Trip to Santa Cruz, CA

Outing Outing!!

Had made sudden plans to go out for the weekend.. Where to go has been easily resolved as I had made some plans for previous month.. Santa Cruz is near and Famous.. with infants you can't make long plans..

Saturday Morning got Rental Car from Enterprise.. Ford Fiesta.. As I conveyed the plan to Afee of staying there for the weekend, we took some more time to pack things for the stay.. Got digital camera from Rafeeq (bcoz the camera Kodak Z990 that I ordered haven't reached on time).. All set to go and we started from home around 11..

We planned to visit Mystery Spot first and then go to Santa Cruz beach and Downtown.. Surprise, no slot available on the Mystery Spot guided tour.. :-( We had no option other than going to Santa Cruz first and make reservation for the Mystery Spot Guided tour.. Luckily we had some slot open for 5:12 PM, made reservation via phone.. I didn't made reservations as I am not sure of what time I will reach that place and I am poor on planning.. 

My son cried after almost 2 hour in the car in a stretch.. :-( Took a beak near some parking space and started to downtown.. Downtown looked a bit old, but not old like Vallejo.. Roamed in car for nearly 20 minutes to find a spot near to beach, as it was getting late for mystery spot tour we rescheduled beach for Sunday.. Checked in 2 budgetinn motel, rested for 30 minutes and went to mystery spot..

As described the spot has some mystery.. we enjoyed it.. my kid faazudeen was sleepy so he cried for some part of the tour.. Spent some time in the picnic area and started back to downtown by 7..

Had dinner @ Khyber Pass.. the food is really amazing.. its worth the money spent.. also one thing unique i noticed in the restaurant is if had open kitchen.. All customers were able to see how they cook and how hygienic the foods are etc.. I wanted to have good rest for better Sunday..

Sunday morning mcd breakfast.. went to BroadWalk - seaside amusement park.. its nice for kids and for teenagers.. but for married men, okie.. ;-) not sure of how women see it.. I convinced Afee to ride in sky glider out of 20-30 rides.. Luckily Faazudeen slept exactly before the ride and woke up after the ride.. Man i should say this with a kid sleeping in your shoulder this simple ride will be a nightmare.. Afee never opened her eyes throughout the ride..

Walked in the beach.. Went to Sitar for lunch.. After roaming in beach for an hour buffet lunch is a nice treat.. Food is kind of above average.. It is located in downtown so we had some chance to spend time in downtown.. that's all in Santa Cruz.. As we had more than 7 hours of day light we went to another famous tourist spot near to San francisco.. its the 17-mile drive.. i don't have to express how beautiful it is.. many would have done it quiet well.. this place is really really good.. i planned to spend only 30 minutes here, but we spent almost 4 hours in this place.. returned back home by 11:30 after dinner @ Saravana Bhavan..

A trip after long time made us feel good.. I am looking forward for my next trip.. planning in progress.. Hope you have your refreshing trip/vacation soon.. Have fun.. :-))

LittleDrops

An Idea can change the world.. I am not sure of that, but I want to give it a try..


Today had been a great day for my thoughts.. Read some articles about india and its current state.. I love my country like many and I want to do something to it.. A little something which will make me happy..


Spent time on thinking on solving the problems.. As many believe education is the solution to all the problems.. Education is now becoming more uncommon for common people in India.. Its becoming business.. Its Funny though a fact too.. we pay too much of fees for our kids education so that we are eligible for tax exemption.. Those things apart.. What am I contributing to my Country??


I have thought of making a small contribution from my salary to the needy people especially to the kids who needs education to survive better in the life.. Insha Allah I am thinking of contributing 1 percentage of my salary to the people who needs it.. I can make 100 percent, but I am not that great.. ;-)


So thinking of bugging my friends to as small contribution to help our nation or next generation where everyone is treated equally.. I have faith in my friends as they are also having same attitude to help their motherland someway or the other..


Lets give this idea a try and see what happens.. Insha Allah!!

Recap 2009 and 2010

Long time to blogging..

Its been really long since I ever wanted to write something.. I stopped writing my journals after my marriage.. I occasionally wrote some of my thoughts in notebooks.. Nothing much to crip about or nothing great to be proud of too..

I feel this blog had been my place to heal.. To see the past and wonder what had happened.. I don't to miss how I felt the happening of my life and others whom I care for..

Year 2009.. Great one to start with.. Year of Love.. Will have it as 2 parts to be interesting.. PRE-AFEE and AFEE..

PRE-AFEE: Jan 2009 to Nov 2009 -

In USA with thala and sam..

Spent new year day @ NewYork with Kaleel, Siva and Jagadesh..

Many new onsitees Vishnu, Sriram and Priya..

Less work in Unix migration project..

During march got allocated to release projects where I had to work with Jasmine and Kiran..

May started to India.. Some bulbs from X..

Birthday parties..

Lectures to freshers in the team..

New friends Sowjanya, Arjun and Suresh..

Train travels to work..

Trip to Yercaud for Prashanth Brother maraige..

No Kaleel mapla.. :-(

Cricket with friends..

more movies..

started investing in Equity..

Felt great as a good leader..

Gifts from team mates..

Lonely walks in anna nagar..

Careless diets..

Introduced mama to X and his advices.. :-)

No to Femina.. :-(

Desire to get a new house..

pre-closure of ICICI personal loans..

Bajaj financial services bulb..

Dad scoldings for my poor money management..

Closed all debts to get Home loan from HDFC..

Murali and Kaleel's financial help on getting my new apartment..

Forgot to invite Prasad for the house warning ceremony.. forgot some other friends too..

Nov 1st - House Warming Ceremony.. Everyone from my dad's family visited our home.. Proud Dad and Mom..

AFEE:

Oct 29th I wanted to meet Afee.. Went to Purasaiwalkam, saw Hyder mama and lost him in the traffic.. Missed the chance to meet her.. While coming back home, I realized need of love in life.. My heart felt very happy for Afee and that night I told my parents that I am ready for marriage and if they like Afee then I will marry her itself..

Oct 39th My parents visited afee home and came back home so happy for her.. I am not sure of why they are happy, but they are really happy.. I saw it in my Dad'd face.. They got some of Afee's pics too.. She was not so good on those fotos.. Anyways that doesn't impact me because my heart is happy without seeing her itself..

Nov 1st Afee parents with Anwar mama and Sultana Mami came to my home.. They liked me.. So all set from elders side.. Sms chat wtih Afee.. top-up for 100 bucks.. On that week I had selected some of the best pics of mine and shared that with Saleem to show it to Afee.. She also liked me and said okie.. :-)) Love mood thaan..

Bakrid dress for afee.. Afee liked my mom very much.. so much that made me to love her more than before..

Afee family member came to home to talk about engagement and marriage.. Engagement on Dec 13th 2009 and Marriage on May 5th 2010.. Dad made it simple.. "We want the marriage to be grand. Jewels for Afee as your wish. We have everything at our home no need for anything else".. But they had something fixed

Some of the things that made her deep into my heart are

She told that I should take good care of my mom and everything..

She likes joint family..

She likes elders and kids..

She likes Islam and Prayer..

She don't like make-ups..

Some of the things that didn't impress

She is very very shy.. She never talked with me.. But her messages were full of love and love and love and he he.. I tried to talk to her couple of times, but ended failure..

Our engagement meeting(first one).. All family members came and wished us.. Gifted a small chain to Afee.. Hari and Mekalai made it to the engagement.. Prasad, mohan and iyal too came.. Fotos that rizwan took of me and Afee are totally great.. Will cherish that for life.. My parents are happy.. Rizwan liked afee's simplicity.. Watch Gift..

Year had gone with memories..

2010: The BIG Marriage.. Life changing events


Pre Marriage: Jan 2010 to May 2010
In Jan able to Met Afee @ her aunt place.. We had a little chat.. First Kiss.. ;-)
Valentines day's with Afee in Marina Beach.. Too much of hupe created by her father.. Mom a bit upset.. Wow great first valentine day celebrations.. Worth the risk..
Met Afee in couple of places near to her place, once in TNagar..
Spent most of my time with Afee over phone and in person.. As Hari advised marriage needs time to get settled and get matured.. He told me that I need to spend time with my spouce to create the initial bonding.. I tried that and I believed I had the initial bonding..


Post Marriage: May 2010
Marriage went thru good.. I want to thank all who made it in person and who didn't.. Really I didn't miss anyone that day.. ;-) Hari, Murali, Prabhu, Jani, Mohan, Prasad, Venki, Hameed, Sahubar, etc.. I might have missed many.. Kaleel mapla was in US..
Afee father my XXXXXan didn't applied passport for Afee.. Don't know what to do.. Just blamed myself for letting them take care of it.. I scolded him more when I travelled alone to USA on July 7th.. Applied Afee Passport as I had an oppurtunity to travel to US as Poornima's replacement..
No HoneyMooon.. Went to US on July 7th.. Awaited Afee VISA for almost 2 months.. Travelled to India on Sept 2011 to surprise Afee (for Ramazan).. Spent 2XXX to make it to India.. Travel to India Journey was really an amzing experience.. Did last minute booking @ the airport to compensate my travel via Canada option..
1 Week in India for Ramzan celebrations.. Afee-Mom misunderstanding.. :-( Krishna adviced that my attitude is not correct and I should not be like this that and all.. I did it when I want to do it.. :-)
        Got my US Driver's license on Sept 2010 after 3 attempts.. Finally relaxed.. Went to Delaware with Kaleel mapla.. Drive is so good.. First time Kaleel mapla and I went for long journey in car.. Kaleel used to stay in Stamford just 2 hrs from my place.. But without car, its far.. :-(


California: I got allocated to Fireman's fund - Data Masking project.. SFO was boring.. New Manager, New project, new technologies to work.. Its just fun.. Rented car for the first weekend.. Got my own GPS.. drove on the highways no one to guide me.. Its pure thrill.. US 101 is memorable.. Stayed in hotel with Rahul (from data masking team) for a month.. Afee came to US..
         Bcoz of my project situations, we stayed in "Travelodge" for couple of months.. Rented "Dodge Caliber" Went to LA to visit Rafeeq (Afee brother), Went to Sea world (San Deigo).. Had more fun.. Visited many local places.. Signs of Junior..
         Moving to the apartment.. On dec we moved an apartment on Vallejo.. Only 2 of us.. Its lovely place, we had differences, but I had time to overcome the differences and love my wife..


Whole year had been good and lovely except some hard moments of truth..




Its good to rewind your life sometime and enjoy what happened.. Bcoz we have no other option.. ;-)