I move in!

I have moved in! Rest of the house is filled with gorgeous things, mine looks a little bare... but its about balance: everything: ying and yang.

Sunday hike

Next day we met up with a British historian guy called Collins. We went on a hike with 10 random strangers from my hostel : I was celebrating moving out of the hostel! It was fun - lots of the people were on world tours and had great stuff to talk about. We sat by and listened to a stream, walked the shore and the sands, saw the 'baywatch' beach... and I got my picture taken with a life guard!



More photos on my online picture albums... click here.

After that, a few of us decided to stick around for the whole day and go do stuff together...it was pretty cool. There was a swedish guy (Lars), a lady from singapore (Liliana) and a japanese guy (Sei) - we went to La Brea in LA and did the LACMA (los angeles california museum of mordern art)...

Being at the Lourve (apologies to those I promised pictures online, the online gallery refuses to have 20,000 pictures there!) recently, meant I had been quite spoilt with some very quality art, and as one of the exhibits - the one I wanted to see was shut, I was left a little disappointed. But nevermind, the Japanese art pavilion made up for it!

I got back and went and fetched my keys - I move in finally!

wow, the week goes here!

HELLLO !

So much to do in a week, so much is done and the week just zooms past you! But you look back at it sitting in calm on a saturday evening and you still remember you had that sea breeze in your hair and sun on your face!

I feel better and less rushed this week :-)

And...

I FOUND A HOUSE! YAY!

Its a bedroom and bathroom of my own in a house of 2 bedroom, 2 bath sharing with an aero engineering dude who works in a big fighter jet place. Kind of strange, but I am sure we have like 2 or 3 degrees of separation of knowing each other - its a crazy world.

I move in on Monday.
I found out on Thursday - Elke (sweet girl in my office!) and I celebrated on Friday with a lunch out on the open food court on fashionable 3rd street pomerade... v. fancy! The house is not too far (15 blocks away in a straight line from where I work... so is good)

Most of the week, I have been working on finding details about water - such a simple thing you may think, but remember, life itself is here because of water! it is indeed a subject so close to heart to everyone! So, its been interesting - I have to apply what I remember from India, into context of what we used to do and all! I like it, but I really really miss India and Dad every single minute I am looking into the work.

I want go back, and change the place. How can I do it? But for that matter, how can anyone do it? thats what this is teaching me. I am working with Mr Burns (I think of him as a friend and a mentor - he went to my space school some moons before me) and its great to get into all the philosophical conversations with him. Michael, my direct boss is fun to work with too - however, I think he has been pulling his hair for the best part of last week (hoping I didn't have anything to do with that!)...lol

Today, I met up with Rocky (great fella from last summer's SSP, my parents remember him as the guy who wore the tinest mini skirt they have ever seen!... and I think, they have seen some of mine!... hee hee)... funny dude anyway. So, he invited me to this production - like the Asian cultural night we used to do at Bath. BRILLIANT WORK! I was so impressed.

My favourites from the show would include the Hindi film songs - great singing (much better than the Indian idol stuff- hate reality tv), great song selection too - some of it had me in tears: a lot of tunes that symbolize great times and childhood you know?

One thing that was pretty new and unique was the Acepella - they fused a human beatbox, operatic songs in 9 languages, hip hop, mono jazz and classical singing all in one. Wicked stuff!

I was also impressed with how many people they got to dance on stage. The main problem at Bath was that people (esp guys) would not open up to the offer of dancing on stage - and there was this one guy in the production (this one is specially for Kez) - he made Seb look dull: better dancing (I believe he was in like 8 events), played 4 instruments, danced, acted and had awesome hair (Kez- you need to track this man!) Seriously!

so, yeh. Great fun! UCLA is pretty nice campus too. I shall start posting pictures soon - once I have unpacked all cables and adapters and all that.
This is a long weekend in the US and weather is great - I hope you are all smiling and its sunny where you are! :-) xxx

weekend of rushing about + a better ending

Just a quick note to all: I am still alive and in one piece! :-)

However, my well being was seriously being questioned by a 5.30 hr bus/train/metro/bus again/long wait/... type journey today to get to NASA JPL. Don't worry, its just me learning that I cannot rely on public transport everywhere in the universe.

Have almost resolved today that even if it means giving up eating, I shall leave in Santa monica or Venice (rent is >750 in the crime-stricken areas!). Nevermind, you live and learn! But I do have some way forward on one front after a weekend of running about: I have a mobile, or what as they call it here -a cellphone.
it is (+001) 310 428 2253

[I am unsure if california has its own different code, but I think this should be sufficient]

*Voila!*

Everyone in the office is absolutely brilliant and have been so caring and supportive that I was initially taken aback! On my first two days, whilst I struggled to keep up in the daytime due to jet-lag, Jim and Lin made me feel like I was home with my grandparents - all complete with awesomely refreshing tea, laughter, music and stories!

Also, I found myself stranded in the middle of a highway (called freeway, here). Just as I was growing extremely tired of waiting (I had been waiting for a bus for 1.5 hrs after 7 bus rides!) and frustrated of walking bus-stop to bus-stop, a lady and her partner bet at a traffic junction whether I was lost or just engrossed in a really good book. Realising that my book was actually a large road map of LA, they stopped and Jamie (the lovely lady) asked me if I needed help. I could not have been more greatful to their good humoured bet, I find myself back safe in Santa Monica.

I am just collecting these experiences in this entry to reassure you all, that as all places have, LA will take its toll, make me cry a few nights, make me learn some good lessons (albeit the hard way) but there are enough people around here that I will remain indebted to for restoring my sanity every step!

Peace now, I should go back to house-hunting, and getting ready for work tomorrow. Have a great start to the week everyone!

LA, here I come!

3 movies, 2 meals, 1 cereal bar, 1 cranberry juice in glass mug*, 2 teas and 5 glasses of water later I had been displaced by some 15,560 kms from home** and suddently, I see the friendly face of Jim waving to me as I push my luggage towards the LAX arrivals! Woohoo. It was great to see him and Lin.

Refreshing to the eyes were also sights of palm trees, which I must admit, I haven't seen to my heart's content in quite some while after my visit to goa! The freeways are big, they drive on the wrong side of the road, everything is HUGE, traffic is bad and the beach views from Jim and Lin's beach house in San Pedro (pronounced 'San Peedro') are awesome!

We had some brillant time catching up and it was impressive to see Jim go through all of our final TP report in an evening! I took a walk by the sea front and also sent Jim and Lin searching the streets for me as they were worried that they told me the wrong street to turn. I understand their concern now after a few days in LA, where one wrong turn would certainly add xxx miles to your journey, but the place was too unfamiliar for me to even think I was lost!

Next day, Ramon arrived and we went to greet him. We lost Jim and Lin momentarily... I got their name announced on all terminals and just as officials decided to send search parties out at the LAX (LA international airport, or one of them anyway), we found each other!

Also, my first day at the office - its cosy and lovely.

* I bumped into a flight attendant whilst I came out of the restrooms on the plane. She asked if she could help... I said, oh yes please, could I have possibily have some cranberry juice? She poured it into a glass globlet for me - I walk two steps and another attendant told me off, as it is 'against international air law' .... I explained what had just happened to another less ferrocious looking attendant and she politely asked me not to repeat it ever again. The whole episodes left me wondering which exact part of the whole thing was illegal, but I think its the glass bit ...

** crude approximation carried out by bee on the top of the eiffel tower.

leaving bath... my second home

I spent most of the day getting things sorted and finally mum arrived to help me take stuff away to the bus station. Bless mum, she thought it would have been a better idea to have ordered a taxi (and she only lives 10 mins away)... Mum, don't worry - but thanks for all the concern and dragging the stuff half way through!

I got to London on the coach... It doesn't really feel like I am leaving Bath at all. Its now truely my second home.

Kaka patiently waited for me whilst the coach was late and got me safe and sound to a lovely aayushi, some gorgoeus home cooked food by Kaki and some questions of excitement about LA...

Early in the morning, I got to talk to my extended family and bundling everyone best wishes, I sat on a plane for 11.5 hrs - with a stiff back and shoulders and a pressed on bum - I had the "double excuse me" seat!

lol

recap note

A lot of philosophical, deep and emotional renderings went through my head during these 4 'spare' days - but as they say, true beauty is transient - I wish I could log all those, as they could have been interesting and inspire new thoughts... you never know

recap 3

Next two days were spent in getting my fix of Chris's company.

Any time with him is not enough. I wish I could still be there, talking about things, eating several meals in a day with him, laughing at our jokes, talking about friends, good ol university times, holding his hand, etc etc.

Somebody someday should remind me to take a couple of gap years to do this so that I can get it out of my system!

Lol.

In between I also saw Mum, Teju, Shorty, Eddie, Keri, Auguste! Had some really good chats and time (yummy yummy food - oh, how I miss it) and talked to my Daddy! :-)

recap 2

I left Strasbourg.

the last day was just far far too hectic. We finished on the 11th, I left at 4 pm on the 12th.

Packing a whole house worth of things is too difficult in one day!
Also, no one was being
1) on time
2) helpful

that last day (apart from everyone at ISU - they are lovely! - thanks Audrey, Marie and Alex!)

I was late (or thats what I thought/expected!)... I was so stressed out (and you won't normally here may say this phrase) that I almost burst into tears at one point!
To make moving 40 kgs of stuff around more difficult, I had a sprained/tender shoulder, so moving about at a fast pace was extremely painful. Seeing my agony, 2 ladies who were passing by offered to help and stopped me from going into a panic with hyperventilation...

They were angels!
It was a mum and her daughter with a bike. The mum would have been about Joan's age (Lew's mum). She dragged my 2 bags for me and asked to just smile and relax and think of planning the journey ahead. After some more panic, we found the bus and I hugged both of them - could without them I would have totally lost it!

The mum later also apologized that her daughter could not help as she had a broken arm!!!

I wish I knew their real names, they were one of the best memories of strasbourg!

recap 1

# Reason for not writing

(I feel I owe you all an explanation!)

Reason no 1: very little of sleep
Reason no 2: brain tired of looking at computer
Reason no 3: report and presentation in on the 10th of May!

These are very closely related!

Anyhow, yes, our report was done! yay!
It was not only submitted, but also changed later as NASA did decide to sponsor it - its just so good that they wanted to be a piece of it! :-)

The presentation was received very well too. I have to publicly apologize to Mum and Dad who thought I was going to be presenting and squinted their eyes for some 2-3 hrs to find me somewhere in the crowd!

*Love you both!* :-)

Gosh!

has it been this long?!

oh dear oh dear!

OK

recap...

renderings of a silent mind

tired.

v. tired.

brains gone to a silence. I need it to think, I need it to work.

it decides its tired and it ll only whistle.
I feel like...

fast forward

someone somewhere invented a time machine equiped with a mind ray memory zapper. I sat in it and time flew past. It was the 22nd of April before, now its 4th of May already!

In between, I believe I travelled to Paris, saw Damien-Pierre and his lovely other half Virginia. We had a great time together - they are a lovely and fun couple to be around with. I wanna be like them someday! :-)

I believe I did some sights of Paris although personally, there was a lot of 'excuse moi', 'pardon', pushing and queuing as the capital had been invaded by millions of other tourists (hmph!).

I went to the embassy - 5 hrs of waiting, 5 mins of questions and 5 hours later another email asking what they should have asked of me at the embassy personally. I hate paperwork. If it wasn't for paperwork, everything would be cheap and not a pain in the bum.

ok, we have a report to finish!