New Mission

The Diwali Party now behind us, Shekhawat is already into his next mission – the March 2013 trip. This morning he distributed copies (left pic) of the tour programme, as finalised in consultation with Srichand Arora:
March 29: Arrival AMRITSAR
March 30: AMRITSAR to KATRA
March 31: KATRA
April 1: CHANDIGARH
April 2: CHANDIGARH to SHIMLA
April 3: SHIMLA
April 4: SHIMLA to DELHI
April 5: Departure for MUMBAI
Hotel accommodation has been arranged (in deluxe rooms on a twin-sharing basis) at the seven points of halt and the total cost of the excursion, inclusive of breakfast and road travel, is estimated at Rs12,000 per head. Travel from Mumbai and return has been left open to individuals, though Shekhawat would prefer everyone travels together in a group by train.
Jagmohan Papneja (right) was the first to make a booking by paying a token advance for his wife and himself. Both Arora and Shekhawat are already committed with their spouses. Ved Prakash Grover and Santosh Tyagi have also expressed their desire to join the trip. The others would have to make up their minds within a week before Shekhawat gets moving with the railway reservations. Time is running out.
On a lighter note, members had set a record today, all of them turning up in their club caps. In a way, this was ‘mission accomplished’ for Arora who, for the past week or so, has been aggressively goading, coaxing and requesting everyone to wear their caps in the Garden. So when Harish Wadhwa showed up ‘capless’ towards the end of the exercises, he was not allowed to join the group. Much to the vicarious delight of all, he was made to stand outside the circle (see that solitary white figure at the far end in the pic alongside) as punishment.
But Harish was not alone. Soon Kiran Sajjan came in without her cap and was meted out the same treatment. She also took it sportingly, till Harish, in a wonderful display of male chivalry, led her by the hand into the circle. The gesture was much appreciated by all.