The Six Lone Vagabonds!

“Haan bhai Tariq road jana hai!”
“Lai chalayain gai bhai”
“Kitnay paisay?”
“150 ropay!!”
“Abay bhai tariq road jana hai, Keemari nahi!”
“Bhai to hum nai bhi tariq road kai hi bataye hain”
“Ja bhai, mein doosra rickshaw kar laita hoon”

“Haan bhai Tariq road chalna hai?”
“Lai jayen gai”
“Kitnay paisay”
“100 ropay”
“Yaar mein rooz jata hoon, 80 ropay lagtay hain”
“Chalo 90 dai daina”
“80 sai aik ropya zyada nahi”
“Chalo baitho”

Brrr!! Brrrr…RRRRRRRRrrrrr….RRrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

Life on the roads of Karachi starts in this way for many, for the other lot it starts in a fairly simpler manner.

“Jee baray bhai, karaya daina! Kahan jao gai?”
“Baloch Colony”
…
“Jee baray bhai, karaya hogaya?”
“Dai dia!”
…
“Jee baray bhai, karaya daina!”
“Yaar dai to diya hai!”
“To naraz kyun hotay ho yaar?”

Be it either of the two, the experience is the same, painful.

Traffic, pollution, noise and unbearable heat are what a normal karachi’ite faces in the morning, in his/her long/short commute to work. Left aside the pressures or tension he/she has to endure during the routine work, the journey from home to work and from work to back home is tiring enough to make one go mad within a period of few years.

Our professional lives have just begun. 2 years experience would be the most amongst us. With the increasing experience we get to take on more and more complex tasks. But not everyone amongst us faces the same music. The chat-mail that took all of us at once into a world of fun and frenzy have been left desolated. Efforts are made occasionally to reignite the passion with which we managed to score centuries of replies but all in vain. The reason being, that some of the guys started abusing the chat-mail. Result, many went away saying that this is utter madness and really to a certain extent it was. Also the new hype of “look-busy-do-nothing” made many go in to seclusion posing that they were very busy. They might be, but just by not being online or setting your status to busy does not make one busy. Anyways, back to the topic, for two particular people the schedule had been indeed a very hectic one. Office and then university, two back to back mind consuming activities. Mani and Zeeshan ghazi (hero of the last blog). These two people go to university after their jobs and return home late at night, exhausted. Zeeshan recently got some relaxation after he left his previous job, but that relaxation is a great tension on its own. Cut short, mani couldn’t bear it any more. He decided to get some Mental Peace and he consulted Boss about where to get some from. The boss came to his great-enemy-cum-friend, me, and asked me where to go to get some mental peace. He had already decided where to go and was doing the usual “Khana poori”. I, after careful analysis of the situation suggested that we can go to sea view at night time. Boss like always took it the other way, he said what I always wanted was girls, girls and girls. But he didn’t understand me completely. Sea-view is a very versatile place, I believe best place in town to pour out the inner-mental-tensions. The atmosphere is quiet, breezy, with ample amount and types of food available at easy reach. Besides, this you do get to see pretty girls and nice people and there are always spots available for sitting, with limited number of people around (not for the wrong reason you ******s) and lesser noises. But this is my point of view, Boss has his own. He decided that we go to Manora island or if not there then Thatta. I don’t know about Thatta but I know Manora is inhibited by one of the most noisiest of human kind, the Makranis. I am sure my yell would be lower than their whispers and I believe achieving mental peace at such a place is seemingly impossible.

Boss, Mani, me, Khurram, Chunnu and Asif were the selected ones. Jaws, was also requested but he declined the offer saying he was scared of the water. The program was planned for Saturday but I didn’t have the Saturday off. So the plan was shifted on to Sunday. We decided to go in my new Bolan, which was to be driven by Boss. Till the very last moment we were unsure of where we were going. Manora was the more probable of the options. On Saturday night, Chunnu also declined the offer coming up with lame reasons perhaps he didn’t had enough guts to accept that he was scared of the sea too.

The morning promised an over-cast day with cold breeze, which like everything else in Pakistan turned out to be a lie. It was a sunny day but the intensity of heat was considerably less. At 9:35a.m. Boss and Asif arrived at my place, when I was going through the morning paper. I was part ready and hence just put on my clothes and went downstairs. We got in the car and were at Mani’s place around 10:00a.m. Morning had another bad news for us when we were told by Boss that Khurram was not attending his phone. Now only four of the six were left, and it seemed that the plan is ruined. We started deciding whom we can get going with us. Once again Jaws was questioned, this time he said Ok. Five to go, when someone suggested lets ask Asim too, the Russian heart-throb. Asim was called and he accepted the offer without any excuses. We went on from there to have a “Halwa Puuri” breakfast near Disco Bakery. After the breakfast when we were about to move Khurram called. He said he’ll let us know in 5 minutes whether he is going or not. This was turning out to be an enjoyable event. But Khurram called shortly after saying his father had forbidden him from going there, since we would be going this Saturday again. We went to Jaws' place had a glass of Jaws' special Tang there (I got a beating too – was trapped between some Rock band fanatics). Asim arrived there and at 12:00 – 12:15 we left Jaws' home for the destination unknown.

In the car we started deciding where to go. Manora was disqualified as an option and Cape-mount was selected as the new mental-peace-providing spot. We got some CNG filled in the car and started out journey. I, for one had never seen any other beach of Karachi except the sands pit or hawk’s bay. We decided to take the new Lyari Expressway to get there. This was a first time experience for most of us, and it turned out to be an exciting one. Alongside the pretty Lyari river we cruised at a speed of 70 Km/h and were off the bridge at Gulbai in around 20 minutes. The expressway has strict traffic rules and we personally saw a person being rounded up for over-speeding, we also got to see many parts of the Karachi city unknown to us then.

From Gulbai we went to SherShah/ Mauri Pur and purchased a Frisbee, football, and some snacks for out trip. The journey was a very pleasant one with interesting discussions regarding how a fly stays in the car and travels with us at the same speed we are moving. The discussion continued till out way back to home. We reached a fork on the road and had to decide which way to go. We took the left hand and started moving along. On our way we inquired a few people about cape-mount and soon realized we were headed in the wrong direction. Took a U-turn and then started heading towards the right hand side of the fork. The sea somehow seemed more magnificent than ever before. The high tide caused big waves splash on the sea shore and create a magical atmosphere.

After a drive of around 20 minutes we reached a spot where we could sense cape mount was ahead. But a few yards before, we were stopped at a “chowky”, the new community police bearing banners reading that decree-144 have been imposed due to the high tide and cape-mount was out of bounds for everyone, except the navy people who had huts on the road ahead. We were very disappointed and had to turn back, and decided to stop at Paradise Point this time. Paradise point a famous recreational spot once had a very famous monument, a big rock with a hole in between. The hole was broken a few years ago when the top portion of the rock fell off. So, eventually when I got to see the place the monument was there no more. But the remains of it told me of the splendor that rock would have had a few years back. The water was very rough at that side of the beach, rougher than any of the beaches I have yet seen. It was both deep and fast and had throngs of people in the same water. The sea shore is not a very long one and has very less huts on it. Being a small beach the spot is not a suitable family spot but if you move towards the right or left of the main place you will find a peaceful spot with lesser people. But the lack of huts makes it a difficult place to camp at.

We sat there for around half an hour on a high rock, taking in every minute detail of the breath taking scenery in front of us. Then we moved on to have a closer glimpse of the water and moved to a rock that protruded in the sea and was part submerged by the sea. The cold sea water was splashing on our faces and refreshing us, replenishing us from the weariness of the long journey. We chased crabs and looked at the green turtle that was caught in the strong currents and washed ashore, the pathaan kids referring to it as the “Magar-much”. We then moved on from there to a quieter spot that we spotted from here. The peace spot was towards East from where we were standing.

We got in the car and once again started the journey, a few kilometers away from the spot where we were. This was a desolated quiet spot, right next to KANUP, where only two other families were present besides us. The beach was covered by big rocks on both sides and had clear rock-free shore. The water though had weeds in it. We started playing Frisbee, and soon took on football. I, like always, did not participate in the sport. After twenty, twenty-five minutes, the game was brought to an end after the players were exhausted. One more family joined us there. The players went over a big rock, and sat there looking for the perfect blind spots and enjoying the beautiful scenery. We took off after spending an hour or so-on that side and then returned to the car. There we consumed the snacks we had brought with us, and sat down to dry ourselves. We looked around and found another good spot worth visiting and that was the “Floating Umbrella”. We went there and found a Mister sitting there quietly studying something (budgeting). It was the perfect spot quiet and peaceful, till we got there. Initially we wanted to stay quiet but then discussions broke out and we blabbered and blabbered and blabbered to the great annoyance of that person.

We soon took from there, returned to the car and headed to an unknown destination again. Going from Shershah, Mauripur, Tower to Burns-Road where we decided to catch some food. We went to AFC which we chose because it had air-conditioners in it, but to our greatest disappointment it was not ready to serve us BBQ or Desi food by then. We went to another Burns-Road favorite. Got refreshed and then ordered the food. Quorma, Fry Kabab, Seekh Kabab and Chargha were the contents of the delicious menu selected. After a hearty meal, we went out and Jaws, Mani and Asim bought fishes. We got on to the car again and then came back to home at around Maghrib.

The trip was an exciting one, those who were invited and could not make it, I would say missed a major fun time there.

Pictures of the outing are available at Flickr.

Picnics – a Bane or Boon? --- III [The Last Part]

A Preliminary advise to those who have sympathies with the organizer of this picnic:
Please don’t read this but if you do then keep your FU*KING mouths shut, unless you want to praise the author of course. Thank you, now IF you have read this far my apologies for being disrespectful, lets continue.

Life at the university comes to an end, everyone gets employed and starts over a new leaf. Professional life is far more hectic and tiring than the life at university. The only source of entertainment together were the CS Nights®© gatherings on Saturdays. One fine Saturday perhaps at an eat-out, someone suggested the idea of having a picnic. When it comes to mere point-less discussions *a.k.a. Muun kai fires OR batein ch**na* no one can beat us. We can spend hours and hours, laughing at each other, mocking, jeering, regardless that we might hurt someone’s feelings, after that we do offer our sincerest apologies (which even hurt more), at least, Fahad Wali does that, always (goes to show that either he is TOO good or he wants to hurt the most, and we all know what of these two he wants)*Sigh!*. We take turns; everyone gets laughed upon, so that no one gets offended, this ensures the tight bond we have amongst each other, and is the reason of the attendance at the gathering. One who gets ridiculed this week comes next week with plans to ensure that at least one of the laughers get laughed upon this time. This takes week long research, plotting, planning, which we all do, gladly.

Ok, back to the last picnic. Don’t remember exactly but at least two weeks of discussion must have taken place for a picnic such as this to be planned. Like always we were as lost as a herd of cattle roaming the main roads of Karachi chewing on garbage. No one had an idea of where to go, until Zeeshan Ghazi, the Gay, the Savior, stepped forward. He bore the responsibility of arranging the picnic for the band of brothers. We all were thankful to him and still are, maybe. News came in that the farm was at a hill-side with a lake view, but this was ridiculed, later it turned out that it did existed on a hill (was a few feet higher than the ground level). The event started on a bad note with late arrivals (Haseeb won this race; he was like hours late and even had to run after the truck). This was not the last thing to have happened; the most exciting thing was that no one and I mean no one knew the way to the location. We looped around on the Main Super Highway, which was fun. Got lost (that you all must know by now), took wrong turns but on every nook and corner where we stopped for directions one person made sure he got off and had a good look at that place, correct, the Restless. He was so excited that he even jumped into mud and almost lost his slipper. Some more radicals (lead by sD) took to the roof of the truck. Correct again! A truck has no roof, well it has a little bit (over the driver’s seat) and he used it to sit on. Two or three were in the vent, as watch-outs. I guess this is why it is said too many cooks spoil the broth. At last, the team reached the farm house (of course lead by the caretaker, who was called upon after we had enough of lost-liness). Well we got there, went in, had fun, came home. The End. The people who had sympathies with the organizer, read the caution still read on, you are done here, good-bye.

Now there, the remaining people who still want to read, I will use graphics to depict the fiasco. Firstly I would like to introduce you to the mugger, Zeeshan.

A little pictographic view of our trip to the highway;

and a map of the farm house.

Now you all must have seen the images. Alas! What else left to say. We got there and instinctively went to the pool, D-shaped and lit, gloomily though and no covers over it. A few went to inspect the field, came back, shocked. Silence, people were walking quietly as if in a funeral procession. What is this place? Where are we? How much did I paid for this? All were thinking the same questions except Fahad Wali who was thinking “Kis ki loon?”. We went in to the room, a clean little one with a couple of sofas and a single bed, the chairs were good enough. So we decided to the best possible thing at our earliest, eat. Dinner was good and after that people ran off to the pool, to have a splash. A few went to the field to have a football match; both parties were not very pleased. The pool people; splash into the water, thud struck the bed. Wtf?!? The pool was deep enough for even The Bird to stand in it easily. They moved all around it to see if even anyone of the two corners available was deep. No Luck. The field people; run, run, run. Puff! Puff! Puff! Hey you guys down there, how you doing? The field was in a slope, which made it a hell of job to play football. The team having the goal down slope got scored every time and the team having the goal at the top, well, half the men fell in getting up there. 15 – 20 minutes of play and the guys were done. Back to the pool, which was heavily guarded. High voltage wires stuck out from the ground like cobras guarding some holy treasure in an Indiana Jones movie. Anyways splash, splash, the remaining ones went in. Water always manages to bring smiles to the karachiites, no matter what amount of it they get. When fun was about to start, hell broke loose, our biggest and all time rival K.E.S.C intervened in the simple and happy life at the farm house. Darkness surrounded us, we went out of power, we waited, for a few minutes, nothing happened, it was a bright night with an almost full moon, so visibility was restored in a few minutes. The caretaker returned to check on us, we asked him if there was a generator to get the lights back on, and he said the weirdest thing. “Bhai sahib generator tou hai, per petrol hai app kai pass?” No one knew that we had to bring petrol incase lights went out. So we decided to play in the moon-light, instead. Most of the gays, I meant the guys started a new game; “The Suspicious Train”. The idea was simple, see an empty engine (a “straight person” not willing to board over another engine), and get your wagon on. Surprisingly except a few all were trying to be wagons, weird (proves my apprehensions regarding the first picnic were some what correct). This was continued till one of the guys (most probably Jaws) yelled, “abay yaar! Pani sai bahar jao tou kharish ho rahi hai/ chub raha hai!!!”. Stunned by this new revelation the boys settled down. Then some water expert (Zeeshan Ghazi) analyzed the water of the pool and said “Abay is mein tou tyt wala chlorine para hai!!! Sahi lagain gai sab kai bahar nikal kar, ahahahahahahaha!”. Now the pool wasn’t safe either. One by one everyone got out of the pool. We kept talking to pass the time which was moving at a snail’s pace. The Restless had come up with another wild idea of having a Gaming session after the picnic, and his restlessness had caught up with the nothingness in the air and everyone agreed. A very wrong decision that was proved afterwards (read the blog entry: ‘Scorpionzz diaries - by GecKo’ on Sunday, September 2, 2007). The power was resumed, but now no one wanted to get into the pool as no one wanted to get skin-burn under the sun which was predicted by someone. Some reclined to playing cards and a few started a controversial discussion, which lead on to the morning. Now a few (surprisingly including me) spent hours lying useless doing nothing (and I am being told this picnic wasn’t bad! HUH!). Dawn arrived, me and the Russian started a little cricket match alongwith Chunnu. Soon everyone came in to join and a tournament started. Me, Russian and Jaws were in the same team like on many other occasions (Jaws apparently dissed said: “Abay aik tou yeh mujhay paat nahi kyun lai laita hai hamesha!!”). Unexpectedly we did reached the finals but lost there. An accident occurred when Zeeshan Ghazi was pushed into the water (I don’t exactly remember by whom either by Sameer or Khurram) along with his mobile phone which almost got ruined. We had breakfast and had tea (thanks for that Zeeshan!). Since the pool had no covers no one dared to get in. a few people retreated for a nap and the others continued with the cards. I, not surprisingly, once again had nothing to do. My! My! Did I have some fun there! If this wasn’t enough we ran out of drinking water, the whole lot of it. Thirsty, bored we sat, had a photo session, which did not have the Habitual Offender (who is famous for being in every picture taken on a gathering, even if you are looking at a picture of a crab on the beach and there is a shadow that would be him, Khurram! The photo-king! :D) as he had gone to have a nap, and only when the pictures were shared did he come to know that there were picture taken which did not included him, and he blames me for that to date as I was the person who took the photographs. Around 12, the truck returned to take us back. Here this picnic ended but the bad luck didn’t left us until hours later, the gaming was the worst thing to happen that day, but perhaps the Restless knew his CS days were about to be over so he made sure that CS was played on each and every possible opportunity.

That was the last picnic we had; another one is being planned currently at Cape-mount beach, on Saturday 24^th May 2007. Lets see what becomes of it. Well, truly, I don’t blame Zeeshan (the Gay) for the “Farm-house on the Hill” fiasco, and I some what do blame him for that. Unless you don’t know about somewhere don’t claim it is good (which I remember Zeeshan did saying that he had seen the pictures and it looked good). I know a few people and Fahad Wali (he is not people) think that unless I don’t do something myself I don’t blame anyone for doing it wrong. But the thing is I don’t do something, which I can’t do well. I can’t give you guys a good picnic so I don’t try even getting one. But I can write, not for you, not for someone else, but for myself, so I will write, because this is what I like to do.

This last paragraph, and this whole blog I dedicate to Zeeshan Ghazi, not because I was intimated by some one but because I feel like doing so and know that without Zeeshan Ghazi we won’t have anything to eat at picnics, which is very vital. Thank you Zeeshan, for being there, as a fellow, and as a cook, and I must a very good one for a cook. You have taken out time from your own activities to prepare tea and food for us (literally I feel like a Jerk, a Moron, while writing this, but I feel this so I write this). Your presence is (though not very enjoyable with all the bullshits you keep on doing) important and dear to us. Thank you once again for being with us.

Take Care everyone, Ciao.