Trip to California

Funny isn't it? Not going to India just because your friends will be touring California! But nevertheless I did it: I had almost decided to go to India but then cancelled it because one fine day Nikux said on the phone "India jake kya karoge, yahan aa jao".

Hence started the planning for the trip. The first thing was to convince my parents back in India that how difficult it had become to get tickets for India during Christmas time. The rest was left to Ikks (deciding the places, the bookings and everything). He would call sometimes to confirm the program or just inform us. I and Yash had to decide the time when we would arrive in California. As is always the case, I ahd to help Yash find cheap tickets (though it is he who has been in US for a year and a half). I also decided to buy a few things before going - a cabiin baggage, a camera, chocolates and other sweet stuff.

The worst nightmare turned out to be the camera. I had settled down upon a sleek Sony DSC L1 which I thought looked very cute (thats how I usually select my stuff). But whenever I compared its pictures with the good Canon S1 my roommate has, I would get disappointed. At some point, I even thought of returning it but then Nikux told me to use it for a while and see what happens. I thought to go by what he said. I ordered for its bag and a 512MB memory stick. Lucky me, I got the stuff on the day before I had to leave.

So after my exams finished on 16th and the parties concluded on 19th, I did my packing and got ready to leave for San Diego. I had to take a train to Chicago on 20th and then a flight to San Diego from the Chicago Midway International Airport which would go via Las Vegas. On the morning of 20th at around 6 am, I took a taxi to the Terminal (which is just 4 blocks from my home) - because of the chilling cold (30 degrees) and the heavy luggage I had. I reached Chicago at 9 am and then started my search for the nearest CTA station. The windy city was so cold that it was impossible for me to take off my gloves even for a second. After walking for 6 extra blocks, I finally reached the Orange Line Clinton station which would lead me to Midway. When I reached Midway, I had lots of time and so I made good use of my iPod Nano (also to impress the four beautiful girls standing in the opposite line). I reached San Diego around 5:30 pm and Nikux and Ikka had come to pick me up at the airport.

Let me now introduce you to the characters in the 10-day long play which had commenced the moment I stepped on the soil of San Diego (you can very well make out who the protagonist of the play was). The elders: Nitin Gupta (ikka, ikkan, ikks, ng), Yash Kapoor (machchhli and nothing else). The freshers: Abhinav Bhatele (thats me and the 'central' character), Nikhil Rasiwasia (nikux, daddu, baba - this was a new nick given to him, Nicksie) and finally the stranger: Ankit Srivastava (whom I had to 'check' out and whom I would call Ankiiiii later) .

Lets move on to first scene of the play. The set is San Diego and the characters on stage are everybody except Yash: Scene I