Blow by Blow

Ok, so I struggled a lot getting that PCC thing but somehow it was done. Done before the day I was supposed to get to the Research Centre and kick off the project. In our view, it all looked fine, though only two of us had the clearance. We kick off our 'journey' to the place, which is about 30KM from my house. The drive was pretty smooth coz, most of it is the road leading to the airport, and hence was decent enough. With a sudden near U turn, we entered the road leading to the Centre. Most of it was dotted by the famous labs, including stuff about aeronautical materials, etc, of which we had no idea they existed. So after an almost seemingly endless drive, we reached the place. The first impression was as expected. Looked typically a govt. organization, with those black roads and scattered buildings, that didn't look anywhere close to what they are generally hyped for. It was a common sight. Govt vehicles zooming around, people too bothered with their own work (whatever it is), and a clear air of laziness. Just like I experienced during my mini-project. As soon as we entered, we were asked to wait for half-an-hour to meet the person authorized to let us in. Remember, only 'let us in', not 'start the project'. That half hour turned into 2 hours and there was no surprise. Then our lecturer who promised to meet us there so as to make things a little smoother advised us to have lunch and wait. So lunch it was, in the officer's mess. Decent food, as expected. Not tasteful, not tasteless, just about filling, unlimited as it was. After lunch we met the lecturer. And he tried to contact the person himself and was told that he was in a 'big meeting', and that the meeting could extend late into the evening. So, after all the travel (which we should do daily in case we get the project), we didn't take a single step into the facility. We were stuck the whole time at the administration block. What a start, I would say!

And to add to the woes, its the tire. After 2 weeks of lazing around, watching 4 movies a day, and internet, I suddenly traveled so far (60 KM is far in my standards) and had to endure long bouts of standing and waiting, with nothing but the shade of a tree, and an officer's mess to help. Of course, after watching a show called 'Alive in the Andes' on NGC yesterday, I began wondering if what I went through was at least 0.00000000000001% of what those people went through. Surviving for 2 months on the snow-covered Andes mountains trying to stay alive, with nothing but the flesh of already dead humans to eat!! No food, no water, no warmth, no shelter. 2 months. Ouch! The very thought can kill. But some of them, if not most, survived to tell the story. And my story is doesn't even come in the picture.

Anyway, I am master of deviations. Things can go from anything to anything else. Like starting with caramel pudding and ending up with dark matter. When humans are allowed to talk, there's no end to it, and yet we constantly remind ourselves that we know nothing about the universe... which is actually true.