Luna Park Memories

Oh these rides do give you an amazing experience, to see the world from different angles, and rushing and gushing and at some point thinking that this is the end of the world.

My experience with rides almost all the time has been an initial fear, also kind of an assurance that I am locked up and so shall not fall, and when it's over, a relief, a sense of pride or achievement at having conquered the fear in me.

Back in India, I don't remember if I sat on a ride for a long time. May be I didn't get enough chances, may be I was plane scared or may be it was just too crowded! I am still thinking if I did take a ride on one of those 'melas' in Bangalore but I can't seem to remember clearly and will have to check with one of my friends when I talk to her next.

My real ride experiences happened outside though...the first one being in Luna Park, Sydney. Luna Park has created amazing memories for me in the sense that I don't remember how many times I have been there. The first one was when we walked from our office to the Park and crossed the Harbour Bridge by the evening when the lights were bright and the whole world seemed to be shining. What a memory that was, still fresh in my mind, to be walking with the stars and the cool breeze soothing you. I don't remember taking any rides that though but the experience was still great.

My next visit to Luna Park was also devoid of any rides but even then we had walked all the way from somewhere, where I can't remember well enough now.

But after that I don't know how amny times I have been there and opted for different rides at different point in time. The best one that I remember and probably the scariest one was the one which took you vertically up at 90 degrees and kept you suspended there for a while. You could see the sea from top and the buildings and all you could do was to hope the ride to end. Then they would suddenly drop you and you would think you are finished. We were in a group of 7 or 8 but only three of us dared the same. And initially I was shouting and screaming but later it went on and on and I just kept my eyes closed. What had given me the courage to go for it was the little children who enjoyed and I thought why not me?

I am trying to look up for the pics of that ride on the internet but cannot seem to find one; there is one called the Moon Ranger though which I think must be the improvised version of the one that I rode. Yes, I also remember that on my subsequent visits, this was under renovation or something and I could not probably find it.

The other rides were also good, there was one spider thing, a Tumble bug, and one Columbus ride if I remember right, some through the water and so on. Whatever it is Luna Park does hold a special space in my heart. And not just that I always remember watching with loving memories of the park whenever I was on the North Shore lane.

My other memories of the Luna Park are ofcourse the friends I have been with there and one occasion we did taste some delicious chicken which we could never find again...memories are but one-time specials...

Located at:  1 Olympic Dr  Milsons Point NSW 2061, Australia
How to reach: Just a few minutes walk from Milson's Point train station

I don't like it when I don't have a place to walk

I love walking, I sure do! This is something I have inherited from my birth place, Shillong where we would just walk and walk and knew short-cuts to this place and that. Moreover one of my closest friends would make me walk saying that it is much better than boarding the crowded bus. She may or may not remember that but that has stayed with me like her friendship has!

So, being in Delhi I miss it a lot; there are hardly any places to walk. But I loved it in Sydney, because every day a little bit of walking was involved, from our home to office or from the train station to our homes. It meant much more becuase it would also mean walking across the Pyrmont bridge, get that cold breeze hit you occasionaly or even watch the bridge open and close.

Walking in Sydney would be fun when we visited the ISKCON temple and we did it quite often and I took many people there later. It was quite a walk and getting back to the North Sydney would be a relief if I may say so. Once a friend said he knew an easier way to ISKCON and we followed to find that it was probably longer but I so much loved that walk.

On another occasion, I took a friend along to the Sai baba temple and he literally got tired by the walk to the temple from the train station Strathfield. And he jokingly remarked that he would never go on a walk with me because the walk never seemed to end.

Memories these are and so yesterday when we were returning from some shopping here in Tampa, I noticed the roads with virtually no one walking, I missed Sydney and I wished that I could walk along the Tampa green stretches and walk and walk...

Sydney Memoirs - Pages from my notebook

Ah this is old, dates back to 2005! Some of it I have already written but I would still write it as how I jotted in my diary back then!!!

23/04/2005:
Working on Dec 25th wasn't something I liked but would have hardly known that four months from then I would be in Sydney.

Yes, life takes unexpected turns and I would be doing myself injustice if I didn't jot down my experiences of Sydney.

Coming to Sydney via Singapore and reaching Goldsbrough apartment happened so soon that there was hardly anytime to think of anything else. Knowing that a team mate would already be there to receive and keep dinner ready was actually a great relief, for someone coming to an unknown place, Dear Lord has been very kind to me to provide two people for my company in journey and another one to receive me.

First impression in the road and on the airport was nothing extraordinary; it felt just like another city and being a sunday, the traffic was less. The cab driver was Chinese, spoke English very well and seemed to be well informed. He spoke about the problems in Australia, he also knew that the North Easterns in India were like the Chinese and so on.

As my colleague took me to the 7th floor, I noticed the building was made of wood, the floors were of wooden plank and my first thought went back to Shillong houses, so much similar. And after dinner, we went to the nearby Darling Harbour. The place made me feel so comfortable that Sydney will always remind me of this. The cool air gave me a soothing feel and reminded me of the walk around KR Puram lake in Bangalore.

The climate too gave me a feeling of Shillong; you never know when it starts raining! People always carry their umbrellas along as we did in Shillong.

Walking past the Darling Harbor is an everyday experience. We also went to Luna Park the other day and I loved the walk across the bridge!

And Friday nights are special; people celebrate weekends like a festival and the scene at Darling Harbor is worth cherishing. Men, women of all ages are seen in the best of their attires, dancing , singing and drinking.

Went to Paddy's market just like the precious Saturday to buy the weekly grocery. It is a Chinese market and gave a feeling of any vegetable market in India except that such markets in India are in the open. Paddy's market is mostly dominated by the Chinese and being a north-eastern I did not quite feel out of the place. I found the vegeetable 'squash' which I never saw in Delhi but back in Shillong it grows in every home.

24/04/2005:
Our plans for Canberra got cancelled, so have to wait for it to happen some other day.

In the very first week, we had gone to the Botanical gardens and had our lunch there. It was a green place and something again gave me the feel of home, of Shillong. We went to the Hyde park as well. The reason I find the similarity between Shillong and Sydney may not just be the climate but also the lifestyle. We grew up speaking English and living in a cosmopolitan town, this is what attracts me. No doubt I liked Bangalore too.

I have been in Delhi for 3 years now and even though there are people from everywhere in Delhi, the basic culture is Punjabi. And there is so much of artificiality in Delhi. However I would still prefer Delhi to Kokata any day because life is Kolkata is not cosmopolitan in some sense of the term.

We went to the Star City Casino with our boss' boss last week and we found that it was dominated by the Chinese again. I was told that people with lots of money and no worry frequent this place to spend their time.

Today we watched 'Aliens of the Deep' at the IMAX. It was a documentary but loved the 3-D effect.

25/04/2005:
Today is Anzac day, a public holiday in Australia. Anzac was a soldier but sadly I know nothing more. I don't think I ever studied Australian history.

Yesterday while browsing through books in a book store glanced upon 'Da Vinci code'; it's a best seller no doubt!

26/04/2005:
There are blisters in my feet and in everyone else's too. But walking is not a problem for me. Anyways I never knew how to take care of my feet or to take care of myself in the sense that girls do.

27/04/2005:
George Street. Pitt Street. Hunter Street....these are the names of the streets in Sydney and all the roads seem almost the same. We have memorised the route from our hotel to office and it will take few more days to get used to it. Anyways walking on the streets of Sydney seems safer than walking on Delhi streets. Of course there are drug addicts and drunkards who might come and ask for money, but there aren't many covetous eyes who try to look through you.

30/4/2005
My roomie S left for India yesterday and today being a Saturday me and my other roomie N went to Paddy's to get the weekly grocery. I wanted to have eggs  so we got some eggs but perhaps left those at the payment counter. All the way to our hotel I was thinking that I had the eggs with me and might drop anytime because of the load we were carrying. But when we had almost reached our hotel, we were trying to rearrange and realized that the eggs were not there at all.

1/5/2005:

Went to ISKCON temple today. The temple here is comparatively smaller than that of Bangalore or Delhi and looks nothing like a temple, but I did feel good because this was the first time in last 3 weeks that I did pray properly. And we reached there at the right time of 'Aarti'. Satisfied.

4/5/2005:
Channel Seven broadcast a program today on the 'Secrets of the Da Vinci code'. This book is selling millions of copies everywhere.

8/5/2005:
It's slightly cold in the mornings and I can feel it as I wash my hands. There is a feeling of cool air as I stand on the balcony, but the sun is shining. This feeling is similar to that of Shillong whereas in Delhi it remains foggy in winters and the sun is hard to see.

15/05/2005:
We visited the Australian capital on 15th May, on a beautiful autumn morning. We went to quite a few places, it was a tour that we had taken. I clearly remember the Botany Bay, where Captain Cook had first landed.

Our first stop was a place called Berrima. Though nothing significant, the road was beautiful and we passed through trees with yellow and red leaves, the colours of autumn. The houses on the countryside looked cosy and again reminded me of Shillong.

We visited the Parliament house, the War Memorial and the Museum. Though we have much more historical places and sights in India the differentiator is the maintenance, the projections.

The best part of the trip was Ainstry hills from where we could see the whole of Canberra. Watching the sun-set there was one of the best experiences of the trip.

Canberra happens to be a well planned city and we did have an enjoyable trip.

5/6/2005:

Going to Paramatta in a ferry was really a good experience. It was as if I was visiting the Backwaters of Kerala which I had seen too often on TV.

Walking from Paramatta to Westmead was a task, my God, which I will remember for ever. We just didn't seem to get there but all the tiredness disappeared when we entered the Murugan temple.

11/06/2005

Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves

The Blue Mountains acquired the name because of the blue haze produced by the scattering of the sun's rays striking dust particles and droplets of moisture in the atmosphere. The blue haze effect is magnified by the droplets of oil produced by the extensive population of eucalypt forest within the area.

The Three Sisters - Meekni, Wimlah and Gunedoo once lived with the Gundungurra people in the Janison valley. Tribal war forced the clever man to turn the sisters into stones. There are some stories about this and I will have to read more to know more about it.

Jenolan Caves was an hour's drive from Katoomba, with underground rivers and outstanding limestone formation. Lucas caves was named after John Lucas.

12/06/2005:
One place that was advised by many and me not particularly interested was Bondi beach but after the visit I was glad that I did. The plan was sudden and it is true that unexpected events bring more joy.

Beautiful place, warm day sunny people and blue waters are what I will carry as remembrance. What I enjoyed most was to walk through the big boulders of stones, climb on them, cross and jump over them, taking careful steps and then  getting to the bottom where the sea waves hit my naked feet. Blessing.

Then and Now

So, here again I am in Tampa and checking in to the Residence Inn reminds me of Goldsbrough. May be Goldsbrough will always remain with me, it was my first trip outside the country and I was lucky to have people for company during travel and when I finally got in to Goldsbrough, I had dinner ready for me. This is the difference now, I travel alone and come to a place where there are some knowns and some unknowns among people but never really get a chance to meet them and so sleep without a proper dinner except for some bite of Pringles. I do get a call from a friend and that really makes up for the slight uneasiness that I feel, that kind of also makes up for the trouble at Immigration. Oh they have even thrown my packet of rice and cumin seeds and I didn't carry my all time fav Maggi.

But morning is always better and it starts with a nice breakfast, a drive to office with a colleague and yes my team mate making some coffee for me.

I am hoping the days and months to follow will unfold some pleasant surprises and create some stories for keeps, the way Goldsbrough has stuck with me for years.

So called poems for the three sisters

This one is funny! Three of my friends were called 'Three sisters' by another common friend of ours after the Three Sisters mountain ranges in Sydney! These so called poems were written on demand!

Ode to THREE SISTERS
Here's for Sister 1:

Over the blue hills n beneath the blue skies lives a maiden Parul

She sings n dances to nature’s rhymes

She scolds n threatens friends around

She pings and gossips and tries hard for news

And on Valentines, she looks and looks and looks

Around the crowd

But she misses her knight everywhere she looks

But I’m sure he’s just around the corner

All what she needs are eyes that can find the obvious but hidden to all

So, friends wish her luck

And she prays for that too

On this say may she her valentine find
(Composed on Feb 14)




Here it is for sister 2:


Two love birds on a land near by

Sing, eat and Chat all day

And one fine day they both have to fly

One to west and one to east

Oh they cry but they know

It won’t last and they will meet

So they depart and again they meet

To sing, rejoice, dance and play

They again he has to go and

She waits and waits for that day to come

When they will be together again

Her wait is small and her hero comes

And they are together again

They go and celebrate and have some fun

And she’s gifted a diamond ring

To say that he loves her true

And their love shall forever shine



This is for Sister 3:


Beyond the horizon, where the earth and sky met

A damsel dwelt

Pretty eyes and lovely smile

And she had friends, for her who thought

Who referred princes here and everywhere

But she had her eyes on some far away land

Where her prince charming lived

And she had admirers here and there

But she craved neither for riches nor for fame

She had her mind on some adventure sure

To travel new lands and make new friends

And soon shall she fly

To some distant land and horizon new

To win her crown and find her prince

Her friends will miss her for sure

But they all wish her luck and love

And hope that their friendship ever lives

Sydney

Sydney! The name of it brings me smiles and sighs to some extent. I have endless memories belonging to the place and not sure may be the first impression is the one that remains forever! That might be the reason I love that place!

On my my first day me and my roomie had dinner cooked by her and then we went out for a walk. A walk to Darling Harbour, one of my favourite places on the earth. I don't know how many times I have walked the Pyrmont bridge and everytime I found it beautiful. I loved the cold wind blowing, I loved the setting sun and I simply loved to walk by the Harbour or sit still and watch the people!

Should I ever go there again I know that Darling harbour would always be on my list of places to go.

On my first visit to Sydney, a friend and I thought that we should go for morning walks. One such morning, we walked and talked, a couple of guys drunk said something like Indians girls being pretty and passed a comment that they ate fish and were good at ignoring. Gosh, I just controlled my laughter and then when they left us, I gave my laughing nerves full freedom.

There are so so many memories of Sydney that when I remember I update this. Random thoughts actually! One evening as I was returning from work with a friend, it started raining. We were to get off at the next station and I stood near the door. As the door opened, I took my head out to watch if it was still raining as though it was the door of my house and I would decide whether to venture out or not! My friend then reminded me that we had to get off and we quickly ran out. Once we were out, we could not help laughing at my absent-mindedness :-)

So many times I have played the guide and Luna Park was one such place where I visited don't know how many times. The rides and the fun was too good to ever forget. A friend of mine and I went to Luna Park once and the man at the gate was perhaps very happy to meet folks from his country that he did not swipe our tickets, allowed us the ride and asked us to enjoy another.

Another time we were a group fo 7 or 8 people visiting the park and none except three of us had the guts to ride the most dangerous one. I was scared too but seeing little children so much at ease made me think that I could do it too. For a while I screamed and shouted with the fellow riders and then I felt that it did not seem to end and I just closed my eyes and prayed for a safe landing!!!

I had my scary experiences too, the first one being me and my rommie waiting for a friend at Town Hall and I think it was almost 9 pm when someone approached us and demanded money. My roomie was so scared that she almost reached her purse when a couple passed by us and saved our day. They asked the intruder to get away and waited till he was out of sight and made us so comfortable that we felt safe.

On another occasion we were returning from Watson Bay if I remember right, and on the train I had just turned around and a lady took offence.I don't yet know what I had done to earn her dirty looks but that incident did scare me to hell. A similar incident repeated when a guy with long hair and shabby looks just sat near us and kept tapping his fingers on the window pane. And it took only a line in Hindi to my friend who was traveling with me, to make the guy angry and call us names. We both kept quiet and almost remained motionless until the time he got away.

I always think I will do Sydney once more in my lifetime and till then I will re-live the memories many more times.