"Plan C has failed - We will follow Plan D"
This is a common refrain between my friend Abhishek and me when we are out on a trip. We end up following plans that were never and not following the ones that we made. Now Abhishek wanted to come to Hyderabad to search for a job. I think Hyderabad and Bangalore are to engineering students what Mumbai is to wannabe actors.
Abhishek lives in Lucknow and he needs to come to Hyderabad. There is only one direct train and the reservation too have to be done at a short notice. I tried the best I could using the internet but in the end Abhishek had to go to the Railway Reservation in Lucknow. He duly filled up the reservation application form and gave it to the lady sitting inside the office. The lady either hated all men or all Mishras or maybe just Abhishek Mishra or maybe she was just too helpful. She advised my friend to board Karnataka Express from Jhansi which goes from Delhi to Bangalore via Hyderabad. Since the reservation was to be done at a short notice, the only way was to reserve a seat for the entire journey from Delhi to Bangalore - but board at Jhansi and get down at Hyderabad. As such it was a a very circuitous route - but this options had to be chosen in face of lack of other options.
My friend started from Lucknow at 10 in the morning to reach Jhansi by night, so that he could catch Karnataka Express which reaches Jhansi at 2 in the night. I got a call from my friend at 1 in the night. He said "Aishwarya, I am in trouble". Which is a very euphemistic representation of what he actually said. "The train does not go via Hyderabad". We realized that the reservation clerk had goofed-up. She gave us the wrong information.
After enquiring from friends, I got to know that it would be a good idea to get down at WADI Junction from where Hyderabad is a 3 hour journey. The train is supposed to reach WADI at around 3 in the morning. So today when I woke up and took Abhishek's phone call, with my eyes still trying to go back to sleep, I could hear a lot of noise in the background. I assumed he had made the journey from Wadi to Hyderabad and now wanted to come home.
But what I heard from there was "Plan C has failed - We will follow Plan D". Skeptical, but hopeful still, I asked "Why, you going to Mauritius?" and he said "No, Bangalore". The train was running 5 hours late and after trying to keep his eyes open at 3 in the night, my friend went to sleep. Before going to sleep he told the attendant of the AC coach to wake him up at WADI. The attendant slept too. I was not too surprised because my friend has a knack of getting into things like these.
I asked him, you are travelling in an AC coach - then what is the noise all about. He said "When I cannot think of any other way, I go and sit in the toilet".
So currently, my friend is on his way to Bangalore and should be in Hyderabad by day after tomorrow, unless he decides to go for another adventure.
This is a common refrain between my friend Abhishek and me when we are out on a trip. We end up following plans that were never and not following the ones that we made. Now Abhishek wanted to come to Hyderabad to search for a job. I think Hyderabad and Bangalore are to engineering students what Mumbai is to wannabe actors.
Abhishek lives in Lucknow and he needs to come to Hyderabad. There is only one direct train and the reservation too have to be done at a short notice. I tried the best I could using the internet but in the end Abhishek had to go to the Railway Reservation in Lucknow. He duly filled up the reservation application form and gave it to the lady sitting inside the office. The lady either hated all men or all Mishras or maybe just Abhishek Mishra or maybe she was just too helpful. She advised my friend to board Karnataka Express from Jhansi which goes from Delhi to Bangalore via Hyderabad. Since the reservation was to be done at a short notice, the only way was to reserve a seat for the entire journey from Delhi to Bangalore - but board at Jhansi and get down at Hyderabad. As such it was a a very circuitous route - but this options had to be chosen in face of lack of other options.
My friend started from Lucknow at 10 in the morning to reach Jhansi by night, so that he could catch Karnataka Express which reaches Jhansi at 2 in the night. I got a call from my friend at 1 in the night. He said "Aishwarya, I am in trouble". Which is a very euphemistic representation of what he actually said. "The train does not go via Hyderabad". We realized that the reservation clerk had goofed-up. She gave us the wrong information.
After enquiring from friends, I got to know that it would be a good idea to get down at WADI Junction from where Hyderabad is a 3 hour journey. The train is supposed to reach WADI at around 3 in the morning. So today when I woke up and took Abhishek's phone call, with my eyes still trying to go back to sleep, I could hear a lot of noise in the background. I assumed he had made the journey from Wadi to Hyderabad and now wanted to come home.
But what I heard from there was "Plan C has failed - We will follow Plan D". Skeptical, but hopeful still, I asked "Why, you going to Mauritius?" and he said "No, Bangalore". The train was running 5 hours late and after trying to keep his eyes open at 3 in the night, my friend went to sleep. Before going to sleep he told the attendant of the AC coach to wake him up at WADI. The attendant slept too. I was not too surprised because my friend has a knack of getting into things like these.
I asked him, you are travelling in an AC coach - then what is the noise all about. He said "When I cannot think of any other way, I go and sit in the toilet".
So currently, my friend is on his way to Bangalore and should be in Hyderabad by day after tomorrow, unless he decides to go for another adventure.
Haa haa! No shit! I see the humour in Abhishek's misery!
ReplyDeleteSure goes into LOL! Better, if Abhishek is into blogging, ask him to write! :)