realityescapes

Confusion

2017-06-22T22:00:00.003+02:00

It is just this night
next to me, wrapped
how am I supposed
to simply live with
memories of your fragrance

Your abundant laughters
coated in mystery
I openly fell for you
knowing, you're dangerous

Like last rhyme of
a country song
running all over me
(I wonder)
is it just this night
which doesn't have you.

Alok Alamban

22 June 2017

You want to be heard, I will listen to you

2016-12-07T17:48:00.000+01:00

I have often been asked this question in different scenarios; be it interviews, conferences, conversations or even at times I have asked this myself.

“If everything else goes to zero, what is one ability/thing/quality/talent you (I) would like to have?”

My consistent answer over last couple of years has been that,

I will like to continue listening to you, because the biggest complain people on the planet have is “ not being heard enough”.

I can go on with the narrative about the life passing by staring at screens be it laptops, mobiles, tablets or whatever. I can also go on with what I am or who I am. To keep it to the point, I am simple human with immense ability to trust fellow human beings.

I can listen in primarily English, Hindi. All other emotions are equally welcome.

To find more, let us talk.

If You want to talk, say, express, share, cry or laugh.

I will listen to you with pure compassion, to everything that you would like to share.

No judgement, I promise.

My only request is

“do allow me to have you as a precious anecdote in my life story about the moments we shared”

Where ever in the world you might be, feel free to share your story/thought.

Mobile +91 88265 27230

Skype — alokalamban

Facebook — Alok Alamban

Gmail — alokalamban2@gmail.com

I will try my best to talk to you whenever possible. Let us start sharing and talking. I am ready to listen

Chalo Chalo - How i miss the chaos of cows in middle of the road!!!!!!

2016-01-06T10:26:00.000+01:00

Agenda for 2016, the dilemmas within, am I the coward to run away or selfish to ignore others

2015 went by- How Sustainable am I?

2016-01-06T10:24:00.000+01:00

a reflection on the year gone by

I woke UP like this

2015-09-18T11:38:00.000+02:00

Arnhem,

You have been awesome to me. We met because it was meant to be. But the times we have together is coming to an end. There has been so much going on in 2015, even for me to handle. I have played along and participated with full of my passive and active enthusiasm. There is so much to write about - RSM,Erasmus University

- life in Rotterdam,

- watching House of Cards,

- Arnhem,

- trip to India,

- Caux conference in Switzerland, plus

- the master which is finally coming to an end.

All this will wait for a while as I woke up on a bright sunny day with a lovely view out of my window which will change in a week as I move once more in 2015. So here it goes,

I woke UP like this

My morning yawn

Brings me a bright sunny view

Of the children

Playing outside in the park

O! as I wish now,

I don’t have any of my own.

I am excited and willing

to not have much of my own,

not even many lovers.

All I want to be is what

I can never be to you.

Not even the only lover,

Neither your favorite enemy,

Not your favorite taste on your lips

At best, I will be a reckless memory

Full of passion.

Like so many other too many times,

I pack my bags again

For more unknowns

To seek more of

“who is who?”

“What is What?”

I care not what happens in between all

the good and the bad news

All I want to know

Will you be there to have a claim on me

with your arms free

and my name on your lips

When I come running to you!

Only Heaven knows.....

Alok Alamban, September 2015

If You believe- It is a love story

2015-05-16T13:49:00.000+02:00

You often try to drill
a hole in my brain
with your silence.

when you come back
to tell me-
"How much I love you"
You never tell me
Who were you making
love to!

Poison of passion never fades
away
you ain't get jaded
neither often do I.

Music of moans
never been content
behind closed doors.
I often called you names
in love, (apologies)
so did u.

Future of f******
never an issue between us.
'cause on the journey
across beds, bodies and beyond
we both knew
you had a role for me
I did the same for u.

We nibbled away
the soul and sadness
busy we became
never knew
what all came off
the masks, the menace
moments, memories
fade.

Naked no more
no more (in)sane
content in love
I live
making more love to
myself.

Pic credit : http://wallpaperswide.com/love_story_2-wallpapers.html

Apologies

2014-08-29T16:01:00.001+02:00

Sorry
someone should be!
either you or me
May be even both.

Because,
we fucked this up ourselves
as we burnt the distances
between us.

Trying to touch
with emotions so hidden
for so many others.

You were the muse till
the end.
"The end"- for we let it go
when the easiest would be to
save and savor the fun.

What more can we owe each other
except for the apologies
for the abundance of good memories
of this lifetime!

Mwaah:-)

Pic courtsey :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Kiss,_with_apologies_to_George_Stubbs_lowres.jpg

On way to the Beijing Airport

2014-08-26T09:21:00.000+02:00

Beijing, airport bus, Xidan ! Aug 7 Morning

This is it. One more place done. As i see more and more new places, a new feeling has begun to take shape in my head- I know more about places than people. In my pursuit of travel, am I missing out on people. People who I can love, those who want to love me, at times simply cause they feel like it, at others because they got to give me some love in return.

The sense of wonder is getting diminished with each new city, new country, new people. It is becoming like a pattern. Buy a ticket, search on the internet, reach the place, meet people, search places, look for things to do, move on to next before a sense of belonging develops for everything I saw or felt. Be it people or places.

I have always run away from routine, but here I ask- isn't traveling routine?

To a morning that unfolds in Xidan, a place which I called home in China , in my pursuit of new, i am missing on everything that needs me and belongs to me in a social sense. Talking of social and social networks, i miss people more who are not on social network. I seek real interactions. The feeling of touch, a warmth of hug, the surity that everytime I hear you speak - I have a chance to run towards you. I don't want to be catching thin air no more.

"May be never again" are the words which have stuck for long since they were said in the corridor.

I don't want that to happen specially with people who i strongly feel i haven't seen enough off.

To you I belong, and here I come to see you.

The global transaction, Only if there would be no internet

2014-08-19T10:45:00.001+02:00

August 2014,

I have been all over the place in the summer break about which I will write soon.

Here is an event which is astonishing and mesmerizing at the same time and I do need to make a note of it before it slips away from my mind.

I have just had a transaction of my lifetime till now.

I am an Indian who was volunteering in China during July-August. I live in Norway and bought a train ticket for Oslo-Bergen. Incidentally the ticket was for a date which I won't make it. So I posted on facebook group if anyone is looking for a ticket? O! Yes, there was some one looking for a train ticket from Mexico who was on his way to Sweden and had a stopover in Bergen.

I sold him the ticket, got my money in Bergen during a short meeting with him. Thank You Rodrigo!

Aha!

From Lucia's House

2014-06-29T21:37:00.000+02:00

Dear Lucia,

I never knew we would meet. I have not even met you but you have a lovely place to live. Also, the people who live in are super awesome - They are friends and lovers, lovers and friends which ever way you might want to put it.

A book collection, a fat book on Congo- Ah! Africa where I want to go next.

My thoughts are all over the place. It has been such a day. Meeting a friend from school after 10 years. What an awesome person he has evolved into - such sensitivity he carries in his personality. With an equally loving partner. The two of them make one unique love story exactly like all love stories are meant to be.

Recently married, a lovely wedding video to see, share and experience. Aww there was lunch

The biryani turned out awesome. It has turned out awesome the third time that I have made it. I am getting better at it. But every time I eat Biryani - two Biryani stand out - One in Agra in Eid ( One regret I never saw her who made it). The other in Bergen made by one of the most silently passionate person I have met in life.
Talking of Biryani - there was so much to end the previous night - endless supply of one delicacy after another in true Dilli ishtyle. Shawarma, sausages, pizza, more and more...

Dutch won the match to some good football and luck. But in football so much happens in last five minutes so often, that it can not be luck all the time. Simply put, the one who tries harder wins. The Matrix of Ochoa gave up at some point. and Atul Kasbekar replied to my tweet as we watched Fifa world Cup together. Virtual world you see!

In life you make your own luck, it is important that way. It will be.

But I keep wandering - new places beckon more often than not they should. People become memories, stories. They are at times captured in blog entries and my heart.

I am writing in Amsterdam, tomorrow Beijing calls. I am not growing young I know. But it is better to travel as long as my knees like it.

Thanks Lucia:-) I bet you are celebrating a dutch victory and I am celebrating life.

Cheers,

Alok

A Wandering Mind

2014-06-11T15:59:00.001+02:00

A wandering mind,
meets and mates often,
with places and people.

Accused philanderer - is it?
Genuine in defense-
All it does is
"Spreads love to
postpone war to another time"

Switching
between memories and moments
between stories and chapters
between alive and dead
between the chair and my bed.

Comfort zone - short term fantasies.
wandering (mind) often wonders
will it ever grow a lifelong romance?

The story :- Here I sit in a revision class for what could be technically my last exam. My mind was all over the place and the best I could manage was to pen some lines.

Pic Source

Thanks for reading through!

Reflections Part -1

2014-05-07T15:41:00.000+02:00

I am wondering and thinking fondly about people and places I have been or met or visited. In no particular order, I will write about first 20 things that come to my mind.

1. My parents who decided to make me when they were super young. O! Yes, I was lucky enough to be born in a hospital, when I could have been easily born in a hut in a village.

2. Grand parents- both my Dad's and mom's parents; for showering so much love on me. How lucky I feel to be the first born in a huge joint family, Indian style. To put it in context, The genes are spread far and wide with more than a dozen cousins across the world.

3. Budhia Dai - as we call our Great Grand Mom! Very temperamental in nature- That is what others got. All I got from her has been love. O! Yes thanks for the tough massages when I was tiny- you are the one for my tough bones. Nothing has broken yet- All 206 intact.

4. My first cousin - I called him Bhaiji (the elder brother), he called me baua (the loved one). My first friend- without you there would be no childhood memories. The Cycle rides to Durgauli.

5. The adventures of my grand dad which took him to North East states of India. He made everything of his life there. I followed him to the mountains before I was 3. The love of mountains remains and so does the desire to chase the unknown.

6. Being almost home schooled for a large part of my initial years. Thank God! everything I learnt then remains worthwhile to this day.

7. Lessons in English, not to forget the speeches on a dais on Independence day and Republic day. Performing plays in the village- Taimur Lang, Shakespeare's A Pound of Flesh and others...

8. My brother who was born healthy in a bus... Boy could not wait; the hospital from the village was so far. That got to be a signal, as he has been a traveling nomad for almost a year now.

9. Mom for holding it all together, the three crazy passionate men in her life - Dad, I and the lil brother. Going hungry often by choice (they call it fasting!) because she believes if she goes hungry for religious reasons- A happy God will be kind to the family. Believes I tell you!

10. Dad for being the determined one and pursuing his passion in the most unconventional ways possible. Believes again! I tell you. It kinda rubbed off on us too.

11. All the Uncles and Aunts - All combined they are a dozen of them for being part of such a big family. You all always brought in gifts all the time. I was the only kid to start with... some day I will try to give it back.

12. Vacations which always went back to village. Summer full of mangoes in the hut in the mango garden.

13. Playing Cricket, the silly game! which is the only team sport Indians are reasonably good at. Hockey has been part of folklore but is often considered too dangerous to be played as a kid.

14. Life and times in Patna, at times crazy at others sensible.

15. Cricket World Cup in 1992, when all the adults of the house came together to watch it on B&W TV. India was rising and so was the man who united the country - Sachin Tendulkar

16. My first memories of Tennis when a man/boy with long hair, jeans shorts and ear rings won Wimbeldon. I often wondered whether he was a boy or a girl. Damn! the man became a monk of Tennis- Andre Agassi.

17. The people who worked in village so many of them, names I remember - Letra, Dukhiya, Saroopa, Rajinder, their wives and many others... Many of them I have not met for years but you are often thought about with fond memories.

18. The teachers in village who taught me Mathematics and Social Sciences. How excited I was to learn- Earth is round. The globe and silly dreams to see the world. When it comes to mathematics, everyone who taught me how to calculate in mind- No finger business or writing on paper.

19. Dadi Maa as I call my Grand Mom. One tough lady full of selfless love - If you count them all, successfully managing a household of 20+ people on a daily basis.

20. Badka Baba - lived in village, lived for village. Thanks for breaking all my milk teeth in time with such politeness. I often miss you... also Badki Dai.

last but not the least, Chacha as he was called- He came to village after retirement and taught kids - his lessons on writing fast, mind power, dictations and spellings...

This is sweet... I bet there will be Part two.

Thoughts this Sunday

2014-03-09T12:50:00.001+01:00

There is music in my room, so you might want to know- "What is he listening to?"

Do I have to reflect about things, simply because it is Sunday- May be not. I will skip the reflecting part.

There is a promise of a lunch from my friend Rid from Bangladesh. The good food awaits.

I am on a phone call to buy handbags for my mother with two of my other brothers. One the brother from same mother and Other, brother from another mother.

Shopping would have been done by now. The only thing I have shopped for this week is blank thoughts.

Thoughts where people have come in and went away, leaving behind their share of pleasant memories.

Song and its video

Musings of a Mouse from Paris

2013-12-27T15:40:00.001+01:00

December 27 2013,

The year has flown by! no, no, no, four days are still left to count. Should I be talking about days or shall I say there are four nights to be worried about. Nights where I often thank everyone around me and the Power above for everything I have.. for things that I get to do.

Nights have been lonely or have they not been so lonely.... But this is not about my bedroom details.

This is about the year gone by, where times have been both good and bad. Should I really say bad... Nope, how about saying the year has been good and not so good. There have been people and places... both new, not so new and old. There was a trip to India,a family wedding, a high flying assignment for 6 weeks, Delhi, Patna, Chatra, Jhonjhi, Norway, Bergen, Brussels, Paris, Oslo, Moscow ( Just the airport, But the Aeroflot flight was awesome, specially with the extra luggage permission).

Another year, I have pulled off some money to sustain the pursuit of randomness. O! yes the randomness comes with a price... The Price to be paid.... (Ah! I will not bore you with the details).

I write sitting in a nice Service apartment/hotel in business district of Paris... Thanks to a friend(Name not disclosed for privacy reasons) from EY, a mark on my CV and life which gave me confidence for everything that has followed there after. The streets of Paris have been welcoming , a touch lonely because the dream that I wanted to be so true chose to stay back not too far... simply six hours away.

There was a lovely bike ride of 400+ kilometers in a day on the roads of Bihar. The development impressive. The ride exciting. I go to thank man Friday Rakesh for his attitude, courage and energy which made it possible.

Has it been only about places... Obviously not! It has been about people too. People who love me, People who have loved me , Of people who have chosen to love me no more,Of people who have been confused whether they want or do not to want to love me, Of people who did not have enough time to love as our destiny beckoned at separate places, Of People who wanted to take away my share of love from them for reasons unknown.... Of people who have brought in stories from places far and wide, Of people who have made no promises but been genuine and openhearted, Of people who have been Promise breakers and there have been others who are beautiful coincidences. Everyone on the way has been either nice, very nice or sometimes not so nice.

As I sit and write, Paris has been therapeutic and welcoming. I have often seen Eiffel tower from far, during the sunny days, glittering during the night. O! My My, night rides through the streets of Paris, where we laugh of everything that we cross by... The brightly lit empty Christmas market, the louvre museum, and many other attractions of the city so famous which have remained unseen during the day. The place has a feel and vibe where the walks have been spent soaking up the beauty all around. Times spent with myself and others have been enriching for the continuing discovery...

The discovery continues...

When I was...

2013-09-28T02:16:00.000+02:00

Tonight
I think of times
when I was young
and supposedly fun.

Right now,
Lost in distant past
so full of silence
which makes me wonder
if I was loved enough!

The doubts eat into
my present
Simply because you were
older, I blame you
all the time
for not saying it loud enough!

Ain't it your fault
You were the only man
I knew then
Now I know,
men are not supposed it to be like that.

Wasted my love is
'cause
you never showed me the way
to love loud and clear!

Butter chicken stories

2013-08-24T10:34:00.000+02:00

Summer this year looked in a mood to relax and enjoy Europe- less in the heat, more in the warmth of my beloved. Alas! the whole of it didn't happen, but Brussels home stay and Amsterdam did happen. Delightful scenery of love and war, joy and tears, of genuine love which demanded nothing in return except for occasional butter chicken. About the places we saw and others we didn't, Of the journeys we made and others which we backed out, Historium and Bruge ; a place where the old and hi tech made perfect love in awesome sync or should I simply copy the tagline which says 'multisense experience'.

Amidst all of it, an email came by which would bring in the randomness, I am so fond of. They wanted to send me to India for the summer. They even wanted to pay for the tickets and more, they liked me for what I have done before and what I told them. But the question remained - to do what?

I will not take any names, neither the company nor the people but yes there will be places and references.

A week of interviews and trainings in Egg and Uster in Zurich fixed the Indian plan. So much of it wanted to be told about then, an Australian dinner where the waiter introduced the menu by saying " sir for a dish lacking on the menu , you can have crocodile meat instead" - so much for fancy eating. I got into Business development for clean technology trying my best to do my bit for the toilet problems of India. The flight was smooth but the job amusing and hectic at the same time.

Once in Delhi, days flew by travelling, flying by the night, meetings by the day and running an office at times in the cab as we juggled meetings in different part of the cities. Mumbai Bangalore and Delhi all became so close. In between I squeezed a family time for a wedding. Things for the summer were going good in India, yet I knew not a world in Europe was crumbling.... my European family disintegrating simply because I was away for six weeks.

Awesome threesome of a memorable June had to separate, not knowing so fully well that they might not meet ever again. I know not what stops loved ones to voice their concerns, what stops them from being upfront about their fears and insecurities. I came back to the horror of story of throwing in the towel as the lil boy aint handle the lonely pressure no more. Like a rock you stood behind me since the nonsense I created in March, giving me hope and support for months no end. Not even once you shared your fears, not even once you told me how difficult it was getting for you all by yourself. As the new country in my wild chase began, on the last day of your assignment you tell me - you aint do it no more, but why? No remedy possible then, no way back. How helpless I feel as I type this, but write is all I do and I will for the price six weeks in India came at.

Ah! desperation calls for desperate measures. The musketeer will do silly idiotic things for a grown up. The drama- one in front of me and the other so carefully planned behind my back. The upheaval of emotions, the waves I know not where they came from at times when I was fast asleep, at others when I was awake. Searching in the dark alley of google pages, everything pointed to underlying mayhem, but I lived in denial that it can't be true. It was not to be. Not even once , not even you told me of your possible plans. But the ten day horror which you lived in and created during my last days in Delhi plus the mess right now, I know not if the vacation was worth it. I will still maintain that I aint no bothered about the vacation or the company in it. But yeah the sinister planning behind it all... Ah! You certainly could have done better than that.

Yes, my days have been suddenly difficult and I will vent out the bottled emotions. No words will ever be enough for the support the lil boy and the musketeer gave me through all those months. Such unconditional support, love , joy and the reality shows in a group hug for simple joys of butter chicken, group shopping, hugged stories and beyond in Brussels. You always maintained then, "Be strong, this shall pass too" I shall also say the same for all three of us but Yes Butter chicken will no more be the same ever. Forgive me not if you ever feel, I let you two down 'cause I aint stop chasing randomness and ran away to more randomness.

Chasing dreams at the cost of life! if that is the way I have to live so be it. The costliest thousand francs salary ever....

When Mike caught the Ball

2013-08-01T20:22:00.000+02:00

One of the best days of weather in St. Gallen, may be as good as the one last year when we went Cycling, but today it went beyond the cycling, we did something else which also starts with C, we played Cricket

My first day of cricket in St. Gallen!

On the German part of Swiss Alps, near the Konstanz lake (looks so big, why do they even call it a lake, I fail to understand!)

A day which threatened to pass of like any other, sprung into action by a sms ( oops, sms are almost overtaken by whatsapp) from a friend from across the border. He also lives right across the street to where I live. I was encouraged to find more players so that we could have more players to play with. My Indian flat mate, Dilli da Puttar (DP) was on board with glee. I was surprised with the excitement Mike showed when I discussed the possibility with him. Mike, who knew nothing about cricket, the closest he could understand was cricket - an Indian version of the baseball game.

The Game had to be played at a multi purpose playing area, reachable after a 20 minutes car ride. We had all the luck as other senior players offered us car share to the ground. The ride was full Asian style, as we squeezed in 7 people in a small car, one of them sitting comfortably in the boot. (Reminded me of fun journey in my Maruti Van, where naughty kids were put in at the back so that they could let others be in peace while travelling).

The view of the playing area with the lake in the background gave me a hope that it will be a fun game. There were beautiful women and handsome men in their Swiss fit bodies, trying their best to get a tan by showing off their beach volleyball skills. But, it wasn't meant to be. People played the game with passion and intensity. Every run was run hard and the strategy debated hard!

Amidst all this was enthusiasm of Mike, he ran every where. He loved running in the sun, sport for him has to be a physical activity. He learnt the nuances, heard each detail with attention. In between everything that was going on, a batsmen hit the ball high in the air, Mike ran to be under the ball. Lo and behold! he caught the skier too...

I don't know if I will ever meet Mike again, but the joy, the moment and happiness it brought along in everyone around present there will remain with me.

Cheers Mike, be good and I am sure you will continue teaching chess to kids wherever you are

European Ways

2013-07-01T08:01:00.001+02:00

Here I was resting in the nest filled with brotherhood and love when sudden changes have brought in a flurry of activities. For months there has been no activity, except for waiting with positive hope.

Here I find myself, moving three countries in a day and being booked for flight to India within a week.

A hotel in Switzerland close to Zurich... Places like Uster and Egg!

In all the randomness around... The Excitement for the unknown remains

Bon Voyage

When Elena Hugged Robin

2013-03-31T21:48:00.002+02:00

There will be no pictures in this one, because the impressions- I shall carry with me for rest of my life. But there will be a story and stories are worth living for, as you so clearly know, some day eventuality of declining breaths shall take over.

Why call it a prelude, let us call it a coincidence. Things happened as they were destined to be. Mr.J came to HSG for a 2 week short training. Conversations with J were a total eye opener of a man's dream and passion, also the ways to achieve them. He is a computer geek to begin with, a trained dancer, a committed and passionate lover and in his latest avatar growing into a devoted family man. He made weekend trips to be with his kids. Kids are fun, ain't they. Our evening chats always talked about life and experiences but had a mandatory mention of new promises fast growing kids bring along with them.

We were 3 of us in the flat then, with our own ideas of free spirit. The world saw us as vagabond dreamers, we often countered- "What is life worth, if not about ideas and dreams?"

Frankfurt is calling and I have to find a way to meet the family I have heard so much about from J. Luckily, for me J agrees to meet us at the Frankfurt station and invites us for a dinner. A short train journey takes three of us away from Frankfurt skyline needs a short taxi ride for a warm welcome to an awesome neighborhood and a home filled with happiness.

I am in for a sweet surprise-

A mother of two can have a night out with her friends. She is sure that daddy cool can manage the kids, more over she has full confidence in her kids and their sleeping habits. (Kudos to the shared responsibilities!). Grand Ma of the kids was home and any extra support with the kids is always handy.

A big looking boy, B who was close to 2 and a tender looking girl, G , almost 4 years old had to be explained the arrival of Indian men. It is amazing how soon the elder sibling has to act grown up once the younger one arrives in the scene. G was playing the big sister to the T. She was excited to show us around , her toys and also, her Easter farming. Boys will be boys, B was busy checking out the luggage we had brought in. All of us had dinner together. I was in for another surprise- Both the kids not only wanted but were ready to eat by themselves. Eating would be an understatement, they were prepared to finish off the meal in their plates for the Ice cream dessert. (Eating habits of Indian kids is a mess and often a big bother for parents).

As the dinner was soon over, J promised to show us around the house. I loved the fact that the Garden of the house is bigger than the house itself. J also excitedly talked about his wine collection, some of them were more than 7 years old. As we were talking, the big B soon came down in his night suit all cozy and comfortable in his mother's lap to say good bye to us. That is when I saw the sight which shall remain for me for a long time to come.

Lady G, got down from her chair, she walked up to her mom. Pulling gently on her mother's pants, she asked him to lower Mr. B, as her brother was lowered within her reach, she gave him a tight hug and kissed him tenderly on his cheek for Good Night. How lucky of both B & G to share the sibling love, rather than sibling rivalry.

For the daughter my parents couldn't manage, for a sister I never had!

Frankfurt Diaries:- Part I (Reaching upto Frankfurt)

2013-03-30T01:44:00.001+01:00

A few days ago, There came a email in my inbox inviting me for an interview with Mother of all banks in Frankfurt, Germany. I was excited about the visiting a new place , meeting new people, and also my first bank interview in Europe. Frankfurt is big (I thought to myself), anything after living in St. Gallen is big.

Here I am trying to figure out the most exciting way to reach Frankfurt, I don't want to do the normal Zurich-Basel- Frankfurt super fast train to reach the destination. A journey has to have a sense of leisure combined with visual pleasure- be it scenery, people and places.

As I begin checking for the journey, The most exotic one comes up to be the one where I can The train, the ferry across the Lake Konstanz and train again. Alas! I have to give up on this choice as my normal human logic scares me what If I miss the ferry.
I am determined not to take one of those super fast ones. I like my journey slow, leisurely which gives me enough visual pleasure. So find another route which shall be half familiar, more than half new.

Things are packed and I walk out of my home towards the railway station. SBB counter, I am in for a pleasant surprise where they charge me 10 CHF extra for buying an international ticket from the counter. Swiss ways of proving again how expensive human labor is. It has not stopped surprising me yet- How small things can cost so much.

The normal train up to Kreuzlingen chugs along slow and sweet. One of my rare journeys where I am travelling to Konstanz during day light. I enjoy the small stations on the way, view of the Swiss homes, the big lake which awaits me soon. I am still trying to imagine how exciting it would have been to take the ferry across the lake. At Konstanz, There is another train awaiting for me which shall take me on another leisurely journey up to Offenburg. The train journey is called Badische Schwarzwaldbahn, translated in English- Black Forest Railway. The scenery beautiful on the way. The day bright and sunny, I have a book for company. I miss reading snippets of my favorite book The Catcher in the Rye but I am reading thoughts on business by Pankaj Ghemawat, cool guy with independent thoughts of his own. I click many a pictures during the journey, in between warm naps due to sun through the window seat. The journey , I am on my own, on a single seat, soaking in my thoughts of where I come from, What I am missing on as I see new things and am going for a new Experience. A pic from the journey,

I like the open pool in the bright sunshine, I so want to take a dip and try out my newly learnt swimming lessons. The train moves on through the tunnels, villages, towns O! yes through many a stations in between. You can find anything on the internet and look here , What I found! It is the video of the journey between Konstanz and Offenburg.
I have a stop over of 30 mins at Offenburg, the place I might never again see in this lifetime. I walk quickly out of the station, only to be stopped by a German bakery. German prices are always an eye opener if you compare them to Swiss ones. I am tempted to click the pic of the bakery and I will put it in for you..

From Offenburg, I am now excited to catch the famous superfast ICE Trains. Offenburg-Frankfurt in 1:30 hours flat, speed of more than 200 Kms per hour; everything rushing in front of my eyes, there is no view to catch, not much to behold, I can not even click any pics. The train is going up to Berlin and only excitement I catch is when a group of students come in at Mannheim station. Such joyous commotion they bring, makes me remember my school days... Lost in Memories, Time goes by and
Lo n behold I am in Frankfurt for next few days to explore, experience and celebrate!

More shall come:-
When Elena hugged Robin
Interview Experience
The After Stay

On a Grey Day ...

2013-03-18T13:47:00.000+01:00

The Day is Grey outside, lots of fog outside. The Swiss roads that I see from below my window are as usual empty. The snow from the top of houses have been washed away by the overnight rain.
A green window at a distance is as always open but there is no light today and there is no one at the table. You have been a consistent company since I moved into this new flat.

I collected the laundry which was drying overnight. My bread from the kitchen is gone but my enthusiasm remains. A big thank you to Kishore Da! for the melodies.

The year 2013 is flying away and I am my usual uncertain self about I and my surroundings. There have been people on the way who have held along - so often out of free will , at others out of compulsion , may be even sympathy and pity. There have been others who have tried their best to pull a spoke a here and there in my world of dreams and fantasies.

I just want to thank you irrespective of what you want of me or what you want from me. Without you, life would be so boring.

As Kishore Da Sings... Tum Bhi chalo... Hum bhi Chalein... Chalti rahe jindagi! ( You take a step... I take another one... Life goes on... even if they are not in the same direction).

O!beauty
makes me admire
the look in your eyes
without bothering
the way you see me.

Ah! Magic
touch of your lips
shall I call it kiss
or a dream
happening for real.

The Pull
of desire or destiny,
I care not
as long as
You have me wrapped around.

The Tragedy
trials of (mis) trust
often try to escape
in your curves.
Alas!it can't continue forever.

Alok Alamban

Fixing the shower pipe:- Lady M

2013-03-06T14:12:00.000+01:00

For the visit and the happy times that came along with your visit. The new place I moved in had a long shower pipe with a small cut in it... I tried to fix it too but with a silly solution of putting in a tape. As if, water could be stopped with a tape. I mean the flow of water could be stopped with a tape.

G, C and J didn't do much about it, neither did I. Till the time , G got fed up one fine morning as the leakage created a mess in the bathroom. I and G were all set to go to the nearby big Migros to get a new one till the charming Lady M stepped in.

Hey how about trying to fix this?

With a smirk of a wink and a naughty smile, the knife was out , the stage was set.

She cut the leaking part, adjusted the whole pipe and refixed it again.

Lo and behold! The gorgeous Indian expert with perfect wit and humor and fix so many things.

Cheers Sweetheart..

Keep the fixing and Laugh always!

Whistling Coincidences

2013-02-19T11:23:00.000+01:00

I have been thinking about it for sometime now. I want to thank everyone involved in beautiful coincidences of life. How I often meet people I have always wanted to meet.

Things for sometime now have been falling in place by magical movement of situations and people.

Beautiful Switzerland has been welcoming again, I had a place to live in my old flat.

I have met people most of them with names and others with whom we just connected but, I don't even know their names.

In no particular order, Laurenz, Akash, Chintan, Jochen at Leimat.15.... Grerado and that awesome story filled ride to Grenoble in his colorful car... Lady M at Grenoble for awesome company, hospitality and immense love.... Friends I made during my stay at Grenoble.... Whistling uncle and his lady on our way to Bastille... Neuroscientist Alex and Biomedical Engineer Peter... and Anthony.. he of red pants and I of red hair...

Every interaction has been a story of its own... and I had to put it down before I forget or memory fades away...

Simple wish remains.. I keep being good to people and the coincidences continue..

Amen!

Life Escape

2012-11-07T10:32:00.000+01:00

Escapades of life

Serenade me…

I am left amused

By myself

I walk around

Believing

That I might

End up floating..

Small Gambles

Bring in

Big uproar..

I am running ahead

Leaving behind

Or Am I running away

Heart broken…

Alok Alamban

P.S.:- One from the diary

In Matters of Faith a 21 Km return Trip in 12 hours

2012-10-23T13:34:00.000+02:00

My last two Holidays have been completely different from the ones I have been used to...

One trip was to Patna for Family and another weekend for reasons of faith with a man who is closer than family in so many ways.

He visits the God's abode every year during 10 day Navrata festival and has been doing it for last 6 years.

I started on Friday after office. The train ticket was in someone else's name, I was Rajesh Kumar. owing to Upper berths in the sleeper class train journey... I slept quickly and woke up in Jammu.

Between my last visit and this one, not much in my life has changed, I was a wanderer then and I am a wanderer now....

Saturday Morning began with a bus ride from Jammu to Katra (Ticket price Rs. 60 each). Reaching Katra was both old and new... That place has a life changing significance for me ( when I visited it for the first time many years ago).

In Katra began the search for a place to stay, so many different options were tried out from Rs. 30 to a fancy hotel room. But Based on familiarity principle... we stayed in the hotel he was used to staying over last many years.... called Pratap Resort. We also ate in the same hotel where he was used to eating. Even the same seat on all the days that we ate there.... I am not surprised he has not changed his job for last seven years or so.

The real journey begins when you have to start going up, the last point till you have public transport is called Banganga. We started the journey upwards at 2:30pm and completed the 9 Km walk through the new way in 3 and half hours. Reaching the peak by 6 O'clock, we had a cold water bath, I love the bath at the top, it is like one of my favorite things of the whole journey.

We had to wait for three hours in queue as the visit to the place was shut for more than 2 hours owing to the evening aarti. Once the queue began to move.. In matters of utmost faith I had a long conversation with the deity. I thanked her for all the pressure she soaks up with un countable number of demand thrown her way. I thanked her for all the times I have taken that walk of faith.

Once the proper visit was done, we took another 1.75 kms climb to the Bhairon Baba. the journey continued in auto pilot mode as the legend says that you must visit the deity and the Baba together to complete the journey. More than 900 steep stairs later, that one was also completed super quick. We started descending by 1230 am.

The mode to come down was chosen to be stairs. Many a stairs later... More than 3000 to be precise! with good exercise for the legs, We reached our hotel room back by 3:30 am, Eyes closed fast and opened only at 12pm on Sunday, the check out time...

The return journey was smooth, similar upper berths, good sleep in the train and Monday morning in Delhi....

P.S:- It is one of the better managed devotional places in India. Everything can be booked online. Also the Helicopter services have become affordable at INR 1398 for the return journey. More Details here

O! Yes Last but not the least as they say all along the journey JAI MATA Dii....