Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Adventure at Queensland!

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At last, majority of our class [not me :(] agreed to go on a one day trip to Queensland on April 4th 2009. I wasn’t happy about the idea because I hate theme parks for the simple reason that I do not enjoy getting dizzy and puking. But I still wanted to go because, A. I can bunk college, B. be with my friends and C. at least enjoy the bus ride with my friends [if not the rides at QL]. Sahithya was very much excited about this trip like the others. Shakthi hesitated to join us as the semester exams were round the corner and she didn’t want to get sick again. Moreover, she is like me – allergic to rides at theme parks. Mira didn’t want to come as she wanted to complete her statistics project [as though we didn’t have to!]. But at the end, our HOD insisted [actually shouted! I could hear her outside the department] that they must go to QL as it was compulsory. Shakthi was very upset about the way the message was conveyed to her. She thought that the trip was optional and hence didn’t give her name. She told me “If I had known that it was compulsory I would have given my name and thus avoided “this #$%” and Hello! If it was compulsory, what’s the point in taking down names of people who want to come?!?!?!” Quite true!

It was Saturday, April 4th, 2009. I woke up a little late as I couldn’t sleep the previous night owing to excitement about the trip. I wore a black T shirt and blue jeans. I carried 2 bottles of water, lots of chocolates, some money, cell phone and Chetan Bhagat’s “One night at the call centre” book in my ‘be a star‘ bag. I carried a book as I thought I had nothing else to do in an amusement park but to read a book. I guess I might be the first person to do so! I was 7:45 a.m. My dad agreed to drop me at college in his car and on the way he advised me what to do and what not to do at QL.

As I got down from the car I saw two buses. I was quite excited! I ran to the bus in front to see if my friends had come. Most of them were there. Our EVS teacher Prabha ma’am and Statistics teacher Vinitha ma’am who had agreed to accompany us on this trip were there too. In a few minutes Shakthi was there. My friends screamed in excitement to see me and welcomed me aboard. I occupied a seat at the back [and of course I sat near the window!] She sat next to me. I heard from Lithiya [who was moving up and down the bus, as usual, bossing around!] that Mira’s mother had called up our HOD and said that Mira was sick and hence she can’t come for the trip. Lithiya said that the HOD was unhappy about it. Everyone was unhappy as we all that knew she bunked because she had to finish her statistics project and not because of her sudden sickness. Anyway, let’s leave that topic. She has missed something which she can never get back in her life. She will realize its value someday if not now.

In my gang only Sahithya was yet to come. I called her up. “Kwaja mere kwaja…” I heard almost the whole song but she never answered. I tried the landline. Her grandmother answered. She said Sahithya was very sick and so she can’t make it. I didn’t know what to say. I felt very bad for her. She was the one who was really excited about the trip in our gang. Her grandmother then asked me if I will be able to take care of her if she makes it. I instantly agreed. Then Sahithya spoke to me in an odd manner [owing to her sickness I guess] and then finally said that she would start immediately and come to college within 15 minutes. But it was already 8:30 a.m. – Scheduled time to start. Then I heard from Lithiya that even Winifred of our class was on her way to college and so the bus is going to wait for another 30 minutes for her arrival. So I asked Sahithya to start immediately to college.

Then Shakthi and I moved to the front for some reason which I don’t remember. Still, I got the window seat! Sahithya arrived when the bus was about to start. She sat two seats in front of us. Winifred hadn’t made it then. The driver said that he can’t wait anymore and started. All of us waved bye to our HOD and shouted in excitement! At the signal, just outside our college, we saw Winifred walking towards the college. We shouted and waved to her. Before we got the green signal she ran and got into the bus! Yippy! Everyone cheered for Winifred. Finally, all were there except Mira and Jesina [Jesina couldn’t come as one of her relatives had passed away. How sad! We all missed her!]

Thus our trip started. [Will continue tomorrow!]