A Case Study in Customer Relationship Management - Ask Jet Airways !!!

Two weeks since I tapped a keyboard!! Two weeks since i answered a phone call on my mobile!! Two weeks since I left the chaos of urban life!! TWO WEEKS OF UNINTERRUPTED BLISS !!!!!!

I'm seriously considering the idea of working for a few more years and then, coming back here. To the mountains, to the snow, to alpine trees, to the warm hospitality of the Tibetans and Ladakhis, to a life that is so slow-paced that it makes you sit back and contemplate how niiice life can be and how dirty we've made it for ourselves !!!

The two weeks I've spent here amidst the people of Ladakh will always linger in my heart. Roshan, Rahul, Vikram and I had the most amazing joyride of our lives. Biking up to 18,500 feet on some of the narrowest passes in the world, rafting down giant rapids on the Zanskar River, camping by the Pangong Lake (now i know where the colour 'fuchusia' came from), speaking to Monks at the Thikse Monastery and most of all, trekking up a 6,100 Mts Mountain over four days and nights when the temperature was -7°C make me wonder if I really want to get back home.

Unfortunately, I cannot upload pictures or videos right now because broadband internet is a non-existent species here. I was supposed to have left for Delhi this morning and then, back to Bangalore, until Jet Airways decided to take me on a joy-ride of a different kind. They misunderstood my instructions to re-schedule my return tickets and cancelled it instead.

Now after a lot of angry exchange of words and some soft talk over butter tea, I've got tickets for 01 Oct. Vicky and Roshan already left this morning. Rahul and I will fly back together.

In the meantime, I thought I'll check out the Leh Palace, with extra time on my hands, but my trip up the hill to see the 17th Century palace is probably one of the biggest disappointments of this trip. The palace is more of a public toilet than anything else.

Signing out. Internet at 2 bucks a minute is pretty expensive, especially since i'm almost drained of all my money. All details of the trip, pics and videos on the way.

Cheers !!!!

I'm still in disbelief that the last week is already over. Just can't believe how quickly it went by. I hardly ever visited this blog or any other or caught up with friends for a small chat online or attempted any last minute R&D on Ladakh or it's weather. It's been a hectic week at work with one of my team members moving to another role and me having to double hat between his and mine. And am glad it's the weekend. My last chance to sit by myself and list out the things I need to do before leaving for Ladakh.

Things seem quite on track right now. But if everything's going well, then something HAS to be wrong somewhere. And so I got the news 5 days ago that Vikram's manager here decided to play a nasty prank on us by extending Vicky's stay in Riyadh by 4 more days. So, now his scheduled return has been postponed from the 07th to 11th Sep. Which leaves him with about 4 days only to prepare for Ladakh. When I saw Vicky's number blaring on my cellphone display I immediately knew that it HAD to be bad news. With a lump in my throat, I answered the call, and my fears were confirmed. But Roshan, Rahul and I are confident that he'll make it to India in time.

However, I just can't help but feel the "it can't get closer than this" factor - The weather's playing hide and seek in Ladakh and we'll be lucky if we don't lose time because of a landslide. We are leaving Bangalore on 16th, but no sign of Vicky in India YET. And he's traveling across the Arabian Sea, flying over the headquarters of AL-QAIDA ...... on 11th September (of all days).

Amen to that !!!

However, the weather seems to be looking great now and the prophecy that Sep is the friendliest month to visit Ladakh is slowly turning true. Or have I spoken too soon ??

Since Vicky’s still jacking off on top of a sand dune in the middle of the desert in the middle east, Rahul, Roshan and I decided to meet up this evening sans Vicky, to take a stock check of whatever little that needs to be prepared.

I’m excited. Expectant. Smiling. It’s going to be a joy-ride. Which reminds me, I watched Munnabhai - Lage Raho last night with Sumanth. It’s definitely better than the first part. And Vidya Balan has got to be the prettiest thing to have walked into Hindi cinema in a long time !!!!!!!

Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (Feb 22, 1962 – Sep 04, 2006)

"Because when they strike, it can be that quick that if they're within range, you're dead, you're dead in your tracks. And his head weighs more than my body so it's WHACK! ".

As I play this statement in my mind, I can hear exactly how Steve would have said it. With that thick twang of an Australian accent!!! And a sudden feeling of disbelief settles down on me. Steve Irwin's death this morning, after being fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while diving in Queensland's Barrier Reef, came as a shocker to me. It's not that I knew this man or shared any small history with him. But i've lost count of the number of hours I spent in front of the TV watching him catching and playing with crocodiles and alligators, like a small child would with mud or clay.

Steve was a true animal lover. To the hilt. His passion for conservation of natural habitat of animals is legendary. Check out this video in which he's bawling like a baby at the death of one the crocodiles he rescued.

"She was one of my best friends ...... i loved her like my wife.", he cries. I was moved. I feet wasted.

He lived for the animals and with the animals. He also died by them. I'm sure he that's how he would have liked to kick the bucket ..... amongst animals !!!!!

I take my baggy green off for Steve Irwin !!!

Bad weather ends play ?

I've spent the last hour trying to catch up on weather news on all possible TV channels in an effort to find out how accomodating it is in Manali-Leh Highway region and Ladakh. And the rains just don't seem to be giving up. The temperature is around 5°C in Manali. Which means, higher up in Rohtang La, it's going to be snowing. NDTV tells me that the flood situation in J&K is bad too. But the good news that i just got a from a fellow traveler contact, Yogesh Sarkar, is that Manali - Leh route is open. He's leaving tomorrow on his bike from Delhi to Leh and plans to be back in 19 days time.

I hope all the sh*t that the weather is dishing out right now gets over in a few days time. Like Vikram told me today, "We can be totally prepared ..... but sh*t can happen anytime, anyhow". If it continues to rain and snow in Ladakh and J&K the way it is right now, then we'll have to return with empty camera rolls and memories. And I'll drink myself silly and get admitted to an alcohol de-addiction hospital.

I'm seriously worried about the outcome of our journey now and am just praying!!!!! I don't want to go to Manali and realise I can't go any further. The monsoon has been very bratty this year. It usually pours cats, dogs, cows and camels in Bangalore during this time, but I don't remember when i saw rain clouds last in the sky here. And places in which rains are a rare guest have had more than their share this year. Gujarat bore the wrath of an angry monsoon a month ago. Rains also flooded the THAR (of all places!!!), and people had to be evacuated by the Indian Army. There is a critical flood situation in MP too and population is being evacuated to safety there even as I write this post.

I don't think I'll sleep well for the next few days!!!!!!

Not the Best Laid Plans yet !!!!

It’s the weekend and I’m sitting home, reading blogs after blogs and threads after threads of various travelers around the world. I’ve spent the last two hours reading Natasha Chanda Acharya’s blog “Manali Leh mega post!” on IndiaMike.com. It probably is the fullest and most comprehensive account of a road trip to Ladakh that I’ve come across in the last two months.

Another blog I’m checking out is that of Prashant Bharadwaj’s, who was in Ladakh for about 10 days last month with four friends. In fact, when he was feasting “on” Ladakh, I’d left him a message to get in touch with me after he returns so that I can pick his brains and extract as much of information as possible. Which I did!!!! It looks like he’s had an absolute blast, which is unquestionable if you see some of the pics they’ve captured.

Initially, when we started planning the Ladakh thing, we had specific questions in mind, some of which are unanswered even today. Most of the generic websites which dish out realms and realms of web pages of information, mostly cater to the USD traveler. Plus, lack of actual information about road travel in Ladakh, coupled with its unpredictable weather, were other mood dampener’s.

Because of that, we decided that we’ll just book the air and bus tickets from BLORE – DELHI – LEH – DELHI – BLORE. Everything else will be decided once we actually land there with our bags, is what we thought. But after reading through so much travel literature today, I’m suddenly beginning to wonder if we are adopting the right approach. Natasha’s travelogue has now given me a fair idea of what we can do once we get there. As has Prashant’s.

So tentatively, this is what the first few days of trip will look like:

16th Sep, 2006 (Saturday) – Depart from Bangalore to New Delhi by air. Rahul and I will be reaching Delhi in the afternoon, while Vikram and Roshan will join us a couple of hours later.

16th Sep, 2006 (Saturday): 2000Hrs – Depart from Delhi for Manali by HPTDC Volvo bus. The 570Kms – 16Hrs journey will be a trying one, especially since we’ll have to immediately start another road trip the moment we reach Manali.

17th Sep, 2006 (Sunday) – Reach Manali by afternoon. Immediately hire a Scorpio from a tour operator who Prasant referred me to and leave for Leh – 478kms away approximately.

17th Sep, 2006 (Sunday) – 2100Hrs – Reach Keylang, which is 110kms from Manali, and camp for the night. Yet to make bookings.

18th Sep, 2006 (Monday) – Leave early in the morning by around 0600Hrs for Leh via Rohtang, Barlacha La, Sarchu, Tanglang La, Rumtse, Upshi, Karu and Thikse. Apparently, this journey is “Spectacular!!! There is desert, not just barren rock face, but actual sand (stone chips mixed with river silt)…. green pasture ground, beyond which are rock faced mountains capped with snow. So in one frame, you have it all: sand dunes, river, grassland, and snow peaked mountains.” I can’t stop shaking my head in disbelief. Just pronouncing the names of these villages gives me immense joy. Reach Leh by 1900-2000 Hrs. Check into Hotel.

19th Sep, 2006 (Tuesday) – ‘Acclimatisation’ at Leh is a common moot point that I’ve stumbled upon on most blogs. Most travelers advise that at least a day and a half should be spent in Leh city or surrounding areas, without too much physical activity, in order to get used to the altitude. So, the day will probably be spent visiting Hemis Monastery and the Leh Palace. Will also grab Inner Line Permits from the DC’s office for the four of us.


20th Sep, 2006 (Wednesday) – Hire motorbikes (around Rs 600-650 per bike per day, exclusive of fuel). Drive up from Leh to Nubra Valley – 130kms approximately. Apparently one of the most beautiful drives/rides in the world. Travel from Leh to Khardung La – around 50kms and Khardung La to Hunder – around 80kms. Khardung La is supposedly the highest motorable pass in the world at an altitude of 5,359Mt/17,583feet. Camp the night at Nubra.

21st Sep, 2006 (Thursday) – Return to Leh casually, spending generous amount of time on the way back clicking photographs and shooting videos. Crash at the hotel for some amount of rest.

22nd Sep, 2006 (Friday) – Leh to Pangong & back – approximately 260kms (Cost around – Rs. 1,250 per head). From what I’ve read over the last 2 months, the 130 km trip to Pangong Lake is another incredible experience, filled with delicious sights.

23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 September, 2006 – 6 Days on hand to do a trek into the Markha valley and/or Raft in the Indus or Zanskar (BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!) Haven’t planned how yet because of lack of information about the costs. Will figure out once we land there.

29th September, 2006 – In and around Leh. A local festival ??? Or a day spent in my own solitude sitting in the Hemis Monastery, perhaps !!!

30th September, 2006 – Vikram and Roshan have had their orgasm and will bid adieu to Ladakh. Roshan has to be back at work on 01 Oct, 06. Rahul and I have decided to stay on for a couple of days more. Haven’t planned what we’ll do yet.

That makes for a great itinerary, doesn’t it !!!!!! ;) Karishma tends to get irritated with me when I talk to her about Ladakh and all the planning that we are putting into it. She immediately digresses from the topic to elaborate about a holiday of her own that she plans to do sometime in the future. I can smell the jealousy reeking out of her!!!! Here’s one little picture of us!!! More postings on the way!!!

In silent anticipation of unfelt happiness – Chapter II ???

When we dream in our sleep, sometimes the dream tends to get stuck at a point. It just refuses to move ahead and loops over and over again like a broken record. It’s a Herculean effort to get over that unknown obstacle and complete the dream. And more often than not, we just can’t. I tried my hardest to get the raft off the banks of Zanskar River but I just could-f***in-not. In fact, the more I tried, the slower my movements became and my life-long dream to river raft in The Zanskar was slowly becoming just that – a dream. A quick shake of the body, a little scratching of the head, and I was awake. Dehydrated, I realized, from the excessive amount of beer I’d had four hours ago at La Casa with Sumanth, Dumpy, Rahul and Amogh. Going back to sleep after that wasn’t easy because my thoughts kept going back to the banks of the Zanskar.

14 days to go before the quest to Ladakh begins, and I can’t wait. None of us can. We still haven’t taken a stock check of what we will be carrying with us. A lot depends on the weather there. And a lot of blogs tell me planning the clothes to carry is best left a week before the trip because the weather in Ladakh can be a can of surprises.

Latest weather reports on CNN.com inform me that it’s raining right now in Ladakh, with the temperature hovering between 16°C (60°F) and 4°C (39°F). And maybe even as low as 3°C in Leh. Now, that’s a worry factor because about three weeks ago, heavy rains caused the rivers to flood there and a lot of population had to be evacuated by the Indian Army. We’re just hoping we don’t land in a situation in which we’ll have to swim up 500kms from Manali to Leh. I just posted a thread on IndiaMike.com asking for more information about the weather.

On a brighter note, from what I’ve gathered from people who’ve traveled to Ladakh, September is usually a merciful period to visit. I’m waiting to get my eyes on the palaces of Leh and Stok. In the east of Leh lies the Hemis Monastery and some of it’s pictures that I’ve managed to see are absolute syrup!!!! Spending a day at the Rumtek Monastery near Gangtok, last year, was an indescribable experience, especially during the time the head priest and the monks began their daily “puja” and I can’t wait for my next “Monastery Affair”.

I’m hoping we’ll manage to catch a local festival during the two weeks we spend there. The sad part is that the best of festivals are already over. The Hemis festival happens in June-July and we’ve missed the “Ladakh” Festival by about two weeks.

But hell ….. if there’s one thing I’m itching for, it’s the rafting. I can almost smell the rapids. As I’ll struggle to steer the raft over a devilish and menacing Grade IV rapid with my team and I’ll feel the ice cold water of the Indus or Zanskar piercing through my numb skin like little splinters of metal, I’ll know that THAT’S IT. The Climax. The ORGASM!!!!!!!

Cheers!!

In silent anticipation of unfelt Happiness

It all started last year, when my cousin Rahul and I finally decided to take off for 10 days to Sikkim. And that was it. The addiction had begun to set in. After coming back from Sikkim, we just never stopped talking about Yumthang or Yumsongdong or the monks and the people we met there. Which is why decided to visit a Buddhist place again. There's really something mystic about the people there. They follow a very simple life. Life IS peace, peace IS life!!!!!

The temptation to return to Yumsongdong in North Sikkim, to camp by the Teestha River for a week was overwhelming, but after much mooting and deliberation, we decided that exploring a new place was the smarter choice. Tibet seemed like an expensive proposition, and the Everest Base Camp was way beyond our reach - physically and monetarily again. So, the next best place we could think of going to was - Little Tibet.

I've always been hearing and seeing so much of Ladakh on TV and newspapers and magazines, I'm surprised why I didn't think of going there before. In fact, the fact that an uncle of mine has been working in Leh for the last 2 years never even occurred to me.

We started casually toying with the idea of heading up north to the peak of Stok Kangri in Ladakh about four months ago. But neither of us really knew when we’d go. The first nail of seriousness was hammered in when Rahul called me one evening and told me he’d booked unchecked fares flight tickets to Leh from New Delhi for about Rs.3,000.

That set things rolling. If Rahul hadn’t booked those tickets, we might actually never have done this thing seriously. I immediately booked my tickets on the Del-Leh-Del sector too. The other things, we’d plan later we thought.

The weekly sessions between Rahul and me, over a plate of french fries and 2 Kingfishers at Denny's, would always centre around our next step – what do we do there? Trekking up Mt.Stok Kangri sadly was ruled out. The 21,000Ft/6,120 M summit was just a mirage. We were neither fit enough nor experienced in trekking or mountaineering to undertake the trek. And the usual compulsions of a heavy work-life left us with little time to actually buy some time to train for the trek.

Around the time when we were still googling around for information on Ladakh and rafting in Zanskar Valley, a very dear and long-lost friend of mine called Vikram, whom I’d last seen in school 15 years ago, got back in touch with me through Orkut. Turns out he loves the hills too. He expressed his desire to join Rahul and me to Ladakh. And that infused fresh blood into Project Ladakh.

Now, after close to two months of R&D on Ladakh, lots of international conference calls between Rahul, Vikram (who’s in Riyadh currently on a work-related project), Roshan (Vikram’s childhood friend who’ll be the fourth member to complete the quartet travelling to Ladakh) and me, things have assumed a certain shape.

We will be flying out of Bangalore to New Delhi on the 16th of September, 2006 by different flights, gathering together at Delhi airport, and departing to Manali by bus the same evening. By next afternoon, we’ll be in Manali. And after a short break, we’ll jump on the next Jeep we can manage to hire, and be off to El Dorado – Leh.

Well, that’s the plan …… that’s the plan!!!!!!!!!

In the middle of all the planning and expectancy, I was just informed by Rahul that Oracle India Corporation will be laying of a sweet little chunk of it's workforce this weekend. And Rahul has the privelege of being one of the chosen ones. He tells me he feels like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix and wants to now try flying off the roof of a building. That calls for a party - Kaadis outside Beef Market, Shivajinagar (Estd. 1924) with onions and lemons + two bottles of KF Premium = Rs.160 (inclusive of all taxes). KICK ASS !!! Closest I can get to Ladakh until i actually get there.

For a while I was a little taken aback by the news. While the thought of Rahul having to look for new employment tickled me uncomfortably, the prospect of him not participating in the Ladakh trip weighed down heavily on my mind, because we are just 2 weeks away from it.

However, all my fears were dispelled by the man himself - "Lay-off or Lay-on, I'm going to Leh-off to get Leh-ed" is what he said. Apparently his colleagues were all logging into naukri.com and monsterindia.com after news of the lay-off broke out. Rahul continued to post a new thread on IndiaMike.com. I'm breathing a little easily now.

Another reason of concern for me is the arrival of Vikram from Riyadh after his project completion. He was supposed to be here a month ago but he's put it off till 6th Sep. That's a little too close for comfort. But Roshan tells me there's nothing to be worried about, that Vikram will be here, and the four us will definitely taste ecstasy this September. I'm continuing to sharpen my knives nonetheless.

Will keep you posted.