Clandestine Visit, Not Clandestine anymore

So I made a 'secret' visit to the US Bay area that too for a mere 4 days early in December. I was to be in a comany offsite/ conference with mandatory work and mandatory fun all day all night for all four days. Of course, I figured I will have no time to meet anyone or even call anyone. Between all the work related drama and some weird food allergies on my end and the jet lag, I was a dead woman walking. I got throught he four days - avoided all the spots where my dear friends of the last 6 years of my Bay area life would hang out and made it back to the airport with a sigh of relief. In line, waiting to check in at SFO's enormous line for Singapore Airlines, I figure the end is near, I will collapse in the plane in a matter of two hours and sleep through the next 24 + hours of torture before I wake up in beautiful Mumbai. As the long line inched ahead and turned the corner, I met with a horribly guilty feeling. It was Nishant!! In line, going on the same flight, headed to India for work cum vacation. He gave me this incredulous look and a ginger hug saying what are you doing here?? I asked him the same question back only of course to feel completely foolish cos I was the one visitng the city.

I explained my plight with all my disclaimers but the damage had been done!!

Anyway, the rest of the flight was fun. Catching up with Nishant and sleeeping and alternating between these two.

We got a trasit visa at the Singapore airport and went out to go see the city (and shop for shoes, specifically). It was fun hanging out at Orchard road again. We event went to the Loewe store and left a message for Kevin-La (INSEAD buddy who runs LoEWE in SE Asia - see a prev post for more) with the store manager.

After a thai linch for me and a enormously large Malay lunch for Nish, we headed back to the airport. My Jet lag continued. I slept in the taxi. Ihad to wake up to pay the taxi guy. He said (in his chicken Singlish accent) 20 dollars. I sleepily paid him 2 dollars and said thank you as I got out. Nishant was staring at me wondering why I was behaving like a lunatic. Hurriedly I realised what I had done and passed on whatever else I had one me.

Then we hung out for 5 hours at the Changi airport. I promptly fell asleep. Nish got frustrated and ulled out his (hold your breadth) PSP and played for hours. I woke up - washed up- came back settled intot he chair and slept again. The saga continued until I got to Bombay.

This had somehow been the hardest long distance trip I had done in a long time..........

Anyway, so much for a clandestine visit. There has been a new term coined amoung the bay area gang. ' Doing a Maya' - means to visit a city and disaapear without calling :-(

M