now that i am back to working full time after a gap of seven months, the travelling routine has started in full flow. i have already been to ahmedabad, bharuch, mumbai, aurangabad, baroda, and all this in less than 15 days. i am so used to sleep/doze in buses, trains and planes, and even autos/cabs sometimes, that i am thinking of constructing a bed that shakes constantly, to give me peaceful sleep.

matters went a bit out of hand, when i happily  suggested to aarti recently, that when she gets me my morning cup of tea, she should also shout "chai garaaaaaaaam"! she promised me a 'belan' in the head, early in the morning, free with my cup of tea!

travelling by road has refreshed my old pastime, that of reading the funny phrases painted on the rear of the truck. i remember them and havent noted them down anywhere.... just now while i was returning from bharuch, a truck overtook us, and written behind, in addition to the usual 'horn ok please' was "bataao...kab miloge?". and i will never understand whats meant by 'horn ok please'...are we supposed to blow the horn and tell the truck driver that our horn is ok? or is he telling us that his horn is ok? forever confusing!!!

once in mumbai, saw the blue milk van, painted in red on the rear was " phir wohi doodh layaa hoon! "  my sudden bursting into laughter even jolted the cab driver. another truck just said "preetam aur pappu FATAFAT" god knows what that meant! and heres a gem i remember i saw on the outskirts of ambala, " makki di roti te sarson da saag....ludhiana se truck lekar door door tak bhaag", sikhs are known for their ingenuity always!

for those who all the time envy others, heres a classic, i remember it was during my visit to north maharashtra university, jalgaon, as i also remember mentioning it to one of the lecturers over there who was our client. i have never read a comment more stinging than this one..." buri nazar waale tu sau saal jiye......aur tere bachche tera khoon piye!!!"

when you read such a variety of comments, we realise that us indians really know how inject a bit of color into our routine daily lives...

a sardarji must be a music lover sure, as his truck proclaimed in bold " TRUCK DHINA DHIN"!