Dhammerica – Day Fifteen

Once we return home, we have our customary cereal killing breakfast.

Today is also the day we create some history. In the first week of our arrival, Anti, an old friend had bemoaned the lack of quizzing in the US, ever since he had arrived a few years ago. In a burst of enthusiasm we had recommended the starting of a quiz club a la KQA (or QFI or for that matter K-Circle) and offered to do the first event. This resulted in a mail to quiznet and over a dozen responses including one from Portland!

And thus, all the participants arrive. We assemble in the barbecue area and aided by the MacBook of another of our dear buddies, conduct the first quiz of the New Jersey/New York Quiz Club. May it grow to bigger things.
By the time the quiz is done, it is afternoon. We have some frenetic packing to do.
After what is our last coffee at Starbucks for this visit in some charming company, we decide to leave for home (this time, our actual shelter in India).

We have three hours – which we think is enough. By the time we get to 33rd street, we have 2 hours 15 minutes. We opt for a cab to JFK and get stuck in traffic. After some frantic checking with our Blackberry owner about jams along the route, we reach the airport 90 minutes before our flight to be told by the booking clerk, that there are no seats readily available. Then some lady who heads the booking desk releases some seat into the system for us and we are well placed. We hug our chums and bid goodbye.

When we try and place a call to our buddy, the f&^% pay phone behaves true to character. He can’t hear us, but we spend a dollar on hearing his voice!

Once the flight is in, it is all smooth flying back to homeland.

First trip to the US: Several Hundred Dollars

Running Gear: Several Hundred Dollars

Total: Goodbye to Annual bonus and leave

Value of the memory of a fabulous experience: Priceless

p.s. contributions are invited to "Save Dhammo" fund ;)