Some family snaps, my grandma and grandpa. They’ve been responsible for some of my sweetest childhood memories, so it really pains the see their health failing as the days go by. Grandpa’s an ex Navy Gunner, he saw action during World War 2. Granny’s been a housewife all her life. 

Party time!

This visit to Ranchi was short and sweet, work was hectic but satisfying and then we topped it off with a small get together bash. Life’s not gonna be the same again there, what with old friends being transferred to other bases and lots of new changes in the offing. The party was thrown by Babu, the guy getting transferred and Arvind, who’s getting a promotion, both at work and in life, what with his marriage being discussed.

Dusk at the Gateway

The Mumbai skyline....classic

Having started my career in a Tata firm, I can't help but noticing how complete their influence is on all aspects of life in India. Notice that Mr. JRD Tata's effort to set up a world class hotel chain in India dwarfs the structure that is Mumbai's identity.

I call this the classic skyline, because Nariman Point and Marine Drive represents Mumbai's modern face. 

The Gateway of India

 

Amit and Vijaya

My stint in Bangalore hasn’t meant that I have been away from Mumbai for too long, though. Especially recently, what with the succession of engine changes here, I’ve been I Mumbai for the better part of the past couple of weeks. That hasn’t meant too much of time away from work, but there was an outing by the Gateway of India which comes to mind, with a couple of really nice colleagues. Snaps coming up…used my new digital camcorder for the same, but you can blame the bad focus on my inexperience with the device. Will be trying to get familiar with manual focusing very soon. Would be glad for some advice, and I can forsee arguments with any Bangalore lovers who come across my blog too. 

The Silver Lining

All’s not been glum about my stay in Bangalore though. There has been the wonderful experience working with the core group in Deccan. Mr. Ong, my boss, has been a wonderful influence, one of the persons I credit for making the generally shocking experience of working with Air Deccan more bearable. After the organized life in the Non Scheduled Operations, Scheduled Ops would seem to be a bad idea anyday. There is far less autonomy and a lot more red tape to handle. And the worst thing has been the general disrespect towards work as well as the complete lack of bonhomie amongst employees there. Don’t get me wrong, I have met some really wonderful people here, but they do not work as a cohesive unit here. But there is the challenge to play a role in making this mess work. That’s what egging me on.

And then there are some of the new acquantainces that I made in Bangalore. There is the nice lady at whose place I go for my meals. Quite an angel, I tell you…..she pampers me as much as my mother would.

Not to forget the lousy public transport scenario there. I’ve stayed all my life in Mumbai, but never found not having my own vehicle to be a drawback. On the contrary, I found it to my advantage. That does not apply to Bangalore, always add the expense of buying a vehicle to property costs there. Auto drivers there are the biggest conmen I’ve seen, they surpass even the scamsters in Delhi. LPG is not half as clean as CNG, and the stink it raises is an additional pain.

Mind you, Bangalore is not a shade of the city it was even 5 years ago. There are still the beautiful gardens, street furniture is a lot better than any other city I’ve seen in India. The charm of Bangalore lies in the fact that there is still an element of village life surviving there. Wander into the lanes behind any of the glitzy malls there and you will find the same cluster of congested homes that you’d find in any hamlet in India. But this again happens to be the city’s drawback too. That the incomes of residents in these areas make them part of the burgeoning middle class of India is no assurance for the fact that they are content with staying in lavish homes without decent drainage and paved access roads. I see them very similar to the slums that you find in Mumbai. That is the fact that irked me no end, here I am willing to pay for a decent rented apartment, but all I can get is a lousy extension above one of these houses. Well, it seems that my luck is improving what with a friend calling up to say that he’s found a better place, but there is a good likelihood that I may be posted back to Aamchi Mumbai again.

Bangalored!

Then it was time for a change of scenery again, what with my bosses willing me to report for work in Air Deccan, Bangalore. Wasn’t very happy about shifting base from Mumbai, including the associated costs but shift I did.

I have nothing against Bangalore, it’s a beautiful city. But the whole house hunting business left me with a bad taste in my mouth. This year I was thinking that I was blessed since I escaped the entire devastation that rains caused in Mumbai. But what is happening in Bangalore right now is nothing short of hilarious. If ten people piss at a time on the roads in Bangalore, they get flooded. And what with all the unseasonal rains lashing the city last month, the lanes would become veritable rivers. I was left with not a single pair of dry shoes, there was an instance when water entered the engines of one of the A320 in our fleets! And streets in Bangalore are now competing with Mumbai in the size and number of potholes one encounters.

ATR Flight Simulator

The Place du Capitole (Town Square)

The Pont Nuef on La Garonne

Growing up!

France proved to be an enlightening experience in many ways. They have a wonderful culture, and it proved to be a textbook study on how one should preserve heritage. So used to being alone all the time, it was the first time that I realized the importance of being a social animal. Credit for that goes to the gang who accompanied me there.