One Hungry Evening in Nihon …..

It’s just around 6:30 pm. We both were waiting for the meeting to end. It seems like it will be going on and on. IT related meetings usually have close to 20 guys over one tele-conference and there will be two guys who really have some problem. They keep on talking and no one else will be bothered about the conversation until one asks,
“R u guys with us?” that will be answered with a chorus ‘YES’
This meeting was one such crap. But this time it was the booking system which helped us. Some one had booked the conference room from 6:30 and we had to come out of the call once our slot was over (This is a usual thing that happens in all corporate offices). We sincerely thanked them in our mind

I don’t know what happened today but rite after our lunch, we both felt hungry. Oh the “we” I’m mentioning is me and my project mate. He is quite senior to me, but he added only years to his experience, still have all craziness and Great Spirit for eany thing crazy. It was 6:45 by the time we came out of office. We decided to take a walk around to look for something to eat. First we went to “Coredo food Mart”. (FYI:- My project mate is a pure vegetarian who eats egg and he never stopps if he starts with chappathi and kurma). We roamed around looking at various shelves in the food mart and asked for 'Meat-less' sandwitches, but couldn’t find any. I was happy with anything but I couldn’t stand the smell of some special sauce they use. We came out empty handed (Empty stomached)and went to the next shop. It was MasonKasor this time. The aroma of sweet bread and cheese had attracted me so many times, but there also we ran out of luck. All we could find was empty basins becoz the shop was about to close. We went around eating the sample bread pieces adding fuel to our burning appetite.

Finally decided to check our luck outside, started to walk back. My project mate asked me to sit down in the restaurant MasonKasor (I will address him as MB, he had some looks of Mahesh Babu, Telugu hero ….I know its time to check my eye power). I suggested we should leave and look for MC Donald. But he was adamant and made me sit there. Then he asked for an English speaking person in the restaurant. After a short while, a pretty gal came out from the bakery asking “How may I help you?” We were startled with her accent free English. She was dressed up like a cute doll with nice brown hair and silky hair. The maid uniform of Mayson Kaysor made her beautiful. MB asked about what she has in the restaurant and about meat free sandwich. She gave us some options and asked about what kind of bread (Hard or soft); what kind of vegetables to put (As far as I know, vegetables means cabbage for Japanese ppl).

Any way we waited for another 10 minutes and MB started to give fundas about his knowledge about the English speaking ladies, about his intelligent guess on vegetable sanwich etc... The gal was taking two piece of bread and going into the bakery, I enquired her about the cost of sandwich, and she replied it is 800 Yen. We waited for some more time and it was getting late. Then the gal came with a bunch of cabbage, two piece of tomato and some other green leaves (Whose name I couldn’t figure out) over it. She had two sandwiches with her. We had only one in mind as I was not interested in taking the sandwich. She had a bill of 1600 yen attached to the basket she gave us. MB stared at the sandwich in disbelief.
I checked the bread, it was really hard and it looked totally out of place. The bread was old, I took it in my hand and decided, I’m not goanna eat it, even if I’m starving. When I looked towards MB, he also had the same thoughts in mind. Time was running out and we had to rush back for our next meeting at 7:30.
We called the English speaking gal and asked her to pack the vegetables and the bread (I mean the sandwich). The came the next bombshell, from that shop, they cannot parcel anything. Everything has to be ate there itself. Listening to that that, I took the jug of water in front of me and drank to reduce the acidity in my stomach and to cool my head. MB was helplessly looking at me, with a question what next.
On the way both of us didn’t talk anything, we stood up, started walking away leaving our 1600 yen sandwich on the table with a hungry stomach, to the next never ending meeting. We entered the lift and pressed floor button three and looked at each other and burst out laughing. Both of us started laughing and when we entered the floor, both of us were grinning ear to ear leaving our team mates wondering what these guys have done. We only know the fun of leaving a 1600 sandwich over the desk , walking away with a hungry stomach.

Life in Nihon

"Nihon no Seikatsu"




I had a lot of misconception about Japan before coming here. It is not a shocking difference but the images were more or less wrong. The life here in Japan is definitely different. Everything around seems to be so organized that I found myself totally out of place as a disorganized individual.
Life starts everyday with my alarm making the nuisance. I don’t know but all the alarm tones are really irritating noises when u r in the climax of a dream … then it’s a tug of war between thoughts getting out of my rajayi and the urge to go back to the sweet dream. The morning dampness and the chill of the air conditioner adds fuel to the thought of going back to the dream. Finally the face of my onsite coordinator flashes in my mind if we reach late to office, which will win the tug of war and I’ll be out of my bed. First thing, to put morning raga song on my lap top to make morning cheerful (Please note: Morning means 9:00 am for me). Once all set, it’s time to wait for my turn for the restroom. We four are staying in a monthly mansion which is meant for two guys. So people have to adjust. By the time our famous cook ( Mr HOD, or Mr T) will give me hot strong red label Tea.
Sipping my tea, I’ll be busy with my pending mails in all my mail accounts, also with scraps in my orkut. Internet and lap top is getting to be an integral part of my routine. Refreshing up, it’s time to get into suit-boot-coat. Here even the cab driver will be in a three piece suit. So people like me working in a client place, I have to be in full formal attire. It really bugs me to tuck-in itself, so u know how it is to wear a full formal suit and accessories like tie and formal shoes…. But client is god here and no chance for a memorandum to change it. But we got lucky to get our working timing as 11 to 8. Most of the time breakfast is just an apple or a piece of bread. Apples we get here is very big and one will be enough. Next is a five minutes walk to our railway station ( Nakano). Usually it’s a run as we are always late.
Climate here is very much like what we have in India. No dust, less windy. Here we have tremors!!! The streets are very quiet and people seldom talks to each other. If some one comes straight opposite to you, even if u gave them way or they are giving way, they will nod, not a big wish but a small node to acknowledge kindness. I really liked it. On the way to railway station there is a two storied cycle stand. Yes it’s not a mistake two storied CYCLE stand. So many people here use cycles. It’s really nice to watch people with their kids on the carrier, food on the front carrier and a pet dog running around the cycle ….it’s a usual scene here which I love to watch.
Entering to the railway station is another intrigue part. Getting the rite train is another puzzle to solve. Altogether Tokyo has 9 public lines and 3 private lines. Each goes on its own way and they have a map which looks like a closely woven knit. Fortunately my friends had sorted out which line, which platform and time to go. There are automatic ticket machines and the checking machine is also automatic. We have to just put in the ticket; it will come out with a hole. When u put the same ticket at the exit at the destination, the counter takes it. If the ticket is not enough, it makes a noise and the gates will close on you. Then you can go to a fare adjustment system and put in the additional charge required. We got monthly pass now, so it’s just push in and collect. No fair adjustment
Inside the train people usually sleep or listen to music on their ipods or iaudio or iriver, many things which play music, video games, TV and lot many things which I have only seen, couldn’t understand. One thing they are never gonna talk anything. I used to count the station as the 10th station was mine to get down. The escalators here are all crowded. Here they usually walk even in the escalator, because all are in a hurry. The rule is like this, those in the left line can stand and the right lane for busy people to walk forward.
My starting station is ‘Nakano’ and destination is ‘Nihonbashi’. ‘Bashi’ in Japanese means bridge and we have a big bridge rite next to our office. I’m happy that the place names are easy when compared to other station like’ Takadanobaba’ and ‘Oteimachi’.

When inside the train I have a feeling like being in the matrix movie. On a busy Monday morning inside the train all u can see people like Smith in the movie matrix. I mean Japanese smith sleeping wearing black coat. The trains have announcement in English and Japanese. On all stations, just before the station we will get an announcement which station is next. The train in these subway movies pretty fast that one can feel the air pumped into our ear drums when it gains speed.
From Nihonbashi railway station I have a walk of three minutes to my client place. On the way there is a bakery named ‘Maison Kaiser’. Everyday we get a mesmerizing aroma of butter baked sweet bread. But as we will be hurrying through, we will never get a chance to get a taste of the bread. After getting this aroma I started to believe their can be aromas which can mesmerize u for!
In my client place every day we wish to two guys in the gate, one security and one security officer. They stand in the same pose even when we go out for lunch, even when we leave to home. I wonder whether these people get bored standing and smiling at everyone coming into office. All they say is ‘Ohayo Gozaimasu’ and ‘Osthukara samadesu’. First one is good morning and second one is a wish saying ‘it’s hard for u, u better go home’.
In the client office, there is nothing worth writing up here. It’s all technical. That’s what we say when we don’t want to say what actually happens there. On my way back, I usually sleep or read some novel. I probably get seats by our 3rd station and by the time we reach our station one among us will have a good sleep day. I started swimming after coming here. U must be thinking what happened to me to go for swimming at 8:30 after a tiring day in office. But it really helps to keep me fit and keep me refreshing.
It’s two minutes walk to ‘Sunplaza’ gym. On the way there is a silent street where there will be guys practicing skate board. They do so many things which we cannot even dream about doing on a skate board. Then there might be fellows in the near by park playing his saxophone or trumpet or just playing jazz. They just sit alone and practice music (sometimes it is worst than me, which gave me idea to try out my weapon also there). It’s a nice feeling to listen to the non rhythm music and walk alone thinking about nothing. I feel so empty in my mind and now a day I began to enjoy that emptiness. Whole through the 1 km swimming, I’ll be having a free mind. The night will be the same damp one when I walk back at 10:30 pm local time. Like smooth background music, walking through the empty street with hungry stomach.
Once back, my supper will be prepared. We will finish it off and cleaning the vessels will be my job. We divide work among us like that and because of my swimming schedule I seldom cook. So I wash vessels. Then the next one is to check the download status of some movie in my torrent, open it and watch it until sleep take over. Weekends are more or less sleeping washing, watching movies. Exploring Japan is in top priority which will have lot more entries here…..

Many of the things I have written here must be silly and usual things for u, but I felt it’s a little different for me or different from what I expected in Nihon

Trip to Nihon

Trip to Nihon


I traveled to Japan for an onsite assignment.

Our journey started around 10:30 with a lot of pain and excitement in our heart. Our relatives and friends were waiting thinking that they might get one more chance to have glimpse of us. But we were busy packing and repacking our baggage to get the exact weight in each bag in the baggage counter. Our baggage constraints were like 20 + 7 maximum and the weighing machine left us in desperation when I read 37+10 for my pm and 36 + 10 for me. We had to pay a sum of 14K to get our baggage checked in. This kept us away from our friends, one guy ‘thadi’ who traveled almost 12 km leaving his daily meeting and my pm’s friend who traveled almost 20 km to just see of my pm with a bouquet were in a bad shape. My pm had 6 kg of pickles which kept him busy repacking everything to the big baggage as we cannot carry pickles in cabin bag. It was new information to me that we can make bombs with pickles and chilly powder.

We ran into more problems when the immigration officer at Hyderabad asked us to put 300 rs in the passport. I was able to make two three phone calls from my project manager’s cell as he couldn’t return it to his wife. We were very sad to imagine the face of our friends and relatives eagerly waiting for us to go back and say …just bye. My pm was in a sad mood saying about the kiddish fight he had with his 8 months old kid Nikhil and his wife ‘ Kana’ on the way to airport in the cab.
After that it was boring & congested. The economy class seats in Singapore airline are just ok as I required more leg space. I think it was designed keeping only Japanese ppl in mind. Except the intermittent call from pretty airhostess for drinks, food etc. I had a good sleep until we reached Singapore. Singapore airport is a huge place and the shops looked amazing. But with a lot sleep left in our eyes in Indian timings 4’O clock in the morning, we were busy looking for a nice seat to sleep. But the search for F59 to catch the next flight kept us awake. It must have been funny for other ppl as two guys dressed up in full suit, with drowsy eyes, looking for a place to sleep. The Singapore airlines kept as busy as they changed our terminal from E42 to F 59 which caused us another 400 m walk in the elevator. Ppl were busy walking over the elevator but we just stood and waited for the elevator to take us. We had four hour stop over and we roamed around the airport. The immigration from Singapore was simple and no bribing required there!
Except the non veg breakfast they provided which was prawn solicitous with ham and vegetables (I couldn’t understand what it was) I had to change to a veg meals and everything seemed in place. I saw ‘Taxi 9211’ on the flight. I was amazed to find Hindi movies in Singapore airlines.
From Tokyo airport ‘ Narita’ we had taken Limousine bus to Shinjuka station in which we again slept happily. The tall building and the cozy bus kept us awake for sometime but then the sleep took over. Since the veg meals were not enough for us, we got hold of 1 bread for each from Narita. We both found out that bread taste ultimate when we are really hungry. From shinjuka station which was a busy looking place just like what we can see in English movie, we got a call taxi to my friend’s place ‘Crystal Village’. According to my friend Daya, the map he had given was enough to get us to this place. But for our cab driver the map was ‘ Mujukashi’ means difficult. He had to ask two three ppl to get to the rite place.
Once at my tomodachin’s place (friend’s place, hope u ppl don’t mind adding these Nihon go words in between :) ) we had Tai rice+ sambhar + curd and pappad which was heaven after eating those international meals from Singapore airline. Three cheers to my friend Thiru ( HOD) who planned everything the rice, two calling cards and all. We were so tired that we hardly spoke. Just called up home and slept. All through the journey the new shoes kept biting me and left with two bruises. One lesson I learned is to keep my shoes old enough to keep away from shoe byte on a foreign assignment.
It was a memorable trip with long walks in Singapore airport, Tokyo airport and in the tube stations. I Will write up soon about the pretty Nihon gals and the hefty client ppl around me.