Excuse!

With so much going on with me off late, I have not had time to update this blog in a while. With more stuff to keep me busy – my birthday, long weekend trip and more, I think I won’t be able to update till next week. I do have some things in mind that I want to write about. So check back next week for more :)

xoxo

Introducing... GPS - a Girl, a Phone, and a Suitcase!

Yes! that's the travel blog I mentioned in my last post. I wanted it to be out on my birthday (yeah I am one self obsessed idiot :P), but then realized that'd be too late. And also it didn't seem to be a great idea to start a blog in past tense. So here it is - GPS - Officially public now. Currently I am writing about San Diego. Why? Duh! Cz I am in San Diego right now :)

Read and tell me what you think of it :)

I have a plan! What do you think?

May 24th, 2009: San Diego, CA

May 9th, 2009: Orlando/Miami, FL

February 1st, 2009: Norman, OK

January 30th, 2009: Newark, NJ/New York, NY

December 18th, 2008: Delhi/Mumbai/Pune, India

November 27th, 2008: Boston, MA

November 6th, 2008: Baltimore, MD/Washington DC

September 26th, 2008: New Jersey, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Atlanta, GA

September 15th, 2008: Tucson, AZ

August 23rd, 2008: Peoria/Chicago, IL

July 7th, 2008: New York, NY/Atlantic City, NJ

May, 2008: Tulsa, OK

That’s the list of places I have traveled to (for work or leisure) in last one year: May, 2008 to May, 2009. Come to think of it, if I had maintained a travel blog, it would be a bomb by now!!

So better late than never! I am planning on starting a travel blog. I have just started working on it. Right now I am trying to dig out snippets from my not-so-well kept travel journal and other sources. I hope to put everything together soon and make the blog public. I will keep you guys posted on that.

Meanwhile, do you mind suggesting me a nice name for my blog? Post a comment here or just shoot me an e-mail at bhardwaj.sowmyatta@gmail.com. I would also love to hear from you: your honest comments/advice/suggestions - About look, feel, content, pictures or anything else – Like you have always done :)

Thanks in advance! You know I love you *wink*

I was reading Zeba’s blog about how much she went through to get to the polling booth to be able to cast her first vote. Made me think… Indian youth is not at all a bunch of careless wanna be’s! They might be westernized cool dudes/dudettes on the surface, but within, they are responsible citizens of India. And I am proud of them.

I turned 18 five years ago. And how many times have I voted? Zero!

I was born and brought up in the capital city of India – New Delhi. While growing up, I used to count years to be able to go vote and get that ugly blue stamp on my finger nail. I used to be so jealous when my parents used to come home after voting, with that stamp on their fingers. I always wanted it on mine. It was like a tattoo of pride for me; Pride of being an Indian; Pride of being an adult. I just couldn’t wait…

Bless my luck, as soon as I turned 18 I moved out of my parents’ house - Left the city for studies. Never had a chance to get my voter’s card made. Because when the forms were out, I would always be away. And no one else ever bothered to fill that little form for me or at least save a copy for me so that when I return I could fill it out and submit it.

Then after my degree was over, I moved back to Delhi for some months. And before I could act towards that, I moved to the United States of America. And of course they don’t let me vote here. So all in all; I just don’t vote. I have no say in how my own country functions or how the country I stay in functions. That’s how important I am to the world!!

I am still waiting for the day when I cast my first ever vote… very eagerly.

Adventures of miss little Gini – San Diego! (Part 3)

P.S. Read Adventures of miss little Gini – San Diego! (Part 1) and (Part 2) before you proceed with Part 3

Tired like hell, looking like a mess, I somehow reached San Diego!

‘Finally!’ I said. Trying to avoid anything else going wrong, I rushed to the baggage claim and called my friend to come pick me up. I just want to go home now! I was relieved and was counting minutes to get back home – when I heard my name being announced.

NOT AGAIN!!! My luggage had not arrived. Grrrr.

But good thing they said they will deliver it by mid night. ‘Thanks!’ I said.

So another long and eventful journey ended that night when I finally received my luggage (only to find that it was broken). But good thing I can call united and claim a new bag. Although it won’t match my fancy blue 3-piece luggage set, but I am sure it will be better than carrying a broken bag.

Adventures of miss little Gini – San Diego! (Part 2)

P.S. Read Adventures of miss little Gini – San Diego! (Part 1) before you proceed with Part 2


Denver CO to San Diego CA-

As I mentioned... the plane that brought me from Oklahoma City to Denver was going to take me to San Diego as well. All I had to do was just get out of the plane and after cleaning, get back in. I very casually walked out of the plane, ‘knowing’ how simple the rest of my journey was going to be… but but but… as I step out, I hear a voice instructing all the passengers to get to the take-cover area ASAP. NOWAY!!!! There was a tornado. For god’s sake! It’s end of May! It should be bright, sunny, clear skies outside.

So this gentleman pushed all of us in the bathroom (yeah right, the bathrooms were the take cover shelters there). Disappointed… Where I was supposed to just hop out from and hop in to the plane - there I was stuck in an overcrowded stinky bathroom waiting for my next flight to take off (which by the way got delayed by a couple of hours). Sigh!

Adventures of miss little Gini – San Diego! (Part-1)

So here’s another chapter in your future kids’ story book…


This year, I decided that I should spend the summer in California – Yes!

Decision was made, tickets were booked, ride to airport was arranged, stuff was packed and I was just waiting to get to California. Considering the history of me missing flights, I made sure that this time everything was done on time. Tickets were booked for Saturday afternoon (in case, I go out Friday night). Which obviously I did… so didn’t sleep Friday night, packed all Saturday morning, was ready before time! Perfect!! :)

Saturday Morning:

I reached at the airport and no points for guessing… I missed my flight! Again! How? Doesn’t really matter. I was sad, happy, confused and excited at the same time.

1. Sad cz the next flight was on Sunday morning
2. Happy cz now I can be there for Belen’s birthday
3. Confused cz I didn’t know if I will be able to wake up next morning to reach the airport at 7.30 am
4. Excited cz I decided to give Belen a surprise by not telling her about my flight and just showing up

Since I didn’t really have an option, I went back home. Took a nap and then got dressed to go to the party! Yay! I was excited. The little bit of sorrow that I had for missing my flight disappeared in the process. So there I go… Yes! Belen was pleasantly surprised (thank god, cz I was thinking what if she is not :P) It was a crazy night though. We went to a club in the city. All I remember is that we were having fun and then a bouncer told us to get out via the back door. Huh? Why? I don’t know. (I found out next morning that we were kicked out – details not necessary lol). All in all it was a crazy night! And I almost forgot that I have to be at the airport at 7 30 am next morning…

Sunday Morning:

Somehow I managed to get to the airport. Phew! I had to spend 45 minutes at the counter to get my boarding passes. Why? Cz I had US Airways tickets for Saturday, and it was only operated by United Airlines, so they didn’t have my details in their system. So I had to call US airways etc etc etc. So I finally get my boarding passes. And I was on standby! Never mind… as long as I was going to get to California on Sunday, alls cool! (Yeah I am very patient, thanks).

So the 9.50 flight was full. They couldn’t even accommodate a little person like me! Too bad! I had to wait for the next flight. Killed some 4 hours at the boarding gate – had a nice vegetarian sandwich, apple juice and gum, people-watch-ed, took a nap, talked to some random people… No, I don’t read at the airports, especially when I am sleep deprived of two nights.

So finally this lady announced that I got a seat in the flight to Denver CO. And it was cool cz the same flight was to go to San Diego CA. How convenient I said.

And yes, I said it too early!

O my techie techie mom

I have been having a very hard time waking up every morning. And even after I wake up, I take a lot of time to actually get out of my bed aka the couch at a friend's house. Not that its unusual, but it is terribly unusually difficult for me these days. Blame it on lack of motivation or just call me lazy!

So last night I decided that I won't waste any time in the morning, and will start working even before I actually get out of my bed. And hence set the laptop right by my pillow. So very excitedly I wake up today to check my e-mail. And Surprise Surprise!! I have an e-mail from guess who? My Mom!! Well, actually the e-mail wasn't the surprise. The e-mail was written in devnagari script.

WHAT?? I said. I always knew my mom was kinda tech savvy, but it was surprising how she found a devnagari character picker online to write me e-mails. I can actually picture her with her reading glasses googling stuff. Moms are usually not supposed to be so smart with technology. So now if you wonder where my tech savvy genes come from - blame it on her LOL

I am officially her fan now!!