☕ From Plans to Laughter: An Informal India Local Guides Meet-up Full of Connect Live Memories

Connections & celebrations
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An Informal India Local Guides Meet-up
An Informal India Local Guides Meet-up1920×1080 452 KB

Today, we had a delightful informal meet-up of India Local Guides :india: over coffee—a perfect mix of meaningful discussions and endless laughter!

We enjoyed our coffee at Third Wave Coffee, Noida, which turned out to be a perfect and comfortable place for such discussions. I have also contributed on Google Maps by writing a review and adding photos of this place.

We gathered to discuss future plans for the India Local Guides community. It truly felt like a family get-together, which made the meet-up even more special. @Vandana_shines joined us with her daughter, adding warmth and a lovely family vibe to the gathering. Out of the 9 attendees @AmbrishVarshney, @deepakjhic, @Kumaarsantosh, @PrinceKumar, @shaileno, @The_GauravS, @Nomad_Enkay, @Vandana_shines, and myself 3 of us had recently attended Connect Live Singapore, so along with planning, we also relived some of our most memorable (and funniest!) moments from the event.

One of the most unforgettable stories was from 29th July. After walking nearly 20 km exploring Singapore with @NareshDarji, @Kumaarsantosh, @deepakjhic, @KetanChhaniyara, @NileshNag and @Pajamatraveller we returned to the hotel with tired feet and just wanted to relax them in salted warm water. For that, I asked the reception for a bucket. Sounds simple—but it turned into quite an experience! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

The receptionist couldn’t understand my request, so he sent someone to my room. After trying to translate from English to Chinese, he finally understood—but politely said, “Sorry sir, bucket is not available.”

After a while, he came back… and handed me a glass! :thinking:
At first, I was confused because I already had glasses in my room. Then suddenly, dimag ki batti jali (the light bulb went off in my head) :light_bulb:—that was his creative substitute for a bucket! :joy:

Another funny moment happened when I called reception asking for a comb. Due to accent differences, it took some time to understand. Santosh, who was in my room, laughed and said,
“Receptionist understood ‘comb’, but must be wondering what you will do with it when you don’t have hair!” :rofl:

We all burst into laughter!

During the Connect Live farewell party, we even shared this story with @AdamGT. With a serious expression, he asked, “You don’t have a toothbrush in your room?”
I replied, “Yes, I have.”
He said, “You should use that! (In place of Comb)”—and everyone laughed again! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Moments like these remind us that it is the shared experiences, humor, and friendships that truly define the community.

It was wonderful reconnecting, sharing ideas for the future, and reliving these beautiful memories together over coffee :hot_beverage:

#IndiaLocalGuides #MeetupRecap #CommunityStories

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This was epic @SharmaK ji :rofl::rofl::rofl:
Thank you for sharing with everyone!

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No one can match your words @SharmaK

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Bapak @SharmaK terimakasih ya atas ceritanya :wink::joy::joy:
Saya tidak berhenti tertawa Bapak xixixi
Di sini tengah malam Bapak di Indonesia saya masih asyik baca postingan Bapak sambil tertawa keras dan sendirian hahaha saya gak tahan ceritanya seru lucu. Semoga di lain waktu saya dapat bergabung. Aamiin mohon doanya selalu ya bapak :folded_hands:t2::folded_hands:t2::folded_hands:t2:

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@SharmaK, it was lovely meeting you and so many other Local Guides for the first time. I won’t name them all but special mention to @Kumaarsantosh, @curatorofmemory, @deepakjhic, @SarathUpendran, @SonamW and @NileshNag and of course, meeting again fellow Connect Moderators @NareshDarji and @TusharSuradkar and @KashifMisidia from Pakistan for the very first time.

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@SharmaK The bucket, glass, and comb stories had me laughing. It’s amazing how the smallest misunderstandings can become the best stories to remember. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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@AdamGT . Thank you so much for the mention. I had a great time catching up with you and chatting

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You are your celebrity @SharmaK ji … Your words are interesting.. keep smiling and spreading happiness

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Yesterday, on Sunday morning, I stepped out to pick up some groceries. As soon as I reached the mall, a thought crossed my mind—let me check in on @Kumaarsantosh and see how he’s doing and where he is these days.

When I spoke to Santosh, he said, “Hey, we’re meeting up at Venue Spot (Namaste India 2026) in Noida today. Sharma Ji is coming too.”

The moment I heard “Sharma Ji,” @SharmaK the image of the famous hindi comic poet Surendra Sharma instantly flashed in my mind. I thought to myself—what a coincidence! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Santosh said, “Why not? Come on over.”

That was all it took—I turned my bullet towards Noida and messaged Santosh, “Share your location. Where are you?”

I got the location and headed straight to Venue Spot.

To be honest, yesterday’s meetup was a unique experience for me. We were getting some work done and chatting, but deep down, I kept feeling as though I was actually meeting the comic poet Surendra Sharma himself. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Sharma Ji’s mannerisms, his way of speaking, and his humorous presence—everything felt so natural that it gave me that familiar “Surendra Sharma” vibe.

All in all, it was a fantastic meetup. We kept up with our work, but the laughter, banter, and sense of camaraderie made the whole atmosphere truly memorable.

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@SharmaK this is a cultural nuance.. I think that connect live was created for cultural exchange to improve our cultural intelligence…

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The fact remains; whether it’s his home country or abroad, his home state or another state, a meetup hosted by KK or by someone else, one thing always remains constant: @SharmaK is inevitably the centre of attraction.

His presence, his unique way of speaking, and his effortless ability to engage people are enough to make everyone stop, listen, and enjoy. What makes him truly special is the way he delivers every message; with humour, but always with a deeper meaning behind it.

And as they say, laughing at yourself is a sign of both humility and confidence. When you can openly laugh at your own mistakes and quirks, you break the ice, ease the atmosphere, and invite everyone to smile with you rather than feel awkward. It shows that you don’t take your ego too seriously and that is a quality people naturally connect with.

That’s exactly what makes KK so adorable and loved across the globe. :globe_showing_europe_africa::heart:

He doesn’t just make people laugh; he makes people feel comfortable, connected, and included.

That’s KK; humour with heart, humility with confidence, and a personality that needs no introduction.:heart:

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Congratulations, @SharmaK ji, on a lovely get-together in Delhi NCR :bouquet:
It is heartening to see so many happy and lively faces together :partying_face:

Looking forward to your presence at the mega meetup in Pune in the last week of November :handshake:

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It was truly wonderful meeting you, dear @AdamGT. Our conversation was an absolute pleasure and incredibly enriching. I genuinely valued our exchange and the perspectives we shared; it was a memorable interaction that I will truly cherish.

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Great to see all enthusiastic faces of volunteers enjoying coffee with you, @SharmaK ji.

Josh is High now for the Namaste India Summit at the weekend. :+1:

Cheers!

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