Great place + Even Greater Friends = Sheer Magic!!

Pending photoblog....I know, I know...I should have put it out there sooner...better late than never I guess..Anyways, apologies to Takloo & Roopa, Umi & Jay and Dumma & Bindu for the delay!

Kulli and I reached Bangalore from Japan around midnight and left for a trip to Bheemeshwari the VERY NEXT MORNING!! :-)

Thanks to Umi and Taks for largely organizing this...and ofcourse Dumma's rather brief consulting assistance! :-) you damn americans!! :-)

Anyway, as can be seen in the ensuing pics, it was a rinky-dink van....5 wheels (incl. steering wheel!!!) on a tin box and we weren't sure there were any brakes...the driver's chappals probably did the job! it was the noisiest son-of-a-gun van I had ever sat in.....BUT THAT DAY, THE EIGHT OF US WERE PROBABLY THE HAPPIEST WE HAVE EVER BEEN!!! and IT WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE HAD GOTTEN TOGETHER EVER!!!



Old habits never die!! let alone die hard!



Lotus flowers in bloom along a roadside "lake" - classic example of beauty in unexpected places!



It's taken us a while to all get into the same damn photo!! BUT WE DID IT!! all of us remembered Rohan a whole bunch that day!! Would have been a different experience to have him with us!! little fella was taking it easy at his grandma's place! :-)



I can safely say this about the guys...if not the gals (dont want to get kicked on my ass!)...fellas, I notice one thing in common in all of us....POT BELLIES!!! dudes, we all need to lose weight!! :-)



This one is after the rather long and tedious climb to the top of the hill and the watch tower....happy faces as everyone realized there was no more climbing!!



Bheemeshwari in the distance.....what a day that was....perfect weather....perfect set of friends.....great conversation....



Umi and DS...goofing off while the debates were raging on!! :-)



It's become clear to me now!!! Umesha, it's the DISTI vs. 1st class separation man!!! BASTARDS DUMMA AND TAKS!!! they still have to prove that they are "different"! :-) just kidding.....



The two chicas with nary a care in the world!!



So the day went....lots of talking....catching up with each others lives...ate some killer DILPASAND....drank some fantastic buttermilk from Nandini.....and talked some more....heated debates about the usual topics around families, compromises, new lives starting out....

Then the rains came and we ran for cover....I guess the rains served their purpose in cooling us all off....and we returned to more jovial topics....

Then it was time to head back....back to the grim realities of Bangalore.....of the guys going back to work the next day....oh well....such is life!

I will treasure that day for a LONG time to come......Kulli and I talk about that day a lot....hope we get to do it again....SOON....and we do it again....FOR A LONG LONG TIME!!

Here's a toast to some of my greatest friends ever.....to all you guys and gals, Long and healthy and Happy lives! Cheers!!