Aye lal batti,hari matt hona

The air rhymed with harmony, the trees were fluttering with foretaste and birds were tweeting with hope. The century was closing another chapter in history – 2006. 2007 was just below the horizon……

After the accustomed bamboozled preparatory decisions, we (Rat, Owl, Jet, Dipika and Neha) decided to head for Marina Bay. (Ok I haven’t named Dipika and Neha yet. Let me for the sake of the blog call them Pooh and Piglet respectively. Please do not get in to the reasons of why!!).

First stop: Harbour Front. After mingling with the college folks who were heading for a beach party and after the 2 P’s trying hard not to shop anything, we decided that our stomach cravings need to be satiated else hell shall break loose. Owl has an uncanny habit of having a relationship one degree lesser than revulsion with all salespersons and cleaners in Singapore. Well, ours was the only table that the cleaner refused to free of contaminations. Anyways, we managed that!!


After the customary expedition through the worm train (MRT) and the usual back and forth over and through the escalator we landed up at City Hall. Mumbai local trains were put to ignominy. The area was cramped. We arrived at around 11 PM and we thought we were early! People had already parked themselves in every nook, cranny, cleft or crevice available.

‘It’s the final countdown’ filled the air in expectancy. Last few minutes of what had been a turbulent, fun filled year. 2006 was soon becoming a narration. Air was expecting a change. The usually wet and rain drenched Singapore was unusually dry. Rain God had kept away. Then something gave away. Clock stuck 12. The atmosphere went multihued and variegated. There was a detonation of colours. The sound of crackers reverberated in the pristine Lion Kingdom. The fireworks ushered in a new era and new dawn and a new year!!

2007 was here!!!!

With a spinning head and incredulity we decided to head on to the subsequent leg of our journey – Clarke Quay. Well, we did so almost smoothly – Rat had gone astray in between, we were being trampled in the bevy of Singaporean mass, we just about managed to catch the last train – yes it was downy and smooth!

Singapore is as alluring and as resplendent as Dubai. A look at Clarke Quay, the river side Pub Haven, shall divulge the splendours of Singapore. We settled ourselves by the river side at Hooters(after much ado) and eventually engaged ourselves in a splendid game of Dumb Charades. It was Rat, Pooh and Jet teamed up against Piglet and Owl. Rat –Pooh-Jet was no wonder up the trumps in closely matched event. Time must have slipped in an overdrive at warp speed. It was 3 AM, time to close shop and guess what …no transportation back home!

Anyways a sight of 7-11 was enough for the 2 P’s to get in to the muffin craving mode and a nice little round of Antakshari later, we realized that the Sun was ready to peek in for the first time in Singapore in 2007. 5:30 AM, we decided to give MRT a try and lo! It was up and ready.

After a brief excursion to Labrador Park to catch a glimpse of the bashful sun and after a dab a piping hot masala dosa, hostel beckoned and time to regroup and restart.(Pooh and Piglet were in thoughtful disposition by this time and Owl was in his own world…I was just left wondering with Jet trying his heart out to make sense out of the breezy waters) So tired were we that on suggestion on running to catch a bus which ominously close to the bus stop (at some distance away) and only bounded by traffic signal, Jet commented ‘ Aye lal batti,hari matt hona’. Well the red light was not so kind and we had caught the next one only to crash in to our bed a little time later…..9 AM…..Dreams unlimited.

Happy New Year Folks!