arun rajagopal - my life & times

I've moved!!!

2007-05-24T18:26:00.000+04:00

Hello there!
Thanks for landing on my blogspace. If you are left wondering that I have hung up my blogging boots & gone back to a hibernation mode... I'd like to let you know that my blogging adventures continue till date at www.arunrajagopal.com

See you there!

Arun Rajagopal

A date with the H2

2007-04-08T16:22:00.000+04:00

Happy Easter, all ye brothers and sisters out there. I had a recent date with a Hummer H2 - here are a few snaps.

That's me - looking mighty pleased posing in front of the irreverent Hummer. My growing paunch may be excused!

I'm joined by Sharad Phalgun, a kingpin of Muscat's advertising fraternity, with a very dapper look about him.

As always, I've to do something zany. It's man versus machine in this saga - and the machine is definitely winning!

Goliath meets match in Guyana

2007-04-08T09:49:00.000+04:00

Shock upsets are inevitable, especially in an event such as the Cricket World Cup. But cricket found the least unlikely contenders at the centre stage of one of the greatest upsets in the history of One-Day International Cricket at a Super 8 match at Guyana yesterday. The erstwhile minnows of international cricket, upcoming ‘David’ - Bangladesh, placed ninth in ICC rankings turned the apple cart against South Africa, ranked the world’s best team and a very strong contender for the 2007 ICC World Cup. The Bangladeshi tiger cubs rattled a comprehensive 67-run victory against the Proteas – totally outclassing them in all the departments of the game, and changing the complexion of the remaining Super 8 matches. Now, West Indies and England have been given a chance to fight for a semi-final berth, while South Africa have been chortled and brought back to terra firma – the spectre of the choker tag never seems to desert them. Giant killing Bangladesh seems to be the silver lining in this otherwise lacklustre tournament, dominated by Australia and conspicuous by the early exit of over-rated India and mercurial Pakistan. Underdogs such as Ireland and Bangladesh have shown cricketing excellence is not anyone’s fiefdom.
Coach Dav Whatmore, the Midas man behind Bangladesh’s dream run, is currently in the reckoning to be Team India’s next coach. It will be very interesting to watch out for future developments. If he does get the job, I’m sure that B’desh’s loss would very much be India’s gain.

Here’s a quick look at a few common traits seen in some of the better performing teams playing in this World Cup:
1. The ability to enjoy the game as a team
2. Outstanding fielding standards
3. Not relying on a single individual as a match winner – depending on every player to contribute on the field
4. Ability to put pressure on competition, especially if they are on top
5. Supreme fitness – explains why players like Sanath Jayasuriya are still ruling the roost

Super Eight Standings as of today
Team MP W L PCF Pts NRR
AUS 3 3 0 2 6 +2.01
SRI 4 3 1 2 6 +1.55
NZL 3 3 0 2 6 +1.44
RSA 4 2 2 0 4 -0.63
ENG 3 1 2 0 2 +0.02
WIN 4 1 3 2 2 -1.18
BAN 4 1 3 0 2 -1.78
IRE 3 0 3 0 0 -0.93

Mr. Bean’s Holiday, Alpha Dog & Thiruvilayadal Aarambham

2007-04-06T17:22:00.000+04:00

Mr. Bean’s Holiday (English)
Screen: Ruwi Cinema
Starring: Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean, Willem Dafoe, Jean Rochefort
I woke up pretty grouchy and pooped out this morning. And I knew that watching Mr. Bean’s Holiday would probably perk things up a little. Guess I underestimated Mr. Bean’s powers. Mr. Bean’s Holiday is a laugh riot from the moment he wins a holiday to the French Riviera in a church raffle draw. What ensues is a trail of comedy, commotion, madness, slapstick wit, chuckles and merry mirth as the irrepressible Mr. Bean makes his presence felt in the République française. I was wondering what was my best moment in the movie – I think it has to be one where Willem Dafoe sets off the explosion on his commercial video set, or it could even be the one where Mr. Bean is grooving to Shaggy’s Boombastic. And now that I think about it – I can think of a dozen more. Make sure you join Mr. Bean on his trip of a lifetime.

Alpha Dog (English)
Screen: Ruwi Cinema
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Ben Foster
I walked into the theatre dead tired and Alpha Dog did a good job of bringing me right back into the screen. Alpha Dog is ‘Inspired by true events’ and a ‘drama based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be on the FBI's most wanted list’. As Bruce Willis’ character Sonny Truelove narrates in the beginning of the movie –
You wanna' know what this is all about? You can say this about drugs or guns or bad decisions, what ever you like. But this whole thing is about parenting. And taking care of your children.
I loved the feel of Alpha Dog – urban-youth degradation, parents who don’t know where their kids are headed to & don’t seem to be in a position to help cuz they are in pits of their own, spoilt-white brats having their own take on black gangsta-ho culture – also felt some performances were good, especially Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin and Emile Hirsch. The movie was censored in Muscat, and I’m longing to get my hands on the uncut DVD. The choice of soundtracks for Alpha Dog is pretty good too – I’m now hooked to DMX’s Lord Give Me A Sign, and Tech N9ne is definitely an act to watch out for.
Tracks by the likes of Lowd, Eva Cassidy, Aaron Zigman, Paul A. Graham and Paul Bushnell complete the ensemble.

Thiruvilayadal Aarambham (Tamil)
Screen: Star Cinema
Starring: Dhanush, Shriya, Prakashraj
Firstly, the movie didn’t look good on the big screen. Wonder about the quality of the film roll used – it seemed to be made with a simple, humble camcorder. TA is a love story with street smart hero Dhanush pitted against the well-oiled business tycoon Prakashraj, the brother of his lady-love. TA suffers because of a pretty weak story – though Dhanush emotes effortlessly in patches… TA is flawed from scene 1. Booboo.

Weekender Movies in Muscat

2007-03-31T20:24:00.000+04:00

I’ve been enjoying my extended weekend (Saturday was a holiday being the Prophet’s birthday), spending time catching up on the latest movies in Muscat, as always.

Namastey London (Hindi)
Screen: Ruwi Cinema
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Rishi Kapoor and Upen Patel
Funjabi boy meets british bratgurl and all hell breaks loose. Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Namastey London explores the lives of NRI families and issues that arise from the way they deal with their values, beliefs, identity and approach to relationships. Though packaged as a comic caper plus touchy romance, Namastey London comes with a very powerful message – true love wins, always. I love Namastey London for its hilarious moments, perfect casting and happening songs.

Dreamgirls (English)
Screen: Ruwi Cinema
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson
If you love either musicals or good movies, you may be in for some luck as Dreamgirls is a well-made movie plus entertaining musical. Written and directed by Bill Condon, Dreamgirls follows the dreams of three R&B singers Effie White, Deena Jones, and Lorrell Robinson, respectively played by Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles and Anika Noni Rose who want to make it big in showbiz. They run into Curtis Taylor, Jr., (Jamie Foxx) a slick, ambitious record executive who becomes their manager and helps them become the new face of American R&B in the 1960s and 1970s. The dream in Dreamgirls is American Idol winner Jennifer Hudson who perfectly deserves an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her sterling performance as the immensely gifted but volatile singer Effie White. Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx enthral you by the way they portray their characters. A beautiful movie that tells us dreams can come true, provided you dream and work to get the dream fall in place.

Annavaram (Telugu)
Screen: Star Cinema
Starring: Pawan Kalyan, Asin
Loving brother in village marries off doting sister to chocolate boy in city infested with evil goons. Brother’s best buddy is killed by ruthless goons. Brother sends sister and family back to village and returns to the city around interval with doughty mission – wipe the city off all villains. Neat. Annavaram is happening – if you like Pawan’s flexi-dance moves, never ending swish-slash, lemon-tinged swordfight seqs and Tollywood’s fixation for big-budget masala movies.

The Speed Track (Malayalam, ahem)
Screen: Star Cinema
Starring: Dileep, Gajala and who’s who of contemporary Malayalam comedydom
Debutant director Jayasurya comes up with a sports-based flick with all ingredients required for an average Malayalam hit. Starring wonderboy – now ageing wonderman Dileep, who delivers a decent performance as an athlete with a do or die mission to become a champion. Gajala makes us realise that Mollywood has no actress of its own ilk who can fit into a decent-sized track suit and run 100 feet without collapsing into a heap. Though it is difficult to accept Dileep as an agile athlete given his ‘physique’, The Speed Track is much better than his earlier hash named ‘Inspector Garud’. Any day. Dileep better start working on the way he looks in movies… tips from Mammootty can help. Perhaps.

Fearless (English)
Screen: Al Nasr Cinema
Starring: Jet Li
Wushu guru Jet Li comes up with an outstanding performance as a Wushu exponent in his farewell martial arts epic ‘Fearless’. Apparently, Fearless is going to be his last flick as a martial arts performer, he hopes to concentrate on other character-based roles in his future acting career. Fearless is the journey of the transformation of a fearless warrior to a great hero. Fearless has got some outstanding Wushu sequences, especially a rocker of a climax, a lot of nationalistic fervour, some excellent dialogues, stunning cinematography… and is a must-see for those who love Chinese martial-art flicks.

For Travel Freaks

2007-03-29T14:37:00.000+04:00

I read this interesting article on MSN about aviation buffs who fly on inaugural flights / landmark flights just for the heck of it. Read ‘Inaugural flights draw airline ‘geeks’. It reminded me of the many crazy trips I have taken, especially in Oman – where I used to travel long distances in buses and make quick return journeys – thus indulging in my love for luxury coaches – especially the Mercedes-Benz 0404 and Hyundai Aerospace LD. It also reminds me of the frequent train journeys I used to take in India in 2004 – just for the heck of it – especially in the Trivandrum-Kollam-Kottayam sector in Kerala. It evidently got to a point that anybody in the neighbourhood who wanted some work done involving long distances and had to go through the pains of a train journey to get it done started approaching me for the same. My passion for 'railexperiencing' have sent me on journeys have sent me as far as Bangalore, Renigunta / Tirupati, Madurai and Chennai from Kerala. Get to the station, spent a few hours in the place, before finding the next available train back to my home town. Though these travels would seem quite ‘freaky’ to a lot, there is so much fun and excitement in it. Just ask Andrew Gibbons, who belongs to a super-elite subspecies of frequent fliers who chase inaugural flights because they adore airlines, airplanes, even airports, and want to be part of airline milestones.

Hit me, hit me not!

2007-03-24T18:48:00.000+04:00

Dramatic shot at a railway crossing in India: Passersby make a valiant attempt to move an injured cow away from the path of an oncoming train - the Kota Jan Shatabdi. The cow had presumably been hit on the flanks by a passing train a little while ago. Pic by Karthik Nanda of IRFCA (Indian Railways Fan Club).

The Blue Billion Grieves; I watch 300, Desamuduru & Detective

2007-03-24T18:11:00.000+04:00

So the Men in Blue are effectively out of the World Cup, thanks to their disastrous performance against Sri Lanka yesterday. A lot on rely on the upcoming Bermuda vs. Bangladesh match – if the Bermudans manage to upset the rollicking Bangladeshi apple cart, Indian paper tigers can squeeze into the Super Eights through the back door. Highly unlikely, I say.
The team’s performance from the start has been disappointing – they started their campaign on the wrong note when they got mauled by giant-killing Bangladesh, before managing a consolation win over minnows Bermuda, before getting thumped in the bollocks by a rip roaring Lankan Lions.
I never expected or hoped India to bring home the World Cup, for that matter they were not even probable semi-finalists. Simply because, India has never looked like a professional cricketing team in recent times. At best, it’s just a motley crew of 11 individuals, stalwarts in their right, who basically follow the ‘all or none law’ in their game – either they all play well or they all play like hell. The ‘men in blue’ seemed to be senile tigers on the field, lacking in energy, discipline, temperament or enthusiasm and rather so full of inertia. The only time I have seen them perform well is in the stupid commercial endorsements they wholeheartedly give their ‘mind, body, soul and heart’ to.
I know that cricket’s just a game and that there is so much pressure on the boys to perform and the entire expectations of a billion fans rests on their puny shoulders – fine – but if you can’t perform on the big stage, if you cant handle the pressure, I think you oughta sit outside the game.
A few recommendations to better cricket in India – give voluntary retirement to all our cricketing heroes who have crossed 30 – we have had enough with their ‘experience’; put a ceiling to the amount of money these ‘players’ are earning out of their endorsements – did you know that they are the highest-paid sports team in the world, in terms of sponsorship – and no tax waivers please; and improve the domestic cricket system to allow more competitive domestic players don the national colours in the international arena.
Since Chappell took over from his predecessor John Wright, India has won 32 out of 62 ODIs and 7of the 18 Test matches. Hopefully BCCI should look for a good cricketing coach from the land of a blue billion, who is competent enough to ‘coach’ this team. May be that is the greatest tragedy to have befallen Indian cricket, after all the great Indian coach is an elusive being, and not to be found in a land in need of real heroes.
A quick word to our nation’s bike, biscuit and cola sellers – if you are banking on this bunch of losers to sell your stuff, then please be aware that me as a consumer has already started doubting the quality of your products, cuz after all they are your brand ambassadors who stand for what you sell, right?

On a better note, I watched '300' (English) with a friend at Ruwi Cinema yesterday. Never seen such a kick-ass ‘war’ movie off late. Inspired by a graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is based on the epic battle of Thermopylae, where Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fight to the last man against Persian King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his army of more than one million soldiers, while in Sparta, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support for her husband. The are pluses aplenty in 300 – free flowing blood and gore, thrilling action sequences, captivating photography, the terse narration by the Spartan soldier Dilios (David Wenham) and a stirring background score. I’m now hunting for 300’s OST by Tyler Bates. 300 is one of the best flicks out in Muscat this year.

Also watched Telugu flick 'Desamuduru', written and directed by Puri Jagannadh, at Star Cinema. Allu Arjun (nephew of Tollywood megastars Pawan Kalyan and Chiranjeevi) and Hansika Motwani star in this flick with a plot that goes like – freak out TV journalist Bala Govind (Allu Arjun) gets into a skirmish with a band of Tamilian goons, retreats to Kulu Manali to escape their vendetta, falls in love with Vaishali (Hansika), a young damsel who is living the life of a hermit, hero falls in love, and then it turns that our hermit heroine is connected to the band of goons who then take her back to Hyderabad and then it is all left for the wonderboy to shut shop on villains and get the groove going with his lady love. Oops. You will like Desamuduru for Allu Arjun’s fight and dance scenes, and of course Rambha’s try at an item number – also I quite liked Puri Jagannadh’s opening credits in this movie – where the man on the street picks his favourite Tollywood hero – before launching Allu.

I also watched Suresh Gopi’s latest Malayalam flick – ‘Detective’ at Star Cinema – highly recommended for all Scotland Yard sleuths out there, the rest of you can probably go for a walk in the park – would be more productive that staying holed up in a theatre trying to come to terms with this crime/suspense/thriller pot-boiler.

Movies in Muscat - Nishabd, Red – The Dark Side and Norbit

2007-03-20T00:45:00.000+04:00

Nishabd (Hindi) released in Muscat yesterday. Watched the first show at the Al Nasr Cinema. It’s very rare for movies to release here on a Monday. Wednesday’s when movies get released in Muscat. Totally relished watching it in a deserted theatre – I counted 8 people in a theatre that can seat around 800 plus people. Got a ticket in the box – usually box seats are reserved for couples and groups – but today the man at the ticket counter just decided to make my day; trust me its was great to put my feet up on the railing and enjoy the view from the empty box. At some point, I remember pacing up and down the box and watching the movie. Felt like it was my personal space.

You shouldn’t miss watching Nishabd, produced and directed by Ram Gopal Varma. Nishabd is about the love that springs between Vijay, a 60-year old photographer (Amitabh Bachchan) and Jia, an 18-year old student (Jiah Khan), and its effect on Vijay’s wife Amrita (Revathy) and their 18-year old daughter Ritu (Shraddha Arya). The entire flick is shot in sombre dark hues in the moody, dreamy tea estates of Munnar in Kerala. The entire cast in Nishabd is limited to Amitabh Bachchan, Jiah Khan, Naseer, Shraddha Arya, Revathy and Aftaab Shivadsani in a guest role. Nishabd challenges conventional feelings about love. One of the most poignant moments in the movie is when Vijay tells Amrita about his love for Jia, which understandably leaves the dutiful wife dazed. Amitabh comes with a fine performance, but it is definition of the ultimate aim of human life that impressed me most in Nishabd – to be happy! If you are lot into love and life, do find some time for Nishabd.

Followed up Nishabd with Red – The Dark Side (Hindi) at Al Nasr Mini Cinema. Directed by Vikram Bhatt and starring Aftaab Shivdasani, Celina Jaitley and Amrita Arora, Red has all the elements of a typical Vikram Bhatt pot-boiler – a love triangle, cupid struck hero, murder mystery, scheming women, elements of surprise, remix party numbers, police investigations, dark characters and a twist n’turn in the tale for a climax. I watched it to check out Ms. Jaitley and Ms. Arora, and boy I got my salt’s worth. Here's Aftaab's clinching dialogue / the last nail on the coffin: I’m ready to die for love. I’m ready to kill for love. But I’m not ready to be a fool for love. Red is definitely not painting the town red.

Uhm, moi found some time to go for comic flick Norbit (English) on Sunday at Ruwi Cinema. Norbit is not all that great – it’s got Eddie Murphy in not one, not two, but three roles – but even his treble histrionics cannot save this flawed movie. Norbit enjoys a 9% rating at Rotten Tomatoes and rumours abound that his acting in Norbit cost him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Dreamgirls. I personally think Norbit is OK – it may not be all that great – but it’s got those moments that will have you hold ur tummy and chortle with laughter.

Tribute to Bob Woolmer

2007-03-19T11:23:00.000+04:00

He was one of the finest personalities in international cricket and an outstanding coach. He’s going to be terribly missed by everyone with a love for the game of willow. May his soul rest in peace. Here’s a compendium of fast facts on the life of Bob Woolmer.

1. He was born as Robert Andrew Woolmer, on May 14, 1948 at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is the son of Clarence Woolmer, a cricketer who played Ranji Trophy for United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh).
2. He made 1059 runs at 33.09 in Tests, with three hundreds, and also took four wickets at 74.75. In all first-class cricket, mainly with Kent but also in South African state cricket, he scored 15772 runs at 33.55 and took 420 wickets at 25.87.
3. In 1959, as an 11-year-old schoolboy, he watched Hanif Mohammed score 499 for Karachi. In 1999, he was in the dressing room when Brian Lara scored 501* to break Hanif's record. He is one of the very few people to have seen both innings live.
4. In 1975, he was selected for England's first World Cup squad, but broke his hand the day before the tournament started. He ended up being the 12th man.
5. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1976.
6. A respected all rounder at first class level who played for Kent and South African provinces Natal and Western Province, Woolmer also played 19 Tests and six one-day internationals for England between 1975 and 1981.
7. He was among the game’s more free-thinking coaches, a reputation he earned first with Warwickshire and then confirmed during his five years at the helm of the South African national team.
8. As a coach he pioneered the use of computers and technology in the dressing room, especially to keep track of how the opposition batsmen scored their runs.
9. With him as their coach, Warwickshire won three of the four domestic trophies on offer in England in 1994.
10. He coached South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and during his tenure the team had won 83 of their 117 one-day internationals - a winning percentage of 72.80 - and 10 of the 15 Test series they contested.

How to brew a perfect cup of coffee?

2007-03-18T17:14:00.000+04:00

The venue: Pantry at an interactive agency in the Middle East.
Ingredients: A glass mug, teaspoon, Nescafe, powdered milk, sugar, a Russell Hobbs kettle, yourself and a bit of showmanship.
Way forward: Wash the cup. Rinse the spoon (if you really want to). Fill the kettle with water and leave it to boil. Turn the kettle off, much before it touches boiling point, that’s when the kettle switch goes off. Meaning, don’t leave the water to boil. Just make it hot-warm. Trust me; you don’t want the scalding water to mess up Nescafe’s flavour. So water’s ready. Add two and half spoons of milk powder to the cup. (Oh yes, I prefer using the same teaspoon in all the acts of coffee making.) Lift the kettle, tilt it at an awkward angle and pour water slowly into the cup to form a milky froth. Ensure that the water doesn’t hit your groin. Add howmucheva spoons of sugar you would like to this creamy mix. Make sure that your natural showmanship shows. Now, uhm, ideally take two teaspoons of Nescafe and add it to the milk and swirl. For added effect, take another mug and pour your coffee/mixture from cup-to-cup to create a consistent, well-blended drink. Serve with a lot of chutzpah.
Comment: The presence of a pretty gurl as you brew coffee will have a marked improvement on your coffee making skills.
Upcoming Attraction: The ‘How to brew a perfect cup of coffee using the scrambled egg approach’ tutorial.

Muscat's gettin a shower! - 2

2007-03-18T15:59:00.000+04:00

A friend of mine sent me snaps of how the Muscat roads, especially those at Al Khuwair, have been affected by the rains this morning. Did you notice the hapless hatchback sinking like a torpedoed schooner? I guess we can call them waterways more than highways. Muscat has been taken for a spin due to these unexpected showers. Wadis have been overflowing, umpteen numbers of vehicles as well as roads have gone under water and a lot of accidents have occurred. But hey no worries, things are gonna get back on track in a day or two, like it always does!

Muscat's gettin a shower!

2007-03-18T10:41:00.000+04:00

It’s raining in Muscat. I woke up early in the morning to watch rain drops pitter-patter against the window and thought I must be dreaming. May be it was the effect of the bottle of Wincarnis I had downed yesterday I thought, so I went back to snoozeland and then when I finally dragged myself out of bed, voila… raindrops were still pitter-pattering against the glass panes. Tried to take snaps of the mountain view across the window. I’m afraid it didn’t turn out that well. Missed having my blue cheeked bee eater friend hanging about the satellite dish, I suspect he is having an affair, I see him crooning to another bee eater these days. Hope he is somewhere safe away from the rains. Lemme just think some of the best memories I have about rain…

1. Jumping about in the rains when I was a kid at my ancestral home in Ernakulam, Kerala. I used to actually wade about in the pools of slushy water using as an umbrella as a boat!
2. Fishing in the overflowing drains of Ernakulam using baskets and sticks, and then yelling ‘Karuppine pidiche karuup’ (Karup is a thorny fish). Moi was an expert in netting the best catch out there.
3. Have the rain hit my face as I stare into the heavens leaning out of the door of Kerala Express racing out of Coimbatore on a moody April morning.
4. Racing on a bike braving the lashing downpour, desperately trying to make it on time for a science quiz at primary school, turning up late eventually and having Jayanti Ma’am get the water off my head with her perfumed hankie.
5. Lying on my bed / standing at the balcony and trying to listen / watch the rain compose its symphonies of anger, despair, depression, mirth and more. Happens very much often.
6. Walking alone on the streets of Bangkok as a quick evening shower drenches the fetid city, sending up plumes of a million odours.
7. Taking little Unati out for a walk today, sequestered under a umbrella, as the Muscat skies open up for a sob session.
8. Writing this blog while sipping coffee and being serenaded by Tamil music when I try to recount my best memories of rain.

Chan from UMS Advertising, Muscat clicked a few snaps on the Muscat rains - mostly of overflowing wadis. I particularly love this one which has got giant trucks drowned next to the Darsait Lulu Hypermarket. The weatherman has forecast showers for Oman in days to come due to 'an expansion in the current atmospheric depression in the region'. Whoa.

Weekender Movies at Muscat - Pachaikili Muthucharam & The Prestige

2007-03-16T21:31:00.000+04:00

Watched Pachaikili Muthucharam (Tamil) at Star Cinema yesterday. Quite credible performance by a star cast comprising of Sarath Kumar, Jyothika, Andrea and Milind Soman. I strongly recommend you to watch this movie if you dig family-oriented romances that's got elements of suspense in them. The music score by Harris Jayaraj is impressive. The melodious Unakkul Nan by Bombay Jayashree is one of the best numbers from Kollywood in the recent past. Directed by Gautham Menon, Pachaikili Muthucharam is a story about a married man who falls for another married woman and the interesting turns their lives take due to their dangerous infatuation. Warning: After watching Pachaikili Muthucharam, one should expect anyone with a commitment to a loved one think a wee bit before straying out of that commitment – cuz sometimes it’s not really worth it!!! The film is inspired by the bestselling book, Derailed by James Siegel which was later adapted into a film with the same title starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston.

The Prestige (English) is one of the most raved about movies from 2006 – it enjoys a 74% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Watched it at Ruwi Cinema today. Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and David Bowie, this twister-turner thriller is directed by Christian Nolan who gave us the flick Batman Begins. Nominated for two Academy Awards, The Prestige is the tale of the intense rivalry of Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, stage magicians in Victorian era London. The film follows a non-linear narrative and is adapted from Christopher Priest's award-winning 1995 novel of the same name. My advice to you if you are watching The Prestige is to watch it closely, just like you watch a magician perform a sleight of hand. If you are not going to watch it closely, you will miss its magic like an illusion – just like I did!!!

A powerful exposition of the themes of obsession, sacrifice, deceit and secrecy, the film is split into three storylines, each resembling one of the three stages of magic - setup, or the "pledge," where the magician shows the audience something that appears ordinary but is probably not, making use of misdirection; performance, or the "turn," where the magician makes the ordinary act extraordinary and the "prestige," where the effect of the illusion is produced. David Bowie plays an important role in The Prestige as scientist Nikola Tesla – his character was portrayed interestingly enough that I’m going to read more about him in the days to come.

The Most Viewed Video on YouTube

2007-03-12T10:22:00.000+04:00

And the honour goes ‘Evolution of Dance’ by Judson Laipply, a motivational speaker and comedian from Cleveland. Check it out – it’s incredibly funny and an authentic portrayal of dance throughout the 20th and 21st century. 'Evolution of Dance' has got over 43 million views to date!

Nike India hits a six!

2007-03-11T17:43:00.000+04:00

Nike’s first commercial ad on Cricket in India is simply awesome! I saw this ad on MTV the other day and felt so high. It does a magnificent job of capturing the passion of cricket in India while giving a definite run for money to the insane and inane TV commercials that clog the idiot box now that cricket-mad India is under the throes of the 2007 ICC World Cup.
A good start for Nike who has become the official apparel sponsor for Team India and is targeting sales of $1 billion in India for the next five years.

Red Clay Interactive, an Atlanta based web design and Internet marketing agency has created an interesting white paper called ‘The Art of Online Conversion: Four Steps from Interest to Acquisition Online’ - a must read for anybody with an interest in online marketing. The article talks about the four stages B2B and B2C buyers go through in an online buying process and suggest strategies at each stage that converts prospects from first click to conversion. Click here to read ‘The Art of Online Conversion’.

Wanna know more about Telematics, HSDPA, WiBro, BcN, USN and the latest cutting-edge mobile technologies without getting bogged down by the technical mumbo-jumbo? South Korea Telecom’s award-winning microsite ‘MoMu’ is a virtual mobile communications museum that demystifies mobile technologies while showcasing what SK Telecom is all about. This Flash-built microsite is packed with 3-d images & online videos – you definitely need a broadband connection to experience MoMu at its best.

It's all about the work, the work, the work

2007-02-19T23:56:00.000+04:00

Gifted copywriter with a decade of industry experience and a clutch of gleaming Cannes Lions in the den. No, not me. I’m a promising young writer with two years of sweatin’ it out in Oman’s neo-kitschy advertising and online mediascape. The official job title is ‘Content Strategist’. I work on leading telecom, industry, FMCG and auto brands in Oman. Will fit in as a valuable sidekick in any team willing to not only raise the bar, but also throw it away, should the need arise. And yes, I come with a few awards as baggage.

Here’s the better sheep from my flock. And the best are yet to come. On with my work.

INTERACTIVE / NEW MEDIA:
www.nawras.om
Brand: Nawras, a leading mobile communications service provider in Oman
Clientspeak: Hey partner, lets create a website that reflects Nawras as ‘The Sultanate’s customer-friendly communications provider’.
Lowdown: From creating a presentation that clinched the pitch from some ‘big’ names to developing an effective web strategy; donning the hat of a project manager and canoodling the team to work against looming deadlines; writing over 500 pages of gobbledygook; visiting net cafes to carry out usability studies; and overseeing daily web updates and content management – Nawras is my baby on the Web. Winner of 2 Gold awards at Oman Web Awards 2006: ‘Best of Best’ Website in Oman. Best ICT website in Oman.

www.imtac.om
Brand: IMTAC, a leading business technology solutions provider in the Middle East
Clientspeak: We need our corporate website up and running in time for the Arab Health Expo 2007. But hey, that’s only 1 week from today!
Lowdown: My claim to fame here is project management – ensuring that this leviathan website was designed and developed in just a week’s time. Met the deadline for both Arab Health Expo and Oman Web Awards. And walked away with a Silver award at Oman Web Awards 2006: Second Best ICT website in Oman.

www.yarisoman.om
Brand: Toyota Yaris
Clientspeak: I’m launching this new car for youth and I need to create a splash on the Web. What next?
Lowdown: Created an exhaustive strategy presentation (my first ever) that helped produce and sell the work to the client. And there’s been no looking back since. Been making online strategy presentations for clients across various domains in the Middle East which have helped us win new business. Guess, that’s why they promoted me to a Content Strategist.
Oh yes, yarisoman.com was the Gold winner at Oman Web Awards 2006 as Best Automotive website in Oman.

ADVERTISING:
KNOCK OUT THE COMPETITION - 2006
Brand: OMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW (OER), a leading business magazine in Oman
The Work: A direct mailer for OER CORPORATE CHALLENGE 2007, a 'Corporate-Olympics’ event with the ultimate aim of identifying Oman’s No.1 corporate team.
Lowdown: Whether in boxing or any corporate duel, victory is when you knock out competition. A branded boxing glove & booklet were sent to over 500 top movers & shakers in Corporate Oman who were challenged to don the glove and participate in the event. With a response rate of 16.9%, the DM created a buzz and resulted in 22 teams signing up.

“GOT MORE?” - 2006
Brand: OMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW (OER), a leading business magazine in Oman
The Work: A press campaign to create hype about OER CORPORATE CHALLENGE 2007, a corporate-Olympics’ event with the ultimate aim of identifying Oman’s No.1 corporate team. Lowdown: It takes a lot of grit, wits, guts and more to create true champions. The campaign announced to the corporate world that only corporate teams with the above attributes and the will to prove them were welcome at the Challenge.

Click here if you want to check out the other plump sheep in my flock such as…
Micro site for OER Corporate Challenge 2007
Micro site for Oman Mobile – Khareef Festival 2005
Micro site for Oman Mobile Business Communications Solutions
Corporate website for Khimji Ramdas, a leading business house in Oman
Corporate website for Al Safwah Dairy, Oman

Click here if you want to see more of my advertising work.

UMSi creams Oman Web Awards 2006 & takes off to the moon!

2007-02-17T18:27:00.000+04:00

UMS Interactive, Muscat (the web solutions company I work for) made a clean sweep at the Oman Web Awards 2006 yesterday. By bagging a whopping 10 awards (5 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze awards), UMSi totally dominated the proceedings in a glittering award function held at Crowne Plaza Hotel that had the who’s who of Corporate Oman in attendance.

The icing on the cake was Nawras (http://www.nawras.om/) winning the much coveted top honour – the ‘Best website in Oman’ as well as ‘Best ICT website’. Nawras’ victory is particularly thrilling for me as I work on its the content management, web strategy and client servicing fronts. IMTAC’s win is also gratifying – as a Project Lead, I worked with a team that designed and developed this mammoth website in just five days!!!

Some of the other websites I have worked on that won awards include:

Best Website in Oman 2006:
Nawras

Gold:
Nawras – ICT
Toyota Yaris – Automotive
National Hospitality Institute – Hospitality
A’Safwah Dairy – Industry

Silver:
Oman Cables Industry – Industry
IMTAC – ICT

Bronze:
Khimji Ramdas – Corporate

Oman Web Awards is the most prestigious honour in the Sultanate's webscape. Under the auspices of Oman’s chief IT body - Information Technology Authority, OWA is a prestigious industry platform that recognises creativity, innovation and excellence in online media.

The nine award-winning websites will now be participating in a bigger competition – Pan Arab Web Awards 2007. Keeping our fingers crossed for that!

The fact that our team has won these awards - all our entries except one made the cut - comes as a great motivation to the team at UMSi. May be I really need to get a T-shirt with ‘Award-winning coffeemaker’ emblazoned on the front and ‘Award-winning copywriter’ on the behind!!!

Oman still has quite a way to go when it comes to having a modern digital society and e-culture. I also strongly feel that there’s a lot of room for improvement in our interactive work offering. But what’s important is that we are on the road to getting there.

We will continue developing user-friendly, creative and dynamic-technology driven sites that are in best-in-class for our clients. The new goal is getting ready for the future – Web 2.0 and its inherent opportunities and challenges.

Apocalypto - Now in Muscat

2007-02-11T15:43:00.000+04:00

I watched Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto yesterday at Ruwi Cinema. And my verdict is – Simply Superb! Apocalypto opens with an interesting quote by W.H. Durant on the collapse of the Roman Empire - “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” Apocalypto explores the Mayan civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula on its way to decline. The main protagonist of the story is Jaguar Paw, a the son of a Mayan chief who along with his villagers, are enslaved by another Mayan tribe to be offered as human sacrifices to the Sun God. The movie highlights Jaguar Paw’s escape from the clutches of those who have held him captive and his return to his family in his native village in the jungle.

The entire movie is in an amazing language called Yucatec Maya that has such as beautiful, mellifluous feel to it. I came back and did some reading and learnt that the movie was quite controversial – most historians allege that Gibson has not portrayed Mayans accurately and the film is riddled with historical inaccuracies. In fact, a lot of critics have chastised Gibson for his ‘racist portrayal of Mayans’. Click here to read Liza Grandia’s (an anthropologist and postdoctoral fellow at Yale) article - The Sober Racism of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto.

Gibson says that he made the movie because he finds great similarities in the way the Mayan civilization disintegrated and the world today, especially the West, which is steadfastly moving on a path of destruction. There’s no mistaking the amount of painstaking work that’s been put in this movie – it’s a compelling story, creating that magical effect on you – Gibson’s passion as a filmmaker is unquestionable. Even his message of using civilizations on decline to drive in the point that humans create the very conditions that cause their destruction would have been more powerful if he had picked the right civilization.

Apocalypto is heart gripping, packed with moments of suspense, thrill and action. The photography is just amazing – the pristine view of the Mesoamerican jungles almost leaves you glued to the seat. You are always rooting for the protagonist of the movie, Jaguar Paw, who has decided to ‘seek a new beginning’. It’s great that movies like this get screened in Muscat, despite the blood, gore and ample view of flesh. Apocalypto is never to be missed!

The Yahoo! Scare, Baba Kalyani, Aanachantham & the weekend

2007-02-09T20:03:00.000+04:00

Uhmm… It’s another weekend in Muscat and it’s almost over! I went and watched Pokkiri again this afternoon – my dissertation on it is turning out pretty well. :) Have like a ton of clothes to wash, gotta sort that out. Plus there is work I need to crack for tomorrow – a content assignment for a client that deals with pipes and valves for the oil & gas industry. I spent the better part of yesterday evening shopping for a washing machine. Saw some stuff at Bausher LuLu, but couldn’t decide on what I wanted. Have to make a few rounds before I go in for the kill. I went for ‘Baba Kalyani’ on Wednesday at Star. Wasn’t worth a second view, but had some time to kill! That’s the story from here this evening. Let me also post this entry which I had made on Tuesday, 6 Feb, but never ended up posting.

Tuesday, 6 Feb 2006:
Yahoo! really gave me the heebie-jeebies yesterday. I couldn’t access my yahoomail yesterday owing to some ‘technical failure’ from their end. This is what the ‘yahooligans’ had to say when I tried to log-in. I had to retrieve an important email id from my yahoomail and I had to anxiously wait for a few hours till the problem was sorted out. I did send an ‘error notification’ form to yahoomail customer care and sure they did respond back – only thing was that I could see the response only after the mail started working yest. Now, that’s funny right? And this is what they had to say: Thank you for contacting Yahoo! Customer Care. We received your question and the wheels of progress are in motion. A support rep will get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, please visit our online help center (http://help.yahoo.com/), if you have not already done so. You'll find a lot of good information there. Wheels of progress, huh? I’ve been using yahoomail for over a decade now; I prefer it more than hotmail, and I use my mail to store important stuff – in my line of work, I constantly use yahoomail to be in touch with my clients, I prefer it better than my office outlook address. But since yest, which I hate to admit is the first time it has ever happened to me – I’m kinda wondering – Is it a wise idea to depend a lot on external mail providers to store your vital data? I mean, anything can happen to stuff on the web - technical failures, what not… I don’t know… I guess I need to keep other backups as well. Hmm!
I joined a new group on yahoo yest – railkerala. It’s actually fronted by a bunch of rail enthusiasts who belong to the Kerala chapter of IRFCA. It’s nice to be in the company of some ace rail nuts. I can’t wait to catch up with them – definitely the next time when I’m in India.
If you are from Kerala and wanna join a group of railnuts passionate about trains in Kerala, simply click on - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/railkerala/
I went for Jayaram’s Anachantham at Star Cinema yest. In a theatre that has got room for over 900 people, there were around 10 people. I liked the movie – pretty watchable. Don’t miss it – especially if you have a thing for elephants and want to catch glimpses of rural Kerala. Mohanlal’s Baba Kalyani is back again – might go this weekend – for the second time.

Raves & Rants from Dubai

2007-02-02T12:56:00.000+04:00

I got to Dubai yesterday evening. Left Muscat at 4.30pm on an ONTC coach. Listened to music throughout the journey. Dozed off once in while. Got to the borders - Wajajah at Oman and Hatta at UAE. Thankfully there was hardly a crowd, and breezed through the visa application formalities in a jiffy. The traffic scene in Dubai was kinda OK, so got to Deira around 10.30pm. Got a cab, whizzed past Dubai, entered Sharjah and reached a dead end in Ajman. Spent close to 2 hours in a traffic gridlock in Ajman, where UAE nationals where celebrating their victory over Oman in the recent Gulf Football Cup Final. It was a crazy scene, with hundred of cars decked in the UAE national flag colours, confetti, flags, spray paint and what not clogging the roads, honking and generally kickin up a storm. Wondered what would be the scene if UAE actually won the FIFA cup. Btw, today the UAE national football team is gonna b given a grand reception by the ruler of Dubai, which includes a ceremonial ride around Dubai Roads before leading them the Global Village at Dubai Shopping Festival. Also, it happens to be the last day of DSF. Got to Ajman where I am staying, a little past midnight. Spent time with my folks and then slept like a log. Woke up in the morning and checked my blog and discovered that Etisalat, the ISP here, had blocked my blog's Flickr widget, that enables you to see my Flickr album in this blog as a slideshow. Etisalat says: "We apologize the site you are attempting to visit has been blocked due to its content being inconsistent with the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates." What's my Flickr photo album with India travel snaps got to do with the religious, cultural, political & moral values of the UAE?????!!!!
Oh yes, if you guys are headed to the Marina Mall at Abu Dhabi today, you can catch a glimpse of the Ferrari F1 drivers - Raikkonen and Massa. Mubadala, a UAE based investment firm, has picked up a piece of Ferrari F1 and they have brought in these guys to the UAE. Neat! When is Mubadala gonna pick up a stake in the Indian cricket team?
Before I log off, let me tell you an interesting thing that happened yest... there is this mag called Thursday that comes with the newspaper Times of Oman. The current issue of Thursday has got a student - a young chappie on its cover... well what's wrong with that you may ask - the current issue is after all on exams and students - and there's a serious looking young bloke clutching his pen and deadpanning into the camera surrounded by a heap of tomes... now for the surprise bit - he looks just like me, except for the nose!!!
Found that coincidence pretty intriguing - especially with people asking me - r u the guy on Thursday... lol...
have you ever run into someone who resembles you in looks? Okie dokie, that's my news from over here, what's yours?

Babel, Guru & more movies!

2007-01-27T20:01:00.000+04:00

I stumbled on Robert Hruzek’s blog Middle Zone Musings by accident. He has got an interesting contest – tell an interesting story in just six words! I loved the idea so much that I still created my pick of stories even though the contest closed on 21 Jan. Here are my stories…

• I resigned. Before they fired me.
• Finally I’m in love. With myself.
• I proposed. She promptly disposed me.
• Wine is more precious than water.
• Help! My guardian angel just quit.
• I refuse to conform to conformity.
• Sure, you rock! In your dreams.
• Once married. Forever bitten and shy.

Which one do you like the most?

Another weekend went by. Today Oman is playing Bahrain in the semi-finals of the Gulf Cup Football 2007. Looks like the men in white are poised to win. I’m kinda wondering what has happened in my life since my last post… I’ve been watching loads of movies, as always. I picked up Khosla Ka Ghosla, America Pie presents The Naked Mile, Thiruvillayadal Aarambam and Dharmapuri (both Tamil flicks) from my video shop ‘New Age Music’ in Ruwi High Street. Before, I get into the movies; let me tell you a quick word about – the guy at the video shop – Devaiah. He is such a sweet soul; though I take a lot of time to return movies, he doesn’t crib and still keeps aside new movies which I might be interested in watching.

If there is one movie that is not gonna hit theatres in Oman… that is America Pie presents The Naked Mile - a raunchy college comedy featuring a lot of people in their birthday suits – it’s about a high school student who is a virgin and is desperate to have sex – and to complicate matters, he is under immense peer pressure to lose his virginity as he happens to be a member of the Stifler family – a clan known for their high school / college sexual escapades and macho ways with the women folk. Let me not waste your time with Thiruvillayadal Aarambam and Dharmapuri. Was never fond of the two ‘doyens’ of Tamil cinema – ‘Captain’ Vijaykant and Dhanush. I’ve just started watching ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ and it does seem to be a pretty interesting flick. More on that later! I watched Pokkiri again… for the fourth time. This time not in the big Star Main Cinema, but in the much smaller Star Mini Cinema. Enjoyed it… and now people have begun asking me if I’m planning to take my PhD in Pokkiri. Dr. Arun Pokkiri Rajagopal… sounds interesting, right?
I celebrated the weekend by washing clothes, working on a corporate website for a major technology client and… watching movies, what else?

Went for Mani Ratnam’s much hyped ‘Guru’. I can hear people yelling / screaming in celebration… looks like Oman won! Wow… way to go…
Back to Guru. The movie is a sort of biopic, loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, one of the greatest industrialists India has ever seen and his rags to riches story. I constantly kept thinking of him as the movie progress. Guru is not an outstanding movie. I guess it is all the hype that preceded its release that works against it, including the much bandied engagement of its leading pair – Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. Abhishek delivers a good performance as Gurukant Desai, his journey from the village of Idhar in Gujarat to a salesman in Turkey to a small time cloth trader in Mumbai to India’s greatest industrialist… again I can’t deem it an outstanding performance. The movie fails to grip you entirely, all though it kind of carries you away at certain points. But again it is a fitting tribute to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power to dream. Dhirubhai Ambani’s life is a classic management case study. Do watch it once, not for its acting performances… but to take a leaf out of the life of one of India’s greatest visionaries and his ‘unique’ way of doing things… will most definitely inspire a lot of us to pursue our heart with conviction.

I also watched the much acclaimed ‘Babel’ yesterday. I absolutely loved the movie. I feel that you need know to a little about Babel from the Bible to appreciate this movie.

Excerpt from: http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4352770
According to the Bible, Babel was a renowned tower built by mankind united together to attain Paradise. This enterprise provoked the wrath of God, who, to separate them, had each of the men involved speak a different language, thus putting an end to the project and spreading over the Earth a disorientated people incapable of communicating.

In the movie Babel, director Alejandro González IÑÁRRITU spins three tales happening in three parts of the world at the same time. In the beginning, the three stories are seemingly disconnected from each other, before powerful, shocking connections emerge. Richard and Susan (Brad Pitt & Cate Blanchett), an estranged couple from California, are vacationing in Morocco. Two Moroccan kids watching over their herd of goats play with a rifle and accidentally shoot Susan, an incident which soon gets aggravated to the status of a terrorist act. As Richard struggles to save his wife in a forlorn Moroccan village in the desert with only a tour guide to help, his kids back home in California are taken by their Mexican nanny across the border to Mexico, so that she can attend her son’s wedding. The simple act of taking the kids along turns into a nightmare when her drunken nephew bangs his car at the US border followed by a car chase which results in the kids and the nanny being lost in the desert. They are finally discovered by the border patrol, after some anxious moments for the viewers. The third story Babel takes place in Japan, where Chieku, a deaf-mute girl struggles to come to terms with her mother’s recent death, her disability and consequent lack of social acceptance. As the movie culminates, the Moroccan goatherd has lost one of his sons to a shootout by the police who are hunting for the ‘terrorists’ who have shot at the American tourists. The kids’ nanny, who has been staying in the US illegally, is deported back to Mexico. Susan’s life is finally saved after creating an international crisis.

Babel essays a fine treatment of human tragedy. Seemingly innocuous, simple incidents seem to have a terrible impact on human plight. The message is quite simple – whatever be our cultural or geo-political differences, man is connected / united with another, in a good or bad way. Our actions have a definite impact on the lives of other people, even if they are on the other side of a continent. An example would be Chieku’s father giving away his hunting rifle as a gift to his guide in Morocco, who then sells the rifle to a goatherd who gives the rifle to his naughty kids who then shoots at a bus to see if a bullet travels three kilometres resulting in an American tourist being shot and the resulting international furore. And the connections still continue… Most of the dialogues are in Arabic, Japanese and Spanish… but the sub-titles do an excellent job in retaining the flavour. Babel also reminds us how stereotypical the world has become… about how we hear but don’t listen, about how we have lost the ability to understand and comprehend the ‘other side’. There are some brilliant moments in Babel… poignant moments in human life… and to experience that, you have to see Babel.

Excerpts from: http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4352770

"With Babel," explains Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu, "I wanted to explore the contradiction between the impression that the world has become quite small due to all the communication tools which we have, and the feeling that human beings are still incapable of expressing themselves and communicating amongst themselves on a fundamental level."

Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu on the film's message: "I don't know if it's an x-ray of the world because that's too ambitious, but I tried to show what is going on with us at the moment. We see the “other” as always abstract, so that to be different means to be dangerous and not able to understand the other. This is happening not only country between country, but against fathers, against sons, against husband... We are not able to listen anymore. I want to talk about that, the borders within our souls: our preconceptions of our fathers, the archetypes we have from religions, races, cultures. I tried to make a film that talks about prejudice without being prejudice."

Check out my Flickr Photoblog...

2007-01-22T22:27:00.000+04:00

Hey Guys...
Check out my Flickr Photo Album slideshow featuring the best snaps from my India trip. Let me thank http://webdev.yuan.cc/ for coming up with a neat tool to build in my album without having me to cracking the html. Alternatively, you can click here to view the snaps in Flickr. Enjoy!

Weekender Movies in Muscat

2007-01-22T14:18:00.000+04:00

The long weekend was a blessing (Saturday was a holiday in Oman because of the advent of Muharram, the Islamic New Year). Finally cleaned up my home, two weeks after returning from India. Watched Tamil flick 'Pokkiri' at Star Cinema Ruwi for the third time. Vijay’s Pongal release ‘Pokkiri’ is a movie not to be missed, for the amazing screen presence of the ‘larger than life’ hero Vijay, who stars as a ruffian who is in fact an undercover cop. Songs are good to the ears. Directed and scripted by, surprise surprise, ace dancer Prabhu Deva, this flick promised to be a delight to Vijay fans who were let down by his last release ‘Aadhi’. Another one I went for was the rocking ‘Happy Feet’ at Ruwi Cinema. It is an amazing flick, never knew that every Penguin had a ‘heart song’ to woo a mate. Happy Feet is the story of Mumble ‘Happy Feet’, an Emperor Penguin in Antarctica who is probably the worst singer in the world – a deformity attributed to the fact that he was dropped as an egg by his father - but has a unique talent that eventually gets him thrown out of his community – his ability to tap dance. A dancing penguin is considered taboo – and Mumble has to leave his colony, when his tap-dancing is attributed to a fish shortage. Though it is an animated movie targeted at tiny tots, adults can surely watch 'Happy Feet' and appreciate it for its powerful message – that every one has a unique talent and one can always change the world by passionately pursuing that talent. A review on Wikipedia says that Happy Feet "astonishes," it has brilliant choreography and orchestration, and is entertaining for younger viewers.

Also went for a supernatural mystery ‘The Illusionist’ at Ruwi Cinema again. Was so tired that actually dozed off in the deserted theatre. By using brilliant hues of browns and yellows, the movie sure did an amazing job of conveying how Vienna looked in the late 1800s. 'Illusionist' is simply the story of how Eisenheim, a famous illusionist uses an illusion to win his childhood love Sophie back from the clutches of Leopold, a ruthless crown prince. I’m now eagerly awaiting the release of Maniratnam’s 'Guru'.

As a parting shot, here’s some trivia on Penguins…

- Not all penguins are found in the Antarctic. The Galapagos Penguin is found on the Galapagos Islands and has even been known to breed north of the Equator.

- Female Adelie penguins prostitute themselves as a means of collecting valuable stones that they use to help protect their nests.

- Penguins can jump as high as 6 feet in the air.

- When Penguin moms lose a chick, they sometimes attempt to steal another mother's chick, usually unsuccessfully as other females in the vicinity assist the defending mother in keeping her chick.

- Penguins either waddle on their feet or slide on their bellies across the snow, a movement called "tobogganing", which allows them to conserve energy and move relatively fast at the same time.

- The Linux mascot is a penguin named Tux. A penguin's striking black and white plumage is often likened to a tuxedo suit and generates humorous remarks about the bird being "well dressed".

Schmoozeby in India

2007-01-14T11:41:00.000+04:00

This is the story of my travels in India from December 2006 to January 2007.
16 destinations. 22 train journeys. Over 2000 snaps. And 8 movies. All in 30 days.
My blog covers most of my experiences, adventures and moments on the move. Understandably, I have left out quite a few adventures, especially the ones that can’t be shared on a public domain. Also, there are a lot of moments, which words or pictures failed to capture.

India is such an amazing country, and I don’t think one can ever be done seeing and experiencing ‘incredible India’. Last, but not the least, this blog is written from the perspective of a hardcore ‘rail-fan’ – so please bear with constant references to ‘the stunning Erode WDM2* at the helm of the 7229 Sabari Express effortlessly notched up the gradient….’ – just kidding!!!, I don’t think there is such a line anywhere in my memoirs. Rail-fanning offers a great avenue to explore large stretches of India, at less time, energy and money. You haven’t seen the world, if you haven’t seen India. I look forward to your comments, and queries, if any. Thank you for visiting my blog.

*WDM2 – One of India’s finest diesel locomotives (See the above snap). Often called the workhorse of Indian Railways. Has a power output of 2600HP and is designed for mixed traffic service, passenger or freight. Geared for a maximum speed of 120 Kmph.

Here are the links to my travelogue:
Thursday, 7 Dec 2006: Delhi beckons
Friday, 8 Dec 2006: Delhi Deewana
Saturday, 9 Dec 2006: Down in Delhi
Sunday, 10 Dec 2006: Adieu to Delhi
Monday, 11 Dec 2006: A ride on the Brahmaputra Mail
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2006: A date with the Gods in Varanasi
Wednesday, 13 Dec 2006: Crossing India's heartland
Thursday, 14 Dec 2006: Mumbai madness, Konkan respite
Friday, 15 Dec 2006: An encounter with Bharathapuzha
Saturday, 16 Dec 2006: Rail-fanning in Cochin
Sunday, 17 Dec 2006: Killer Kovalam
Monday, 18 Dec 2006: Konkan, here I come!
Tuesday, 19 Dec 2006: Schmoozeby hits Goa!
Wednesday, 20 Dec 2006: The Miramar Magic
Thursday, 21 Dec 2006: Calangute comes calling...
Friday, 22 Dec 2006: Mangalore Siesta
Saturday, 23 Dec 2006: Wandering Ministrel in Mangalore
Sunday, 24 Dec 2006: Disaster at Pollachi!
Monday, 25 Dec 2006: Santa visits Kodaikanal
Tuesday, 26 Dec 2006: Adventure in the Kodai Forests
Wednesday, 27 Dec 2006: Taking a Break
Thursday - Saturday, 28 – 30 Dec 2006: The Cochin Sojourn & How to haggle in India
Sunday, 31 Dec 2006: The Ashtamudi Lake Cruise
Monday, 1 Jan 2007: Happy New Year!
Tuesday, 2 Jan 2007: Bits & Bytes from Bangalore
Wednesday, 3 Jan 2007: Blighted in Bangalore
Thursday, 4 Jan 2007: Toddy time at Thirumullavaram
Friday, 5 Jan 2007: Finding solitude at Paravur Lake
Saturday, 6 Jan 2007: Rail-fanning in Kollam, Kerala
Sunday, 7 Jan 2007: Back to Muscat

Thursday, 7 Dec 2006: Delhi beckons

2007-01-12T15:20:00.002+04:00

Left Muscat for New Delhi on WY 845 at 3am. The flight departed an hour late due to some problems with loading baggage. Arrived New Delhi in the morning, 30 minutes after scheduled arrival, in near fog-like conditions. Completed immigration and waited in the arrival terminal for a friend who was to travel with me over the next few days. Once we met up, we got prepaid cell connections from the Airtel booth at the airport. Took a cab from the airport prepaid taxi counter, and finally discovered Smyle Inn – the budget hotel we stayed in at Chandiwalan, Main Bazaar Road, Paharganj next to New Delhi Railway Station.
The ride was bumpy, yet adventurous. Checked in, had difficulty catching up sleep, and spent the evening navigating the dingy, but hectic alleys of Paharganj.
Went exploring Connaught Circle later. Watched Casino Royale at the Rivoli. Really swanky theatre; was pretty amazed at the level of security! Ate from a Punjabi Dhaba, and went to sleep with MTV blaring in the background.

To view more snaps from New Delhi, click on http://new.photos.yahoo.com/schmoozeby/
Type 'New Delhi' in the 'search tags' field in the top right corner and click 'Go'.

Friday, 8 Dec 2006: Delhi Deewana

2007-01-12T15:20:00.001+04:00

Decided to explore New Delhi Railway Station which is just a few minutes walk from the hotel. Was greeted by the glorious sight of a stunning Vatva WDM2 beast lugging the Ahmedabad Rajdhani which had earlier arrived on platform 1. Felt a tremendous adrenaline rush… later got to the International Tourist Bureau to pick up the INDRAIL pass. Was advised by the helpful officer that it’s always best to buy the pass, after pre-booking all journeys. Since my journey plans weren’t clear as of then, didn’t end up buying the pass.

Later went on a 1-day package tour of New Delhi that cost around 150 Rs. Clicked my first snap since my visit to India. Visited Red Fort, India Gate, Raj Ghat, Parliament House, Qutab Minar, Bahai Lotus Temple and Iskon Temple. The sights on the road were pretty interesting. Gave an impression of Delhi as a city with a lot of buzz, even thought it was quite unclean. Got back late in the evening. Felt ill the entire day, as I was coming down with a terrible cold and fever.

Apparently a cold wave was on in Delhi, with the mercury dipping down to 6.5 degree Celsius, the coldest day that season. I had gone to Delhi quite unprepared without appropriate winter wear for this chilly weather, and it was no surprise that I fell ill. Crashed into bed after hogging tabs.

And oh yes, let me describe my ‘Vicks trick’, that came in handy during my Delhi sojourn. I always kept dabbing Vicks ointment around my nostrils, during my bout with cold. Gradually I realised that it kept me immune from the stench in streets of Delhi, especially in Paharganj. The Vicks stayed with me, even after the cold went away. Thus, I basked in a blissful ‘vicks generated aura’ wherever I went.

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Saturday, 9 Dec 2006: Down in Delhi

2007-01-12T15:19:00.001+04:00

Missed the sightseeing trip to Agra to catch the Taj and Agra fort. Spent the better part of the day fighting a lonesome battle against cold and fever. Managed to venture out to the IGIA (Indira Gandhi International Airport) to speak to the Airtel guys regarding my prepaid connection which they hadn’t activated as of then. Took an auto rickshaw to the airport from New Delhi Railway Station, asked the driver to wait for me, while I promised to return within 5 minutes. Came back to discover that he left without taking his fare from me. Watched him scoot away with another passenger, as I yelled in my frail voice for him to come back. Felt quite amused! The Airtel connection kicked itself to life in the afternoon. And then broke into cold sweat when I discovered that my ATM card from India wasn’t working! Thanked God for my NBO Card, which I promptly used to take some cash. You bet they charged me crazy for that. :(
Took a much anticipated joy ride on the Delhi Metro from one end to the other in the evening. Enjoyed it tremendously… hats off to Delhi for coming up with such a marvellous transit system. Hit Connaught Place in the evening, dined at Berco’s, a swanky Chinese restaurant. Nothing better than Tom Yum soup for a soul down with the flu!

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Sunday, 10 Dec 2006: Adieu to Delhi

2007-01-12T15:18:00.001+04:00

Spent the better part of the day exploring Connaught Place. Was among the first customers at McDonalds in the morning. Three cheers to the veggie burger. Went to New Delhi Railway Station to get tickets for our journey to Varanasi the next day. Was told that all trains were running full and was asked to come back three hours before the departure of a particular super fast train we wanted to catch. Headed to Connaught Place which had become our regular jaunt by then. Ate at TGI’s late afternoon. I gulped down a Mojito, while my friend devoured pasta and beer. Took the metro to Chanakyapuri and then had a round in a cycle rickshaw. Came back to New Delhi Rly Station, braved the long queues, the unbearable heat and put on a brave front as we were told there were no tickets available in Sleeper or AC classes on our train. Was recommended to see if Delhi Station had tickets. Took the metro to Delhi, stood in the long queue only to be told there were no seats. Was finally approached by a tout, who got us tickets on the Brahmaputra Mail to Mughalsarai which is 16 odd kilometres from Varanasi. Bought them with some trepidation, as I was kinda worried if they were bogus. Also felt quite annoyed about this criminal practice where railway officials told passengers that there were no tickets, but sold them to touts. Headed back to New Delhi by metro rail, got our baggage and then headed back to Delhi Station in an autorickshaw. Saw numerous marriage processions on the road (baarat). Apparently it was the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar to get married. And then it rained! Ran into a quite swanky eatery at Delhi station, couldn’t help laughing out aloud hearing another of those funny radiomirchi ads. Tucked into a sombre plate of curd rice…

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Monday, 11 Dec 2006: A ride on the Brahmaputra Mail

2007-01-12T15:17:00.001+04:00

The 4056 New Delhi - Dibrugarh Town Brahmaputra Mail departed a little after 11.40pm. Settled into my berth for a rather uneventful journey. The 780km journey to Mughalsarai took over 15 hours. The train, which was hauled by a WAP5 - Vijay Utkarsh, halted at Aligarh, Tundla, Kanpur, Allahabad and Mirzapur. The highlight of the journey was idly crossing the spectacular Yamuna on a really long bridge. Got to Mughalsarai around 2pm, 3 hours after ETA. From the train, North India looked pretty green but quiet. Took a ride from Mughalsarai to Varanasi in a really strange vehicle called Vikram, which is a cross between a mini bus and an auto rickshaw. Held for dear life in the cramped and crammed vehicle which deposited us in front of Varanasi Railway Station. Went to the International Tourist Bureau to get train tickets for our next destination. Was advised by the very helpful officer at the counter not to get the IndRail pass, but to buy tickets for point to point travel, as I would be saving more money that way. We got two sleeper berths on the 2166 Varanasi – Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Ratnagiri Superfast departing next evening. Had a walk around the railway station at Varanasi, was enamored by the monkeys goofing around the platforms. Met a rickshaw driver outside the station, struck a deal with him to explore Varanasi and Sarnath for a day in his auto and then get dropped at the station, all for 400 Rs. Checked into the Hotel Surya, loved it. Enjoyed the food in their restaurant, splurged on indigenous Sula white wine and hit bed. Pure bliss.

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Tuesday, 12 Dec 2006: A date with the Gods in Varanasi

2007-01-12T15:16:00.002+04:00

Woke up early to begin our tour of Varanasi aka Banaras aka Kashi (which means luminous), the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth, supposedly founded by the Hindu deity Shiva. Navigated the narrow and winding alleys to get to the Ghats. Jostled for space with the cows. The atmosphere was very relaxing, soothing, almost felt like being surrounded by the Gods. Went to the Ghats, rented a boat for 600 Rs for a ride on the holy Ganges along the ghats. The atmosphere was filled with the scent of holy fragrance, religious chants and a breezy wind. Went to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, was amazed by its gold covered roof. As I repeated the mantras told by the priests and made an offering, I felt like on top of the world.

The boat ride was interesting. Was regaled by tales of Varanasi and the Ghats by the boatman. There is a ghat in Varanasi called Narada Ghat, where only buffaloes bathe. It seems that any couple who bathes together in that Ghat will never know peace for the rest of their lives. Even watched a bloated dead body float by, a very scary feeling. A passing boatman commented – Sab ka gathi yahi hoga (this is the fate that awaits everyone). Loved the shudh hindi / Bhojpuri dialect of people in Varanasi. Ate breakfast from a Kerala restaurant in Varanasi which has been there for over 50 years!

Visited Banaras Hindu University, famous temples in Varanasi such as Durga and Birla Temples before setting out to Sarnath where Buddha preached his first sermon. Was awed by the Dhamek Stupa, a stunning monument paying tribute to Buddhism. Visited the Japanese temple and learnt how to say Budham Saranam Gachami… in Japanese! Fed carrots to the deer at Sarnath Deer Park. Did some rail-fanning in Varanasi Railway Station, even caught some junkies sniffing glue at the outskirts of the platforms. Didn’t hang around a lot… the guys were intimidating. Got back to the Hotel, indulged in a lavish traditional Kerala Ayurvedic massage, felt like ready to take over the world. Got on the Ratnagiri Superfast at 8.45pm. Mumbai beckoned.

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Wednesday, 13 Dec 2006: Crossing India's heartland

2007-01-12T15:16:00.001+04:00

The 1482km ride on the Ratnagiri Superfast was interesting. Was quite hassled by a drunk co-passenger who was mad at me for exchanging my berth with a German traveller. He had asked me for the same berth, but I had absent-mindedly told him no. The German dude took out his guitar and strummed on as a crowd of curious onlookers gathered around him. Indulged in idle chit-chat with Rajneesh Kumar, a medical representative working in Allahabad, and the son of a railway guard. Found pleasure in swapping tales about raunchy SMS forwards. A new day began as the double WDM2 headed train ran from North India to Central and then Western India, as I soaked in the landscapes outside. I settled into John Grisham’s first work of non-fiction – An Innocent Man – didn’t enjoy it much. Bought a joke book from Itarsi. Laughed to myself frequently and had fellow passengers wondering what had gone wrong with me. Later, had fun explaining how flash-memory based mp3 players worked to a group of street urchins who had boarded the train in the evening. We stopped at Allahabad, Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Nasik Road, Igatpuri and Kalyan before reaching Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) around 11pm, after a 26 hour journey. Caught an auto rickshaw from LTT, spent some time looking for rooms, apparently most hotels were full. Finally checked into Hotel Plaza at Sion, quite expensive for its modest amenities.

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Thursday, 14 Dec 2006: Mumbai madness, Konkan respite

2007-01-12T15:15:00.001+04:00

Set out from the hotel to Mumbai CST (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the erstwhile Victoria Terminus) on a ubiquitous Mumbai local train to see if I could get the IndRail pass finally. Was the first person at CST when the International Tourist Bureau counter opened. They didn’t have the pass for the number of days I wanted. Was asked to go Churchgate Station. Took a bus ride to Churchgate, clicked a few snaps of the BMC / BEST double decker buses on my way. Got there only to find that they didn’t have any IndRail pass.

Finally got a 3AC ticket on the 6345 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Trivandrum Netravathi Express for the same day to Kollam Junction, Kerala. Was told by the queer lady who wore two spectacles at the ticket counter that I wouldn’t make it on time for the train that was departing at 11.40am. Decided to cover Churchgate – CST – Sion - LTT in trains, and thus avoid the rush hour on the roads. Thus began a mad dash, hopping from local train to local train, before reaching LTT around 20 minutes before departure. Phew! The rides were exciting… masses of people flowing in and out of trains that went like arrows helter skelter. The crowds were pretty ok, though I desisted from boarding trains that were jam packed. Felt goose bumps when I thought these very trains – the lifelines of Mumbai – where hit by the 2006 bomb blasts.

Netravathi Express took off on time, with an Erode WDM2 at the helm. Kollam was 1734km and 30 hours away. Had to take snaps of two kids who ran alongside my coach on a parallel track, they so desperately wanted me to click them. The ride was spectacular, with fascinating landscapes and superb curves. Konkan Railway is an unbelievable experience with its lush greenery, long tunnels, imposing mountains, expansive water bodies. You can see quiet villages from the train.

The train halted at Panvel, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Madgaon, Canacona, Karwar, Bhatkal, Udupi and Kankanadi before reaching Kasaragod in Kerala next day, early morning. Went berserk with the camera taking snaps, even took a video of the Konkan Jana Shatabdi, one of the fastest trains in Konkan Railway, whiz by. All said, Konkan is a must-see for every rail-fan. See it to believe it. Experience it to enjoy it!

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Friday, 15 Dec 2006: An encounter with Bharathapuzha

2007-01-12T15:14:00.000+04:00

Nethravathi Express entered Kerala early morning. Took some good snaps of the famous Bharathapuzha River in Kerala. Listened to a fellow passenger talk about how beautiful the river was back in the years and its sad condition now. It appears that sand mining has taken the gloss off this beautiful river. He was helpful in showing me good spots to take snaps of along the way. I particularly loved this station called Vallathol Nagar which is close to Shoranur. It is an ideal location for rail photography with its curvaceous platforms. A lanky gentleman sat next to me in the coach. Came to know later that he was Tom Joseph, the captain of India’s National Volleyball team. Nethravathi buzzed through North Kerala like a bullet, before reaching Ernakulam in the afternoon, and then ran through scenic Alleppey and one of my favourite scenic spots - Thakazhi before reaching Kollam in the evening. My camera didn’t remain idle.

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Saturday, 16 Dec 2006: Rail-fanning in Cochin

2007-01-12T15:13:00.002+04:00

Woke up early morning to catch the 4.20am Kollam – Ernakulam Passenger to Cochin. Pretty uneventful ride. Went to my bank to get my ATM card issue sorted out. Took a boat ride along the Marine Drive towards the ship yard and back. Sat down with a palmist at the Marine Drive just for the heck of it. She reeled off my past with such accuracy that I soon vanished from the scene. But, highly recommended, it’s not every day that you have a total stranger narrate the worst about you for 100 Rs! Had lunch at Bimbees, my favourite restaurant at Cochin. Got a 3AC ticket for Kollam on the 2511 Gorakhpur – Trivandrum Raptisagar Express, which has now taken the avatar of a super fast. Clicked some snaps of engines at Ernakulam Junction. Ran into a lil pup who had its leg ran over by a passing engine. A Railway Mail Service (RMS) worker picked up the howling animal from the bushes and gave it some water. The thankful beast was last seen tagging along with his new friend. Hated the journey, the coach had a stench about it, and I watched a rat hop around. The bright point in this trip was meeting a lovely IIT professor with an incredible sense of humour.

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Sunday, 17 Dec 2006: Killer Kovalam

2007-01-12T15:13:00.001+04:00

Slept most part of the day. The travel bug bit again. Goa it was. Went to Trivandrum in the afternoon with a friend to book my ticket. Hated the bus ride in KSRTC. Walked into the reservation office at Trivandrum Central Railway Station just when they closed down reservation at 2pm. Came back with the vital information that there were seats on a special train to Dadar departing next day. Went to Kovalam beach, a famous tourist attraction in God’s Own Country – Kerala and then later to the Museum and Zoo. Didn’t find Kovalam to be that interesting. More hyped than substance. Wonder how tourists can get to chill in peace on the quite small beach, with hawkers out to hassle you all the time. Loved the Zoo, got some snaps of the animals. Got really pissed at a group of visitors who threw stones at a leopard sleeping on a tree to wake it up. Felt like feeding them to the poor beast. May not have been a good idea, cuz probably they would have eaten up the leopard. Got back to Kollam by bus. Pretty quiet day otherwise, went for a Malayalam movie – Mohanlal starrer Baba Kalyani in the evening…

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Monday, 18 Dec 2006: Konkan, here I come!

2007-01-12T15:12:00.001+04:00

Took the early morning 6348 Mangalore Express to Trivandrum to book my ticket to Madgaon. It is always easier to get a ticket from the originating station of your train, especially on the day of your journey, at least three hours before departure. You pay a lil extra for this facility. It is called as EQ or Emergency Quota in railway parlance. Met with the guard, who is a really close friend, rode with him in his cabin. Visited the Running Bungalow, railway quarters in Trivandrum Central. Got a 3AC ticket on the 168 Trivadrum – Dadar Express Holiday Special train, thanks to his efforts. Rushed back to Kollam on the Mumbai bound 6346 Nethravathi Express, again. The guard was yet another friend, and took a ride with him in the brake van. Got back to Kollam just two hours before my train to Madgaon. Ran around to get my baggage sorted, rode on a bike at breakneck speed and reached the station just as the train bound to Dadar, Mumbai thundered onto platform no. 5.

Took quite a few snaps of my train and crossing trains on a ride that lasted 1005kms. Thought about the merits and the demerits of travelling in AC class vis-à-vis Sleeper class. It doesn’t make much sense to travel in AC especially in winter. Also, you can’t enjoy much of the scenery through the darkened windows. However, you can make most of the complimentary bedrolls and pillows, and privacy you get in the AC class. You can hang about the doors with your camera and click away to glory. Even the loos are much cleaner. However, in sleeper coaches, you can get to enjoy the scenery and click snaps from your window. And it is much cheaper, when compared to AC classes. But getting tickets in sleeper class for last minute travel can be quite a hassle.

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Tuesday, 19 Dec 2006: Schmoozeby hits Goa!

2007-01-12T15:11:00.002+04:00

Watched the sun rise, as the train sped fast over the Sharavati River on the longest bridge in Konkan Railway near Honnavar in Karnataka. Chatted up to a British family who shared my sentiments regarding Kovalam. A fellow passenger was kind enough to share ‘dope’ on Goa – what to see and where to go. Vital information which came in much handy, later! Got down the train and posed for snaps as we waited long for a train to cross us. The almost deserted train trundled into Madgaon around 11am.

Posed for a pic next to the Kalyan WDM2 with my backpack, Pepsi bottle, et al. Trudged straight into the reservation office, to book my return ticket to Kannur (Cannanore) in North Kerala. Was told that all trains were full. So took a ticket to Mangalore which is close to Kannur. Got a bike taxi outside Madgaon Station. The driver, a Keralite himself, added onto the useful knowledge accumulated on Goa. Made my travel plans on the bike. He insisted that I take notes! It was going to be North Goa. Travelled from Madgaon to Kadamba bus stand. From there to Panjim. And then decided to take life on the road as it came. The ride to Panjim was exciting. The landscape bore much semblance to Kerala. Kingfisher billboards adorned the landscape… wherever you went there was Kingfisher. A fitting tribute to Goa – the land of good times. And then there were the Hutch hoardings. Wherever you go, our network follows. Very much ironical, as my Hutch connection never worked outside Kerala. Thus, Hutch hoardings were always an eyesore. Met a lady on my bus ride from Panjim to Miramar, where I wanted to stay. She too became my ‘Goa Guide’.

Like providence would have it, I got dropped right in front of the Miramar Residency, at the Miramar beach. Checked into a cosy cottage. Had lunch and then explored Panjim in the afternoon. Took a ride on the Mandovi River in a ferry. Even indulged in some shopping. Scoured Panjim’s lanes for the famed INOX theatre. Finally discovered it and watched Kabul Express. So-So. Decided to hit Calangute next day.

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Wednesday, 20 Dec 2006: The Miramar Magic

2007-01-12T15:11:00.001+04:00

arun Woke up early morning to catch the sunrise at the idyllic Miramar beach. Took a long walk on the beach while plugged into music. Watched the barges lugging iron ore sail by, dogs chase each other and birds swoop around. Felt like the happiest soul on Earth. :) Left for Calangute in the afternoon. Managed to find a decent room in Calangute Residency, albeit just for a day. Was OK with me! Apparently the season was beginning two days later, when room rents were set to soar. Booked myself for a guided North Goa tour for the next day. Soon hit Calangute Beach, my first real beach experience in Goa. Was great, walked from Calangute to Baga, not before dashing off for a jet-ski ride. Devoured seafood from numerous joints on the beach. Wondered how my tummy shaped up into an endless pit. Picked up some fancy beaded jewellery on the beach for a bargain price. Wandered along the beach still sun dipped into the sea… dined late evening at Suiza Lobo, very much recommended. All nightclubs were closed down, owing to some security threat. Snuggled into bed, MTV still blaring.

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Thursday, 21 Dec 2006: Calangute comes calling...

2007-01-12T15:10:00.001+04:00

Took a morning walk along the Calangute beach. Was more crowded than Miramar. Went for my GTDC organised North Goa tour that cost 140 Rs. Visited the Shri Saptakoteshwar Temple at Narva, Mayem Lake, Mapusa, followed by the beaches of Vagator and Anjuna. Didn’t go boating in Mayem Lake, but clicked scores of snaps of a plucky herd of ducks and the flora at Mayem. Found the guide to be excellent, and learnt a lot of things on Goa from him. Loved the beach at Vagator, with its bevy of topless babes. Even ran into an ‘eight-legged bull’ and its companions.

Picked up my first dhol (drum), at a handsome price after some shameless haggling. Had a hippie look about me and I could feel the ever-present grin on my face growing wider. Got myself photographed by a Swiss ‘chocolate’ on the rocks, tried hard to get her daughter in the frame. Succeeded only in squeezing her bum in.J Anjuna has a special place in Goa’s history, as it is the first beach where the hippies landed, putting Goa on the international tourist map. Today the sea has reclaimed most of the beach and this very rocky, hazardous beach doesn’t attract visitors compared to Calangute or Vagator.

However, the Wednesday flea market in Anjuna is still alive and kicking. Go to seedy dealers on Anjuna beach if you want to gamble… and loose all you got. Decided to miss the trip to Port Aguada and got down at Calangute. Went on a dolphin watching cruise, got to see those lovely creatures toss their flippers and play hide and seek with us. Was the only one in the group to get them on film. Well, at least their fins. They can be incredibly fast… and can do without the attention. Got myself two temporary tattoos… and then visited Suiza Lobo to bid bye to Goa and have a parting shot of wine.

Calangute to Madgaon on minibus. The kind bus driver ensured that bike taxi driver didn’t take more than enough from me. Wandered into the AC Lounge at Madgaon Railway Station. Loved it… Three lady tourists were poring over the map of India. Great conversation starter – Is that the map of India? All three gave me a ‘you don’t know India on a map????’ look. Soon we were talking, even took their snap. And that’s when I came up with the not so great conversation ender – What time is your train? Never seen anybody so shocked. Apparently they had forgotten that they were to catch a train. The ladies ran for dear life. I enjoyed an expansive shower as I made myself home at the lounge. Met with two elderly couples from Jodhpur who were touring South India. They were telling how Jodhpur is such a beautiful place to visit. It seems that the water there is sweeter compared to brackish water in other parts of Rajasthan. A while later, I cut my finger while fiddling in my backpack. The two ladies swarmed over me as I sucked on the cut finger. They were kind enough to lend me Boroplus and band aid. I dozed off to sleep, after requesting the lounge attendant to wake me up in time for my train. Soon the 2619 Mumbai – Mangalore Matsyagandha Express came chugging into Platform 1 at around 1am, almost half an hour late.

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Friday, 22 Dec 2006: Mangalore Siesta

2007-01-12T15:09:00.000+04:00

Got into the Matsyagandha Express, a train that once met with a nasty accident on the Konkan Railway route a few years ago. The 437km ride promised to be uneventful, till I met a family who had inadvertently booked tickets for the previous day and realized their folly when they boarded the train. The good Samaritan in me burst forth like a blooming flower and I gave them my berth. And soon, I was trying to sleep, in container rack where they store blankets and pillows in an AC coach. Woke up early just as Matsyagandha left Udupi around 4.30am. There were like a million stars in the sky. Ok, probably a thousand? But loved the view… just amazing. Matsyagandha trundled into Mangalore around 6.30 in the morning. Took a few snaps of the Erode WDM2 being shunted, before hitting the reservation office at Mangalore Railway Station to book a ticket to Cannanore (Kannur) in Kerala. Was told by the lady at the counter that it was better to buy it from the regular ticket counter on the day of the journey. Checked into the Hotel Hindusthan. Took a well-deserved break. Watched the animation movie ‘Open Season’ at an Adlabs theatre at the hep Bharath mall in Mangalore. Did some shopping before hitting bed. MTV blaring as always.

Saturday, 23 Dec 2006: Wandering Ministrel in Mangalore

2007-01-12T15:08:00.000+04:00

Got to Mangalore Railway Station early morning. Boarded the Mangalore – Coimbatore passenger train for the 132km ride. Soon the compartment changed into a carnival ground with dudes around me belting old hindi songs and me providing accompaniment on my dhol. The gang of crooners got down at Kanhagad, while I continued with my ride. Reached Cannanore around noon. Called up my buddy with whom I was travel with from then on. Wondered if we should hit Rajasthan or go somewhere nearby – may be Coorg or Kodaikanal. Decided to head to Kodaikanal to spend X’mas. Took a bus to get to his medical college in Pariyaram, Cannanore. We set out in the evening back to Cannanore. Got to the railway station where we witnessed a pickpocket being caught red-handed. Our train was still a few hours away. Watched a Malayalam movie ‘Smart City’ in a ‘multiplex’ called Saritha. Got back to the station for our train that would lead us to Kodaikanal. I dozed off on the platform bench serenaded by mosquitoes…

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Sunday, 24 Dec 2006: Disaster at Pollachi!

2007-01-12T15:07:00.002+04:00

The 6628 Chennai – Mangalore West Coast Express snaked into Cannanore at midnight. Got ourselves seats in a first class coupe, as AC and sleeper classes were full. We reached Podanur Junction in the wee hours of morning. Had to change trains and board the metre gauge passenger that would take us from Podanur to Palani. A hundred people gathered around the station building to board this train and the railway authorities held back the train by over 20 minutes to allow everybody to entrain.

Meanwhile I requested the driver of the metre gauge passenger if I could take a snap of the train, only to be flatly refused. We got ourselves first class seats on the passenger train which was headed by a Ponmalai-based (ex-Golden Rock, Trichy) YDM4 which turned out to be a mother of a smoker. Both I and my buddy hung out of the train snapping up the scenery – a million hues of green! We soon made a grand entry into Pollachi Junction. Devoured the yummy vadas (rice cakes) sold on the platform. Ventured to take snaps of an incoming passenger train.

Was promptly booked by the duty station master, who was joined by the driver of our passenger train who complained that I still took pics in spite of being warned by him. The duty SMR turned a shade red when he asked me if I was a terrorist… I tried to bask in the glory. He finally asked me to show him my ID. He cooled down once he saw my innocent mug shot in my passport. Forget about causing terror, he must have made out that I can’t even kill a fly properly. For all the uninitiated rail fans out there, it’s illegal to shoot trains in India, especially on railway premises. You can get booked / get your camera confiscated / or cool your heels behind bars, if you get caught by the Railway Protection Force (RPF). And rail fans still continue taking snaps of trains on Indian Railways. Just visit http://www.irfca.org/ to see for yourself.
Got back into the train and winked at my friend who was busy munching dal vada. We were soon on the ‘rails’ snapping up windmills on the way. Reminded me of Netherlands… the weather was amazing with fog and sunlight playing hide n’ seek.

We reached Palani around 11am. Got to the bus stand and found that the next bus to Kodaikanal from Palani was hours away and that the ride on the government bus was guaranteed to be uncomfortable. Dindigul or Madurai is a better place to get to Kodai than Palani, as it offers you more connections via bus. But as our luck would have it, we soon ran into a couple and an Israeli tourist and teamed up with them and engaged a taxi. If there’s one car that can take six individuals and tons of luggage up to Kodai on a trot, that’s the hardy Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador. The ride on the Palani Hills was pretty exciting as we climbed up the gradient to get to Kodai. The mercury plummeted and fog descended on us. We reached Kodaikanal around 3pm and enlisted the help of a guide to get a room in MYH Green Mountain Lodge. Owing to Christmas & New Year, rooms were very difficult to get in Kodaikanal. We signed up for a full day guided tour of Kodaikanal the next day, followed by a forest tour the day after. We went for a walk around the Kodaikanal Lake, and then took a horse ride.

My steed acted like he would throw me into the lake any minute. My friend got an amazing beast, a 10 month old stallion named Rahul, who was so friendly and docile. Posed for pics with Rahul and then walked the entire perimeter of Kodai Lake which is around 5kms. Went to bed early. The chilly climate did its best to keep us quite awake.

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Monday, 25 Dec 2006: Santa visits Kodaikanal

2007-01-12T15:07:00.001+04:00

Merry Christmas! I donned the Santa cap, for the big day. Took a walk around the lake before proceeding on our tour of Kodaikanal. Had vadas for breakfast at Sami’s stall, posed for pics with him and the ‘amma’ (mother) selling pan parag next shop. Went chasing a herd of goats, one of them took a fancy for me, and was soon rubbing its head on my leg. May be it was just getting ready to butt me! Got into our tour bus, our tour guide was an engineering student named, of all the people, Saddam. Saddam was joined by Prince and Karthi (Karthik). We set out exploring the sights of Kodaikanal. We first went visiting Silver Falls at Kodaikanal. Met a group of Engineering students from Shastra Engg. College in Trichy. I slipped and fell twice at the falls. Was drenched, but thanked my stars that nothing untoward happened. Wondered about the time I slipped and fell while descending the hills on my trek to Job’s Well in Salalah almost a decade ago. Went on an amazing trek in the hilly forests enveloped in fog and mist.

Posed for pics with the world-renowned Strobilanthus or kurunji flowers which bloom only once every 12 years. Saw Dolphin’s Nose, got the gang of engineering dudes to pose for a monkey train on a nearby cliff. Asked them who their favourite Tamil heroine was. The unanimous reply was – Asin, though somebody described Nayantara as ‘luscious’; a term commonly used to describe ripe mangoes. Ate bread fried in omelette from a ‘shack like restaurant’ on our way. Loved the way it was prepared. Fell in love with a mutt that hung around the bench I was sitting. We covered other famous sightseeing spots before taking a round around the Kodai Lake.

My friend got me a keychain with my name inscribed on a single grain of rice. Gawked at people (read babes), while munching corn on cob. Watched a drunken 4WD driver plunge his Scorpio into a Honda City, then a shop selling curios made of seashells, and then a Toyota Qualis, before running over someone’s feet – all in less than 30 seconds, creating mayhem in the crowded Lake street. Went to the Kodaikanal Boat & Rowing Club and took a shikara ride in Kodai Lake. Saw Santa row a shikara. Learnt that his name was Murugan. Waved to him… Our Shikara-man, who name is akin to a famous American president, stopped the boat in the middle of the lake, and hiked his fare. Justifying his hike, he took our snaps in the shikara in various poses… all of which turned out to be… bad… :(

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Tuesday, 26 Dec 2006: Adventure in the Kodai Forests

2007-01-12T15:06:00.000+04:00

Today was our last day in Kodai. Our efficient guide got me a bus ticket from Kodai to Madurai and then from there to Kollam by train. (Just for a charge of 10 Rs!) My friend was travelling from Kodai to Coimbatore and from there to Cannanore. We visited Sami’s stall for breakfast. It was vadas for me again. Took some snaps with Kodaikanal Lake and the Kodai Hills in background. Thank God for the feature called ‘auto click’ in cameras. I lost my jacket, while posing with a ‘monkey’. My buddy went back there in the evening and got it back, apparently the watchman had preserved it for us! Went for our Kodaikanal Forest Tour. Visited Coaker’s Walk and then saw the magnificent Kodai Lake at a height from a view point, quite naturally called, Lake View.

Passed by the Kodaikanal Golf Club. The guide told the tourists: We are passing by the Kodaikanal Golf Club. To which a tourist from Mumbai promptly replied: If we are not stopping here, why the hell are you telling us that this is the Golf club? To which the guide replied: The club is closed to tourists as they used to have lunch on the greens and litter it. India for you. Took a trek through the rows of pine trees and deciduous shola trees where playful monkeys flitted around as people were shrouded in clouds of mist. These forests have been a shooting location for many movies. Had a group of local village women, who were returning from the forest after gathering wood to pose for a snap with their bundles of twigs. Couldn’t catch a glimpse of the famed Pillar Rocks as fog played havoc. Saw the ‘in’famous Guna cave aka Devil’s Kitchen, which was a shooting location for the famous Tamil film ‘Guna’. Apparently the cave is off limits to tourists, as 12 people have fell into the depths of the cave and they haven’t yet discovered their bodies. I guess that’s where my buddy lost his mobile phone trying to perform acrobatics with monkeys. Also got to see the famous ‘suicide point’ which is now called Green Valley. Couldn’t see anything beyond the edge of the cliff, but managed to a few click amazing snaps.

Even saw a flower merchant selling flowers that are said to last at least 20 years without wilting. Visited the striking 133-year old blue and white Lady of La Salette Church built in gothic style, Kurinji Andavar temple and Chettiar Park before getting dropped at the bus stand to take my 4.30pm bus to Madurai. The drive to Madurai was fun. Watched the bus descend the hills covered by dense forests, through the very narrow, winding road. We occasionally stopped to give way to vehicles making the ascent to Kodai. Even captured a massive fight between some rowdies on the road on video. Once we reached the plains, the bus picked up speed and we soon cruised past Dindigul, overtaking luxury coaches as well as bullock carts.

Reached Madurai Railway Station around 8pm. Shopped for dhotis and was told that Sree Sabaris was the best veg joint in town. Managed to get a seat in the jam-packed eatery. Splurged on paneer omelette, and masala dosa? Deposited my backpack at the railway station cloak room. Got to a Satyam Broadband Internet shop. Got back to the station, gawked at the trains and babes. Drooled. Saw an MLA being escorted by his entourage to a waiting train. Watched at least four super fast trains enter and exit Madurai Junction’s platform no. 1, enjoyed watching the loco pilots do their custom checks and start off their trains. A particular senior driver named J. Periaswamy made a lasting impression. And so did the dozen odd mosquitoes that gave me unwanted attention.

The 727 Madurai – Kollam Passenger rolled into a very crowded platform no. 3 for departure. The station staff did not turn the lights on in the train. A Canadian couple led the way to passengers in my coach with a flashlight. Yours truly impressed himself by turning the lights on from the coach electrical switchboard. As the train slowly trundled out of Madurai, I plugged into my music player…

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Wednesday, 27 Dec 2006: Taking a Break

2007-01-12T15:05:00.000+04:00

The 366km ride to Kollam was again pretty uneventful. Once the train reached Trivandrum Central, it slackened its pace and stopped at every station on the way, at times allow express trains to overtake us. Moi indulged in some rail-fanning before reaching Kollam around 9.30am. Took a much deserved break…

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Thursday - Saturday, 28 – 30 Dec 2006: The Cochin Sojourn & How to haggle in India

2007-01-12T15:04:00.000+04:00

Went to Cochin (Ernakulam) on the 7229 Trivandrum – Hyderabad Sabari Express. Took a video of a metregauge train overtaking my train just as we left Kollam Junction Railway Station. Sabari soon kicked up a storm, notched up and exacted sweet revenge by overtaking its puny cousin a few minutes later. Indulged in taking lots of snaps on the way. Reached Ernakulam Town Railway Station in the afternoon. Stayed at the Railway Quarters, Ernakulam Junction with a railway guard friend and his family. Watched the Malayalam film ‘Notebook’ at Kavitha theatre.

Spent the next two days there, snoozing most of the time. Always peeked out of my window which overlooked platform 1 to see which train was entering or the leaving the station. Took lots of snaps, always had a WAP4 or WAM engine parked in the backyard. Hung out with the local kids, roamed around in Ernakulam with the ‘railway kids gang’. On 30th, left for this place called Njheerur in Kottayam District. Watched Ernakulam come to a standstill for three hours in the evening, owing the strike called by local political parties to protest against Saddam Hussein’s execution in Iraq. Stayed at a friend’s place. Picked up my second dhol (drum), this time a really big one, for 150 Rs from a group of travelling salesmen outside the Railway Station. Felt that could have got it for a much cheaper price. This is how bargaining goes with such people. You: How much does this dhol cost? He: 250 Rs. You: I will take this for 150. He: OK.

From my experience buying things from various places, I find that settling for half-the price of an item is a good rule of thumb, as these hawkers generally tend to hike prices when it comes to tourists. Another good strategy is to buy in bulk, as the seller will bring down his prices so that he can clear off his goods. In Goa, I got beaded chains that were selling for 20 Rs for 10 Rs because I agreed to buy out his entire collection. Last but not the least, this sounds weird, but chose your vendor / hawker, just like the way they chose their customers to haggle. You can always make out who is having a good or bad day and who is eager to sell-off their stuff. Usually you quote a price and then feign disinterest or walk-away, especially if the vendor initially murmurs disagreement. Seven times out of ten, the vendor will chase you, and still agree to sell the stuff, sometimes even at a much lower price. It always helps to remember that goods and curios always sold on streets always cost quite cheap, or else hawkers wouldn’t afford to buy them in bulk and sell them on the roadside. Haggle in India, especially if you are new to a place, whether you are taking an auto ride or a jet-ski ride. Put on your best smile, and even try it with a tour operator, like I did in Bangalore and got a discount. Do it with second hand booksellers, dhol sellers and tattoo artists. Just don’t try it at restaurants, railway stations or in buses. Will put you in a real bad light or get the day lights knocked out of you!

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Sunday, 31 Dec 2006: The Ashtamudi Lake Cruise

2007-01-12T15:03:00.000+04:00

Left for Kollam on the 31st. Boarded the 2626 New Delhi – Trivandrum Kerala Superfast Express from Vaikom Road. But before that watched an ox getting slaughtered at the Panchayat Butcher. This is how it goes. They bind it with ropes so that it doesn’t move about much, wrap a towel around its head, and use a giant hammer to bang its head… thrice… and the mighty ox falls down with a thud. Dead. But as they carve up the ox, it begins thrashing again… as some remnants of life are still left somewhere… it’s a pretty gory sight!!! Kerala Express was jam packed with Lord Ayyappa devotees… like most other trains running through Kerala in the fag end of December. Wanted to try something different.

How about a ride in a vallom (traditional boat) in the magical waters of Kollam? Went to the boat jetty, found that a 1 hour ride on a safari boat cost around 600 Rs. Scrapped the idea. Sped on a bike with best buddy Subash to Perumon, Kollam, which is famous for being the unfortunate site for the worst rail tragedy in Kerala in 1988, when a train fell off the bridge over Ashtamudi Lake at Perumon resulting in the loss of over 100 lives. Before that stopped at a nearby railway gate and posed for pics on the tracks. Managed to shoot a video of a passing train: the Howrah bound Trivandrum - Howrah Express and took snaps of the Trivandrum bound 7230 Hyderabad – Trivandrum Sabari Express. Got to the Ashtamudi lakeside, befriended the local boatman Unniraj, who took us on a ride around Perumon. Visited the local toddy shop, but found the atmosphere to be a lil shady; so escaped. Yelped with joy as the big vallom sailed through Ashtamudi Lake and the water birds hovered around us in the twilights.

Unniraj waited for us, as I hogged a double omelette and walked along the Perumon bridge and took snaps, unfortunately couldn’t capture any passing trains. It was dark as we took the boat ride back. Loved it. And the entire experience cost only 100 Rs. Any of you interested in boat rides across Ashtamudi Lake, just get in touch with me to take Unniraj’s number. Got back to Kollam and decided to welcome in the New Year with a sea food dinner at Hotel Shah International followed by watching Mammooty’s ‘Palunku’ at Pranavam theatre, Kollam. Touché!

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Monday, 1 Jan 2007: Happy New Year!

2007-01-12T15:02:00.001+04:00

Salaam Namaste 2007!!! And another journey to welcome 2007. Now to Bangalore. Had booked tickets during my stay in Cochin. I was to travel with a friend on the holiday special 641 Ernakulam – Bangalore Express, departing Cochin at 5pm. Left Kollam at 11am on the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus bound 6346 Netravathi Express. Befriended a lil girl Vava who was travelling with her grand mum to Cochin. Got into Ernakulam Junction just as the train to Bangalore was leaving. Managed to catch the train. Settled into the 3AC coach, chatted with two friends, took some snaps as the special train travelled at breakneck speed. As the train neared Palakkad Junction, the gang of three stepped out of the coach and stood at the vestibuled pathway, crooning (croaking) two liners of popular songs in voices that would have put the most irritating frogs to shame. Admired the night sky as the train whizzed past Valayar and entered Tamil Nadu.

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Tuesday, 2 Jan 2007: Bits & Bytes from Bangalore

2007-01-12T15:01:00.000+04:00

Woke up around 4ish in the morning, as the train pulled up at the outer limits of Bangalore City and commenced a long wait, before entering the crowded station. Found Bangalore to be quite chilly. Got an auto to Hotel Regency Inn in Cottonpet, which is very close to Bangalore City Station. Signed up for a morning city tour of Bangalore, from a travel agent across the road. Slept for a while, and woke up just in time for the guided tour. The bus deftly navigated the crowded streets of Bangalore, as I wondered at the spectacularly high congestion levels in the city. We got to explore Tippu’s Summer Palace, Balaji Bull Temple, Karnataka Arts & Crafts Emporium, Vishwesharaiah Museum of Technology and Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Felt that the tour was a letdown, as none of these places captured the excitement I felt while being to monuments in other places.

Lalbagh is a nice place to go to if you are interested in taking a long walk, while munching on savoury snacks and watching lovers make out… Got down at MG Road. Checked out MG Road and the adjoining Brigade Road… Had lunch from Hotel Brindavan, loved the amazing south Indian thali served on a plantain leaf. Went to the Garuda Mall, and shopped like crazy. Found Shopper’s Stop to be a good place to pick great outfits. Went to Café Coffee Day next to Forum and indulged in chocolate as we caught up with some friends in Bangalore. Got back to the hotel, but not before the auto rickshaw driver looted us for a fare of 150 Rs, for a ride which would have normally not cost more than 50 Rs. If you are travelling anywhere from MG Road, I would urge you to use the prepaid auto counter, which I discovered only the next day.

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Wednesday, 3 Jan 2007: Blighted in Bangalore

2007-01-12T15:00:00.000+04:00

My second as well as last day in Bangalore, and probably the most memorable day of my trip, albeit in a bad way. Began the day by hitting MG Road and Brigade Road. Shopped at the Bookworm, a small shop tucked away in MG Road, next to Gangarams, one of the largest bookshops in Asia, with 4 floors. I recommend Bookworm if you are looking for used books at good prices. Picked up an unused copy of ‘The Google Story’ at 40 Rs less than at Gangarams. Spent time with friends. Indulged in chocolate iceberg at Café Coffee Day. Couldn’t resist having lunch at Brindavan for a second consecutive day. Service can be a little slow if you sit at the tables away from the bill counter.

Continued shopping. Even picked up a flute from a roadside vendor for 30 Rs. Got to the railway station to board the 637 Ernakulam (Cochin) Express which was departing at 5.15pm. Found out our AC coach, settled into our berths and kept our luggage securely. And then got conned.
This really suave and urbane guy sat opposite to us and we were soon chatting away to glory. He was soon telling his life story. North Indian guy from merchant navy. Going to Cochin to get married. Had so much luggage and spent all the money he had to to book them in the luggage van of the train. Got his credit card 'captured' at the ATM in the railway station. Had no money left to buy a ticket. So requested us to loan him some money so that he could buy his ticket. Told us that he would repay us when his people came to pick him at the railway station in Cochin. Now, had he asked us just like that, we wouldn’t have given him the money. But this guy weaved an incredible tale that involved merchant navy, oil tankers, Khorfakkan, a new job at Shell, a love marriage, relatives coming to receive at the railway station and so on and so forth… dignified haplessness, if you might call that. Seemed to be a quite polished chap. As the train was just about to leave, me and my friend felt that even if it was a genuine need, he couldn’t buy a ticket and come back and board the train in time. But things were just happening too fast that we couldn’t refuse him. I didn’t have much change on me, so I ended up giving him 600 Rs. He promptly disappeared ‘to buy his ticket’. It was such an experience, that I still don’t know to date, if that was a genuine need or not. All I know is that’s the last I have seen of my 600 bucks. That’s the price I had to pay to forgetting the golden rule while travelling. Never volunteer to help, especially with money, no matter what the issue or who the individual. When you are on a journey, your first priority should always be you and only you. Be firm but polite, and always say NO. Though it was such a depressing experience, it was such a great eye-opener, meeting the ‘smart conman’ as I call him now. Always keep an eye out for such people, they are everywhere… not just on trains. Felt particularly bad as that was the first experience in my almost month long travels across India, where I had come across scores and scores of beggars, touts, hagglers and shady figures and always managed to steer clear from them. We soon left Bangalore, and met this couple from Saudi Arabia. My friend had to tell this ‘con story’ to them and soon they were telling us tales about how they had been ripped off by strangers, especially in railway stations. Felt much better. :) You can bet that the Bangalore con experience has made me a much better person, when it comes to saying NO. There are some things you only learn the hard way!

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Thursday, 4 Jan 2007: Toddy time at Thirumullavaram

2007-01-12T14:59:00.000+04:00

Got to Ernakulam Junction Railway Station around 5 in the morning. Got a ticket for Kollam in the 6303 Ernakulam – Trivandrum Vanchinad Express. The train was pretty crowded. I stood at the footboard and got some snaps of villages and paddy fields between Kottayam and Ernakulam covered in morning fog and dew. Got to Kollam around 9.30am. It was my much cherished dream on this trip to visit a toddy (kallu) shop and have lunch (oonu) from there. In Kerala, most standard toddy shops serve lunch with delicious seafood. I and my friend decided to visit Thirumullavaram, which has one of the best toddy shops serving lunch in Kerala. We got to Thirumullavaram beach, and checked out the shop by the sea nestled among lush coconut groves. I managed to drink only a glass of the frothy, sweet toddy as my friend downed a full pot over fried fish and prawns. He promptly declared it to be the best toddy he had ever had. Fresh toddy, extracted from the coconut tree and served instantly, is a rarity especially at toddy shops. Ours had some hint of fermentation, but still made a great drink. We then proceeded to the shack across the toddy shop for our much awaited lunch. It was a humble shack, with decrepit benches and tables, where food was prepared right in front of us. I soon settled into one of the yummiest lunches I have ever had. Steaming white rice, sizzling king-size kingfish with fish powder, prawns simmering in tangy coconut and mango curry, ground coconut paste with chilly (called chamanthi in local parlance), fried prawns, a vegetable dish called thoran, lime pickle and curd curry. I regretted having toddy before lunch as I felt fully loaded. The chef and his attendants ensured that we enjoyed their fare to the fullest. It was a heavenly experience! I went back home totally heady and promptly hit bed, only to be woken by a dream.

If you ever visit Kollam, don’t miss the kallu & oonu experience at Thirumullavaram. There is a small yet beautiful beach next to the toddy shop. For the less adventurous, there is a village pond overlooking the sea where you can take a dip, along with the local kids who are always practicing acrobatic diving moves. All in all, an afternoon spent at Thirumullavaram makes for a really fabulous experience. Decided to some rail-fanning at Paravur Lake, a scenic spot near Kollam next day.

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Friday, 5 Jan 2007: Finding solitude at Paravur Lake

2007-01-12T14:57:00.000+04:00

Woke up early in the morning to catch the Kollam – Trivandrum Passenger at 6.45am. Got down two stations later at Paravur, which is 13km from Kollam. Walked along the tracks and got to the lake. Clicked snaps of 2 passing trains, especially one on the bridge, which is less than a km away from the station. Spent more than an hour sitting on the girder of the bridge listening to music, watching an occasional boat drift by and sun rise higher into the sky. Enjoyed the solitude that came with a cool breeze. Discovered the multi-faceted uses of the bridge – which is used by the locals to fish, perform morning exercises, or sit and chitchat. One cheeky individual seemed to derive immense pleasure by crapping under the bridge. On seeing me with the camera must have wondered if I was going to take his snap!

Walked back along the tracks for the 1082 Kanyakumari – Mumbai Jayanti Janatha Express that was to take me back to Kollam. Got back to Paravur, just as the Kanyakumari bound 1081 Mumbai Express thundered past, followed by the Madurai – Kollam passenger which pulled into Paravur and waited for the 1082 to cross it. This was followed by the 7229 Hyderabad bound Sabari Express overtaking a late running 1082. 1082 soon chugged in and hordes of college-goers and office workers from Paravur as well as the Madurai – Kollam passenger got into the train. Got into a jam-packed general compartment, the second from the engine. Couldn’t take snaps, but managed to record a sound clipping of the decked up, freshly painted Erode WDM2 beast with its double horns bleating incessantly and kicking up a storm on its ride. Got to Kollam around 9.30am. Ran into vava and her grand mum at the railway station, waiting for Nethravathi Express.

Had to go to Trivandrum in the afternoon to visit a friend’s family. Opted for the Kottayam – Nagercoil passenger than the KSRTC super fast bus. Clicked snaps like crazy. Watched this crazy dude dangle out of the train and try acrobatics like crazy. Got into Trivandrum Central around 5.30. Took off to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Aatukal. Visited friend’s family, loved the ripe banana chips they got me. Headed off to Karalkada, a famous shop that sells traditional Kerala silk dhotis (mundu) and sarees. Ran into Shaji Kailas, a top Malayalam director and his actress wife Annie. Wondered how easy it is to spot celebs in Kerala. Just a few days ago, we had raced N.K Premachandran, Kerala’s water resources minister in Kollam on our bike. On 31st, the railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav was in Trivandrum to commission the electrified Trivandrum – Ernakulam railway line. Wanted to go and click snaps, but got stuck in Ernakukam. Boarded the 6347 Trivandrum – Mangalore Express at 7.45pm to get back to Kollam. We were getting really late for our train so we jumped into a train that was just starting to move in an opposite direction so that we could get to platform 3 where Mangalore Express was waiting. Though we did that quite coolly then, now I wonder how the hell we could do something risky as that. Mangalore Express was jam-packed. Decided to get sleeper tickets up to Kollam. Paid 200 Rs which was swallowed entirely by the TTEs. No receipt, no ticket. Corruption rules? Got down at Kollam, where the train got delayed owing to the massive crowd that hung out of the general compartments. It got so crowded that a group of passengers wanted to travel in the guard’s cabin, sensing the weird situation the guard locked himself up in the cabin, before reporting to the station that it was impossible to start the train with such a huge crowd. An absolute nightmare!

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Saturday, 6 Jan 2007: Rail-fanning in Kollam, Kerala

2007-01-12T14:56:00.000+04:00

Went around Kollam, running errands, finishing up with last minute shopping. In the afternoon, raced the 6323 Trivandrum – Howrah Express from the railway gate / level cross at SN College, Kollam to the over bridge at Chinnakada, Kollam. Almost crashed into a bus. We won!!! Did my last rail-fanning in this trip… went to the passenger bridge at Kollam Junction Railway Station and snapped up the 6323 Trivandrum – Howrah Express, the 6345 Lokmanya Tilak - Trivandrum Nethravathi Express, a metre gauge train bound to Tenkasi and the Nagercoil – Kottyam Passenger. Decided to celebrate the last night in Kerala with a movie. Enjoyed watching the Malayalam flick ‘ Classmates’ for the second time in Dhanya. Got back to packing. My flight back to Muscat was from Trivandrum at 7am. Had to catch a train from Kollam to Trivandrum in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

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Sunday, 7 Jan 2007: Back to Muscat

2007-01-12T14:44:00.000+04:00

Didn’t sleep the previous night. Ran to the station with bag, baggage and dhols, only to find that the train was running 30 minutes late. Finally, the 6128 Guruvayur – Chennai Egmore Koodal Express made a grand entry. I and my friend Subash who was going to drop me got into a Chair Car. Koodal Express is a train that gets crowded because people make themselves really comfortable by stretching out and sleeping on chairs meant to seat three or more people. You can witness scenes such as one’s feet going into the mouth of another (no not another fetish). And somehow passengers, people getting down at Nagercoil mostly, are too polite to wake up others for a seat. That train is a sleeping beauty, where people are sleeping on chairs, on the floor, in doorways, on luggage racks and even under chairs. I dozed off as I was too tired, till a fellow passenger who was feeling that the night was too dull turned on his transistor radio to kick up some action. We soon got to Trivandrum Central, and I didn’t even want to take a second glance at the train, fearing I would lose my interest to return. We took an auto rickshaw to Trivandrum Airport. Discovered that it must be the among the few airports on Earth without an ATM. If you need to find one, you need to walk out of the international terminal and get to the domestic airport. Keep some cash with you (not to dole out to smarties without flight tickets!!!) but for essentials. The airport security won’t let you leave the airport once you enter, but then as I always learnt on this trip a smile can move more than mountains. Checked in, had to pay excess baggage for books, sweets, et al… loved the sunrise as I was boarding the aircraft. The sun was a bright brilliant red cusp… reminding me that the end of every journey always leads to the beginning of the next.

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National Day Holidays - Trip to Marmul

2006-12-03T17:34:00.000+04:00

Last weekend, I went on a bus ride to Marmul . For those unaware of Oman’s oil production capabilities, Marmul is a major oil exploration outpost in the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) concession area. Marmul is 880km from Muscat and a bus ride lasts around 11 hours. I travelled in Happy Line Transport, a leading luxury coach company offering daily services to Marmul and other PDO locations in the deserts of Oman such as Fahud, Yibal, Qarn Alam and Saih Rawl.
We took off from the Ruwi Bus Station at Muscat around 7am. We stopped at Firq Roundabout in Nizwa for breakfast, which is a major halting point for all luxury coaches operating on the Muscat – Salalah Highway. Before and after Adam, we ran into a huge convoy of military vehicles probably making a ‘base move’ which significantly slackened our pace.
14km from Haima, we turned left to get into the PDO concession area. The bus stopped at Rima, Nimr and Bahja on its way to Marmul (PDO outposts similar to Marmul). A rig move between Rima and Nimr had us trailing behind the trailers carrying heavy equipment at a speed of 50kph for over an hour. We finally reached Marmul at around 6pm, 1.5 hours late compared to the normal journey time.
The highlight of the down trip to Marmul was witnessing a beautiful sunset in the desert– a gigantic, resplendent orange fireball dropping down into the sands like a fireball from the heavens right ahead of the lonesome desert highway. Sorry, I have no pic… you just have to imagine the sight. J
I travelled back to Muscat the same evening by car. A journey on the Muscat – Salalah Highway which is just hitting the gas on a straight road in the middle of the desert for hundreds of kilometres can be a pretty boring experience, but do keep a wary eye for camels that can jump in front of your vehicle, especially in the night. I did encounter a herd in the middle of the night. As always, responsible driving and alertness on the road pays. I also happened to see the mangled wreckage of what was once a Lexus next to the highway – the aftermath of a deadly collision with a truck – it’s left there as a reminder to all motorists that speed thrills, but also kills!

On a parting note, meet Mittu, the affable kingfisher who is always hanging about my flat’s balcony.

Schmoozie says Hi!

2006-11-27T14:20:00.000+04:00

Hello...

The weather's been pretty great in Muscat today, with the clouds sailing past my glassy windowscape at work and the sun playing peekaboo. With people in office discussing their holiday plans from 29 Nov to 1 Dec (National Day Hols in Oman when the country goes off to snooze), I chipped in with my travel plans for my vacation.

I have got 10 more days to go before I take off for a month to India. One definite thing I'm looking forward to this vacation is to do an 'India trip on rails'. Being a train freak myself, it's been a long time dream to travel across India on trains and check out the sights one of the most beautiful lands on Earth has to offer.

The IndRail pass offers an excellent way to explore India on rails for a designated period of time. I will have to go one of these days to National Travel & Tours in Muscat to pick up my IndRail pass. http://www.indiatravelite.com/railway/indrailpass.htm

I will be taking a pass for 21 days, which would cost me around US$ 198 which works out to around Rial Omani 76. And this pass entitles me to travel in 2AC, 3AC, Sleeper and General classes in virtually any train in India for 21 days, without paying any reservation or supplementary charges. Works well for me, since I am planning to hop on, hop off trains as I go places...

I've been taking pointers from friends at work on my Bharat Yatra (Indian Trip)... Chan, the art director at the agency says that it's better to travel in AC class during winter... as sleeper compartments will be all covered up and would get very stuffy and uncomfortable to travel in. He highly recommends AC travel... while I know I will really miss awesome rail sights including rumbling trains, idyllic railway stations and picturesque views if I am boarded in a darkened AC compartment...

Shanty, the copy chief at agency and close compatriot was recommending places of interest to visit... he suggests taking off on the breathtaking Konkan Railway Route with stopovers at Mahe, Karware & Mumbai before taking off for Rajasthan and then coming back to Goa, where he recommends me to spend a few days checking out Goa, Madgaon, Kulem, the babes n beaches till Christmas before coming back to Kerala sometime around New Year...

Will keep you posted on the travel plans... Ciao 4 now!