Through a haze

Snippet 1:  The Microsoft R&D offices in the Financial District of Hyderabad are the epitome of modernity and the symbol of the city’s cyber-corporate ambitions. Having reached early I was welcomed in by an HR representative of the company and was shown through the halls which were dotted with comfortable couches and seating spaces to the mammoth cafeteria which resembled the mini food court of a shopping mall. After taking trays full of food we made our way through yet more open workspaces and common chill out areas that sported foosball tables, carom tables and ping-pong tables. Also noticed, numerous coffee stations equipped with soft drink machines, coffee and tea dispensing machines, candy and noodles and of course....a microwave. Later, ensconced in her room, which had a fabulous view chatting over breakfast the HR lady told me that the company employs the best software brains of the country and does not blink while providing them handsome pay packages and numerous be...

For a person who likes to travel, it is a great opportunity to be allowed on a day's work to a different city. The whole experience of boarding an early morning flight and reaching a new airport and city might be anathema to some, but to me it is sheer joy. I cannot vouch whether this enthusiasm will remain if I am sent to the same place numerous times or if I'll be as relaxed as I am now if I have something intimidating (like a presentation clad in a saree) to do....but hey analyses apart....this post is not about pessimistic possibilties. The bonus on this trip is the fact that I have literally nothing to do. Doing just one fifth of the total work I do on a given workday at office, it seems as though I will have three hours to explore the city by myself. The opportunity is so unexpected and so exhilerating that I am finding it difficult to plan what to do for those few hours. Should I make my way to a famous minaret or should I head to the huge serene lake that I remember ...

Snippet 1 On the lookout for the famous eatery Martin’s we prowled around the dark by-lanes of Goa on a Saturday evening ...eight women divided into two cars. Ours was the pilot car since I was the one who had called Martin’s ahead of time and booked a table for dinner at 8:30. The man who spoke to me over the phone assured me he would give me directions once I reached a specific area. As agreed I called him when our cars had reached Margao but weirdly enough he could not for the life of him understand which location we were calling from. The directions that followed were hilarious to say the least.... I was asked to go straight ahead and take a right turn at the junction where a road map was pasted on a signboard....go straight ahead till you reach a chicken shop (he said!) and then take a right after the shop and keep going till you reach a railway track....cross the tracks and head straight till you reach a church and then take a left........ after that....get this....ASK SOMEONE...