Tagged Again: 8 Travel Things about Me?

I have got a nasty cold, and from the last two days I could not upload a picture to my blog, so I was not writing what I had planned. Today, I am quite down and out and yet I wanted to write something. So when Cuckoo tagged me, I decided to take it up for today’s post.

Rules of this Tag:

1. Name the person who tagged you.
2. 8 things about you.
3. Tag 6 people.

1. Name of the Person who Tagged Me.

I told you the name already but I will tell it to you once again, Cuckoo tagged me.

2. 8 Things About me!

Now this is difficult from any angle I look at it. I will probably convert most of the things to travel stuff. But let me try.

1. Recently, at a party a very charming lady (who has worked on cruise ship and seen almost half of the world) asked me about my most memorable trip. I had to think for just for a fraction of a second but my most memorable trip has to be Ladakh in 2005. There are many reasons for it. Of course, Ladakh is magical and oh! so beautiful (I have to go back sometime soon). But I am very fond of the place because I somehow feel it proved to be a turning point in my life, in more ways than one. We as usual tried to trek there, and had to abandon it mid way as I fell ill. Still, it makes no difference to me and I consider it the most special trip I ever had.

2. Seven more to go? I am already struggling. OK, here is another one. We are hard core budget travelers and our trip is never complete till we have stayed in at least one uncomfortable hotel (with mice around, of which I am scared to death. My philosophy is that women marry just to have someone to deal with the mice) or braved a battered bus journey. I crib a lot when it happens (and Sesha bears it all with a huge grin) and swear that I will never put up with it again but somehow I always agree for more of the same the next time around.

3. My second most memorable trip has been to Goa where the four of us trekked together. We are a family of five, my husband, my two teenaged naughty nephews and my father, we all live together in a chaotic home. My father has not come with us on any of the treks so 4 is about as perfect we are ever going to have it. We tell our nephews that trekking ‘builds character’ (a straight lift from Calvin and Hobbes) and maybe this June the four of us will trek together again somewhere in Lahul and Spiti. My elder nephew is already in college and stays in a hostel.

4. I don’t really know what others think about me but I think I take sometime before I start talking to people. But to the few people I really talk to, I think they silently pray for me to stop talking. Otherwise, I think people consider me an introvert, somewhat unapproachable. I am really more comfortable listening to stories that others have to tell. I happily tell my stories on this blog.

5.I brag about one thing and that is my game of table tennis. At my previous workplace I used to thrash all my colleagues (and I mean all, gentlemen included) and my students too (60:40 in my favor with the college number one and two among boys). I will not talk about my present workplace scores (one can never be sure who may land up here accidentally 🙂

But I have been beaten soundly each and every time by a certain gentlemen. Hmm, he told me in the very end that he had represented Sweden for a certain age group!

6. OK, three more to go. I once interviewed with Indian Express for sports journalism (right after my Ph.D.) but when they asked me why I want to do it, I goofed up big time by saying “because I need a break from academics.” Well, of course they were not willing to sponsor my break and I think I enjoy academics immensely though sometimes (just sometimes) I seriously think I had enough of 18 year olds for a lifetime.

7. During my Ph.D. days if someone had to find me out in the evenings, they would check out the basketball or the badminton court! And the first time my husband (then my friend) played TT with me he managed a grand score of 3.

8. But to sum it up, I really enjoy academics and cannot see myself doing anything else.