Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Runtime 2007

Well this is an annual get together organised by the firm where I work. The unique thing about this get together is family is invited. Loads of programs, awards and games, spread over two days at some location which keeps on changing every year!! This year Runtime was being held at Mumbai, the d-day being 5th and 6th May.

5th May - Pune -> Mumbai

The journey begins at about 0600 hrs. 4 buses start on different routes to pick up people and continue towards Mumbai. Yours truly happened to be the bus coordinator for one of them - No. 3. What started out as a fun journey soon turned into a dreadful one as the bus hit the expressway at a snail's pace and continued like that till the last minute!! Ah, the frustration!! Can't explain it!! 1200 hrs we finally hit Mumbai or rather Navi Mumbai (nearing vashi), where to our surprise the driver heads straight towards Airoli....... What is he thinking?? No way we can turn back!! And so in the humidity and oppressive heat of Mumbai 30 odd souls wait for the journey to get over.

The destination - Naval Bagh, Madh Island, Mumbai

1400 hrs: Finally we are there. Naval Bagh.......... 8 hrs journey!! Phew!! boy were we tired?? We checked into Hotel Retreat, where incidentally only the families were to stay. So we stags and the "spinsters" get a room each to freshen up!! And move out to Naval Bagh!! Nothing much was left for us though.......... except the lunch. So, what with lunch done........ The dance troupe of Pune (fellow colleagues) moved out for their dress change and venue check (and stuff like that). Incidentally, the evening venue was different. This time it was Saina Resort, about 2-3 k ahead. And the rest of the gang simply lounged around!! Will never forget the smell of fish their....... remembered it from my childhood days...... ewwww!!!

Saina Resort - Aaja nachle!!

The evening promised to be nothing but full of dances. Interspersed with some award ceremonies :D. I'll skip the awards and head for the dance shows......... First on stage was the team from Mahape. They did some sort of a tribal dance sequence, couldn't make out much of it!! Next on stage was "Aamchya pune office cha dance troupe". Now this was a performance to watch out for. The girls troop in to the tunes of Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps". No comments on that ;). Next the boys with "Bebo" (heard that for the first time!!), and finally all of them on stage for Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie"........ And well.... not a single hip was lying then.... they all wanted to dance!! :) And finally The SEEPZ guys with a stupendous rendition of the title song of Omkara - which was primarily classical (close to the tandav nritya!!). And finally nach baliye begins!!
The couples were too good.......... We saw them grooving away to "Say Na", "Dil mein baji guitar", "pyar ki yeh kahaani sunoh" and a few medleys!! In short awesome chemistry, great moves............ the mood was set!! And then the DJ set in with some really groovy music........Wild dancing and a sumptuous dinner later, at about 2300 hrs, the singles club members set for their hotel at Powai.........

6th May - Some rest and sleep

0100 hrs: Finally checked into the room. What a sleepy journey....... and slow too!! Arghhh............ I was ready to kill the driver!! Anyways, took a nice bath..... caught up a few calls (kept them really short for a change!!) and crashed into a dreamless sleep. Its been a long day!! Have to wake up early for the buffet breakfast.
1100 hrs: I just open my eyes, and was shocked to find no one in the room!! "Huh!! What happened??" Checked my watch!! "Crap!! Missed breakfast!!" Couldn't help but recollect my hostel days when I would invariably miss the "good" breakfasts by oversleeping!! (More of that in some other post). Anyways, with my sleep having scurried away to god knows which remote corner, what with my hunger pangs setting in, I set about for a leisurely bath... and then some coffee and the morning paper!! Ah!! Princely state of affairs, don't you think?? hehe......Through with coffee and the newspaper, I decided to check out the hotel facilities and headed for the recreation room. And found an old sweetheart there - Snooker!! Soon enough found a partner in Sunil, and got on to a couple of games of snooker, which we had to drop in the end and rush for lunch............. we were too engrossed in it!!

Catching up

While doing all this, I happened to chance across a senior of mine from college. Was pleasantly surprised. They were putting up in the same hotel coz of some training of theirs. It really was good catching up with her!!

SRPF grounds

1800 hrs: Just reached there, the sun still blazing on our heads....... I had chosen to go for a jacket tie affair for the formal dress code show..... IN the end the tie remained tucked in my jacket, while the jacket only got a chance to grace me when the sun went down, the breeze was a bit cooler!! The awards were on.............. This time, C# - the official music band performed and regaled the audience with some really superb tracks. The finals of Nach Baliye followed......... keenly fought...... the deserving couple took away the prize. And then....... SILENCE on stage as teh crowd tucked in to delicious food laid out in front of them.
2030 hrs: "Yaaron dosti............" Someone started crooning on stage. Yes, folks........ KK just announced his entry!! Drop the food, its time for some real music........ From then till about 2200 hrs, he mesmerised the entire crowd with his melodious voice and even more enchanting songs!! It was bliss!!From there back to the hotel. Crash and sleep......... for we had an early start the next day for Pune!! Runtime 2007 had come to an end.

Met up with old friends, guess earned a few friends......... enjoyed, freaked out....... Did it all....... In short was a good break!! A hectic but fun filled vacation!!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

no wonder u were cranky :P lolz... after all that travelling and masti :P

waise i agree with u totally the smell of fish sux... :(
n yeah i miss breakfast everyday as well... ie wen im in pune and college in on :P
n its so nice na, wen u run into ur frends or ppl hu u knew suddenly :P
wish i ws there 2 c all d dances... i hv fun watching ppl shake a leg cz m 2 afraid to do so myself... :P

kk must hv been awesome... m so jealous... :P
cheers...

apple.com said...

hmm i need a break..guess i could with a trip like yours....

Anonymous said...

@dumbum..... can understand ur views... btw, try dancing.... i too was a scared to shake a leg.... but broke the shackles a few weeks back!!

@arun: hehe..... start planning on it!!

Unknown said...

ah...so had fun?;)..n u dumbhead...wud have really enjoyed;)...i wish i were dere 2 see u flashin ur teeth:P

IncorrigibleV said...

hey as soon as i read "madh island" i went ohhhhhh duh uh , u see ive heard of this place so many times...[rem someone sayin "sona hamare madh island waale bagle par rakha hai" or somethin like it :P ], but i always thought it was written as "Mud Island" ...lolol
waise it seems like u had loads of fun and ya i love watchin dances too i mean stage shows ... and KK wow, i so wanna go to a live concert meself {with me in the mosh pit}
tc

Anonymous said...

lolzzz......... luks lyk madh island is a bit famous (or infamous??) :P

Sahil said...

so how does it feel getting back to work after the holiday ;-) and ya put in some pictures on the blog na..the ones from 'my humps'should be interesting ;-)

Anonymous said...

totally crap!! wish it was a looooooooooooong weekend!! hehe......
btw, I will put up teh pics.. doncha worry. lemme collect teh lot..... and scan thru them for teh better ones!!

Pijush said...

Sam, Thanks for visiting my blog. Hmm.. seems U enjoyed .. keep posting

Cuckoo said...

Hmmmm... :))
The way you've narrated it, looks like it was loads of fun. Why didn't you call me ? ;)

Anonymous said...

I wud have called u sweetie. but I didn't have your number (now can i have it?? :P).... Now, you know why should stay in touch!! :P

Priyanka Sarkar said...

hey!!!thnks for dropping by my blog!!:)
ur blog s really got vivid descriptions!!kudos to ur firm for organising such an event.....
keep blogging!!

Sam said...

hey thnx to you too.........
an i think now I'l share some pics soon enuf!!