Digitally Exploring the world

I hadn't heard much about the young Spaniard or followed his progress till this week when he beat the inform Murray . I packed up from work early on Friday to catch the Semi-Final Clash between Nadal and Verdasco and boy I was in for one of the best matches I have ever watched. They battled it out for 5hr 14 mins and ran like a mad hatter for every point and not an inch of court was left untouched. I am a big Nadal fan but for this match I was surely supporting the underdog Verdasco. He matched Nadal ball for ball and for every angled shot he had another better one but then I am not sure I will call it lack of experience or some supreme intervention when Verdasco double faulted at match point !! I don't remember watching any tennis match that was played for 5+ hours with the kind of precision, power and touch . No player faltered, no player had a bad patch even the epic Wimbledon Finals between Federer and Nadal last year seemed so far apart. Nadal just won the game by winn

A video on Somdev , too early to say how his career spans out but he looks like a good find for India.

I just got back having spent an extended weekend with my niece Anya. It's always fun to be around a child , with their numerous questions and sometimes great insights into simple things. Time seems to just fly away doing all the fun things from solving puzzles, to painting, watching animated films and introducing her to my favorite films , singing the same old songs we would sing as kids and also teaching her a bit of tennis (my favorite game) since I got her a kids racquet. Now I am back to being a grownup :(

I finally watched the Chennai open in its 14th edition last week and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. These matches took me back to my teenage years spent in Calcutta learning to play the game and participating in tournaments and also watching good Davis Cup ties with Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes etc.. Growing up watching junior world champion Leander play was wonderful and it was like a dream even for a late beginner like me to play in the same tournaments in the girls category. (Pics from the semis) This time around there was a new Indian tennis star Somdev, who seemed like a panther on the prowl just like Leander, chasing every possible ball around the court. The crowd was also very supportive and it felt good to cheer for an Indian tennis star after such a long time. I hope his good form continues for a long time to come. A good beginning for Indian tennis this year.

The first Monday of the new year, I started a long and beautiful drive to River Tern Lodge with mum and good music for company as dawn broke over. The entire route is quite scenic and as one speeds on the highway even the bumpy ride with the roads in bad state after the monsoon doesn't seem to bother one. We could have stopped at Belur and Halebid that's about 50kms detour but decided to speed away to the Jungle Lodge. River Tern Lodge is situated on a hillock tucked away and each of the cottages and log huts have a view of the Bhadra River. As you enter the cottage , you have an awesome view of the blue river and the hills far away from the balcony or as you laze around in bed. River Tern Lodge, is a place run by Jungle Lodges and just like their other places , its run efficiently with friendly staff and proves a govt run organization can be world class . One loses oneself in the serene and green surroundings and the water all around. One can just read a book or bask in t