Pot Pourri - A Mixed Bag...!!!

Re-starting with G...D...Am...G...D...C - all over :)

2013-04-30T15:19:00.004+02:00

First and foremost, if the title sounds weird, then you probably need to re-visit on of my previous posts - check out my post: Knockin' on Heaven's door - Bob Dylan. Then things will fall in place - I guess... ;-)

Its been last year I started with playing guitar...but could not really practice much more that the bare minimum - and that too kind of faded away as soon as the course ended. In my defense, last year has been one of the most hectic years of my life (or my recent life as least) - believe me, that´s the best excuse I can give as such.

But well, I learned about coursera.org from one of my colleagues and went through the extensive list of courses they come up with...and believe me, this list is just amazing...lots of very interesting courses from some of the most well-known faculties around the world...really it´s very heartening to see internet as a medium of exchanging knowledge. And if this was not enough, it all comes at - absolutely no costs at all...!!! Isn´t it amazing...!!! Sometimes some of the best things do come for free ;-)

So well I explored for some interesting courses and found this one around as well. Just could not resist the temptation to start it - all over again...!

So here I am, ready to start the on with guitar once again...hopefully this time I will persist as well.

Knockin´ on heaven´s door - once again... :-)

All interested in some great courses, do have a look at coursera.org - there is something of interest for everyone... do check it out

Be happy and spread the same around...

Cheers all...

Nokia Lumia 920 commercial mocking Samsung and Apple...good one :)

2013-04-23T14:39:00.000+02:00

What not they do to get any possible attention :) Nokia, well I must say that Lumia 920 looks pretty impressive with the WP8 on it. And in the situation they are in as of now, they will be desperate for any publicity that works in their favour...

Holding on to the same, they have come up with this commercial very recently:

Not a bad effort...though how many will actually fall for it, is kind of debatable.

Cheers and good vibes to you all :)

Feel Inside (and stuff like that) by Flight of the Conchords and friends

2012-09-02T17:02:00.003+02:00

This is one the latest works by the Flight of the Conchords and friends..."Feel Inside (and stuff like that)" - this performance is aimed as a charity performance to raise money for Cure Kids!

Check out this video...

Also check the following links to make donation towards Cure Kids:

(information below is taken directly from the Youtube video text summary - so information below can be found there as well)

In New Zealand
http://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/feel-inside-stuff-like-that/id555158144

International:
Donate here: http://www.curekids.org.nz/make-a-donation

Then download here (right click on song, cover art etc):

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hibz4d5ga7qh93u/qYppoFoysZ

Please do make a donation, remember this is for some very sick kids... think Karma...
or purchase this song from:

International
http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/90226/feel-inside-and-stuff-like-that-sing...
http://www.marbecksdigital.co.nz/albumdetails.aspx?MediaID=3727626

Lend a hand towards a better future...

One nice video - a future to live for...

2012-08-30T12:10:00.001+02:00

This is one nice video I found a few days back on youtube. Amazing...just how a relationship should be...

This is the essence of relationship...two people get together - towards starting a new life, sharing those small moments (just like those building blocks) which form the strong foundation to trust, love, openness, happiness - a sense of sharing, not just the good and the great moments, but also the not-so-good ones...as the strength of a relationship is tested in those difficult moments.

Soon I will start a new life, a new beginning - a change that will be a part of my present and my future...a change that will be mine forever.

I am looking forward to live this change - this new role in my life...

Good vibes to you all out there....

A new journey on the road untravelled...a journey for the good !!!

2012-08-19T11:06:00.000+02:00

"You can't stop the future,

You can't rewind the past

The only way to learn the secret

......is to press play."

- Jay Asher

It´s been a long time I have penned my thoughts. It has been a busy couple of months anyways. But its never too late - as long as it happens. I travelled a bit in between...went to Bergen for a weekend trip (will post the pictures very soon in a separate post) and then was in India in July. This year has been a eventful one till date - and will just get better, as the plan goes :) Professionally, I have been much more stable and personally things seem to be getting in place...as if I have now found the missing pieces of the puzzle (at least as of now). My life is soon to take a turn, a turn to a road all new for me, a journey to the road untravelled - though the best part about it will be that this journey is not just mine...I will not be alone in this journey. I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life, to this new turn - or a new beginning - 'My Life - Part II' ???

More updates will follow...as for now, I am just enjoying the feeling on floating with the waves - living in this present - which literally is turning out to be a present - one for a lifetime :)

Till then...Good vibes to all out there.......

Trip to Bergen 26.05.2012 - 27.05.2012 in pictures

2012-07-22T11:45:00.000+02:00

Hi all out there,

The following pictures are from my latest trip to Bergen. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Norway. It has been sometime that I took this trip, but just did not get enough time to post these pictures as I have been terribly busy recently...but well, here they are now :)

The trip was a really amazing one - loads of sun and also met my friend and his family out there. Just perfect weekend it was for me...it is one of the recommendations for anyone who loves a walk in nature...

Enjoy the experience...

The Paradox of Our Age

2012-07-03T09:44:00.000+02:00

"We have bigger houses but smaller families;

More conveniences, but less time;

We have more degrees, but less sense;

More knowledge, but less judgement;

More experts, but more problems;

More medicines, but less healthiness;

We've been all the way to moon and back,

but have trouble crossing the street to meet

the new neighbour;

We build more computers to hold more

information, to produce more copies than

ever, but have less communication.

We have become long on quantity,

but short on quality.

These are times of fast food

but slow digestion;

Tall man but short character;

Steep profits but shallow relationships.

Its a time when there is much in the

window, but nothing in the room."

- Dalai Lama.

I read this today morning and thought about every word of this. How true it is...! It is for all of us to read, re-read, and think, ponder and introspect...!!! Have we lost something in the material world...? Have we lost the sense of sensibility...??? Has our apathy taken over our empathy...??? Are we still humans, or are we transforming ourselves into walking robots...??? Is that what we call modernization or are we going primate...???

I don´t have the answers to these questions...do you ???

I did not open my umbrella today...and I am glad for it !!!

2012-06-29T23:07:00.001+02:00

Today when I was returning from office, it quickly became grey and started raining. Well, having lived almost 4years in Norway, I at least understand that expecting two successive days with loads of sun is sort of an overkill...! Considering yesterday was a nice and bright sunny day...the clouds and the rain were somewhere nearby :)

But yes, I was very much prepared - with the umbrella in my bag...! In a swift motion of an expert, I took out the umbrella from my bag...and I was just about to open it when a drop of rain just fell on my forehead !!! I don't know why, I felt a sudden need for some more raindrops on my head - not because I have not taken a bath for the last few days, but somehow that one drop of rain brought me back to my childhood days, when during rains, we did not stay inside, but rather went outside to play soccer and cricket (of course I am from India !!!). Sometimes, we used to make paper boats and let them float (yeah, water clogging was a perennial problem in our neighborhood :) ). Neither did I bother about dirty clothes (probably my mother did :D ) nor did I worry about getting sick the next day - all I did was to live in those moments, when I could experience and enjoy those droplets on my face.

Somehow, that one drop brought back some great golden (probably platinum) days of my life. For the 5mins that followed, I felt as if I was a child once again. I kept the umbrella inside my bag and just stood there - in the rain watching some kids playing by the side in the rain, felt nostalgic.

Once I reached home, I was thoroughly drenched, but then I did not care - I just had a swing of my life, when I swayed away from the daily tensions and troubles (the plural form in both those words was very much deliberate) and became free soul once again. It just reminded me of those small things which can bring a smile to us - small things that matter, sometimes they sound inconspicuous, but when alone - they do bring back the child in us...at least to me...and I love that feeling of being a child once again...!

So this was how my day ended today and now I can sleep with a smile and a blank mind - with a sleep, just to sleep...!

Hope you all will enjoy those small happy moments and cherish them - we all have some... :)

Trip to Ukraine - Good Memories...

2012-05-01T21:33:00.000+02:00

Sorry for such a long delay in posting my bits from the amazing trip to Ukraine. There is a lot I have to say about this trip...it has been memorable in so many ways. For now, these are some of pieces of my trip...enjoy :)

And after this one trip, I am pretty sure that a return trip is on the cards as a lot is still unexplored, which I do want to see through...

So once again...Slava Ukrayini....

Good vibes to all...

Easter 2012 - Trip to Ukraine

2012-03-27T10:22:00.001+02:00

As a part of my `not just sitting and facebooking´ initiative this Easter, I have made arrangements for a travel to Ukraine (Kyiv and Lviv). My first impressions: amazing cities with amazingly friendly people…and yes, these are based on the basis of my interactions with people I know from Ukraine here in Norway. All of them were more than ready to connect me to one or more people in Ukraine so that I can have a memorable time out there…! Very friendly people. It is just a small gesture, but it makes my life way more easier...and I certainly get to experience moments, not just as a tourist, but the Ukrainian way :)

I have been given tips over mail and personally of where to go and what to do. It just feels that I already have a blurry idea of how interesting this trip is going to be…! My trip last year during Easter (To Krakow) was filled with loads of great experiences and I am sure, so will be this one…!

Among this left to do, is to apply for a travel visa since Ukraine is not in EU (yet…!!!). But that should not be any issue since the fast track visa processing takes just 3working days it seems (though I need to shell out twice the visa processing fees…but then that is the way it is…!).

Another thing in to-do list is to fetch an English-Russian dictionary and learn some basic words :) Though I hope it will be somewhat better this time considering Ukraine is co-hosting the UEFA European Football Championship this year along with Poland…hopefully I am not just being overly optimistic…but yeah, it will be a funny, challenging...but interesting experience!!! Well, if I could manage in China, I am sure Ukraine would be a walk-in-the-park ;)

With these in mind, I have already started the countdown…and soon its gonna be the day...!!!

By the way, the trip is 5days long from 5th April 2012 till 9th April 2012.

Keep traveling…keep experiencing !!!

UPDATE: I applied for the Travel Visa to Ukraine today and I will receive the visa on Monday - 02.04.2012. So all in place now :)

Knockin' on Heaven's door - Bob Dylan

2012-03-19T23:42:00.000+01:00

G...D...Am...G...D...C

Umm..."What are you talking about...? Have you forgotten the letters of English alphabet...???" That's what my Language teacher from my primary school would have said...but then the same sequence sounded music to my guitar teacher...! Perceptions...you see :)

Well...the title of this post is really relevant. Today was my first day going for guitar sessions...finally realizing a dream which has been with me (as a dream) for...I don't even remember how long...! And this lack of memory is not because I am too old, but basically it has literally been that long a time :)

Well...this year is all about living my dreams...can't argue with Nostradamus and the Mayans I think ;)

Today, after work I went to attend my first guitar lessons and this was the song that we practiced...and hence the title of the post. By the way, I have always loved this song (though I prefer the Guns n' Roses version of it). So the start could not have been any more perfect...inspiring and motivating...!

Right now, after an hour long session and some practice at home, I cannot feel my finger tips...but then, I can sacrifice that much to realize my childhood dream...a dream that has lived its life as a dream way too long...like a document kept for approval at a Government office :) But yeah, finally it is becoming a reality.

Next 6 weeks will be a bliss...a step towards checking off another TO-DO as DONE from my 2012 checklist.

By the way...I am taking guitar lessons at Norsk Musikk Skole.

Keep rolling...like a rolling stone... :)

GOD bless...and keep the rhythm flowing... G-D-Am-G-D-C

The Greatest Speech Ever Made - Charlie Chaplin

2012-03-05T22:44:00.003+01:00

Sorry for just posting videos again and again...but this is just we all need to hear. The speech becomes even more so special since it comes from an artist known for his exemplary work during the 'Silent Era' - Charlie Chaplin. First the video:

These 4.5 mins encompass so much...a lot that we should do, just because we are a part of this world...!!! Like a family, we got to support and respect each other. Together we can work to make this world a better place...!!! We can make it possible, just by 'being human'.

So be happy and make a person smile...every day !!! You will yourself see the difference......

Knockin' by Freddie Stroma...

2012-03-04T15:25:00.000+01:00

Heard this song recently...awesome song and so suitable :)

Enjoy

I heard this song today morning and was like "Yups...sounds like what has to be done..." :)

Have a nice week ahead...!!!

Good vibes to you all...

Thought for the day...

2012-02-27T23:09:00.000+01:00

“One often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible”
- Stuart Chase

And Still I Rise - Maya Angelou

2012-02-15T21:25:00.000+01:00

I came across this poem by Maya Angelou today, and just could not help sharing it with all out there...! This is an amazing piece of work to be read every morning:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise.

Really makes me have a stronger believe in the fact that there is faith and hope in this world and we have it in us to achieve our aim...all we need is to rise.........

7 Lovely logics...

2012-02-02T22:26:00.000+01:00

Somethings, if we can remember them, can make our life much more relaxed and filled with happiness...! The problem is just about remembering these basic things, which though we all know, but still fail to remember/comprehend when we need them the most...! Anyways, here they come (I hope I will remember these in 2012 to make sure it does not turn out the way 2011 did...!!!)

Keep having a great year ahead...
Be blessed and make one person happy each day...

Thought for the day

2012-02-02T18:02:00.001+01:00

"Someone who does not accept you when you are at your worst, does not deserve to be with you when you are at your best...!!!"

UPDATE: Just found a similar quote (by Will Smith):
"If you are absent during my struggle, don´t expect to be present during my success."

Pictures from the trip to South Africa...

2012-01-20T22:40:00.000+01:00

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Cape Town is an amazing place...there is enough for everyone out there...! Check out these pics to get a feel of what I want to say :)

I will next share my experiences about travel to Cape Town...(the posts will come as soon as I have some more time to sit down and write more...)

Trip to South Africa - A trip of many `firsts`

2012-01-17T16:20:00.004+01:00

After an almost disastrous start to 2012 (read my previous post from December 31st 2011 for my 2011 report card), the best I could have asked for was some timeout from a monotonous schedule and get some respite, before I get back to the same routine, but just with a new frame of mind and new found energy. I got the same in the form of a week-long travel trip to Cape Town, South Africa. The trip was almost cancelled for me since I applied for my travel permit on 03.01.2012, just 4days before the scheduled start of the trip. The South African embassy told me that it would take 10days for me to get the tourist visa, but then, to my surprise, I received a mail from them the very next day saying that my visa was ready...! So the issue was eventually a `no-issue` :)

I booked my flights with British Airways (primary reason being that this was the cheapest option available). The onward journey was fine but the return journey was not all that good. The flight from Cape Town to London was delayed, due to which, I could not catch my flight from London to Oslo. The next available option was the day after. But it was not entirely bad either since BA then gave me a complimentary stay at Hotel Renaissance for that night. The trip started on 08.01.2012 and I reached Cape Town on 09.01.2012. The trip lasted for 8 days and I returned to Oslo on 16.01.2012 (Scheduled return was 15.01.2012 night). In the next two posts, I will tell you more about my experiences in Cape Town. I will also provide links to some of the pictures I took over the course of the trip. So, keep linked :)

Good vibes to you...

Thoughts for the day

2012-01-04T15:28:00.001+01:00

Just yesterday I came across seven brilliant quotations...which I felt were definitely worth sharing... so here they are...

These quotes just kind of made my day...so true yet so forgotten...New Year...new resolutions...new ideas and new thoughts, hopefully towards a better year ahead (I don´t really think it can go any worse anyways :) )...

Hope people out there will also have loads to absorb from the above 7 lessons !

Have a great day ahead....!!!

Bye bye 2011...it's (finally) time to say good bye to you...! Welcome 2012

2011-12-31T11:21:00.001+01:00

If I recap my experiences in 2011, I am sure I have all the ingredients for a platinum-hit Bollywood movie. It has been a roller-coaster of a year (to say the least). Had a breakup (right at the 1st week of January 2011), somehow got over it, met another girl...was very happy with her...but then lied about things to her and our relationship got worse, then finally when I was sincerely making efforts to improve myself and when I thought that we both were making progress to get together, then I found that she was cheating on me... (sounds funny now, but it has been insanely frustrating and dramatic...!). Till 23rd November (my last post), I was very happy since I felt that 2011 would at least end on a good note...but then, I am not one deciding my fate (as Shakespeare would say: "I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, A stage, where every man must play a part; And mine a sad one.")...and indeed mine was a sad one (at least in 2011). This year had a lot for me to learn...mostly the hard way...but then what we learn the hard way, possibly (and hopefully) stays longer with us. I am sure what I have learned this year, will stay with me for the rest of my life.

But being truly human, I believe that none of us is perfect and we all make mistakes. But, at the same time, being an eternal optimist, I believe in myself that I can get over my mistakes and make sure not to repeat those. Coming year, I have loads of plans, just to keep me busy and make sure that I feel better about myself. I want to travel to places, where I have never been or probably will never go either (once back in India), get going with my hobbies and interests and just keep myself busy. So I have to enjoy the coming year, be happy and keep learning (even if it is the hard way).

Yesterday, I was thinking of my motto for 2012 and I can put it up as below:

"Welcome 2012...it can only get better from here on...! Let go what was never mine and mend my present to make sure my future is happier. Live every moment this year as if there is no tomorrow...who knows maybe Nostradamus and Mayans might be right about 2012...!!!"

Stay happy and stay blessed...and welcome 2012 with both hands. Wishing a very happy New Year to all.............................

Oslo - Trondheim - Oslo...Life takes another circle...

2011-11-23T23:19:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I watched the movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (yeah once again, just about reaching a zillion views by now...) But even now, this one sentence in the movie struck me more than ever before:

"Don't let your past dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you will be..."

Well, our very famous Sherlock Holmes would have said: "That's elementary, my Dear Watson." but then it's normally those elementary things we end up neglecting/messing with. So Mr. Holmes, you should not be mocking Dear Watson... :)

Over the past some time, I have been trying to be someone....someone who I am (probably) not. In the hindsight, I feel that I have done things that I should not have done...! But then, a lot of what I did were based on my past...hence the opening line that somehow struck me.

My year started with a lot of turmoil...things happened in a jiffy. It seemed that everything that could go wrong (or even the ones which I would have never expected to go wrong), went wrong, all at the same time. Nothing seemed to be working then. All that I could think of was: "Why is all this happening to me?" OR "What have I done to deserve this?". It was just about the approach which seemed to be all negative then. It was as if I was standing in front of a mountain and I was just about cursing myself "How the heck did I reach here?" OR "What wrong path I took that I ended up here?" rather than trying to find ways to cross the mountain (somehow)...! I was living in a sea of problems rather than finding/building a boat to get through...!

In the later part of the year, I was at the cross roads...! I had to make some very important decisions....! It had reached a point of frustration (to some extent). Sounds funny now, but I was at a point where I was searching on the internet anything that could possibly motivate me...any inspirational quotes, any special stories...and it was then when I came across this:

"Fears over tomorrow and regrets over yesterday are twin thieves that rob us of the moment"

This was probably my Eureka moment...this was exactly what I was doing...I was worried what would happen when I would be in India (my most probable future at that time) - worried about people, especially so-called 'close relatives', worried about the time that I will have to spend to fetch a good job. To add on to it, I was regretting about what I had been through just a couple of months back (my near past...).

Somehow, this one sentence changed my line of thinking...made me more focused about what I had right at this moment rather than thinking too much about my past and my future. Of course, this is not something I was able to achieve (or rather am still striving to achieve) in a moment of truth, or a day, or a month...but certainly it gave me a much clearer thought process. I was stuck in the deadly loop of past and present (both of which are not in my control) and hence was neglecting my present. It is not as if it changed the situation I was going through then, it just changed my perception towards it.

After a hard year, I can certainly say that my last month has been somewhat more stable...probably GOD planned to end my year on a good note OR probably he just wanted me to realize that we need to work hard to achieve if we want something from our life. Perhaps, it was HIS way of reminding me...just waking me up of the dream run I have been through the year before (2010). I am sure this is not the last time I am going though a rough phase in my life, certainly not (and I hope not)...as true character of a person is tested, not in good times, but in difficult ones.

Seems like it was just now that I came to Trondheim...a place where I knew no one from before...just carried with me a hope and a will (and my couple of bags :) ). Now after two eventful years in Trondheim, after meeting loads of people, and making some friends (a few of whom will stay with me for a long time to come), I am again back to the place from where I started my Norwegian voyage...back to those whose first years in Norway coincided with mine. So my life has taken another circle...back to where it all started...hopefully for the good...but just remember to live in the present...!!!

An optimist...

Facebook...or...Fakebook...or...a land of Virtual Reality...???

2011-10-09T22:30:00.000+02:00

On the name of 'development', the list of necessary evils goes on increasing...! A major inclusion in this list has been Facebook.

As per Wiki, Facebook is:

"a social networking service and Web site launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. As of July 2011, Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users may create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile."

True, that it has been a revolution in itself. Emerging from possibly one of the most important/basic concepts of human existence - the concept of society and that humans are social beings, it provides one of the strongest and widest base to connect to those whom you know/don't know, friends/enemies (well you can..or at least stalk them), inland/out-land, home/away, acquaintances/complete strangers. It makes distances disappear. You can get in touch with those whom you have not met for a decade. Find friends, check updates, arrange events, 'poke' people (though I am yet to decipher the real use of it...!), create fan pages (useless for me...!), create posts, comment on posts, like posts and what not! True, Facebook has been a meteoric success!

So, when it comes to Facebook 'To be or not to be' is indeed not the question anymore...it's just about how long when you are in finally in there..............

But then what's the catch here? Is it all so goody? Personally, I don't think so...perhaps I am still to find an ideal world...or maybe I am just overly pessimistic. Have we lost something during the process of being represented only by our Facebook profile? Have we lost the emotional aspects of a human interaction to a 'poke' or a 'pinch' - I don't care!

When I started my engineering studies in 2001 (yeah has been 10years now...phew !), we used to remember the birthdays of our friends (remember no Facebook then to give an alarm that its my friends birthday today!)...used to make greetings cards for them, either by hand or just fetch one from Archies Gallery or Hallmark...! Every card I used to receive made me feel good, made me feel that I know one more person who took enough trouble to remember this date and made some effort to make this day more special to me...in his/her own way. Then the closest of those friends probably arranged a birthday cake for me...and I had to pretend to be surprised... :) but it was fun and joy - all in one ! Last month, I celebrated by 28th birthday. I got loads and loads of wishes (way way way more than I used to get 10 years ago), though, yeah you guessed it right, on Facebook...coupled with a few phone calls from family and close relatives. A few of my 'Facebook friends', in order to make their wish 'stand-out' threw a 'Virtual Cake' on me...! Infact, the height of everything was the conditional wish from my girlfriend who actually wished me birthday only after I surrendered to her condition to upload a picture of ours on Facebook, a picture which was already on my profile, but then she wanted me to upload the same picture once again and so it had to be so...!!!

Among all of the wishes that I received, one of them stands out to me...the one I received from a college friend of mine. She actually sent me an e-card...! Sounds old fashioned...but that possibly was one of the best wishes I received this year! It made me feel that there is still some hope left, some people still care, some people still think that there exists a life outside that woven by Facebook...some people still remember your birthday not just because there was a birthday alarm on Facebook...but because they genuinely remember!

From 2001 till 2011, there have been lots of changes...our lives have become faster, we are running against time...always playing a catch-up game...we don't have time to stop and say 'Hi! How are you today? How is the weather in your city? How is your family? Have a very nice day ahead and send my regards to your family'. We don't find time to stop by our neighbour's house to have a cup of tea and discuss about 'other stuff'. We are now more like machines, working hard to make our ends meet or just working hard as we have nothing better to do...but...that one e-card made me realize how much difference personal touch can make...and sometimes, doing a lot does not count, but just making someone smile does...!

Well, I started from Facebook, but wavered somewhere in between onto our lives and how those small things can make your life appear more than worth just 'ahh...Friday is still way far off'...! So just do something, not necessarily of magnanimous proportions, but something that makes someone smile: crack a joke, give a rose to a friend, give a dime to a needy, help someone cross the road, listen to your friend...or just send a card to someone you care about.........................

It all comes back...in this life...!!!

2011-08-20T20:03:00.000+02:00

"The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this because we're afraid. We fear we will not find love, and when we find it we fear we will lose it. We fear that if we do not have love we will be unhappy" - Richard Bach

I have just been through the worst time of my life. I found love and lost it...! All I said to the girl who loved me all the time, was a bunch of lies...all the way long. But in the process, I became so engrossed in all this, that I forgot that it all comes back...in this very life...!!! So it was just a matter of time when this house of cards was to fall...and so it happened today...!!! I am sad...yes...but happy, at the same time because I feel that what should have happened much earlier, finally happened...!

I know that in all those lies, there was ONE truth which was and will always be a TRUTH...! I really loved her (and still do) and always wanted (and still do) to be with her...!!! But then, when she asked me, "Is this what you do to people whom you love?" then I had no answer...I was as dumb as a rock...! I am guilty of committing this sin, not once, not twice, not thrice, but again and again and again...and I am already being punished as the girl, who unselfishly loved me, wanted to be with me, was ready to change herself just for me...and wanted just one thing from me - she wanted to be happy with me and I could not give her even that much...all I gave her was pain and sadness. I have learnt my lesson...unluckily too late though...!

Through this post, I just want to tell everyone just one thing - If you love someone, then take care of them and they can make your life heaven with love and happiness...! And never lie to someone you love, as love and lie don't really live together...! I learned it the hard way...I hope you all can learn it just in time and make your special ones believe that they hold a special place in your heart...!

Day 1: Travel Trondheim - Oslo (Rygge) - Krakow and Polish Pierogi

2011-05-07T16:12:00.000+02:00

Flight from Trondheim - Oslo (Rygge) on 20.04.2011 by Norwegian Airlines (15:30 - 16:35)
Flight from Oslo (Rygge) - Krakow on 20.04.2011 by Ryanair (17:45 - 20:50)

One thing on the wrong side for me was that I did not make flight reservations well in advance...! On the other hand, I wanted to keep my expenditure to a bare minimum...hence I had to settle with the 'poor man's option' - Ryanair...! They do not provide the most comfortable journey you can experience, but then there had to be a compromise...and I went in to compromise some comfort...anyways it was only a 2hr long journey :))

I booked a hostel in Krakow barely two days in advance...it is advisable though to book well in advance, but then there are numerous accomodation options in Krakow...so I could probably afford to be a bit lazy... ;) though it was Easter time. Reason for booking a hostel was 2-fold. Firstly, hostel was very cheap...it cost me just about 55EUR for a 4-night long stay in Europe. But I have checked, if someone wants little more comfort, it is pretty cheap to book a room in hotel as well. Krakow, in general, is extremely cheap place to travel, especially since I am presently living in Scandinavia, all other places appear very cheap to travel across :) I stayed in a hostel AES Mosquito Hostel...my recommendation for this hostel is very positive. The staff is very supportive. They have some or the other special event, every evening...a very nice way to interact with more people, which brings me to the second reason for staying in a hostel...meet more people, from different countries, cultures and understand them (or at least try to do so...!). I met people from USA, UK, France, Spain, Turkey, South Africa, Italy, Polish, Sweden, Norway to name a few...! So my stay was very interesting overall...! In addition, this hostel is just 5minutes walk from the old city center and some other major attractions in Krakow.

Now done with the bookings, I will now start with the actual travel. My first flight was with Norwegian Airline. The tricky thing here was that my flight was from Oslo (Rygge) and not from the main international airport at Oslo. But I was kind of lucky here to find this flight with Norwegian Airlines direct to Oslo, Rygge and also that the arrival timing was well suited to the timing of my next flight. So it somehow, worked out...! The flight was pretty comfortable, no hiccups as such...!

Then it was turn of Ryanair. Well, my intention initially was to book flights via Norwegian Airlines, even for Oslo - Krakow journey, but, when I compared the prices with Ryanair, it did not take much effort to change my decision :) Anyways, also that flight timings for the Ryanair flight was apt for me...! So I went ahead with it.

Somtimes, it is just quite interesting to travel with Ryanair. Since they do not allot seats as such, so announcements like "The flight is fully booked. Please occupy the first seat you come across to avoid any commotion...!" are common. Another good one: "We do not allow smoking on our flights. But for our esteemed passengers, we bring about non-smoking cigarettes...! Each pack costs 6EUR only and contains 10 no-smoke cigarettes!"...very "passenger friendly" :)

Anyways, the flight departed about half hour late. So I was initially thinking that I might end up reaching half hour late to Krakow...but I was only about 10 mins which was a good feeling. I had already arranged for airport pickup which was fairly cheap - only 70PLN, though if someone does not want to pay that much, then there are frequent public buses available till old city center and they cost only 2-3PLN. So a very good alternative. It takes about 20mins to reach the city center...so not that
far off as well. I reached my hostel by about 21:30. The check-in was very smooth and the support staff was very friendly. They provided me with some very essential information, along with the city maps when I checked in. After that I just went out to have a quick look to the city center...and ofcourse, have some dinner...I was crazy hungry !

So I started walking and decided to try some Polish traditional food - Polish Pierogi (dumplings). The place where I tried it was U Vincenta Pierogi Restaurant at the Jewish District, Kazimierz. Since, I was very tired with all the travel, so I kept the sneak-peak of the city to a bare minimum that day and just passed by the Old City Center, Wavers Castle and the Jewish District, Kazimierz.

The next day and onwards, there was a lot planned to be done there.