Vacations! Unwind yourself
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But when the tough get going, they need a timeout once the tough times are over! Lol. At least that’s the theory I follow. When the work gets on my nerves, I just hold back emotions to complete it within time. Once its wrapped and done. I look forward to a nice little vacation.
Vacations can be amazing stress busters, if spent in the right way. Hey, spending all those hours on the couch, can also get on your nerves and play tricks with your mind. Vacations to me are outdoor. I really look forward to island vacation packages . The idea of staying in a place surrounded on all fours by water, is really nice, as it gives you an isolated feeling from the dreadful city life! One can always visit the beaches on the island and bask under the sun to chill out. Of course, if one can add Cruises to that list of island vacations, it would be a cherry on the icing! Outdoor vacations really help a person unwind and stretch out. The thoughts of the cuddled posture in your cushioned seat at your office cubicle vanish like fumes from an acid factory, and the serene and calm blue waters engulf you mind with peace. You find that the food suddenly tastes great, though it doesn’t taste much different from what you get to eat when you work as well. Its all the experience, that matters. Yes, we do know that such pleasure would be short lived, and you would have to report back to your boss in a weeks time, but if one can relish his vacation, it would help in changing his mood for even a month at work, sometimes. After all, a healthy mood is the yardstick to good performance at work!
Learning at Vacations
‘Its appalls me as to how the youth waster their time during vacations!’ , my dad exclaimed. He recruits people for his company and this was one of woes. He made it a point to ask the candidates this question as to how they spent their vacations. I did not find a point in that question initially. But later on, it made sense. The job scene currently is such that the prospective candidates need to be on the lookout for acquiring knowledge in their field in their free time or vacations. Hence, if my dad received an answer like ‘I slept around, hung out with friends.’ He did not consider their name another time. It was simple. I you joined the company; you had to slog around for them for most of the time. Of course, you did receive the benefits such as all expense paid vacation packages from the company and so on, but that was after you joined them. Before that, your vacations were meant to be productive. It might hit one hard, as to how they can be expected to slog during vacations, rather than killing time with friends, boozing in hotels and bars. The companies needed an assurance before recruiting you that you would adhere to their emergency needs, if required in the holidays as well. It showed your commitment level to your job. If you were one who loitered around aimlessly in your vacations, then, the company would equate your behavior to something similar even after joining them. Some of them obviously bluffed through this question giving lofty answers, but nonetheless, they failed to deliver when required and eventually found their way out of their jobs. If one could promise change to the recruiters, as to slogging hard for them, that served as a sort of warranty for your performance. If you could back up that promise with performance, it was all that mattered!
It won’t cost you much
I am a miser. I really am one. The very thought of splurging money hits me like a shot in the arm. Hence, I do my best to save it up. Examples? I use the bus, in place of the taxi. Trains, where flights could do the trick, thrice as fast, but for twice the cost. Takeaways from cheap hotels (as in restaurants), rather than dining at expensive eat outs. My mantra so far had been simple, spend less and save more. You never knew when the money could come in handy. I relished saving every penny.
Last week, I caught up with one of my old pals. He was also in job, paying him something similar to mine. ‘Hey! Let’s get a drink man!’ He dragged me along into a bar, and we took a bottle of beer each. As we eased ourselves into a conversation, I decided to let out some air, by telling him one of my problems, asking for a solution. ‘See, the thing is, err…
I need to go out of the city for a couple of days, for some personal work. I cannot use the bus, as I will need a transport at my disposal, at any time, for these 2 days.’ My friend sipping into his green tinged bottle, swallowed a mouthful of beer, cleared his throat, and then spoke, ‘Go ahead and rent a car dude!’ I looked at him, perplexed, but before I could make a statement, he spoke up again. ‘See, it really won’t cost you much. I can do it for you. I have some great contacts offering good prices for this service.’ I gave in, and entrusted him with the task. However, when the moment of truth arrived, I had a mild heart attack, looking at the whopping bill placed before me for my sign and credit card.
I need a goddamn break!
Now this incident might startle those who have not experienced high pressure at work. But for those, who have, it might be something which they had always wanted to do, but feared the inevitable. It was a Friday evening. I was shuffling through my emails. One of my colleagues dropped in to tell me the boss wanted to see me right away. I took off from my cabin to see him. The webpage open in my workstation was on vacation travel packages and a simultaneous search for hotels. It had been a long year, and I had not taken a break for quite some time now. I moved into my boss’s cabin. He offered me a smile and a seat. I took it with the nervousness of what was to come. Smiles from bosses mean 2 things. Either they were delighted with you performance, which meant, you being assigned to lead a project, which inversely mean more burden and goodbyes to those proposed vacation plans. The other meaning of the smile was sarcasm. It was like this calm before the storm. Start with a smile, and make it a howler, leaving you mentally disturbed.
As I kept calculating the possibility of each of these meanings for the wry smile I had received, my boss spoke, ‘Um. We need you to work on some of these core files. They need a re-assessment. Please add this to your work.’ I smiled back. Probably a faint way of saying ‘No Thanks. I have other plans.’ It did not take me more than a couple of seconds to walk out of the cabin. I moved into my cubicle to see that the system network had hung, which meant I had to wait for a good hour, till it returned. At this moment, I yelled my heart out ‘I need a goddamn break!!!’
Flying for the first time
This blog might sound as childish as it is titled. But, it was something I had to write about. My first flight. I hail from a middle class background, and flights in India are not particularly a necessity. People do with trains as well. Though they take much more time than flights, but cost less than half the price of a flight ticket.
Hence, when I got into a law school, far away from home, it was almost certain I would fly at least one in my 5 years, in the process, of shuttling between home and law school. ‘The prices of flight tickets are pretty high.’ Dad exclaimed on looking at a website, where online booking was possible for flights. ‘It’s ok dad. I will use the train. No hurry to get to college.’ In India, there was nothing called ‘ cheap airline tickets ’. It was either a costly one, or a less-costly one! At least, this was the situation with the upper middle class. Months went by, and life moved on. I was back at home for another vacation. Internships and projects followed, which I promptly completed at home. So came another time to book tickets. I hadn’t been keeping track of flights for a while. All I knew was that there was a major slash of taxes on flight companies. As my dad sat down to book for my train, I spoke, ‘Can you check the flight fares? I think they have dropped.’ Dad typed out the website address he had checked a few months ago. His eyes nearly popped out. Flights had indeed become cheap, and I mean really ‘cheap’. They quoted only a few hundreds more than the usual train fare I was charged. Dad booked the flight without a second thought. It may the first of many flights; I would take, to come. But the first one will always be special to me!
Alright, you can fly this once!
Passing out of school can be tough in many ways. First of all, you make a big step by parting with your friends. Then, there are tedious competitive exams. In my case, it happened to be giving the law entrance exams. Now, there were hardly any premier law schools in around my city. Now, by in and around, I mean within a reach of 500 kilometers. But hey, what the heck! My parents were willing to send me any distance away to get the best education. Hence, I attempted the exams after all those nights of pouring over books, study materials and guides. Finally, when the D day came, it came to me as a shock that I was going to shipped off to a place a couple of thousand kilometers away.
After all the hugs and kisses, I was finally off with dad to my new abode for the next 5 years. The train journey can get on your nerves, as it takes a little over 40 hours to reach this city from my hometown. As we got off, all I needed was a nice comfortable bed to hit into and all the time in the world.
Later that day, after completing all the formalities and procedures for enrolling in the course, we checked into our hotel rooms , squeezed out of every ounce of energy from our body. What more , to add to the woes of the day, was a sarcastically delightful news that our return tickets were at disarray. The ticket was listed waiting, and it looked pretty certain, not to make way. My dad logged on to the internet from his laptop, thought over it for a second. Flights were an expensive affair for us. He finished tapping the keypad, shut the screen, turned to me, smiled and said, ‘Alright! You can fly this once!’
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Last night, I watched a movie of the 80’s. I had developed an interest for Steve Martin’s comedies. Hence, while sifting through his biography, I came across this film called ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’, starring Steve Martin and John Candy. I must admit it is one of the best laughs I have had in a long time!
Last night, I watched a movie of the 80’s. I had developed an interest for Steve Martin’s comedies. Hence, while sifting through his biography, I came across this film called ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’, starring Steve Martin and John Candy. I must admit it is one of the best laughs I have had in a long time!
The movie revolves around the experiences of an affluent business executive, Neal Page (Martin) and a shower curtain rings salesman, Del Griffith (John Candy). One belongs to the affluent society whilst the other, a common civilian who struggles to make ends meet. The duo’s on screen chemistry was mind-blowing. The innocent clumsiness of Del, seen in situations where he removes his socks in the car, and spills beer over Neal’s bed, were some sight to watch. The angered and frustrated reactions of Neal Page completed the comic element the movie was intended to deliver. The movie picks pace when Neal Page, is denied his business class travel seat in the flight, and in put in the economy class. Del, who had been a man who had traveled through Cheap Airline Tickets his entire life, ends up as Neal’s co-passenger. The events which follow lead to a rib-tickling experience for the viewers! The rental car scene was the most hilarious by any terms, as Neal is offered a car, which he discovers on reaching the parking lot, never existed! Del, on the other hand, loves being himself. He sees this point through with Neal as well, who complains of him in the hotel room. The movie was emotional too in bit and parts. Scenes, where Del’s talent as an amazing marketer of his curtain rings were amusing and hilarious, as he convinces people to buy them with eloquence and élan.
The movie revolves around the experiences of an affluent business executive, Neal Page (Martin) and a shower curtain rings salesman, Del Griffith (John Candy). One belongs to the affluent society whilst the other, a common civilian who struggles to make ends meet. The duo’s on screen chemistry was mind-blowing. The innocent clumsiness of Del, seen in situations where he removes his socks in the car, and spills beer over Neal’s bed, were some sight to watch. The angered and frustrated reactions of Neal Page completed the comic element the movie was intended to deliver. The movie picks pace when Neal Page, is denied his business class travel seat in the flight, and in put in the economy class. Del, who had been a man who had traveled through Cheap Airline Tickets his entire life, ends up as Neal’s co-passenger. The events which follow lead to a rib-tickling experience for the viewers! The rental car scene was the most hilarious by any terms, as Neal is offered a car, which he discovers on reaching the parking lot, never existed! Del, on the other hand, loves being himself. He sees this point through with Neal as well, who complains of him in the hotel room. The movie was emotional too in bit and parts. Scenes, where Del’s talent as an amazing marketer of his curtain rings were amusing and hilarious, as he convinces people to buy them with eloquence and élan.
Looking Forward
It takes a lot of grit and determination to stay on top’ , my university’s vice-chancellor went off as usual on one of his lectures. It was one of those supposedly ‘inspire’ sessions, where the man on the dais made you feel all good about life and tried to instill that competitive spirit in you. Yawn! I had seen many at schools, and it did not get any better here. My mind was preoccupied with the forthcoming vacations. It was going to be my first vacation on Cruises. Moreover, I couldn’t even clearly remember the last time I was on vacation. All I remember about my last vacation which seemed half a decade ago was a screw up by the vacation company on the hotel reservation, and we, being put up in a single room, with 4 of us sharing 1 bed! However, those were ghosts of the past now, and I really looked forward to facing the serene sea and relaxing my senses out. ‘Have an enjoyable holidays’, our VC saw us off with these words. Most of us were heading homes. Others, directly towards their vacation spots. I bid adieu to my friends and foes (keep your friends close and enemies closer!) It was an eight hour journey home, through train. On reaching home, it struck me again. I missed hostel and college now!. It always happens and I am yet to figure out why. When you really look forward to something and long and yearn for it, and when that moment of truth finally arrives, you just don’t seem all that interested. The Cruise was a couple of days away. Hence, I had time to unwind at home. ‘This will be fun!’ I reassured to myself, and dragged my bag along into my home, being received with warmth from my parents.
Flying cheap
Times are changing and so are the flight fares. It has been quite a revelation as to how the travel fares have drastically dropped. Vacation packages being offered at rock bottom prices can attribute their success to these low flight fares.
Last week, I decided to take my family on a vacation. I had saved up quite a few holidays in my work calendar and hence, decided to use them up. Besides, it had been quite a long time since I had gone on a vacation. I called up my usual travel agent to suggest me some locations, and he offered me some flight tickets at prices which looked normal, nothing special. I cut the call, and turned to my kids. Their eyes were gleaming with hope. All I knew was, if I screwed this up for them, it would go down their books, right next to a disaster. They had been waiting, planning and discussing about this one for over a month now. Sometimes, I even wonder if my daughter wrote about the proposed vacation in her answer scripts in her recently concluded annual examinations. But again, I had to consider my budget. The vacation had to be memorable, as it was one we were taking after quite a few years, but at the same time, things had to be under control. Cheap Plane Airfares were definitely a top priority for me, as this was one expenditure I could really forward to saving at, so as splurge more at the destination. The internet was my answer. Some sites, offered flight tickets to some exotic destinations at rock bottom prices! Some websites even offered a vacation package coupled with their tickets. However, I had a policy of not using Vacation Package, and being on my own. Hence, I booked the flights from a website offering me a price suiting my pocket. Betcha! My kids are going to love this one!
Who says that cheap car rentals are no longer available?
It has been along time since I went abroad on office work. For a long time it felt as if my boss no longer had any confidence in me. Till a year or so back, I was the primary person who was chosen by the boss to travel abroad to attend meetings with our overseas partners and also to discuss business with our overseas clients. Now my boss has summoned me again after a gap of nearly 14 months to ago abroad again. Will I be able to get cheap rental cars nowadays? My work entails traveling over long distances both within and outside the city during official tours. Hiring a cab for such purposes would be overkill. This is why my boss always suggested that I should rent a car.
I have some doubts whether cheap car rentals would be available this time around or not. The economic crisis has affected the entire globe and the costs of essential items had gone up like anything. There is no doubt in my mind that the costs of renting cars have gone up too. There is no way that they could have been spared from the global economic outburst. But I soon laid my fears to rest. A phone call confirmed that there are still many organizations that offer cars for hire at cheap rates. The costs of renting might have gone up marginally, but so have the fares of cabs. Proportionately I would still end up the winner as on my previous overseas tours.
Look around and find countless cheap vacation packages
Just take a look around on the net and you will find countless and cheap vacation packages that you can avail of during this holiday. My wife was sort of right in stating that I was a lazy guy. I hardly used to go anywhere after returning back home from the office. The weekends were spent in visiting friends and other family members and hence I hardly found any time to do several other tasks. It is not that I am exactly lazy. The fact is that I feel extremely exhausted after a hard day at the office and do not feel like running around to different tourist organizations to find out suitable and all inclusive vacation packages. Now that the holiday season is round the corner, it will be tough to find any accommodation on either the flights or in hotels.
Things have come to such an end that my wife just refuses to talk with me. I have cajoled her, brought presents for her, but nothing will satisfy her it seems unless I arrange on some tickets for the vacation. I do not blame her for this is the only opportunity we get throughout the year to wind out a bit. It was one of those days when my wife was in a foul temper when one of colleagues happened to stop by. On learning about the problem he suggested that I try out searching on the net. God Bless him. I tried out what he suggested and found out not one, but many sites that were willing to take up the responsibility of arranging tailor made vacation packages for me.
It is no longer tough to find hotel reservations
There was a period of time when I used to shudder to think about the holiday season. It invariably meant making countless overseas phone calls followed by faxes to various hotels to ensure that they had booked accommodation for me and my family. Just forget about traveling overseas without any hotel reservations. There are a few lucky folks who have friends or relatives overseas where they can go and stay during their holidays. Unfortunately, I am not so lucky. I have to arrange for my own accommodation. The prices of overseas calls and faxes are way too high and it is time someone complained about the same. As things stand, I end up wasting a fortune just on them and on occasions these expenses end up a total waste.
There have been occasions when I have ended up wasting money on phone calls and faxes without being able to get any suitable accommodation. At times these hotel folk think that I own all the money in the world. Would you believe it that they told me to book a suite? It was on one such occasion that I found out about an organization that specializes in arranging hotel reservation. The best part is that they are located just a block away from me. They also have their presence online. I guess that there is no need for me to fear the holiday season anymore.
Ho Ho Ho & a Room in that Hotel…
What is it that one wants when he is on a tour. A decent flight journey, a taxi at the airport, and yeah, finally, that place where he would be put up during his tour, the Hotel. It has earlier occurred to me, as to how one moved with nothing more than an unwarranted belief that he would find a room in a decent hotel, on reaching that place? Absurd it was as it sounded to me. On reaching the destination, one generally ends up agreeing to let the taxi guy do some hotel hunting for you. Eventually, he ends up showing you around the entire city, when the best you wanted to do was hit the sack after a tiring flight journey! Finally, you end up paying thrice of what you thought would’ve been the taxi fare, and hey, more surprises, your hotel room has a leaky faucet and the bed which squeaks when you climb onto it. The hotel rooms really form a chunk of one’s experience at a place.
Yesterday is history and so shall my above observations be! With the advent of the internet, things have radically changed. Every other hotel has signed up for the online hotel reservation plans, which ensures them , continued business, and the tourist, an assured comfort of his room, as he gets to know of the hotel and its facilities while booking his room online. Now, all one has to do is sign up at sites like these, and Bingo! You have got your flight, travel around the city, hotel… in short, an entire tour planned before hand. Not to forget the wads of cash one ends up saving. No more shelling out more on that taxi guy who took you for a ride. Hotel reservations on the internet have indeed become a boon to the tourist.
An escape from the cities of grey into a sea of blue!
It was the buzzing of horns and the brambling of engines that filled my ears every day. The traffic on the road was incorrigible and all I had for comfort were 2 fingers with which I could plug my ears from the deafening noise. It had occurred to me before, and a few days ago, a thought so divine that it pulled me into paradisiacal dream. The though of staying away from the roads and escaping into the sea.
The thought was definitely a genuine and a refreshing one. I badly needed a vacation. My boss has squeezed the life out of me for the last 3 years so much, that I had forgotten the meaning of a vacation! Hence, I relied on my digital friend. The computer and his close pal, the internet. It is quite revolutionary as to how one could sift through a hundred pages for content that he wanted, especially, when it related to a pleasure activity, such as Cruises. I rummaged through the various sites for the perfect Cruise Deals. But, well, when it rains, it rains heavily. The sites were clouded in red, every other deal booked to its brim. When the thoughts of giving up crept into my mind, I decided to give it one final push. Click.. Click… click… click… And there! This one came up like a phoenix from its ashes. Offering me last minute cruises. The destinations looked exotic, and definitely, looked god-sent to me! I needed time off at the serene sea and there was someone who could offer me a solution. I rolled my mouse through the rest of the procedure. I am on my way to the cruise right now. All I can remember are the grey roads and the moronic traffic. Hope all that clears out of my mind, the moment I step into the Cruise!
Vacation Packages –A way to fulfill dream
Good times have become a rare occasion in today’s rat race of a life. A good time for family getaways, for weekend visits to the amusement parks, and for all those other things every human with a moribund city life dreamt of at work. Ultimately, the absence of these little joys leads to an emotional outburst, leading to multiple complexities such as breakups, divorces, depressions and so on. But, where does the problem exactly lie? The Vacation Packages definitely look tempting and inviting. But, when will one become a reality? The work seems to pile on, and holidays generally end up being used for relaxing at home, and keeping away from facing those streets and traffic. One needs to take time off his work to maintain his social relations. All one does by calling social activities such as parties and get-togethers, ‘ a secondary activity’ is ridiculing themselves and finding an excuse to stay away from those whom they have long lost touch with. All it takes to bind relations again is a simple ‘Hi! Lets meet up! Long time since we did!’ However, one finds his job as an excuse, rather a cheap substitute to socializing.
Just picture this in your mind… You and your high school friends, in some of the finest Hotels in the world, enjoying a nice, little, dirty conversation about that English teacher at high school, who was eye-candy to your gang. Such moments, get lost in time if not retained by occasional visits and catching up with your old pals for the sake of good old times. Good times do not arise. They conceptualize from a simple idea such as catching up for coffee! The current scenario of the workplaces does not make the situation better. They do deprive one of considerable time to even think of such actions, by adding tension to the lives of people, making them feel, it was all a big mistake. But the beauty of Good times lies in that very fact, when one creates time to make his life worth a living.