Lifes Little Pleasures- Hampi

Camera timer Zindabad!!

Two friends who are as different as night and day , who have stuck by each other through thick and thin for over a decade now, who share a great love for Bollywood and a bond that proves the statement 'opposites attract'. Take these two friends and send them on a super spontaneous trip to Hampi and what you get is an experience of a lifetime.

• Sticking our noses on the window glass and peering out at 5am to see if Hospet had arrived. Getting completely distracted in the process and starting to talk instead about how cool it would be to own a coal mine.
• Arriving in Hospet and inaugurating the trip with a picture of a three legged doggie and two vadas.
• Trying to get information from our auto driver about Hampi in between all his marketing strategies.
• Finding the most peaceful place to stay in.Mowgli Guest House. When we crashed at our breakfast table, saw the view of the paddy fields and the river and felt the cool breeze on our faces, our trip was already made.

View from our room!

• Our super cute waiter Roshan, who forgot our orders a lot, but flashed his smile at us and we were OK.
• Realising that a TVS 50 is the most popular means of transport in Hampi.
• Marvelling at the ruins, imagining how life would have been when people had a bath tub bigger than my entire house.
• The cute little battery powered vehicles which took us around, all driven by women.
• Having the freedom and the time to not care about what time it was.
• The pleasant hike up to the monkey temple, and the little monkey tugging at my pretty pink water bottle.
• The family that sang Hanuman songs all the way down from the top of the hill. Making us wonder if the children would still do it after they were older.

•  Being shocked by the blind faith of our people as i watched them drink water from a dirty mossy pond with plastic rubbish floating in it, just because it was in front of a temple. Sigh!
• The Mango tree cafe, best watermelon juice ever, killer view, delicious momos and endless conversation.
• Not having train tickets to return and having to take a bus( my worst nightmare).
• Watching Cocktail in Hospet to kill time (Bollywood love, remember?). It was like being in a time machine, where tickets are sold from inside a tiny box, the refreshments counter(they had onion rings) opens only in the interval and you can sit anywhere in the theater.
•  Listening to the crowd whistle non stop through the trailer of Ek tha Tiger. Amazing the appeal Salman Khan still has.
• Coming out after the movie and finding Shikhas worst nightmare come true. Rain. Torrential rain.
• Barely making it to our bus on time but squeezing in the time to buy Peda that is being made in a particular store since 1933. ( We are Bollywood loving foodies actually)

It was such a lovely trip, as the monsoon infused new life into everything around us, Hampi renewed our friendship and made us realise how much the friendship means to us.

Tamil Glorious Tamil!!

English is the language Im most comfortable with, people tell me I look Punjabi, but im a Tamilian and my recent trip to Sri Lanka and hearing the lovely Lankans speak Tamil reignited my love for the language.

Today, in the quest for some music to my ears I searched the title track from Kannathil Muttamittal, with beautiful lyrics, each word tugging at your heart strings, an outstanding song sung by the lovely Yesudas starring my favourite actor in Tamil cinema, Madhavan! Its everything I could ask for.


 As soon as I think Tamil songs i think of the glorious voice of Vedanth Bharadwaj, I had the good fortune of hearing him sing live! I had goose bumps through out!! Time and again I go to his site and listen to him sing Ennama thozhi, a lovely song about a lost little doll!

Any one have any other recommendations for me?

Tagged

I have always loved to read crisp, witty, fun prose and I started blogging simply to hone my skill at the same. This tag by P has helped me go back to my very first post and find out how far along the road I have come in 3 years. This tag comes with some rules, which are given below and further down is my attempt at this lovely tag

The Rules are:

1) Blogger is nominated to take part

2) Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category. The links are:

– Your most beautiful post

– Your most popular post

– Your most controversial post

– Your most helpful post

– A post whose success surprised you

– A post you feel didn’t get the attention it deserved

– The post that you are most proud of

3) Blogger nominates up to 5 or more bloggers to take part.

4) These bloggers publish their 7 links and nominate another 5 more bloggers.

My most beautiful post: Hard to say for me, but  there are two posts which still give me the warm fuzzies when i read them. They are The Queen of my life and Truly Madly Deeply. Two posts full of love dedicated to two very precious parts of my life.

My most popular post:  Based on the information I with great difficulty found on my blog (Technologically challenged creature that I am) Good Old Days was the most read post on my blog. Lovely to know that the thought resonates with many.

My most controversial post:  Well I dont write about current affairs and mostly try to keep my posts breezy so I guess the only one I can put into this category is For Gods Sake. Unleashed in me the grime witnessing Chartered Accountant.

My most helpful post: I have absolutely no idea, though I hope it was Penny Wise Pound Wiser or Go Planet

A post whose success surprised me: Musings of an aspiring Yogi surprised me in the number of readers it attracted. Didn't expect too many people to be interested in my yogic journey so to speak.

A post which didn't get the attention it deserved:  What a way to wanna be , my very first post. I would have loved more women to read and share their opinions on the subject.

The post that I am most proud of: Namaste Nepal. I love this one because it just effortlessly sprung out me! So moved I was by the experience that was Nepal.

Now the more fun part, my nominations

Aishuwarya Sudarshan: A blogger I admire. Love her style in writing and in fashion. Would love to know what she feels about her blogography.

Parth Jhala: Blogger, Photogrpaher and Cricketer all rolled into one. His blog has been silent for a while. Looking forward to read more.

Vishnu:  Havent read many of her blogposts but would love to know what she would like us to read and share.

Pee Vee: I read her blog posts quietly without commenting. Love her ease with humour.  Looking forward to her blog highlights.

Finally a word of thanks to my dear P for sending me on this nostalgia trip!!

Sri Lanka.. A land like no other!!

For a country ravaged by strife and natural calamities, the lovely Sri Lankans are the warmest, most genuine people I have ever come across, and despite the immense beauty of nature that my senses feasted on, the people are what I hold closest to my heart.

Seven women, ages 55 to 20 embarked on an adventure to this spectacular country and heres what we encountered:

• Colombo Fort station:- Beautiful, colonial, mostly wooden construction. As we sat outside the station, after unsuccessfully trying to book tickets to Kandy, contemplating taking a cab, a stranger told us of another train that we can take that would cost us a fifth of the taxi fare. A person who loved his country, eager that visitors feel the same way as him.
• Arrival in Kandy : Sevana Guest House is run buy a fabulous woman Shakuntala. She opened her doors and her heart to us.
• Looking around Kandy : The winding roads of a quaint little hill town,the women police officers in skirts, the glimmering Kandy lake and a million bakeries. Believe me when I say my nose was leading the way.
• Nuwara Eliya:  Astounding natural beauty. Tea estates as far as the eye can see, incredibly pretty flowers growing by the side of the road, luscious fresh veggies and fruits stacked for sale at street corners. This was the Europe of my dreams.
• Horton Plains National Park: A nine km hike through vast stretches of wilderness. Three fiesty women in sarees, refusing to listen to people who said you need pants and shoes to complete the walk. Found peace and tranquility as we challenged our bodies and endless laughs as we pulled each others legs.

•        Worlds End: A view to die for. Not a building or a bus in sight. Pure untouched nature; hills, trees,rivers all the way upto the ocean.

Fiesty mum!

• Galle: A settlement within the walls of a fort. A throwback into the days when you were happy as a pedestrian and were more likely to get hit by a stray cricket ball than a garbage truck. Sitting on the fort walls, watching the waves crash into them; no better way to spend an evening.
• Unawatuna: Just saying the word takes  me into a reverie of blue skies, golden sand and the vivacious Indian ocean. Sprawled out on a beach chair, guzzling the local arrack and having the waves kiss my feet. I may have never been at more peace with myself.

Perfect!

• Colombo: Fiesty and friendly at the same time. A city that lets you revel in yourself, that is eager to see you smile so it can smile back at you. 

  

  Posing by Kandy Lake

New year New me!!!

 I do this every year..try to think up the wonderful things I will do/become in the brand New Year that is unfolding in front of me. And every year..life(laziness) comes in the way of me becoming this glowing virtuous person I envision in my mind. So this year I'm wiser (reason to be revealed soon). Check out my list of things to do before 2012 kicks the bucket in the order that they popped into my head.

1. *Drumroll* Stop being lazy and watching endless re-runs of Gilmore girls/ House/Lord of the rings/Marley and me. (See how I 'wisely' put it on my list there?)
2. Compile at least a 100 recipes under the title "Long Hard Day- From one working woman's stomach to another" (I already have 3! Yay me!!)
3. Take a course that I love. (Le Cordon Bleu in Madrid/London..applications in progress)
4. Update this blog bi- monthly and my other blog  http://cookiesandquiche.blogspot.in/ weekly!
5. Take a quarterly vacation! (Q1...exceeds expectations. Srilanka rocks baby!!)
6. Read two books (at least) every month.
7. Learn a new skill.
8. Stop biting my nails and grow them long and paint them red! (Repeat from 2011 having failed successfully multiple times last year)  Maybe 2012 is the year I grow up! Sigh!!
9. Let go!...Of the past and old wounds. Allow them to heal without scratching off the scab every so often!
10. Make one organic life change. Perhaps give up plastic completely or buy an eco friendly mode of transport!!

Well! I have crossed that hurdle.. :D

Penny Wise, Pound wiser!

Confession....Im a chartered accountant, Im supposed to be doling out financial advice by the kilo everyday, but this is the first time Im actually doing it.

Disclaimer.. The advice in this post is not going to make you a millionaire. (It may however help you take an unplanned vacation)

Listed below are everyday tips, little snippets of advice to make your money work harder for you.

1) Say NO to plastic: This advice is as good for you as it is for the planet. As convenient and comfortable as it is, credit cards are the invisible monster under the bed. Majority of us shy away from taking loans (bank or otherwise) but dont mind paying an interest of almost 36% on our credit card outstanding balance. Make it a rule to use it only in an absolute emergency...And no, "I will absolutely die if I dont have those Aldo heels" is not an emergency.

2)Save first: When I was battling with sky high rent and cost of living and partying in Mumbai I learnt a valuable lesson. As soon as your salary is credited into your account, put some away. The best way to do it is a recurring deposit. Same amount every month.Pre- decide what you can save and stick to it, so that you are not tricked by the gleam of that Tissot watch. Another way to do it is to hike up your contribution to PF, do it, so when your salary comes to you itself you have saved. Its all sitting quietly in a corner earning away interest @ 9%.

3)Cash and carry: Especially when you are going out with a huge group and its likely to be a Dutch affair, carry cash. As much as you think you will need to clear your share of the bill. In the alcohol and friendship induced stupor you clear the bill with your plastic and tell yourself you will collect from others,but its a huge pain for your sober self to do and very often doesnt yield the required results.

4) Shop smart: This is a rule I cant follow myself. Silly as it sounds shopping for food is what makes me broke sometimes. More so when I walk into a store with the colourful peppers, the imported chocolate and cheese and fruit preserves and pasta sauces and balsamic vinegars, I just cant seem to stop. If food is my weakness, shoes or watches or clothes maybe yours.What I have decided to do is make a list of what I want, never shop when Im hungry/ emotionally unstable (the former can induce the latter for me though) and allow myself one thing thats not on my list.


5) Waste not: Often we spend on things that we dont have to or even want to, like paying bills late,unused club/ gym memberships, delaying the maintenance on your vehicle, letting your insurance lapse. Organise your monthly/ anuual payments by setting reminders for yourself. Keeping things up to date will ensure you dont spend on late payment fees and that you dont find yourself vulnerable in an emergency!

Sisterhood of Travelling Umbrellas!

When three chuddy buddy women decide to go on a vacation to coffee country, three things are bound to be there…gossip, shopping and pictures (tonnes of them). We had a fabulous trip, the highlights of which are listed below!! 

•  The super spirited language students from EFLU who travelled with us. Within the first half hour of the journey we got chatting and giggling enough to annoy our neighbours.
• The ‘no English, no Hindi only Kannada’ auto that we rode in to the bus stop. We were not sure we liked him till he voluntarily took us to a tiffin centre and let me have my morning cup of coffee!
• Venkata in Sankata, I think I have the worst luck with bus-movies. One of Sandalwood’s very forgettable offerings.
•  Mysore Palace; the Kushti Akhada and the Wedding hall especially, made me want to live in those times.
• Brindavan Gardens; full of lovers holding hands, sharing umbrellas and mirchi bajjis. Was a really picturesque bus ride though.
•  One of my favourite parts of the trip; the bus ride to Kushalnagar. A really empty, clean bus, fantastic roads, a gentle drizzle, Antakshari, goofing around with the bus driver. Have new respect for KSRTC.

•  Ismail (if i remember correctly), the friendly neighbourhood spice vendor. His wares were as delightful as he was. Locally grown Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, tea, coffee and honey; fragrant and fabulous.

•  Bylekuppe; watching a shy young Tibetan monk squirm in his seat, trying in vain to concentrate on the prayer being conducted.
•  Dubare Forest Reserve; our close encounter with the mighty elephant, the gentle giants who stole our hearts.
• Prasanna ; the auto driver who took us to Dubare; he also took us down memory lane with Bollywood songs from the 90s. Such a sweet, good natured guy, we have his phone number if anyone is planning to hit Coorg in the near future.
•  The mighty Kaveri in all her fury, cascading down a hill, to become the glorious Abby falls. We could not take our eyes off her, and try as we might, we could not take a picture that did justice to her splendor.
•  Madikeri; with the rain as our constant companion, we walked the narrow streets, got laughed at by auto wallahs, shopped in the tiny stores, rode a toy train and went to a view point with no view at all.
• Returning to Namma Bengaluru in the wee hours of the morning and trying to find a place to crash; something I never ever want to do again.
• Shopping our hearts out in Bengaluru, cherishing the lack of rains and relishing the good food.