Wind Of Change

After 18 months in the company, I am on a transition phase. I am moving to a new team. It's always quite exciting to have a change. After all, I can't live with same job over and over, again and again, on every following day. If I was happy with that, I would have chosen a  clerical job in a government cadre. But, I am more bearable to changes and this change was welcomed.

The day went on with requesting access to new servers, user roles, etc. Also, heard a lecture by Shashi Tarur on " Why Nations should pursue Soft Power?". A very inspiring speech. The way he  showcased India before the world was awesome. His words were simple but elegant. He was a true Indian during the delivery. Saying this, I am not showing any allegiance to his political and off political views or affairs. But, I admire him just for the moment he stood and used his soft skills to prove that India is one of the fastest growing power out there, in all the fieldsl. The words were patriotic and well commenced. Great Work Tarur. The speech could be viewed at "My Awesome India"  blog.

http://myawesomeindia.blogspot.com/2010/05/india-india-india.html

To the end of the day, I had the resolve to work out at gym. The bulging stomach is throwing me concerns. Better late than never. So, a lot left to read before sleep. Cya...

My Awesome India Launched

I always wished to do something for the country. Being a normal citizen, there is few that could prove significant, but still I was searching for something that is genuine.

And I stuck on the idea of showcasing India facts in the web world. Being a blogger, this is the way for me to volunteer on my patriotic moves. Hence, I launched

My Awesome India

My gentle effort to collect facts that is unique to India and showcase it on my blog is a very long term project. It involves collecting unique facts about india and publishing it for the readers. Over time, I dream this blog to grow as the best repository for the India facts. So, please have a look at it too. It is at its early stages of its life, so, please excuse with the scarcity of contents. I promise, the blog will grow with content day by day.

Social Disaster:Two-year-old who smokes 40 cigarettes

Taking a deep drag on his cigarette while resting on the steering wheel of his truck, he looks like a parody of a middle-aged lorry driver.
But the image covers up a much more disturbing truth: At just the tender age of two, Ardi Rizal's health has been so ruined by his 40-a-day habit that he now struggles to move by himself.
The four-stone Indonesia toddler is certainly far too unfit to run around with other children - and his condition is  set to rapidly deteriorate.



Truck on bad habits: Ardi Rizal sits smoking on his favourite toy at home in Musi Banyuasin, Indonesia

But, despite local officials' offer to buy the Rizal family a new car if the boy quits, his parents feel unable to stop him because he throws massive tantrums if they don't indulge him.
His mother, Diana, 26, wept: 'He's totally addicted. If he doesn't get cigarettes, he gets angry and screams and batters his head against the wall. He tells me he feels dizzy and sick.'
Ardi will smoke only one brand and his habit costs his parents £3.78 a day in Musi Banyuasin, in Indonesia's South Sumatra province.
But in spite of this, his fishmonger father Mohammed, 30, said: 'He looks pretty healthy to me. I don't see the problem.'
Ardi's youth is the extreme of a disturbing trend. Data from the Central Statistics Agency showed 25 per cent of Indonesian children aged three to 15 have tried cigarettes, with 3.2 per cent of those active smokers.
The percentage of five to nine year olds lighting up increased from 0.4 per cent in 2001 to 2.8 per cent in 2004, the agency reported.



Gun smoke: Four-stone Ardi puffs one of 40 cigarettes he smokes a day while toting a water pistol

A video of a four-year-old Indonesian boy blowing smoke rings appeared briefly on YouTube in March, prompting outrage before it was removed from the site.
Child advocates are speaking out about the health damage to children from second-hand smoke, and the growing pressure on them to smoke in a country where one-third of the population uses tobacco and single cigarettes can be bought for a few cents.
Seto Mulyadi, chairman of Indonesia's child protection commission, blames the increase on aggressive advertising and parents who are smokers.
'A law to protect children and passive smokers should be introduced immediately in this country,' he said.
A health law passed in 2009 formally recognizes that smoking is addictive, and an anti-smoking coalition is pushing for tighter restrictions on smoking in public places, advertising bans and bigger health warnings on cigarette packages.



Puff baby: Ardi blows smoke while trundling around on his truck

But a bill on tobacco control has been stalled because of opposition from the tobacco industry.
The bill would ban cigarette advertising and sponsorship, prohibit smoking in public, and add graphic images to packaging.
Benny Wahyudi, a senior official at the Industry Ministry, said the government had initiated a plan to try to limit the number of smokers, including dropping production to 240 billion cigarettes this year, from 245 billion in 2009.
'The government is aware of the impact of smoking on health and has taken efforts, including lowering cigarette production, increasing its tax and limiting smoking areas,' he said.
Mr Mulyadi said a ban on advertising is key to putting the brakes on child and teen smoking.
'If cigarette advertising is not banned, there will be more kids whose lives are threatened because of smoking,' he said.
Ubiquitous advertising hit a bump last month when a cigarette company was forced to withdraw its sponsorship of pop star Kelly Clarkson's concert following protests from fans and anti-tobacco groups.



Always having a break: Ardi, who is rarely seen without a cigarette, insists on the same brand, costing £78 a day

However, imposing a non-smoking message will be difficult in Indonesia, the world's third-largest tobacco consumer.
Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto, a member of the National Commission of Tobacco Control, said Indonesia must also address the social conditions that lead to smoking, such as family influence and peer pressure.
'The promotion of health has to be integrated down to the smallest units in our society, from public health centres and local health care centres to the family,' he was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Globe on Friday.
Health Minister Endang Sedyaningsih conceded turning young people off smoking will be difficult in a country where it is perceived as positive because cigarette companies sponsor everything from scholarships to sporting events.
'This is the challenge we face in protecting youth from the dangers of smoking,' she said in a statement on the ministry's website.

kites Day 1 Gross

The marketing blitzkrieg for Kites by Reliance BIG Pictures seems to have paid of with the film grossing Rs 21 crores on opening day in India – the second highest ever in Bollywood (after 3 idiots).

The aggressive promos had already set the temperature soaring for the Rakesh Roshan film starring Hritik Roshan and Barbara Mori making it among most awaited releases of Summer 2010.

“We were very aggressive in our marketing strategy and released the film across 2500 screens in 30 countries. This is the widest release ever for a Bollywood movie. There were 10,000 shows on the opening day, which is also a record,” says Mr Sanjeev Lamba, CEO, Reliance BIG Pictures.

Kites was marketed aggressively worldwide in the run-up to the release and created a lot of excitement and curiosity. The film grossed over Rs 21 crores on the opening day, the second highest opening in India ever and is expected to have a bumper weekend.

The film has done well overseas too, and opened to full houses. The international version of Kites – Kites Remix – is being presented by Hollywood director Brett Ratner of X-Men and Rush Hour 3 fame. The film will open worldwide next Friday.

Source: Economic Times

Mangalore Crash : 160 dead

A Dubai – Mangalore Air India flight crashed at the Bajpe Airport about 30 kilometres from Mangalore. About 168 passengers were on board, 160 of them have reportedly died after the plane overshot the runway and burst into flames. 6 passengers have survived the crash and have been admitted to the nearby A.J Hospital.

Heartfelt condolences from me to the families of those affected by this tragic incident. May the souls of all those who died rest in peace.

Update: There were 139 adults, 19 children and 4 new born babies were on board.

Update : Helpline numbers – 0824-2220422 (Airport) 011-25656196 (Air India Delhi)

More Numbers – 0824 – 2010167 (Mangalore) 011 – 25603101 (Delhi) 080 – 66785172 (Bangalore)

Wet Drives on a Monsoon Morning

The sky in Trivandrum is getting cloudy. Another monsoon on the limelight, and the day ahead promises a lot of  wet muddy roads, pools in the miniature pot holes and cloudy noisy nights with rain  rattling against the window panes. The sun has been angry for last couple of months. The unbearable heat took the toll right from the morning to late night. High humidity added to the discomfort and the broken sleeps. Amidst of all these, the  rains are a boon. Moreover, rains in the city raises a lot of nostalgic memories.

I got the first taste of this monsoon, when I wake up in the morning, with the wind blowing the curtains up and the drops of rain rushing into my room. Ever since, the heat became unbearable at night, I had the habit of leaving a window open. That welcomed the rain to my room. When I started for the office early morning, the sky was cloud laden. The rain clouds filled the horizon and promised me a wet day. And wet indeed. The drive to the office had my wiper of the car working hard to keep my view intact. After quite a couple of months, I had a cold morning, surely relieving, I must say.

Rains always had a part in the life of people around here, especially for me. In my school days, the opening ceremony of school after the summer breaks are always accompanied by monsoons. The child's heart after a long vacation and back to school benches are reflected in the dark frowning sky. But, the lightning of smiles when friends gang regroups are much to a relief for the year ahead. The morning rain took me back to those old memories.

Though, the rains are bringing back sweet memories, it is also posing a dangerous outrage in southern states of India. Right now, I read news that, the storm in Andhra Pradesh is getting stronger and the winds are blowing at a brisk rate of 120 Km/hr. Really outrageous. Last time, when monsoons devastated the South Asian region was when Tsunami stuck. I hope, this year the monsoon goes away sweetly.

Driving through the Highway

A car of my own was my dream. And today, I am living in that dream.So, with wheels with hands, I would love an opportunity to turn it and yesterday it was indeed an opportunity. I had to do a transporter job, oh well,not a Jason Stathom kind of, but a cross state cruise for my wife to attend her friend's marriage. For me, it was an excuse to pedal the accelerator.

To my inner soul, I enjoyed this drive. The previous time, I went through the same route, I was accompanied by my cousin brother, who was a very good driver. At that time, I was new to my car and very scared  or doubtful at each corner. But today was different. I enjoyed flowing through the traffic, smoking the engine at empty straight stretches and chattering with my wife, who can chit chat for hours non stop.

Work-Life balance –a practical perspective

"Work-life balance was coined in 1986 in reaction to the unhealthy choice many were making in favour of the workplace, as they opted to neglect family, friends and leisure activities in pursuit of corporate goals," according to the Work-Life Balance Centre, a Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire, UK.-based think tank and council dedicated to helping workers gain control of their workloads.

Since the late 1980s, achieving work-life balance has become a concern and goal for businesses, industry and governments worldwide.

When one stops to consider the different areas of life, there are several that require thoughtful attention. If one thinks about it in terms of a pie-chart, each of these areas makes up one piece of that pie, such as Career, Relationships (spouse, family and friends community, colleagues / networking), Spirit (religion / spiritual development), Body (health and fitness), Mind (personal development and lifelong learning), Physical environment (home, office, or car), Finances & Fun and Leisure.

There is a great story. It goes something like this. There was a man who visited a circus. When he saw the clown balancing several objects simultaneously, he was so impressed he sought out the clown after the show. The man asked the clown how he managed to keep all the objects in such perfect balance. The clown replied that he wasn't balancing the objects at all; he was trying to keep them all from crashing to the ground.

The moral, of course, is that balance is not a perfect state. There are always little fluctuations going on to maintain what appears as balance.

Balance means that nothing is absolutely static and unchanging. One can get out of balance for many reasons: -

1. Priorities and circumstances change.
2. Resentment builds when you habitually work long hours, forsake leisure time and neglect personal goals.
3. One might be trying to fit in with someone else's definition of a 'good' lifestyle.

Having work-life balance thus means that one must also be able to make the decisions about what one is going to do in any given moment.

5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

1. Figure Out What Really Matters to You in Life

Personal coach Laura Berman Fortgang, author of NOW WHAT? 90 Days to a New Life Direction, says getting your priorities clear is the first and most essential step toward achieving a well-balanced life. The important point here is to figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be.

"I use an exercise for figuring out what matters most," Fortgang tells WebMD. She has her clients take a couple days off from work to contemplate the following series of questions:

1. If my life could focus on one thing and one thing only, what would that be?
2. If I could add a second thing, what would that be?
3. A third?
4. A fourth?
5. A fifth?

If you answer thoughtfully and honestly, the result will be a list of your top five priorities. Fortgang says a typical top-five list might include some of the following:

Children

Spouse

Satisfying career

Community service

Religion/spirituality

Health

Sports

Art

Hobbies, such as gardening

Adventure/travel

Ismael Al-Ramahi, a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine, says his current priorities are his wife, his 4-month-old son, and his research. He tells WebMD the key is not only knowing your priorities, but devoting your full attention to just one priority at a time. "Split your time and your mind so that you're thinking about work when you're at work and you're paying attention to the baby when you're with him."

 

2. Drop Unnecessary Activities By making a concrete list of what really matters to you, you may discover you're devoting too much time to activities that aren't a priority, and you can adjust your schedule accordingly. Since having a baby, Al-Ramahi says he and his wife have become much more efficient in managing their time -- cutting back on television, for example. If at all possible, Fortgang recommends dropping any commitments and pursuits that don't make your top-five list, because "unnecessary activities keep you away from the things that matter to you."

3. Protect Your Private Time

You would probably think twice before skipping out on work, a parent-teacher conference, or a doctor's appointment. Your private time deserves the same respect. "Carve out hours that contribute to yourself and your relationship," says Stevan Hobfoll, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology at Kent State University, and co-author of Work Won't Love You Back: The Dual Career Couple's Survival Guide. Guard this personal time fervently and don't let work or other distractions intrude. "Stop checking email and cell phones so often," Hobfoll advises. "Few people are so important that they need their phones on at all times."

If work consistently interferes with your personal time, Hobfoll recommends discussing some adjustments with your boss. "There's a mythology in the workplace that more hours means more," he tells WebMD. Demonstrate that you can deliver the same or better results in fewer hours. Your job performance "should never be judged in terms of hours of input," Hobfoll says. Protecting your private time often leads to "greater satisfaction in both work life and personal life, greater productivity, and more creativity."

If you're your own boss, it's up to you to create boundaries that keep work from intruding on family time. Lachlan Brown is president of Tech for People, a small business consulting firm specializing in Internet marketing. "I make it very clear at the beginning of any new business relationship that if I work nights and/or weekends then this is purely by choice," he tells WebMD. "I've told clients more than once that if they call me at night or on the weekend that they shouldn't expect me to a) answer the phone and b) reply until the next business day."

Brown, who has a 9-month-old daughter, doesn't see his reluctance to work after hours as compromising his career but quite the opposite. "I believe that if I truly honour the different aspects of my life, such as work, play, and family, I will be more successful and fulfilled in each area. If I skimp on family time or 'me' time, then my success in my career will suffer as a result. I look to my daughter to remind me of how to be open-minded and excited and curious about life ... key ingredients for innovative, breakthrough thinking. If I don't spend time with her now, this opportunity will be lost forever."

4. Accept Help to Balance Your Life

Allow yourself to rely on your partner, family members, or friends -- anyone who can watch the kids or run an errand while you focus on other top priorities. "Try tag-teaming," Hobfoll suggests. "One spouse works out before dinner, one after dinner, while the other watches the kids."

To get more alone-time with your partner, accept babysitting offers from friends and family, or try arranging a regular trade-off with another couple. "'I'll watch your kids this Saturday if you watch mine next Saturday.' Tag-teaming is a great way to create extra free time," Hobfoll says.

5. Plan Fun and Relaxation

Fun and relaxation are an essential part of living a well-balanced life. That's why Brown makes time for weekly guitar lessons, a yoga class, a date night with his wife, and a guys' night out a couple times a month. In addition, he exercises on a trampoline in his backyard most days of the week. How does he squeeze in all this playtime while running his business and sharing the responsibilities of raising a daughter? "If you believe that the most important thing is to be happy in life (not when I'm a millionaire or when I retire but right now) then you can always make time."

Until you get into the habit of taking time for yourself, set aside space in your planner for relaxation and fun. Plan what you're going to do and make any necessary arrangements, such as childcare, to ensure you'll be able to keep your commitment. "Remember, you make time for what you want to make time for," Fortgang says. If something is important to you, don't brush it aside with a dismissive "I don't have time for that." You are in charge of your own schedule -- it's up to you to make time.

Follow These 5 Simple Steps To Make Your Life & Work Balanced !!!!

Karthik Calling Karthik

It seems very late to write a review about a movie that was released months back, but as usual, I do a review for my personal satisfaction, after I watch it.

So, the pick of the day was "Karthik Calling Karthik".  Starring Solid Farhan Akhtar and gorgeous Deepika Padukone, the film has one of the best first half resembling a hollywood thriller. It maintained suspense and made me wait for the final wind down. The debutant director has proven that he definitely got the flare to experiment with new concepts. But the climax weighed very light and was less impressive. The script was weak and except for the out performance by 'Farhan Akthar', enacting the both halfs of the suicidal Karthik and the winner was impressive. Despite the weak script, the in borne film maker within Farhan had him deliver beautifully. Deepika, was just a filler with micro  skirts and hippy jean shorts. She looked hot in the new hair cut, and in the end, what she left over in the movie was just the looks.

The Smoking Jacket : Playboy customized for Office

Odds are, even if you really enjoy looking at naked ladies on the Internet, you don’t spend much time thinking about Playboy. So what about a Playboy site that doesn’t feature naked ladies?

That appears to be what the publisher has in mind with TheSmokingJacket.com, a “safe-for-work” site it has in the works (don’t bother trying out the URL–nothing to see there now).

Dreams Again

How often we dream in such a way that, it feels so realistic. I am not talking about ‘The Matrix’. I am just throwing a basic question. The scientific world has never explained the phenomenon of ‘Dreams’ with clarity, so the occurrence of ‘dreams’ still remain as a masked mystery.

I had a dream yesterday, as if with every million people who dream. But, I count myself among a few blessed ones. Why? Because, I can remember my dreams, very clearly and vividly for almost 5-6 hours after I am awake. So, I jumped on to my blogging write pad so that I can transfer those dreamy memories, before they gets washed off.

Into the dream…

I am standing in front a old school building. A school in the same format as you would see in any typical Indian panorama. Brown soiled grounds, a single tree in the courtyard, and a flag post right in front of the building entrance. The wind was briskly knocking me  and the surroundings seems to be deserted. I am in front of a school that appears not inhabited by any students in recent past. In a deserted place, in front a deserted school, all alone..creepy.

I walked through the doorways with a cloudy mindset. I was not sure, what I will walk into, or what I am going to see in there. I just moved along. I saw three classrooms in the hall. The partitions separating the class rooms are moved to the corner of the hall. In the first black board, I saw some questions written in chalk,almost fading. Spaces were left between the questions, may be for answers. Somehow, I felt to answer the questions. Or the questions were meant for me to answer? I went through those questions that were fading from the board and right now,also from my memory. 3 questions, and were  indeed, quite a mouthful.

1. When did you help a stranger for the last time?

2. Have you fed any hungry stomach which is incapable of getting food of their own?

3. If you read first two questions, aren’t you lucky that you are able to read it and think about it?

I am point blank reading this. I am not imagining things, or making up all these. These are the exact questions, I saw in the dream. And as you have guessed, in the dream and in  life, I was mouth shut. I stared at the board looking for answers. But the answers written by some kid long time ago, has already faded off. And those questions stood there, staring at me.

I guided my eyes to the second classroom and walked towards it.To my surprise, the classroom resembled a temporary hospital setup. The benches are put together and a old woman is lying on it. I slowly went near her. She was motionless. I kneeled down and took a closer look. She suddenly grabbed me and uttered just two words - “Help me”.

I didn’t see her face. I don’t know who she is. She said those words and then again retained her initial posture. I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do. I wished to ask, what help she needed? But I was voiceless. I felt like the surroundings and the wordings were knitting a strangeness around me. A strange ignorance wrapped in all the false knowledge, I am strived to learn. Maybe, this is the reality I was supposed to realise.

Drugs and their Effects - PCP

PCP (Phencyclidine) is a dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthetic agent, exhibiting hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects. It is commonly known as Angel Dust, but is also known as Wet, Sherm, Sherman Hemsley, Rocket Fuel, Ashy Larry, Shermans Tank, Wack, Halk Hogan, Ozone, HannaH, Hog, Manitoba Shlimbo, and Embalming Fluid, among other names. Although the primary psychoactive effects of the drug only last hours, total elimination from the body is prolonged, typically extending over weeks. PCP is consumed in a recreational manner by drug users, mainly in the United States, where the demand is met by illegal production. It comes in both powder and liquid forms (PCP base dissolved most often in ether), but typically it is sprayed onto leafy material such as marijuana, mint, oregano, parsley or Ginger Leaves, and smoked. PCP has potent effects on the nervous system altering perceptual functions (hallucinations, delusional ideas, delirium or confused thinking), motor functions (unsteady gait, loss of coordination, and disrupted eye movement or nystagmus), and autonomic nervous system regulation (rapid heart rate, altered temperature regulation). The drug has been known to alter mood states in an unpredictable fashion causing some individuals to become detached and others to become animated.

When I was taking the drug, I used very small amounts. The effect was incredibly pleasant and social, so much so that me and my friends all used it instead of booze for almost a year. I couldn’t dance for shit on the stuff (I’d get stumbly and actually fell on my ass on the dancefloor once) but the physical sensations and mental pictures were really fun. It is quite different from any psychedelic visuals or even Ketamine visuals…more like rolling through old film footage. To be honest, I liked it more than my experiences on Ketamine. PCP can make one nearly impervious to pain at high doses. Because of this, PCP can make things seem like a good idea that otherwise wouldn’t (leading to the stories of people leaping out of windows, etc.) I experienced very confusing physical reality when really high on it, like being unable to discern the difference between walking up stairs and down them, or standing still and walking. This could lead to very unusual behaviour.

Drugs and their Effects - Psilocybin Mushrooms

Psilocybin mushrooms (also called psilocybian mushrooms) are fungi that contain the psychedelic substances psilocybin and psilocin, and occasionally other psychoactive tryptamines. There are multiple colloquial terms for psilocybin mushrooms, the most common being magic mushrooms or ‘shrooms. When psilocybin is ingested, it is broken down to produce psilocin, which is responsible for the hallucinogenic effects. The intoxicating effects of psilocybin-containing mushrooms typically last anywhere from 3 to 7 hours depending on dosage, preparation method and personal metabolism. The experience is typically inwardly oriented, with strong visual and auditory components. Visions and revelations may be experienced, and the effect can range from exhilarating to distressing. There can be also a total absence of effects, even with large doses.

I had acquired about 8 grams of dried mushrooms and some liquid psilocybin equivalent to another 5 grams of powdered mushrooms. I swallowed the liquid first, on an empty stomach of course. I could feel a slight sensation after about 10-15 minutes. Then I added the powder to some water in a mug and swallowed that also. I then sat by the camp fire, listening to the wind in the trees while I contemplated what was about to happen. After about 45-50 minutes I heard a ‘voice’ calling to me. It wasn’t audible in the normal sense – it came from inside my own mind! Then I was gone – out of this world. I escaped into what I perceived to be the outer boundaries of my mind or my imagination. This placed presented itself as a natural forest with low light. Here I met the owner of the aforementioned voice – the Mushroom Goddess. She took the form of a white, strapless, ankle-length dress, standing side-on from me. For about the next two hours I dialoged with her, becoming totally bewitched by her charm, her wit, her intelligence, her knowledge, her unconditional affection for me and her seemingly infinite perspective. I have come to think of her as my other-worldly girlfriend.

Drugs and their Effects - Marijuana

Cannabis, known as marijuana in its herbal form, is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa. Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory, although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. It is estimated that about four percent of the world’s adult population use cannabis annually. It has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed, usually by smoking or ingestion. The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. The state of intoxication due to cannabis consumption is colloquially known as a “high”; it is the state where mental and physical facilities are noticeably altered due to the consumption of cannabis. Each user experiences a different high, and the nature of it may vary upon factors such as potency, dose, chemical composition, method of consumption and set and setting.

 

After taking that first hit, and not feeling the effects within a minute (holding it in for a minute, and then waiting a little bit after exhaling) I decided, well I better hit this again, harder if I can. I took just as large of a hit, and again held it in for longer than a minute. I let my brother know I was really starting to feel something now and I don’t think I liked it all. It snuck up on me really bad, and I still had no idea what to expect. I wanted him to be quiet. Laying down was not helping, so I got back up. I went back to the garage and tried to explain to everyone ‘I am totally fucked up. This is scary!’ I was rationalizing everything tremendously, but it was SO intense! And it was only getting more intense faster! I didn’t know what to expect, I was sinking within myself, accelerating downward like into the depths of my own oblivion. I was a novice, I had no idea what to expect, and the world had become out of synch, the talking of my brothers, his friend, all ridiculous and extremely annoying. I became amazingly irritable and wanted them to leave me alone or not talk in my presence. They did not understand or appreciate my fear, and they began to get loud again. I ran upstairs to my parents bed and laid down with some wistful hope that I could wait out this storm.

Drugs and their Effects - Opium

Opium is a resinous narcotic formed from the latex released by lacerating (or “scoring”) the immature seed pods of opium poppies (Papaver somniferum). It contains up to 16% morphine, an opiate alkaloid, which is most frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. Opium has gradually been superseded by a variety of purified, semi-synthetic, and synthetic opioids with progressively stronger effect, and by other general anesthesia. This process began in 1817, when Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner reported the isolation of pure morphine from opium after at least thirteen years of research and a nearly disastrous trial on himself and three boys.

 

I remember that what I smoked was much easier to smoke than marijuana. There was no burning in my throat nor in my lungs. I took a very large, smooth hit. Smoking it like marijuana, I held it in for about 10 or 15 seconds and let it out. It didn’t taste like marijuana, I remember the taste being rather faint. It actually tasted and smelled like incense. I was very surprised to suddenly find myself on the floor, in the dark, with a crowd of people surrounding me. Apparently I had fainted and fallen to the ground, but I hadn’t noticed. The high itself is rather hard to describe. It was much more intense than marijuana. It felt heavy, like my whole body was being impacted… but it also felt very clear and refined at the same time. As I made my way towards the bathroom the drug began to kick in again. My steps kind of faded away and it felt like I was just floating over to the bathroom. The scary thing was though, that I was having trouble seeing. My vision was fading. Distinct figures melted into shadows and everything had a sparkle to it. All of a sudden, everything felt really good. I couldn’t stop smiling. Everything was profound in a very positive way, especially the music since it resonated everywhere. It was a very abstruse experience. I imagine that I was coming down at this point, an hour had surely past by because the band was building a climax to end their first set. I went along with the crowd and made my way outside. The fresh air was wonderful. The cool air seemed to wrap around my body. A slight breeze on the back of my neck sent chills that rapidly multiplied throughout my body.

Drugs and their Effects- Ecstasy

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a semisynthetic psychedelic entactogen of the phenethylamine family that is much less visual with more stimulant like effects than most all other common “trip” producing psychedelics. It is considered mainly a recreational drug that’s often used with sex and associated with club drugs, as an entheogen, and a tool in use to supplement various types of practices for transcendence including in meditation, psychonautics, and illicit psychedelic psychotherapy whether self administered or not. The primary effects of MDMA include an increased awareness of the senses, feelings of openness, euphoria, empathy, love,happiness, heightened self-awareness, feeling of mental clarity and an increased appreciation of music and movement. Tactile sensations are enhanced for some users, making physical contact with others more pleasurable. Other side effects, such as jaw clenching and elevated pulse, are common.

 

Sitting comfortably in our cosy living room, Café del Mar and similar CDs playing in the background, we began at 8 pm. I swallowed one white tablet with water. Over the next hour nothing much happened except that I found myself talking quite openly and confidently with the others, moving very easily into interesting conversations. This was a little unusual for me as I am normally quite shy and overly self-conscious in social situations and it takes me a while to loosen up. The next thing I experienced was a striking shift in my visual perception. I don’t mean a hallucination or a distortion, but a wonderful step up in the aesthetic quality. For a moment it was like being in one of those nostalgic TV ads where the world looks all gold and sepia. ‘Everything’s gone amber!’ I blurted. But then I found that my vision was becoming beautifully enhanced. It made my normal visual experience seem like cheap, fuzzy CCTV footage in comparison. Now I was seeing the world anew in sharp, lush, top-quality Technicolor! I also began to move in time to the music. The music! Oh, the music! Wow! It sounded so good, so organic! The uplifted state stayed with me and took a long time to fade — at least a couple of weeks. It had unleashed in me a rush of joy that was still accessible when I focused on it weeks later.

Drugs and their Effects - LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the tryptamine family. Arguably the most regarded of all psychedelics, it is considered mainly as a recreational drug, an entheogen, and a tool in use to supplement various types of exercises for transcendence including in meditation, psychonautics, and illegal psychedelic psychotherapy whether self administered or not. LSD’s psychological effects (colloquially called a “trip”) vary greatly from person to person, depending on factors such as previous experiences, state of mind and environment, as well as dose strength. They also vary from one trip to another, and even as time passes during a single trip. An LSD trip can have long term psychoemotional effects; some users cite the LSD experience as causing significant changes in their personality and life perspective. Widely different effects emerge based on what Leary called set and setting; the “set” being the general mindset of the user, and the “setting” being the physical and social environment in which the drug’s effects are experienced.

 

About ten years ago I bought my third trip from a guy in my home town Norwich (UK) It was a ‘Strawberry’ and I was told it had been double dipped. The guy had a reputation for selling good acid so I happily gave him my cash. I took the single LSD tab in the late morning in a positive state of mind with no worries or anxieties. I began to come up on the acid towards the lunch time. It was to be the first and last time I’d ever trip alone. Outside it was a glorious sunny day but I was happy enough in my temporary sanctuary to even think about going outside. The LSD rush started blazing up my spine and racing through my guts, I felt a little uneasy with it but had enough mind to allow myself to just go with it and wait until the rush plateaued. I was having a wonderful time, watching floral Escher type patterns breathing over my skin. I vaguely recall deciding to go downstairs again for some reason then the next thing I recall was awakening on the floor of the dining room alone. The first thing I noticed was that there were blowflies buzzing around a bowl of catfood on the kitchen floor. I remember feeling perplexed as to why both flies had two bright neon after images in red and blue. Somehow I navigated myself through Norwich during the busy lunchtime shoppers and begun to head in the direction of the city’s central park ‘Chapelfield gardens’. If you could imagine for a moment being surrounded by people in a busy place where their heads had been removed and replaced by Squids and Octopus you might begin to accurately picture the scene confronting me in the park. Everyone had tentacles smothering their faces and dangling down their necks like fleshy snake beards, even the women and children were not exempt from this disfiguration. In retrospect, it was the worst day of my entire life, It was the closest I can imagine to having full blown psychosis.

Drugs and their Effects - Crack Cocaine

Crack cocaine, often nicknamed “crack”, is believed to have been created and made popular during the early 1980s . Because of the dangers for manufacturers of using ether to produce pure freebase cocaine, producers began to omit the step of removing the freebase precipitate from the ammonia mixture. Typically, filtration processes are also omitted. Baking soda is now most often used as a base rather than ammonia for reasons of lowered odor and toxicity; however, any weak base can be used to make crack cocaine. When commonly “cooked” the ratio is 1:1 to 2:3 parts cocaine/bicarbonate.

 

 

 

As I held the smoke in for a ten count and exhaled, I thought I felt nothing except a little excitement that was neither bad nor pleasurable. The complete rush some writers have called a ‘whole-body orgasm’ hit me shortly after and I distinctly remember demanding ‘more’ as soon as the realization of heaven-on-earth came. Some people say that the effects of smoking crack lasts 10-15 minutes. For me, it was just a shortest instant of gratification. Everything afterwards was just a great increase in energy and confidence geared towards obtaining more of the drug.

Drugs and their Effects - Methamphetamine

Methamphetamime, popularly shortened to meth or ice, is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Since it stimulates the mesolimbic reward pathway, causing euphoria and excitement, it is prone to abuse and addiction. Users may become obsessed or perform repetitive tasks such as cleaning, hand-washing, or assembling and disassembling objects. Withdrawal is characterized by excessive sleeping, eating and depression-like symptoms, often accompanied by anxiety and drug-craving.

We first smoked meth on New Year’s Eve because we heard it was great for sex. I had to work the next day and so saved some to smoke before work in the morning. When I got home another g was waiting for me and I smoked every day but one until I finally quit three months later. For three weeks we smoked meth with little consequence, then my skin became fragile and in addition to breaking out, started to swell. I was really worried because I was constantly thirsty and drinking water, but I rarely urinated. Then my kidneys started hurting. I had lost twenty pounds in two months and my husband had lost thirty, and we’d read somewhere that rapid weight loss can cause kidney failure. I slept every three or four days for an hour or so and woke feeling rested. I was an hour late for work everyday. My husband wrecked the truck three times. One day I forgot to feed my son. Everything was either the highest of highs or the lowest of lows, no in between existed anymore. We were banned from the sauna at our apartment complex because no one else could use it. Our sweat smelled so strongly of ammonia it burned the eyes, it was caustic, and it burned our skin too. My husband and I haven’t done any drugs at all for four weeks, and things are slowly going back to normal. But I still want it. I can’t sleep tonight because I want it. I wrote this in all honesty mostly to help myself, to remind myself why I don’t want it. And still I want it.

Drugs and their Effects – Cocaine

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is both a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, giving rise to what has been described as a euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. It is most often used recreationally for this effect. Cocaine is a potent central nervous system stimulant. Its effects can last from 20 minutes to several hours, depending upon the dosage of cocaine taken, purity, and method of administration. The initial signs of stimulation are hyperactivity, restlessness, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and euphoria. The euphoria is sometimes followed by feelings of discomfort and depression and a craving to experience the drug again. Sexual interest and pleasure can be amplified. Side effects can include twitching, paranoia, and impotence, which usually increases with frequent usage.

The cocaine arrived and we agreed to use it at a time that translated to three and a half hours after I arrived. It cost $60 for what I was told was an eighth of a gram. This seemed rather expensive, but I was assured that it was ‘high quality product.’ I took the line up my left nostril. After about ninety seconds, I felt my heartbeat increase. It was definitely kicking in. I began to worry a bit, as I could feel my heart pounding and my pulse increasing. I finally felt as if it had reached a plateau. My heartbeat became level, albeit still very high. Many people say that one feels euphoria – being invincible and/or the desire to clean the house. I did not feel either of these (and I did remember to think about these things). For me, the positive effects of cocaine came directly from knowing that I had reached a plateau and I was going to be fine. I felt invigorated, yet also very comfortable.

Drugs and their Effects – Heroin

Drug trafficking and its increased consumption is have wide impact in society. The curiosity often leads to addiction and then to destruction. So, I am dedicating this week in my blog for information on common drugs and its impact on its consumption. I am starting the series with Lord of the Drugs : ‘Heroin’.



Heroin is an opiate processed directly from the extracts of the opium poppy. It was originally created to help cure people of addiction to morphine. Upon crossing the blood-brain barrier, which occurs soon after introduction of the drug into the bloodstream, heroin is converted into morphine, which mimics the action of endorphins, creating a sense of well-being; the characteristic euphoria has been described as an “orgasm” centred in the gut. One of the most common methods of heroin use is via intravenous injection.

For the last 4 months, my partner and I have been recreationally using heroin. H became our weekend ritual. Lighting candles, playing music, brie and wine and grapes, reading tarot and finally fucking… for hours on end, the most intense beautiful technicolor sex. Each time we did it we got closer to each other. And each time we did it, we wanted to do it again, and again. We tried saying we’d only do it once every two weeks, but that lasted 6 days. We have rules about how much we do in one night, how late we stay up and so on. So far the rules have kept us safe from addiction. Unless you consider the nagging i-don’t-wanna-go-a-weekend-or-have-sex-without-it feelings. We’ve never run out, although, once we were down to our last little bit and I left the vial open on the night stand. I was reaching for the lube when I heard the most sickening sound, the vial falling over. Turns out, I was mistaken, I had remembered to put the cap back on. But in those few seconds of uncertainty, my girl and I shot each other a look we had never seen before.. Fear.

Courtesy : Wikipedia

The CYBUGLE

Its simple maths really

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that
he had never failed a single student before but had once failed
an entire class.
That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one
would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment
in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and
everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail
and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students
who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little
had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided
they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!

No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame and
name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one
would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them
that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the
reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when
government takes the reward away, no one will try or
want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.

What a profound short little paragraph that says it all
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the
wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without
working for, another person must work for without receiving.
The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else.
When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to
work because the other half is going to take care of them,
and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good
to work because somebody else is going to get what they
work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

INDIAN DRIVING

This hilarious article was written by an expert from Baan, Netherlands who spent two years in Hyderabad. I couldn’t help posting it for the sake of all blog readers.

Driving in India For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer.

Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows:

Do we drive on the left or right of the road?

The answer is "both". Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the intended direction. Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation, the other drivers are not in any better position.

Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back. Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.

Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts), or, just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.

Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwaters to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.

Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.

Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion en route to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.

Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.

Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.

One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive, as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical; I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house.

This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.

Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience (for those with the mental makeup of Chenghis Khan). In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes. Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously. Of course, all this occurs at night, on the trunk roads.

During the daytime, trucks are more visible, except that the drivers will never show any Signal. (And you must watch for the absent signals; they are the greater threat). Only, you will often observe that the cleaner who sits next to the driver, will project his hand and wave hysterically.This is definitely not to be construed as a signal for a left turn. The waving is just a statement of physical relief on a hot day.

If, after all this, you still want to drive in India, have your lessons between 8 pm and 11 am-when the police have gone home and The citizen is then free to enjoy the 'FREEDOM OF SPEED' enshrined in our constitution.

Having said all this, isn't it true that the accident rate and related deaths are less in India compared to US or other countries!!??

Langkawi – Tourist’s Paradise

Twilight, followed by Dusk throws langkawi to the beautiful panorama and celebration nights. On the deck of a small cruiser, we could go deep into the sea, searching for the setting sun. Amidst the small islands and the dark forests, sun sets slowly, giving us a once in a lifetime experience. Hanging on the nets behind the cruiser, sea surfing could be done for hours. When dusk leaves for the night, cruise turns to party haven. couples dance, songs by the crew below the starry sky and surrounded by the light decorations in the distant islands and strange sounds coming from distant mangroves.

Langkawi is specifically for honeymooners. All the preparations are intended for them. The resorts built over the sea, pools, gardens, songs, wine and dance are all meant for the romantic couples. The surrounding sea, and the vultures in the sky guard their private moments.

Simple, clean and less crowded markets of Langkawi extends to the sea. The sea breeze always soothes the crowd. All streets smell of chocolates and wine. In sweet streets, sweets of different shapes and colours could be seen. Liquor from all around the world is available here for cheaper prices. Most of the shop keepers are ladies. They always welcome you with their hands on the wine bottles… to the Bar.

Within 478 kilometres, there are no bus service. Taxi is the only public transportation medium. Instead of bus stops, Since vehicles, petrol and land is cheaper, even a average Langkawi citizen is one drop richer.

Langkawi- Myths

No matter being isolated, every place has its own myths and stories to brag about. Every place upholds their heritage in those stories.

The story of Mashuri village intermixes events and tears. Around 200 years ago, There was a farmer girl in langkawi village. Her name was Mashuri. The village head eyed to make her his second wife. But, when the first wife opposed he had to resist that wish. Eventually, she married a young guy from the village. Before even the honeymoon days were over, he went to distant lands on a war. At that time, a story teller came to the village. The village mesmerized in his magical words. He didn’t have a place to stay in a village unknown to him. Mashuri invited him to stay at her home, After a night, The wife of village head accused her of prostitution. Though she cried and denied all accusations, village head punished her with death sentence. But she didn’t wait for the sentence. Instead she killed herself by shoving a knife to her neck. Myth says that, to prove her innocence, the blood that splattered from her neck was whitish. This is stated as the reason for Langkawi’s soil being more whitish than else where. With Mashuri’s innocent blood splattered on earth, langkawi was cursed for seven generations to remain deserted and barren. Those cursed seven generations were overcome very recently. The old folks believe this saying that it was after that time, langkawi started to prosper in Tourism.

The knife used by Mashuri and her cremation has been preserved as heritage centres within the village itself by Malaysian government. Mashuri has been rediscovered as a museum of Malay art and culture. Malay houses are idols of simplicity. they are built on beams raised from ground and paved with wooden blocks. They look as beautiful as a small nest.

In Mashuri village, palm and banana grow in abundant. Here traditional Malay music can be heard with it original essence. In closed copper vessels, a cloth laden stick used to play. This traditional music is known as “chalempong”. This instrument is traditionally played by Muslim girls.

Langkawi – History and Landscape

A piece of land guarded by sea, vultures and forest. Days blessed by the unity of winds, views and the ‘rain’.  And nights are unimaginably unique. farmers songs and hard work fills the fields…

At langkawi, nature and life becomes celebration….

 

The stony structure of Vulture could be seen from the sky. With its huge wings widespread, eyes filled with a natural hunter’s rage and claws outstretched to embark its prey, the great statue of vulture stand against the sea. With the variations in sunlight, the stony wings of the great hunter takes different colours. Dusk sets behind those massive wings. After that, we can see, vultures raising from different  parts of langkawi, ready to hunt for its prey. Flying through the dense mangrove forests, they catch fish from the Kulim river and circle over the rain forests and rest on the trees in the Mashuri village. These vultures roam across the sea and their flight extends through the land locks and up to the shore lines of Thailand. Thus, over the nights and days, these vultures guard the precious piece of land in the middle of nowhere – Langkawi.

The island lives on the beliefs of these sky guards. In local Malay language, “Langkawi” means reddish brown Vulture. In the middle of Andaman sea, situated close to Malaysia, The langkawi island bears a simplicity that is even vibrant and present in the silent wind. The waves that crushes its shores has a rhythm, a rhythm of peace, calm, rigidity. The same attire could be seen and felt in the lifestyle of the natives. It could be felt from the white sands to the denseness of the lush green forests.

Langkawi constitutes 105 island pieces, majority of which are unbiased for human habitation. The mainland of Langkawi is concentrated on 478 square kilometres close to the Thailand border. Within this space, 65000 occupants, wide streets sided by dense forests, clear sky and rain wet twilights… all become part of the city celebrations and the distant sounds of farmers song.

In distant past, Langkawi was a barren island. A greenery occupied by vultures. later, Indians and Chinese who came in search of Gold and camphor spread the human scent across this virgin island. In Malay ancient history, one of the first occupants of this island also includes ancestors from South India. It could be assured that he is of Tamil origin. Because the precedents of this great grand ancestor could be found all over the island with all the  physical features and the melodious ‘Tamil’ accent which could traced back to Tamilnadu in south India.

The locals say that this island city is over hundred year old. Houses were used to be built with bricks. Men and women had long hairs and wore sleeveless long gowns. Kings and land lords wore red shawls over shoulders, gold rings and anklets.

Forgetting the distant past, langkawi has entered into a simple life with paddy fields, fishing and rubber plantations. In 1987, the proclamation of Langkawi as “Duty Free island” began the tourist downpour to this island. City squares expanded. Forests, ponds and villages all dressed up to welcome the tourist industry. Vultures became sightseers. Now , tourism is Langkawi’s life breath.

On clear days, the island draped by the frequently blowing sea breeze gives tourists a simplicity of a feather. While boating through the Kulim river, forests, small islands engulfs us in  a ethereal web. The ‘Bat cave’ on the shores of Kulim river looks like a lone castle. A torch is a must to enter this place. On upper walls of the cave, bats could be seen as small black dots. Their count doesn't limit on thousands or million. Approximately a cave occupied by a million bats sends a chill through the nerves. The natural relics  within the cave say that it was formed naturally a way long past within the sea. The only sound that breaks the haunting silence in this cave is the occasional clattering of the bat wings.

The mangrove forest winds and unwinds beyond the bat cave. It smells of marsh, water and algae. It seems like mangrove roots standing with their hands crossed, through we can see the swinging monkeys staring at us. It was amazing to see that there are vegetarians and non vegetarians in the monkey gang!

The most amazing spectacular scene in the Kulim river is the fish hunting by the vultures. Gliding as a spot on the high skies, dives to the river surface in a lightning speed and grabs heavy fish. Not even making a single sound, or a ripple on the surface, it felt like an art difficult to adopt. With the prey clenched in the claws, they fly and disappear behind the huge rocks or to the dense mangrove forest.

Floating restaurants in the river are haven of Malay delicacies. Chicken blended in honey, hot and chilly sea food and white rice constitutes the main course. Across the floating restaurants, we can see the ecological forest. Felt like “HOLLYWOOD” is engrailed on a huge rock. On rowing ahead, facing the sea were huge rocks that rose to the sky like castle gates. The wind and the sea has given the rocks an eye catching shape. Through them, the river joins the Andaman sea. A half an hour boating along the path will take us to the shores of Thailand.

 

to be continued…

Does stories are born in dreams?

I had ,and I specifically say had, the habit of reading. There we re days, when I couldn’t sleep without reading something new. Reading always carried me away and I enjoyed that loneliness.

When fictions and thrillers fill my mindspace, I often wonder, how these stories take birth? How the seed of these awesome scribes originate? Do the authors create all these with there imaginations swirling in the clouds or it just happens in their dreams.

I am a lone dreamer. Often, I dream during early morning. The dreams of mine are mostly adventuress or suspense thriller. you would be thinking that I am kidding. But its a fact in my case. I have often dreamt a full swing story that imparts me as a character. And to my own surprise, when I wake up, I often remember, the entire sequence. I always wished to write it down, but writing the whole thing is much difficult as  visualizing it.

But, someday, i am gonna write it. Who could say, it may be my masterpiece in literature?