The early morning of 4th March, many thoughts occupying the mind about the personal work, things I have to manage in office today and preparing for evening travel to home town. At the same time I have this long pending task of penning down the experiences in last 3 weeks before they are faded in memory.
Reaching the Marriot hotel in Lancaster through a train ride from New York, which is about 3 hours was awesome. Thought it was not the usual scene that we will see on the platforms as all wore a deserted look. I reached morning after the snow storm hit that region. All trains and services were nonfunctional for previous 2 days, and it was snow everywhere. I used to wonder how people would stay in such climates of minus temperatures. The waiting rooms on the platforms were warm, and I bought a ticket and I too was waiting with others for the train.
I was knowing the route to travel, but I was not sure how to get there. I started to enquire at the Information window, and was not suggested the best route to destination. The lady sitting there was new and she joined just few weeks back. So I thought of asking at the ticket counter itself, and the guy was patient enough to hear me in odd accent and understand my English to suggest me the route. Finally I boarded the train.
I along with other passengers boarded the train, everyone was searching the seat. I looked at the ticket few more times to ensure if I missed any coach number or seat reference. But I could not find any. Later I realized that everyone was looking for seat where the adjacent was not occupied. I really did not like that. I finally asked a teen aged boy if I can occupy the seat next to him, and he was warm. I settled down and train started. Everyone was using their laptops/ phones, and it provided a desk to every passenger (foldable desk in front of seat that we have in planes). I compared this to usual train travel in India. We usually are talking to persons, making friendships, sharing experiences, sometime food, etc. The atmosphere was so calm in contrast to Indian train travel. In the train they have free Wi-Fi. So I used it to make the first call to home after more than 20 odd hours to tell Mom that I am safe. Machinery was functional after the snowstorm and everything was at my convenience. I kept looking out, observing the snow covered cities and towns, houses and cars, and trees without leaves. All seemed like a black and while picture.
I reached the station, and took the cab to Hotel. First 5 days of stay I had a company of my senior, so I felt more pampered as always :). I settled down after a brief chat, and took a cold water bath as I could not figure out how to get the tap thing working for the hot one. I usually find these things complex and almost unique in every hotel I visited. I wonder why things like this don’t find simple at first glance. It was minus temperature outside, and water temperature was surely above than that. I learnt that the pipelines have heating system to ensure proper flow in such extreme temperatures. We went outside for lunch, I tried to stay over FB, sorting out mails whole afternoon. I compelled myself not to sleep so I set myself in entirely different time zone. Finally I went to bed early that day after having Mac D.
After that mornings became usual to get up early to check the mails, and sort of dependencies with off shore team. After getting fresh we would take a walk of about 10 minutes to reach office. Walking on the sideways, wearing the jackets, holding the breakfast from Mac D (most of the times I preferred Mac D for breakfast. I discovered the Oatmeal, which is boiled oat with fruits. I was sure that this is the healthiest breakfast that I would get ) I compared this scene with Hollywood movies or some of the Sharukh movies. I completed few items from my wish list, like walking in snowfall, seeing snow outside refrigerator and experience the life in small town of United States.
Days and week passed, and my senior left. I could not get the same Hotel extended, as it was full for the long weekend. I moved to the other one just in front of the office. It appeared little different than previous. Soon discovered that I landed in wrong place. I did not had internet and was limited to just few TV channels. That night passed with few movies, but later that morning in Mac D I surfed to find the nearest WALMART about 2 miles and after lunch I took a walk to the mart. I finally bought a phone card which was the cheapest among the others (and later realized that it was not the best for the network in the small town), and finally back in the evening I was able get the phone and internet on my iPhone, it was a breather. The next day, I took the cab to place called Tanger outlets and did some shopping. It was sale everywhere due to Presidents day. For the next day, I just stayed in Hotel and went out only for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was then I felt lonely sometimes during that week. Soon got occupied with work, and how the days passed did not realize. I moved to new hotel in between, which is couple of miles away. Hotel was good, I could see some people around, always greetings from reception when I came in or went out for the day. It kind of changed the mood. The clients at work were also very warm. Few became friends enough to share personal things, and give me ride from Hotel daily. Mac D and Subway were my preferred places for breakfast or meals. I was a daily customer now and sometimes the guy at the counter would just confirm the menu followed by exchange of smile.
2nd week too passed, and weekend came. After the breakfast on the Saturday morning, I stared walking to BOA about 2 miles from Hotel, but somehow I missed the turn and reached a place called Park City some 3.5 miles away from my Hotel. I kept walking through the stores, and did some more shopping. Then took the CAB to hotel. Later that evening till late in night I kept calling school friends, and talking in conference. Sunday I was not well and down with Migraine as missed the breakfast. This week too passed. The schedule for next week was to visit Florida, but that got changed and my stay in Lancaster was extended.
The 3rd week started as usual, but turned unusually busy. We started working till late in the night till 10, sometimes 11 too. With brainstorming sessions how the day would pass I never realized. Later this week, breakfast, lunch and dinner too was coming to office, and I missed going to Mac D and Subway. My turn came to present my work in this week, and for all the one to one and half hour everyone kept listening or watching to my demo. At the end the key people were happy and made a comment “This is what we are looking for”, and many of the clients greeted for delivering well. This kind a killed the frustration that accumulated over this week, but soon follow up things made it normal ;). I was now tired and declined the extension this time to stay for 2 more weeks. I had personal work back home which needed immediate attention. Still my client manager took me to do last minute shopping, and made me feel comfortable. I always come across such wonderful people, and as I keep moving this list is growing, and it makes me feel world is full of wonderful and caring people, we have to be just there to experience it.
I woke up early the next morning, and took the train to New York. I did some search on internet and it’s full of wonderful suggestions with the advice for reaching JFK from Lancaster. I reached JFK, one of the busiest in the world, and experienced same with about 100 + waiting in same line for security check-in. I boarded the flight and watched some good movies August Rush and one more for which I could not remember the name, and then reached Delhi. Unexpected friends came to Airport, and it was again wonderful to meet them. Before meeting I would feel it will be different this time, for not meeting them in years, but then it would feel like we talked just after few days ago. I think it is normal experience with friends close to heart. I then said bye to friends and boarded the flight to Nagpur, calling it an END to my Lancaster trip.. :)
