it will be as exciting as they put it.

To jus tell about my travel experience. In my 23 yrs till now, I have travlled very less out of bangalore. A staunch believer of "Bangalore is the best city" and never thought of leaving Banglore. If it was not for CA, I wouldn't have moved out of Bangalore. Always enjoyed my time at home and roaming around the of Bangalore especially Rajajinagar and Malleshwaram. Always hated Brigade from early if I remember coz I "thought" its always a waste of money to buy such costly stuff. That was until I was actually forced to buy a pair of branded shoes by my friends coz I started earning "big"; later I realised the value of so called "brand".

Well that was about me.. lets come back to the travel I wanted to talk about. Coz I am writing this small writeup to tell my experience about the Train Travel between Bangalore-Hyd (Kacheguda Express from Yeshwant Pur to Kacheguda).

Usually starts a little sentimental if my parents have come to see me off at the station. Then, after the train blows the whistle and starts rolling its wheels slowly. Passing through the city so soon jus to realise that it takes more than 30 to 45 mins to get out of Bangalore by train. By now, I would have realised that there are no chicks in my compartment. I dunno why it happens only with me.. But each time till now, never have they been any gang of chicks so maybe i could atleast teach them C.. u see C++ or UML usually takes too long :D coz it involves a lot of "object oriented" concepts.

I login to the yahoo messenger on my mob and lucky enuf to catch one or max 2 frnds online and have a small chat. Then realise that I need to save some battery so that I get to speak with my mom by late evening. By this time, I have crossed Karnataka and entering AP limits. The air starts getting a little warmer and people start switching on the fan. I would have heard people talk enuf about politics to sports.. some people do not want India to be democratic. while the other gang claims that their street guys play better cricket than the current indian cricket team.

People are hesitant to try coffee or tea or the bhel puri that comes in. But as soon as one person dares to, yu can see the vendor gettin hell busy and might even forget to collect the money for the service/product from some people.

Then come the catering guys to take orders for the night dinner. Out of the 8 in the compartment, 4 of them order and rest comment "its waste of money." Passing thru the Penakonda and other areas, fell frightened after seeing all these Telugu movies of “dishum dishum” in these areas. Guys.. not fights.. bullets..

By this time its getting dark and no use sitting by the window seat and get onto my berth. I usually book the Side Upper so that I have some privacy. And I get it coz I book the ticket well in advance.

I get onto my berth and open the food mom would have packed. And suddenly remember that I need to call her. Switch on the mobile and call my mom and romance with her on phone for 5 to 10 mins. Meanwhile finish having my dinner. Then, time for snacks. The train halts in Dharmavaram for quite a while, get some Dharmavaram vadas as they call it. Given a chance, u shud try it.. it tastes yummmm.. a little sweet.. don worry.. if you r like me and want some “hot”, they give you some geen chillies which is fried in oil and salt. Tastes awesome..

By the time u taste the vadas and cursin urself u shud have got more, the train stops at Ananthpur.. another wonderful city. This city is famous for rice and am told that you get “good amount” of rice if you buy a traditional Indian meal. To give you a brief, rice is a staple food for people in the southern part of India. People can live without anything for meal except some rice atleast. And Andhra Pradesh is a state very well known to cultivate huge loads of rice and paddy to satisfy its own state requirements. You can find various types of dishes made of rice. Imagine if people can make a sweet dish with rice, what not they can cook with rice? Biryanis, Pulavs and curries for Rice. Most people’s meal is not “complete” without curd rice.

Its 9 and am always a little lucky to have some good chicks in the next bogi atleast. So I make it a point that I go for a small "walk" in the train after my dinner. You see.. its good for health.

Its time to go to bed. 10 PM in the night and not much u can do in train bein awake whole night. You will only see the corps moving around and nothing much. Moreover when u have to get off the train at 05:10 AM in the morning and u have to also get to office by 10 AM so that your boss doesn give you some Monday blues.

Get down at the station early in the morning at 5:10. This is when I curse my luck a lot! I get down and see that there are so many chicks gettin down from the same train but from different bogis. So next time, need to go for a long walk after dinner. If I am just in time, the bus to Hi-Tech city will be waiting outside.

Get to home by 6:30 and then start preparin to get to office. Again back to "the same pool of shit".

A Day in Bangalore during Karnataka Bandh (4th October 2006)

I was doing a night shift supporting US yesterday (3rd Oct). We were all asked to leave from office by 5:00 AM in the morning so that if there are any protests or issues after 6 in the morning.

We all left office (mine is near to Brigade Road) and started off home (Mahalaxmi Layout, Near ISCKON). Passing the Gangarams and Times of India offices, I am surprised to see the traffic on the streets at 5:00 AM. I guess people were making it to office before 6 similar to us makin it to home :)

I reached home, on my way picked up milk and newspaper just incase to make sure we dont miss it. Greeted my mom a good morning and pulled my bedspread over to have a good sleep and dream about my girl.

As usual I get up at 1:30 PM. I see that my dad and bro are at home and was surprised (coz i had forgotten it was Bandh :D). I realised it was Bandh when I saw that my bro had put on some DVD and my parents were watching it so much of concentration. My uncle who usually is very busy and doesn have time even to drop in to my house.. was watching the movie and having his lunch!!!

I joined them watching the movie after my bath and breakfast (mom had prep MTR Rava Idly!! ummm i like it!!). I had got some old DVDs of NTR's mythological hits and my bro had put on one of them coz my dad likes them. I finished the movie and everybody dispersed. My parents and bro went to have a nap.

I was all alone in the hall, started to surf channels and see that none of the channels other than KANNADA are showing up! I started to search all the Bands VL, VH, UH and then i called up my cable operator in a hurry only to know from him the same Bandh Gyan and that today no other channels other than KANNADA are being telecasted in karnataka. What crap is this?? Then, I decided that i will atleast go to office. I may get some *LIKE MINDED* people bored at home who made their way.

Meanwhile, I put on the GHAJINI DVD (telugu) that I had got and started to get ready. Lest did i realise it was intermission and 1 hr 20 mins passed by since i was all set, eady to go to office. I switched off the TV and set my fot out of my house.

I started my bike and zooom in my bike, oops!! i had forgotten my mobile.. I went back, picked up my mobile and started to office at 4:45
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!!!! the streets are so calm.. so quiet.. feels joy to ride bikes when you have no one on the streets. Usually am in a hurry to get to office and speed. Today I decided that I will take my own time to reach office..

Lots of people at ISCKON!! wondered if people really are so religious or jus thought to make it a picnic on a Bandh :).. beautiful gals crossing either sides of the main road.. enjoyed the scene for a few moments and almost reached the KSDL circle.. took a deep turn around the circle..

Hmmm.. the streets of Malleshwaram.. as usual.. cool and calm.. but today.. there are no people also on the streets! reached the 18th cross Bust stop!! oh my god!! its empty! a place which is very busy and difficult to cross at 5:00 PM; I could cross it in a few seconds..

Now.. the best.. the Sanket tank.. so many people.. wonder if they ever bothered to visit the sankey park after it was renovated!! it was good to see people in the park with their kids.. the best part is.. am sure.. the young couples felt it a little embarrising to be around them.. i could not sight a single "love" couples around.. its ages since I had seen small children make it to the main road on their bicycles.. Sooper!! it made me remind of Bangalore of those mid 90's

Even though I was jus in my high school at that time, I do remember how calm and safe the main roads were for us to ride bicycles.

The best was yet to come!! I enetered MG Road!! my god!! I expected to see the usual traffic and crowd atleast here!! it bein in the centre of the city.. but i was wrong.. very few bikes on the road and one or two cars speeding to their desinations!

It was a good 35 mins ride from my home to office which I usually take only 20 mins even during the busy hours!!

I hope we could *CELEBRATE* this Karnataka Bandh atleast once in a month! This will atleast remind us of the old good Bangalore..

I eventually got to office, met some colleagues and same old work :(

Bangalore Time

Bangalore Time

My Favourites (links) on my computer

http://www.scriptocean.com/dticker.html
Good one for some flash and stuff.. You can learn a lot!

http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc
My TL will kill me if I don have this on my Favourites.. Need to be on time for the Conference calls u see..

http://www.appletcollection.com/
Hmm.. Applet collection.. Any webmaster would love this.. most of them are free

http://www.chmpdf.com/archives/ebooks/
Good collection of ebooks (IT Related!)

An awesome collection of books! I know You will love them :)

An awesome collection of books
Including copyrighted books!
Click on the links below..

Sidney Sheldon Ayn Rand
Charles Dickens Nicholas Sparks Business & MBA
The Codebreakers David Baldacci
Robin Cook Dan Brown
Douglas Adams Paulo Coelho
Frederick Forsyth John Grisham
Robin Sharma Michael Crichton
Erich Segal HG Wells
Jeffery Archer Khalili Gibran
Arthur Doyle PG-Wodehouse Mario Puzo
J R R Tolkien Salman Rushdie
Jane Austin Arthur Hailey
Agatha Christie Kevin Mitnick
Calvin Hobbes Comics Zone

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! come on.. you need not Thank me so much for the links!

Common Sardar jokes.. I jus love them

What is Common between : Krishna, Ram, Gandhiji & Jesus..?Sardarji Replied : All are Born on Government Holidays.

*****Sardar bought a new mobile. He called everyone from his Phone Book & said "My Mobile No. has changed .. Earlier it was Nokia 3310 Now it is 6610"

*****Santa : I am a Proud Sardar, My son is in Medical CollegeBanta : Really, what is he studingSanta : No is not studying, they are Studying him.

******Santa falls in luv with a nurse... After much thinking, he finally writes alove letter to her: "I luv u sister."

*****Pappu, while filling up a form: Dad, what should I write against mother tongue.?Santa: Very long!

*****Santa was caught for speeding and went before the judge.The judge: What'll you take 30 days or Rs 3000.Santa: I think I'll take the money.

*****Q: How do you recognize Santa's son, Pappu, in School?A: He is the one who erases the books when the teacher erases the board.

*****Santa & Banta got tired of mobile & decide 2 use pigeons.1day a pigeon reaches Banta without message.Angry Banta calls Santa!Santa: Oye, this was a missed call

*****Q: Why was Santa writing the exam near the door?A: Because it was an entrance exam.

*****Santa: My dad was an extremely brave man. He once entered a lion's cage.Banta: He probably got a lot of applause when he got out.Santa: I didn't say he got out.

*****Santa (reading from book of facts): "Do you know that every time I breathe aman dies?"Banta: "Why don't you use a mouth wash?

Good ones that I read when am feelin low and wanna laugh :)

*******************************************************************> Q - What is the Difference between Mother & Wife?> A - One Woman Brings U into this world crying... & the other ensures U> Continue to do so.>> *******************************************************************> How can SantaSingh Kill a Lion?> SantaSingh thinks N thinks hard & comes to a conclusion: I'll drink poison> n let lion eat me. JJJ>> *******************************************************************> A Chinese pair accidentally had twins without getting married;> Guess what they named them... Jo Hua, So Hua.>> *******************************************************************> ! Wife: Honey...... What are you looking for?> Husband: Nothing.> Wife: Nothing...?? U've been reading our marriage certificate 4 an> hour...??> Husband : I was just looking 4 the expiry date.>> *******************************************************************> SantaSingh: O Banno Car ki speed itani ky badha di..?> biwi: Oji Car ki break fail ho gayi hai, Accident ho jaye iske pahale ghar> pahunch jaate hai.>> *******************************************************************> SantaSingh : Sitting on The Top of the Mountain and Studying....> When a Person asked what he was doing.... He replied... Oye!! Higher> Studies Yaar...!!!> *******************************************************************> Teacher : Correct the sentence, "A bull and a cow is grazing in the> field"> Student : A cow and a bull is grazing in the field> Teacher : How?> S! tudent : Ladies first.>> *******************************************************************> Man before Marriage I like Airtel...."Aisi Azaadi Aur Kahaan"> After Marriage He's Like Hutch... " Where R U Go Our Network Follows.">> *******************************************************************> SantaSingh : That Cow is a Lovely Colour ,> Farmer : Yes, it's a Jersey.> SantaSingh : Oh, I Thought it was its Skin...!!!