Saturday, February 1, 2014

Being on the move

There, apparently, are those people who are never happy unless they are on the move. Literally, as in hopping buses, trains and flights and going to exotic places and feeling the day wasted if they woke up to the same landscape that they saw the previous morning. Or, figuratively, as in constantly moving up the corporate ladder or moving out if the moving up does not work - a promotion a year is acceptable to them but once a month would be more like what they would love. The former like never sleeping in the same bed more than a night and the latter find sitting in the same seat more than a year stifling.

I did start out saying 'apparently' but, then, I thought of myself as belonging to that ilk (both ilks, I am nothing if not ambitious if only in my dreams)  when I as a lot younger than I am now (and had a lot more hair, though that is not germane to the issue. It is not like I am a kind of Samson and my ambitions were shed with my hair). Life, though, taught me a few lessons that ended up in my shedding a few illusions (if you say 'very few', I shall look on your pitiful ignorance with derision. You really have no clue how many I started out with - why, at that age, I even thought that the only difference between Rajnikant and me was that he spoke too fast).

Where was I? Ah! I was saying I had shed a few illusions. You see, I found that a lot of things in life are wonderful to dream about. You think of traveling and there is the idea of gliding blissfully through a lovely countryside (and, perhaps, a couple of swooning girls along who are taken by your poetic appreciation of the beauties of Nature). There are no bone-rattling bad roads, no crowds of stinking arm-pits and, above all, no motion sickness. (And, if there are any swooning girls at all in your vicinity, the reason for their swooning would probably be you, yes, but it probably would be your motion sickness and not your poetry that would be causing the swooning).

As for being on the move figuratively, that is even worse. I mean, in your illusions you probably thought that the grace of your presence and scintillating conversation would propel you up the corporate ladder as though you were jet-assisted - at least, I did. In reality, I discovered that you either had to work - and for more hours than you thought that the day had (I know they claim that there are some 24 hours to a day but, till I started working, it was only hearsay evidence. I had only been awake and, thus, seen only some 12 of them) OR, worse still, look around to see who did and lay claims to what he did OR, ideally, both. Whichever way you sliced it, this corporate ladder climbing was nauseating to me. Anyway, I really do not enjoy heights - it gives me vertigo - so why bother to climb ladders? (Sour grapes? Not at all. The problem with you guys is that you have learnt a couple of things and like showing them off even when it is not at all correct).

So, there you have me. I love traveling with an Atlas in the safe confines of my bed and enjoy stories of how other people climb corporate ladders. Someone once said, "Adventures are unpleasant things that happen to other people" and, THAT, about sums up my idea of being on the move.

Pity, therefore, that this year has started off with such a lot of traveling. Three trips in the first month and one more to start February off? Hmm! I really hope the year buckles down and starts behaving itself going forth or I may have to tick it off in no uncertain terms. Why, I may even call it "Annus Horribilis" and it will not know where to hide its face.


43 comments:

  1. Even before you reached that last paragraph, I commented to myself, well, for somebody who dislikes travel so much, he has already traveled quite a bit in 2014, hasn't he and you go ahead and put the same thing there :)

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  2. I don't think you hate travel. I do, a lot. So I don't

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    1. I like being in new places, Ritu! It is the getting there that I hate :)

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  3. So Radha managed to get you internet connection, eh?

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    1. Nope TF - Just back in B'lore from Neyveli and leaving tomorrow for Shegaon.

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  4. I am in total sympathy, Suresh. I love travelling, but the getting there is getting to me these days.

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  5. To think you have traveled a lot more in 2014 than most us. Was thinking just that when I read the last para too :) I am fine packing, I hate the unpacking and getting back into routine bit :P

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    1. I hate the entire rigmarole :) Wish someone would find out how to teleport :)

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  6. Well till we invent teleporting, you will have to tolerate travel :P

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  7. I am one of those who needs to step out of the house atleast to visit the department store or I will go crazy :)

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  8. Nice thoughts - so true couched in your inimitable humour

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  9. I like the confines of my home best.If i have to travel ,i would prefer a lazy drive along the countryside or in the mountains.

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    1. I like new places - particularly natural and tranquil places. It is the traveling that gets me down :)

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  10. The corporate ladder is for a different kind altogether. As for me, I prefer home. Luckily, I married someone's who also hates traveling. So it's home sweet home for us.

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    1. I am that strange amalgam - like new places but hate everything to do with getting there :)

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  11. I love traveling as long as my flights don't get delayed, my hotel is comfortable, has a nice view, I get to eat lots and not put on an inch.

    There! I said it.

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    1. That eating and not putting on an inch is a wish I ardently share, Purba, whether or not I am traveling :)

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  12. Shegaon - Gajanana Maharaj Samadhi??? Wishing you a safe trip.

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    1. Yup - Had a safe trip so far, back in Pune and shall reach B'lore tonight, hopefully :)

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  13. I am eagerly waiting for someone to invent a teleport! Wonder why people give more importance to the journey than the destination. Guess they are the lucky lot who have never suffered motion sickness...

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    1. Or trekkers :) I like trekking - after the trekking starts :) Before THAT -Ugh - road journey on winding mountain paths!

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    2. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. Bullock carts would have been better, never mind the pace :)

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  14. Suresh, I was a bit dazed by the time I reached the conclusion. I like to travel. But I like to untravel too (sorry for that word). They say it is like eating your cake and having it too. And the less you said about 'corporate' pretensions the better. Just give me my daily butter and blog. Thank you for being entertaining as ever.

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    1. Thanks Uma! I, too, never really got the point of corporate pretensions :)

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  15. I am now going to plan my travel.Had I not read your post,may be,I would have missed 2014 travel plans

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    1. Hmm - So I can eve affect people like this :)

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  16. Are you trying to test out for yourself that old mantra that if you do something loathsome often enough, you might eventually grow to not hate it quite as much?

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    1. Perhaps, Rickie, perhaps :) In more things than this :)

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  17. 2013 was a year of travelling. Visited 10 countries and 5 states.
    YES I LOOOOOOOOOOOVED IT!
    Btw the part of you being on bed with an Atlas, made me laugh!

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    1. With the Atlas I can beat your 2013 record in a day :P

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  18. What would you say to someone who travels every day for 25days in a month , and spends practically every night in a bus, train or flight? The constant packing and un packing is a nightmare! Oh btw did i mention that "someone" is my hubby?
    I gues someone should invent "cleaned and ironed by themselves clothes" which stuff themselves into suitcases :) :)

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  19. I love to travel, and all the planning and packing that goes with it... really looking forward to a much awaited vacation in April. As for the corporate ladder, never was able to understand that particular Snake and Ladder game... maybe because I got more snakes than ladders back then. Now though, it is my own kingdom - I the ruler, I the servant. :)

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    1. Hmm - Opposites in one, identity in the other. Though my corporate career actually did have a lot more ladders than snakes to the extent that, when I quit, my company retained me as a consultant for the next 2 years and I had to shift to Bangalore to rid myself of the last vestiges of corporate connections :)

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  20. For me, travelling is fun! But, the laundry management isn't :)
    Wish things would happen exactly as we wish or as per our consent/choice! Then, no hectic travel for you!

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    1. Hmm - even if wishes were horses we would all be complaining of saddle-sores :)

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  21. I love travelling, but, I hate it when it is a stifling holiday where there are hundreds of activities to do in a time frame of couple of days.

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