Back from a rejuvenating trip.

17 Nov.
The T3 terminal of the IGI airport at Delhi is indeed swanky with state-of-the-art systems and a pleasant ambience. And for once there were no glitches and the entire departure process was a pleasant experience. Felt really proud that such facilities have come to stay in our country. Chaitanya Shiroor was my fellow passenger and we could catch up on a number of things. Our flight departed an hour late and correspondingly landed at Kochi at 2130h where an efficient Francis was waiting with our vehicle, to receive us.

18 Nov.
After the official work got over, it was around 1430h and I decided to give my parents a surprise. Francis, literally chased a superfast bus slated for Thiruvananthapuram and helped me board it at Thoppumpady. I reached home by 2030h and didn't I give a surprise to my parents? It was a nice evening that stretched to midnight, with us talking about anything and everything - the nicest thing was that my parents, used to sleeping at 2200h, decided to stretch their evening for my sake!

19 Nov.
I left my house, alongwith my sister who was off to her school, after an early breakfast. The journey was fine and I was back in the Command mess by lunchtime. The rest of the evening was spent by visiting close friends and relatives with Chaitanya Shiroor in tow. Wonder whether he'd enjoyed the madness, that I'd put him through, in the course of the evening? And by the time we hit the sack it was around midnight!

20 Nov.
We'd to go to the airport by 0500h and as we passed through the bridge span over the River Periyar, I was reminded of the tragedy of Dec 1970, yet again.
I was in class X then and our entire class was housed at the YMCA complex (situated on the bank of the Periyar) in connection with our industrial visit to Aluva and the places around. After the visit, ten of us(I was one amongst them) were to go on a trek up the Anamudi hill. But alas, fate had willed otherwise. TD Gopinath, a classmate, lost his life in the treacherous waters of the Periyar.
In the morning, I and Gopinath had gone to the bathing ghat which was at the bottom of a flight of steps by the riverbank, right in front of the YMCA building. I'd called him up after finishing my bath but he said that he wanted to be in the water for a bit more of time and he seemed to be enjoying playing(that's the sight of Gopinath that's imprinted in my mind like a frozen snapshot) with a few others who're still in various stages of their bathing ritual! Little did I realise then that I was hearing him(and seeing him too) for the last time and I'd often wonder as to whether I'd have left him, if I'd the slightest premonition of the unfortunate sequence of events that were going to unfold soon after! To me, ever since that date, the bridgespan(the bathing ghat of the YMCA is visible from the span) over the Periyar at Aluva, has become a place where I shed a silent tear for TDG, always and everytime.
There was a three hour long wait at the airport as the Instrument Landing System had failed due to the previous night's heavy rains coupled with lightning and thunder. And correspondingly, we'd reached Delhi by 1330h and was still in time for a sumptuous lunch at home.

And to the doctor.
I was reeling under the onslaught of a nagging sinus, an irritating cough and the pain due to an ingrown nail on my right hand index finger. So I'd to visit the doctor alongwith Lekha, who was also due for her review. The result was a bandage on my index finger after an incision that was a bit painful while being executed but the doc did a good job!

21 Nov.
It was a quiet day, all through, with us going through our Sunday morning ritual of calling up everyone to update ourselves about each of them.
And today happens to be 'kartik purnima' - yet another festival of lights. As I punch in this piece, Lekha is busy getting the 'diyas' ready for being lit up!!