{"id":220,"date":"2007-06-14T23:52:33","date_gmt":"2007-06-15T04:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sikander.org\/journal\/?p=220"},"modified":"2007-08-17T00:53:08","modified_gmt":"2007-08-17T05:53:08","slug":"reunion-at-wonderland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/2007\/06\/reunion-at-wonderland\/","title":{"rendered":"Reunion at Wonderland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My first visit to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.paramountparks.com\/canadaswonderland\/\" title=\"wonderland\" target=\"_blank\">Wonderland<\/a> was during highschool with Shekhar and Harry. Our highschool, Merivale Highschool, was taking students on its annual Wonderland trip for, as far as I remember, $40 per person. Shekhar and I bought tickets in advance and were roaming around the school waiting to board the chartered bus when we saw Harry walking in the hallways all by himself. Somehow he had managed to shake off the numerous highschool girls that were stalking him. School ended at 2:15 PM back in 1999 and it was close to 4 PM so Harry had probably been engaged in some unmentionable activities with some of the females that he deemed worthy of talking to.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>  &#8220;Hey, want to go to Wonderland ?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sure&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And so all three of us boarded the bus and went to Wonderland, <a href=\"http:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?f=d&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;saddr=Merivale+High+School,+1755+Merivale+Rd,+Nepean,+Ottawa,+Ontario,+Canada&amp;daddr=Paramount+Wonderland,+Vaughan&amp;sll=45.34098,-75.72761&amp;sspn=0.006365,0.016576&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=44.529145,-77.51778&amp;spn=3.305199,8.486938&amp;z=8&amp;om=1\">453km<\/a> away.<\/p>\n<p>It was grad night at Wonderland and students from all over the province, some even from Montreal, were at the park. We reached the park around 8 PM and stayed there until 5 in the morning before heading back to Ottawa. It was a fun and memorable night.<\/p>\n<p>The 2nd time I went to wonderland was with Alidhooh, Ed, and Harry in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pbase.com\/sikander\/roadtrip2002\" target=\"_blank\">2002<\/a> and the 3rd time was with Lunato, Alidhooh, and Harry in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sikander.org\/journal\/?p=198\" target=\"_blank\">2003<\/a>. Today we had a re-union with Harry in Wonderland.. after 4 years. As mentioned before, Alidhooh hadn&#8217;t met Harry ever since he left Canada in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sikander.org\/journal\/?p=197\" target=\"_blank\">2003<\/a> and Lunato and I last met him in Indonesia in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sikander.org\/journal\/?p=60\" target=\"_blank\">2004<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I guess it was an appropriate place to meet after all these years. The cool nonchalant casualness of the reunion sure matches Harry&#8217;s demeanour. Nothing fazes him. Nothing surprises him. Nothing brings joy to his life.. he has transcended the mortal plane and sees things as others do not. He sees the past, present, and future all at once so he knows laughter and enjoyment today doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean anything in the long run. Eons from now when all has turned to dust and the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Big_crunch\" target=\"_blank\">Big Crunch<\/a> is imminent he will reflect at the sum experience of his existence and he will surely not remember that he met friends that love and care about him in Paramount Canada&#8217;s Wonderland on a sunny summer day on June 14th 2007.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_01.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Paramount Canada's Wonderland\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_01.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_02.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Four friends \/\/ 2003\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_02.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_03.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Two friends with a husband and a wife \/\/ 2007\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_03.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_04.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Dropzone behind The Bat\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_04.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_05.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Dropzone looks terrifying\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_05.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_06.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"The Bat is actually pretty scary too\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_06.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_07.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Harry told us to meet him near The Wild Beast\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_07.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_08.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"So we meet him at The Wild Beast\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_08.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_09.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"And waited in the long lineup\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_09.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_10.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Harry's emergency cancellation yesterday was because his family was visiting Wonderland today so it made sense to him to cancel his already confirmed plans with us a few hours before the bus left from Ottawa to Toronto and travel the next day with his mother. He probably feels safer around his mom. She knows how to control him and prevent him from destorying the world.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_10.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_11.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"His mom is great... a really really really nice person. She was such an amazing host when lunato and I visited her in Indonesia.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_11.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oYigwRoqsUY\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"The Wild Beast\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/thewildbeast.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_12.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Dooh was tired on the way back from Wonderland\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_12.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_13.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Back at home after wonderland.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_13.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_14.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Group photo in our apartment.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_14.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_15.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"The sky was blue..\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_15.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_16.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"...so we went out to play with the frisbee\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_16.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_17.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Harry trying to impress the female behind him\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_17.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_18.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Catch it Dooh.. catch it!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_18.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_19.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Catch it Lunato.. catch it!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_19.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_20.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Catch it Sikander.. catch it!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_20.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_21.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"All of a sudden I broke into my Broadway dance routine\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_21.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_22.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Now Harry is trying to impress lunato\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_22.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_23.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"We actually managed to do a few complete rounds.. from Harry to Dooh to Lunato to me to Harry.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_23.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_24.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Lunato's jacket looks like a skirt\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_24.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_25.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"A very athletic throw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_25.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_26.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"And hopefully a very athletic catch\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_26.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_27.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Harry to Lunato\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_27.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_28.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"The frisbee we were using was a free one from Scotiabank. It was very light so a proper throw was quite hard\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_28.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_29.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"This time the frisbee landed near Dooh's feet.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_29.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_30.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"This time the wind took it too far\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_30.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_31.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Almost got it!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_31.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_32.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Dooh getting ready for a throw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_32.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_33.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Incoming!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_33.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_34.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Missed!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_34.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_35.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"Harry's wrist was hurting so we had to stop. Odd, I thought he had a PhD in wrist exercises.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_35.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_36.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"We went to watch Ocean's 13 in the evening. This picture was taken outside in the parking lot after the movie.\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_36.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_37.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"WTF Harry\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_37.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/hiharry_38.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[HT]\" title=\"LOL ^_^\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/2007\/harry\/thumb_hiharry_38.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0496806\/\">Ocean&#8217;s Thirteen<\/a> is an enjoyable movie but it didn&#8217;t need to be made at all. Pacino&#8217;s talent is wasted in this movie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My first visit to Wonderland was during highschool with Shekhar and Harry. Our highschool, Merivale Highschool, was taking students on its annual Wonderland trip for, as far as I remember, $40 per person. Shekhar and I bought tickets in advance and were roaming around the school waiting to board the chartered bus when we saw [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-27","category-wonderland"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5XQq-3y","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sikander.org\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}