Well! The IPL is already here and I can already hear heavy discussions and bets rolling in everywhere I go –on bus, streets, schools, offices and even in shops.....
Let me share with you an interesting anecdote that happened a few days back. Had gone to shop and there found a salesman who was actually glued to the TV rather than concentrating on the customer before him and if you think the customer minded...no he didn’t, for he too had his eyes on the TV and were actually talking about the shot rather than the product on hand! And it was then that I realised that one of India’s major gala sporting event the IPL was here!
And hence forth wherever I went, all I could hear was Rahul, Virat, Jadeja, Styne, Gayle, Googly, Shahrukh, Sixes and what not. From 5 years old to 60 year old every one and that include women as well had only one word on their lips-IPL, IPL and IPL! And for someone who has no clue about sports or for that matter about Cricket....those three very words gave me a headache; made me sit on the computer to find out how long this madness will last only to make the headache worse and wish for a holiday where I can escape all these madness, only to be disappointed and if you are wondering why.......Here it is.
Dates of the IPL 2013
The first disappointment - This 6th edition of the IPL (imagine it’s already 6th!) will see around 9 teams in action playing around 76 matches over a double round-robin and playoffs format and will go on till the 26th May ! Around 9 weeks of sheer ecstasy if you are lover of the game or madness if you hate it as much as I do! God! How am I going to get through these 9 weeks! Maybe it’s time I took that weeklong vacation that has pending for long.
Destinations and Venues
The second disappointment- Great! What do you know? Most of the matches are being played in cities and towns which I had selected for my holiday retreat ...Talk about bad luck! Imagine why anybody would go to Jaipur, Delhi, Mohali and Bangalore to see a match in heat of summer or for that matter go to beautiful place like Dharmasala, Hyderabad, Ranchi or Raipur just to see 11 players play with a stick and a ball. Sheesh!
Seeking Accommodation in a Holiday Rental: Finally some good news
Well, after 2 disappointments, there was finally a bright ray of sunshine only to realise it wasn’t to be.
First the Sunshine- Checked with a few vacation rental owners for a place to stay in Delhi and Jaipur (yup, it’s the off season; rents are cheap, less tourists and the heat be damned!) And as luck may have it many of them have a few rooms available in anticipation of the coming IPL events. Booked myself a cosy serviced apartment in Delhi and a centuries old holiday home in Jaipur; had a big smile plastered on my face only to.......
The Final Disappointment – When things go wrong; they go wrong, no matter what! Got a mail from big boss rejecting my leave, apparently he is going on leave to catch some live IPL action as are some of my other colleagues and since one has to be in office and given that I don’t enjoy the game, who do you think needs to stay behind?
Who else, but Yours Truly!
This is simply just not my day!
Well! Gotta go and cancel the accommodation request. Those holiday apartments weren’t meant for me, maybe you may get lucky, so book it before someone does.
As for me, guess it’s time I sat before the TV and try to make sense of this IPL madness.
