We Indians

As I write this blog, I am definately traveling ........... not showing off (its true!!) but just getting the foundation of the blog some good strength.
I have been visiting East Africa for sometime now but what I found interesting there are Indians (read ........ "roots from India")
In all my trips I have met people with roots from India (not that they are the highest branch of an eucalyptus either) .......

Scene 1:
Me: Sir, you are from India?
Mr. X: NOOOOOOOO (caps here is intentional as the guy is definately annoyed)
Me: My apologies, but your looks are very Indian
Mr. X: May be, is that a problem?
Me: Not at all Sir!!
Mr. X: Then?
Me: Asked just like that.
Mr. X: Though my parents are from India
(So u r??)

Scene 2:
Me: Hi, whats your name?
Miss Y: Its Krisma!!
Me: (smiling) Ohh, it is Karishma?
Miss Y: NOOOO, it is krisma, K-R-I-S-M-A!!
Me: You mean Karishma without the starting "A"?
Miss: Yeah ....... somewhat and IT IS NOT INDIAN

Scene 3:
Me: Hello Sir, are you ROOTS from India?
Mr. Z: Yeah ........ actually we are from her n there, my relatives are there n here .......... (the story goes)
Me: So sir, you call yourself an Indian?
Mr. Z: Not at all ........ I am a Kenya/tanzania/Ugandania - "N"!!

So the point that I have understood is ........ dont call an Indian outside India, an Indian ......... it hurts!!But why?
I always thought that why Indians are so segmeneted in the same country ........ but outside I realised that Indians are much more segregated ........ they are segregated to an extent of just not caste, but even on sirnames from a geography.
My friend in Kenya is about to miss his Diwali in India as he is in Kenya ......... so he asked Mr. Z, sir can I celebrate diwali with you ....... so Mr. Z replied, "We are 250 Patels (from a particular Geography in Northern Gujrat) .......... a small community and we celebrate Diwali between us only (meaning ........ F*** OFF)."Mr. Z was so concrete in his words that if he could have got a call from a hospital, depending on the reason he would have told us, now we are 249/251.It means, a Patel from some other geography of Gujarat, a Patel from ROI (Rest of India), a Hindu from Gujrat, a Hindu from ROI, An Indian from Gujrat, An Indian from ROI ............ no one , absolutely NO ONE is allowed ........ and this is not in India ......... a locality in Nairobi.
People always say ......... distance brings people closer ......... checking facts might help in re-phrasing this.
Not that this blog is to urge all fellow Indians across the globe to behave like brothers and sisters (barring the ones married, going around, targetting) but I AM SURPRISED ......... FOR SURE, I AM.

My Drives / Trips ............ less words, more snaps!!

In continuation of my earlier blog on my drives, I am back again with less words and more of snaps of my various in-country, out-country drives / trips!!

All in all, I can say that the time till now has been really great and the future even better!! :-)

1. Australia (Sydney, Perth) in Jan 07 - Official cum personal trip

Sydney Harbour (with SC and AP)!! Harbour Bridge @ Sydney (with AP)

@ Opera House (Sydney) with AP

On the way to Australia, you see this!! They call it the Shark Bay!!

2. Banerghatta National Park : Trip with SB and NK (near to Bangalore)

None of us but yes the actual inmates right there!! THE Butterfly park!!
Have you ever seen a living White Tiger? See it now in either case!!
We know we are fat, but still cant we also try some Elephant rides?

3. Belum Caves (Andhra Pradesh) with JS, PP and NK:

Entry to the main Cave Hall!!Inside the Cave with JS
The lightening effect!! Awesome!! Its really Hot (Temperature wise)
3.5 kms of caves ............. unbelievable!!

4. Drive from Bangalore to Haridwar and way back (5300 kms) : With Family for Bro's marriage

Interesting about this drive is the single driver over 3 days (nights we were resting) cutting / touching 7 states of India and 1 UT. Karnataka > Andhra Pradesh > Maharashtra > Madhya Pradesh > Uttar Pradesh > Madhya pradesh > Uttar Pradesh > Rajasthan > Delhi > Uttaranchal.

Starting from BangaloreHitting NH7 (Longest National Highway of India)

Somewhere in Maharashtra!! Breath-taking scenes where there are only 3 colors you can see; Green of Sourroundings, black of road and blue of sky

On the way back from Delhi to Bangalore. This is somewhere in Madhya Pradesh

On the way back, somewhere in MP only. Floods were still not completely done!!

5. Bheemeshwari Trip in Nov 06: With SB, NK, JS, RP

Me and Cauvery waters at peace. This place is a paradise for people interested in Fishing!! I am more interested in eating :-) Who can say that these 2 peaceful men would be fighting over ego in few minutes from now!! (SB and NK)
Dont worry, they wont, the mediator is here. I believe in out-of-court settlement.
All men, no Jalparies!! :-(
Who has the muscle wins!! So now you know the "out-of-court" settlement!! he he :-)

6. Trip to Chennai and Pondichery NOV 2006:

With SB from BLR, KC and AS from Chennai. I love this trip for an amazing experience of driving on ECR (East Coast Road). The Ocean water touches the road at lot of places. Well Marked, Well defined, perfect road without any pot-holes. When we were starting from Chennai, every one told us that it would take us about 4 hours or if we drive really really fast without any traffic, it would take best-cum-best around 2.25 hours. We started with the milestone of 132 kms for Pondy and reached there in 1 Hour 20 Minutes with all the traffic and while driving back in night, we did the same distance in about 1 hour 10 minutes!! You might feel that I boast a lot about my fast driving. I am sorry to say, but you are right!!

Sitting on the Pondy beach (from left, AS, KC and SB)Pondy shores have lots n lots of GIANT CRABS (Alive). Few of them can be found here as well!!
So this is where Portugese anchored there ships!! Just checking there are few still left!! Bharat Mata ki Jai!!
As I said, ECR has Ocean Waters (or rather of Bay of Bengal) touching the roadside!! Awesome view
Trying to Call few Crabs so that we could have some nice snaps with them. SB looking as if someone has just come :-)

7. Trip to Coorg DEC 06: With NK, PJ and JS

On the way to Coorg. In between the coffee garden. Also is NK and PJ in pic PJ, JS and me at Addy's Falls
Me @ Addy's Falls
JS and Me discussing about the on-the-marks strategy
Yeah, the man in gold and man with the golden heart :-)

8. Dhanaulti Trip ............. not my drive!! but an amzing place

Ye Dosti hum nahin chodenge ........... Friends in Dhanaulti Me, Elder bro, Mom n the most important vehicle in the hills!!
Self and snow obsessed!!
Hills per Maggi khaana kitna mast hota hai!!

9. Goa Trip JAN 07: With AB, NS and SP

A Beach Shack with the multi-colored environment and the Hot us, I mean the sand!!Muchein ho to Lobster-ram jaisi!!
Abe itna khush kyon hai?? Abhi to paani mein gaya bhi nahin hai!!
Is kehte hein Bhookhe Nango ke beech Ujade chaman!!
This is just to prove that we did enter TITO's in this trip!!

10. Goa drive OCT 2006: With SB, JS and RP:

The Dudes hit the Goa Shore for the first time in their life Beta daro mat, mein tumhaari peeche hun!! All set and charged up to enter TITO's ........... we were not allowed though :-(
My first Tattoo ever in my life!!
The address says UK (Union of Karnataka). This shop had a 1960 ad poster of MRF (some other name at that time)

11. Goa Trip OCT 07: With AB, Ankur and Salil

This is the trip which costed me a Bomb .......... yeah I hit the gear box casing i.e. in the under-chassis .............. Moral of the story ............ avoid SH as much as u can or rather prefer an NH even if it is slightly longer

Trying to read the Menu Card at a Beach Shack using Mobile's light Isn't this 170+ kmph?
Finally, we did rest at a beach shack!!
Just before we hit our car from the under chassis
It is not a runway, it is as NH. Hail NHAI!!

Other trips and snaps would follow shortly.