Why??

There are times when I have given a thought to the way events unfold in the world at large. Why do things happen the way they do? Why do people behave like there is no tomorrow? Why are there two sides to a coin? Why???

Why is it so easy, to tell a white lie
Asked to be honest, we just don’t comply

Why is it so easy, to do a bad deed
Asked to do good, Oh! Very difficult indeed

Why is it so easy, to tread the path wrong
The path of the right, more difficult than a song

Why is it so easy, a person to hurt
Why can’t we be, a bit more curt?

Why is it so easy, selfish to be
Caring & sharing, well, that’s life, you see.

Why is it so easy, our neighbour to hate
Were love could be flowing, we build a large gate

Why, so easily do misunderstandings arise?
And we flame the fire, which would never subside

Why is it so easy, a friendship to break
To form a new one, years will it take.

Why is it so easy, to speak out our mind
When asked to listen, we act as if blind.

Why do we repeat, these ‘easy things’
Shame & sorrow, that’s all it brings.

So, take a vow, & take it now
Hard & strong, that’ll ring a gong
We will change the way we walk
And become a better flock.

Blogging on the go

Nagpur & Gadchiroli went by in a flash. Dhule & Nandurbar seemed a bit longer. Maharashtra darshan seemed likely on the cards. Delhi & Gurgaon was the longest. Bellary & Bangalore were the best. Each of these trips have been a revelation. The first four names are districts of Maharashtra which i never expected to visit. On all these visits i came across the fickle weather, (in)different people with matching cultures & attitudes, wonderful hospitality and am loving every bit of it. And now, sitting in the departure lounge at Bangalore airport looking back at the fruitful travel over the past 10 days... ahh... bliss :-)

Delhi was an oven at 36 and compared to that the weather in Bangalore was amazing at 25. We arrived at the Bangalore airport and drove down to Davangere where we halted for the night. Early next morning we left for Huvinahadagali and this is one trip that i will remember. The wind mills here, unlike in Maharashtra, are situated on hill tops. A pathway had been created for jeeps, trucks, etc to reach the top. The view from the hill top, considering the recent rains, was simply awesome. Greenery was visible all around. Water logged fields with farmers tending to them dotted the surrounding area. Dark clouds were visible near the horizon as if it were raining at a distance. (Check out the snaps here.)


The part that i enjoyed the most was the strong wind. Its been a looooooong time since i came across a situation like this. The wind was so strong that i literally had to fight to walk against it. Am very sure that, if my weight was a few grams lesser, i would have been blown off the hill top. :-)

The flight seems to be delayed and the hungry feeling is reminding me of the South Indian plantain leaf lunch that i enjoyed at Kamats enroute to Davangere... hmmm... Am off to catch a bite.

Here begin my travels again...

I have been born & bred in amchi mumbai, but thanks to my cousins, education and work I have traveled to some parts of this huge country and seen little of the outside world too.

It all started with visits to my native place - Mangalore. - One visit a year, that too during the hottest months: April & May. Trips to ideal ice-cream were the highlights of those visits. If i remember correctly, the first place outside Bombay i would have seen is Mangalore. Bangalore, Mysore, Madras & Pune were next in line, again thanks to my cousins. Bangalore was the first place i flew to as a kid and the excitement just to get onto that airplane is something i will remember. Another incident that will stay with me forever is my fall from the topmost sleeper of the train, en route to Madras. I was so insistent on sleeping on the top, that i was allowed to do so. I was so short then, that i managed to roll through the two supports that hold the sleeper to the roof of the train and managed to wake up quite a few passengers from their afternoon siesta. It took an ice-cream & a cup of coffee to stop me from howling. Am not sure if the bump i sustained on my head has something to do with how i am today. Anyways, your guess is as good as mine. Visits during school days were limited to these places. But the next 7 years was just the opposite.

Between my 12th and my engineering a CM camp took me to Rishekesh, Haridwar, Uttarkashi & Gangotri. The drive from Delhi to Uttarkashi through Rishekesh & Haridwar is just amazing. Aarti at the banks of the Ganges at Haridwar, Dips in the hot water springs en route, evenings spent on the banks of the freezing cold Ganges at Uttarkashi and the dip at Gangotri (I still don't believe that i actually took a dip!!).

I spent my engineering days at Surathkal and Mangalore. My stint with HAL saw me spend a month in Bangalore again. I just love this city. I saw more of the beautiful state of Karnataka during my trips to Sringeri, Hampi, Bellary, Coorg, Kudremukha etc. The search for shoes & slippers for my feet - which are a foot long each - saw me search the shops of Kasargod, in Kerala. Praises to the almighty that size 12 footwear are easily available today. I saw a bit of Thrissur during my 3 days visit for the CHYK conference. Baikal fort was another place that i saw in Kerala. Traveling in the local state transport & private buses in Karnataka & Kerala is an experience by itself. I would love to see more of Gods own country.

Untill this period most of the places i had visited was south of Bombay. After my engineering began my association with the north & the north east. Bhopal was the city where i spent 2 wonderful years at the Indian Institute of Forest Management. For my field work i was attached to the Chattisgrah forest department, with whom i spent a month. This is where i got the first feel of the vastness of a forest. Night drives into the Barnavapara Sanctuary; cycling in the Kanger Valley National park; visits to the underground limestone caves; night stay in a tent on the outskirts of the park with the sounds of tribal drums at a distance though the night, royal treatment of the forest department... the list could go on. :-)

My first internship took me to the beautiful state of Assam. In my wildest dreams i had never thought that i would see the north-east. Two months during the beginning of the rainy season was an amazing experience. The incident one night at Nalbari is something that i will write in another post. I learnt the meaning of the word 'fear' here. I don't think i have heard my heart beat any louder... ever. The warm hospitality of the people that i interacted with will stay with me forever. I was always made to feel at home. I wish i could see those people once more. Tea gardens, bamboo grooves, open fields, fish curry, the pond behind my room., morning cold water bath with one bucket of water, the evening milking of the cow, chicks & ducks.. are my memories of Assam.

My second internship as well as DSDS 2008 took me to Delhi & Gurgaon. With Swaroop as company during those two months, it was just awesome - we ate in almost every restaurant in Defence colony market & South Ex; Saravana Bhavan at Connaught place; Kathi rolls at Khan Market and Back to back movies at PVR Saket. The trip to Chandigarh, late night show of Saawariya at some run down theater in Ambala, Goldemn Temple & Jalinawala bagh at Amritsar & the Wagha Border was an amazing experience. Swaroop, lets make another trip.

My first job after IIFM took me to Africa. After a transit at Adis in Ethiopia & a two day halt at Dar in Tanzania i finally reached Mozambique where i spent 10 months. Nampula, Quelimane, Maputo and Pemba was like Mangalore, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi duroing those 10 months. My return trip was made via South Africa with a 6 hour halt at JoBerg & the United Arab Emirates. I spent three days in Dubai & Sharjah. My memories of Dubai would be the time spent with my dear akka & the Nikon D90. Not to forget the food that i hogged on... my my.

Now that i am finally back in India and back to work, here start my travels again. And this time i am happy that i will be seeing more of India. I leave tomorrow for Nagpur & Gadchiroli...

Catching up... with myself

For a start, its great to be back. Home sweet home... Its been quite some time now that i wanted to pen this post but the constant travel and the excitement would not permit me to do so. I started writing this when i was in Bhopal and now am continuing it even after i have reached Mangalore. If i look back at the last 25 day, all i can say is "Its been great!!!"

I have traveled to 4 different countries in 3 different continents; almost got into an accident before i started this journey; completed a road journey of over 2000 km; have flown 4500 miles; traveled a distance of 1000 km by train; shopped at African origins in Johannesburg; finally purchased the cool D90 for which i had been saving for 10 whole months; spent an awesome 3 days with my sis in Dubai; savored some Lebanese cruizine along the way; devoured some pav bhaji,sev puri, bhel puri on the streets of Bombay and as i write this post sitting in Bhopal.... (to be honest i don't want to end this loooooong sentence) :-)

Exploring my D 90 has been a real pleasure. (Check this link for some snaps) Morning walks on the beach, ideal ice-cream, kori-rotti, birthday parties, meeting family & friends... The list could really go on and on and on.

Its nice to know the feeling of being free, with a suitable bank balance, splurging on things & in amounts that i would normally think twice about, no deadlines to meet, no assignments to complete and no reports to be filed. But yes, lots of questions to be answered on my 'state of being' (I am not being philosophical here ;-)).

I hope to blog more often, take loads of snaps and yes, get back to doing something meaningfull pretty soon.

Pictorial Pemba - Part III - Office & Pajero

This is where i spent my office hours in Pemba. The little room from where i used to manage the branch operations. For the Africa skeptics - yes i had everything an office requires. Printers, scanners, a 3 in 1, an internet connection, good cushioned chairs, etc etc

The intricately carved wooden file rack belongs to the owner of the place. If i could, i would have brought it to India.

And this is the wonderful creation from the Mitsubishi stables, my Pajero, which has been with me like a faithful dog. It followed me from Quelimane to Pemba, withstood the 500 km journey i made to Montepeuz and brought me back in one piece from the 12 hour journey i made to MDP.

The gentleman in the background is Niraj Joshi - my Indian friend in Pemba, about whom i have made a mention in some previous post. Its is at his place that i used to enjoy some home cooked food.

Pictorial Pemba - Part II - Landscapes

The lovely beach is what Pemba is known for and draws tourists to to its numerous islands. Below are some landscapes taken from various places in the city. The sight of the water in its hues of blue is simply mesmerising.

Go to any place in Pemba at a height and this is what you shall see.

The snap below portrays the heart of Pemba. In the huts below is where the common man stays.

The sight of the sun setting reminded me of the view at sun set point at IIFM.

I see the sun set everyday but never get tired of admiring a snap of the same.

Pictorial Pemba - Part I - The road behind my house

Finally, i could get my hand on a camera thanks to my friend Mr. Niraj Joshi and here is the output. The best part about photography in Pemba is that, since the town is small & situated in a bay, any landscape snaps taken from a wee bit of a height will definitely capture some of the beautiful blue water too.

The first two snaps that you see below are on the road which is a block behind my house. The road is lined by houses on one side and a row of coconut trees on the other side.

This stretch of road is good for an evening walk or even a short drive to the Italian eatery down the road.


Beyond the coconut tress & the edge of the road lies the clear blue waters of Pemba bay - the next snap. The sight just awesome. Especially the various hues of blue that are visible in the sunlight.

Further down the road lies the old city of Pemba as you see in the snap below. Once upon a time what used to be residences, today houses warehouses & wholesalers.

Neighbouring the old part of the city is the tiny Pemba port which can berth one ship at a time.

Interestingly the major cargo that is carried by this port is not timber but cotton. Plexus, the UK based leading supplier of raw cotton, worldwide is the biggest client of the port. Most of the concrete structures that you see around the port are Plexus warehouses.

The power of a confident word

For the past 2 weeks the suspension of my Pajero has been creating a racket. I mentally blamed this on the fact that this is a second hand vehicle and the condition of the roads here are simply awesome. A few acquaintances of mine also had some comments to make on the rattling noise. I was getting a feeling that the car would break down any moment. The only thought that used to run through my mind when i was travelling in the vehicle was, "What if this gave way now?" And till i got back home, my mind would not be at peace.

I made some time today to visit a garage. The owner was a Portuguese. An elderly gentleman with a wrinkled forehead and greasy palms. He asked my driver to describe the problem to his assistant, while he came to me and said, "Lets go for a drive." He drove the vehicle and listened carefully to sounds that it was making. On getting back to his workshop, he asked his mechanic to take the Pajero up the ramp and inspected it from the bottom.

Then he delivered his final diagnosis. "The moving parts need to be cleaned & lubricated. The rear shock absorbers have lost their effect and need to be replaced. Otherwise your car is in good shape. Come back tomorrow morning at 7 and take it back by evening." As i drove back home i was conscious of the rattling sound coming from the car but i was not perturbed. "It will be gone by tomorrow" was all i said to myself with a grin on my face.

I have all the time to stand & stare...

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

I have loved this poem 'Leisure' by Henry Davies because it always called out to the laziness in me. The one which wants to look out of my window at the cars on the road, look at people walking on the road as they go on with their daily chores, the branches of the trees swaying with the wind & eagles gliding high in the sky.

I was reminded of this composition as an anticlimax to the situation that i am in at present and this is what i am singing "I have all the time to stand and stare..."

Cadbury Dairy Milk

I have always been a fan of Cadburys Dairy Milk and the 9 varieties i found here in Mozambique has made me love these delicious eats even more. I would love to know how many other varieties are there but for now, lets just get right into it.

1. Cadbury Dairy Milk - The plain brown one that we are accustomed to seeing in India.
   
   
2. Fruit & Nut - This is another offering that's easily available. Its just wonderful.
   
   
3. White Chocolate - I somehow don't remember seeing a white chocolate bar of cadburys before i saw this one. Anyways, i found one here. Reminds me of the Nestle white chocolate bar.
   
   
4. Top Deck - This is a combo of the dark & the white chocolate. The white part is the top half of the bar thickness.
   
   
5. Turkish Delight - This is the rose flavoured one. There is a jelly like filling inside the chocolate bar.
   
   
6. Mint Crisp - In this one the mint in the form of small crystal dots are embedded into the chocolate bar.
   
   
7. Bournville - The dark stuff. The dark chocolate offering from the dairy milk stables. The actual chocolate.
   
   
8. Whole Nut - I will not really know the difference between this and the 'Fruit & Nut' variety till i taste this one.
   
   
9. With Biscuit - This is the next one i am going to buy at the supermarket along with the 'whole nut' one.

And now, i am going back to my mint crisp.