PL2 Episode 1

Hi Guys, I felt that it is about time that I write a proper blog, and what better time than now, lots of things are happening these days..so its better I pen(blog) them down. OK then, lets see where to start…

…Where else but France of course :)

Close to a month now, I have been here and experience has been nothing short of wow! …but first the…

The STARTING POINT >>

_____________________________________________________________________________ Ahh Ah.. Journey to come here (to Limoges) was phew, gr8!. Looked forward to coming here so so much that almost ended up screwing my Majors, didn’t pay attention at all, add to that the super hot weather of Delhi in May, made me like jump on the plane before the flight. But Majors did got over … and after spending 21 burning summers in Delhi it was time to leave India for first time…or as maddu(aka Avi aka Bharadwaj) would put it… it was time for PL2*(patent pending)!!. Fast forward Delhi->Istanbul->Paris…till here was normal-good-chill types journey. But from here comes bit interesting part…till Paris everything was fixed- flight and all, but from here is new territory, kuch decided nahi hai, and khud with 35 odd KG of luggage, had to go 350 km south to Limoges…ok no probs…(obviously knew how to go there and which train to catch) …but first, got a sim card from airport, le toh liya but chale hi naa!, sim card wali aunty didn’t speak English(couldnt help), so kept asking some random strangers to help me out…and after few minutes(15-20 types), managed to catch hold of someone … and thanks to that guy, chal gaya. Immediately called my Prof. (ki lene aa jana Gare d’ par at so and so time). Now train station aka Gare d Austerlitz is about 50-60 km from Charles de Galle airport, and Paris RER(Metro) lines take you to there…but this was not direct line, in the middle kahin par line change karni hoti hai(RER B to RER C). There, I just about got out at the station where had to change the line(kisi se puch-pach kar!, could have very easily missed that point) but now couldn’t find the other line…”where the hell is RER C”-I got real confused…it was a multi level station, so kabhi upar jau, kabhi neeche..but line miley hi naa.. and with all the luggage it was more than bit of a problem. Add to it, no one responded when I asked in English…toh phew!…used my broken French instead…”Pardon, Ou est RER C” I asked people, and yes…it worked, worked well in first shot itself…Ek Uncle, took me to the exact place and kuch kuch French mein puch bhi rahey thhey, shayad -kahan se aaye ho etc, I just kept on saying “desole-desole(sorry) I don’t know French”!. Then, Gare d Austerlitz…here too, more of same problems…language related. Had planned to get a train pass(discount types) here, but fite is…kahan se…kis sey puchun…not even single person at the counter knew English, so kya kiya jaye…now found help desk after 20-25 mins of bhatakna but there too, more of the same(no English)…I repeatedly kept on saying-“Parlez vous Angleh?”(do you speak English?)…it was the only things I knew that time…so who log bhi mujh se pareshan hokar, kahin se English bolne wale ko laye…hoof finally!.. I said to her- I want an such and such train pass made.. and she says—Sorry sir, pass counter is closed for today!.. I was like…Damn!..ek ghante se fite maar raha hun…bohot hogaya, kato yahan se…took the ticket(51 euros gaye)…on to 4 hr TGV ride over to Limoges(and in between Paris and Limoges were 300 odd kms of beautiful French countryside, sunflower fields, picturesque farms etc etc. …didn’t pay much attention, Switched off and Slept!!) Off the train, and here I am, my home for next 3 months…capital of Limousin…central point of France…Limoges—famous for its Train station(Gare d’ Benecdis), porcelain, beef and basketball team!!. At station, waited a little, about ½ hr (tried hard not to but, almost slept there!). My Prof came by..and said…”you are Raaool”!!…”yah”, I said…DELIGHTED to say the least!. ..then got in his car, off to residence…with French fries as dinner along the way!.. Finally,  after 8000 kms and 22 hrs non stop travel, came to stop. t’was SOME day! ______________________________________________________________________________ This Was French Experience episode 1.1(introductory to say the best)…more follows as I go on and discover more from this PL2!! Till then…Au revoir