Miles To Go..

Things/Places to Try Before You Die

It's a big beautiful world and it's time to make the most of it.


-African Safari
-Cross Country
-Snowmobiling
-Kayaking
-Sky Diving
-Puffin Watch
-Whale Watching
-Cruise
-Alaska
-Visit Glacier National Park
-Catch a fish in the Atlantic Ocean
-Hiking in Maine
-Lobstering in Maine
-Hot Air Ballooning
-Para Gliding
-Paint Ball
-Dolphin Feeding
-A Date with the Great White
-Para Sailing
-Sailing
-Zorbing
-Scuba Diving
-Rock Climbing
-Air Show
-Aerial Shot Of Bellagio Fountains,Las Vegas
-Water Rafting/Skywalk in Grand Canyon
-Red Crab Migration on Christmas Island,Australia
-Live Cricket Match at Lord's,MCG
-Live Match at Wimbledon/French Open/US Open
-Aurora Borealis



USA

-San Fransisco,California
-Statue of Liberty,New York
-Denali National Park,Alaska
-Glacier/Yellowstone National Park,Montana
-Miami,Florida

Canada

- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Banf National Park


Switzerland

-Lake Thun
-The Glacier Express Train Journey
-Gruyeres
-Lucerne
-Zurich
-The MatterHorn
-Interlaken
-Swiss Alps

France

-Eiffel Tower,Paris


Australia/New Zealand

-Sydney,Australia
-Auckland,New Zealand
-Natural Bridge National Park,Gold Coast Hinterland
-Lighthouse, Cape Byron (Byron Bay),New South Wales
-The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
-Golden Coast


South America
- Iguazu Falls,Brazil
- Lima,Peru

Signing Off America

All Good Things should come to an end.So has my American Sojourn[Atleast for now].

As i wait for the flight to take off,the mind goes back into flashback.It has been good 2 years.I've been to so many places but it has never been so much fun and life-affirming.Breath taking Places,Interesting People,Best Minds,Wonderful culture & global cuisines.Mind bogglingly efficient and sometimes intimidating system.Seldom do you come across places which is a ideal blend of work and play;fun is just a weekend away.You step out of America and start seeing the difference.

Shuttling between different cultures & lifestyles can sometimes be trying and also rewarding.You come across interesting experiences;sometimes you come to terms with it;sometimes you don't.'A mother telling her adult daughter that shes carrying her boyfriend's baby and both breaking into tears of joy' was a good shocker.But The American experience has re-inforced the indisputable truth that 'Life is Beautiful.It's a gift'.Grabbing the endless opportunities life throws at you enjoying every moment is going to be the mantra for rest of my life.

As the flight lifts off into its upward trajectory defying gravity and leaving America behind,i cannnot wait for the fresh beginning in a new city,start a new chapter in my life.


My next stop over.Bangalore beckons.

Air Borne

Hot Air Ballooning,Del Mar,San Diego.

January 2009.It had been quite some time since I had been thinking about doing it.For some reason,it kept getting pushed.Finally me and one of my friends decided to do it.
We were pretty excited, at the same time a little apprehensive about it.Nobody we knew had tried it before.That in a way pushed me more to try it out.

Preparing For The Ride. We reached the pick up spot on time and met our fellow balloonists.There were 6 of us, me and my friend, a couple from Nebraska and another one from San Diego.The balloon pilot had to gauge the wind conditions and locate a ideal place for the balloon to take-off.After a quick briefing from the pilot,we were on our way to the take off spot.There were butterflies in our stomach.We knew it was going to be a very enriching experience yet the possibilty of injuring ourselves kept haunting us. After we reached the spot,the pilot and his assistants began inflating the balloon.The whole thing took less than 30 minutes.Before taking off, the pilot also briefed us on landing impact

.

Up in the Air. The liftoff was smooth.As we slowly ascended into the sky and city underneath began to coverge,it was uplifting yet scary.There was hardly any noise from the balloon except when the pilot blew some hot air.The silence was amazing and the view breathtaking.I was trying to capture all the moments in the camera.We could hear the dogs barking in the house and people talking.We could see the sun preparing to slip away under the sea.We cruised to an altitude of 4000 feet,drifted over 12 miles in an hour before we started climbing down.Drifting over the apartments with people waving,starting at us, while landing on a open field was fun.

The End. The landing was as smooth as a feather.The pilot later told us that it was a 1/100 landing as the wind & weather conditions were perfect.We wrapped up the evening with the balloon history, a champagne toast and the ballonist's prayer:-

The winds have welcomed you with softness,
The sun has blessed you with his warm hands,
You have flown so high and so free,
That God has joined you in laughter,
And set you gently again,
Into the loving arms of Mother earth.

It has truly been an experience worth remembering.

My Good Samaritan Friends

Bhaskaran "Bhasky" Pulamanthole

July 2006.We met in Wisconsin 2 years ago.Me and Bhasky have a lot in common.He's good at almost everything, likes photography and travel,great execution style.

Thing I like About Him: He's good-humoured,modest and his execution style is spot on

Bindiya "Gitli" Thapa

June 1994.We were in school together in Himachal.She was the one who pointed out all my misadventures to the teachers and made sure that I got the reward.Life has not been fair to her.She has seen more than her share of grief so young.Her resilience and fighting spirit have always been inspiring.

Chintu "Bhavna" Joseph

Wonderful person.Soft-spoken,Intelligent & unfailingly nice.Treasure her company.Although she's my mom's cousin we're great friends.And I like teasing her a lot.She doesn't miss any opportunities to pull your legs either.Shes a university rankholder i guess..right?Her cool demeanour is very refreshing.

Manish Mahajan

June 1994.My great smart friend from Himachal.We studied in 9th and 10th together.Teacher's pet.Glad to 've got hold of him after 10 long years.Although we'vent had lot of fun together but we've had good times.Represented our school for the Youth Parliament together.Chupa rustum.Never told us that he had a crush on someone in school.kudiyon watch out for the most eligible punjab da puttar.[correction]kudiyon watch out for the most eligible punjab da puttar's wedding in a month.

Nilesh Aggarwal

June 1994.Like my other friends,we go a long way back too.Thanks to him,i dug out most of my old friends.A guy's guy,great guy to hang out with.It's just that we'vent had a fun trip together.Guess It's just a matter of time.

Padmaja "Padma" Lakshminarasimhan.

August 2001.Soft-spoken,modest,good-humoured.The first thing that strikes me about her is her billian-dollar smile.Your worries vanish atleast for the moment.Very down-to-earth person.It's always a pleasure talking to her.

Sajeev "Saji" Nair

January 1986.The Metrosexual Man.I know him since we were kids.Had been part of an mini ordeal together.Lost and found like some of my other friends.Would love to spend time with him but his work and a cute princess named Arya-his kid,keeps him on his toes always.

Saptarishi "Sapta" Talukdar

June 1996.A true gentleman.We've had a good understandin right fr the word go.happy-go-lucky character like me.We've never had any ego clashes.A big guy with a big heart.When it comes to girl-friends, i think he has had the maximum.Every year in school he had a different person.Partha really envied that.Right?Ghar pe being the only son..he's the ladla..Dont you mess with him,he'll give u one whack n you'll land up on the moon.

Thing I like About Him: Always-willing-to-Help attitude
Thing I hate About Him: we don't get to meet often

Sarita "Sari" Sukesh

April 1991.she was one of the musketeers from goa,the other being me.she made sure tht i always got a handful from mom for my misadventures.but shes a lovely woman, very simple and unassuming..haan kabhi kabhi thoda akadthi hai but then nobody's perfect..she just has had a baby girl.i'm so thrilled...hope to see the three of you soon.

Shobhna "Maggi" Negi

June 1994.Pretty woman from Dalhousie.Is kudiye da style zara hatke hai.baddi sayani hai yaar.baddi baddi baatein karti hai.You should read her journals.Thought-provoking stuff.Has Become a Flying Mermaid and has lost sense of time.She still recognises me though!

Thing I like About Her: great friend and a lovely smile

Sumitra "Sumi" Datta

June 1996.The first time i met her itself i knew bahut samajhdhar hai and her name confirmed it.We had similar subject interests.Biology.She's another great friend of mine.Good-humoured,focused.Even in class hamesha padthi rehthi thi.Presently doing her research, shes vowed not to get married till shes completes her research.But har cheez seriously leti hai even if its a joke.Her steadfast determination & perseverance towards achieving her goals is really inspiring.I should take a cue from her.

Thing I like About Her: ambitious,focussed

As of Nov 2008: Has become a research scholar and we've cut a deal to share any nobel prize she wins,for my unrelenting support.

Vinu Unnikrishnan

September 2004 Warm,friendly and easy-going.Has a very good temperament.Sometimes fails to put right things at right place.Good Attitude & inter-personal skills.Methodical in his approach.Can really go up in life.Forgot to add, born flirt.

Thing I like About Him: ambitious,good-humoured,accomodating
Thing I hate About Him: not strong-willed,still thinks hes a kid.

As of Nov 2008: His lip has gone bald.

Yagesh Paliwal

August 2001.At first look,you might think he's a russian but the sona munda's from Delhi.Fun & him always go together.Jab dekho masti karta rehta hai.And he likes travelling a lot.What is never-wracking is how come he hasn't found a girl-friend yet?The day he gets married i'm sure hes going to break a few hearts.

As of Nov 2008: I'm sorry guys that I bring to you the painful truth he's engaged..

My Family

Dad And Mom

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Me And Tony
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