We were a bit cramped for space, in that hotel room, and we fondly remembered the huge hall at the Lahore hostel, where we could even play cricket if we wanted to. There were 2 beds inside the room to sleep the 6 of us, which was impossible offcourse. So the beds were alloted to Waqar and Billo. Zafar and Nadeem would share the beds with them , myself and Naeem spread our sleeping bags on the floor and made ourselves comfortable.

While we were arranging our stuff and trying...

James_Bhaand

That first evening in Rawalpindi we were all asked to gather in the dining hall of that hotel, which was quite impossible, as it was very small and didn't have enough space, it was quite chaotic, to say the least.

The leaders from various political parties had their own agendas about the tour plans , so all of them were trying to throw their weight around... specially the IJT , PSF, NSF, APMSO guys. The real fight was between the Jamiat and the APMSO guys. I dont know what...

James_Bhaand

Will post later

James_Bhaand

And so the Lahore episode ended - with a great evening, lots and lots of beautiful memories, a nice dinner and then offcourse the customary 2 hour session of cards back in our hostel.

The early morning next day was spent in hectic packing, gulping down hot cups of tea.... somehow arriving at the Lahore railway station just in time.

I wouldn't narrate the journey from lahore to pindi as it was just a 5 hour train trip. Nothing mentionable ... we took our breakfast at Jehlum,...

James_Bhaand

It has been a loooong loong time since my last post.

I have lost the continuity and cant pen down the events exactly as they happened. My dear red diary doesnt carry a lot of notes for these 2 / 3 particular days. One of the reasons was that maybe we were just too busy in hulla gulla and so dead tired at night that I couldnt write anything...

Events are ~ 20 years old

Now let me JhanJooR my braincells

We spent an evening...

James_Bhaand

Yesterday, I wrote a lengthy account of the 3rd day in lahore. I dont know how, but as soon as clicked SUBMIT NEW ENTRY - the whole thing disappeared and I got the message YOU ARE NOT LOGGED IN

Now I have to do that all over again

Anyway, I wont whine about that - its not gonna bring back anything

The last episode ended with us getting back from the Moonlight cinema and then falling asleep after playing cards till late in the night....

James_Bhaand

I found my diary - and also got the scanner back on line, so I will be putting up some oldie goldie pics as well
Stay tuned for further episodes of this "Tails from the Study Tour"

Apart from that, life is moving on. BIG changes have taken place in personal life, in the last few weeks. Switched jobs, relocated house.. and a whole lot of other stuff havent flooded on GS for Looooooong time. I wonder how many of you are still here , how many quit.....

...

James_Bhaand

Well! its been quite a while since I wrote anything in my journal. Was just not in the mood and also a bit tired - hectic last 2 weeks.

I am back again and now find it hard to join all the links in this chain. My source of information is my old tattered diary that I used to write in those days. All the incidences are based on those notes from the diary.

After taking care of lunch, we returned to our hostel. It was almost 5:00 in the eveninig. At the hostel we were told...

James_Bhaand

It looked as if all of us had sold our gadhay GhooRay khachhar and the Tattooos before going to bed. A really peacefull night ...
The morning was a bit hectic and rushed. We were all asked to assemble outside at 10:00 AM sharp. Buses were waiting for us to take us to the Ittefaq Foundry, located in Kot Lakhpat.

All of us wrapped our sleeping bags, washed, changed and then went to the canteen for breakfast. This breakfast was not complimentary , so we had to pay for it, which...

James_Bhaand

Asim and I first went to Khala jee's house.

Khala Jee's house is actually a huge old 3 storied haveli, in old or Purana Lahore, where her inlaw's family had shifted after the partition in 1947. It is located near to the Meenar-e-Pakistan. I think the area is called Ravi Road.

4 families live in that house. The construction is typical old style, with a Mehmaan Khanaa (or Drawing Room) at the front and a passage connecting the front to the Zanan-Khana or the living quarters...

James_Bhaand

Sholly
I tried repeatedly to correct it but somehow the pics take up a 2000 sq. kilometer area on the page. So lets just stay with the text . Forget about the pics

Will update the journal tomorrow

James_Bhaand

Our destination was the Punjab University - NEW CAMPUS. We reached there shortly. I must salute our hosts, the guys from the Punjab University, who recieved us very warmly. We had been alloted 2 huge halls, on the mezzanine floor.

Oh the good old days - without any politics or Sindhi/Mahajir/Pathan Stuff

The women were alloted 2 separate rooms.
B-14 immediately FLAGGED a corner and placed the bags and stuff.

We had been travelling for about...

James_Bhaand

The train stopped at Khanewal for about half an hour. We spent 10 minutes of that time taking care of the calls of nature . Then we had a typical poor man's breakfast - chaiey + Cake , freshened up, strolled on the platform and had another cup of tea in front of the Sleeper Class coach. The windows were up and there were a few interesting faces framed in those windows .

Otherwise there was no mentionable incident at Khanewal, except that Shakeel was unfit,...

James_Bhaand

Thanks to all of those, who are visiting this journal often and have also given a lot of encouragement. When I started writing all this stuff, I had no specific theme in mind or any idea how far I will go. It was supposed to be a plainly written, narrative account of a train journey full of beautiful memories. Now I am very much INTO it and hope that I will not get bored myself and quit writing .

I also think that I am going into too much small detail ...
(I am not Mustansar...

James_Bhaand

Onwards from Khanpur, it started to get quiet. Most of the people were either sleeping or just dozing off. A few were just staring outside in the dark, walkman in hand, headphones glued to ears (Yeah in those days we didn't have iPods ).

Our own party was very much alive and kicking. The game of cards, as usual, was going on in full swing, this time on the upper level. Sarwar, Nadeem, Vicky and myself were on the lower level, just discussing the tour schedule and our own private...

James_Bhaand