So long..

Times of change. My rants, raves, musings , brickbats and all the rest will continue here.

Going..going…gone ! :)

Drink l’chaim, to life!

As I sat making plans on life galore,
It slowly creeps up on me once more and whispers ‘Hello’.
I wondered on the years I’ve been allotted by chance,
I guess I’m done with about three-eighth of the dance.

And all these years I’ve done many things
Through yearning and learning, I’ve acquired many wings.
But it is of the years that remain I care the most,
On that note, shall I raise a toast ?

PS: [For the nice ones who brought in stuff] I’m glad, you did gift. Coz based on that, I sift :-)

So long and thanks for all the fish

The old order changeth , making way for new.

Time for more travels, more writing, more reading, more photography, more mindless stuff. The much awaited sabbatical is finally here. yay! [Does cartwheel]

Arise, awake..

A very happy new year !

Chartres, which boasts a mag-ni-fi-cient cathedral, was enduring a hot time the day I got there. And then out of nowhere there is a breeze and before I know it a few clouds materialize in the afternoon and cools the entire place ! I run for cover to what happens to be a painter’s studio.  We talk about travel experiences in India (his experiences) and France (mine), I watch him paint, he even has a few organic tea bags (which is not a very common thing in that café-land) , makes a black tea and after some 30minutes of pleasant chatter and ‘bonne journée’ s afterward, I prepare to leave. Just when I step out, I see this drenched leaf and those lovely droplets sticking out on the surface. After quite a bit of stuggle with my ancient Nikon Coolpix I go ‘click’. And then, head towards the train station for a train back to Paris.

Looking forward to many more such pleasant travel experiences, tons of travels, cartloads of books and films, lots of photography and year filled with fun :-)

Here is wishing you the same & more ! ;)

Combing God’s Own Country in search of the Gods – I

Kerala – It was meant to be, this weekend. Was sitting aroud until 9:00PM on Friday evening , with a very good idea of how the how the longish Chritsmas break was going to be and then out of freaking-nowhere materializes a trip that takes us through Western Ghats, to the seaside at Kerala and finally to meet the Gods themselves at the God’s Own Country !
 
Setting out the early morning and into Western Ghats that put one to instant peace as soon you enter the ghat roads, we reached Wayanad and managed to find accomodation in a basic, but a neatly run, ayurveda hospital :), where they had a few recuperation rooms empty.

We did’nt brighten at conquering 2100m of Chembra, since we were quite sure that half of Bangalore was camping at that heart-shaped lake on the way up. A low-altitude idling seemed more our style this time and we spent the Saturday evening at Pookot lake in Wayanad. Do a bit of walking on the path around the lake and you could lose the weekend crowd and the penguin dustbins in a matter of minutes. It gets quieter and more peaceful as you walk along, except for that occasional touristy horse-drawn carriage. 

We walked along the path of that lily-filled lake (Now that I mention it, I’ve always remembered Pookot lake with lilies floating) pondering one more time over this question of immmmmmense consequence to humanity :) : Football craze, Axe and Sickle, Literature, ability to churn out quality regional movies without latching onto Bombay bandwagon, a million coconut trees and so much more – Kerala and WB are strinkingly similar in so many ways, are’nt they ?
 
And right here, a fine example of how you can write a post about something that is totally irrelevant to the subject line ! :) Theyyam stories will follow..

Less is more ?

Sometimes it makes you wonder how some people who have so very little have a huge cheer on their faces. One would think that the daily expression of unmet basic needs is dismay, not cheer.

He lives in one those many shacks that line the pavements near Marina beach. All that there is for a home is the cot he is sitting on and the small shack behind. And what was he writing ? Homework apparently ! Even in the comfort of a secure home, I can’t remember a day when I had a smile on my face when I was doing my homework.

I do wish I were a little less clinical about things, but what I feel here is not compassion. It is wonder & puzzlement than anything else. Despite being very comfortably situated in life, nothing I see/have/do is fast enough, nice enough , efficient enough, interesting enough – it is not anything enough. It is not even in the same league as enough. The more one has, the less one has ?

Neighbour’s envy, Owner’s pride..

The much-awaited NatGeo Atlas 8th edition has finally arrived :) besides a laptop, Ipod nano,  and the mouth-watering Altoids Orange sours !!

I almost feel like a pirate now with all the loot - Darling is the brother who just does’nt mind being plundered :)

An ultra-portable laptop, some music on the move, a few maps.. The signs are all here.. :)

O sole mio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99kjFdLFjH4

Sheer magic being woven…

Vélo News – TdF 2008

Here is the route map for the 21-stage , 3500 kms TdF 2008 that runs from July5th to July27th. 3500 f-kms (freaking kilometers) in 21days - There is no limit to what a human being with grit, determination & self-discipline can do, is there ?

Also, here is the 3D version of Parcours de Tour (Race preview) that came out yesterday.

For rest of the scoop, go here.