When I left off last, I was hours away from flying into Detroit on my maiden flight on Southwest Airlines. Since I had no idea what to expect, I asked Vidya the Southwest veteran about what was different about the journey. I was promptly informed that the flight would be more like a bus ride with some seats facing the other way instead of them all facing the cock-pit. I found this quite strange indeed – I do not fancy myself taking off like I was being picked off the ground by some giant eagle picking me by my seat belt! Fortunately enough, when I did enter the aeroplane, I was happy to discover that whatever it was, they had done away with the idea. I have a feeling people didn’t take the idea too kindly. After all the average passenger on these flights is certainly more jittery (from what I have seen) than I am – if I actually am jittery by even a stretch of the word’s definition.
Anyway, this flight wasn’t without its share of worries for me. For one, we took off late and that meant that I would be landing only after 11:05 pm which was a problem since Enterprise closed at 11:30 pm and I had to make it or I would be stranded in Detroit for the night with absolutely nowhere to turn to. I tried not to think about it as I hacked away on revamping the Umang website but sure enough, I ran out of battery on my Thinkpad. So I read the magazine on the plane and worried if I would make it in time to Enterprise.
As I left St. Louis, Vidya recommended that I call up Enterprise and get the number of the Enterprise location at Detroit Metro so that I could call them up as soon as the plane hit the tarmac. Thankfully I took her suggestion and sure enough, I called Enterprise as soon as I landed in Detroit. I made it to the Enterprise location presently and was soon on my way to East Lansing in a cool Chevy Impala.
I had a terrific weekend with Navin and Sumanth. We drove around quite a bit, making it to Holland and other places on our way to the sand dunes and the beach on Lake Michigan. We talked and laughed and got lost a hundred times thanks to my navigation 
Me, Navin and Sumanth
(And yes, before you tell me, I know the picture is underexposed. That was because of the sun being straight in the camera!)
Among other things, we also played basketball at the Residence Inn that we were at. It struck me that had quite forgotten how much I enjoyed playing basketball back when I was quite regularly into it.
Yesterday evening I joined the CS department dudes in their regular game of basketball on Wednesdays. Although I was just too much of an amateur for all the regulars – Chris, Mike, Richard, Jamie etc. – I had a terrific time doing what I have always enjoyed – pure sport with all the action. I was visibly out of touch with the game and the high levels of stamina one needs to have but I think I managed okay. With time I should give Richard less reason to be frustrated with having a teammate who can’t really do anything
The downside to the evening was that I managed to sprain my ankle pretty bad at the end of the first game (although I did go on to play the second game) and this morning when I woke up, I was wailing I also happened to have the ball smash into my face one other time but so far it doesn’t look like my nose is broken! In any case, I am going back next Wednesday to another great game of basketball.
And finally, please welcome the latest entrant to the blogging scene – my dear friend Udaya ! It took quite a bit of coaxing to convince her that she writes well enough to warrant a blog but I am sure with a bit of encouragement, she should make it a regular habit. And if somebody does figure out what the title of her blog means, let me know.
Rahul finished his summer internship at Mathura and is all set to get back to Madras to take his GRE in about a month from now – all the best for that, brother!
So that’s it for now, I guess. It’s the Independence Day weekend and I have a sprained ankle so I don’t suppose I can do much. But I will manage to do something and subject ye all to my rambling some other time
