As much as I would have like Microsoft to release Yukon this year, it has been postponed, and how!! The release date for Yukon is now in 2005 (along with the much awaited Whidbey also getting delayed until 2005). The product names have also been changed to SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005.
Microsoft says that this delay has been because of the requirement of high quality standards that customers expect from these products. Sigh.....
As part of my earlier post on my travel plans, the last leg of my travel was to spend some time in Charlotte (North Carolina). The day was perfect when I landed there and we rented a car which we wanted to use for the next 4 days for our travel. It was the first time that I haggled with the car rental agency!! Finally, we gave us around $20 discount (it was actually the insurance that he upped for the same cost). Finally, with a Dodge Stratus (what a car!!) rented we drove away from the airport towards our hotel. Hotel rates were dead cheap in Charlotte ($57 per day), when compared to the prices I was paying at the other places.
The first day went off fine as I touched base with some of the other folks from our company who were also there. We ate at a nice restaurant and then bang, a snow-storm was announced for the next two days!! It caught us totally unprepared and the next day it started pouring like mad. Our work location had to close due to the threat of the snow and we drove back to the hotel (very carefully!!) and spend the next 1.5 days holed up in the hotel. Our earlier plans was to go to a place called the Smokey Mountains and this had to be dropped :-(
So, not loosing heart, when the snow storm abated, we finally took the risk and started driving on Saturday (28th, February) morning for our shopping. It was a glorious day as the sun was out and the temperature was in its 60s. Some luck!! We did our shopping in full spree and I drop approximately 70 miles that day alone! The malls were beautiful and there were lots of thing begging to be bought, but unfortunately, budget constraints had to be kept in mind (along with the multiplication factor of 50 for India!!) and I had to put a leash on my thoughts. Finally, with all shopping done, we came back and the next day morning we drove the car back to the rental place. I really miss the car!!
Am back in India now, after a long journey from Charlotte --> Boston --> Zurich --> Mumbai --> Bangalore and I'm about to collapse. End of storyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzz.....