Ah-em going ter Scotland

Yups... onsite!!
*Claps, dances about, does a jig on the polished floor, tumbles because he cannot control himself, squeals and shouts 'Yay-yay-yayyyy'!!*

Yes, dear reader, yours truly is going onsite to Scotland, Edinburgh. Prerona, if you are reading this, please check your hotmail and gmail mailboxes and let me know when you will be back. I am scheduled to fly on the night of the 18th of January (yes, it is that close), British Airways. This assignment is supposed to last till the end of March, and so I hope to taste a very cold UK Winter in the 2-3 months in the time that I am there. While I am all kicked about going there, let me tell you what has been happening here in the past few weeks.

After I was asked to submit my passport's and other information, the sudden feeling of "Yess!! I'm going onsite" grabbed me. Initially, 6 people were asked to submit the documents and we were told that any one or two people would be sent. So, all of us here were a bit apprehensive. After some time, it turned into 'everybody is going onsite'. Silently, a feeling of cheer spread through the entire team... you could see different people planning to do different things. Edinburgh is reputed to have the highest number of pubs per square mile in Europe, and therefore all the five others (except me) started scouring the net for the best brands available. And because I don't drink, I enjoy the company of boozing friends the most... you never know, what tumbles out ;) Add to that the botanical gardens there, the forts, the world-famous art galleries... whee!! I am going to enjoy my 2-3 months trip as a grand paid vacation :D

The order of people who will be travelling onsite was being decided, and another friend and I were scheduled to be the first to be on a flight. However, it soon appeared that if both travelled together, one set of activites on the project would be halted. Therefore, I am going to lead from the front, and have been chosen to be the 'First of the Mohicans' to go there. I start from here on the 18th night (actually 2:00 o'clock in the morning on 19th IST), and reach there on 19th (GMT) within 10:00 in the morning. So the flight of 12 hours essentially comes down to 8 hours of official time. Ah... I am so eager to get jet-lagged :)

Now, here is the best part of the story --- I land there on a Thursday morning, settle down the entire day, and then go to the office on Friday to get my desktop setup, ids created, etc. Once through, I am not supposed to do any work on Friday, am on leave on Saturday and Sunday, and join work on Monday! So how'z that for a glorious start to an onsite trip?? :)

I have been on a shopping spree lately. Blazers, suits, formal trousers, shirts, ... even got a leather jacket restored. The only things pending here are gloves, woollen innerwear, and some other little things. And my mother has been very happy about the buying part of the story --- she knows that I rarely go shopping for myself unless everything is worn out :) She has been all the more excited about my going onsite. But there is just one problem: she has just found a new way of getting herself tensed, and constantly keeps worrying about what will happen as I go alone, who will look after me, who takes care of me, and stuff like that. If you have lived out of your home for some time, you know what I mean. But as of now, she is pacified... I have promised to call her as soon as I reach the place. I have assured her that her son will not be lost in the land of Sherlock Holmes and James Bond ;)

P.S.: As Sweet Alien has been insisting, this a birthday-special post from me. Never had a better birthday gift, I must say! :D