Travel Travails

A lifelong resident of Gandhinagar, the apologetic capital of Gujarat, my sojourns beyond my home city have been limited ensuring a life as yet innocent to the perils of the world. My project being in Baroda I commute every weekend to Gandhinagar which is at a three hours journey over the expressway.

My work in the company, apart from writing blogs, is largely dependent on a fast processor and loads of primary memory. My CPU used to leading a luxurious life of uploading blogs, watching movies and checking mails was thus put through a horrendous experience of working on SQL server and Visual studion 2005. The poor thing was in such bad shape that once and for all I decided to put it at rest and bought a new one. And so I had to bring it back all the way to Gandhinagar.

I decided to go by a state transport bus and nonchalantly placed my CPU cabinet in the space just behind the driver’s seat. Soon the driver got into the bus, looked at the passengers like a king addressing his court and then noticing the CPU as the only discrepancy in his glory he addressed the audience in coarse gujarati – Who brought this? No electronic items allowed aboard. Off my bus NOWW.
I learnt that there is an octroi applicable on all electronic goods in spite of a VAT that we pay. And the process for the same takes up so much time that you feel it would be simpler to buy another one. I wondered how they will charge octroi on a laptop or a cell phone and why should I pay for a piece of obsolete electronic junk half a decade old.
Anyways, 30 bucks later he drove on and my dear CPU acquired a place of honor behind his butt. I informed my fellow passengers how much I paid thus ensuring they wont be cheated if faced with a similar situation and cursing the roads and the shock absorbers of ST buses I slept all the way back home.

After a restful weekend Dad arranged for my conveyance back to Baroda. On the way back in a Govt. Of Gujarat vehicle, I bought no tickets, paid no toll tax on the expressway, and of course didn’t have to sneak any money under the table as my CPU was home delivered.

I thank god for letting me work in the IT field which offers the opportunity of a life free from such malpractices. Yet at times it seems that in our dear India clean living is a non option.

Have started a blog on rediffiland - www.janit.rediffiland.com . Its a better and a simplere name than this one. In fact if some one could co-author with me there or here it would be much more fun. Awaiting responses.