First look at Cincinnati

It all happened suddenly. It was only a week before that I was enjoying the time at going through the same routine of traveling on Hosur Road, morning and evening, in that traffic and thought it was the way of life now, for some time to come. Then there was always my parents and home food to look forward to when I was at home. I soon had to leave all that back for a new experience of my life.
I had to travel to Cincinnati over some project assignment and hence left the shores of India for the first time. I was very nervous, apprehensive about living alone and about the immigration process really. I hadn't any time to be completely mentally prepared for this.
Even at the airport, i was having that odd feeling. Nervousness overshadowed the expectancy and the excitement. For a not so frequent traveler in planes, the visiting of 3 airports in a day was way too unusual.
Most of the things looked new and I was visiting the Bangalore International Airport for the first time, and was happy to see that it did not deserve all the bashing people were giving it till now.
I fell in love with the Paris airport. I wondered the beauty of Paris City by just looking at the airport.
I landed in the Cincinnati airport, all left alone and no one to turn to for guidance. My manager did not sound too responsive when I spoke to him from India. I took a taxi and went to the accommodation. Snow covered all over the place and roads that were too empty.
Either the roads were big and wide or there were no people around at all. I mean imagine me traveling on Hosur road the day before with buses almost abutted to each other and here one vehicle might pass yours in every 2 minutes.
It has been a week now here at Cincinnati. Work has not got into the 4th gear yet. I could not eat Pizzas daily at office. That was the only Veg option available there. I started cooking my lunch as well. Me and my roomie have had some amazing food though.
The manager who was so unresponsive when spoken from India was more than helpful when we met and spoke here. The first day I went to the office, they took me to a nice Indian restaurant named 'Ammas Kitchen'. The food is just awesome there. Ive already gone there twice till now.
Ive cooked some amazing food here myself. Cooked Vegitable sabji a few times. First time the amount of salt was less but then on it has come out good. I cooked Pulav,Sambar and Dal for the first time. Pulav was just awesome, Dal and Sambar was good. Well all I can say is that ill surely become a good cook here. Im just loving the experience.
The weather is too unpredictable and fluctuating here. It is cold tough. I never thought I would say 0 degree Celsius is manageable and not cold some day in my life. I had probably experienced 0 C a couple of time earlier and that was too cold for me. my hands all paining and the face turning all numb. But now 0 C is really manageable when compared to -12, -8 C. The worst part is people say here that Officially the winter in US starts today, the 21st Dec. What can i say, Ill have to get though -20 C is what they told. no way out. When i look out of my window now as i write and see sunlight. With what ive seen this last couple of weeks, sunlight surely means another snowfall later in the day.
Well will share all the other experiences of my travel and stay later. It would continue probably till the excitement dies down.
Well you can have a look at the snaps here

Chao

Hyderabad Tour Dairy

I had been to hyderabad for a weekend of Nov 29 and 30. I dint have time to share it with you, so im writing about it now.
I had a few very sorrow moments and had the chance to see one of the most sacred ceremonies of my very good friend. All this was happening so fast that I had a tough time catching up to the moment.
Me and Vijay had decided to attend my friends wedding in Hyderabad and we were so close to missing it out. It was that kinda week and friday of the Nov 28. Cant forget that Friday for some time to come.
I had loads of work and formalities related to my US travel yet to do and pressure was mounting on me to finish the formalities at the earliest. By the way im in the US right now.
Then had some urgent work and so had to go out of office and had to travel by bus for that. Came back to office at 3 finished some sort of formalities and then headed to the bus stand by 4:15. Vijay on the other hand had soo many meeting that now he was doubtful of making it to HYD. Then by 4:40 we reached the bus stand and somehow I asked the bus driver to wait as Vijay was still running todards the bus. He made it finally.
The best thing that happened was that my US traveling date got fixed for Dec 6th. This date enabled me to attend my friends wedding. Im sooo happy for that.
I had been to Hyderabad to attend my very good friends wedding. Reached HYD a day earlier so had time to visit some known places in HYD. Visited the Sailar Jung museum, Char Minar and of course had a small walk around the Hussain Sagar Lake. Then it was time next day to attend the wedding. Had loads of fun. Met few friends and then just to be part of this amazing experience for my friend and to be part of their happiness was a very happy experience.
The first day, we had been to the Sailar Jung museum which took a lot of time and walking. The museum was truly amazing. Royalty and more royalty all around. Almost had to do away with my camera. Luckily I reached in time to reclaim my darling camera.
I had been to HYD earlier once but dint have time at all to look at the city and this time since I had the time, i coudnt have missed the Char Minar. I convinced Vijay that i had to see it and then we headed straight to Char Minar. It is a beautiful structure. Nice architecture of the old times right in the middle of the road. We reached slightly after 5:30 so could not get into the gate and climb the stairs and get the view from the top of the Char Minar. So had to contend ourselves with the outside view. Tried taking snaps from all different angles. Then we reached the Jamma Masjid side of the Char Minar. The Jamma Masjid is such a huge masjid and amazing place of worship. It symbolizes Islam in a way. What a beauty. Then i got a crazy Idea. To get the snap of the Char Minar, I walked right to the middle of the road and started clicking the snaps of the Char Minar trying to get the complete Char Minar in the frame. Luckily i got some of those and then it was time for some more crazyness. Me and Vijay then went to the middle of the road and started taking snaps of us with the Char Minar in the back ground. All the vehicles of HYD were passing within a few centimeters of us. That was an Experience.

Here are some snaps of that crazy photography session in the middle of the road...

The marvelous Jamma Masjid

Me and Vijay in the middle of the road... I like the effects of vehicles passing just beside us

After his we just went to a Mall named I Max. We heard it as I BEX from people when we inquired where we could find a mall. Even the auto driver took us to I MAX when we told him I BEX. After some time in the Mall we walked around the Hussain Sagar lake for some time. What a huge lake... It just looks amazing. The Buddha Statue in the middle of the lake is awesome. Cant believe they had to let such a great statue be submerged inside the water for so many years. Also i was dissapointed not to have been to the Hussain Sagar lake duing the daytime due to want of time. Cos i couldnt get a decent snap of such a wornderful lake. We headed home after that and the next day was the wedding day.
We reached the wedding hall on time according to the muhurtam, but realized that we were the very first few guests present there apart from the families of the bride and the groom. Then some other friends came and we had such a wonderful time. I was overjoyed to be there at that time for the wedding and then had to say goodbye to HYD cos we had a bus to catch. We left HYD with many happy memories.
Well i almost forgot...
The last time I visited HYD it was in April and it was sooo hot that it was some what unbearable. This time it was end of november, so we dint expect it to be hot anyways, but then it turned out to be raining in HYD at that time. Luckily I had carried my umbrella and Vijay well dint have one. So when he actually bought one, it never rained when we were on the roads... Well it always happens like this...
Will cherish this Hyderabad trip...