Revival Post

A friend of mine told me today that she was reading my blog the other way. It took me some good seconds to realize that I had a blog. Blogging - What started as a passion quickly turned into a dead recipe of words. I have time and again thought of being a regular when it comes to blogging because I really love to put my thoughts together but then haven't been able to do so, for reasons beyond excuse. Well, better late than never. I hope to be more regular than whiling away my time on the Internet.

P.S: btw, thanks Chetna for reminding me, I own a blog :)

The perils of 'Unlimited' Internet Connection

Hi,

It's been a long time since I have posted on my blog. My blog has become what are known as 'ghost blogs' the ones which people create and forget.

So to revive my blog and to make it human again (bad joke!)

Internet brings with it a plethora of information and possibilities. It's use or misuse strictly depends upon person to person but then I think one is better off this unlimited plan.

Well, First I used to have MTNL's triband internet connection but then it was very cummbersome, the network used to break off, had to worry about huge telephone bills depending on the usage etc. Then i switched to Airtel. 

Well, as far as going for an internet connection and reliability of service is concerned, I would recommend everyone to go for Airtel - their connectivity is almost flawless and pricing competitive!

As fars my experience with unlimited internet is concerned, it been 'net' negative.

Let me list out both the pros and cons

Pros:

• You dont have to worry about surfing and MBs and GBs 
  
• You can download 

All the latest songs

Large Documents

Movies

Softwares

OS Updates

and all this without worrying about your internet bill..........

• You get a wifi connection these days with all the providers which makes internet surfing all the more comfortable
  
• The broadband connection is fast
  

Cons:

• Loads and Loads of so called time pass and hence time waste in random surfing in an age where one needs to make the most of time
  
• 24- hrs connectivity lures you into whiling away your time surfing random stuff
  
• Watching videos on you tube - Songs, funny stuff etc
• India's favourite time pass - Orkutting
• Not needed downloads - Data/Information Dump 

The bottom line is you get various avenues to pass your time and hence waste it!!

I dont know how many would agree with me but then would love to view diverse views and ways to control time wastage through random surfing!

Life the all important life.

Have been through a lot in the past few months....life has changed literally drmatically, lots of thoughts flash across my mind but can't put all of them down the blog! Suddenly Life has shown me whos the boss.....so please excuse me if u find my post today to be very obscure......

Learnings from Life:

--> God has given you a companion, its your Life. Life's your boss, it has its own plans to treat you, just when you think all is hunky-dory, Life pulls up an ace up its sleeve. All this may sound so dramatic but ask those who have been subject to this drama.

--> Take life as it comes. Planning hurts more than it helps.

--> All's for the best. Few can explain this, more can argue against but nevertheless it stays that way. All's for the best!

Will add as and when I feel............

TRIP TO LONAVALA

As a teenager, I always used to hear people going to Lonavala for a getaway. All I knew was that it is a fantastic place to be in the rainy season...........till I actually went for a 1-day trip to lonavala with my colg frnds. Lonavala is a fantastic place to chill out with your friends and family, highly recommended. Let me not delve into details of what all fun i did there. Instead I will list down the details on how to get there and what to do so that will help a first timer to
Lonavala.

Gather at Dadar Station:
Take local ticket to lonavala, cost of the ticket:42 Rs. Deccan Queen I suppose was the Train, it leaves at around 7:15. Caution: We were waiting for the train on Dadar platform no. 4 and it arrived on Platform no. 5. So take care else u may miss ur
train.

Journey in the train:
Around 2:15 hrs. The most amazing thing is that there is a Pantry car attached to this train. Hence u get 'garam garam' cutlet/omlet nashta and Tea in the train.
Cost: Rs 27


Reaching Lonavala Station:
As u alight at lonavala, U will feel 'Paisa Vassol'. The air does it all. It is so cool and soothing. The climate in Lonavala is to die for. While coming back in the evening, everyone is tired. So it is risky to take return local tickets in the evening. A much better idea is to take reserved return tickets in the morning itself when u arrive at Lonavala so that your return journey is assured with a sitting berth.
Cost:Rs. 52



From Lonavala to Bushi Dam:
Bushi Dam is the most famous Dam in Lonavala, the main attraction. Geting there cost us 60 rs per Rickshaw and the Rickshawala admits 4 ppl aaram se. So approx 15 rs per person. Journey Time:20 mins.

Bushi Dam and the masti ahead:
Get to Bushi Dam and change your clothes for the masti ahead. We were a all boys gang and also one of my friend had got his car along. So we changed clothes and stuffed all the belongings in his car. So, a vehicle is highly recommended if u wanna enjoy to the hilt.I dont know of any other way to kee your belongings. Additionaly, there are changing rooms provided by the local shops there. Rs 10 per person.

Masti:
Bushi Dam is amazing.The flow of the water there is gigantic. The experience is to be had to be beleived. After enjoying for about 45 mins there,we moved onto other waterfalls long inside the jungle like setting, just besides Bushi Dam. There are many small and Big waterfalls. Caution: The waterfalls are long and far from Bushi Dam,it is recommended to go there only if u r in a Big group.

Lunch Time:
After all the masti and fun, all are obviously very tired and more importantly hungry. Lonavala doesnt provide u the best of food but then 'ek din ke liye chala lene ka'. Local shops provide Omlette and Missal Pav(Rs 15 per plate) and mast chai. If u really want to have a scrumptous lunch, there 'is' a restaurant(I dont remember the name) but then it may not actually be worth the cost. Better to have missal-chai an chill.

Tiger Point:

If u thought u have had all the fun, sample this. Tiger point is a place around 20 mins(5-6 kms) from Bushi Dam. To get there, we fortunately got a SUMO, who charged us 150 bucks for 10 people. The Tiger point is a fitting end to a memorable trip. The place is all fog and u cannot recognize a person 10 meters away from you. Over there, we chilled out, did masti, listened to radio songs, danced and soaked ourselves in the mood. Over there too, we found a waterfall and
drenched ourselves once again.

Back to Station:

This is a tough part. The back Journey from Tiger Point to Bushi Dam or Lonavala Station. You generally do not get any means to travel back to Bushi Dam. Walking back is the only way, that too tired after a long day. Fortunately we managed to get 'Lift' from local 'Doohwale ki Tempo' who charged us Rs 15 per person, all the way to Lonavala Station, quite reasonable.

Take aways: We reached Station 90 mins before pur train departure. So though of just whiling our time in the Lonavala Markets near Station. Lonavala is famous for its chikkis and Fudge and jellys. You can buy some of these as a take away. The best shop in my opinion(in tems of quality and tase, not price though) is COOPERS near Lonavala Staion.

Kaju Chikki: Rs 85 for 250 grams.
Cholate-Walnut Fudge: Rs 150 for 250grams(Other shops may seel it at 110-120, trust me, if u really love chocolate-walnut fudge, buy it from this shop only)
Jelly Chocolates: Get it from any shop,doesnt matter much.

We wanted to change into fresh clothes and there was no place at the railway station. So, imagine, we requested a lady to come out of the ladies Changing Rooms so that we all 11 boys could change. She agreed and we did the needfull :)

Finally the train arrived and since we had booked our tickets beforehand, we had no problem in traveeling. We reached Dadar Station around 9:40.

In a nut shell,

Planning a trip and everyone agreeing to come: Difficult
Cost of the entire trip(journey and food): 250-300 Rs.
Shopping for jellys and chikkis: Rs. 200-300

Entire Experience with friends: Priceless !!!

Some of our trip pics can be seen here

Life has its Rules

This post is dedicated to all my friends who are at the same juncture in Life as I am!!

Have u felt a sudden rush of sadness these days?? You start missing your college rather hysterically? You look outside the window and view the pouring rainfall and think of the time when you practised 'Football' at some non-descript ground near your college for the upcoming inter-class matches? Think of all the times you have whiled away playing 'king of all indoor games'...yeah Carrom or just gossiping away time between lectures doing absolutely nothing ! The assignments, the practical 'write-ups', the mid-term exams, the submitions, the class jokes, peeping into the teachers attendance sheet just to get a glimpse of 'your' attendance record........Do you not remember the time when all you did in that 1 hour lecture was play games on your cell or pass some silly joke around, the 'name-place-animal-thing'........... I dont know if it only happens with me but then I feel extremely nostalgic these days. This sense of nostalgia comes in bursts, very intensively. I dont feel embarressed when I say that there have been about 2-3 occassions when I have sobbed like a child thinking of all the good times that I spent with my friends, my class. The absolutely 'no-tension' life, 'Mom-I-want-100-bucks-for-journal sheets-and-files', these are gonna be no more........ The next time you spent money, be-it for the absolutely neccessary thing/reason, you gonna feel 'Sala Kitna paisa lagta hai Life me'. Life suddenly forces you to think about 'kitna salary haath me aayega', what are gonna be the accommodation charges in the training period', 'shopping me kitna paisa lagega'......... But after having said all this, we need to remind ourselves that the real fullfilment of Life's objectives is in living the moment. All Good things are to be cherished and then one has to move on. Time brings with itself not only greater hardships, responsibilites but also its share of happiness. Every phase of Life has to be lived and enoyed to the fullest. All we friends are gonna stay in touch. Orkut Rocks isnt it :) For instance: the very fact that most of us would be earning and give back to our parents is so amazing. Isn't this what we always dreamed? So the bottomline is Life needs to be taken as it comes. Enjoy!!

P.S: To quote a great quote(My favorite)
Life isnt fair, but then it isnt fair to anyone. That is what makes Life Fair

Love and HeartBreak

Have u ever had a heartbreak? Or rather, Have u ever been in a relationship in first place?
Those who have will agree that Love is a beautyfull beautyfull thing to happen to 2 people. For that matter, people who have not been will agree upon that too. But, as one of my friend had once opined, Love comes in a package. Hatered, jealousy, demanding, possesiveness are as much a part of love as is feelings of having that one soul who is all yours! I am not being general here; subject to one's own experience. Love suddenly makes you feel that your Life has a meaning. The next day suddenly seems all that worthy to live for. Suddenly that rugged jeans of yours become all the much dear to you. In all these years of existence, you come to know that your eyes are one of the most beautyfull asset you own. I could go on and on but then it will become too cheesy and that is not what my post is intended at. However, Love can be ruthless and burdening to be brutal. It can cause all the pain in the world which demands u into thinking why the hell did u fall into it in first place? If u can be understanding enough and tide over it, u have won a major battle. More importantly, for those who could not take it and fell apart, but then somehow managed to move on or get into another relationship, good for them. For the rest, who could never forget their first real love, my sincere sympathies with you! Dont worry, there are many like you!

Clear and straight

"When you get down to the essence of Life, it's all about deciding between YES or NO!"
---- Pooja Shetty( My class teacher in Semester 3 of engineering while teaching Logic Gates in the subject DLDA)

How important is to be clear in one's head about what one wants from life? Well, its a subjective question. According to me, to be a successfull person, it is one of the most fundamental things to have or to be imbibed. Scan profiles of great leaders, entrepreneurs and you will surely find this trait as the most stark of the all. Most of us do not know what our favourite ice-cream flavour is. 'Koi bhi lele yaar, khane se matlab hai apun ko...". Agreed, but then being 'straight and clear' about anything and everything goes a long long way in making a leader out of mere mortals!

I will elucidate by giving a real life example of my friend(Identity held).

Disclaimer: Any resemblance to person,living or dead, is purely co-incidental.

During our placement hysteria in my 3rd year of engineering, everyone was just waiting impatiently to be 'placed' in some company or the other. To make LIFE safe! 'GRE/MBA baad me dekha jayega.' Nothing wrong in it. It is always good to have a fallback option on one's hand. But then there are people who are absolutely clear about their goals in life and people like these go on to become great future perosnas. Like this friend if mine. He was absolutely clear about his future plans being MBA or GRE and thus decided that it was useless for him to secure a placement. Though knowing fully well that a placement would provide him a cushion in case his plans didnt materialise, he was absoluetly clear in his aim that he wanted to do a post-grad before working. He didnt sit for placements at all!! To put things in perspective, he is a 70% guy in an academic setting where securing 60%+ is considered to be good! This is what I call clearity in life. This is learnings from real life.