Digitally Exploring the world

With Rohit visiting and monsoon in full swing , there was no second thoughts when we decided to head out of the city. The last minute decision on THU to leave on Friday early morning, meant scampering to find a place to stay. Finally around 930pm got a confirmation ( even otherwise we were planning to taken a plunge and find some place for an overnight halt).Worked past midnight trying to wrap up things since I had taken a dayoff on Friday , dumped some stuff onto my backpack for a day's trip and managed some shut eyes. We left home around 7am and started chasing the clouds towards Masinagudi. This was my third trip across that part of the state in the last few months but I just love the long stretch of forest (Bandipur and Mudumali Tiger/Forest Reserve) towards Nilgiris.  After a breakfast stop on the way and drive past the lush green forests, with good music and conversations we reached our destination nestled amongst the blue mountains in Masinagudi for lunch. After a full...

Pics from the Semi-Finals Clash of two great champions who have taken the modern game of tennis to a different level of fitness and artistry .. Looking forward to a great final this Sunday ..

Some of my travel pics that got published in the IIMB Mag this month

"We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations." — Anaïs Nin

With mom visiting we decided to head out for few days. The only curtailing factor was that it shouldn't be a very long drive ! I looked at several options and narrowed down on Amberina at Nilgiris. With me taking some timeoff from work , we hit the road on a cloudy Monday morning . An early start , with good old hindi music and a short stop for fuel and then piping hot breakfast at Kadambam , we were at Mysore Ring Road in 2hrs flat. Once you cross Najangud and proceed the route passes through the lovely green forests of Bandipur and Mudumalai and then the beautiful small town of Gudalur.  Devala , thats about 16kms from Gudalur is a little town surrounded by acres and acres of tea gardens and forests and Amebrina is just the perfect place with its old tea planters bunglow tastefully decorated and its serene surroundings of the mistly hills and the tea gardens. We were there around noon just in time for tea and a hot lunch. After a short rest post dr...

As I finish another free ride around the sun, here's what I wish for !!

After all the rush and running at work and a colleague visiting from the US, a decision was taken last friday evening to head out of the madding crowd. The last minute decision meant , it would be hard to find a place . However all my apprehensions was put to rest when I got a quick response to my email from Rainforest Retreat at Coorg .The next step was to find out the last passenger in the car.  With all things taken care of was all set for the road trip. We (Shreyas,Jomy,Michael) started the journey the next day ,a little late than usual  at 830am , loads of traffic greeted us even on the State Highway ,however some great music and good company that I discovered made it a breeze (Rodrigo y Gabriela) Stopped at Cafe Coffee day ahead of Mysore for a steaming cup of coffee and a bit of break from driving. Its a great drive to Coorg with ghat sections ,steep curves and uphills. We reached Madikeri and asked around to find out way to Rainforest Retreat just in time for l...

DSC01840 , a photo by anuradhac on Flickr. My niece Anya..

Being busy for last couple of months and with the long weekend kicking of the month , gave me a chance to drive out of the city. The trip started with Mark, an US engineer visiting and wanting to see some Indian wildlife and so a few frantic calls(exams over + school summer vacations) and emails exchange was lucky to find a really nice place at Bandipur for a night halt. The world cup cricket was at its closing phase  and I had no clue that 2nd April was the final game when I booked a place at WildFlower. Later I realised how lucky I was not to have got a booking on the 2nd but on the 3rd of April since the Indian Cricket team was about to create some history .So after watching the grand finale at home and packing , with just about enough sleep I started the long drive out of the city. I hit the road around 5:30am on a nice and sunny Sunday morning (3rd April) . Picked up Mark and Pulkit on the way and with some good music hit the wide open stretches. There was quite a bit of...

Over the past week , we witnessed a kind of an awakening in India that I haven't witnessed in my lifetime. Over last year or so , we have seen one scam after another coming out of the cupboard and probably more to come in the future. With everybody around losing hope in the system and becoming cynical that probably everything around will be plundered by the power mongers , but it took a quiet bespectacled leader to change the point of view. We witnessed a mass non-violent mass movement around the breadth of the country with people of all age, community holding hands and raising voices for a common national cause - Fighting Corruption. We witnessed what one person can do to inspire and transform an entire nation.. I am hoping this inspires people refusing to pay the bribes they do even to get something small or big done. The common man is faced with corruption in their everyday lives but I don't see that many around trying to fight it or raise their voices. It might not...

Women travelers

Having played tennis for such a long time without any niggles ,suddenly developed a tennis elbow over the last month and its painful (both wrist and elbow hurts!!) It could be because of something i changed with my technique most likely my backhand , need to figure that bit out but till then trying out some alternatives... http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”

Finally found time and thought of jotting down my Andaman Experience ! After a few short jaunts to nearby places over the past year and feeling burnout at work, I was in a need of a break. Looked up a few places that could be done with few days planning and not too far away, and Andaman popped up !So the journey began, with just 2-3days of looking up and trying to figure out a tentative plan. Once Could reach Andaman ( By Ship or Air) from Chennai and Calcutta and for want of time , I had to go up in the Air. Booked the round trip air tickets from Chennai to Port Blair .The air fare didn't hit me so hard , even though it was booked 3days before the trip . Looked up a few places on indiamike/tourism website and got some ideas from Mom, who was heading back from Andaman and I was all set. A bright thursday morning , post tennis , quickly put stuff into my backpacks ( no time earlier ,working till wee hrs) and drove down to Chennai in 4hrs flat , with another hour stuck on Mount...

Something that cameup in this month's magazine

The year started with me driving down solo to Chennai to watch the Chennai Open. The only world class ATP tour of India. Left home around 9ish one cloudy morning and entered Chennai in 4hrs driving at a steady pace of 100kmph. It was a great drive all the way with tolled roads all along , though the toll hits the pocket a bit .It took me another hour just to locate my sister's house thanks to the highly crazy google maps on my phone that I initially tried to use.  One learning never use google maps while driving around in India, just ask the auto drivers or local shopkeepers. Had picked up a season ticket for the entire week and was all set. My six year old niece Anya, who's also been playing tennis for two years now wanted to come along. I was a little apprehensive whether she will last all through the matches but to my surprise she did and really enjoyed the atmosphere. She did come along on two consecutive days.   There were a bunch of players from top 50 and 100 Be...

Another year just flew past on this onward journey .. A year with its roller coaster ride ,where I was able to explore new places , some new friends , some old friends who left the city or found their calling . Able to get to the tennis court almost everyday, one constant love all these years tennis and of course a bit of splurge in a new car .. And then having near ones around at home to start another year on this planet !