Doctors as Travellers

Like the most other thoughts, even this one originated from the bathroom!

All of us were inspired by Ranbir Kapoor in YJHD, and must have had a thought of roaming around the world, traveling to the must - see places around the globe. Who wouldn't want such a kind of life.

Given a chance, even I would have chosen that. The travel show hosts, air hostesses, pilots, Navy ship merchants, globe trekkers, adventurers, even monks did that matter! are the people who get to visit the maximum number of new places. An addition that I'll make to this list is a doctor.

The essence of traveling isn't just taking photos of those places and uploading to social media. You may very well use Google Earth and Google 360 for that.

The true essence of travel lies in connecting with the place and the people,  knowing their culture and traditions, understanding their way of life. And who else can achieve all of this, better than a doctor?

Few weeks ago I was walking through the corridor of the old building when this young chap with huge spectacles, unkept Hair, checked shirt and a loose formal pant approached me asking where is the radiology department. I just decided to take him there rather than just give the directions. On the way I happened to ask him what does he do and where is he from. "I'm doing MA in Hindi from Ruia" was his reply. And then we ended up talking animatedly about Mr Premchand and I told him whatever little I had learnt about him in school.

Such instances, I m surprised, are engraved in my mind...given the fact that I don't even remember birthdays of my friends.

Looking forward to meeting more interesting people in my life. Looking forward to being a good doctor and Traveller.

Trip to Pune

    I'm forced to recollect those days of exams, as I write this blog. Those were the days when each student would stop wasting even a single minute and keep studying (or "begin" studying for that matter).  While studying, my mind would drift start thinking of vacations that would soon ensue. So I noted the things that I would do in vacations. 

   So here was my first big plan of my vacation. The trip to Pune. All the memories are still flashing vividly in my mind as I contemplate the beauty of the mountains which I see passing by, during my journey back to mumbaaaaaai!

   The fun began from the CST station itself! Being an impromtu plan I had to travel by general compartment, without reservation. I met Ronak at CST in the morning at 6.30 am, three days after the summer solstice of 2014. As we reached the platform the train came. And with it began the mad tussle for the seats. The doors were locked from inside as the train approached. Ronak spotted an emergency window, pulled it up and we threw ourselves inside the compartment, with a feeling of victory we opened the door for others and secured our seats. There was no getting up from that moment on if we wanted our seats. So the journey was spent mainly by chatting, watching an episode of GoT and consuming the scenery of lonawala.

   Ajinkya came to pick us at the Pune Station. Had brunch at vaishali. Ate at ajinkya's place again! That was my first experience of a perfect marathi lunch. It was too good.  "What have you travelled, if you haven't even tasted that region's speciality".

   In the evening we played poker and pictionary at spruha's place. That board game was super fun. Aim of the game is to try to tell your partner the name that you get by picking a card. That brings out the insane creature in you. The dinner was outside. I saw the football match with them, though I am no fan of football! 

   Next day we went to a water park. Water park by itself was no fun, but our crazy and stupid things made it memorable. Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe of Pune. These were a few things where Pune is better than aamchi mumbai. :( . Time just flew by while playing it again. 

   Next morning was the last day. I'm happy we did something productive as well as fun on the last day.We visited Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Saw CT-MRI, saw a live surgery, PCR machine, ICU and so many more things. 

   Here I'm, going home with a handful of enjoyment and a pinch of new knowledge. 

The Pune railway station 

CST station while leaving from mumbai 

PUNE, BRTS

During journey

Mahabaleshwar trip

    There do come times where you stand at a crossroad and need to select between two things, and according to you both are correct. "Just like- whom do you want? Mother or father."     Or there are times where you need to attend two things at two different places at the same time! And you wish, if you could not miss any! The same thing happened with me. 

   College Friends planned a two-day trip to mahabaleshwar, Sunday and Monday ( yeah bunking college ) And I had to attend a family function on Sunday. So it was a 'this-or-that' situation for me.

   It's Sunday morning. I check my mobile. See status updates of friends and find that they have left for mahabaleshwar. As planned, I went with my family. I would have missed the first day of mahabaleshwar and would have regretted had it not been for the sumptuous food that I had that day and those crazy hours of garba. 

   The function was over and I packed for the trip. Reached an hour before the time of arrival of the bus. I had booked a seat (or should I say a bed) in a Neeta Volvo. It picked me up at 10pm. And I left on my journey to mahabaleshwar, alone. 

   In the bus, I found a 9th std school student as my co-traveller. He was going back to boarding school after the winter vacation. I slept all the way, something which I boasted a lot about when I reached there :p. 

    "Last stop, last stop", the cry woke me up from my sleep. I stepped down. And saw a crowd of taxi men waiting for passengers. One of them asked me- booking hai? Booking hai? Not knowing what to Answer- I nodded. I told him the hotel name. He quoted the price. Bloody ₹100 for one km!!!!!

   I just asked him the direction. And started walking. Checked it out on google maps and reached there in 8 min. I made another good decision by not taking a cab. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to wander there. Inhale it's beauty. And feel its peace. A local lady then showed me the exact way to the hotel. She was friendly and welcoming. 

    When about 70-80% distance was completed, I heard namaaz echoing around. I looked around. And then looked up. What I saw, I won't be able to describe with mere letters. The combination of twinkling stars and soothing prayers stole my anxiety. I reached the hotel.

   Saw a friend sleeping, the door was open! I wondered- Why did they not shut the door before sleeping! But I thanked them later for keeping the room open. After a few zzzz's in his room, it was about 7am. I went out in the garden and soaked a little sunrise in. Good, but not as awesome as the view past night. Next hour I spent waking everyone up. And listening to their experiences of Sunday. Later I came to know, that the door was open as they had slept only an hour ago, ie at 4am!

    After checking out from the hotel, I spent the rest of the day like an ordinary traveller. Visited pratapgad fort. And returned home at midnight. 

    How much ever beautiful the fort was, or how much ever fun we had in the bus while returning back. Nothing can match the view of stars with namaaz in background.

    Travelling in its true spirit is tasting the lives of the locals. Talking and interacting with them. Living their lives for a day. And I lived the true spirit, though for those 8 mins! They were the best moments of the trip. 

Paris- a heaven for a tourist

these are the pics of my first trip to France...i again wanna visit Paris soon.......