Lull Sets In

End of another day's exercises

As the weather continues to play foul, a lull seems to have descended on the Garden. It is not as though attendance has suffered during the exercises, but nobody’s presence can be taken for granted any longer. Almost everyone has a story to tell about getting dressed early morning and ready to leave home, only to find the skies suddenly opening up. And if there’s no rain, it is plain good luck.
In this climate of uncertainty, the only buzz that can be heard is of Shekhawat planning his Darjeeling trip for next April. Today he buttonholed Bijoy Gupta who claims to have spent many years on a job posting in those parts.

Bijoy Gupta briefs Shekhawat

He says he still has many friends and family members settled there and they would be happy to help and facilitate the excursion. “You have just to ask whatever you want and they will make all necessary arrangements,” he assured Shekhawat.

Muthu 'Unglimaster 'Swamy

“You have nothing to worry at all.”
Shekhawat sought Gupta’s advice on several aspects of the trip – the tourist attractions, places that can be avoided, whether it would make sense going up and down by rail or perhaps, return by air, the best route to be taken – whether to switch trains at Howrah or if there’s a better alternative… and so on. Since he has enough time (more than six months) on hand, Shekhawat wants to explore all his options before firming up on a travel plan that is both economically and physically comfortable to all.
In between, his friend Muthu ‘Unglimaster’ Swamy made an appearance at the Gate and as usual, narrated his ordeal on battling diabetes and how it eventually cost him his big toe last March. Predictably, he broke down at this point and Dilip Babani did his best to console and cheer him up, before Arun Patil took over to narrate his own tale of woe (ref post of September 8). Finding another person sailing in the same boat was obviously more comforting and Muthu trotted merrily into the Garden, ready to jab the first unsuspecting man with his famous forefinger.
Jagmohan Papneja:
It is heartening to note that Shekhawat-ji is going ahead with his ambitious plan on Darjeeling and Gangtok. He is getting help from so many sources for the excursion. Today he was inquiring from Mr Bijoy so as to design a great itinerary. My suggestion is that he should also make an inquiry from Thomas Cook, Kesari Travels, Eezigo etc. so that problems faced in the past can be eliminated. After all, tour operators have their own set up to handle such tours professionally and efficiently.