Welcome there to the New Year 2006.

Ooops! Do you know what 2006 sounds to me like??

Remember, in those days of peace of calm, when I could barely read, I used to read those fictional science novels that spoke about the electronics and amazing gadgets that some 200x would bring?!!!! That is how 2006 seems to me.. And I can’t believe that the electronics, the gadgets and I are all already together for some action.

A and I are just back from a week long vacation. Actually, this period was a lot of activity, that I would not call it a vacation. It was fun-filled- Yes, but it was packed!! a hectic trip. Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego visited us!!!! We had booked a neat 3-way trip from PDX-LAS-LAX-PDX again. The trip was all laid out, packed with fun stuff and here I take you on the ride.
Started from PDX, we boarded a afternoon Ted flight to Las Vegas with an hour and a half of stopover at SFO. if the 'Ted' thing sounds like something new and fun.. Hold back.. it is not .. it was partnered with United, as it read and in all probability it is nothing more than a business strategy of renaming the sick United, after all Ted is the last and left out half of United !! It was a usual A320 airbus and even before the wind wagon taxied for the take off, my brain was transmitting Theta waves in between my slumber. So I guessed the flight was a smooth one. Moreover, the plane being really sparsely filled, A and I could share a 3 seat row. ‘A’ promptly woke me up to see the wonderful landing at SFO airport. It was one of the best landings I have seen, seems like landing right in to the bay. SFO is situated at the edge of San Francisco Bay and there is a number of Bay Bridges connecting the strip to the mainland. From some height it seems like many parallel rows of vehicles floating over water. I enjoyed the sight.

After spending some time browsing through the book stores of the SFO airport, I got ready for another nap on another Ted bound for LAS. This time around, Vegas-by-night was a true spectacle to view from the space. Landed, got a cab and checked into hotel by 11 pm. Retired for the day. In short, Vegas was energy sapping. It is one hell of a place which is marked by splendor of everything grand, everything luxurious and everything wrong. It is funny that Vegas is all about the wrong side of life, from gambling, night clubs, losing money to losing virginity. Vegas is all about one 3.5 mile strip adorned with gambling dens on its either sides. Each casino depicts the architecture and culture of some town. For instance, we have NewYork – New York casino that has an external vista of NewYork downtown lining the sky scrapers and the statue of Liberty. We have a casino depicting Paris that features a mock-up Eiffel tower that is 50 storeys tall. The elevator takes you up to the peak and the view from that height makes you think how the smart people of America could turn an apparently fallow desert land into a focal point of extravagance and opulence. It is funny, intriguing and motivating too. Each casino sprawling about half-an acre of land and beautifully decorated is a treat to watch in itself. On top of that, many of these money mansions offer one or more free shows that is supposedly a means to attract the fellow travelers into either watching their paid shows, play at their gaming pools or at least shop in their shopping malls. What will us poor Desis do, than just walk to every free show available?  The mega fountains at Bellagio the street plays, canals and gondoliers of Venice, the pyramids and sphinxes of Egypt, the idol of Brahma at the Ceasars Palace and the scores of people at every square inch of the place – can all be found on the Strip. It is one place that speaks grandeur and regality in its air.

Taking the early morning flight to Los Angeles, we landed in LAX about half-past seven, drove the famous Mulholland Drive, which like Beverly Hills supposedly houses the principal Hollywood stars. We tried to peep into every car that passed by to spot Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts, and of course we were in vain. Stopping by on the way, we took pictures of the famous Hollywood sign board and by about 9 am, we were the first entrants into Universal Studios, the studio that plays the cine trick in every movie released in Hollywood. This dream factory produces the best of gimmicks, visual and sound effects known. We saw how rain was instantly pouring when the director wanted it and how pyrotechnics was used in the heroic films, where the hero braves the raging fire in saving the heroine. It was interesting to see the little world submerge in a cataract and then come back live in action for the next scene in minutes. They have a little town in which each of the streets is suppose to look like the different cities of the world. So when the hero flies from Baltimore to Seattle, (He does in the movie, Sleepless in Seattle) the directors and the crew just have move a block away to start shooting in Seattle. There are attempts to re-create the effects of Jurassic Park, Mummy and Van Helsing which are really cool to try a visit. This trick palace was definitely a learning experience.

The next day spent at San Diego (which is just 30 miles North of Mexican border of California) was supposed to be a rest day after three days of tireless fun. However, we engaged in some mild activity on the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Spending time on the beaches of Pacific Ocean was like re-living the good old days of Marina Beach minus the Paatani Sundal. For the Oregonian in me, ( ;-) ) touching water of the Pacific in December is like sun rising in the west. The day was cool, relaxing and rejuvenating for the next day to be spent at Sea World.

Sea World was the best of the places that we got to visit during this trip. We saw Dolphins, Seals and Whales in action trained for a 40-minute show, when it performs acrobatics in the best style.
Dolphins jumped a whooping height of 12 feet and I was simply stupefied. In the show that followed, the seals performed clever acts that I was perplexed. Following that was the whale show where in the whales Shamu and Baby Shamu performed some maneuvers that blew my mind off. These creatures are simply awesome and savvy in their gimmicking crafts. This was the best place for your kids and the kids in you to watch in wonder.

We hired a car and drove up north to spend the New Year eve at Los Angeles. We drove straight to Disney Land, spent a couple of hours in the park and when we were too tired that the legs started begging for some rest, we drove to the hotel where we got an upgrade to a ‘suite’ as the non-smoking room that we had booked was not available. Thanking the stars, we went to bed. We were to rest as much as we could, since we did not have a proper resting place for the following night. Checking out of the hotel by 11 am, we had to spend the next 24 hours ‘somewhere’ before we be back at home sweet home. It rained cats and dogs at Disney and we were awfully under-prepared for the weather. We got drenched and we still had 12 hours for the New Year 12 ‘o clock strike. We managed the rest of the day with the weather getting better as soon as we bought a poncho (u bet) and the New Year fever setting in as soon as we got the New Year hats on. Waited for the ultimate bash, with millions around you counting down the seconds to the last one of 2005 and welcoming the New Year 2006 with colorful fireworks at Disney Land, LA - the moment was truly amazing.

Now, the best part of the story - we still had 6 hours to board the flight back home and we did not have a place to stay and we were still wet with the afternoon rain, cold in the wind and extremely uncomfortable – what a way to start the New Years!! We drove aimlessly in the streets of LA – I enjoyed this haphazard, purposeless and unhurried drive across the very many deserted lanes of LA @ 2: 30 am, January 1 2006.

That is when I get philosophical and my psyche questions the subconscious of the intent of existence, the meaning in my daily hassle and the many mindless motions and mechanics of routine. The unexplored being of me introduces the motivation, the extra verve not to leave the unfamiliar alien and the New Year streak thunders me to wake up, delve deep and probe the way towards a meaningful life fulfilling my inner aspirations.

You should understand that it was the wee hours and I was too sleepy! We then waited for another three hours half-sleeping and boarded another couple more planes and came back home. Home Sweet Home…. Really looking forward to the next tireless fun !!