The unplanned!

This evening in class, we were told about how our internships would be a look-see into the corporate world, the working world and it would give us an introduction to what we're being taught. This was funny, because I already know the "real" world, and because I had a look-see into a part of life that I hadn't really tried a few days ago. The life of the spontaneous, the unplanned, the wake-up-and-go type of people. I am none of these. Let's just say it was an adventure that I'm glad I had, but one I will NEVER repeat. I'm a planner and I'm truly content and happy being one.

We went on a holiday to a nearby beach town, completely unprepared, only booking our bus tickets. I had no clue where we'd be staying and we were literally Googling places to stay on the way there. We found a hotel with very good reviews, but it turned out to be shut down and then the auto driver took us to this other place, which was quite frankly not up to my standard. Butttttt, since this vacation was not planned and I wanted to do "new" things, I went ahead and just signed on the dotted line. It wasn't that bad, but I'd have preferred a different place, and yes, lets face it, slightly more expensive. A budget traveller, I am not. But again, this wasn't a trip I had saved for, so I had to deal with it.

The morning was FANTASTIC. We went to a place that was not particularly inhabited and crowded. It had long, winding cobblestone roads with flowering bushes and trees on either side. The weather, though hot, was lovely with some breeze, sun and a few random clouds. We ate breakfast at a corner cafe that was completely organic under a tamarind tree and then set off to walk and discover other places. We hit the beach later and enjoyed the sand and the cool water.

Now this idyllic morning would not be a morning that I experienced without it's little adventures that I had to taste. I had the lovely experience of bargaining. *facepalm* Now, when it's in a language I'm familiar with, I'm kinda bearable. In a language that I know, but not comfortable with, I'm rather atrocious and pretty much ended up begging the lady to give us the bag for less. "Please lady, we're students" was a common phrase I used. At least, I provided entertainment to all those around me. Word of advice to all who read this, if you need a person to bargain, IT IS NOT ME!!!!

Another fantastic thing that happened, is that it was me on a beach, and therefore, shells were priority! And oh boy, I found some gorgeous ones!!! They were multi-coloured, beautifully shaped and just plain amazing. The drawback, like my friend pointed out, they had dead sea creatures in them!!!! EWWWWWW!!!!!! I am eternally grateful that my friend was kind enough to point out that fact before I picked it up! Can you imagine my horror otherwise? She was like oh we can take it, dry it in the sun, remove the carcass and then bleach it! I feel my gag reflex come into play as I type this, let alone actually do all of that! GROSS.

After looking at all the dead fish washed up on the beach (ewewewew) and soaking in the sun, we decided to head to a nearby restaurant, where she proceeded to eat the dead fish (prawns to be specific) and I quietly ate curd and rice. It was yummy though. The rice, not the prawn. I'm vegetarian and would not know. Again, happy to be vegetarian though many would argue!

We napped for a bit and then headed out to another beach where we walked and walked and walked and walked. Apparently, the whole point of being spontaneous is walking. There are reasons why I plan. This, I learned through my screaming legs. Poor babies. They have nice muscles now though. We ate street food, cotton candy, ice-cream and chased bubbles down the street. At least I did, not caring what the hell people thought. It was amazing!!! I loved every minute of it. The good and the embarrassing and the gross.

The next day, we caught the sunrise a little later and then explored the city, shopped and of course WALKED. A lot. We also met a VERY cute doggie that I just wanted to take and not let go! We sat in a park where there were LOTS of crows and I was forever scared that one of them would shit on my head, knowing my luck. But then, it was a choice of either sitting in the park or walking. I sat in the park. Sure enough, something fell on my head and apparently, the look of abject horror on my face was priceless. I can imagine. It was a twig though, not poop. YAY!

The city was beautiful, though I fell sick (it had to happen, the previous day was too perfect and I was too happy). We visited museums, saw all the landmarks and thoroughly explored every inch of the place, eating ice candy that made out lips and tongues PINK (!!!) and ending the day with Vietnamese food and French food! Yum!

We came back, and I am happy to be back. I missed my planned life with the sitting and the bumming around and not the WALKING! I mean I like walking, I'm not lazy, but sweet mother! That was a LOT of walking!

I must say though, I am rather proud of the fact that I kept it together, didn't freak out, didn't plan anything and went with the flow. The mission was accomplished. I saw the other side of life and I'm happy to report that the grass is greener on my side itself!

I loved the vacation, had an absolute blast and I'm SO happy and actually haven't been able to stop the glee and the smiles that have followed. It was something I needed badly and I have some great memories to treasure!

Okay now I'm done being sappy. And this will not happen again. Spontaneity (or walking, apparently they mean the same thing) is not my cup of tea. I like knowing where I'm going! And I want bubbles. To play! Now. 

Bucket list - Year 25!!!

1) Second chances
2) My equilibrium with the universe restored!! The whole not getting what I want thing is driving me crazy!
3) Peace!
4) To visit a new country
5) Truce with the bovine!
6) My own apartment - to decorate the way I want and to live in it the way I want to :P
7) Learn a new language!
8) Meet a new celebrity (Comic Con!!! Come onnnnn!!!)
9) Muscles! I want an awesome toned body!
10) No more new scars! Which means, no more falling down or scratching myself r any more accidents!
11) Meet more of my Internet friends!
12) Get a hamster/ferret/guinea pig
13) Get a job!!!!!
14) Learn a musical instrument, or at least start to learn one
15) No more animal or insect related injuries. Bees, I'm talking to you!
16) Become famous.. Relatively at least
17) Make a play at Uni actually happen!!!
18) Whine less. Lessen the negativity in my life!
19) Less drama all round!
20) Try something new. I know what it is, but not gonna share this!
21) Try a new cuisine.
22) Ride the Bangalore metro!
23) Get a bikini! Yes, I don't own one :P
24) Clean room/apartment/residential area every week! (this one is a little far fetched, but we'll see!)
25) A resolution carried forward since every birthday and new year since I was 16 - Learn to walk in heels! Now who's up for teaching me?

The Bus Ride

Everyone has adventures on buses. That is a given. At some point in their lives, something will happen and they will be on a bus.

Now, I think I'm unique. How you ask? I don't have AN adventure, I have three. Three pretty embarrassing tales that of course provide you, the reader humour and me, something to blog about.

I took a bus yesterday and it was VERY crowded, so I stood at the head of the bus. I held on to a railing with my left hand and proceeded to text my friend that I was on the way to a place we were going to meet at. As I completed the text, the next stop arrived. Now, when you know you have to stop, you ease into the stop by SLOWLY applying the break. This is what all sane drivers do. Is our bus driver sane? NO. The moron swerved to the left into the stop and applied the break so suddenly, I ended up splattered on the windscreen! Gah! I proceeded to yell at the driver and went towards the back of the bus.

I found a place next to two railings and held them with a vise like grip. The lady sitting next to where I was standing was in the fifties and had witnessed the whole scene of me falling and me yelling. She looked up at me and asked if I wanted her seat. I was MORTIFIED! An elderly lady giving me her seat is a little ridiculous. With my cheeks flaming red, I politely declined and looked everywhere but at her. In this process, I glanced at a boy. This boy smiled widely and as a reflex reaction, I smiled back at him.

The journey continued and I finally got a seat when that lady got off. The next thing I know, this boy is standing next to me. he says hello, I say hello back. Then this is the conversation that follows...

Him: Where are you going?
Me: Brigade Road.
Him: Me also. You want to get some coffee?
Me: Huh???
Him: You are pretty. We can hang out. What is your phone number?
Me: No thank you.

I realise that this is rude, but dude, seriously? Ew. I then stared out of the window for the next 20 minutes, giving myself a nice crick in my neck. Finally my stop came and I got off and walked away really fast without turning back!

Adventures of Romy Skye in a bus. Le sigh.

2011 - the year of change and acceptance

It's that time of the year, about ten days till the new one begins, where you look back at what exactly this year has been. How you've changed (if you have), major events, the people, the places and everything else. This year has been like no other. I learned of love and loss for the first time. I learned of weakness and of strength, I learned definition and classification and planning.

For the first time, this year has been a year of uncertainty, where I'm just not sure and I absolutely hated it. I like knowing, and this unknown thing does not excite me, there is no adrenalin rush and there is no love for it. It's been this way right since January, when the SNAP results were announced. Since then, it's been a road of choices, and they were hard choices.

Big decisions - I decided to take the final step that would define my future. Doing an MBA in Communications. This is going to pave the road of my career and there's no turning back. This was huge in my book, because it's not just another thing that people do, it's something that you decide for the rest of your life. There is no room for mistakes and I needed to be absolutely sure, and I am. I'm happy that I took the decision, I'm happy that I know what I want and that my future is not a list of maybes or what ifs.

A turning point this year, I lost my soulmate. This is probably the hardest thing I will ever have to go through. I believe that a soulmate doesn't necessarily have to be of the same species. It's just two souls bound by this thing that cannot be defined. It's been ten years of intense love, something unconditional, that I didn't know I was capable of. I lost my best friend, my rock, my strength and a part of my soul on November 25th, 2011. It is decidedly the worst day of my life. What I gained from it, is the knowledge that though we are not physically in the same place, though I cant hug her or hear her, I know that she is with me, because who I am today is who she made me. Gypsy will ALWAYS be a part of me and she'll always have a part of me with her and I believe, with everything that I am, that we'll meet again.

On a personal level, I grew leaps and bounds. I learned a LOT about myself, some things I liked and some I didn't. Some things I'm going to embrace, some I hope to shed real fast. I exercise now. Regularly. It's an odd concept for me to understand, because I truly loathed it for the longest time. I guess it's like till you get up that hill, you hate it, but once there, the view is fantastic and you never want to leave. Believe me, the view is fantastic.

It's my first time in a co-ed school after like 9 years. Somethings have changed, and somethings haven't. I got roommates this year. I've never had to share a room before so this concept is alien and it's very educational! I am learning two languages (perish the thought!) and I saw a Wonder of the World for the first time! Going to north India was a massive culture shock to me, it showed me that though it is all one country, how massively diverse India is. It's positively insane! I made some fantastic new friends and caught up with a whole bunch of old ones (thank you Facebook). I learned to value my family and I'm still learning to live out of one closet (le sigh!).

So many things have changed this year, my life has literally been turned upside down, I've accepted and loved so many things about myself and have absolutely hated some others (which I'm in the process of eliminating). I unfortunately picked up the tick of shaking my leg when I'm bored or restless, which is so ugly. I'm definitely working towards shedding that! Relationships with various people have changed and taken on new forms. There are times when I just want to go back, before anything changed and before this year began, but a part of me looks at how much upheaval has happened this year and I can't wait for 2012 to begin, so that I can begin again.

2011, you have been a year that I have absolutely struggled with. I have grown and changed this year, more than any other year. 2012, I look forward to you now. Next year will be a year of change again, but this time, change on my terms. 

Never bored!

Sometimes, things happen to me and I go "Of course!", because really, it is so weird, I can't expect it to happen to anyone else. These are such instances. Only, the "Of course" comes after the instance, but during it, all I'm thinking is "Seriously? Seriously? SERIOUSLY?" Grey's Anatomy style.

There are some incidents that happen to you in high school, that you choose to bury deep, deep down and choose to forget, but we all know that you're lying to yourself, because it's right there and all you can really do, is hope like hell that you never have to relive that again.

Since it's me we're talking about, I have to relive it. Many times over.

There is this language called Kannada. I'm not very fond of it (or any other language), but I had to study it at school. On the last few days of tenth grade, I learned that I had an audience of teachers outside my classroom door, who wanted to hear me read Kannada, because I apparently do such a stellar job of it. With my exquisite accent and all. Oh who am i kidding? Let's just say it's unique.

This was a day that was rather embarrassing, and I would give anything to never relive this. But then again, it happened. All too soon. I wish that I'm an old woman with Alzheimer's if this incident has to repeat itself for the third time. Anyway, here's what happened, the second time round.

A child comes up to me and asks me to speak in Kannada so that he can show his friends my funny accent. I politely laugh it off and REFUSE. Now there are other people, important people, around me when this happens, and I have no intention of making a fool of myself. Now, any reasonable person would think that this child would go away. But noooooo. He actually pulls out a toffee from his pocket and offers it to me asking, if I would talk in Kannada for a toffee. Yeah, that's right. It really happened.

I, of course, have to oblige him. It soon becomes the comedy hour as I am made to speak in many different languages. Hindi being my weakest point. But, I have had years of preparation, and while someone else would want to drown themselves, I actually enjoy it! I then show them my uncanny Scottish, Australian and American cheerleader (always a winner) accents and we all have a good laugh.

But seriously, how come these things happen to ONLY me?? I have no other friends who recount such stories, at least not in the frequency that I do! Like everyday!

I now, have been told that I speak "cultured Kannada" as opposed to the Kannada that the ordinary people speak. To further illustrate this, I was compared to Gossip Girl (the second time in as many months that this has happened). Fascinating stuff. Really.

As if this wasn't bad enough, my geyser exploded this morning. Well, not exploded, but there is a nice crack on it! I switched it on in the morning and then went to make myself some breakfast. About ten minutes later, I heard a putting noise followed by a loud spraying noise and I go to the bathroom to see what the hell happened! The entire right side was drenched and it took me a while to figure out what had actually happened. The water was everywhere, and it took my keen deducting skills (honed by the copious amounts of Criminal Minds I watch) to figure out that it came from the general direction of the geyser. I look up and sure enough, there is a crack. My first word was "crap."

I am getting a little concerned though. Yesterday, the eggs exploded. Today, it was the geyser. I'm just hoping it's not my head that explodes tomorrow! The way things are going though, I wouldn't be too surprised if it's the shampoo bottle or something because I just jinxed it.

Life sure keeps me entertained.