Thursday, August 12, 2010

Backpacking India. The Buildup.

Disclaimer: The following post is as fake as Santa Claus is real.

On the 2nd of July 2010, Friday, MrWiseGuy and 4 other companions, Jain, Ah Boon, Yam and Frodo (names have been horribly changed to protect their identity) set off on an epic journey that would change the face of the universe. Though none have perished in the scorching heat of the Thar Desert, nor washed away in the River Beas, the world will never be the same again in the eyes of these five adventurers.

Their journey begins in one of the world's holiest Hindu city, Nashik. MrWiseGuy and Jain had spent 6 months there working as undercover spies leeching automobile technology. Their mighty success in handling the operation made them heroes back in their Mother Land. However, they were thirsty for more, and seek greater achievements, and called upon their three other comrades who were also based in India, to join them.

The five of them, then pieced together, "Operation JI."

Abu Bakar, JI
Abu Bakar Bashir, Jemaah Islamiyah

Some of the members were wary of the Operation codename. Indeed, it was a controversial name not to be mistaken with the infamous Jemaah Islamiyah. Team Leader, Yam, insisted that the name was chosen for its simplicity and it was coincidental that the initials, J.I., were from "July Itinerary." Its origin however, can be traced to Advisor #2, Jain, who first brought the name to light in an excel sheet that still resides in MrWiseGuy's computer. Please note that the screenshot below is highly CLASSIFIED and as such, has been scaled down to a microscopic level.

July Itinerary
The Original July Itinerary

Jain was the mastermind behind JI. Rumours have circulated that JI could very well be short for "Jain's Intentions", "Jain's (insert mean word that starts with letter 'I' here)." However there were no reliable sources and the matter was put to rest.

MrWiseGuy on the other hand, was not particular with details. Reliable sources have continually reported that JI simply started with MrWiseGuy drawing lines on the Indian Map. It could possibly look like this:

India Map Sketch
A Rough Reproduction of MrWiseGuy's Sketch

The original plan would span the following cities:
Nasik
Mumbai
Jaisalmer
New Delhi
Leh
Chennai
Bangalore

The original sketch was never found. However, it was known that the sketch had indeed been circulated after which the resident Safety Officer, Ah Boon, brought to light an issue regarding fatigue. He suggested that the number of cities be reduced so that more time is available to absorb the culture, because he need to report back to work and allow for rest. Jain too share the same sentiments. The Mother Land has sent him love letters to serve his reservist. As a result, the plan had to be amended and MrWiseGuy went back to the drawing board to restrategise.

Frodo on the other hand, had her own plans. Secretly, she came up with an evil plan to ship back her spoils of war back to the Mother Land. She was not alone. Frodo had linked up with Ah Boon in Mumbai, and together, they shipped back an estimated 20 tonnes worth of electronic devices, clothes, disguises, lacoste shoes and lingerie. It was believed that this covert operation led to her total radio silence in the weeks leading to the commencement of Operation JI.

Operation JI would not be successful without the help of the Indian Railways. They had sent their best agent, codename IRCTC, to assist. In fact, IRCTC handled 70% of the distance travelled in OP JI. A short google led to this photo of Agent IRCTC.

Agent IRCTC
AGENT IRCTC

The whole planning of OP JI took some 3 months. Soon enough, the 2nd of July came, and these 5 adventurers, embark on an excursion they will never forget.

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