Vacations are fun!!

Vacations are fun
Time to soak the sun
Vacations help me rewind
And come back to the grind
Spend some family time
Laugh hysterically when I hear my bro mime
I dance, I groove and I chill
It’s a royal kill.

As promised I am back with my post on my family vacation. The destination has been pleasantly alluring and none other than Dubai. This was my first ever trip to the Middle East. I researched a little on the Internet about the trip and the dress code at the various places. However, I resisted my temptation to google a lot. If you have been following my previous posts, you will be aware by now that I prefer travelling with my mind and heart open to new ideas, locations and people. Thus I preferred to walk the old streets of the city, took the ferry with the locals, travelled by the metro and blended with the local customs. All this, while I stayed at a five-star hotel and had the most exotic food.

Dubai is the second most populous state of UAE with most of its income from tourism. I landed at the Dubai international airport and checked in at my hotel where I received a royal welcome. An early check-in meant I had time to catch on my sleep and wake up refreshed. After a sumptuous meal, I set on a city tour, where I got a feel of the local culture in the Dubai museum. The museum displayed the heritage of the Bedouins, the warrior tribe and the boats used for fishing, which was a major source of income before oil was discovered in the UAE.

My next day started with a visit to the Dubai mall, with Dubai Aquarium being a major tourist attraction. I spent my time looking at the various fish in the aquarium and walking around the mall. As the weather was good, I had planned for a trip to the 124^th floor of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. It was a ride of pleasure as the elevator reached the 124^th floor in less then one minute. Watching the sunset from the top was a major disappointment, as the weather had turned bad by then. A visit to the fountain was a must in the itinerary hence it was my next stop.

After visiting all the major attractions, I decided to visit Bur Dubai, the old city of Dubai famous for its Souks. I shopped for a few souvenirs for folks back home. A lovely silk stole/shawl for myself and some more stuff. The Gold souk had jewellery that was huge.

I needed an adrenaline kick and hence decided to visit the Ferrari world theme park in Abu Dhabi. The major attractions were the Formula Rossa, world’s fastest roller coaster at the speed of 240 kmph and the Speed of Magic. It was the first time I experienced a roller coaster ride and I was thrilled.

A visit to the desert safari to experience the local costumes and the belly dance by the desert beauty followed by a dance performance by a male dancer was enchanting. A visit to the Jumeirah beach was pleasurable.

Apart from all the touristy activities, I wanted to experience the city like a local. So, I enjoyed a ferry ride where I interacted with the fishermen that travel daily using it as a means to do so. The early morning jog/walk along the trail of Marina bay and a ride on the camel were unforgettable experiences too.

 

To pamper myself, I experienced the Arabic perfume making, and a sumptuous dinner on the Dhow cruise.

All in all, a trip worth remembering

It’s time for some fun!!

A hectic work life calls for some family time and some me time. Additionally, the new year calls for some excitement. I am off to a vacation for the next 2 weeks and will mostly be logging in to WordPress to check on intellectual posts on my reader but wonder if I will post anything as my itinerary is tight. But, I promise to be back with lots of updates on my trip, once I am back. And I will keep the destination a secret for now. It’s going to be worth the wait, I promise 🙂

New Year Resolutions–Yay or Nay

The standard question that pops up in discussions nowadays is the new year resolutions. Well I am not a keen believer of making a list on January 1 every year so as to forget all about them by 15th of the month.I  am resolute  about my goals and ambitions all through the year and work tirelessly to achieve them. With the end of the year arriving soon, this year I plan to start with a different perspective. I have prepared a mental note of few achievable feats but I would hate to call them resolutions. Goals would be a more apt word for them.So, here’s a list of my goals for 2015:

1. Spend more time with family.

2. Live life your way, after all its the only one you got.

3. Travel the world, start with your surroundings

4. Enlist bungee jumping and scuba diving in your adventure sport list

5. Focus on the career

6. Add some spice to the boring life 🙂

7. Lose some weight, not that I am overweight, ok I am a little overweight , confess 🙂

8. Get a pet/ Spend more time with pets. I got a pet this year and it has added much happiness to my life. They are undemanding and trustworthy.

I will keep adding to this list as and when time permits, past year has been a very hectic one. There have been some setbacks concerning my mom’s health but she is improving now. God bless her with a long healthy life. But all in all, it has taught me a lot, I have grown as a person….nah not the age, duh. I have been this boring mature person always but last year has taught me that its ok to laugh your heart out once in a while. I realized I have a great sense of humor , and a lot of new interests have been developed, including blogging. I have come to meet like-minded friends online and it has helped me realize my potential as a writer.

Come what may, it is my goal to make the new year a better one. So what are your goals for the new year?As the days go by from morning to evening make each day a memorable one and let them be happy memories. To all my friends here celebrating tomorrow, wishing you a MERRY CHRISTMAS and to every one A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet little lies

I never lie…..I do not feel the need to and I have survived….confusing?

As a kid the thought was instilled in me that lying is bad and growing up I realized it was quite a pain.I remember one such incident where I was forbidden to watch a newly released movie because my exams were approaching.I went ahead and saw it and denied having done so….said I was at a friend’s, studying.That night I lost my sleep..the following dawn I gathered courage and told my parents the truth.Since then, I have never lied ….never felt the need to do so.
Sweet Little Lies

All or Nothing

Daily Prompt “Perhaps when we find ourselves wanting everything, it is because we are dangerously close to wanting nothing.” — Sylvia Plath

Depressed,lonely life is full of shit

Human is merely drowning in a ditch

Materialistic things you need not possess

All you need is a somber angelic bless

Love, gratitude hold no meaning

When you lose touch with that eternal feeling

Every Nirbhaya cries her heart out in pain

Thousands gather but all in vain

Wake up and save your mothers, sisters and friends

Wake up and let your hearts cleanse

All or Nothing?

Not for thee!

A traveler at heart I have got a chance to travel to USA and UK and most of India, except a few regions of eastern India.

A friend of mine advised me on my first ever such trip to research every nook and cranny and carry all required stuff before I landed in a strange country with unknown natives. I must admit I was spooked because it was my first ever travel overseas, though the accommodation and travel was taken care of by my employer then, but the other things seemed scary at first. I wondered about the itinerary, the food, the documents to be carried and every little detail.I was so anxious that I nearly cancelled my trip. But my supportive family stood by my side and helped me through.It was a long, boring flight and my health seemed to desert me too. The airport food did me no good and my stomach started to rumble in mid-air. The size of flight toilets made it all the more difficult for me.

After all the adventure mid-air, I finally landed at the Heathrow airport and felt a sense of relief. However the motion sickness and jet lag continued while I had to join work the next day.I was fortunate to have an understanding boss and team mates who helped me settle in the initial days and agreed to cook me lovely Indian dishes that helped me get my stamina back.

Over the weekends, my team mates advised me on the must-visit places in and around London and I decided to go solo as most of them had already been there more than once. So I took a map of the underground railways in UK and my passport/visa and started early. I reached the train station just in time for the departing train and made sure I was in the right one. I had decided to visit the Oxford university, the Bath and other locations.The train arrived at the station and I walked out of the station to find myself engulfed by the most wonderful weather in UK. It was a bright sunny day and I decided to walk to the nearest bus stop.

While I was walking I felt a sense of freedom I had never experienced earlier. I was a modern day Indian girl who has a career and life outside home but this was different. Point is that, the more I freed myself from the realms of my anxious thoughts, the more I enjoyed the experience. I was ecstatic to visit one of my most admired universities in the world. I walked along the most beautiful cafes, decided to step inside for a cup of English tea and croissants and made some wonderful friends.

That day I realized that my thoughts burdened me more than the weight of the luggage I was carrying. My friend advised me to carry all my knowledge and belongings with me but I advise all my fellow travellers to ‘Travel Light’. Here travelling light does not indicate that you leave behind your essential kit or your prescribed medication. It has more to do with your mindset. So the next trip you book to that exotic location or the work trip that you cannot escape, take some time out to break away from the routine and experience the locales, leave behind the worries and fears, do not over-analyse and make no mistake of being opinionated about the natives there. Stay positive and live free!! Leave the baggage home!!

Not for Thee

Happy Thanksgiving Folks!!

“Grateful for each hand we hold, gathered round this table. From far and near we travel home, blessed that we are able. Grateful for this sheltered place, with light in every window. Say welcome, welcome, share this feast. Come in away from sorrow.” Says this wonderful song by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

How true is that!! Here in India, we do not celebrate a dedicated Thanksgiving day , but then there is so much to thank for that every day of the year would be inadequate. I sometimes procrastinate, no wait, I procrastinate a lot. But on this occasion, I am thankful and I want to thank a couple of folks. So here goes the list:

1.Thank you to all my blog followers for encouraging me to write, I had never written before except the college journals or the exams….such a pain, I know.

2. Thank you to all the likes and comments, it helps me improve by understanding my readers perspective of my posts.

3. Thank you God for my wonderful folks back home who wait endlessly for my writing penchant to be reproduced on paper, or in this case, my blog and then appreciate it no matter how crap it is! 🙂

4. Thank you NaBloPoMo for providing me wonderful prompts this month where I try to write daily, well almost 🙂

5. Thank you God for my wonderful friends who believe in me and patiently listen to my rantings about my writer’s block, and everything else 🙂

6.Ah! WordPress for giving me this platform , sounds cheesy ….haha

7.Thank you for making it through till the end.

Before this turns into an Oscar award speech, let me end it here and take this opportunity to thank every single person who has impacted my life in a positive way and even those that did so in any negative way because that gives me the strength and determination to stay stronger.

Spinning the yarn

What makes a good storyteller, in your opinion? Are your favorite storytellers people you know or writers you admire

I love watching people…I am a people watcher. When I am short of inspiration, I need a pen and paper my iPad and head towards the nearest park, mall or street.

Standing in a corner and observing men, women and kids around me is highly intriguing. Their faces speak volumes to me. Two friends who meet each other after decades have a thousand naughty stories to tell. A newly wed couple walking hand in hand happily dreaming about their future together have a story too. A homeless lady in her late 70 ‘s with grey hair and a wrinkled face has a lifetime of experiences to share.
So next time you need a story head towards the nearest public place . They are the best story – tellers.

Spinning Yarns

Grateful and Guilty

Whether it’s a trashy TV show, extra-pulpy fiction, or nutrient-free candy, write a thank-you note to your guiltiest guilty pleasure

A weekend is the perfect opportunity for a guilt free trip down the culinary path. Specially if it consists of a lazy afternoon indulging in some of the best home-made food. As an Indian, I confess there is no dearth of choice of cuisines, with each state offering a unique taste to the dish.

I must also confess here that I am not a foodie but I simply cannot resist home made food prepared with love and the indulgence becomes mandatory.

I can gorge on a light nutritional Rasam( a soup prepared with a mix of lentils and tamarind juice) one day and Biryani( a rich Mughlai dish prepared with rice flavored with saffron and lamb/chicken prepared with rich spices and dry fruits) the next. I do not belong to the South of India but love Idlis. And I equally love Kebabs.And gulab jamuns too :)…..

I can go on and on about the Indian dishes I love to gorge, but I will limit myself here and leave you with the pictures of my most loved ones.( no recipes now, but promise to share them soon)

Feast your eyes!!

Grateful and Guilty

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish!!

This book is a compilation of the stories of 25 IIM- Ahmedabad graduates who opted to tread on the rough paths of entrepreneurship and successfully built new businesses and organizations. The author Rashmi Bansal, an IIM-A alumnus herself, writes that this book is for those people who seize their moments; for those who do not believe in selling soaps just because you are paid well to do so. It is about those who had the easy option of being a corporate slave, but felt that they had something bigger and better they could do with their talents. About people who did things which others thought were foolish and who decided to stay hungry in search of that something better.

The book is divided in 3 sections viz: – Stories of those people who knew that entrepreneurship was their ‘Chosen Path’ and thus took the plunge straight after their MBA or after working for barely a couple of years. Stories of those who did not
plan to become entrepreneurs but seized an opportunity when it knocked and capitalized on it. – Stories of those individuals who have used entrepreneurship to create social impact and/or as a platform for creative expression. All those featured in the book are diverse in age, in outlook and in industries they have made a mark in. But the one thing they had in common was that they believed in the power of their dream. The book reveals the making of iconic brands like Sintex, makemytrip.com, India Infoline, Mphasis, Renuka Sugars, naukri.com, GiveIndia and many more!
Stay Hungry Stay Foolish is written in a conversational format. The end of each story is punctuated with a page of advice for young entrepreneurs. The book elucidates how these individuals with fire in their bellies and stars in their eyes, overcame the odds to realize their dreams of being their own masters as they ventured into uncharted territories.