Every year I enjoy my trip to VA. It has become a ritual ever since I started working from home.I get there, take few lectures on structural annotation, Nextgen sequencing and hands on exercises and participate in annotation jamboree and come back. But this year, it was really special. Every year although I assume trip to VA may be the my last one, but this year it was the "real" last one, since in less than 1 week after the workshop and jamboree I was suppose to leave for India. I don't know how but I somehow managed to keep that creepy feeling of separation away from me.
The best part of the trip was Chitii and Dewal-Rana's visit. I can't appreciate enough for the time they have spent in coming all along to say good bye to me. But in true sense, I know we will meet again somewhere sooner than we did this time. Both Dewal and Chitti are nature lovers and their company always tempts us to explore the natural trails that Blacksburg is blessed with. Chitti arrived from Ohio (non-stop driving) and Dewal and Rana arrived from DC after a 4 hours drive on evening of 7th July 2012. It was already evening, but we did not waste any time, managed to go to Pandapa's pond, made a full circle around the ponds. In the night, we had dinner at the sole Indian restaurant in Blacksburg followed by a VBI tour. Rana Dewal and Chitti were visiting their sitting places after a long time. By the way, although I was technically an employee of VBI, they have banished my sitting place and the computer.
The next days plan was big and adventurous. Sadly, we just had the day of 8th on our hand, since they all had to start working on the 10th onwards and 9th was kept for driving back home. I also had my jamboree on 9th. Hard pressed with time, we did something incredible. We started off in the morning after breakfast to explore the hucklebury trail from the NRV mall [More about huckleburry trail here]. We took the entire trail leisurely and completed the whole trail in 2 and half hours. Sweating profusely and beaten by scorching sun, there was no looking back. It was nice to see people cruising across the place in bikes and in running mode. Completely exhausted, we reached at the library and took Chitti's car (thanks Chitti !!) that was parked near the library to the mall. Chinese food and ice cream seemed the perfect combination at that point. Rana vowed not to come again with us that evening. We decided to take the cascade hiking that same evening - it was odd but we had no time left. But the only hitch was, we were supposed to meet Nishant, Nileshwari and their little boy in the evening for dinner and that was suppose to be at 8 PM. We reached our respective rooms by 3.30 PM and took small naps and then started of to the cascade fall at around 5 PM. As it is about 20 minutes drive and we had our own delays in stopping and taking pictures, we could reach the foot of the mountains only at 6.30 PM. However, our frequent stoppages and breaks delayed the process quite a bit. We were just about 15 more minutes to go before we reached the tip, it was already 7.30 PM and we were suppose to meet Nishant family at 8 PM. Dewal started calling them frantically from the mountain trails. But there was no network, so we decided to descend and go back directly to dinner in our sweat soaked state. We were actually quite late for dinner and I was really glad that we came down. Did not want a toddler waiting for us late in the night for dinner. I was meeting with Nishant/Nileshwari and their little boy after a long gap of 4 years!! It was great meeting with them.We 4 (Chitii, Rana, Dewal and I) went to my room after dinner at the Holiday Inn and chit chatted till wee hours of the night before parting away. Chitti stayed on for Monday. Soon after my jamboree at 5 PM, we decided to explore mountain lake. [More here]. We took pictures on and off wherever it appeared interesting. This is the place where the famous 1987 movie dirty dancing was shot. The most difficult part of the trip was climbing up the mountains and the steep sideways. I was constantly warning Chitti to not look anywhere, and poor Chitti obliged to it.
On Tuesday morning, Chitti left and I was all by myself again. Days were busy but in the evening, I always had company. On Tuesday Biswarup and Endang took me for dinner, wednes day my lab buddies Regina and Hua Wise took me to an Italian place and on Thursday, there was big dinner party at Chunxia's. This time I missed going out swimming with Chunxia. They are such sweet people. Then Susan came to pick me up on thursday night to her place to Roanoke. On Friday, I was to leave for TX. I met her girls and it is always nice to watch them grow. The little one (Natalie) likes to mingle with strangers. Both girls are soooo cute. Friday was the end of my final VA journey. I miss you all my dear friends, it was great knowing you all.... I will publish the video I made out of the photographs shortly. [Publishing the video]
The best part of the trip was Chitii and Dewal-Rana's visit. I can't appreciate enough for the time they have spent in coming all along to say good bye to me. But in true sense, I know we will meet again somewhere sooner than we did this time. Both Dewal and Chitti are nature lovers and their company always tempts us to explore the natural trails that Blacksburg is blessed with. Chitti arrived from Ohio (non-stop driving) and Dewal and Rana arrived from DC after a 4 hours drive on evening of 7th July 2012. It was already evening, but we did not waste any time, managed to go to Pandapa's pond, made a full circle around the ponds. In the night, we had dinner at the sole Indian restaurant in Blacksburg followed by a VBI tour. Rana Dewal and Chitti were visiting their sitting places after a long time. By the way, although I was technically an employee of VBI, they have banished my sitting place and the computer.
The next days plan was big and adventurous. Sadly, we just had the day of 8th on our hand, since they all had to start working on the 10th onwards and 9th was kept for driving back home. I also had my jamboree on 9th. Hard pressed with time, we did something incredible. We started off in the morning after breakfast to explore the hucklebury trail from the NRV mall [More about huckleburry trail here]. We took the entire trail leisurely and completed the whole trail in 2 and half hours. Sweating profusely and beaten by scorching sun, there was no looking back. It was nice to see people cruising across the place in bikes and in running mode. Completely exhausted, we reached at the library and took Chitti's car (thanks Chitti !!) that was parked near the library to the mall. Chinese food and ice cream seemed the perfect combination at that point. Rana vowed not to come again with us that evening. We decided to take the cascade hiking that same evening - it was odd but we had no time left. But the only hitch was, we were supposed to meet Nishant, Nileshwari and their little boy in the evening for dinner and that was suppose to be at 8 PM. We reached our respective rooms by 3.30 PM and took small naps and then started of to the cascade fall at around 5 PM. As it is about 20 minutes drive and we had our own delays in stopping and taking pictures, we could reach the foot of the mountains only at 6.30 PM. However, our frequent stoppages and breaks delayed the process quite a bit. We were just about 15 more minutes to go before we reached the tip, it was already 7.30 PM and we were suppose to meet Nishant family at 8 PM. Dewal started calling them frantically from the mountain trails. But there was no network, so we decided to descend and go back directly to dinner in our sweat soaked state. We were actually quite late for dinner and I was really glad that we came down. Did not want a toddler waiting for us late in the night for dinner. I was meeting with Nishant/Nileshwari and their little boy after a long gap of 4 years!! It was great meeting with them.We 4 (Chitii, Rana, Dewal and I) went to my room after dinner at the Holiday Inn and chit chatted till wee hours of the night before parting away. Chitti stayed on for Monday. Soon after my jamboree at 5 PM, we decided to explore mountain lake. [More here]. We took pictures on and off wherever it appeared interesting. This is the place where the famous 1987 movie dirty dancing was shot. The most difficult part of the trip was climbing up the mountains and the steep sideways. I was constantly warning Chitti to not look anywhere, and poor Chitti obliged to it.
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