Pondicherry Trip

Pondicherry!Yeah this is where we celebrated our new year this time.For most of us this was the first new year away from home.Planned for it quite some time back,booked the rooms, made a list of "to do's"(most of which couldnot get materialised).

Started on early morning of 31st Dec,as per our plan we were supposed sleep real early the previous day,so that we can get up and get going.But it was friday night.So inspite of all our efforts,the late dinner,the late night phone calls,what to pack(and what not to pack)!?when to start?!which places to visit!?what to do in 31st night?!(Gals will be gals)...we could manage to go to bed past midnight.But somehow we managed to get up n get to the bus-stop by 7am(which i would say was real early).Got an bus pretty soon,and managed to get seats for all of us.and the best of all we managed to avoid the traffic of the rush hour.Packed some food to have it on the way,but all were so sleepy that sleep was the only thing came to our mind then.I was just leaning on the seat,this bus journey was one after quite some time,almost a year or so.There were these lush green fields....rippling sunshine on small ponds...even on the sea (can say the it was a kind of marine drive)... occassional small towns and even more number of villages...and not to mention a few speedy passing twowheelers (ECR road is heaven for bike riders).

We reached in the Pondicherry bus-stop at 9:30 am and in some 20 more minutes,we were in the hotel.Got freshened up,had our breakfast n what next!Could not resist the temptation of the soft white beds.So,again we were off to sleep,our second slot for that day.We wake up,took our bath,get dressed...and then we realise,our stomach is grumbling for some food.We come down,discussing 'I will have this.I will have that'....sit in the restaurant,but Oops!It's 4pm.No lunch available.Bad luck!Had to eat the same thing that we had for breakfast.Planned we will have something on our way.

And we start for the beach,everyone votes for walk,ofcourse except me(Nobody listens to me :-( ).Some of our friends join us on the way,they are arranging for the New Year Party,any place that is within our budget and moreover safe for girls.We could not make our mind to a single place,we reached the beach discussing the same.Took some snaps,sat on the rocks(Its a rocky beach).One of my friends was quite disappointed with that rocky beach,as she could not get wet in water.There was a carnival going on in the beach side,and seeing that we remember we need to eat something.For me the rides in the carnival were more appealing.Some of our friends were a bit scared of those rides,but convinced them somehow.But we go there the man at the counter says,they are running short of tickets (what an excuse!).Fine,we go hunt for some food stuff (say panipuri).But alas!Panipuri was over,i mean puri and masala was there but pani was not.Ok lets check out somewhere else,huh! we had to walk the whole way back to find a panipuri-walah with stock of both puri and pani.But wait! That was not the end of it.The panipuri was sweet.eeehhh!!!We have that come back,hoping atleast we will get tickets for those rides in carnival,but no!they had some mechanical problem.Bad day, Man!Well there was something good,we found out the place for out new year party,a French restaurant,Randevous.

So finally,good things happening in our lives.It was 7:30pm and we headed for the restaurant.One of our friends,who is a resident of Pondicherry joined us.We reach there and first thing comes to our mind is food.We were a bit excited as well as nervous thinking about the French food,for obvious reasons.But to our relief (and disappointment also) the food was indian,and so were the people.All that was French was the interior decor.After food we could not wait to go the dance floor.We went there n the guys bought some drinks for themselves.And on the dance floor we were the only ones present,but that could not bring our enthusiasm down.After some 2 hours,we realised that we need to get back,another of our friends was supposed to join us in the hotel.And against everyone's wish we had to push off from there.We reached hotel,freshened up and then only realised how tired we were,well most of us.Then started the series of phone calls,sms's and cursing the jammed networks.Clock struck 12,and it was the new year 2006.Wished each other and went to sleep.

Next day morning,1st Jan 2006.It was a beautiful morning.We were all fresh,recovered from exhaustion after a good night's sleep.Then started the series of video recording,blabbering about 'How was the party?'..'Hate these jammed networks...my phone is almost dead'...'what next?Where to go?'...Then we got an invitation to a friend's place,and an assurance that he will take care of our "What next?!".So we checked out,ahd breakfast and headed for his place.One of my friends was very excited to meet Sachin,his dog.It was his ancestral house,if not few hundred years old,it was a cozy one with giant wooden pillars(that we liked the most),old heavily ornated furnitures with and neatly maintained.These guys played with Sachin (not me!),and we watched some tamil songs coming on TV.Then all of us went to roam around the place,main purpose was to see our friends 100 year old school and a nearby church,both of which were closed unfortunately.We just roamed around the market,and came back.Had a sumptuous lunch,and our next plan was Chhunambar,a small park and holiday resort,but its main attraction was boating.Boating was really good,and so was the beautiful scenery around it.We were all quiet...some were busy taking snaps...or video recording...playing with water..or just admiring the beauty.And there was I,doing what i love to do at such times,watching eah of them...the changing expressions on their faces...trying to apprehend what could be going on their mind.This is what they say,studying people :-).

It was evening and time to go back.We boarded a bus and headed towards the main bus-junction to go back to Chennai.Here starts the most interesting part of the journey...

To be continued....