Hursley Day

50 Years of Hursley Labs
Saturday 5^th July 2008

I was here at the right time. A splendid day filled with activities. A collection of appreciable events.

Falconry

Needless to explain, the photo says it all.

Spitfire aerobic display

Exhibition has everything form Clock, Scales & Coffee Mill which IBM once manufactured, to CRT, Diskettes to technologies its flown.

Choir in front of Hursley House.

Evening Concert and Fireworks – 10PM

The evening turned windy and was accompanied with a lovely sprinkle.

Blessed was my visit!

Hursley

23 June 2008 – Monday
Hursley, Hampshire, UK

My first visit to the IBM Lab at Hursley. And a series of snaps, from my afternoon and evening walks.

Entrance to IBM

Hursley House
The history dates back to 12^th Century. The present structure however belong to the Heathcotes.

William Heathcote a wealthy merchant who bought the estate for £35,100 in 1718.

Inside the Hursley house

SunDial

Stable

Sunken Garden

Evening Walk

Crops beside Hursley House
Wow! The Lilac patch was feast to the eye.

Hursley house, west face

Club House

The complete set can be found here.

BIAL

19 June 2008 – Thursday
Bangalore International Airport.

It takes 90mins from HAL to BIAL. I am joined by Uncle & family…. Find a scale and weigh my suitcase. It displays a magnificent 35kg….. :-D

It ought to. With 4 of us packing it from 5days!! Time to head back to the cars and unpack. An hour of turmoil, and is now within Emirates limits.

I see people crying, howling, fainting whilst they bid goodbye to their loved ones. I asked people around me, if they would cry. I get a “No”. I call up friends and ask if they would, I get a “No”…….

Boarding pass in hand; Family on the other side of window pane make a final phone call. A final “Take care, Bye”.

In front of Emigration officer

“Which company do you work for?”
“Where is the invite?”
“Which IBM do you work for? Address please.”
“How many IBMs are there in Bangalore?”
“What happened to Airport Road IBM?”

I answer all the questions, in the same serious tone in which it were put across.

Finally the officer says with a smile, ‘Mysore is a nice place. Happy Journey, Bye’.

I am confused, ‘Am I going to Mysore?!?!’.