When I look back on the way I welcomed 2011 into my life (though it gave me chills to realize that I have been walking on this earth for quite sometime now) I feel it was one of the most memorable ones.
In childhood it was Doordarshan and family. During college it was hostel friends. After joining office it was trips with college friends till some time. Then one year end, Joydeep (Brother from another mother) and Nithya graced the occasion. Then 2009-2010 was with friends in a 5-star hotel party. And this year……it was just amazing.
The conception of the trip started on 10th December. 2010 at “Varun’s Surprise Birthday Party” which was arranged by Varun himself at my place. Sanket Mohanty, who likes to call himself the “Banker” and the “NON-IT guy”(Guy??? That’s just hiding his age I guess!) floated it into the party air, where all sober people agreed. Before they got drunk!
The mail chain followed, started by me on deciding the place. After two dozen mails, we were going no where, Mr Banker commanded us to freeze on Glenrock Estate, Yercurd.
Like all law abiding citizen, afraid of being tortured to death we agreed. Few not so brave people backed out and one particular guy Mr. Varun Nigeria Giridhara had to be only web present due to constraints of traveling to Africa.
With two dozen more mails we decided on the mode of transport. Hiring a tempo traveler seemed to be more painful as the persons responsible faced cancellation from the owner’s end. Finally, Mr Suntrupth S Yadav with his hold on the city transportation dept. we were able to find one.
After a long conference call the pick up points were decided. As the place happened to be an estate far from civilization so we needed to carry our own booze. We decided the party to be a BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) party. And also it was a BYOV (Bring Your Own Vegetables) bar-b-q party for the Veggies!
On 31st morning, I was woken up by Ms Kavita Sapra and Mr. Carthik Annayan…at night 4:45am oops! Somehow I managed to wake up, pack my stuff and reach Carthik’s house. From there we picked up Ms Shilpa, Mrs. Darshana and Mr. Sanket on our way to the pick up point where Ms Sneha, Ms Kavita , Mr Suntrupth and Master Adarsh were waiting for us.
The journey had begun for one of my best new year celebrations. A foggy day indeed, with toll taxes emptying our pockets and we emptying the beer bottles!
After Salem, the Ghat section starts. And to reach Yercurd we needed to negotiate 20 hair pin bends. We definitely did that with some ladies falling sick to the nauseating feeling and with intermediate breaks for photo shoot!
By this time Mr. Sanket Mohanty – the NON-IT Banker had been named “Pappa”, Mr. Carthik – “Shiela”, Ms Kavita – “Tiny”, Ms Shilpa – “Chill Paa”. And Pappa was eyeing Shiela for his/her jawani while Pappa’s wife Daru (Mrs. Darshana) looked cheated! While Ms Sneha, started booking her apology for getting drunk and misbehavior in advance! While her fiancée Mr. Suntrupth seemed anxious for the night at hand!
Finally we managed to reach the “Glenrock Estate”, had lunch and went for quick siesta. After a trekking exploration, the ladies got locked into the dormitory to get ready which we thought were just wastage of time as there were none to see their make-up. (Though I consider myself corrected here, otherwise the pictures would have really been a horror show [I know I can get killed for this statement]).
The bar was set up and we welcomed two new members Mr. Jithin Shankar and Mrs. Dhanya Nair Shankar and thankfully they greeted us with open arms and “Pineapple cheese”, loved both their affable nature and the “Pineapple Cheese”! Which one more? Hard to tell.
We were gulping down alcohol at a rate even jet planes would have been put to shame on their fuel consumption. And finally one engine gave in. Master Adarsh got down on his knees to the “Natural” rocks and loved them. He managed to vomit his love for them.
There were few mind blowing performance from Shiela, Pappa and not so mind blowing performance from my side. And the mood set in as the music from the phones set the dance floor on fire, and the bonfire seemed to get the shivers!
At the stroke of midnight, we all (except the guy who was in love with his soulmate – the Rocks at Glenrock Estate) welcomed 2011 with champagne (Champa ki agan) and some tequila! Which was followed by an ISD call to Nigeria to our Mr. “Yello”.
The coldness set in and all the drunk souls went to the dorm to sleep, where Sneha(Sissy) happily slept with the wine Cork, undermining Suntrupth’s (Sunny Boy) presence. And she sang her way to glory. Adarsh (The Rock Lover/Humper) slept in his own jolly love world. Carthik (Shiela) started cracking his Russell Peter moment jokes. Kavita (Tiny) was tired managing the drunkards of Yercurd. Shilpa (Chill Pa) went missing with her phone. Pappa was waiting for the ligts to go off for his time with Shiela while Daru waited to catch Pappa red handed. And as for me….. with tonsillitis and blocked nose I went off to sleep, only to be told the next morning that I was snoring my way to the Guinness book of World records!
On 1st morning we had our breakfast and set forth for the journey back with a 30 min stop for photo session.
Again the 20 hair pin bends loomed large. Pappa inaugurated the pucking session where Sissy, Tiny and Chill Paa followed. We had to stop for some meds for me followed by lunch where I was the whale eating the bulk of the meals!
The Rock lover started the vote of thanks where we knew what all of us think about each other. What an eye opener that was. And as usual Pappa/The Banker threatened people with to upload photos within the next 24 hours of reaching Bangalore and all of us obeyed it to the last second!
Now, as I look back to the trip, I find myself smiling to the thought of it. It was definitely a pleasant, humorous, entertaining, enthralling, revealing, emotional, bonding trip! A whole year lies ahead of me now, but this bunch of friends hope carry on for the years to come.
luv 'n' luk
Arnab Chakraverty/Nobbi
P.S. :- The mail chain finally stopped 4 short of a century.......... Next time we think, we can score a century.
