The three best bloopers during my MBA

You’ve lived at home all your life. You’ve travelled around a lot on vacations. But you haven’t lived away from home. Ever. Then you go for your MBA – one year programme, three cities and as intensive as it can get.

Combine that with me. I’m that person who friends call up to find out, “now what happened with you?” . In hindsight, I think my stories are quite funny. But when shit happens, it’s a roller coaster ride. Allow me to share three of the many bloopers I had during the MBA.

1. Mild: Losing my spectacles- in style-to the ocean

The classic HK junk boat party. A perfect way for MBAs to celebrate anything. Take the boat, fill it with goodies, arrange good music and set sail. It was two months into the MBA and this was just the beginning of many things I misplaced during my exciting year out. I was sitting by the edge of the boat when a dear friend pushed me into the water. I was taken by surprise and when I emerged out, I pushed my spectacles up to clean my eyes. In a fraction of a second, the spectacles fell from my head and drowned in the water. :X

It did hurt that they were an expensive pair. And also that I wasn’t drunk to blame it on that. I did try to blame the dear friend, but other friends said it really wasn’t his fault 😛

Farewell.

The HKU MBA crew

~Fun times~

2. Milder: Missing a flight –wait for it– to Ibiza

Well, I still don’t know how it happened. I had been involved in all the planning, booked accommodation for everyone and was super excited about making this a fantastic holiday.

We managed to take out only 3 days when everyone could make it. So to maximize my time, I took a Friday morning flight say costing 3X the normal price.

My flight was at 8:40 am and I woke up at 9:30 to realize that I had MISSED my flight. How did this happen? I slept around 4 am, expecting to wake up at 6:30 am. Recipe for disaster. I could not sleep the previous night, maybe out of excitement. Again, I wasn’t drunk! As I scrambled to realize just what had happened, I rushed to the airport- hoping that maybe I can be accommodated somehow. Never a more annoying city than London with its goddamn 5 airports. These airports are spread over the city – almost 2-3 hours away from each other.

It was a frenzy. Obviously the flight did not accommodate me in any which way. I contemplated booking another flight which was 5 hours later from the airport at the opposite end of the city. My friends who had already reached Ibiza helped me with a cost-benefit analysis and convinced me to just take that and come. So I paid 2X the normal price and booked the ticket. I barely made it for this flight because the bus took forever to reach the other airport! When I was finally in the plane, I could hardly believe it. Interestingly, the flight was full of 4 bachelor and 4 bachelorette party groups. The pilot announced that he wouldn’t take off till the people calmed down and stopped talking. It was so hilarious. The only moment of comic relief in my entire day.

Anyway, I am glad that I went for the trip despite shelling out 5X eventually. It was worth everything and we had a time to remember!

Pretty Ibiza 😀

Views from the flight!

 

A beautiful beach

Only for Mikey!

Best times with Appy 😀

3. Mildest: Getting hit by a taxi –not in India but– in Hong Kong

This is the most ridiculous thing to have happened. Also quite painful- physically and emotionally. I was just crossing the road in front of my hostel – there is no traffic light there- and I miscalculated the traffic. There was a slow vehicle so I thought I could cross but a taxi came from behind that car and hit me. I was hurled to the side and had some swelling and bleeding. It was quite horrific. Passers-by were super helpful and immediately called for an ambulance. Thankfully, it was nothing serious. Both my legs were hurt and I had to wait in emergency for 2 hours before I was treated. I got some stitches near my ankle and a massive wound under my knee. It knocked me out as I could hardly walk. I am really thankful to my friends who came immediately to the hospital in the hour of need and stayed with me till it was treated. I couldn’t have coped without them around me.

It sounds so stupid to be hit in Hong Kong rather than in India- where the probability is much higher. But so is life. It was a depressing time, with daily dressing changes and inability to walk around much. I seriously missed home for the first time so much. It took about a month to fully recover, but thankfully it was nothing serious.

Good to have the HKID – considerably subsidised cost of treatment. The support of my friends was the most healing factor. Everyone’s so busy in their packed MBA lives, so it is hard to take out time. Again, I wasn’t drunk at the time of crossing the road- although my mother did not believe that

Till date, I am scared to cross ANY road. Learnt my lesson, nice and well 😛 I do have a photo of me on the wheelchair at the hospital, grinning away. I think it’s a bit disturbing, so I’ll let it be.

Well, in times of distress and chaos, you find the people who descend as angels to support you. These experiences taught me that sometimes there are mistakes to make and losses to take, but everything resets to normal with a new sense of understanding.

So go ahead, give me a call. And I’ll share what happened with me. Just yesterday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Localise with Alcohol

The perfect kick: trying the local alcohol of a new country/region!

So when I got my travel boots on last year, I made a dash for all the local booze. And obviously, it makes perfect sense to have the right crazy people to get inebriated with! Thought I’d share my experience with each, listing the place I visited and then the drinks I tried!

1. China (Beijing)

Baijiu (Rice wine), Tsingtao (Beer)

Sooo, my MBA journey at HKU-LBS started with Beijing. One of the most memorable experiences, a big part of which was Baijiu and the things it did to us. Haha for 4 RMB, you get a tiny bottle of explosive shit. With 40-60% ABV and a taste very much like vomit IMO, Baijiu was my classmates’ weapon for destruction, EVERY NIGHT. Okay, not every night, but they went crazeballs with it. At first, we were mixing soft drinks but eventually it was just straight off the bottle. And the stories it created! #notsayinganymore. Glad to have the crazy MBA classmates to experience this one! Gānbēi!

I liked Tsingtao – favourite choice on campus! Yes, we were on a campus in Beijing, learning Mandarin and drinking beer. That’s the thing with China, the alcohol was so cheap, there was no reason, not to!

2. Indonesia (Bali)

Bintang (Beer), Bintang Radler (I’d call it lemon juice)

Brought in the new year 2016 in Bali with my craziest friends from school. I honestly don’t remember the particular taste of Bintang but I am sure I liked it 😛 We stocked up our villa with a lot of Bintang, but there was a lot of other booze happening as well.

Bintang Radler is this light lemon beer? I am not sure but it was our substitute for water. Who goes on a vacation and has water, right? It was only 2% ABV but hey wake up and let’s start drinking Radler.

Bintang

Crew for life

3. Japan (Tokyo, Atami, Kyoto, Osaka)

Asahi (Beer), Yamazaki (Whiskey), Sake (Rice Wine), Umeshu (Kind of like Plum wine)

Kanpai! Japan, how do I even start? My classmate, Kou san organized the most epic trip ever. I absolutely fell in love with the country and its hospitality. The best part was the visit to the Suntory Yamazaki distillery. Yamazaki was named the best whiskey in the world. The tasting experience was fantastic- tried 4 different whiskeys (one of which was a reserve) and I believe got drunk with just that. Could feel the smoothness or not of the various types – quite revealing! 

I discovered that I love Sake- the perfect accompaniment with sushi. Well, it is quite potent for me and I enjoy it cold. One surprising thing was how much I liked Umeshu -fruit based liqueur. I usually dislike sweet alcohol but this was yummers!

4. UK (Manchester, London)

Craft beer

On a road trip from London to Manchester, the crazy MBAs chanced upon this countryside pub. Decided to just stop over and see the place. It was a pub with a farm behind- such amazing views. Locally brewed beer is the best in the UK. I don’t have perfect knowledge about the different brews, but there was such crazy variety! Excellent beer and superb location. I loved how each brew had its unique flavour. 

5. Czech Repulic (Prague, Cesky Krumlov)

Pilsner Urquell, Budweiser-Budvar, Kozel

Czech Republic- the beer capital of the world – calling beer “liquid bread” and consuming the highest 161 litres per capita, this country knows how to drink! They are brewing since 993 AD it seems. I went on a family vacation and it was lovely for the four of us to bond over beer. My dad went for the Kozel black and oh my- it was this smoky brew- I simply loved it. The Pilsner Urquell is a pale lager beer at its finest. Interesting fact about Budweiser- the original Budweiser was founded in the city of Budweis in 1785. The US company Anheuser-Busch borrowed the name for its famous Budweiser. So there are two Buds- the Czech and the American. 

6. Singapore

Singapore Sling (Gin-based cocktail)

On the career trek to Singapore, I tried the famous Singapore Sling. I didn’t like it though, too sweet for me. The partying in Singapore was cray though. Sleeping at 3 am and dashing for a company visit at 8 am, not the best memory 😛

5. India (Delhi)

Bira 91 (Beer)

You can’t not be jumping with joy when such a fantastic wheat beer is locally crafted in your country by a kickass beer start-up? Whattt! Although the first batch was produced in Belgium, they are now shifting production to India. It became so popular in India, it sold out! Thankfully, back now. I LOVED the Bira White. Just perfection. And so proud. Obviously with besties, it just tastes the best too.

6. Myanmar (Yangon, Bali)

Myanmar beer, Palm wine

I really liked Myanmar beer- perfect taste! As for the palm wine (made out of sap of the palm tree), it was like rice wine – again only if one wants to get smashed up.

7. Spain (Ibiza)

I had some excellent red wine sangria. I understand I should have more knowledge than just that, but hey we were in Ibiza. Haha

8. Hong Kong

Haven’t figured what’s local here? Lived for 8 months during the MBA- had an alcohol overload, but I guess it would be rice wine. Back to point 1, not going there again!

9. South Korea

Soju (Kind of like rice wine)

I haven’t visited South Korea, but I tried Soju in a Korean bar in Hong Kong. One of my Korean classmates, Gemma took us to this lovely Korean bar! The Koreans love their soju. I was scared to try (given Baijiu’s experience), but it wasn’t like that at all. A tad bit sweet and can be potent (up to 45% ABV), taken neat. I liked it, although no affinity, yet.

Many more regions and cities to explore and more drinks to come with the wildest of company. Cheers to life!