Wednesday, March 4, 2009

South West Matchmaker

My last post was about my trip to Las Vegas.This is also something that i came across dut=ring the trip.as i had mentioned before we travelled in south west airlines.As much as i liked their service, i hated the fact that they do not have a proper seating system.I mean they give u some seat numbers and finally when u board the flight in the hopes of runnning to your seat and taking that window seat before your husband, all you see is, its an open seating.anybody can sit anywhere they wish.Its great for the people who board first, but the people who board last would have a tough time finding a seat together if travelling together.We didn't have much of a problem on the way to Vegas.But the return flight was a tragedy.We all hurried and took the front of the line in the hopes of boarding the flight fisrt.Not exactly first cuz they divide everyone into groups.There were 3 groups and we were in the 3rd group.But we stood the first when they called out for the 3rd group and were very glad we did.Since Dip was in 1st group[though we all took the boarding pass together] he went in before us and had a seat reserved for Jin,But Jin, Sj n me were together in the line.All of a sudden there is this black guy,oops sorry,African American guy who comes in says he has to be in front of the line as his boarding pass says number 1.I dont mean to be a racist, But i hated that guy.He behaved just like an Indian.I believed only Desis [sure that includes me] make such stupid acts.He was soon joined by a white American man.May be not always does a white man agrees so much with an African american like now.I was so irritated.we all were.They started making so much fuss there that the airline lady soon came over and made us all stand in order of the number.There was no such thing followed for the first 2 groups.So now we are at the end of the line.By the time we got inside most of the seats were filled.Finally Sj and me couldn't sit together.We got a middle seat and i was directly behind him.Thank god, we were atleast close.There was this heavy man next to me who was travelling with his mum who was on my other side[I was in the middle of them].Yeah, i sepeprated the mum from his son.I felt sympatehtic for him initially cuz he cudn even sit in the middle seat cuz of his extra pounds, but only till he started snoring to glory right next to me.I could see this mum looking at his at times with that "what are you doing my loud,naughty boy" kinda look.whatever, i had to suffer.Then, I happened to read the airlinr magazine in the seat pocket.It had an article about the SW open seating policy. The title was something similar to "SW matchmaker" though not exactly that.It said that since they had an open seating, strangers get to meet and fall in love.I just cudn looking to my left and thinking "REALLY"???? There was so much written about all these successful love stories of people who met in SW flights.Come on, u seperated me from my husband.Is that so romantic???Whatever!!!
But then, i saw Sj asking the guy next to hom if he take take my seat so that i can sit next to him.Now, something i have't mentioned yet is that through out the journey Sj n me were having a silly yet kinda big fight.It wasn't permanent.It just got coming n going.At one point we both even thought i should go back to India n stay there for a while [we both try to scare each other with that though it never works... C'mon, we love each other more than that].. Now that i still have bits and pieces of the fight left n my mind i was upset.But when i saw him talking to the other guy about giving me the seat, i felt that it was really sweet of him.It din't work cuz the other guy was 6'4" and cudn take a middle seat.Sj usually doesn't ask for favours to strangers.Still he did this time.This made my heart melt.When he cannot sit away from me for 4 hours, how was he gona live without me if i go back to India...See, Lier, he doesn wan me to go... it was a good feeling to know that.May be god wanted us to realize how much we loved eachother and how we cannot live without eachother.So he didn't let us sit together.So is open seating really romantic??? may be... Then i looked to my left agian..May be not...

Monday, March 2, 2009

In love with Vegas




Its been so long.Though there is no big change in my life, things r pretty much a lot different from my life in Peoria.Since we have moved to Chicago, Sj comes for lunch daily n the rest of the moves by quickly after i spend the morning cooking.The days i dont cook i just cuddle up in my love seat with my throw.I love my throw.Its pretty cozy n keep me warm.We had a recent trip to Las Vegas.It was like a long term wish that i needed to visit the place.Its pretty cool, actually mind blowong.Everything was simply great.Though Sj n me had some silly fights while we were there, i still had a lota fun.Imagine, i think it wud b the only plac eint he whole world, where u can have a fight with your guy/gal n still have a lota fun.
We landed in Las Vegas airport by around 7.30pm.The flight was cool.SouthWest airlines.They serve free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.I loved their cranberry apple cocktail.[they call it.].While Sj spent a while sleeping i was busy trying to solve puzzles and Sudoku i found in their magazing.I have never over estimated my ability in mathematics.Maths and me are like hmmm....hmmm....lets just say,we dont get well together.We hate each other.Its like an inherited hatred.I believe my grandmother shared a similar relation with Maths.Its like, i can still get a 100 bucks from her,return 50 and convince her that she has to gimme 60 bucks back.[Not that bad, still closer].Yeah, so after all the failed attempts to solve even the warm up section of Sudoku, and many cocktails [again as they call it], we finally landed in Las Vegas.
Though our initial plan was to rent a car n drive directly to Williams [3 hrs from Vegas and an hour from Grand Canyon],where we wud spend the night before the drive to the Cnayon the next day, trust me, the charm of Vegas was so tempting that we changed it.We drove to the strip, roamed around for an hour or two before we actually drove to Williams.I dont remember where we had dinner from.I will mention it when i do.The drive seemed longer since it was midnight and we cud feel the crawling of sleep into our eyes.I was scared Sj wud doze off behind the wheels,so i kept talking about everything [yes, i mean it], every stupid thing i cud possibly think of.Anyway, we were not alone.We had another married couple with us.But they were equally sleepy,infact they were sleeping in the back seat while i was talking to Sj about Obama's new economic stimulus plan and the other girl from my college whose boyfriend ditched her.Still cant remember where we had dinner from.
Grand Canyon was beautiful, though i feel the snow a day before had reduced the much expected red colours in the formations whick kinda made less attractive than o thought.Still, it was a natural wonder and a great view.
We reached back in Vegas the same day.No time to waste.Didnt even bothered to check in the hotel till we took a complete roam of the strip.We strated the next day with a brunch at the nearby Thai reataurant cuz iHop was too crowded. They call it a recession in USA,Vegas is still flooding with people.But i dont doubt a bit why.This is the coolest place ever.We stayed in the Stratosphere, but still did't take any rides.The rides in Stratosphere are one of the scariest ones in the world.I had a double mind about taking one of it, and decided against it.Y pay money and scare myself.Dont i have anything more fruitful to do with the money,like buy myself that long jacket or the boots i always wanted.Yeah, the most interesting part of the trip.We watched two shows in while there.Vegas is most known for its gambling and shows i guess.Yeah, the women ofcourse, i saw these men at every corner who gave off snaps of naked women and their phone numbers,Gross...There were even these truck like vehicles moving around with such ads...I hear there are licensed borthels in Las Vegas.But i think these are the stuffs that makes Vegas "VEGAS" .Now, coming back to us, We watched two shows,"Fantasy" and "Zumanity".Fantasy is a complete topless show.It was okai,i liked there dance.But there was no great in watching the silicon and the non silicon ones.The hostess who sang good by the way wasn't believable at all.Anyway there was this guy who did comedy while they set the stage and the girls changed [i have no idea what???], was cool.He was really fun.He was the mail highlight of the show.He was damn funny.The next show we watched was Zumanity.Ah, great show..I simply loved it.I guess everyone there did.We got a deal on the ticket online.A seat in the centre on the 3rd row from the stage for half price was great.There was a lot of audience participation and stuff.It was amazing anyway.I took a tequila shot for the first time while in Vegas. I actually had thought it was gona be bitter and Sj had warned me that i shouldn spit it back incase i cudn take it.Anyway, i surpirised me, including myself, Cuz i had it with ease,I liked it infact.It didn't taste bad and i liked the way we take it with lemon n salt.I wanted to have one more just for the fun of it, but the cost of a single shot [$16 or more against $3 in Chicago],made me go against it. It was a great trip anyway and a lot of fun.I can write pages and pages about this one trip.But want to keep it short and this is best i can do.