Where is my Ratatouille?

Pixar has done it again...after Finding Nemo...The Incredibles...it is now time to escape to Paris with our excellent chef..Remy

A fantastic movie with great humour..and a brilliant concept...


Guys..do catch this flick!!

My Escape to Paradise: Part II

Day 1:
The first day was spend idling on Karon beach...playing with the waves...soaking in the sun...and to top it all..building a sand castle complete with moats..escpae tunnels and pyramids...

Karon Beach

Lunch..Thai food..awesome as always!! loved the chicken with basil...
After lunch..we set off for Kata..the beach is truly magnificent..and definitely more picturesque than Karon...but we didnt stay too long as Lehmunade was dying to look for 'Island Suits' to get some suits made...so after traversing Kata road for a few times..making a few calls with help of the 7-11 lady..we managed to track the place down...as Artanis and Lehmunade let their imaginations run wild...we head off to quite a seedy looking pub..had some drinks..played darts...
After a few hours..and completely revampin their wardrobes...Artanis and Lehmunade joined us and off we went to get some food...and tis time it was pizza!!

Day 2:
Time for Phi phi!!!

got up really early..had a quick breakfast..and off we were to the ferry terminal..to board the 'Sea Voyager II' to Phi phi...and after 2 hours we were greeted by:
"Welcome everybody, everybody this is Phi Phi Don. Phi Phi don is something something sq km in size...blah...blah..blah" **to be recited in nasal tone..again and again**

Phi Phi!!

got tranfered to another boat and took a ride along phi phi leh (little phi phi)...this is the place with the famouse Maya beach..which we could not see!! cause of apparently turbulent waters near it!!
Tip: Guys...Rent a small boat at phi phi..dont go on the big ones...the small boats actually take u inside all the bays...

so we anchored near Monkey beach.(ne guesses why it is called so....duh..there are many monkeys on the beach!!)
enjoyed Snorkeling!!! wow...the number of fish was truly amazing...a wonderful experience...

after lunch..wadled around on phi phi beach..which believe me..is the most fabulous place ever..with clear waters..and lovely sand..could be there forever...

Waddling at phi phi

Another Tip: Never carry camera when you are waddling in the sea...

After arriving back in phuket..we went down to patong to check out the night scene..ended up in a mexican pub..with good music and 150 types of margaritas!!!

Stay tuned for more....

My Escape to Paradise: Part I

Time for another holiday!!! **finally**

and this time the chosen destination was the Paradise Island of Phuket...

so with the glorious company of Lehmunade, Artanis, Snape and Voldy...we set out to the Budget Terminal to hop on our Tiger Airways flight to Phuket...
Guys...tiger is quite good..and comfortable...except for the fact that a bottle of water costs 3 dollars!!

so after a short flight of 90 mins..we landed at Phuket...
first impressions...the airport is quite clean..visa too didnt take too long...but finding a cab is a bit tricky..so best to arrange pickup with your hotel...

Baan Karonburi...the chosen hotel..sits smack opposite Karon beach...the location is just fantastic as it is just a short ride away from bustling Patong but still far away to enjoy the beach all to yourself....the rooms are good...and food is also decent...

Stay tuned for Day 1...

Mera Bharat Mahan

It is time to reflect on the past...celebrate our accomplishments today...and plan for better tomorrow...

Happy 60th!!!

and there shall be no more....

Thanks Mdm Rowling for this wonderful journey...it has finally hit me...and hit me hard..there will be no more adventures....no more escapades..stuck in the Muggle land forever!!!

Stay tuned for more posts...

I got Tagged

Here are the rules:
1. Players start with 5 random facts about themselves.
2. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 5 random facts.
3. Players should tag 5 other people and notify them they have been tagged.

So here are some very interesting facts about me...

a. I love to travel..I spend almost half hour everyday reading travelogues and on wikitravel...all I need is a long leave and I will be off!!

b. I know that I plan too much...I organise too much...but I just can't stop!!! The OCD in me is kicking alive!!

c. I cannot ever eat outside alone! or go to a movie alone!! I always need company...I just find it too embarrassing!!

d. I love to PARTY!! (and organise them...oh god..i am back to organising!)

e. I love my friends..but I am very picky on who enters my "friend zone"

wow..that is not an easy post!!

People...go ahead and tag yourself...

My New Mood Elevator

You work hard whole day...you study hard over the evenings and weekends...throughout the year...
then you take a long study break to digest the humongous intake of information and then finally you try to get it all out of your system in the never-ending exams...

so..after the exams..you definitely need to recharge..you need to rejuvenate..

and the perfect solution is to reward yourself for your efforts...get something which will make you happy..lift your spirits..(Caution: side effects may include empty wallets and maggi mee for months)

This is exactly what has happened here...
so here is my new Mood Elevator...The Nokia N80 (trumpets please)


This is a wonder gizmo...I just love it..can surf the net using any wireless network..can play your favorite bad music..record memories with the wonderful camera..and on top of it it also works as a phone!!

so wat r u waiting for...get one today!!

PS: Lehmunade..this therapy technique does work..you might need it next week...

My Blog Revival

Yes...it is time for another revival...

This time the silence can be perfectly justified...the culprit were the Exams which are now over!!!

so..stay tuned..and watch this space for more and more happenings in my life...

My Wait

The date has been announced: 21 July 2007...

The book artwork has been released....

The Pre-Orders have started... (at popular, borders, kinokuniya)

so now all we do is WAIT!!!

US Cover

UK Cover

So guys...any views/plots based on the covers....

My New Broken Record

I just can't get this song out from my head...it has always been my favorite!!

Eddy Grant with Gimme hope Jo'anna is one of the greatest songs inspiring people against the Apartheid regime...

here are the lyrics:

Well Jo'anna she runs a country
She runs in Durban and the Transvaal
She makes a few of her people happy, oh
She don't care about the rest at all
She's got a system they call apartheid
It keeps a brother in a subjection
But maybe pressure can make Jo'anna see
How everybody could a live as one

(Chorus:)
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
Hope, Jo'anna
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
'Fore the morning come
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
Hope, Jo'anna
Hope before the morning come

I hear she make all the golden money
To buy new weapons, any shape of guns
While every mother in black Soweto fears
The killing of another son
Sneakin' across all the neighbours' borders
Now and again having little fun
She doesn't care if the fun and games she play
Is dang'rous to ev'ryone

(Chorus)

She's got supporters in high up places
Who turn their heads to the city sun
Jo'anna give them the fancy money
Oh to tempt anyone who'd come
She even knows how to swing opinion
In every magazine and the journals
For every bad move that this Jo'anna makes
They got a good explanation

(Chorus)

Even the preacher who works for Jesus
The Archbishop who's a peaceful man
Together say that the freedom fighters
Will overcome the very strong
I wanna know if you're blind Jo'anna
If you wanna hear the sound of drums
Can't you see that the tide is turning
Oh don't make me wait till the morning come

(Chorus)

ENJOY THE SONG IN THE SIDEBAR!!!

My Mission

Look out people!! I am out on a mission....

Ne person lurking around with Windows...watch out!! I will soon convert you to Mac!!

so far the success rate has been astounding...most recent convert Lehmunade will proudly elaborate on this!!

Let the exodus begin!

My New Love

well..this post is actually quite overdue...

Ladies and Gentlemen...I am in LOVE!! I am Obsessed!! I am Crazy!! I am heed over heels!!

...with my new MacBook.....***hehe..got u all excited...didnt I?***

so..that clears 1 item from my Froogle list..but dont worry..there are several more there...in case u r wondering wat to get for me..

Seriously...life with the Mac is so much better than having the constant problems with my old PC..there are NO more worries...about the millions of infesting viruses...about the constant message of "Do you wanna send an Error Report"...and no more worries of the blue screen of terror!!

Things just work so beautifully on the Mac...i am surprised!!! how does it work so well..how cme it so much more user friendly and so intuitive...okok..Mr. Steve hasn't paid me a cent to write this blog....but Seriously...why did I wait so long to make the switch!! I wonder....

So people..time to move on and live in the world of Mac where life is peaceful and you can actually cherish every moment with your best companion today...ur laptop...ur MacBook!!!

My Agenda

2007 is gonna be THE year for adventure!!

I turn 25 this year!! and seriously it is high time..I do something adventurous and live it up!!

So how do I plan to do this...after deep pondering I have come up with this agenda...

1. Consider a New Career!!
I think this is the most challenging step!! **Really??**
But..I need a change!! I need a break from this daily routine...what I am looking for is a new inspiration..a new meaning..a new direction...

2. Go on an Adventure!!
seriourly...I think this is the best way to Recharge urself..
I love to travel..so this year is gonna be all about new travels and adventures in mystic places of this earth...
So with the lovely company of NMK and Lehmunade..I have decided to go on a Trans-Siberian adventure...Beijing to St. Petersburg by train...with pit stops in Ulan Batur, Irkutsk and Moscow...wow!! now this is an Adventure!!!

3. Learn a New Language!!
after german and japanese..I think it is now time to learn another new language..wat shud it be?? I am thinkin of either Spanish (love the way it sounds) or Russian (will be useful for my Trans-sib)...

4. Give the GMAT!!
ya..it is time to think of the future as well..especially when it is time to move on...(from sgpore)..so it is high time i plan for further studies and the first step..is to give the GMAT...so gotto start preparing!!

5. Finally..this year..I am gonna live every day to its fullest!!!!
so 2007...here I come!!!

My Silence

Hi guys,

first off..Wishing you all a Happy New Year!!

sorry for the silence..but i have just been so busy...Dec was a lot of travel..2 trips to thailand for work and then a vacation in India...which was good and short as always!!!

neways..stay tuned...and watch out for new posts over the weekend..

Cheers!!!

My Khmer Adventure: Part II

So after a very thrilling day one..we were really looking forward to day two..as today was when we were going to see one of man's greatest creations: The Angkor Wat
As our tuk-tuk approached the temple complex..i could actually feel the atmosphere building up...it was so electric..finally i was going to see Angkor!!
hmmm...it is really difficult to describe the Angkor..i am absolutely speechless..it is heaven!! the ancient khmers really have built a heaven on earth...

Magnificent Angkor

The whole temple complex is surrounded by a huge moat for protection..and has four entrances facing the four direction...the complex took 35 years to build with 4 million people working on it..and it is still incomplete..they stopped the temple construction when the king passed away as they had lost their inspiration...the king was finally laid to rest in the secret chamber in one of the towers...

Splash of Orange

Second Level of Angkor

Long passsges...

The Architecture is just too good..the carvings are in so fine detail..most of the carving are stories from the Ramayana(fight against Ravana, fight between Sugriv and Bali, Hanuman's visit to Lanka) and Mahabharat (Kurukshetra war)..and other stories like the Sagar Manthan (churning of the ocean)...the temple originally was a Vishnu temple..and later a Buddhist temple...there are 3 levels and the steps are really steep!!!

It took us the whole day to see the temple complex..after that we went to see the entrance gate to Angkor Thom (temple city)...this is another complex where people actually stayed..even the kong stayed in Angkor Thom....the main entrace gate is really impressive...again depicting the sagar-manthan (seems to be the favorite story !!)
After this thrilling and rather exhausting day..we headed over tp Pub street in siem reap to chill out...found a lovely Irish pub with some good drinks and food...
Perfect end to a perfect day...

My Khmer Adventure: Part I

So it was time for another quick vacation..and this time the Chosen Land was the mystic land of Cambodia...
I have always been fascinated with architecture..lets just say that it runs in my blood..and I was really looking forward to see the grandeur that is Angkor...At the same time..in the past few years I have been so fascinated with Cambodia and its brutal past with the Khmer Rouge...I have spent hours on the net and reading books about this genocide...that I just wanted to go there..to see it for myself...
On a side note here are some recommended reads on Khmer Rouge:
1. Daughter of the Killing Fields: Theary C. Seng
2. Stay Alive, My Son: Pin Yathay

So thanks to cheap budget airlines aka. Jet Star Asia...we set for the Siem Reap..our gateway to this magical kingdom...
First Impressions:
1. The airport was surprisingly wonderful
2. The place was so calm and serene surrounded with lush paddy fields
3. The people has such wonderful smiles
Our stay during this adventure was at this fantastic, cosy, comfortable villa: The Villa Siem Reap..the place is just too good..it is run by 2 australians who moved to siem reap a few years ago...Guys..pls stay here if u plan to go..it is worth it and is also centrally loacted!!

Day 1:
we just had half of the day on Day 1...so after a quick lunch at the villa...we made our way with Mr. Hao and his tuk-tuk to the 'Cambodian Cultural village'...this is good starting point...as you get oriented with different khmer cultures..their history at the wax museum..and the lifestyle of the people...
After that, we made our way to the 'Mine Museum'..this is a must see..it is an informal museum..and all the mines found in the siem reap area are kept here for exhibit...lot of areas in the countryside are still over-run by these mines...and a huge amount of effort is underway to clear all the mines...it is just so shocking to see all the mines and read about the horrific stories of people and theie conquest over this hidden enemy!!

Grim Reality!!

After this rather horrific emotional experience...we made our way to get our Angkor passes..you need these to visit any of the temples..we got a 3 day pass...
Tip: on your first day, get the pass after 4:30 which gives you free entry on that day...

Since we had free entry for that evening..we went to the hilltop temples of Phnom Bakheng..the view from the top is awesome..and you can catch the sunset over the Tonle sap lake with the angkor wat in the distance...just too good for words!!! and to make it ever more magical..it was drizzling slightly and the sky was blessed with a lovely rainbow stretching till the horizon...

Sunset at Phnom Bakeng

It was indeed a fabulous start to this adventure!!!

Watch out for Day 2...

My Hopping Around

Hi guys...let me start off with my usual apology for not writing sooner...wat to do..life is like that only...I really haven't had the time

so I came back from Thailand work trip...and off I went to Cambodia for a 4 day holiday..and it was exactly wat i needed...the place is so good..and the Angkor temples are just too incredible to put into words...(will write more on this Khmer adventure in future posts)

so after my indiana jones adventure in Siem Reap..I came back to sgpore..to find myself so engrossed with work..that didnt even have the time to breathe at a snail's pace....
Off I went to Thailand again...and this time to the new airport..with a new government in the country (after the coup)...and the lovely Pahd Thai

Now I am back in sgpore for a while...charring my lungs with the horondous haze which has shrouded the sun for days!! It feels as if Sauron has sent his shadow over singapore and preparing for the final assault...(ok.ok..have been watching too much of lotr)

Neways..watch out for more posts on my Cambodian adventure...

My trip to Tom Yum Land

Sawadaee Kap!!

Last week I got the wonderful opportunity to go to the vacation/holiday country that is Thailand for Work!!
So off to the land of Rama IX and its abode: Bangkok..the last time I had been there was a long long time ago and man.. has the city changed drastically!!!

Immediate Observations:
1. All that one can see are the long surpentine flyovers which offer a huge relief from the snarled traffic under them...(there is a toll to use the flyovers)
2. The other thing you can see are the thousands of potraits of the king and queen adorning every building, monument...
3. The people seem to be sooo polite as if all of them have attended some freaking Finishing school..really impressive..and I am telling you this gets to u..and u will start doin the same 'namaskar' when you meet someone...
4. The land (and the waters around it) is blessed with abundance of Shrimp...every food item is loaded with shrimp..and not small ones..big king prawns!! wow!!!

Really enjoyed the 5 days I spent there...
Will write a detailed account of my trip soon...

On another note:
Has anyone tried the new Blogger beta?? Is it wise to convert to it??

My KANK Syndrome

Yes..I have been diagnosed with this awful brain disorder..people beware!!!..this virus is spreading faster than the bird flu...experts have finally been able to pin-point the cause for this pandemic..and it is watching 3hrs 20mins of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna...

Like bees attracted to honey..we were lured into watching this movie...and it turned out not so sweet...and i think it is definitely time for KJ to say alvida to film-making..

The movie is definitely quite bold in its topic and certainly will usher in a new era in hindi films..we must give credit to KJ for that...also certainly a grand applause for Preity who is certainly at her best..also great job by Abhishekh and obvioulsy Amitabh..(like father..like son!!)

After the movie I had so many questions in my mind:
1. For Rani: Why are you perenially sad? How do you cry so much? How do you not get dehydrated?? Can you teach ur how to cry? Are you mutant who gets her daily water intake by soaking in the rain?
To replenish your tear stock..we have launched the 'Replenish Tears' programme..where donations of 100 plus, mineral water can be made here or here...which will be then delivered to you..

2. For SRK: Why are you so grumpy? Why are you still acting? Why are you a child abuser?
For you..I think there is no solution..you are a lost case...pls retire now!!

3. For Rani and SRK: Why do you like 'blue'? Why do you dance in different colours when you like only 'blue'?
hmmm..wat to say abt this...ppl tell me why do they like blue!!!

4. For KJ: Do you get any commission for shooting in New York? Are you in love with the Brooklyn bridge? Do you have any creativity left? did you shoot this movie during 'kal ho na ho' itself?
come on...your freaking movie is so similar to ur last one!! get a life!! i think it is seriously time for you to consider other professions...i really worry for u..as i think ur life maybe in threat after ppl see this movie...

A final prayer:
Hope a cure for this KANK syndrome is developed fast before it causes crtical brain damage!!
God save the world!!

My New Record

Sorry for the lack of updates..Again!!!

Have been too busy with work and then classes in the evening!!
Just added a new record in the 'My Broken Record' section..another lovely song..'Edge of the Ocean' by Ivy..again thanks to Grey's Anatomy for this..

Thanks to venkat as well for recommending this...