Oslo Chronicle

It’s about 6’ O Clock in India and everyone is ready to soothe and ease through a happy weekend. My wandering mind is at its fastest navigation, though in a contrasting calmness of the dark. It’s a perception, which sings me lullaby to bed and wakes me up with the chirrupy melody. You might not see sunshine for days and wonder if you are actually awake in the night or sleeping during the day! That’s your welcome to Oslo, if you happen to travel through my mind and be at Holmboes Gate 8, right at this moment.

Rest of the Indians in the apartment are asleep now, most having enjoyed a nice combination of ultra dilute alcohol (some call that Beer) followed by spicy chicken and a nice cup of ginger tea.

Fortunately or Unfortunately, I got included in that inscrutable group of common married people, who have transformed quite a bit to progress towards becoming a teetotaler. Don’t ask me if that was a conscious decision, for I don’t want to look rude to you. Sometimes for better elements of life, you need to lose other good elements of life.

Nevertheless, though neither intoxicated with beer, nor spiced up by chicken, it was definitely not bland, but was nicely sugarcoated with some delicious homemade vermicelli pudding. You do not dare think that I have had turned vegetarian though. Post dinner joined the happy alcoholics for fun filled frivolous discussions around life’s major philosophies. Those discussions had huge potential of getting Socrates to life for the sole reason of murdering us in Oslo and engrave on our tombs, “For the peace of Norwegians and Indians”.

This night, though eventually prolonged and alcoholic for most, as it was a weekend, was not much different from other week nights. Sharing anecdotes over dinner with some wisecracks here and there to discussing the ugly consequences of deferred execution principle of LINQ to the arguments around scientific principles of holistic Vedanta, we have it all here in Holmboes Gate 8. We have been a bunch of distinct people, strongly posting a nice advertisement of the traditional tagline of India, “Unity in Diversity”.

Though this trip has not quite been the best in capturing the exquisite “Patel Point” moments, where we barely got ourselves any chance to get clicked in front of each and every landmark in Europe, it’s been soothingly enjoyable walking round the crowded streets of Birkelunden and by the Akerselva River, listening to the whistle of a Norwegian homeless or ferrying around the Oslo Fjord by the Aker Brygge, or staring at the sea weeds crushed under our foot steps in Bygdoy just to realize that we had the same in dinner the other day.

Work has never been more than a depressing topic to discuss, but it’s definitely worth mentioning that we did work as well in Oslo.

Tomorrow or rather today, as it is already 4 AM in Oslo, I still have plans to bring back home some souvenirs for my loved ones. Still pretty confused as every married man is about finding something decent as a gift for my wife. In my case, it’s slightly worse though, as I am confused about the gifts for others as well.

In any case, here I am coming back to India, after a rocky welcome to Oslo, then some nice memories, some not so nice memories. Some other day, I would definitely be part of yet another chronicle of yet another city in yet another country. But at the core of my heart, I Love You India!!