By the rivers of Echuca

This was not the first time we planned a trip to the south and ended up in the north. Planning for the long weekend started a month before. Cruising to the Tasmanian Islands and spending the whole of three days were in the initial plans. Scepticism overtook the frail minds of humans of getting a full three day weekend and backup plans for a two day trip were planned. Even a trip for a single day seemed inevitable owing to the work conditions. My joy knew no bounds when my manager declared that I could have the weekend off. This resulted in the last minute purchasing and planning. Earlier in the same week, we hardly had more than eight people to join us for the trip. Just before stepping on the gas, Prashanth jumped in to the band wagon along with his professional Nikon camera which weighed more than him and there was a great excitement among the crowd. He had a reputation of turning the dull and lifeless parties into exciting and electrifying ones which are hard to forget. Seven thirty in the morning was the planned time of departure from Melbourne, and as usual we ran late by four hours. Soma, who lived far from the city was tiered of waiting and almost went into deep sleep by the time we reached her place. While others were waiting for her to arrive, Sriram and Ezhil utilized this time to stock up beer and liquor into the car boot. Soon we set the GPS to Echuca and cruised along the freeway. The first break was at Wallan. The group divided into two and half of them entered the KFC the other green leafy vegetable eaters into the Subway. The sign ‘Welcome to New South Wales’ was visible after three and half hours of drive and the watches displayed the time as four thirty in the evening. So we had to bring in the luggage into the boat and were stuck to the mooring as driving the boat after five in the evening attracts a heavy penalty of five thousand dollars and we were even made to sign a form stating this. Dinner was prepared and we all had a wonderful meal and I just couldn’t resist sleeping on the comfortable bed floating on the waters. After a sound sleep, I had all the energy to wake up early in the morning only to hear the noises and see many of them still playing cards. They had been playing all the night long. Gracian was the only guy who was sleeping on the same bed as the others who were playing cards. I also heard the most surprising news that Prashanth had lost all his money to Soma in the game of monopoly. The deceit and fixing by Ezhil and Sriram led to the fall of the great Monopoly baron who has to see defeat for the first time in his life.The engines of the boat roared to life at around eight in the morning and we were left alone in the waters of Murray. The curiosity and inexperience of the amateur captain led to the boat getting wedged on the bank of the river and the captain was fast asleep to see the boat being towed out into the waters. The snake like curves made it even more difficult to steer the boat. It was not just a boat; it was a house floating on the water. We approached a mooring spot with the same enthusiasm which Christopher Columbus might have experienced while landing on the shores of America. Everyone was running on the land after staying on the water for more than ten hours. Time was killed by watching movies, the Russel Peters show and playing cards and monopoly. Food was being consumed with out any delay and beer cans were being gulped down at a regular pace. ‘Russel Peters’ show brought out a belly full of laughs and kicked the weekend ahead. The next day, the boat was steered up the river currents and finally reached the same spot where we set sail a few days ago. We all reached home safe by night and dozed off after some ass kicking of Babu who celebrated his birthday the previous day.Trip was made exciting by ten astonishing partygoers. They are Babita, Ezhil, Gracian, Prashanth, Sashi, Soma, Sriram, Sukanya, Sunil and Vipran.
Babitha: She is more of a tomboy than a girl who considers her family sport to be a game of cards.
Ezhil: Latest fashions which seem un comprehendible are worn every day.
Gracian: Nicknamed candy man.
Prashanth: eat, make telephone calls, and watch a movie while sleeping
Sashi: enthusiastic all through the day
Soma: seldom talked on the first few hours and never stopped talking after that.
Sriram: Beer talks more than words.
Sukanya: he he.. Giggles all the way
Vipran: Let play cards again
Waiting for more such times ahead.