The Sweetness of Summer

March is here already. The days are getting hotter, and the nights warmer. Even the cool breeze that blows by the beach in the evenings is now warm. The newspapers carry articles on hair and skin care during this season, recipes for juices and shakes to keep you feeling cool, and places to visit to beat the heat. And we Chennaites are getting geared up for another summer. Living in a place where we don't exactly experience, 'cold weather', one would think that it doesn't make such a difference after all. I personally prefer cold weather to the hot season, but I love summer for one reason - it holds the sweetest memories.

As a little kid, I remember summer was the best time of the year. School would close and we would immediately start making plans to spend time with cousins. My sister and I would go over to Patti's house - we would spend days together with our cousins. Of course we'd have innumerable fights, someone or the other would go into a sulk, but it was always part of the fun. We'd spend the hot afternoons indoors - playing games where we'd pretend we were college-girls, or looking after our baby dolls, running a shop... anything that the imagination of 4 girls could think of... :) We'd eat mangoes all day- mangoes after breakfast, lunch, tiffin and dinner - mango anytime we were bored. And lots of watermelon too... We'd jump into the sandpit in the evening, armed with utensils straight from the kitchen! After a few hours of playing around in the sand, our mothers would pick us up, hose us down, and drop us straight into the bathtub... We'd invariably be tired out by dinner time, and sit around Patti for dinner. Patti would sometimes tell us stories and with all four of us girls seated around her, she would mix sambar/rasam/curd rice and put it in our kutti hands... And we would never realise that we'd eaten much more than when we would if we eat alone. By 9 in the night, we'd all nod off to sleep cuddled up together.

With my paternal cousins, it was a little different - we would play a lot outdoors . I sucked at cricket, and would spend most of the game getting teased or scolded for dropping the easiest of catches. And of course, the almost-annual Ooty trips... a few days off from the heat, the four of us would pack off with Thatha and Patti and head to a guest house in Ooty... Boating, horse-riding, carrom, and innumerable card games would keep us occupied. Another unforgettable pastime was trying to skate on the varnished wooden floors of the guest house wearing our socks! And the 4 days that we spent in the guest house, each of us would get a chance to tell the cook what soup we wanted for dinner! :)

The end of summer was synonymous with back-to-school-shopping, and we would set aside an entire day to buy new uniforms, books, stationery, shoes...anything else we required. And another day would be spent on wrapping the books in brown paper and fixing labels. By the time school began in June, we would be excited and looking forward to it!

When I finished 9th Standard, and joined tuitions for the 10th Boards, summertime became more serious. Getting up for tuitions as early as 6 in the morning on Sunday's and trying to spend the hot afternoons with my books... life started getting stressful. And things remained that way till I finished school. Now in college, I write my semester exams during the middle of May -we crib, struggle to study and write exams through the heat. And once the exams are over - its time to make the best use of vacation time and look out for a good internship.

*Sigh*

Makes you miss the fun of childhood - when summer was one long vacation.
I still make the most of the summer though - eating icecream, juicies and fruits as often as possible, frequent visits to the beach with friends... I mostly enjoy the fact that the sun doesnt go down till 7, so you have a nice long day. And I'd have to admit that I have started looking out for a nice internship for this summer... :)

Life is one long journey, I guess... and you enjoy new experiences as you go along... Treasure the memories and create new ones.... Here's to a fun and sunny summer!

THE MYRIAD MOODS OF A BUS TRAVELLER IN CHENNAI

Traveling by the Metropolitan Transport buses in Chennai can be quite an experience. As someone who would just watch the buses on the road and be shocked at the way people hang out of it, I’ve progressed to becoming a regular bus traveler, even enjoying it to a certain degree.

I’ve traveled by quite a few of the routes within the city, and the first thought that strikes me upon seeing these buses is the plight of the drivers. While its difficult negotiating a two-wheeler or even a small four-wheeler in the traffic, it must be an absolute nightmare to drive such a huge vehicle. Our bus drivers however, have figured out ingenious ways to beat the traffic. For a bus stand that’s situated on the left hand side of the road, you’ll find the bus driver going all the way to the right lane, and then, switching just in time to the left lane. And if its too crowded for him to switch lanes? Oh, then you’ll just have to wade through traffic to get in wherever he has decided to stop – which may even be in the middle of the road, or usually – about 10 feet either before or after the actual bus stop.

Another trick that these guys resort to is to actually follow the previous vehicle. And this doesn’t mean following a few feet behind, but following with a space of a precious few inches between the two bumpers. This can be a nightmarish experience especially when you’re learning to drive a car and find a bus behind you. There were many times when I imagined my car would be hit, but just then, Mr. Bus Driver would decide to hit the brakes and with a sound akin to someone wheezing, the bus would halt inches away from my car, while I wait for my heart to start beating again.

Being inside the bus, however is a totally different experience. And for those of you who are not familiar with taking the bus, its important to know that the joy/terror of this experience is dependent on many factors such as time of the day, route of the bus, and the like. I do actually like taking the bus, sometimes.

During the middle of the afternoon, or at any time around early evening, most buses plying would be a little empty. A seat to myself, with the radio or music of my choice playing through headphones and a window to look out of can actually be a lot of fun. And if you are the kind who loves looking out of the window, its actually a nice way to learn about the city and its topography. Its also a lovely chance to spend some time with yourself, for those who like to self-introspect… :)

A few hours later, and taking the same bus would become a nightmarish experience. Crowded beyond capacity, with hot, sweaty men and women crowding around you, with barely any space to move. If you have a big bag or something with you, you’re bound to invite the wrath of co-passengers for taking up so much room. There’s an odd sense of fear that grips me at these times – the fear of inviting the attention of one of the innumerable perverts, and of having to keep an eye on my purse all the time. Combined with hunger at the end of a long day – I’d be waiting to get home for dinner!

There are some distinct experiences that certain buses would give, though. Any of the buses traveling through Saidapet, would leave your heart bleeding at the sight of so many children, barely dressed in anything, and eating off the floor of the bus terminus. A 19G isn’t a pleasant ride either. It travels through Kovalam with women carrying bags and baskets of raw fish on their heads. Koyambedu buses sometimes have women carrying baskets of flowers… they would start tying the flowers when they get in and finish the entire bagful by the last stop, filling the bus with lovely scents!

Regardless of all the improvements that we still require, it has to be admitted that we have one of the best bus transport systems in the country... So, the next time you take a bus... Enjoy the ride, and the chance to appreciate namma Madras! :)