I wasted a good 8 hours worth of blogging transit time today from Manila all because 1) I didn't have the right converter for my India plug points and 2) my laptop battery drains battery faster than the steam in a cup of coffee....
Agree, issue#1 is because of poor planning - so in the Singapore airport, I decide I am going to buy the WORLD CONVERTER ... which converts any kind of plugpoint to any kind of point... and guess which ones it doesnt support? The India 3 pins. We account for 1/6th of the world population - how can a world coverter not support my laptop power point??? Come on!!!
And now I have another useless converter, in addition to 4 chargers - for my phone, my laptop, my camera and my blackberry...And now, I will still go find another world charger, a world which includes India.
And just today I was just thinking how heavy my laptop was and whether I should get a net book... then I think of all accomapniments that may follow, the trouble of keeping both the laptop and netbook charged and backed up and the inevitable hours of delibaration before every trip - should i take the laptop or the net book or any one at all... I am dizzy
How many gadgets can we handle???
I am drowining...
ps: Just all my chargers took so much of luggage space :( :(
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
All roads lead to Italy
... or so it seems! Every time I mentioned to someone that I was planning a vacation to Italy, either they were also planning or knew someone who was going there. :) Well, my road is now taking me to Italy, and taking me there quite soon - and I can't wait!
It's been a packed last few weeks - goodbyes to old friends (an end which seemed to arrive even before it started it seems), a girls weekend to sula, planning (and going mad in the process) of the Italy itinerary, wading through one of the busiest cycle of work, and all this amidst different personal crises. However, now that I am here, the crazy dash to the finish line seems good!
Anyway, goodbye for now and see you on the other side!
It's been a packed last few weeks - goodbyes to old friends (an end which seemed to arrive even before it started it seems), a girls weekend to sula, planning (and going mad in the process) of the Italy itinerary, wading through one of the busiest cycle of work, and all this amidst different personal crises. However, now that I am here, the crazy dash to the finish line seems good!
Anyway, goodbye for now and see you on the other side!
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Finding friends in Bratislava
We were all nicely settled in the couches the living room – there was K & R, our hosts and my friend R and me. We had just finished polishing K’s homemade cake and were enjoying a night cap after our day in Bratislava.
We discussed a lot of things that night – the different places we had traveled to, our jobs, our lives; K had been a part of an international agency and had some insight into caste system and its issues in India as well as female infanticide. She has never been to India, but wanted to hear more about it. (And if I may say so, explaining India is so difficult!) They told us a bit about the velvet divorce (the separation of Czech and Slovakia), R’s grudge that lonely planet still puts Slovakia after Czech; their pride in making into Euro (before Prague), even though the timing was a bit off with the crisis.
They were very surprised at our English; We were surprised how European middle class families can so easily travel abroad. Then followed weightier topics of religion - both Czech and Slovak are dominantly atheists (after years under the communist influence). We shared some conspiracy theories– though at some point it did cross our minds that the lateness of the hour, and the languidness of mind and body was not ideal for such a heavy topic!
We were "Couchsurfing" with K & R and that is how we came to stay with them. In other words, they offered their hospitality and their home for an opportunity to meet different travelers like us. Over coffee, R helped us find our way, pointed out key places. We may not have found the Blue Church or the fantastic pizza place – Pizza Mizza - on our own. Staying in one of the city's neighbourhoods also helped us see a bit of the non-regular Bratislava.
This was my first and was a pretty nice experience with couchsurfing. Obviously, you should definitely feel comfortable about this, but it does seem to be a nice way to meet people and other travelers. If this has piqued your interest, Couchsurfing.com and Hospitality.org are 2 sites that come to mind, that help facilitate this exchange.
Dos & Don'ts
1. Be comfortable with the idea– this to me seems most important. A lot of my friends aren’t. On the other hand, I’ve heard some very positive stories, and that was encouraging. So we decided to give it a go, since it was also 2 of us.
2. Couchsurfing is not just about finding a place to stay. You could use it to meet people for a coffee in a new city or find company for a museum visit, which could be a more comfortable starting point. Many cities have regular CS meets on weekends and that would be a great inclusion to your itinerary. I regret not making it to the Saturday Beer garden meet up in Prague.
3. Be comfortable with your hosts – First thing would be to see if your and the hosts requirements match. Time restrictions (you may not have 24/7 access to the flat), smoking/non smoking, do you have room or just a couch in the living room etc. We spent quite a bit of time exchanging emails with K & R where they sounded very enthusiastic and also helpful and we were so glad they could host us.
4. CS has an option where by a member can choose to be verified for a fee, and so adding authenticity. But not all members get it done for their profile (I am not). Also, members leave references for each other – that could help you know your host a bit better (though I have never seen a negative reference, I have to say!). CS is an open community (anyone can join), so no harm in being careful!
5. And lastly, being sensitive to what the host expects out of you and making sure you have time for that.
We discussed a lot of things that night – the different places we had traveled to, our jobs, our lives; K had been a part of an international agency and had some insight into caste system and its issues in India as well as female infanticide. She has never been to India, but wanted to hear more about it. (And if I may say so, explaining India is so difficult!) They told us a bit about the velvet divorce (the separation of Czech and Slovakia), R’s grudge that lonely planet still puts Slovakia after Czech; their pride in making into Euro (before Prague), even though the timing was a bit off with the crisis.
They were very surprised at our English; We were surprised how European middle class families can so easily travel abroad. Then followed weightier topics of religion - both Czech and Slovak are dominantly atheists (after years under the communist influence). We shared some conspiracy theories– though at some point it did cross our minds that the lateness of the hour, and the languidness of mind and body was not ideal for such a heavy topic!
Outside R's gallery in Old Town
We were "Couchsurfing" with K & R and that is how we came to stay with them. In other words, they offered their hospitality and their home for an opportunity to meet different travelers like us. Over coffee, R helped us find our way, pointed out key places. We may not have found the Blue Church or the fantastic pizza place – Pizza Mizza - on our own. Staying in one of the city's neighbourhoods also helped us see a bit of the non-regular Bratislava.
K&R's neighbourhood
This was my first and was a pretty nice experience with couchsurfing. Obviously, you should definitely feel comfortable about this, but it does seem to be a nice way to meet people and other travelers. If this has piqued your interest, Couchsurfing.com and Hospitality.org are 2 sites that come to mind, that help facilitate this exchange.
Dos & Don'ts
1. Be comfortable with the idea– this to me seems most important. A lot of my friends aren’t. On the other hand, I’ve heard some very positive stories, and that was encouraging. So we decided to give it a go, since it was also 2 of us.
2. Couchsurfing is not just about finding a place to stay. You could use it to meet people for a coffee in a new city or find company for a museum visit, which could be a more comfortable starting point. Many cities have regular CS meets on weekends and that would be a great inclusion to your itinerary. I regret not making it to the Saturday Beer garden meet up in Prague.
3. Be comfortable with your hosts – First thing would be to see if your and the hosts requirements match. Time restrictions (you may not have 24/7 access to the flat), smoking/non smoking, do you have room or just a couch in the living room etc. We spent quite a bit of time exchanging emails with K & R where they sounded very enthusiastic and also helpful and we were so glad they could host us.
4. CS has an option where by a member can choose to be verified for a fee, and so adding authenticity. But not all members get it done for their profile (I am not). Also, members leave references for each other – that could help you know your host a bit better (though I have never seen a negative reference, I have to say!). CS is an open community (anyone can join), so no harm in being careful!
5. And lastly, being sensitive to what the host expects out of you and making sure you have time for that.
Bratislava's blue church
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Do Up My House 2 - a cane obsession
Cane furniture is an obsession. Almost. I think they can be very pretty, and elegant – without crowding the room and most importantly, they are cheaper than traditional wood furniture
In Mumbai, I began my search 3 years back. Many evenings, I would just take an auto, ask to be taken me to a near-by locality and then start of enquiring around those areas. After months of effort, I am happy to say, there is no cane furniture available in Powai, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Ghatkopar (all neighbourhoods close to where I stay). In another attempt, I found a shop in a locality farther away and paid him an advance. 3 or 4 weeks later, the furniture guy tells me that he is unable to deliver and that I should come back and get my advance. The auto fare up and down would have been expensive than the money I would have recovered!!!
Cane shopping can get quite interesting and also frustrating – just as shopping for anything else in teeny weeny local market shops in Indian can be. You won’t find cane in the regular furniture shops. You may find them in high priced “ethnic” or “Indian” specialty stores – and obviously, ”cheap” is not the selling point. Most often than not, you have to go poking around very small one-room shops. Or sometimes, they are displayed outside the shacks which line Mumbai’s roads by the million.
Firstly, there is nothing in the shop itself that will convince you are in the right place – you are there out of blind faith or on recommendation. Then there is the process of customization – better not to, I think . The price haggling is inevitable – although either I am losing my touch, or may be bargaining really doesn’t get you much these days in Mumbai. And then the constant follow-up on delivery. But, hey, this is a different kind of fun, and the pretty piece that may soon adorn your living room is of will be worth it.
So this time, when I needed a few pieces to fill my house, guess what I thought of??? Cane again. I told myself I was on a fool’s errand. But, 3 times proved lucky.... and now I have what I’d like to think is a cute book shelf, and 2 lovely chairs and a coffee table – I am most thankful for the chairs, as I spent most evenings during my one week break sitting on the balcony with a cup of tea and watching the sun go down in splendid colours.
In Mumbai, I began my search 3 years back. Many evenings, I would just take an auto, ask to be taken me to a near-by locality and then start of enquiring around those areas. After months of effort, I am happy to say, there is no cane furniture available in Powai, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Ghatkopar (all neighbourhoods close to where I stay). In another attempt, I found a shop in a locality farther away and paid him an advance. 3 or 4 weeks later, the furniture guy tells me that he is unable to deliver and that I should come back and get my advance. The auto fare up and down would have been expensive than the money I would have recovered!!!
Cane shopping can get quite interesting and also frustrating – just as shopping for anything else in teeny weeny local market shops in Indian can be. You won’t find cane in the regular furniture shops. You may find them in high priced “ethnic” or “Indian” specialty stores – and obviously, ”cheap” is not the selling point. Most often than not, you have to go poking around very small one-room shops. Or sometimes, they are displayed outside the shacks which line Mumbai’s roads by the million.
Firstly, there is nothing in the shop itself that will convince you are in the right place – you are there out of blind faith or on recommendation. Then there is the process of customization – better not to, I think . The price haggling is inevitable – although either I am losing my touch, or may be bargaining really doesn’t get you much these days in Mumbai. And then the constant follow-up on delivery. But, hey, this is a different kind of fun, and the pretty piece that may soon adorn your living room is of will be worth it.
So this time, when I needed a few pieces to fill my house, guess what I thought of??? Cane again. I told myself I was on a fool’s errand. But, 3 times proved lucky.... and now I have what I’d like to think is a cute book shelf, and 2 lovely chairs and a coffee table – I am most thankful for the chairs, as I spent most evenings during my one week break sitting on the balcony with a cup of tea and watching the sun go down in splendid colours.
My own reading nook
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Travel secrets - now an eBook!
Remember this post? It was a Tripbase tag asking bloggers to share their travel secrets. Well, Tripbase has decided to take it to the next level after they recieved an enthusiastic response. These tips/secrets have been collated to create a downloadable eBook. Moreover, for every person who downloads an e-book, Tripbase will make a $1 donation to Charity:Water.
The Mission
1) To provide funds to build freshwater wells and clean drinking water to people in developing nations.
2) To raise awareness about this fantastic cause, encourage hundreds more people to donate and to make a real difference on the ground.
And all you need to do is download these books for free. So, please go ahead and take a look at these e-books! And as a personal favor, don't forget to specifically look up As I See It featured on the Worldwide Travel eBook and Worldwide Beaches eBook.
Personally, I am kicked - feels good to see my name against something other than my research reports! :) :) :)
The Mission
1) To provide funds to build freshwater wells and clean drinking water to people in developing nations.
2) To raise awareness about this fantastic cause, encourage hundreds more people to donate and to make a real difference on the ground.
And all you need to do is download these books for free. So, please go ahead and take a look at these e-books! And as a personal favor, don't forget to specifically look up As I See It featured on the Worldwide Travel eBook and Worldwide Beaches eBook.
Personally, I am kicked - feels good to see my name against something other than my research reports! :) :) :)
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