U r Special...

what matters the most ? Money, Job, Love ????  Well , my answer varies from time to time. The important point is that every point , there is that one thing that matter to you. And when you aspire , you only think about that one thing.. I live for moments. I am back from one such moment. And , this post is dedicated to her.. She is my chaddi buddy.. stood like a rock through thick and thin. Today she catches a midnight train to Bombay to spend New years and will be back to her uni tomo. A trip for 24 hours ! Now , no heaps of money, flashy cars, or gold biscuits can match , how happy and content I feel , at this moment. Some adorable friends arranged to meet at a shopping mall. I meet them.. and hop on the escalator leading to the food court.. And there she stood... like an angel from the sky, who has come down to give me hope and happiness for the coming year.  I do the obvious.. scream on top my lungs, hug her tight like i would never let go, making a terrible attempt to fight my my tears.  I cannot explain , the life that this moment has put into me..  There are people you love and love you back unconditionally. But people who show their love  at the time when it is needed the most is precious. I realise, I live for such moments... and i could die such people.  I have had very little luck this year, and was almost crumbling down to issues faced... Girl, you lifted me up.  It is because of you, i am excited for the next 24 hours.. every minute will be cherished. While i see u laugh, i will capture those moments in my heart and keep them with me to get through the troubling times i may have to face in 2012..  I love you so much.. Thank you for being you...

"meri zindagi savari, mujhko gale lagaake,, baitha diya falak pe,, mujhe khaak se uthaa ke..

   yaara teri yaari ko... maine khuda maana.... yaad karegi  duniyaaa... tera mera afsaana..."

khaareka.. (lovely to meet you)

Its 10.00 pm , Tesco employees are about to call it a day. Every visit to tesco, I have more of less the same purchases.. Yogurt, hummus , pasta, sauce are some of the regulars..Today, as I  walk through dairy aisle, I see feta cheese... I smile... A little ahead I reach out to pick Greek yogurt, I break into a smile.. Two aisle past.. I walk across the oil section and see a collection of olive oils...  and i smile..  

I'm taken back by 3 months...I was in Greece. I went to visit my dear dear friend... Let's call her 'kharalambe'. Although she is not my blog follower, if she ever reads this post , it would make her laugh.. 'inside joke'  She is wonderful.. What i learnt later that , the people in her life are wonderful too.   Greeks and Indians are similar in more than one way.. i couldn't help but the notice the similarities of our cultures. People who love food, noisy family gatherings,religion, culture and traditions, music and dance are like mirror reflection of the curry lovers in the Indian subcontinent. No wonder i got on with these people...  Swap a few things like Zeibekiko with Bhangra, coffee with tea,  curry with feta cheese and there you go.. we have very similar loud people dancing and belching some gorgeous scrumptious food !    When I landed into her city she was the only person I knew...and each day that number went on increasing..    Similarities between Indians and the Greeks.. 

• We do not wait... not in queues , not on traffic lights , no where.. everything we need should be delivered at rocket speed or else be sure of some "customer lovin"
• we can break into song and dance at any time of the day... u meet a new person.. u break the ice.. u dance a few sirtaki steps... thats normal..
• dads should have beLLy... they aint dads without their cute beLLY
• FOOD FOOD FOOD... we eat all the time... Indian meal comprise of daal rice vegetables meat ... A greek meal comprises of baked dishes, 2-3 salads, stuffed peppers, fresh feta cheese and more..
• homosexuality,is a no-no... greek women should find a nice greek boy, date for a few years... get married and dance sirtaki all night, and make babies... 
• Indian and Greek public sector work at snail space... money and status can open all doors.. laid-back bureaucrats are all couch potatoes feasting on tax payers monies and looking to make some more under the table
• we swear... a LOT.. 
• its okay to enter a no entry once in a while.. and then when confronted with an incoming vehicle.. resort to damage control, smile, apologize.. if that doesn't work.. say some swear words and drive on.

When i got back home, i felt rejuvenated. I was touched by their hospitality, their love and their kindness. When I saw families bonding over dinner conversations.. i couldn't help but miss my own family. I called mom & dad almost every other day.  When you meet a stranger, they meet you as though they have known you for years.. No person seems aloof.  I made these judgements by experiencing 2 weeks in Greece. I may have had a small glimpse of people and their lifestyle.. make not be sufficient to make such accurate judgements... but for me... greece gave me what i needed at that time. I went there, a broken soul.. I was healed by feeling welcomed by my hosts.  Its not that place that makes the a holiday special.. Its the people. And this was one trip where i felt as though i struck gold, the place is breath taking.. more importantly the people are warm and have hearts of gold.  Greece is undergoing changes, financially it the country is suffering. I saw homeless people asking for money, food... i saw pubs and restaurants with locks on it due to increasing overheads and no business, i met people looking for jobs for over 12 months...  This was October. This aint summer.. where people are carefree and relaxed.. This was the crunch time... And i found what i was looking for. I wanted to experience humility, kindness, endurance.. and i saw these traits in people on many occasions. I met people who seemed to be the happiest souls , but layers below they have loads of worries.. They embrace it with a smile..  Sakis Rouvaz, is one of the most popular singing, style icon sings "OLA KALA >> OLA KALA" which means.. All is well..  and i felt people actually practicing it. They are positive and fearless. Some simple words that i needed to inculcate in my life the, even now.  

I came to Greece empty handed.. but i left with a bit of "greece" with me..  
When i boarded my return flight.. i didnt say my goodbyes.. i know i'll be back soon.. Yaamas.. 


(This sat in my drafts for 3 months... it finally gets published)

Burning out

Mess. With great difficulty. Don't know what has got into me.. as this year ends i am taking a step each day to discontentment, acute dissatisfaction and hints of failure. I am standing in front of deadly crossroads. Don't know where to go from here ? Life seems fragmented.. the optimist in me reassures me that these distorted fragments will all result into a beautiful picture. But, my patience is running out.  What I thought will always make me happy, I discover it doesn't anymore. When I clear out the thought in my head, I fail to clear out one sound 'tick-tock.. tick-tock'  And i honestly don't know what will let me be at peace. As this year comes to an end, i am hoping on to a Mayan theory of life ending in 2012! 

They say, life makes sense when looked at it backwards.. too bad we got to live it looking forward..

Baby u're all that i wAnt... (to watch)

"After watching him perform, i think i like his music"  You think ???? This is so unfair. There are a million fans of this MAN dying to watch him perform (ME ME ME ME x million times) and when my younger sister gets the privilege to watch him perform up close in Bombay , she tells me that she THINKS she likes him..  That's it, i have got to kill her , NOW..  I sounded dead on the other side of the receiver as filled me up with Bryan Adams goodness.  For days to come, I learnt that half of the people i know in Bombay went for his show. This is why i hate facebook. Sometimes it gives us a little more information than we need. All my friends were there, i don't blame them.. the man ain't growing any younger, who would want to miss the opportunity of listening to him live. I know who.. William+Kate Wedding fans. I missed it as, I was rotting in London, forcefully watching Prince William and Kate Middleton get married live (yawn). Why didn't i change the channel ? Thats because every channel aired it live.. hmph.


If there is one distinct memory of my school days, then it has to be singing "Everything I do, I do it for you" seated at the back benches with a few friends with so much passion as though we are looking into our Prince-Charming's sparkly eyes.. Those were my school days. When I got done with school , college and university, nothing ever changed. With every new phone I purchased, transferring Bryan Adams songs on to it was a ritual.  Song after song, i loved his voice even more.


Last night,*ecstatic* I scratched a big bullet point of my bucket list. I watched him perform LIVE. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. When he sang, i didn't sing along (i thought i would sing my lungs out ).. all i did is watched him , with very less blinking of the eye. For 2 hours 13 mins, I couldn't take my eyes off him.  Bryan Adams walked in to a house full at the O2 Arena at the age of 52 ! People around me were from all age groups. There were students, professionals, mums... everyone. How can one man appeal to so many age groups ? When u look around you see a 50 something man singing along with a 20 year old with the same enthusiasm.. They didn't know each other but now they are happily singing arm in arm.  That's what music should do, bring people together.

An Italian couple we met, had been to more than 20 Bryan Adam concerts till date. The lady happily said, she had attended 4 this year. 4 of BRYAN ADAMS concerts ?? (to confirm my hearing is right ) I looked at her jaw dropped. They flew down from Italy to watch him perform and this is the usual for them.  Where do you work , honey ?any vacancies ? You can see the her forehead in the pic LOL.
What can i say, Some people make full use of their EU status ! Bless her. I'd do the same in her place. She said that she has always returned happy after each concert. Mr Adams does not disappoint his audience.. They leave the venue singing in chorus "I am comin BACK to You". And i can vouch for that.

You will find no dancers, no fancy props, no glitz-glamour, no fake boobs/ eyelashes, no corsets, no dress changes, no pole dancers.. just soulful, money's worth  MUSIC.. :-)  A band of 5 can create MAGIC. 

I hate this chubby man's hand on my pic. He ruined it. Couldn't he make out with his petite girlfriend/ wife a bit more ? tsk tsk

I got goosebumps when he sang 'Heaven', my favourite song for years now. I was star-struck stared at him  fighting tears bottling up in the corner of my eyes. His voice is mesmerising. I could see my life flash in front of my eyes. I was taken back in time. It was surreal. I stared at him as though it was my last time at his concert. I don't know if i would be fortunate enough to attend another of his stellar performances. This was my only chance. I thought to myself, what if he doesn't tour again ? Or what if Prince Harry gets married to Pippa ?

At the end, his band members left the stage and Bryan sang three of his classics all by himself with the help of his acoustic guitar and occasionally played the harmonica.. all at once.. He asked the audience to flash their phones in air, the auditorium. It looked as though we stood under a blanket of stars !

Perfect ending to a magical night..

I had always wished to watch him perform live. And somehow it all fell into place. It gave me so much happiness, i cannot even start to tell you ! *wink*  I bought these expensive tickets 4 months in advance hesitantly. After last night, i felt it was worth every dime.. 

So, if you have anything you wish for... then just do it and MAKE IT HAPPEN (E.Pittinger,2010)

BRYAN ADAMS  I  LOVE YOU !!!

leavin on a jet plane..

 Its December already ! I barely got accustomed to write 2011 everywhere and now its time to move to 2012.  Next year this time we'd be praying for the world not to end.. but the media will fry our brains enough to feel suicidal.  Well, I haven't blogged for days now. I duly apologise to you (cut the crap.. get to the point woman !)

Ever wondered , as we move on.. what do we take in from people around us ? I have a handful of my people in life. These are people who I treasure dearly and will do anything for their happiness. Circumstances change , locations change , hair colour changes, size of our waist changes but we remain the same... A dear friend of mine, my brother, my shadow (literally) left UK to settle abroad. When distance comes in between dear ones,  a part of missing them involves the analysis of how you notice that you are doing/ saying/ thinking the way that loved one did.. 

It is now that I totally understand, what Elizabeth Gilbert's couple friend meant , when they said '' its strange that when you have been for a while with someone , you start to resemble them '' Then i didn't get that one... but now TRUE STORY 

I consider myself to be borderline sane, someone who does not get attached to people or inanimate objects that easily, takes time to trust others and confides in only 1 - 2 people. (you know who you are *wink*). This is what I believe and have lived my entire life so far thinking that nothing in this world is indispensable. Change is the only constant of our lives.And that Change is good, great sometimes. If one wants something and works towards it.. then  will achieve it.. Talking about change, with the world coming closer , people are easily moving away farther.. We think about alternate jobs, shift in our careers a lot frequently and even relocate ourselves to juicy opportunities.. Spouses bear the brunt the most with divorce being a common word used in many households today. We program our fickle minds to love and leave easily. With zero tolerance levels, we often sport  "no biggie" attitude.

On Sunday night, I came home sleep deprived and tired... dreading the coming week and red ink of my pending bills . I enter my room and see the guitar. Despite several attempts , shamefully, I do not know how to play it..Thinking why i bought it ? well i didn't. The owner left it for me and moved away abroad. He did teach me two chords that make broken pieces of one of my favourite songs days before he left.. that i can play with great effort. So i walk in to the room , on a cold December night, look at the guitar.. and smile.. Must be lonely (what ??? what did i just think ... ) i bring it to the living room. and strum and hum the broken verses of the only song i can ever attempt to play.. like all other times, I didn't play it for me.. i played for the guitar.. (am i going insane).. being the next of kin, i got it.. and how could i not do justice to this beautiful thing .. And this is a trait of my guitar owning friend that i would often mock.. I 'd repeatedly poke his habit of developing emotional attachment to objects of importance.

The guitar sat there for 2 days since my friend left  :'(  nobody looked at it.. nobody touched it.. well somebody had to.. *next of kin enters*   when did i change ? emotional attachment to inanimate objects.. it wasn't me (calling out shaggy)  here i am... attempting to fulfil the purpose of the guitar by playing it.. if I have this attitude, I might BE making full use of all my inanimate objects at home.. or am I just getting all psyched with things changing arnd me? who cares.. .. a few years later, I shall proclaim, I am self taught guitarist.. who will know that the guitar taught me.. !

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/109945/snowflake

this made me so so happy.. Now i have one more thing to thank my guitar friend for..

I am getting back to strumming now.. Ciao Ciao..

cover that b00ty

The Girl without a mAp saw Barbados' singing sensation, Rihanna perform recently in London's famous O2 Arena.  I wasn't a fan before, i am not a fan now.
The ticket stated 'Gates open at 6.00pm '  I had the Standing tickets. I preferred to grooving to some good music on my feet rather than being bound to a tiny chair.  So gates open at 6.. to get there lets give it an hour.. eat some food err...wait in the long queues err...  roughly around  3.00pm i left my home to listen to 3- 4 songs performed live. THats all i knew of her... 3- 4 songs.. !

We (a friend and I ) get there at 5.. wait in the queue until the gates finally open at  7.30 pm.  Hmm.. not so bad.. so far so good. As we entered, got our drinks and waited..  I bought a bottle of water for later thinking that who is going to come out of the crowd and lose my near the stage space, the lady behind the counter unscrewed the bottle cap and chucked in the bin before handing over my purchase. I was puzzled at that.. how can i save this water from spilling with swaying crowds for later..  She interrupted those strings of thoughts by saying , we do that to prevent crowds from throwing caps on the stage. Looks like O2 has seen some rough days to think it all through. What they have not thought about is, what if a dufus chucks the bottle on the stage.. who needs a cap ?  i take a sip and chuck it in the bin.  We stand close to the stage..   I tell myself.. we are close to the stage.. all has gone as to plan.. rihanna will sing.. we'll enjoy.. we'll be home soon.. WRONG...
MAdame RI did come but at 9.45pm... ! .. how i wished i hadnt thrown the bottle away..

A few hallucinations later, there she is.. !

   A song later... she is still there on the stage..,  but with lesser clothes..

plus the raunchy steps are only raising the viewers ratings... from PG to 12A... hmmm
a few more songs... she appears in a suit... ahh... singing "UMBRELLA.. ela ela ela"

I can excuse the pole-dancin.. Music Videos of today have made it very easy these days to watch lewd scenes on telly without having to raise an eyebrow.  but then...  some lights flashin later.. the girls at the back tear her clothes off.. and then this happens

now the viewer ratings have climbed up to 15 , definitely 15 ..and soon jumping to 18 Adult content.  She pulls up a guy from the crowd, pushes him to the floor.. does some steps that more or less looks like dry humping.. i said it.. Not just that, takes his hands and lets them on her body... OKAY>>> its getting steamy.. and BHAM the stages goes down.. That boy , whoever he is, must have had a ..... cant blog it (Note to self :  zip the lip , MISSY)
ahem ahem.. getting back..  to Ri Ri,  this went on for hour.. come on, im not going to keep an account of every lewd move she made (but i totally did) ... She finally sang one of the songs i knew.. 'Unfaithful' She walked on to the stage in a beautiful yellow dress that covered all her privates well..thank the lord.. She looked stunning, the lights dimmed, and the song.. which btw way i was forced to like by my sister who just wouldn't stop playing that tune on her piano.

One can actually marvel at her voice and beauty when clothed... this is good..
but then..   moments later the fans switch on... (there always have to be a BUTT.. doesn't it ? )  and

this happens... arrey jaise chaddi dikhaane ki aadat si ho rakhi hai .. Apologies to my global readers... if its in Hindi, its not important. just some phrases , i cannot keep myself from writing.. You ain't missing on anything.. you are very much on track and my favorites :-*

By the end of show, I'm picturing my feet must be bleeding by now. They are NUMB..

i walk to the tube station at snail pace wondering if there any truth of the 'Illuminati' influence on the music industry (because i had to erase bikini images of rihanna of my mind... i had enough) and the triangular signs they kept on indicating throughout, with 18000 others wanting to get into the same tube.  and get home..
Days later, i get an email from my ninimou friend with this link..
http://uk.omg.yahoo.com/gossip/110--pop/exclusive-rihanna-performances-send-wrong-message-fans-says-142513949.html

and i jump out of my seat.. in agreement.. (clap clap clap)

Wishy-washy

Restlessness.I feel it.. Its coming to me again.  Not long ago I was watching a bollywood classic and the lady love of the movie emphasizes on a state of restlessness she feels that can be missing a train or something.. I feel the same now.. Maybe not the train bit but something else.  Everybody I love is going away.. How many long distant relationships can one person handle ? You know this sinking feeling is eating me up from within. I ask, am I meant to be here, meant to do this ???   I have lost so much to this dreadful word "geographical distance"...   God are you giving me a sign ?  Generation Next has its strange ways to deal with complexities of life , love , and freedom. 


Stag tag. Since when did being solo become a trend ? Everyone yaps about living life in without boundaries. free bird. It was me who thinks that "more the merrier " is a phrase that we can actually feel. Everyone runs for solitary contentment !  was it just me who thought that going stag was once considered incomplete. Remember the days when one had to burn a hole in their pockets for an entry in a club solo. The club man would look at you and ask "how many ?" Reply "2 couples and 3 stags" the money for stags would be more than that of the couples. WeLL, things have changed, its a path that most of us choose today. 

Hope. This is all one can hang on to. you meet as strangers and share your life.. When its time to part ways (geographically) we find ourselves reassuring one and other for a bright future. A place where we'd still find time to rekindle our ties. This chapter has been well read. Its time to hop on to the next. However, the book is NOT over yet.. 


"The roughest roads are not found across rivers and mountains ...... but in peoples hearts"  


(Found this written in a gift shop... its by Bai Juyi.. and i couldn't agree more)


I see a storm approaching.. 

The day after the button post

Apparently my blog post was so powerful, that it got a friend of mine come over this evening and fix it for me.. Not only that, i learnt how to sew a button too !!!  It turns out to be no rocket science.. I cannot tell you how much i love my "FIX IT" friends..  Now i have a perfectly well fitting jacket that will keep me warm as i walk on the streets of London.. but i'll sure miss you Mom.. 

The sentimental case of the broken Button

Well.. Weather is getting pretty shitty here.. Its getting dark at 4 pm..  I hate to admit that weather plays a significant role when living in this country. If you think why do people rant about weather day in and day out.. i used to think that too but somewhere down the line i have become one of them.. ! Before leaving the house, i do not check the weather on BBC.. but i do make judgements on my own by looking out of the window.. Its pretty simple.. They only thing to estimate is "how grey is the sky going to be all day.. grey-er than yesterday ? "  You can do it too.. And then wear layers on top of layers to combat the cold endured waiting endlessly for at bus at the open air bus stops. In London you know fashion if you can adorn layers upon layers of clothing without resembling a stuffed turkey.. !   If you find balance between two sweaters and scarfs and manage looking pretty damn sexy then voila.... you can start a clothing range yourself to beat (the mother of many children and yet skinny) Mrs Beckham..

Moving on, One grey evening whilst walking home from work I was freezing. It was pretty damn cold for a day in end of October. One thing you must know is, a button of my jacket has fallen out. And this 24 year old does not know how to pass a thread through a needle, let alone the productive stuff.  I had asked a dear friend of mine to stitch it for me but for some or the other reason it never just worked. Day 1 , when i met her.. she didn't have the button stitching tools.. so on DAy 2 i got it for here and left it on her cabinet and totally forgot about it that day.. DAy 3 , when i was hell bent on getting that button fixed, we couldn't find the stitching tools on that same cabinet.. DARN !!! This is jinxed.. SOme highly effective forces of nature want me to walk home cold each day.. Now thinking of it, my heating at home doesn't work too... The snow gods are sure miffed..

As i walked home that evening.. and winds were strong.. i was freezing.. I was thought to myself.. What a shame, i never learnt how to fix a broken button.. How hard it could be ? Apparently, very !  And as i walk my way home.. i thought of who would generally stitch for me.. or fix things in my life ? My MOMMY... haaa i miss her so much. I started to think about her.. and found a big smile on my face. I started to think of all those little little things she does for not only me but also the whole wide world around her.. Mums make you believe in loving someone unconditionally..   Had i been button-less in the cold.. i know MOMMY would have fixed it that very instant.. don't know how she does it ? And this is just an instance i am blogging about.. But i think about her countless of times in moments like these.. when i know her presence would have made all the difference..  And before i knew it, i was home.. She may not be around to fix my jinxed jacket but just by thinking about her i could feel her loving warmth and she fixed me...  It was magic..  I love you MOmmy.. !!!                         P.S : If she reads this post, she is going to send me flight ticket to get back home NOW.. !  Its going to be a brief SOS call.. I would be asked to board the flight with my buttonless jacket immediately .. No questions asked..



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mILsx_c-vXw&ob=av3e

God save the Blog QuEEn !!

I should be  crowned the "blog queen". Not because my blog entries have maximum views / comments, or not that I have a gazillion followers or anything.. but only because, since my blogging mania has began, I have suggested blogging to almost everybody in my life.  Its almost like an impulse. You meet someone... catch up on "how life sucks" updates. (Sometimes it feels as though we are in a 'Whose life sucks more' competition).. A coffee later, i say.. "You know what will help, Start blogging". Now one thing you should know about me... if I have make a point I can get annoying. that's right. Nagging (AT TIMES) becomes my forte.. As I say this I am sure many of my dear friends must be jumping of their seats nodding their heads in agreement.. some teary-eyed due to the torture they have endured over years.  And to all of those who are shocked at my brave confession.. I am growing up guys.. ;-)   

So BAck to my point,  I have been actively promoting BLOGS  to the people in my circle. That's only because I have been enjoying this process so much that I want to blog about everything... When i say everything... i mean EVERYTHING !!! Come on, the slug I found in the garden outside my house will not exactly be an interesting read on 'life without a map', or, will it ? I wonder...   

Friend 1 :  "I need a job... i have bills to pay ... empty stomachs to fill"   

Me : " oh dear.... you know what ... Blog it"

Friend 2 :    "I have a job... I have the love of my life... I have a Hermes Birkin... I love my life..."

Me :  " (envious) I am sure you don't have a blog... muhahahahha"

Friend 3 :  " i hate my life.. nothing is going right... why me God... why me"

Me :   "(sympathetically)  everything will be alright... In the meantime why don't you start blogging my baby ?"

Friend 4:   " I have called to say goodbye... after this call gets disconnected.. I'm going to pull the trigger pointing to my head"

Me :   "Wait a sec, this is more important, have you blogged it yet ? "

You get the drill...  Please don't unfriend me.

I promise I'll stop once you START BLOGGING !!!!

(on second thoughts.. )

One rainy day , I had some friends over. After gobbling down a NAndos chicken Pita and peri peri chips, they decided its time for them to leave. Now my funky block of flats have given me the privilege to park TWO whole cars in the car park at the back of the building. All you need to do is , display a parking badge on the dashboard and its rest assured that your vehicle shall not be clamped by the grumpy man in charge to punish nasty offenders. In London to have two empty spaces to park is as valuable as owning  Titanic' memorabilia !  The sad part is that i have ZERO cars parked in there.  that's another story... (heavy heart)

So when i have guests, i escort them to the door... but when i have vehicle owning guests, i walk them till the car park.. not only to say a sweet goodbye with all my heart but also to collect my parking badge resting on the flashy dashboards. If i don't do that, and say lose those badges..(God Forbid) my landlord will happily drive all the way from Birmingham to fine me 50 pounds for the loss each badge. This piece of cardboard cut in circular shapes with some rubbish written on it values to a whooping 100 pounds. So just as usual, i walked my friends to their car...the way to the car park is a small patch of grass and stone tiles in the middle for people to walk. Whilst walking to the car, I saw slug crossing one of the stone tiles. This slug must be say 5- 6 cms long. I noticed it, made sure not to come in its way , and walked to the car.. said goodbye.. collected the important car park badge and walked home.  Ten minutes later i get call from the same friend saying that she cannot find her credit card  that she used to buy Nandos take away blah blah... she looked everywhere no sign of it. So i looked everywhere at home, under the couch, on the floor etc. I also walked outside and walked down the same route we had taken to walk to the car, hoping that she had dropped her card while getting into the car.This went on for another ten mins.  All efforts in vain ! I was sure that the card is no where fallen on my territory. I have looked everywhere.  As i was walking back, lost in thoughts of the missing card, i see that same slug again !!!! Its crossing the same damn tile and moved two steps from when i last saw it.. i look at it.. and break into a smile.. "Ninimou... where do you want go ? let me help you... you take donkey years to get to your destination at such pace.. ! "  Got no reply from the SLUG... it continued its journey across the mighty tile.. 

PG needed..

Baz Luhrmann left us with some very wise words about getting to know your parents. I am 4468 miles away from home for a little less than 6 months now and cannot stop thinking about home. Like every other family, we have our ups and downs.. but we manage to stick together. There are so many ways to communicate these days that makes one feel nothing about the distance.. infact there are more means than people. But how will i get my goodnight hug & kiss from Mamma and Papa over skype ? Bear hug emoticon irritates me anyway !  
Baz is a genius.. He made a song of a famous essay that probably not many of us would have read. Now its a song with tonnes of truth and philosophy..  'Suncreen' believe it or not.. we need it.. we also need the wisdom..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI

Whosoever told you that life is beautiful....is a big fat LIAR

I wish I could punch you in the face this very moment..  Will that make me feel any better ?  MAybe ..  Well, later on i can make it  a part of my analysis that does punching someone really helps me feel any better in a "urghhh" moment.. now because its ur lucky day today i am not going to give you details abt why my moment is going urghhhh right now.. Your lucky day because u don't get that punch i mentioned above as u ain't in front of me right now. . the only suckers getting a good bashing right now are the keys on this not so lucky keyboard... 

Why are humans so sick.. Unsatisfied souls.  I am yet to meet a person who is content with his/her life. Does Dalai Lama have lama issues? ... he may have the aura of an angel but he ain't got it all...coz Nobody gets it all.. !! I'm reading story of Gautam Buddha these days..and  before learning about his strengths..Siddhartha (later known as Buddha) had his own issues too..

We are accustomed to whinge..  When you are kid, you want almost every toy you lay your eyes on, when u get what you want, you want your favourite comic, when you have that , you want your friend's (not so good but seems very interesting because its not yet yours) comic.. and the greedy saga continues with choice of clothes, jobs, friends, partners (raise your hand up , if you want your friend's girlfriend/wife)...ahh this is so annoying..  I am fed up... fed up wanting new things and analysing what i had before and how i could have done better.. We, Humans,seem to master the art of practising uninvited misery...Dont even get me started on GIRLS !!!  

Did Mother Teresa have (humble) insecuritiesof her own ? Why is there a need for so much drama in our lives?  I suggest God Almighty brings down our emotional quotient a couple of notches lower than what it is .. Make this world whine-free.. If any of my Neurosurgeons are reading, which is highly unlikely, please invent EQ reduction surgeries..  My male friends would back me up.. Breast reduction OR women blabber reduction .. huh huh huh.. i bet it would always be the latter one... To dearest Cosmetic surgeons , Guess who kicked you in the stomach !

What can i say, One mans 'recovery' .. is other man's illness/unemployment.. This previous statement made very little sense, grammatically but I'm too bored to frame it right.. Please allow me.. I am the one going through some "urghhh" times, remember ?

After letting it out, will it be fair to ask a chance to punch you in the face again ?  I bet you will understand..because you are reading through this post..and have got to the end of it.. that means you have the patience go through this torment or you have nothing better to do.  Please tell me this isn't a pity read..   is it ? 

Bye BYe.. I am going to scream into my pillow..

ola kala...

Did you know that the word OK originates from the Greeks..Its actually 'Ola Kala..O.K'  .. This post is about a greece through a brown girls eyes.. Today the adrenalin has come down to normal levels. Since the time i have landed in Thessaloniki Airport , i experienced a whirlwind of emotions.. So much to take in such little time. I have eaten so much food in two days, that it would feed atleast 2-3 Somalians for a week! Feta cheese, beurdi, Bugaazta, peppers, Papadopolous biscuits,suvlakiya and so much more..How these people parade in sexy bikinis in the summer when they eat such good food all year through ?    There is a lot of love here. People have only gppd thoughts about the other..if there are any bad thoughts,they are washed away with ciggarettes and coffees. I believe that the grey clouds i see in the sky are only because of ciggarette smoke.  I know in years to come this truth will come to light..Athens is a city of ruins..and Ruins are beautiful, as they remind me of ups and downsin life... What was contemprorary then... is ancient and beautiful now.. 

its all 'bout the mOney mOney mOney...

Its fair to say that my first experience of travelling via ryan air was a bit too "warm" for my liking.  I should be writing a book soon.. "The hoo haa surrounding ryan air" published by We are too Cheap to print on paper Publications..    My stress levels were pumping 15 days before my flying.. Size dimensions of the bag, 100 ml liquid bottles, zip lock 20x20 cms bags.. i know everything about travelling cheap... When i first weighed my bag, (the meagre 10 kilos allowance) it was 11.2 kgs.. 10 mins later , Shagufta Mulla adorns 7 t-shirts, one demin jacket and a overcoat and stilettos off her way to security.. ! I clear security, bag check and all of that.. once waiting to board i breathe a sigh of relief ... Go to the toilet..Get all those extra clothes and accessories off me. And 6 t-shirts, one jacket lighter , i am a happy bunny !   an hour later, boarding is announced.. So i make my way to the gate.. WHat do i see ? one cabin bag check... DAMN... what if they check bag weight and size again.. im screwed.. i had stuffed my bag so much that i knew it wont meet the criteria..  So i had to do, what i was dreading all through... wear all those clothes again and board the flight resembling a stuffed turkey !  SUCKS..I couldn't help but notice the cost cutting measures the airline has used. Business students generally dig these sorta stuff. Boring. Ryan air is affordable because i believe they haven't heard of staff training.. The steward and stewardesses are the chubby ones that are sacked from other airlines..  The safety manual is printing at the back of the seats... (instead of the good ole TV)  there are only images and no instructions. I couldn't understand most of the images due to space constraints on the little panel for instructions. There is a confusing image and just when u strain your neck to decipher what it says... BHAM there is a red line across it.. How am i supposed to even know what it should mean ? But, i get it why.. Ryan air's response to this would be that oh you passengers, why are you complaining... your life is so cheap that you are sitting aboard this flight in the first place ! Nobody has got nothing to lose, if u die in a crash... coz you are CHEAP... your seat is cheap... the paninis on board are not !  I had reached a point when i took a solemn vow  , cramped up on my cheap seat.. "Never again.."


3 hours later... realised.. It was worth it !!  A happy bunny again !

a content msg..

I feel very happy today. I feel most of the time I have followed my heart and taken my own decisions. I havent done things because the world says to do this at the right time. I have followed my peanut sized brain at all times ! The key to happiness is balance. We will spend our entire life striving for this much needed balance. Somehow I have achieve to to this so far. Not a great achievement because I have many for years to go... and in these coming years different phases to deal with. ahhhh.. we'll cross the bridge when we'll come to it, right ? This blog entry has no head or tail. so be wise and do/ read something worthwhile(try SHANTARAM). I am exercising my chubby fingers on this keyboard and typing what ever that comes to my mind in pretense that my french manicure would look better on thinner fingers.. lol see i told you.. this entry is pointless.  When we are born, its as though your whole life is planned for you... education.. career choice .. ambition.. (clear throat) marriage age ... how many years later the babies should come into this world .. EVERYTHING..  Who decides whats right.. whats wrong..What if a person grew up to think differently.. .It all boils down to how you look at things. In every angle matters seem different. Humans love it. They love to gossip.. thrive on other's sorrowful stories. I pity these low life losers. Cant find happiness in their own lives and probably never will.. and sadly this world is filled with such people.. Negative energy galore ! All i have to tell them is KARMA is a bitch, baby.. WATCH OUT !!!! bhahaha

I feel part of the universe.. open up to meet me

alright, i cannot resist doing this... as its so close to my heart and very well explains the whirlwind of emotions in me and the emotional rut i am in at the moment.. ! i seek refuge...

"I want to have a lasting experience of God.  Sometimes I feel like I understand the divinity of this world, but then i lose it because i get distracted by my petty desires and fears. I want to be with God all the time. But i don't want to be a monk,or totally give up worldly pleasures. I guess what I want to learn is how to live in this world and enjoy its delights, but also devote myself to God "

He answered "To find balance, this is what you must become... you must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart instead. That way, you'll know God"

Thoughts of E.Gilbert, blatantly copied by me..  

tring tring.... Tony ?

When I'm ready to go to bed, I set an alarm in it.. When I'm in deep sleep dreaming about swimming in Cancun , or hula hula dance in Hawai, or being in Mr Branson's shoes, I frown being interrupted by the noises it makes..  When I wake up every morning I check it for email, texts, missed calls... When I'm commuting or excercising (very rare), I listen to  foot tapping/ soul searching numbers on it.. When I see something worth being captured I click photos or film videos on it...  When nostalgic, i browse through old texts..
Cellphones !!!! Acording to my limited sample survey research 99 % of  adolescent and adult population are addicted to mobile phones.. addicted may be harsh word.. lets say over-dependent.  I have 2000 free minutes each month and trust me by the month end I have to use them economically.. A person who can talk to trees & bees , i confess that i have to use my free minutes wisely.  We live in a mobile phones driven world..  A 100 meters walk to the corner shop u carry your phone.. when you walk from one room to another you carry your phone..  Some people I know carry theirs to the toilet (you know who you are).  Who cares about the over exposure to cellphone radiation , when global crisis and  hypocrisy  of our world leaders is going to give us a stroke anyway !  Since i started using cellphones, my memory has gone for a toss. All i remember now is, where did i last keep my phone.. in my bag.. or kitchen table ? The few telephone numbers i knew byheart have been erased like Dubai's coastline. swisshhhh.. all gone. i can barely remember my own cellphone number ! i have saved it in my contacts as 'ME orange'.. there is another one below it that says 'ME lebara'.. I wonder what is this need to constantly be in touch with the outside world. For years and years our forefathers/ grandfathers lived perfectly normal lives without being pinged constantly..they didnt care about whatsapp or shazam.. they looked for letters and telegrams that they cherished for years and passed it on to their coming generations, where as we fear a memory card crash, drug addict robbers or damaged display that would take our golden memories away in a jiffy.. Now,we have fewer  friends and more means to communicate.  There is no escape. I cant take a little time off to get lost in my own thoughts from my own BB dominated life. 

An old prank..
(Dials a random landline number)

Tring tring.... tring tring...
Me: hello, tony hai ?
XYZ : nahi.. wrong number..

tring tring...
Me : hello, tony hai ?
XYZ: Wrong number boss

tring tring tring tring
Me: CAn i speak tony ?
XYZ: (irritated) you have dialed the wrong number

moments later

Tring tring
Me: tony?
XYZ: Arre .. bola na wrong number

Tring tring
Me: hello tony hai?
XYZ (angrily) nahi nahi nahi...

Tring tring
Me:  tony , kahan hai tu ?
XYZ: (screams) wapas phone kiya toh police ko bolunga

Instantly.

Tring tring
Me: Main tony bol raha hoon.. mere liye koi phones ?
XYZ: kahan hai be tu ? %$&^%*$#%^$&^ %#^%*&(*&

in search for tranquility

"Gunda....  Gunda.. " I see Victor screaming in his loud husky voice. I look back and see a ferocious dog running towards me. In slow motion, one would have noticed me praying for my life. Having being attacked by a dog once before, angry running dogs scare the shit out of me. Victor says  "Come on Gunda, you're a good boy" . Now heres a sentence you dont get to hear often. Gunda , a hindi equivalent to a gangster/ dacoit and a good boy .. hmm  why would one name ones dog gunda.. hmm wait a min.. i see the way he is running , gunda has the angry spartans attacking troy look in his eyes..  may be thats why.  Gunda meets his master and there is cootchie cooing which i must admit is an adorable sight to see. Later i learn that there is not only one Gunda, there is a whole gunda gang in the estate. I am in a remote place called Kolagaparra, in the district of Wayanad, Kerela.  I am here for four days living in Tranquil Plantations Hideaway..  Its just the family who owns it and us. Luckily the few rooms it has are all not booked for these four days so we have the place for ourselves.

Being born to travel agents parents, I got to travel a lot as i was growing up. We (my sisters and I ) visited so many places as toddlers that I might not be able to recollect the prime reason of our visit. All i remember is flashes of incidents that now seem funny.  My sisters and I would tag along mom and dad, staring at odd things and marveling at things totally absurd and inappropriate. Maybe someday i'll write about our antics.. when i am further in my blog process. Now its too early to open that trove and best decision to avoid early judgements.  Coming back to Tranquil, the rooms are huge dark wood cottages. When i enter the room, i can smell citronella. Most places in Kerela smell like aroma therapy spa. Its lovely.. Gods own country has a surplus of incense sticks supply!  A walk around the cottages makes this homestay experience very luxurious. Its cleanliness , decor and service is impeccable.
The dinner service is intimate. There is a table for say 20. The family comprises of Victor, his wife Rajni and his mom .. dunno her name. But what i do know is, she is British , who came to India in her teens during the British Raj, fell for an Indian soldier and married him and never went back. Now thats a sweet story. This lady, lets call her 'Bold n Beautiful' will tell you why.  She is 'Mrs Doubtfire' looking woman who dresses up in evening wear for dinner. She walks with a smile into the dining room with matching earrings and red lipstick which has trouble staying under the lines. In the four days i stay there , i learn that all she does is watches 'The Bold and the Beautiful' on star world , knits, reads and dresses up for dinner. She absolutely loves it here.  Her life stories are enchanting. The food is a lavish affair of 9- 10 dishes, 2- 3 desserts.. its fancy.. Victor and Rajni are lovely.. we chat.. laugh.. its as though you have known them for years.  I had a different picture about homestays. I thought homestay guests are served tiny bowl of tasteless unseasoned pasta and put to bed at 9.00pm in sleeping bags ! thats my Christchurch experience.  (No offense to Laurie and Sandra Andrews )

 The following days, I am driven around in a rustic jeep to enjoy the views of vast coffee plantations. Not my cup of tea/coffee really but sitting in a open jeep and engine going "grrrrrr" up the slopes is fun. My day goes by eating.. talking to the staff.. relaxing in the pool which is all for ourselves, avoiding deja vu of dog attacks and taking in aromatic citronella smells. In the evening it pours like cats & dogs..  seems like a cloud burst. My sisters and i dance in rain going around palm trees like bollywood stars. And at nights, i listen to BB and her world war stories.  The Edakal caves are not far from the house. The name "Edakkal" literally means "a stone in between", and this describes how the cave is formed by a heavy boulder straddling a fissure in the rock. It quite a sweaty walk up there but the views are worth it. A frail lanky man led us to the top. At first, i thought, i'd have to carry him but boy .. these locals have the stamina to climb ! I drank 3 galloons of "mineral"water stored in unsealed mineral water bottles.
Three hours later, a three shades darker , I had climbed the Ambukuthi mala mountain.  What you sun tan lovers doing on Goa beaches, climb this mountain.. it works and how !   Also not to forget Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary , where i am lucky to spot the most awaited sight of the tiger. Not so lucky at the end coz the heat and weather change has given me a sinus attack. Well i can deal with sinus attack rather than a gunda attack !

Tranquil is a lovely place.. lovely people and lovely memories.. there are mosquitoes but the staff keeps them away..  i wish i can go there someday again.. 

un dos tres..

here we go.. i created 'a life without a map' today to make note of all those moments in my life which should be documented.  Over the years I have noticed how priorities change.. change is good. I am an amateur blogger today. I write only because im aware no one is going to read this. I am a travel enthusiast. The list of places to visit could be rolled into something that would resemble a fresh pack of toilet paper.  As i go along pinning down my places to visit.. I shall share my conquest to explore life without a map..