Shyam K’s

Photograph – They say it captures your finest moments. You wont realize them until you have seen them. This photo had that effect on me. It was my graduation ceremony, my brother had come to Melbourne to attend. It was a dream come true for me. Every time I look at this photo, it gives me  happiness. It’s one of the cherished moments in my life.

“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved”

- George Sand

After 4 hours of journey, i was in Chennai. It’s been a wonderful experience traveling with my friends. It was even more touching as I landed in Chennai 3 years after I left the country. I haven’t seen my parents for 3 years and it was the same with Vasanth. It’s hard to describe the feeling. Feeling happy for each other we started to leave the airport. Ramiya left early with her parents and Vasanth left too. Hope to get may more opportunities to travel with them and fill my memories with happy moments.

Nearly 8 hours of journey completed. The place, Malaysia “Truly Asia”. At last we landed, got our luggages out of the cabin, walked down the alley and there was a train to reach the other side of the airport to complete the immigration process. We reached the immigration department, it was so quiet and the person sitting in the counter was almost half asleep. She stamped the wrong details on the passport and i said to her that something was wrong and she looked at the passport and made the changes. She made the changes to Ramiya’s and Vasanth’s passports. We got out of there and were nearing the customs check. The person standing there asked us “Are you coming from Melbourne?” we said yes and he said you can leave. You know what, Ramiya went back to the officer and asked him don’t you want the immigration paper and asked him all sorts of questions. He just tore a part of the immigration paper and asked her to leave. Soon after that she came near us and guess what, she questioned as to why he did not ask anything from both of us. We started to laugh. Said to her you are in trouble when you get back and pretended that it was something serious and somehow she knew that we were making fun. Suddenly the three of us asked the question “Where do we catch the taxi to the city?” Looking at the sign boards we found the place to catch the taxi. There was small problem between us. The board said “Limousine – 67.00 Ringetts “and “Taxi- 45.00 Ringetts”. Looking at the luggage’s we had, I said to them that we need to catch the limousi. Vasanth and Ramiya would not accept that and said that we can catch the taxi. So there was a heated discussion going on. At last as per the information that Ramiya collected prior to the journey, we concluded that the price would be 67.00 Ringetts to reach the city. So it was obvious that we need to catch the limousi. I had a stare at both of them and they said ” Seri, Seri… Va Polam.” We booked the limousi, and it was tough to fit in the limousi with all the luggage’s. It was so humid outside.It was around 6:30 am when we left the airport. It was a long journey. Within few minutes, Ramiya wanted us to speak with the driver and get few details of him so that we can go around places. So I started to speak to the driver and he was having trouble to replay us back as the medium of conversation was in English. I understood that he could not understand English and stopped asking him. Ramiya was not happy with that and out of curiosity she started to question the driver and after few question she said ” Paavam antha driver, he is having trouble understanding english”. Vasanth and myself had the heartiest of laugh and asked her ” Privileye ippdi thaana?” and she said “Pongada Panni Pasangala”.

We reached the hotel at about 7.30 am. We got our luggage’s and went to the reception. We took out the booking receipt and presented to the person in the reception. Looking at the receipt, the receptionist said that you could have your room by 2.00 pm in the afternoon. We said “What?” The receptionist also said that the manager would come here by 10.00 am and you could speak with to have you room allocated. We asked him where we could keep our luggage’s. Another person interrupted and said that you keep the luggage’s in the Conner and we could tie them together, it would be safe and probably come back

at 10.00 to take them. By the time we decided what we wanted to do it was almost 8.00 am.

Believing the person, we placed our luggage’s in the Conner and he took out a twine and rolled them over the luggage’s we had and tied them together. We were awed, and said “Ithu thaan ivunga oorula baathrama pathukuratha?”. Rays of sunlight started to fall in the lounge. We freshened up and were waiting for some one to take the morning shift as the receptionist. At last the new manager came in, I took the booking receipt to him and said that we are coming from Melbourne and wanting to have a room as early as possible, and Ramiya took over as the booking was under her name. The man gave us a room and we were happy. Soon after that Ramiya said that we need to get out of the room ASAP. She said “Guys, no sleeping”. She pre-planned what we need to do for the morning. We accepted to that and reached the room. Ramiya started, “Who’s first?” both of us asked for what? She said to take bath. The answer was so spontaneous and both of us mentioned” Ramiya “. We said “Lucky you!” She took her bath and came back in a jiffy. So it was me who went in next and Vasanth followed. We were out of the room by 9.00 am. We followed the road down the hotel and we came across a restaurant. The smell was so tempting, we started to feel hungry. We had the breakfast and we asked the person in the restaurant “How do we get to Twin Towers?” To our surprise he replied us in Tamil. We were so happy to have someone speaking our native language. The intuitive person (Ramiya) got more information as to do shopping.

It was hot day and we started to roam around. Just before we started we made phone call to our parents and they we excited that we almost there. We walked all the way to the Twin Towers and snapped some shots on the way. Once we reached there we went to the reception to get the entry tickets. Unfortunately we got the tickets for the 4:30 show. Meanwhile we had other plans as well. One of us bought the tickets and Ramiya went to information center to get some info about shopping centers. After getting the tickets, we went to few shopping centers. As it was a dry and hot day, we were thirsty. We have Ezhani and WOW it was refreshing. Soon we felt hungry and went to a restaurant called Rekha Restaurant. The food was wonderful but a bit expensive. After having the food, we felt a bit heavy and our eyes started to droop. Luckily, our hotel was near by and we had and hour’s sleep. As it was 4.00 we were getting ready to visit the Twin Towers. We reached there and it was a very good experience. As we were walking, Ramiya started to plan things for the next day. The next days plan was simple. Visiting Batu caves was the only agenda for the day. Vasanth and I were happy. After seeing the Twin Towers we headed back to the room. Vasanth and I were very eager to eat in a restaurant that we saw just outside out hotel. We had our dinner in that restaurant and man! The food was heavenly. We had Chicken, Mutton and Fish Kolambu. After having the dinner we headed back to the room and everyone fell asleep very soon.

The next day, we went to Batu caves and we worshipped lord Murugan! It was an awesome experience. We paid 100 Ringetts to a taxi driver and asked us to take us there. Our flight was only in the evening. The driver was saying that there was a rally happening in the city and advised that we leave early. As advised, we left early to the airport and we were wandering at the airport for a long time. The most awaited moment was nearing and all three of us were excited. People started to queue in and we were ready for the journey India. We boarded the flight and were traveling to Chennai.

My flight was at 00:45. Started from at home at 8:20, everyone was so surprised and questioned, ” Your flight is at 00:45, why are you leaving so early?”. They also quoted that we were well organized. I could do nothing but laugh at myself.We were surprised by the question! Alright, all three of us thought to do something funny before we got into the flight. We said to ourselves that we would keep the right leg in the flight the same time. A bit superstitious, I know! Our friends came to drop us at the airport. We were happy, but Ramiya was a bit tensed. Guess what? she started the questions again, the thing that Vasanth and myself would not like. Good thing was, we answered all her questions (10/10). Good work done by us! I say this because, its too hard to give answers for the questions that she asks.

We did reach the airport in 15 min’s and probably that’s why everyone questioned us. We were not sure where to proceed, we were waiting for few other friends and Felix uncle’s family. At last we were standing just in front of the counter and the sign said, open for checking for flight No. MH 128. Oh! it was good feeling. I breathed deeply, and walked towards the counter. There was a long queue, we were a bit surprised. The officer in the counter said, “Next, Thanks!”. Of course, it was us. We went to him and said, ” Hi, how are ya?”. Looking at each other face with the obvious question ” What’s going to happen?” As always things went right, but we had to wait for 20 min’s. Everything done! we saw Felix sir and Mam, we had a long chat with them before we left for customs. Muthu, Waletrs, Deepan, Jyo, Minto and Terry wished us a safe journey. With blessings from Felix sir and Mam we left for customs check. It was a long queue, thought it would be late to get inside. It was just a bluff and we were out of the customs check in 15 min’s. We had an hour left to board the flight. We, waited and the green lights for the flight call started to flash. The announcement to board was heard loud and clear. We walked down the way to board the flight. There was a hush and then, “Wait, we’ll put our right legs together!” and it did happen. We did what we wanted to. Apparently, there was a problem, Who should sit by the window? Guess who won the battle, it was Vasanth. Ramiya was so generous to give the seat with one condition, On her way back to India from KL she must be given the seat. Okay! fair enough, we agreed to it.

Then all three of us started to feel hungry, we were waiting to see if they would serve something for us. After few minutes we had a chicken baguette and some orange juice. We felt a bit energetic. Vasanth and Ramiya started to fiddle their remote to watch the movie, it did not work. They took mine and tested to see, it didn’t work either. We left it back in its place. Just after few minutes there was an announcement, “The entertainment system is turned on ” Ramiya and Vasanth started to see if it was working. Unfortunately, it was not. They tried on mine, but it wouldn’t work. Something was wrong, we called up the air hostess to check what happened, she also said “We have to reset the system again”. They fixed the system and started to work again.

It was a long journey, at half past one, i fell asleep, meanwhile Ramiya and Vasanth were still watching the movie.  I was really feeling uncomfortable with my long legs and was cramping. With my eyes half open, i had a glimpse of the movies Ramiya and Vasanth were watching, and at some point of the journey, i presume they fell asleep. That was good news. Few hours later, the air hostess came near and woke us giving a piece of tissue paper to refresh ourselves. Looked at the time and it was 3.30 and just a hour left to land Malaysia. Felt happy but were starting to get tiered. We had chicken sausage and orange juice for the morning. Was a bit refreshing but was not enough.  It’s 4.45 am and time to land.

It’s been three years since I have been away from home and the time has come to have a well earned break.At last, as planned, me and my friends Ramiya and Vasanth are heading back on the same flight. What a fight it was to execute the plan. Well the interesting part is, the question in my mind “Do I have to leave Melbourne?” Eventually, I am leaving Melbourne with a heavy heart but with a peaceful mind.

Ramiya has been asking us to pack since last week, she is the kind of person who wants to do things as early and never forget things that she needs, and of course there would be few that we ask her to do at the last moment and make her imperfect. . There was one day that she started to cry and saying that you boys haven’t done anything and we started to do few things for her. Even more worse, out of the blue she asked the question “where is the camera?”. There was complete silence for 2 minutes but the question kept echoing and we could just hear that and nothing else. Questions just started to flow. We searched the whole house, called up friends to enquire if they had the camera, but in vain. That was more than enough for her to cry a lot more and she was shattered. She sat quietly on the sofa and occupied the corner seat with her hand in her head(Probably she was recollecting some thing). Vasanth and myself started to console and she she never spoke a word. We were sure that it would be somewhere in the house but she wouldn’t believe it. Alas! it was the saddest part of the day. That would not have happened if we searched the place properly.. I mean PROPERLY! Luckily our brains started to work and found the camera. Hurray! In a few moments the things that Ramiya did seemed more funnier than we thought it was and we made fun of her. Anyway the day went by and the just 3 days left for travel. Still haven’t done anything. The day was okay and passed with less noise in the house.

Just 2 days more and we are still packing and the whole about it was, we had nothing, literally nothing to pack. I saw I had my ticket and my passport and thought that was more than enough. Later in the day both of us started to pack and even Vasanth dumped something into his bag and I was struggling to keep up the pace. I thought my bag would be empty and from somewhere Ramiya bought a heap of things to pack for me. Said to her ” You are my savior”, for a moment I thought that she would say nothing but she said “Pack up, you idiot!”. Well that meant something. Then later we had a dinner and just before we went to sleep she brought a list of maps. She stuck the papers on the floor and like a Commander she started to point out we would be staying in Malaysia, the shopping centers, the malls. I said to her that we could turn off the lights and discuss about this. She started to grow impatient and there were traces of salt water oozing from her eyes. We started to pacify her and as usual things solved.

Just a day left, I had been to work that day and came home late. Stayed back with my friends(Tanya, Bill and Erica) at work, they wished me to have the safest journey. Was fun to be with them. 24 hours to go and we are still packing(bits and pieces). Hmm… the next day, both Ramiya and Vasanth have got job and would be back by the evening to check if everything has been packed tight and right. I am having a day off from work and doing all the silly things that needs to be done at the last. We are almost ready and raring to get back. Hope to have a wonderful trip.