3 Days to Go…

Nobody knows who's going, who's coming

With three days left for the Gangtok-Darjeeling trip to take off, the Garden witnessed a flurry of activity this morning. Many confessed to being unable to start packing because their bags are either too big or too small and could someone please loan a strolley or suitcase for the trip? Some wanted to know if “liquid lunch” would be allowed to be carried in the flight. Since they are travelling by a low-cost airline, the prospect of staying hungry for a full day is looming large on many minds. One even wanted to know if there would be a toilet in the aircraft.
Shekhawat was of course, on the phone for much of the time, summoning people to drop by and sign the Consent Letter (yesterday’s post). He also reminded members to carry their identification proofs in original, even as they might have already submitted copies of the papers along with four photographs each.

Big Laaf's PAN Card AACAB6920B

(Being an army-controlled border area, security restrictions are fairly strict in those parts.) He informed that on his part he had purchased the ‘emergency medicines’ listed by Siba Prasad Maitra and requested everyone not to forget carrying their prescription pills and tonics. Part of his own “quota of tonic” has already been dispatched by rail with Nahid Khan. In between Razia Khan could be heard making a fervent 'elaan' for having a Housie session on Saturday, but her voice was drowned in the din.
Amid all the hullabaloo, what has gone unnoticed is that the Club has finally secured its PAN number from the Income Tax Department, thanks to the personal initiative of Srichand Arora. This is another major landmark for Big Laaf after its registration last November. For the record, a copy of PAN card is displayed alongside.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Gangtok and Darjeeling being hilly areas, everyone should carry essentials like woollen clothing, camera, water bottle, etc. You cannot avoid crowded places like markets and tourist spots; but wear clothes with an inner money-pocket as a precautionary measure against pickpocketing. You should also be careful about food and water. Eating raw salads and fried food from street vendors is not good. And never ever believe the touts who promise to take you to the best shops around. No place is completely safe, yet some are safer than others. The safest of cities can be unsafe at different times of the day. So why worry, hold on to your bags and enjoy the trip.
Bihari Milwani:
Please do not forget to carry mobile, preferably smart phone having GPS software duly loaded with at least 1 GB data pack. Also share your mobile number with one another. Please have the abbreviated dialing of your colleagues instead of your home numbers. This will help in case of difficulty. Last but not the least, carry mobile chargers too. In hilly areas, mobile battery drains out very fast.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
It is good that a large number of colleagues are going on this picnic. It is worth enjoying the scenic area where our friends would also come to know the hazards of a soldier's life. Please have your woolen clothing with you. How I wish I could join you all. But my domestic obligations need my time. It is also nice that the Club has its own PAN number now.