Have You Done ' The Amazing Escape ' ?

The Mumbai Monsoon is forever unpredictable ! The day may start all sunny and bright, but just when you believe you will make it dry through the day… pitter patter and you are drenched.

Apart from huge craters and community swimming pools, the monsoon also brings in the annoying decision of - where do we go and hang out ?

A fun little invite showed up on my doorstep with a solution to just this dilemma ! 

The Amazing Escape

60 minutes of becoming C. Auguste Dupin or Sherlock is what TAE ( The Amazing Escape ) is all about. You are shut in a room in teams of two or more players and expected to escape based on clues hidden around you ... or some even right in plain sight ! TAE has five theme rooms, five different mysteries, tons of clues to get you in super sleuth mode in your race against time.

My  Experience 

When we decided to take on our challenge, we bumped into many of our crazy blogger friends ! The sheer turnout convinced us that these were going to be 60 minutes of crazy fun. 

We had to wait a while for the game rooms to get free but none of us minded it much. The waiting room kept all of us busy as we clicked boomerangs and pictures with the goofy goggles, props … which went on for quite a while.

We were all divided into teams based on the maximum capacity each room could hold. My team, chosen to enter ‘ The Tomb ’, had Deepak Krishnamurthi ( BikeBoozeChakna ) , Mihir Shah ( For the Love of Food ) , Nikhil Chaudhari ( imbevda ), Nisha Ganatra ( nishajg ) and her adorable little daughter Utkarsha .

( The comic strips below have just Deepak & Me because it was a mammoth task of getting everyone in every panel … I ain’t no illustrator ! ) 

Escaping The Tomb

“ What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening? ”, asked the Sphinx

Just like Oedipus solved the Sphinx’s riddle to reach Thebes, we entered the room going over all the cliché crime solving tactics we have seen in the movies or on TV… probably even stuff from our nail biting Agatha Christie adventures to help us escape.

And just as we managed to get out of one room, we managed to find ourselves in another ! Things were definitely not as they seemed.

For 60 minutes you shall be making your way through many different rooms, solving puzzles, searching for keys & clues... Well lets just say you are going to have no time to think about anything else at all.

Infact, It took us a while to realize we did escape from the room right before time. I was so excited, I was trying to talk my way into going into another game room.

Apart from The Tomb, the few other game room themes available were - Bank Heist, Illuminati, Prison Break and The Lost Kingdom.... some of which I plan on escaping from quite soon.

Even though I am itching to give away the solution to the room, I shall curb it by leaving you with a few tips to follow while trying to make your escape.

Tips

* Investigate -  Feel, tug at, knock on, look under, look behind, look above, flip…  basically search every corner possible. I don’t mean break stuff apart, but make sure you check every corner thoroughy. 

* Wear comfortable clothing - You may have to lay on the floor to check for something under a table or probably even slide down a chute ! Make sure you wear something you are absolutely comfortable in.

* Hints - If you ever feel completely lost or unable to solve a puzzle, do not panic ! Simply press the buzzer in the room and someone will be at your door within seconds with a hint.

* Everything is important  - Right from a box of matchsticks to a bag of sand, make sure you keep every clue close to you, everything is important. To avoid wasting time, arrange all the clues / Puzzles as, you get them, on a table or the floor for easy access. For all you know, you may even need two / three together !

* Time – Keep your eyes on the TV screen to know the time you have left. It may seem like a lot of time in the beginning but time flies a bit too quickly in the room.

* Divide and conquer  – Since you will be a team of two or more, make sure you search different parts of the rooms at all times as well as tackle different clues or different puzzles. Do not waste your time on one clue together, remember, you just have 60 minutes !

So do you think you are up for a challenge ? Then get your entourage together and make your big escape !

To book a game room or to know more : http://www.theamazingescape.in/mumbai/

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Who Knew Uber Pool Could Make You Cry ?

To be bluntly honest, I began using Uber pool to save money ! Compared to the Uber Go prices, the pool prices were a STEAL. But then there was an issue of privacy, which I got over quite quickly because I realised passengers rarely wanted to even make small talk let alone have full blown conversations. This left me free to dig deep into my phone or listen to some of my favourite tunes  ( I also had dozed off quite a bit and snored away to glory ….probably why I have just a 4.7 rating ! ) 

Now I did meet quite a few fun people during these rides where I connected over similar interests or a funny incident during the travel, but nothing quite prepared me for this ride.

After a trip to Trendy Hair & Beauty ( in Juhu ) I decided to take an Uber Pool. The cab arrived empty and we were on our way home until ** buzz buzz ** we had another passenger that we had to turn back for. With a bit of time on my hands I didn’t quite mind. The cab driver told me that this particular passenger is an old man who travels almost daily from Juhu to Powai, which we assumed was from his place

to his childrens or vice versa.

As we reached the pick up point, a girl approached us cross checking the cab details, and from a distance I saw a very old man, wearing dark black shades being assisted while he wobbled towards the cab. I instantly shifted towards the right to make place for him to sit comfortably, thinking to myself, ‘ This will be a quiet ride, maybe I can catch up on a few winks.’ As soon as my co-passenger came to the window he stopped, gave me a 50 watt smile and asked, “Hello, May I please sit on the seat next to you ? ” to which I replied….

quite stunned at his chivalry, “ Please be my guest sir.”

As the cab took off the gentleman began telling me bits about his life. He was 90 years old travelling from work ( near the Juhu pick up point ) to his residence in Powai. He used to have a car and a driver but found Uber Pool much more convenient than co-ordinating with a driver. He loved working and couldn’t sit at home all day so the travel was worth it. I interrupted his story by telling him how much he reminded of my late granddad who made a vow to work till his last breath ( which he did ), and I missed him so dearly. 

Me : “ Working at 90 ? That's incredible ! My granddad loved his job too, and he had a hard time reaching where he was… I mean being a Medical Rep, studying Law and running canteen in Trombay… I wonder when he got the time to breathe ! But it all paid off and I am proud to say he was a director of a pharmaceutical company.”

Him : “ Which Pharmaceutical ? ”

Me : “ Sir, Centaur Pharmaceutical. Its near Grand Hyatt in Vakola and...”

Him : “ Are you Sawants granddaughter  ? ”

Me : “ No, but I know Mr. Sawant, he worked closely with him.. wait how do you know….”

Him : “ You are Rangnekars granddaughter aren’t you….”

Me ( With Goosebumps all over my body ) : “ Did you know my Ajoba ? ”

Him : Yes my dear, I knew him very well… and his brother too….

And that’s when I thought I was about to pass out. I turned my mobile recorder on began recording as he fondly began telling me stories of my granddad S.K. Rangnekar & his brother M.K Rangnekar. ( My hands are shaking as I write this ). There were so many stories, I could go on listening forever, I mean…

I felt that my granddad was alive, through him ! 

As he spoke about my cousin granddads death… I saw a tear roll down his eye and he quickly

wiped it off with a handkerchief.  

“It is so difficult knowing your friends, your wife, are not around anymore.”

I choked. I fought my tears back with a lot of difficulty.. I just wanted to hug him tight

but was so worried I would hurt him.

We were joined by another passenger who thought we were crazy with me gasping and shrieking at the parts I knew…. But I couldn’t care less… I wanted to relive every memory with him. With the traffic,

it took us forever to reach and I cherished every moment of the ride.

All those who know me, know I am TERRIBLE at taking selfies. But as we reached the end of the ride,

I could not resist. I had to save this memory, I just had to!

To my misfortune, my phone gave up and I lost almost all my data just a day after and I am unable to connect with him. All I know is he lives in Powai and I would love to reconnect. ( contactnehasclicks@gmail.com )

So If you are reading this, do share this post and help me reconnect with him and the treasures

his memory holds… I will be forever grateful.

Thank you Uber pool for the wonderful ride :) 

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Take a #TigorStyleBack selfie and win gifts from Zara !

Makeovers, Seflies & shopping… could winning a contest get any easier ???

Steps to Participate

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Sixty Mysterious Minutes in Goa with Mystery Rooms

Anniversaries, birthdays, getaways… where can you find me? 

In GOA !

I visit Goa so often that my friends have now begun to call it my native. Warm Sandy beaches, cool breeze in my hair, sipping on some chilled Coladas… sounds quite picture perfect right ? But how many afternoons can you spend the same way ? With most of the touristy ‘MUST VISIT’ spots checked off my list

many trips ago, I craved for something more… something not too susegaad.

**Ping** went my mail box with an email for a review of ‘ Mystery Rooms ’ on Aguada - Siolim Road, Calangute. Located barely 10 minutes from where I was staying, I thought to myself ‘ Why not? ’

We, Blogger Bike Booze Chakna & I, landed up there thinking it would be an absolute piece of cake.

When we reached there, we were given an option of choosing a room from the ones mentioned below  

* The Hurt Locker – A Bomb Defuse Challenge. ( Difficulty Level – Easy )

* Lockout – A Prison Break Challenge. ( Difficulty Level – Moderate Hard )

* Abduction – The Final Hour. ( Difficulty Level – Hard )

* Cabin In The Woods – The Murder Mystery. ( Difficulty Level – Very Hard )

After our gluttonous meal at Mustard, we decided to go easy on our grey matter and chose the easiest one – The Hurt Locker.

Our mobile phones were locked up to make sure we couldn’t call for help or cheat & we were given a bunch of Do’s & Don’t to follow. Armed with just three life lines and memories of Agatha Christie, Sherlock, Enid Blyton along with countless episodes of The Mentalist, Monk, CSI, Bones, Psych, Crime Patrol, CID ( you get the gist ) we were locked inside the locker.

The Hurt Locker

Before you ask me about the possibility of feeling claustrophobic, let me tell you the room is well ventilated and spacious so do not let you mind wander into thinking we were in a tiny, dingy room. 

The room was dark, the timer went **Tick-Tock Tick-Tock ** and our hearts began to race !

We realised our first task was to figure out where the light switch was & with the little light from the screen in the room, we began frantically searching for clues.

The mystery of this room was that there was a bomb hidden in a movie theatre that needed to be diffused to save lives… and we were the officers in charge of finding and diffusing the bomb

before terror stuck ( Well … before 60 minutes were over ! )

Now with about 20 minutes at hand, we figured out the code to the door… but our hopes

came crashing down the minute the door opened.

WE WERE IN ANOTHER ROOM !!! and yet again, we began scrambling helter-skelter to find out new clues to lead us to the bomb. We found the bomb… and the countdown began…. 10… 9…. 8… 7 …. 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… BOOM ! 

Smoke filled the room as we slapped our foreheads knowing we could have probably made it with just

a little time … but alas.

Though one may think we wanted to run away as soon as we saw defeat, we were actually very happy with the amazing challenge we just had. We were so pumped that we actually wanted to try out the other rooms !

Mystery Room, for me is a fantastic experience and a great way to spend 60 minutes of your time. Believe me, it shall leave you craving for more !

Tips

Here are a few tips that could help you out a bit

* Do not panic – The Mystery Room team will assist you when they know you have reached a dead end and won’t leave you hanging in there lost for long.

* Explore -  Touch & observe EVERYTHING. Feel, tug at, knock on, look under, look behind, look above, flip…  basically search every corner possible. I don’t mean break stuff apart, but make sure you check every corner thoroughly.

* Do not assume – Remember the proverb ‘ When you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U and ME ? ’ Well, never assume that you won’t need something you stumble upon. REMEMBER, Right from a piece of paper to a Floor mat, make sure you keep everything in mind, everything is important. 

* Keep clues close by – Try and arrange / keep all your clues together to avoid wasting time searching for them later. For all you know, you may even need two / three together !

* TV Screen – Keep your eyes on the TV screen to know the time you have left & the even little hints from the team.

* Divide yourselves – If you are a team of two or more, make sure you tackle different clues or different puzzles. Do not waste your time on one clue together… search search search.

* Do not get naughty – There are cameras everywhere … just saying !

Mystery Rooms, you shall see me In the Lockout Zone soon !!!

To book a room to escape from, in Goa: http://www.mysteryrooms.in/goa/

For more information: http://www.mysteryrooms.in/

About Mystery Rooms

Mystery Rooms is a unit of Kickass adventures with a unique concept where this 'Room Escape' game grants you 1 hour to solve puzzle, find hidden clue and ESCAPE!  Mystery Rooms is a challenging race against the clock where the sole motive is to get yourself out of a mysterious room before time kicks you! Imagine being locked in a thrill space with your team and you have exact 60 minutes to use logic, solve puzzle, find hint, and prove the power of team work to pave your path to freedom. The experience is very unique and thrilling, but not at all dangerous and it does not contain any horror element. It requires no physical exertion and is suitable for ages 10-77. It is an exciting team-building activity for corporate and a fulfilling fun experience for couples,

friends and families. 

Mystery Rooms started in September 2014 when its founders came together with an idea to start this unique concept in the capital. The whole idea was based on the desire to bring something refreshing in the monotonous city life and was an instant hit. With wonderful feedback and appreciating reviews everywhere, it soon became No.1 attraction in Delhi on Tripadvisor. Presently, there are 4 exciting games in the Bangalore branch.Mystery Rooms also has its center in Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jhalandar, Ludhiana, Goa, Pune  and recently launched one centre in the city beautiful, Chandigarh. The Team aims at releasing at least one new track every 2 months and opening at least 6 new centers in 2017. They are welcoming offers from all the cities and working on collaborating with more people to grow the Mystery Rooms family.

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Oxford Golf Resort - Introduction & Adventure (1/3)

Plush green lawns was the only thing on my mind as I made my way to the
Oxford Golf Resort in Bavdhan, Pune.

A cool breeze from the rolled down window blew through my hair as I looked out
in awe at the hues of green & gold of Bavdhan.

The resort is designed in a contemporary fashion by Sandy Babcock & EDSA, USA having open spaces on each level with segregated areas for sport and business activities. Spread across 100,000 sq.ft, the resort has a dedicated golf academy, golf themed dining and banquet options and a dedicated pool and fitness floor overlooking the picturesque golf course. The interior design is conceptualized by Les Harbottle Designs, South Africa and follows the theme of rugged and openness in all spaces. 

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Ganesh Chaturthi 2016 - Tejukaya Cha Raja

If anyone had to truly experience the phrase ‘Mumbai Never Sleeps’, they must visit the city during Ganesh Chaturthi.

Hard pressed for time, I took off to take a look at some of the Mandals around. Sadly, I couldn’t cover more than half I did last year but I still had quite a wonderful time 

Tejukaya cha Raja

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An inspiration.

Let me tell you the story of a very inspirational woman.

She met her husband when she was just 10 years old, fell in love at 18, got married at 19, while studying for her B.A. She chose to be a housewife. Her husband got a job in USA and then Europe, she followed him enjoying the adventure. Her husband was just finding his footing but she didn’t care. By the age of 24 she had two kids, when she was still growing up herself. She was blessed with a happy marriage and in-laws who loved her.

Once they were back in India, she enjoyed being a housewife until 1998 when her husband saw an advertisement for Tupperware. Tupperware had just come to India and was looking out for woman interested in pursuing a career with them. She was hesitant at first, but her husband didn’t take no for an answer. He insisted she work, he knew she had a lot of potential.

Her first year in Tupperware was a bit rough. She had to take her two kids with her to work, make sure she kept up with the competition. Sadly, many opposed her working for the huge MNC and called her a ‘dabbawaali’. They looked down upon her saying she was a saleswoman who went door to door begging people to buy plastic containers. She didn’t let any of this get to her and soon she became a distributor.

In 1998, her husband got a heart attack. Her world came crashing down and she didn’t know what to do. To her luck she had a job and was a bit settled in, but she had much more coming her way. Her husband was diagnosed with a heart condition that had absolutely no cure, the only thing that could be done was monitor his health. Every day she prayed for a miracle and didn’t lose hope.

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