Rendezvous September 2007

Date: 1st September 2007
Time: 3:30 pm to 6 pm
Place: Scooterworks, 132 Lower Marsh Road, Waterloo Se17 ae
Attendees: Soumya Bharani, Abhishek Dimri, Asha, Vivek

The 4 of us met at this small Italian cafe with a wonderful ambience. After an initial round of coffee indoors we stepped out to sit in the open. We then went on to play a couple of games in this cafe. from Guess Who to Bringing it Down, the latter being quite an interesting game.

Rendezvous May 2007

Date: 28th April 2007
Time: 6pm to 8 pm
Place: Trafalgar Square, Starbucks
Attendees: Asha D, Ajith Hande, Hina R, Vikram S, Ramesh, Manoj K and Vivek S

After meeting up at Trafalgar Square yet again, we dropped down to the Starbucks on Villers Street between Embankment and Charing Cross. It was nice to catch up with the rest of the people, all of whom were a part of the wonderful Scotland trip as well.

The Scotland Trip

The Journey Begins


This was one of the most amazing trips of my life.. Why?? Because I went on this trip with 14 strangers…most of who also didn't know each other !!!
I started at 7:30 am from my place. Took a tube from Bank station and reached Kings Cross Station where I was supposed to meet the rest of them. After the first set of formal introduction we started our journey at 8:30 am where we took the GNER train to Edinburgh, Scotland. The journey was fascinating. The country side looked so beautiful. We crossed a beach which was breath taking. After 4.5 hours of journey we finally reached Edinburgh and went to a Mall for lunch 'cause we were all so starving. Then we went to the Information Centre and started strolling around the city while Vivek , Briju and Jovi went to the Airport to pick up the cars for us (we hired them for 2 days.. Car stories to follow). We did a bit of shopping. Took snaps with these troops on the road. Guys wearing skirts and playing bagpipers. The sound was soothing.
While they went to get the cars all of us decided to warm up for the trek on Sunday and went up a smaaaalllll hill to see a beautiful beautiful castle. It was amazing. The whole hill was covered with yellow and white flowers. By then we all had started making conversations with each other, getting to know each other a little bit. By then it was around 5 in the evening and the cars had come. 3 cars .. Golden, Silver, and Red...15 of us. I got into the red car… The most happening one.. :)


Characters in the red car:

1) Girish.. Our official driver.. Superb Singer.. . A very sweet guy who gets hyper whenever we lost our way and well we lost our way every single time.
2) Vikram Sharma.. He tests software products and in his terms.. His job is to destroy.. Great guy...He was declared the Hot guy by the others in the car.. Thats another story.
3) Ramesh Ranganath.. He also tests and destroys software and well sings.. Sweet chap and helpful.
4) Chetana Surpur… the NOISY babe.. She kept things lively and is one of these loud characters.. Nice chick nonetheless.
5) Yours truly.. Hina.


Before I continue with the trip story.. Lemme introduce you to the others on the trip.

6) Vivek.. The MAN who organized this whole trip. Has seen 25 countries. Intelligent dude and a great guy.
7) Briju.. The Psychiatrist.. ORGANIZED is the word for him. He knew everything.
8) Jovi… Another Psychiatrist.. But a little more relaxed.. Smart guy.
9) Ann.. Cool Gemini chick.. We hit off as soon as we met.. She's traveled 21 countries.. Environmental Engineer.. Designs Pipelines.
10) Sandhaya.. Software engineer...Don't know much about her.. Quiet Girl.
11) Srinivas.. Software engineer Don't know much about him either..
12) Inderjeet Singh..Software engineer… Don't know much about him either..
13) Hari… the oldest one in the gang.. Nice guy…
14) Vinay.. Nice guy.. He was so drunk on Sunday night.. Funny chap…
15) Manoj. Don't know much about him either.


Rosyl Chapel

Ya.. So we started our Journey from Edinburgh. Our next destination was Roslyn Chapel.. (Yes the Da Vinci Code). It was .. I don't know.. I am running out of words. Breath taking. We reached around 6.. (After getting lost.. Vikram was the Navigator ). We saw ancient pillars.. Cemetery.. A stream.. And then while walkin along the place we came to a huge garden kinda place.. ( If anyone from Bollywood saw it.. They would definitely come here). After taking in all that we could inside ourselves.. At 8:30 ( the sun was still up).. We decided to head to Dumfries.. Where we were stayin for the night and was 2 hrs from there. We stopped for dinner at an Indian restaurant and after a good meal and bonding session.. Headed to the Hotel ( after getting lost again. I was the navigator this time).Ann and I shared a room. It was 1 in the night and we finally hit the bed after some girl talk.
We were supposed to wake up at 7 in the mornin. Girish came to wake us up and poor guy. Got the door slammed on his face.. Ann and I finally woke up around 9ish..got ready and headed for the Continental Buffet Breakfast at the Hotel. We were all ready by 10 and we started our drive up towards the South West which was an hr from our Hotel.. To start our trek.. The others gave us the Tom-Tom so we don't lose our way.. But guess what.. We lost our way again.. (this time the navigator was Chethana). But we saw the country life of Scotland.. And we thanked God we lost our way 'cause we would've never got an opportunity to see the beautiful scenic otherwise. And mind you.. It was only the red car which kept losing its way.

The Trek

We finally started our trek at 12.. And after a lot of map reading byVivek and Briju and Jovi.. We finally hit it off on a pleasant trek.. Making convos with the lot on the way.. Playin everythin from Linkin Park to Kannada tracks.. Laughing and Jokin and Dancing… we stopped for lunch by a lake.. After a bit of rest we started hiking the Big Water of Fleet Viaduct. The most beautiful experience of my life. I just cant put it into words. Really. We reached the top of the mountain ( well not exactly the top of it.. But like.. Who cares..lol). And relaxed a while there to take everythin in we could. The descend was also great.. Marshy lands.. But it was much faster than the hike.
We headed straight to the Lake.. Where we relaxed.. Played in the water.. Discussed some haunting tales of the lake. Chetana danced for us.. and the guys.. Well.. Some of them did pole dancing for us.. I am sure they don't want me to write the names here...lol.
We started heading back to our cars and at 8 pm sharp ( the sun was still up) , we reached our cars. Next destination, Travel Inn Dumbarton. It was supposed to be a 3 hr drive from there.
We stopped to grab some dinner. ( after getting lost again, navigator : Ramesh) . It was still 11 pm and we were apparently still quite far from Dumbarton. After a nice meal , we started off...We were singing songs and gossiping.. Girish sang some of the best songs.. :) and guess what.. We got lost again.. ( this time I was the navigator.. And oh boy.. Girish was so tensed.. I couldn't stop laughing.. More so because Vivek's car was following us.. He he.. And we had no clue how to get there..lol). Anyhow, we reached our Hotel at 2 in the night. And crashed almost immediately. I shared the room with Ann.

Loch Lomond

Next day we were all up by 11ish. After a brunch at Little Chef.. A small restaurant near our Hotel, we started out to visit Loch Lomond. After getting lost again courtesy Vikram.. We reached the lake.. Beautiful is the word. We pampered ourselves to some Turkish delicacies and headed to Edinburgh Airport where we had to return the cars at 4:30. and well.. We got lost again . Navigator : Vikram.

Carlton Hill

Nonetheless, after returning the cars we stopped by at Starbucks for a cup of coffee. And then headed to Carlton Hill , Edinburgh. Lovely scenery again. Ancient Pillars and we cud see the entire city from there. Was so intimidating.
Then the guys wanted a drinking session so we decided to hang around in Briju's place who lives in Edinburgh before heading to the hotel. Hari left 'cause he had to get back to London. And what a session. We played a Question Answer game, saw people crashing.. And it was just plain simple FUN. We decided not to get to the hotel and crash at his place. We slept around 3:30 and I got up at 5 :30 since I had to catch the 7 o clock train back to London and get to work. Briju called a cab for me from his place to the station. And I left….with memories which will last a lifetime.

Edinburgh - Carlton Hill

Loch Lomond

The Conquerer's on Big Water of Fleet Viaduct

Roslyn Chapel