Car Wash

I am a frequent car wash visitor. Having a fetish for black cars and wanting to keep them gleaming means I need to make these trips quite often. And having nothing better to do while waiting in line, I watch the car in front of me at the wash. Some owners display a few quirks. I first thought they were isolated cases, but having seen it on numerous occasions its time to put it down in words. On a short note this is all at touch free car washes as I only go to those.
Firstly there are the people that have trouble getting their car in the right position. Either that or they enjoy the loud and harsh noise of the buzzer in their ears enough to listen to it multiple times as they rock back and forth trying to get the car on that sweet spot.
Then there are the extra helpful ones. Being active people they cannot of course sit idly in the car while the wash is on. They must do their bit for the cause. So they will dutifully run their wipers every time something is sprayed on the windscreen. First time when the soap is sprayed. They must be scared the wash will just leave them with soap suds on. So on go the wipers. Then the high pressure wash starts and again the wipers are hard at work. This can actually be potentially damaging to the wipers as the water pressure is high enough to rock the whole car. And if that spray doesn’t clean the windshield, the flimsy wipers will do squat. The last attempt is during the waxing. Again this is counterproductive as the wax does not settle on the windshield thus taking away what little protection it provides. But hey, whatever makes them happy.
Most people keep the car running even though it has to sit at the spot at least for a minute. I never get why the waste of fuel. And finally there was the one person who kept the wipers going into the air dryer. I will not comment on that one!

Been There Done That... Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon, AZ (Aug 30 – Sep2, 2008)

The Place: One of the world’s most breathtaking natural wonders.

The Path Travelled: A 3 hour flight to Phoenix. Then a 3 hour drive along winding roads in the hills to Williams. Then a nostalgic train ride in 100 year old coaches to the Grand Canyon.

The Lodging: The Maswik Lodge. Walking distance from the rim of the canyon. As close as one can hope to get to nature.

The Sights to See: The Canyon rules over everything you see there. It is nature in one of its angriest forms. And not in a destructive way. It is nature’s way of humbling us and making us feel really tiny. Be it the immense magnitude of the canyon stretching all around you or the thought that a river made it all happen. And at night the canyon is black. Blacker than any black you would find in a city. You just hear the wind and feel the emptiness dropping hundreds of feet below. And as a consequence you see the stars in all their splendour. The number of stars you see in a sky bereft of light pollution is just sensational.

The Experience: Surreal! The views from various points are fantastic. The sunset is breathtaking if you can find a deserted spot away from the cacophony of the human race. Hiking down into the canyon is one of the best forms of exercise one can get. And if you catch the sun rising into the canyon, it’s a truly spiritual experience. Go off the beaten path and you might catch a glimpse of some wildlife. We did! And yes, the drive to and from Phoenix is awesome too. You can actually see the landscape change as you climb to higher altitudes.

The Damp Squibs: One has to stay longer and hike down to the river and camp! We did not.

Lose the Cell...

People here seem to have some kind of obsession with talking on the cell phone while they drive. I have seen people at work and on the road. The moment they step into their vehicle they are on the phone. And no, it’s not to inform people that they have left work. It is to indulge in long drawn, often animated conversations on life and the meaning of everything. I am not kidding! The other day there was this middle aged lady in the car behind me who had her phone in one hand and was using the other to gesticulate wildly to the person at the other end, all while riding my bumper.
I am driving for 7 years now and yet I do not take calls when I drive. People assume it’s because I drive a stick shift. But it is not so. I usually stop by the side if I have to make a call. Or at least use a hands-free. In this technologically advanced country why on earth can’t people use a $5 hands free device? It might just save their car and their lives too. But more importantly it might save the life of an innocent person. A person who had no clue the car ahead was turning since the person in it had a phone in his/her hand and could not be bothered to indicate. Or because he/she was so engrossed in discussing world politics that he or she just lost all awareness of their responsibilities on the road.

Been There, Done That…Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (May 23 – 26, 2008)

The Place: The peach state and the headquarters of Coca-Cola.

The Path Travelled: A long drive to Bloomington and then a short flight to one of the busiest airports in the world.

The Lodging: RK’s place. Great food, drink and awesome company of course!

The Sights to See: When seven people who have spent more than four years of their lives together meet up in a distant land, everything that occurs is a sight to see! But apart from the time spent eating, drinking and rolling on the floor laughing we did see a few places. Stone Mountain is worth a visit for the cable car ride and the ‘Duck’. The CNN centre is quite good. And so is the GA Tech campus. Also a visit to the Sundial is worth it just for the view.

The Experience: Fantastic! Driving around in an SUV with Hindi music blasting away. Chatting away into the wee hours of the morning and playing Uno. Watching ridiculous videos. Laughter and banter. Food, drink and some more food and drink. Add to that a drive in a Mustang at 80mph. It was a true influx of Boat Club mannerisms into the cosmopolitan bustle of downtown Atlanta.

The Damp Squibs: We didn’t see all the places we set out to see. But honestly, when you have this much fun at home, who cares!!

I Refuse...

...To be discriminated as an immigrant in a country run by immigrants.
...To be criticised for working in jobs that most ‘non immigrants’ here are not qualified for anyways and do not realise how it helps their own economy.
...To be hated and shot at by truant teenagers who find drugs and guns to be more enticing than a decent education that would qualify them for the above mentioned jobs.
...To be run over by a drunk driver speeding after a binge at the local pub.

Been There Done That... Seattle

Seattle/Bellevue, Washington (March 2008)

The Place: The north-western tip of the United States and the home of Boeing and Microsoft, to name a few.
The Path Travelled: A four hour flight from Chicago.
The Lodging: Cousins place in Bellevue. Great food and ambience!
The Sights to See: The city is ensconced between ice-capped mountains on one side (in winter at least) and the blue waters of the Pacific on the other. A bunch of beautiful islands with monster 200 car carrying ferries that take you there. The Boeing tour at Everett to see the way they make those huge planes you travel in (I saw one scheduled to be delivered to Air India!). The Museum of Flight. The Space Needle. The drive on I-90 into the Cascades. The breathtaking views along the mountain passes.
The Experience: The combination of mountains and the Pacific lends to some amazing natural beauty. The fresh seafood at Pike Place, a visit to the first Starbucks for all coffee aficionados and some famous fish and chips should keep you satiated as you go about the various points of interest. The place has a lot of history all around. The University of Washington has a great campus. You can even get a peek at Bill Gates house. And of course if you have a home to come back to at the end of the day, it doesn’t get any better does it?
The Damp Squibs: Prices are on the higher side. And the weather is a major factor. Coz it can rain and rain and then when you are tired of it, rain some more. But if you don’t like the weather, just wait a couple of hours and I guarantee you it will change!

Sale Ka Mela

It’s the time to file taxes and also receive some refunds on ones hard earned money from the IRS. And there are stores here which have begun advertising an ‘Income Tax Refund Sale’! It is a sad state of affairs where a country reeling under the threat of recession and excessive credit has its commercial organisations out to suck each penny of the consumer’s money.

And in case you miss the ‘Income Tax Refund Sale’ there is a ‘Presidents Day Sale’ coming up soon!

Update: A store has started a 'Winter Storm Watch Sale' for its cars. I am rendered speechless.

Their's not to question...

We often find criticisms of how the Indian government mistreats its soldiers. While the criticisms are often justified, at least our soldiers are fighting for India in India. A recent study reveals that the ongoing war in Iraq was started by the Bush administration by propagating false information in the form of more than 900 false or misleading statements in a variety of forums. [Link] What started out in March 2003 as a jingoistic show of power has today become a bitter civil war which has ruined the country completely. What kind of a government sends out its soldiers to fight someone else’s war in a foreign land and get killed in the process? And that too on false pretences. I think it’s a matter of great shame for a country that prides itself on the power of its armed forces and whose movies spare no effort to glorify these men and their decision makers. While I have immense respect for the soldiers who fight these wars, I am not sure the US president and administration is really as sharp and morally upright as their movies and shows portray. And what I don’t get is; the same people who were clamouring for Iraq’s ‘weapons of mass destruction’ to be eliminated, are quiet today as the conflict drags on and takes more lives each day. (American lives of course! as they don’t really care about the lives of people from a ‘lesser’ country)[Link]

Way of Life...

An American colleague at work today commented that the American way of life is to 'sacrifice everything one has in order to get something one does not need'!. Interesting...

‘Debt’termined to spend…

I never got a chance to watch American television when I was working on my Masters. Neither did I have a credit card for most of the time I was at school. Not that I regret either. The first is utter crap and the second I couldn’t afford! But it meant that I had no inkling about how much of this country ran on debt. Now I have both and hence I know…
Buying things you can’t afford, don’t need and will never use seems to be the mantra. So much so that people sell things in their original packaging in garage sales. Half the commercials on TV are about making you to buy anything from ‘doggie steps’ to fancy spas with music systems built in while the other half are about getting out of or dealing with debt and bankruptcy. But I sometimes wonder how these people get into so much debt in the first place. I have heard of and experienced the supermarket syndrome, but there is a limit right?! Why would I go spend another 1000 dollars when I know I haven’t paid back the earlier 10,000?!
But maybe I am not thinking like an American. Coz they would, and do spend. A current commercial for furniture goes, ‘Have you been rejected at other furniture stores due to bankruptcy? Come to us and we’ll say yes!’
Maybe… just maybe, if you are filing for bankruptcy, your primary concern isn’t really filling up that blank spot in your living room or buying a new bed! Maybe you should try and get the larder stocked so your kids won’t starve!

What a car!

Recently a friend of mine was planning to buy a used car. I was helping out in the search. This involved looking up sites of various dealers and calling them up to find out if they had any suitable vehicles. One such call transpired as follows:
Me: Hello! I'm calling regarding a 1997 Toyota Corolla. Is the car still available?

Auto Woman: 1997 Corolla? Is it a used car?
Me: What!!!!!!!(In mind: No, it's been hanging around your showroom for the past 10 years!)
We later visited the showroom. It might interest some people to know that she was a blonde!

Been There, Done That…Vegas

Las Vegas, NV (April 6 – 9, 2007)

The Place: The nerve centre of gambling in the USA and everything that says money with a capital M. The trip was part of our annual COEP Electrical foursome reunion.

The Path Travelled: A four hour flight from Chicago I think. All the time zones make it a bit confusing. Towards the end of the journey one is greeted with a breathtaking aerial view of the Grand Canyon.

The Lodging: Sahara Hotel, a couple of miles away from downtown Vegas, Las Vegas Blvd. or ‘The Strip’, as it is known there. Reasonable prices and a great location. Nothing is complimentary.

The Sights to See: The Strip and all the Hotels there. Make sure you visit each one. They are worth it. And visit the Bellagio after 9 p.m. in order to catch the light and water show.
Make sure you catch at least one ride on the Stratosphere. However, being thrown about 85 stories above the ground amidst gusty winds is surely not for the faint hearted.
Madame Tussauds if you haven’t visited one before.
Strip clubs if you’re the types.
The Grand Canyon if you have a day or two to spare (We didn’t).
The Hoover Dam.

The Experience: Yes, it is just as glitzy, glamorous and bright as you saw in all those commercials and movies. It’s Vegas! What else could you expect? Money is everything. The more you have, the more you fit in there and the more you enjoy. (Sadly we hardly fit any of the criteria, but enjoyed nevertheless). You get a quick course in how much further you have to go in life to be at that level. But it is fantastic. The amount of electricity used there everyday would light up 50 towns in India. And all that opulence does leave you with a heady feeling.
The Hoover Dam is also worth a visit if only to see the sheer magnificence of a combined natural and man-made marvel.

The Damp Squibs: Everything is about money and people with lighter pockets won’t feel too good at the end of the trip. If you go in summer it might be a tad too hot. But well, unless you really hate having a good time, just go!

The Crossing

The leaves on the solitary tree rustled. He woke up with a slight start. For a while he had forgotten where he was. Then he remembered. He stood up and looked across the road. There she was on the other side, waiting as always. Till date she had never mustered the courage to cross the road. He hoped today would be the day. He longed for her, and even looking at her standing there made him yearn for her touch.
And then he heard it. Coming round the bend on the street. The unmistakable drone of a Corvette V8 engine. How could he ever forget that sound? And then he knew. She would cross the road today. He would hold her again. He walked ahead.

She heard it too. And it sent a shiver down her spine. How she longed to cross that stretch of tarmac and walk across to him. She saw the pain in his eyes each time he looked at her. But she had tried to cross, and failed. And when she heard that sound again, she took a step backwards. Her brown eyes clouded with fear.

Alan’s fingers drummed the tune on the steering wheel. He cranked the radio up a notch. They were playing his favourite song again. He smiled to himself. The judge had ruled in his favour. It wasn’t his fault. Who would have expected it?
His mind went back a week. The second day in his shiny new Corvette. And it had been such a long day at work. He was getting home as quick as he could. Sheila would be mad at him for being so late again. He stepped on the gas pedal ever so slightly and the car jumped ahead. She was such a beauty. He was now doing 70 in a 45mph zone. But it was 11 at night and the cops didn’t frequent this stretch of road.
He came to the turn near the little hillock. One tree hill, it was aptly named. He usually slowed down for this sharp turn. But heck, he had a Corvette. This car was meant to eat up roads. He went around the bend at 60. And there she was, about to cross the road. For a moment his headlights had illuminated her face. Eyes open wide in sheer terror. He had braked hard, but it was too late. And then he had heard the sickening thud and felt his wheels run over her delicate frame. He somehow stopped the car after about 20 feet. Getting out he walked back. He grimaced when he saw her lifeless body at the side of the road. He had turned around to go back and it was then that he had seen him. On the other side of the road. He was standing very still. And then he had seen the eyes. They were fixed on Alan. They were following his every step. And even in their silence they were accusing him. That’s when he had panicked and run to his car, started it and zoomed off.
He shook his head as he approached the same turn again. He was only doing 40 today. He turned round the bend and for a moment felt a sense of déjà vu. There she was again! How was it possible? But then he saw the huge antlers. It wasn’t her. It was him. He would never forget those eyes. So mesmerized was he that he didn’t even brake. Neither did he hear the thud or feel the wheels run over the body. He didn’t flinch as his car crossed the shoulder and hit the boulder straight ahead. All he saw was the eyes. And then the darkness.

Alan opened his eyes. It was bright outside. He felt strangely relaxed. How had he fallen asleep in the car? He looked at the boulder in front of his car. It seemed to be a part of the car now. And then he saw her. She was looking at him with a hint of sadness in her eyes. As he watched, she crossed the road and walked across to him. He was still standing on the other side. They both seemed to be hale and hearty! Something wasn’t right here. And then he knew. He screamed. But there was only silence.
There was a soft breeze blowing. The leaves on the solitary tree rustled.

This is inspired by the innumerable gory roadkills that I have come across during my travels in the US of A. No one spares a second thought for these unfortunate victims of human encroachment.
Putting it in the form of a story was inspired by this blog.

Been There, Done That…Niagara

Niagara Falls, NY (May 27 – 29, 2007)

The Place: The supposed lesser glamorous view of the river gushing down 200 feet with all its might. The Canadian side is supposed to have a better view but I don’t know about that.

The Path Travelled: A ten hour drive from downtown Chicago with two stops on the way. Picturesque surroundings greet one as the I-90 winds through Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and then on to New York.

The Lodging: Super 8 Motel, about 3 miles away from the falls. Reasonable prices, free Wi-Fi and great location. However breakfast leaves a lot to be desired.

The Sights to See: The falls (of course!), Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Whirlpool Jet Boat, Goat Island and all it has to offer. Night lighting in summer and fireworks on Fridays and Sundays.

The Experience: The falls are the experience. The sheer volume and intensity of the river as it falls onto the rocks below can only be felt in person. And when one is surrounded by the noise and the mist, one suddenly feels very small and vulnerable. Just that makes the whole trip worth it.

The Damp Squibs: An advice to most is to not go there during any national holidays. The place is packed with Indians and we create our own little world of chaos and disorder. You might miss the rides due to huge lines and it’s really not worth ruining the experience.
The so called tour guides are mostly rip-offs. It is much more economical and saves time if you see everything yourself.

Bozos in Enzos

The Ferrari F60; an ode to the creator of some of the most refined and desirable automobiles man has driven. They called it the Enzo. And what a car! It’s an F1 car built for the road. Its 640bhp V12 engine powers it to a top speed of over 215mph. Each part of the car is built for a purpose. And when they all come together, the effect is simply magnificent. All $1.5 million of it. But wait, even if you had that kind of greenbacks you could not buy it. You had to be chosen by Ferrari to get this baby in your driveway. And only 400 people were fortunate enough to be the chosen ones.

So, doesn’t such a car deserve some special treatment worthy of its stature? Comedian Eddie Griffin does not seem to think so. Recently he crashed an Enzo into a concrete barrier while he was practicing for a charity racing event at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California. The car was reportedly damaged beyond repair. And it wasn’t even his car! It belonged to Daniel Sadek, the producer of his latest film.Later he joked about it and even had a picture taken with one foot on the broken car. And there are rumors afloat that it was a publicity stunt for his film featuring the car. Which is why I am not putting up any links. I think it was disgraceful to destroy such a magnificent machine for some crappy publicity stunt. And then joke about it in such a brash manner.

Mr. Griffin may think its funny, but auto enthusiasts everywhere will be quick to point out that no ones really laughing.