Mind's Eye

Straight face me: “If I was not a Naini girl, I would have been a Cali girl..”
Uncontrollable burst of laughter from the other end of the phone, people do appreciate a good sense of humor!

Every time I visit California I am surprised at my ‘wannabe’ streak. However this idea is not so far-fetched, you are either a city girl or a country girl (for lack of better word for all things ‘nature’).
I am just saying give me some green hills, an orange sun, foaming waters, sandy beaches and I am a very content happy person!

On my flight to LA, I was reading about the scientist Nikola Tesla and his experiments with alternating current, wireless transmission of energy and Tesla prong and I feel somewhat inclined to define happiness in terms of physics. You are in a happy state when you find your resonance with a place, person or activity. You connect at your natural frequency, you are most alive, and your mind is unconsciously taking notes (some call it memories). These memories are like an incoherent map of happiness for future reference, a collage of images and experiences frozen in space and time. (key words-incoherent, frozen)

If I was to make a time-lapse video using images captured during my recent trip, the storyboard would look something like this:
LAX airport- colorful pillars you see just before landing, busy, makeshift structures at the arrival section; LA’s palm trees along the roads, curves, always moving traffic. Hit the freeway in the black shadows of the night against the backdrop of the city light. The black shadow of a hill appears right in front of you and as you race by the hill, it recedes and flanks you on the sides. The hills like the loyal sentinels hide away the ocean; however not for long, even the dark shadows of the night cannot conceal the foamy white waves from sight. You slide down the car windows and smile as the lights of passing cars, the wind, the sound and smell of the ocean all hit you at 80mph!

DSLR geeks tell me that making time lapse videos from RAW images is a lot of work but the human brain is unique, it can store millions of memories and string them together in the most beautiful way. I can close my eyes and see the stories that emerge from the images of the peaceful setting sun at the beach, the competitive full-moon following us all the way from Santa Barbara to LA, the picture-perfect postcard town of Solvang with its foreign Dutch air, the cliff with the view of a serpentine railway track running parallel to the shore, the quite ranches and big houses cleverly hidden behind tall trees.

Hopefully all the driving and parking lessons along the way will also stay in my head, at least till the driving test. Here I am completely banking on my Mind's eye!

A Journey A Day 3

It is 31^st Dec, the last day of the year and I am spending this day with 4 people I came across in the second half of this year. That is how it is with life- places, people all keep changing.  The plan is to spend the day in LA and be back in SD for the party.  We drive to LA, five people can make a lot of noise especially if 4 of them gang up against one. We were democratic in our choice of target, each one getting his turn, but then ‘some people are more equal than others’, and I get the largest share of leg pulling!

We did a tour of University of South California (USC), since we had an alumnus with us. I need to do a campus tour of my own university so that I can show around people if they land in god forsaken Illinois someday. Headed for lunch at an Indian restaurant that I had frequented once earlier in October, this is when you realize that you have had your share of LA! The locality is like an Asian ghetto, Indians walking around everywhere.  Sitting in the restaurant we were working out our choices, there was the Venice beach and then Hollywood. I had already done the Hollywood detour on a bright October afternoon looking around for Hugh Jackman, the night lights would be a novelty this time.

Venice beach reminded me again of Indian beaches, colorful shops selling colorful wares and lots of faces around.  It was foggy at the beach but our cameras went clicking any ways. Well they clicked all the way into Hollywood. Bright and glittering and jostling and singing and dancing and some deranged man was getting his kick by setting parked car on fire, so the shrill fire brigade and the LAPD were also at their alert best. That’s Hollywood, you’d say.

I decided to give the passing year a peaceful goodbye so I was fast asleep by 11:30 p.m. and did not make the drive back to SD.  My new years are always this peaceful because I don’t want to give my dad a sleepless night the last day of the year and in this case a restless day! (nice alibi)

4^th Jan, I finally said adios to the warm weather and beaches of CA and headed for the frigid Midwest- Milwaukee Wisconsin. This was my first day time flight from LA, so I saw the sunrise in LA, had a small layover in Vegas (it did get me to touch base there!) then fly across the breadth of the country (west coast to the mid west). I surveyed the Grand Canyon from atop (aha! I count that as the reward for three aborted plans). I saw the frozen waters as I headed towards my destination, and steeled myself for the awaiting cold. Fortunately the sun decided to play kind and I was greeted with an unexpected warm weather.

Wisconsin counseled me back to family ways after a nomadic stay with bachelors. I was waking up early, fetching groceries, visiting temples, spending time in a pre-school where my relative was doing a part time, going out for post dinner walk in the chill for 3miles. I was living in a clean apartment having regular meals, listening to baba ramdev (you can’t block off a high decibel rant if you are anywhere in the house when he’s on TV) now that’s a lot of change! I met another engg-college batch mate, who drove me to the Lake Michigan water front. It was so cold and deserted that it gave me an eerie feeling.  There were big brick buildings around but not a soul in sight.

After a cozy stay for a week, it was time to move again and this time it was the last leg of the Journey.  It did end in style.

Thank you everyone who played a host to a broke. Thank you for taking your time to show me around places. My apologies to Roadstar-R for embarrassing him in writing, but since he’s on the reading list I guess it’s all in good spirit! There were other names as well that didn’t make it to the blog, but I’ll give them a roll call for sure… starting with poooja, ace, dave and yes the Bhaskars and the Bharatis(oops there was just one).  Thanks people!

A Journey A Day 1

The initial plan was to base camp in LA and then to be in San Diego around Christmas, be back in LA for New Year and then fly back. So much for the plan, I was in San Diego before Christmas and LA wasn’t an option to stay any longer.  I didn’t want to overstay the invite in San Diego(SD) so I contemplated flying back to Chicago OR OR (HIMYM style) I could go on a road trip to San Francisco(SF) and beyond. That’s what I did.

First I was to travel to Ventura where I would meet up with the true Roadstar-R (not as in Rockstar but one who knows the roads and places very well!).  I was well advised to take the train route and not the bus route as the train goes all along the pacific coast and it is a treat to gaze along.  But what do you do when you find that the only available seat is on the right hand side, when the ocean side is on your left. You can try to peer outside, only till the time the blessed soul on the left doesn’t pull the curtains across.  So I was glued to my laptop sitcom collection for the 4:00 hr ride.

Roadstar-R had a good laugh at my cost, for I didn’t get to see the pacific all along, the wifi in the train was not working and the train was also delayed due to larger volume of passengers and longer stops.  Once he was done laughing he took me to see the sunset at Ventura pier (was by now aware of the American obsession with pier)
 

 

At Ventura I saw the ocean in all its moods- a calm sunset when I walked along listening and singing old Hindi songs. Another evening when the waters were at their restless best, it was overwhelming to see the water cave in before it rose into a huge wave and surged across. Then another afternoon in the small shipyard where I could have happily dozed off if not for the breeze and my constant talking. At Ventura the beach was more personal to the locals; there weren’t the typical tourists but regular people walking their dogs, playing with their kids, going out for a jog. There were the more ‘posh’ RV tourists who lazed around in their own foldable gears with iced beers around. Chronologically aforementioned afternoons and evenings were once I was back from SF and then again back from SD before leaving CA.

We started for SF early morning, Ventura to SF is close to 360 miles and we had our lunch waiting at a newlywed college couple’s place. No wedding gifts for them instead we almost got them to cancel their Vegas trip and join us for a road trip to Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon might have to wait a little more, because I am sure we made more than 3 aborted plans this time. For the evening and the next day, it was SF touring. I saw the golden bridge in the dark, in the afternoon and I happily opted to imagine it at sunrise! The city looked beautiful with Christmas lights and I had my fair share of them at all the major landmarks. The other attraction is the SF port with its multiple piers. It’s a delight walking along the bay front and watch all kinds of street performances. This place is also a culinary delight for sea food lovers (I could tell that from the smell I could barely stand!). However the city has food for every taste and i had my fill of Indian food with Thumbs up while reminiscing good old engg-college day. The brick apartment with fire escapes, the trams, the narrow lanes that dive and rise freakishly, the city has its own character- the ‘city of gays and gypsies’-my friends version who lived there. A popular quote for the city reads as "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.", the city has quirky weather, heterogeneous population, undercurrent of liberal and cultural activism- the city is alive!

The next destination was Lake Tahoe, we reached there because Roadstar-R believed in going where ever his ‘gaadi’ took him. The co-passengers didn’t complain, we alternatively dozed in the back seat and dutifully kept awake while on the front seat.

I guess I’m sleepy now to continue about Tahoe and the Pacific Coast Highway-PCH drive. I’ll continue tomorrow and may be ramble less!

A Journey A Day

I am clumsy with luggage; it always ends up weighing more than I can carry.

I was carrying footwear for the sun and the beaches, another pair for a quick stroll in the evening chill, another one to trek along slippery hill sides, a pair of heels for a fancy evening and just the one I needed now to walk in snow and drag this heavy load to my apartment. I am sure the snow underneath quickly worked out the math as I tried to wheel the bag across. 

I am clumsy with zippers; they take focused attention of both my eyes and hands to work their way. Put in a strong wind as well, with snowflakes in flight and a long knee length jacket. I put down my luggage, focus my entire being to the task in hand and yeah zip out the crazy wind.
Now to the next task in hand and make the trek to the apartment. Naah! it wasn’t going to be easy dragging my luggage in the snow; the wheels of the stroller were just piling up snow.
The flashy glazed paper bag, I was carrying thought this to be the opportune moment to come falling.
I balanced the stuff from the torn package on top of my stroller, lifted it and made my way to the apartment. I rested and looked around when I reached the steps of my apartment. Not a soul in sight, not a sound, no colors rebelling the serenity of white. I walked up the steps, after two shifts I finally stepped into my apartment. I smiled, as I answered the phone I was happy to be back to the nest after insane travelling for a month. 

I visited so many places that I cannot even rattle off their names in one breath. I saw new places, met with new people. I made this long trip banking on old friends and acquaintances. And I just realized that trusting old people in new places is a risky bargain. The world, the relationships as we know them are ironic; they hold both beauty and ugliness in equal measure.

The journey ‘timeline’ started with 15^th Dec 5:30am for 8:00am bus to Chicago, I was bound for Los Angeles. The actual travel hours would add up as Champaign to Chicago: 2:30hrs, Chicago airport via local transit train: 45mins, Chicago to Los Angeles: 4hrs, LA destination 1.5 hrs. in traffic.  However with my nervous nature to buffer in the time that I am wont to getting lost, I clumsily travelled for a day. Smiled and hugged an old lady who needed help with her luggage coming in the carousal. Big cities, lonely old people.

17^th Dec, Camarillo it was, the sprawling outlets and the multitudes that walked in and out the stores. Walking around in malls tires me, window shopping ain’t my taste and buying is beyond means for now. We drove to Malibu beach and pier. It was my second drive here, the mountainous route that alternatively conceals and reveals the Pacific Ocean. I was now familiar when to anticipate the ocean but the beauty betrays any signs of familiarity. We stayed till it was all dark when you could register the presence of the dark waters only in their stirrings.

18^th Dec, it was an early morning drive to Santa Barbara, for we wanted to drive back to San Diego in the evening. We left the waters in the dark only to revisit them in the morning. The sunshine snuggling comfortably in the wooden pier and lazy birds posing for the shutterbugs, you could almost feel time slowing down its pace a little. The quaint little place had a strong Spanish influence in the architecture. Everything around you confirms that all you need is lots of money to live in that picturesque place. And perhaps you will be all old and grey before you see that day!

On our way back to San Diego, we visited the Malibu temple and the LA Griffith observatory. Saw the LA city lights (you don’t show that to people who have seen Chicago skyline!) Late night drive back to San Diego.

Instead of counting the places and the dates when I visited different places in San Diego, I would rather put down just my general impression of the place. I loved the place. It was beautiful and within reach to afford a living. It had lots of different flavors to offer. The Hispanic influence comes across strongly, in the architecture, the language and the general vibe of life there. Topographically it is beautiful with the hills, lake, coves, ocean, beaches and the sun. Interestingly in that far flung place, I met a fellow pahari, who swore she could identify my native place seeing my face.

Post the San Diego leg, there is Christmas in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. New Year in LA & Ventura and then another short spell in Racine Wisconsin before I am back in Champaign. Calls for another blog post.