Ohrenberg Strasse, 5

It was Saturday, the 1st of March 2008 that I landed in Frankfurt Airport at about 9AM. It was cold and windy. I had worked on Friday, had a few drinks on Board, had not slept; I was dead tired. I collected my Baggage and was waiting for the Taxi booked by my Office to pick me up from the Airport to a temporary accommodation in Bad Schönborn, 100 kms to the south of Frankfurt. My 45+ kilos of Baggage made it obvious that I'd come for some good time. Not surprisingly, a fellow colleague who was coincidently waiting for the same Taxi broached up a conversation. He started enquiring whether I've come for good. I, with all pride said I had been transferred from the Indian subsidiary to the German Headquarters. He was a tall, medium built man in his late thirties returning from his Business trip to India. The Taxi arrived in a minute - a VW Touran. The Driver helped me put my Baggage into the Boot and soon we hit the Autobahn. Not to mention, there was a sudden spike in my blood pressure for the Machine was cruising at 200+ km/hr yet rock solid and as clam as crystal. In the meantime, the Colleague in the Car started briefing about his visit and how satisfied he was with the team in India. In less than 45 mins, we were in Bad Schönborn and the Driver said to me that he would first drop the other guy. I nodded and smiled. While the guy got down he bid good bye to me he asked where my accommodation was. I pulled out the print out and read "Ohrenberg Strasse, 5". He said that's only a few cross roads away form his place and handed over his Business card saying I can call him anytime should I need any help. I thanked him and looked at the card - he was a Vice President! There was a second spike in my blood pressure. I said to myself what a down to Earth Gentleman he was! Ok, I was in Germany. Hierarchies didn't really matter as they did in the other side of the World. Next few mins, I was in my temporary accommodation, a nice cozy serviced apartment (Read my Blog Call Easy to know more about the Apartment and the Services it offered)

I freshened up and called back Home; the doorbell rang. It was the Consultant from a Relocation Management Company who was assigned to take care of all legal formalities for my stay in Germany. It was about 1PM then. The Consultant collected all the artifacts he needed and said he needs a Biometric photograph. We came out and wow! It was a BMW 325 that he zipped through the empty streets of Bad Schönborn to a Studio. The photo was done and so was he. While he said, he would drop me back Home and meet on Monday, I asked if he can take me to the Office so that I can collect my rental Car. Without any hesitation, he said he shall and we were soon in the Office. He guided me through the Security office (for he was one of the most frequent visitors to the Office and it was my first visit to the Headquarters) to get the keys of a Red Nissan Micra. It is a tiny lil darling car. I got into the car and oops! Left hand drive. I always boasted of my driving skills and said to myself - big shit. Lemme start cruising. Until then, I always had the impression that the Consultant would drive me back Home - rather I follow him while he drives. I asked him if he could be kind enough to do so but he said there's no need for it, for I cannot miss the way at all. "Just drive straight, take the first exit to the left, then straight again. There's no way you can miss" - he said so and was on his way. I had the third and the hardest spike.

It should have been 2PM, I was tired than ever for I had eaten nothing since the last 12 hours, had not slept for the last 30 hours. To make it worse, it was the fist time I was driving a left hand drive, in a foreign country. I started slowly only to have some Cars behind me dip their head lights. It was 70 and I might have been at 30+ (Though it is not a violation, it is not accepted to drive terribly slower than the speed limit). I had to speed. I religiously took the first exit entering 100 zone. I cruised happily and should have driven about 10 kms. Boom! My subconscious said I have lost the way. I could no more recall any of the landmarks I had seen when I started from Home (first of all I doubt if I had any impressions of the landmark, for I never thought I would be driving back alone). Everything looked brand new. I do not know how many spikes I had until then. My heart was pumping double-time and all I could hear was my heartbeat thumping in my head.
I immediately realized, the Car didn’t have a GPS, I didn't have a phone (I had my phone but it was not yet activated), didn't have a map; I had forgotten the printouts at Home which had the Consultant’s telephone number and the address of the House. All I had was my Wallet which fortunately had some Euros, Indian Drivers License and the Business card of the VP whom I met at the Airport. And yes, I could remember Ohrenberg strasse, Bad Schönborn. Thank God. I could recall something.

Not to take any risks, I pulled over the Car to a parking lot. I wasn’t sure if I could park the Car there as the board read in German. I looked around and not even a single human soul, the place looked deserted. It should have been 3PM and was getting colder and darker. I said to myself - Whatever I should do, I better do it in the next hour or so, for it'll soon get completely dark. I bundled up the left of courage, and started walking in search of my House. I walked into cross roads and tried to recall how my House looked like. (If any of you have been to EU, you know that all Houses look alike). I walked for almost 2 kms, getting into every other cross road. No matches found. I had the worst time of my life as everything looked so similar - the Streets, the Houses. I finally resorted to look for pedestrians and ask for help. Should everything fail, I had one option to call the VP and show off my stupidity and ignorance for having lost the way; for having forgotten the phone # of the consultant and what not.

The first one I approached was a lady who had no clue what I was asking her for she knew only German (well, I couldn't digest this fact as I had thought people would know some English). I was feeling out of place as the people whom I approached bore a feeling of insecurity while I tried to ask them something. It was as if I was intruding their personal space when I walked towards them. It was then a couple of people, fortunately one of them could understand and even speak a bit of English - but she said she had no clue where Ohrenberg Strasse is. It should have been 4:30PM and I was still loitering, looking for people rather approachable people. It started getting darker. I had a couple of Ciggies that my Folks had given me at the Bangalore airport and they were exhausting too. It was cold and had only worn a thin Wind Cheater. The winds cut through my skin and all I could do was to accept the reality - I was lost.

I decided to look for a telephone booth and call the VP - the sole silver lining. How unlucky I was - I couldn't find a single public telephone. I then thought I should get into some Shops which seemed to be open and ask whether I can use their telephone. I wasn't lucky enough. They had the lights On but they were closed. Germany, especially small towns and villages go on nirvana on weekends and weekends start at 2PM on Saturdays.

My mind was void and vacuum. The only option was to ring at some House and ask if I can make a call. I decided to give one last try with the next approachable pedestrian (they were one in 5 mins or so). I saw an old man with a dog who looked pretty relaxed. He was The One. He soon understood that I was lost. He looked for a few other people who can speak English so that they can translate what he wanted to tell me. Fortunately, he found one and they told me that Bad Schönborn is a town that has two small towns. Both belong to Bad Schönborn, one is called Bad Mingolsheim and the other Bad Langenbrücken, both about 4 kms apart. And I was in Bad Langenbrücken which to the best of his knowledge doesn’t have any street by name Ohrenberg Strasse. So, the only option was that street should be in Bad Mingolsheim and I should drive back on the same state highway - B3.

I thanked him in the best of words I knew in English and hurried towards the car. I started driving back - with an Eagle’s eye on the speedometer. I drove 3 kms and slowed down to see of I can recognize anything. Just after a few hundred meters, I saw the board which bore the name “OhrenbergStr”. It was regaining my lost life. It was bliss - eternal satisfaction - nothing less. I took the turn and there stood #5, the House which was my Heavenly abode. It was 5:30PM and was completely dark. All my hunger was gone; I crashed on to my Bed - only to get up at 11AM on Sunday.

Its one year since that day; off late, every Friday night I go to Bad Schönborn to play Pool in a Club, a street away from Ohrenberg Strasse. Every Ball I pot, reminds me of the cold balls I had a year back!

Go green Bengaluru!

It was early this week that I watched the video on Youtube:

It features the MD of SAP Labs Gurgaon who commutes to his Office on his bicycle. I was almost immediately wondering if we can have this Tip in Cities like Bengaluru which boasts of the largest number of two wheelers in the World.

Not any later, I started connecting to the phenomena explained superbly in the book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Am sure, his name sounds familiar even to the most amateur of readers (like me). The Tipping Point is an explanation of how trends explode. It offers a great insight into how practices/trends/behaviors/opinions initiated as small time incidents/events suddenly grow exponentially.
One of my own all time favorite example of such a trend is Pubbing! I still remember the time when there were only a handful of Pubs in Bengaluru during my Engineering years (1998 - 2002) and Bengaluru now boasts of the best Pubs in the Country, each one of them horribly crowded all week!

Now, back to my earlier thought on a greener Bengaluru, I hereby present my few cents (largely motivated by The Tipping Point) to Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BMP). I call it the Octcycle programme:

1. Install Bicycle stands. Start with happening hubs like Jayanagar 4th block, Koramangala (Near JNC), Malleshwaram (Sampige Rd), Forum, Garuda Mall
   It can come with a nominal parking fee and a security service can be called for as well
2. Install trendy hoardings in all such places, giving room for Bicycle shops to advertise as well
3. Broaden a bare minimum of the footpaths and make way for the Cyclists
4. Penalize Motorists for exhibiting their exemplary skills of driving on footpaths
5. Organize Bicycle marathons. Call for an event management company and let it do the rest. Am sure many Institutions will come forward to sponsor the event
6. Let it roll through City fests like Bengalura Habba (or is it still called Bangalore Habba?)
7. Get the RJs and VJs talk about Bicycles in their Programs. Get the FM channels feature public figures using Bicycles (at least for short distances) as their mode of transport
8. Get the happening pubs in/around these hubs to offer free Beers for the lucky Bicycle winner of the weekend

All the above if done even with a bare minimum of diligence can - not only improve the traffic situation in Bengaluru but also churn a bit of revenue to your kitties. So, this is yet another opportunity for you guyz to ascertain your existence!

Are Zeus and Indra brothers?

I am half way through the book "The Odyssey" by Homer - an exemplary work by the Master himself dating back to 720 BC.

"The Odyssey" is about the Hero Odysseus (Odi-si-use) who has been away from Home for years together fighting in the long terrible Trojan war. The Epic is about his return to Home and the hardship he faces on his way.

I am bewildered by the similarities that exist between Indian and Greek mythology. While the source of Hindu mythology are the Epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha believed to have written sometime during 6th c BC; one of the oldest reference literature of Greek mythology is "The Odyssey" by Homer.

I have to admit, I have not yet Googled on the chronology and the root of all similarities but am writing to let out the mystic lava in me. Here they go!

The Gods of both mythologies:

1. are of two types - the Good and Bad. The ones who do and support the Good and the ones who do exactly the Opposite. To cite a few, they are Hydra, Lamia (Demons) and Zeus, Athene (Gods). They are termed as "Suras" (Gods) and "Asuras"(Demons) in Sanskrit.
2. are innumerable in number. As you turn the pages of "The Odyssey", you get interwoven by the brothers, sisters, kith and kin of the lord of all Gods - Zeus, who is very much the like the Indra in Hindu mythology
3. have superior powers (common, that is why they are called Gods:-!) They do turn into any other form/size, say from a Human being to a Fish or to a Flower. There are instances where Goddess Athene disguises herself into a Passerby, a Girl and many other forms. The Hindu Gods too disguise themselves in innumerable avatars
4. do curse and bless the far inferior Humans. The Greek God “Poseidon” curses the subject traveler Odysseus and makes his life miserable on his way back Home
5. savor an immortal drink! It is called Ambrosia which is similar to Amrut
6. have life saving herbs at their disposal - It is called Moly which is again similar to Sanjivini
7. have specialized tasks. The Gods of Sea are Poseidon and Varuna; Gods of Sun are Apollo and Surya; Gods of death are Thanatos and Yama
8. live in a heavenly abode. Greek Gods live in Mount Olympus and the Hindu ones in Mount Meru
9. accept Offerings from the far inferior Humans. While the fact of Offerings are common, the Offerings by themselves are diametrically opposite! They are largely of animal sacrifices in Greek mythology: "Hecatombs" (100 Oxen), while the sacrificial rites in Hindu mythology are driven more by "Homas" (sacred fire)
10. ..
11. ..

Wondering whether Zeus and Indra are lost brothers in the Kumbh meLa!

Unsolicited advice? No thanks.

I am watching my conversations and resulting impact in the relationships I have with my colleagues/friends more closely than ever. One startling discovery has been that people I've encountered (now, they are quite a number, but I shall refrain to generalize) seek empathy and not advice.

Clan 1
More particularly, when folks shared their problems with me, they always needed some understanding soul that can say a few words that make them feel better. Somehow, I was (and probably still am) into the habit of stumbling into giving them advices rather than expressing that I am with them. Not to mention that I can never ever afford to advice someone without understanding them. That would be a blunder and I would not accept of anyone and nothing less of myself. Nevertheless, my neurons which are advice savvy fired before any other! Result - I was perceived more as an advisor than anything else. Rest is history.
A very simple example is when my colleague said he is having a hard time to keep to the work pressure, he rather expected me to feel him and express some consolation, but I instead, gave him quite a gyan to come over it/kill the problem. As I said, I would not give the gyan if I am not genuinely interested in getting my colleague out of shit he was in. Next time, he approached me with another issue of his, I made it a point to make him feel comfortable and then offered my advice in a very low ampere - it was embraced and appreciated!

I have to be frank; this also relates to one of the earlier blogs where I patted myself with solid consoling skills. In fact, they were my advices that were camouflaged as consolation. Unsurprisingly, I was misinterpreted. It is another story that, over time, I made things quite clear and we are great friends now.

Clan 2
This is a tribe that neither expects to be consoled nor advised. This is interesting. I reckon, their feelings are shared as a victim of circumstances. They do not expect anything. In simple terms, it is FYI. So, I better be informed, could perhaps express empthy but again, no unsolicited advice - they are trashed hard and fast.

Perhaps, there is clan 3 as well that presumes they'll not be consoled but advised! Be it tribe 1/2/3, I still have quite a distance to travel in understanding them.

They are called Hostels

It's 2009 and what can be a better start? Satyam finally coming out with Satyam! Lets face it and hope we live by it every moment.

I am back from an exhaustive tour of 10 days from Austria and Czech. Returning to normalcy from 10 days of Nirvana is no easy job. Afterall, one cannot continue with just Beer:-

I (and another friend of mine) started with Innsbruck which is nothing less than a paradise for Skiers and Snowboarders. I was both elated and horrified watching them go down the pinnacle of mountains in rocket pace. They do have Austrian Nerves! It was then Salzburg, a beautiful UN heritage city, Vienna - the city of palaces and back to Hometown to get ready for the next big thing - Czech.

One horizontal feature throughout my trip has been Hostels. I had ofcourse stayed in Hostels during earlier trips in EU but they were neither this long nor chosen with due care. We chose the Hostels together - proving the power of two. How have they been? One word - Orsem! Four different hostels in different countries have certainly had an impact on how I used to perceive them.

For a traveller on a shoestring (like me), it simply cannot get any better than this. The Hostels were surgically clean, safe with lockers, free of bed bugs, cost effective and guess what - there was an ocean of like minded crowd out there. Put in an Introvert in a Hostel and see him transform into a Connector of Connectors!

It was interesting and fun to meet these Backpackers (a good chunk of them travel alone) and exchange ideas. We infact toured the city of Vienna together with a Chinese who was in the same Dorm as ours. A couple of Beers in the indigenous pub and we were a team of 10 playing Snooker. Ofcourse, it was amazing to realize the linear relationship between Perfection and Beer:-
Not to forget the friendly staff who equip you with every basic information you need, the moment you check-in. Wanna visit local Heurige in Vienna, comes an instantaneous reply "try 10 er Marie", authentic Czech food "try Medvidku", disco "try Roxy".

You're single and looking forward for some luck on your side, book mixed Dorms and you could just be as lucky as us. We were three in Czech and we had three ladies in our Dorm! Of course, we were only lucky, not the luckiest:-(

Worst case, you get bored to death - Do not worry, there's free Wi-Fi and LAN (limitied nos. for a fair price) to hook on to your gmail account. So, all you travel freaks out there, next time you're out with your backpack, do give a thought on the Hostels. Its great fun and you'll love it.

But never ever, I repeat, never ever forget to carry your Earplugs.

50 gone, 500 to come

It is exactly 50 days since the blogspot - http://katteboyzbng.blogspot.com/ (the only other blog am an administrator of) has been in place and it’s been a totally interesting journey till now. I am leaving for the day in a while but do not want to miss writing today as this IS something that goes out there for all the folks expressing themselves more candidly than ever.

Number crunching:
Total members: 10
Start date: Oct 16th 2008
First 20 days: Hardly anything moved, the creator of the blogspot (Veteral blogger - Vidyashankar Harappanahalli - popularly known as VSS) was the contributor too
Next 30 days: 30 blogs! (A blog a day) - This is a quantum change considering the facts that:
Eight of the members were first timers - never blogged
All are pressed for time; most are married too
Non contributors: 0, only three of the members (I am one of them), have not authored blogs but they have had their witty comments. Am sure they have so much to write that they are still in process of choosing the “to-be” blockbuster)

I have been a steady observer (and a commentator too) of the blogspot and it’s worth noting the two most apparent actions which I believe have led to what it is today - full of life.

The right Connect - What is in it for me?
It was the creator of the blogspot who realized every available lead into an opportunity to conceptualize the blog. It is this VSS (who was in France sometime ago and still didn’t manage to meet me) who wired the connections. I reckon he did appraise the existence of a virtual free universe of expression to canalize thoughts into words on a webpage in the internet.

How is that?
A few words and a pat on the back made the difference. And yes, a word of caution, all this came naturally! No filmy melodrama in here. Well infact, if you were to go through the blogs, you’ll soon notice that melodrama is not the flavor of coffee this brotherhood savors. Due the fact that everyone appreciated everyone else in their own Being, at worse, nothing could go wrong!

I leave it up to you to tweak the above into today’s management gyan.

I am amazed by the versatility of the blogs. It’s every world out there - Fiction, Fact, Poetry, Literature, Engineering and much more to come.

All in all, to speak for all, kudos to the elite Gemeinde (I’ll let you wonder and wander for an online translator). Today is Friday and as always the tribe will be at the pinnacle of self realization, topped with extra spirits - and so will I.

And yes, all the reasons to cheer VSS and see him off to cloud nine - only for a while:-

hic-hic-hic

Hören sie musik?

Now that winter has kicked in and Christmas around the corner, more often I see dense, obtuse smoke out of the chimneys of many Homes. I reckon they are from the Fireplaces. I love to capture these magic moments but my camera is too good for such shots at night. Time to await my bonus to blow it up on a Nikon SLR.

The impact is seen almost everywhere, less folks in restaurants, office, streets and even swimming pools. Thanks to winter, I now have fewer accidents in the pool (But I used to rule in India, I remember days in December when there were only two - A Doctor who was a religious swimmer and I). Now, if you're guessing that I might have just missed Gold in Olympics....I wish you could be right:-( I am a humble, slow, lazy shark in water. Mine are 40-50 mins crawling with 2 breaks of 3 mins each (I shouldn't miss other colorful stuff you know). I know most of the staff and occasionally keep having a word with them.

It was on a Sunday that I saw this new lady staff who was starring at me every now and then. She bore an amalgamation of expressions - curiosity, perplexity, bewilderment, and what not. I had to ascertain the obvious. It was time soon and I cautiously got out of water when she was not around and headed towards the shower in swift pace - only to meet her right in front of the shower door. I smiled and said "hallo" and so did she. The immediate question she had was "hören sie musik warend schwimmen?"(close to this) which translates into "do you listen to music while swimming?" I took some seconds to let the question sink in and hesitantly said "Nein" (No). Next, she pointed to the thread across my chest and asked what it was. Well, it was the Janai that I put around my neck (while in action) which seemed to her as cords of a new swim slim, ultra light model of iPod which plays in water as well!!

With all the words I knew, I explained her what it means to me - the cords of general merit in India.