These Days...

Lots of travelling these days. I guess its coz

A 'Calcuttic' experience!

I always get confused on what to do when I have too much to do. So, right now I have too much to blog about our trip to India, I am lil confused on where to begin. Though being with loved ones was itself so much fun, since we wanted more... my darling hubby took me to Sikkim and Darjeeling, along with a roam around in Calcutta.

I guess I had too much imagined about Calcutta, being a metro and all. (I regretted that later!...I should have had an open mind.) Seeing my awe-struck (definitely shock!) face, my hubby said, 'This is Calcutta'.

Hmm.. let me see..
Porters at the Howrah railway station cruising though ya indifferent even if you are a kid , an aged person, a handicapped person or even a pregnant lady,

Homeless men,women and children sleeping on either side of the road in the heart of the city,

River Ganges pipelined on the sides of the road - flowing in all spectra other than purity - for people to bathe,

Women wearing nothing around their necks for the fear of chain-snatchers,

Public transportation called a bus - reduced to a 50 year old box with pot-holes (literally!) on the floor,

Strikes and Bandhs in the blink of an eye,

Finally, I came in terms with reality... ' This is Calcutta'.

Maybe because I am a Chennaite and had lived in B'lore for a while, I had expected too much. Maybe only a few crore Indians are lucky enough to be in a place they dream.

Trips from Calcutta to Gangtok and Darjeeling were great too... Darjeeling was not worth mentioning... we dint even had to wear a sweater...It was hot.. :(

Gangtok was clean, simple and elegant. Still no sweater... no cool weather!..

Back from the trips, it dawned on me, why Calcutta is special when I visited the 'Mother House' the next day.It is special because the Angel of care and kindness chose Calcutta. It was a dream come true for me when I set my foot on the very same places where Mother Theresa did. I don't think I could ever describe how I felt. Meeting Mother Nirmala was overwhelming too. She resembled a lot like Mother Theresa, in her kindness in her stature and in her pure serving heart.

Finally When I was leaving Calcutta on a train back to Chennai, Calcutta didn't seem so ugly after all.

Am back...! Am 26 pounds lighter!

One fine evening last week, I was back home after nearly 3 months of vacation in India. Wonder how time flies when you are with loved ones. They say you add a few pounds when you are happy...well, I shed a few. Am 26 pounds lighter now! (ha..that feels so good to say it...say it again! say it again!).. feeling younger, healthier and even more happier.

Gone is the constant pressure to lose weight...constant criticism of self. I do criticize myself now, but in a good way though.

A Kolkatic Experience!!!

A Private Shopping Mela in Chennai!

Ever since we started our India trip plans, all I could think was, what should I buy from India..
Should I or Should I not buy sarees?... Should I stuff my luggage with salwars or skirts?

Its crazy time in Chennai... the 'sale' season called 'Aadi'. Everytime I perk up myself for a 'lil' shopping in T-nagar, I also dread the thought of the crowd that moves you from South Usman Rd to North Usman rd with little or no effort from your side....
Did somebody invite me to Ranganathan st?... Naa.. fuggedaboudit!

I had a good shopping season this time. I kinda love all the stuff I bought.
One nice and different experience was shopping at sowkarpet. Very nice embroidery fancy sarees at a very good affordable price.

Though I am happy about my shopping spree where I got everything that I really think have my name on them, there is one person who dreads with headache everytime I go for shopping... Well.. husbands are supposed to be like that! Else whats the fun in shopping?

My first Indie Flick!

Last week, we did a spontaneous deed of raiding a movie theater.

Hillary, the boat has sailed, babe!

Last few months must have been a heck of a journey for Hill and Ob.
Hah...imagine the constant travelling, across a country thats too big to have three timezones!
The moment Barack reached the specified number of delegates, the media went frenzy on why she didn't concede. I wanted to shout..'Come on guys!, give a break'.

From the time she started her campaign, it had been a real tough road ahead for her. Now that there's a considerable immunity against racism, Barack had nothing to worry about as opposed to what was expected. Hillary thought it would be a knock-out match, but it turned out the other way.

Being a Woman, Being an Ex President's wife, the facts that should've helped her win,apart from the fact that she's a successful lawyer and a senator brought her to the ground.Especially when someone displayed the 'Iron My Shirt' banner when she was giving a speech, for which she replied, "Ah, the remnants of sexism - alive and well," .Makes one to think... can't really weigh racism against sexism.

Anyway if Hillary is out of the picture, I can't imagine any other woman so strong and having a good media/political presence. Looks like US has to wait a few more years for a woman president.

The media must feel like a weight off their shoulders as they just kept Barack back on the ground for the final battle against McCain. 'Barack is realtively new to Politics.' 'Barack is Black, how can he survive the rednecks?'

Any decision that a voter makes depends on the media I would say. Its so powerful to raise or topple a government over. Anyway lets see what happens!

Last Evening's Xtravaganza!

Last evening, seemed like a same old boring thursday evening, but my husband came home with a tougne for seafood.

A Cute little Person!

A Few days back one of our friends had a baby boy. He was so cute and even looked like a cute little person who was ready to walk given a chance.