Cross Roads : My Life.....

39 Things to know about Google+

2011-07-06T18:17:00.001+05:30

This isn't every single thing there is to know about Google+. That could probably be a book rather than an article, and the Google+ Project has only just begun. If Google has its way, it will live on for years. Or it could go the Google Wave route. It's just too early to tell.
While we'll no doubt learn plenty more about Google+ as time goes on, here are some quick nuggets to get you a little more acquainted with it.
1. Google+ is currently available on an invitation-only basis.
2. Google does not consider it a Facebook competitor (at least publicly).
3. Google+ is currently available for download as an app in the Android Market.
4. When you download that app, it splits off the "Huddle" feature as a separate app.

5. Users can post status updates, and these appear on the Google Profile under a tab called "Posts". The +1's and Buzz tabs remain separate. I have to wonder if we'll see Buzz and Posts merge eventually.
6. What is available now is "just the beginning" according to Google. These are just the first features or presumably many more to come.
7. Circles is one current feature. It lets you share things with different people (kind of like Facebook Groups) but with a very different user interface. Watch this video.
8. Another feature is Sparks. This looks for videos and articles it thinks you'll like, so "when you're free, there's always something to watch, read, and share." Filter Bubble anyone?
9. Hangouts is another feature. It's basically group video chat. Google describes it as "the unplanned meet-up."
10. Instant uploads is a mobile-specific feature. Photos upload themselves as you take them, and are stored in a private area on the cloud.
11. Huddle is another group-conversation feature for mobile. Essentially, it's group chat.
The Stream

12. The stream is basically the equivalent of the Facebook news feed.
13. When you share something with Google+ it's added to your stream and the stream of everyone you shared with.
14. The stream shows you what all of your Circles have shared with you.
15. If you mention a user, using the "+" or "@" symbols, the person may receive a notification that you mentioned them.

16. You can see who specific posts were shared with in the stream -- whether they were shared publicly, to extended circles, or a limited group.
17. You can filter the stream by specific Circles.
18. You can chat directly in the stream
19. You can report inappropriate content.
20. You can search for people from the search box at the top of the stream.
21. Soon, Google says you'll be able to search the stream itself from the search box.
22. If you leave comments on a post, you can edit or delete them.
23. The same goes for posts, but you can't edit a post's sharing settings after the post has been shared. However, you can delete the post and share again to different circles.
24. You can "reshare" posts made by others (like retweeting).
25. You can "mute" a post. This will let you stop receiving updates from a post, like if the comments get out of control for example.
The Google Social Network
26. You can use the "Google+ Bar" that appears at the top of various Google products as your connection to the social network.
27. When you're signed in you'll see your full name or email address displayed with a photo or avatar next to it, to help you identify which account you're currently signed in to.

28. If you've enabled multi sign-in you can sign in to two different Google accounts and switch between them using the Google+ bar.
29. When you sign up for Google+, you're also signing up for Picasa Web Albums, so all photos and videos uploaded to Google+ (including from your phone via Instant Upload) will also be available in Picasa Web Albums.
30. You can use the Google +1 button from the stream.
31. You can have a ton of friends on Google+. Robert Scoble quickly added over 1,000.
32. The central user interface is very Facebook-esque.
33. Google+ quickly became the butt of a lot of jokes (and even cartoons), but has also received a great deal of praise thus far.
34. With Google+ Google adds a "You" link to the recently redesigned (painted black) navigation bar across Google properties
35. You can view public Google+ content without actually being invited (Danny Sullivan has a guide on how to view it.

36. China is already blocking Google+. That didn't take long.
37. Invitations have been listed on eBay.
38. There are already privacy concerns about Google+ but the Privacy Guide can be found here.
39. According to the Financial Times article, you can share something within a closed "Circle," but somone from that circle can then reshare it with anyone, and even make it public.

Android to capture 49 pc of market by 2012

2011-04-09T10:30:00.000+05:30

Google's Android will become the most popular smartphone operating system and will account for 49 per cent of the market by 2012, a research firm has said.

According to projections by information-technology firm Gartner, worldwide smartphone sales will reach 468 million units in 2011, a 57.7 per cent increase from 2010, Xinhua reported.

The company predicts that Apple's iOS will remain the second biggest platform worldwide through 2014 although its share will decrease slightly after 2011.

Microsoft's Windows, driven by its partnership with Nokia, is expected to become the third largest in the worldwide ranking by 2013.

Courtesy : Manorama Online

Do not broadcast your travel plans

2011-04-08T15:15:00.001+05:30

Booked that dream holiday? It might be wise to keep boasting to a minimum; the monitoring of social media sites is becoming a standard practice for burglars. AA Home Insurance has revealed that 10% of respondents in its latest poll admitted to sharing their travel plans via a social media site. A further 8% of those surveyed by AA Home Insurance said someone else within their household had naively told the world via social media that the family home was about to be unoccupied for a spell.

The findings of the AA Home Insurance poll also suggest that women are more likely to share their whereabouts on social network sites than men. (No offence to women, just presenting facts). 13.9% women compared with 7.1% of men surveyed confessed to publishing such information.

Couple of things you could do :

Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know.
Review your security setting, to restrict access to your personal profile information.
Use private DM or inbox facilities to communicate private or potentially sensitive messages.
Never post your mobile number or home address on social media sites.
Remove wall postings from friends that may allude to your travel plans.
Remember that when you join a social media group, thousands of people could potentially have access to your profile unless you adjust your security settings.
Don’t boast about the expensive new flat screen TV you’ve just bought online

Courtesy : The AA Blog

Maine pyar Kyun Kiya

2011-02-12T06:31:00.001+05:30

I have written once before that pictures are some times more powerful than words. The following pictures would tell you what I mean.

The makers of ‘Just go With It’ give credit to Cactus Flower – the Original 1969 movie for the story line. As for the Indian version, it’s the usual story.

History of the World’s Largest Software Company–In a picture

2011-01-31T06:53:00.001+05:30

Some times a picture could say it all :

I have been thinking about making a post on Microsoft for a while now. This one is a start. I will be posting more on MS Soon. Some refer to Microsoft as the Evil Giant. I wouldn’t agree to it. They have been perhaps a bit aggressive in their business strategies. Wasn’t Reliance in India, the same? I would leave that decision to my readers. Make your own decision

British Engineer Designs Own Heart Valve Implant, Saves Own Life

2011-01-30T00:37:00.001+05:30

In 2000, Tal Golesworthy, a British engineer, was told that he suffers from Marfan syndrome, a disorder of the connective tissue that often causes rupturing of the aorta. The only solution then available was the pairing of a mechanical valve and a highly risky blood thinner. To an engineer like Golesworthy, that just wasn't good enough. So he constructed his own implant that does the job better than the existing solution--and became the first patient to try it.

The existing fix, called the Bentall surgery, requires a five-hour invasive slice-and-dice and a heart-lung bypass, after which the damaged part of the aorta is cut out and replaced with a graft and mechanical valve. But Golesworthy saw an opportunity instead of despair: Nobody had thought to use more modern technologies, namely combining MRI tests with computer-aided design tools and new rapid prototyping techniques. Golesworthy saw a chance to create an implant that would support itself and reduce the chance of blood clots, thus eliminating the need to take that dangerous blood thinner.

In two years of work, Golesworthy discovered that the hardest part of creating this new implant wasn't the actual design or construction--it was securing reliable measurements. The movement of the heart and other organs made it so different perspectives yielded totally different measurements. Luckily, the team figured out that a scan at one specific point in the cardiac cycle gave them the dimensions they needed.

The final product is constructed of polyethylene terephthalate, a standard medical plastic, and weighs less than 5g. It can be sutured directly into place by a surgeon at relatively low cost. The results speak for themselves: Golesworthy was the first recipient of his own creation, and since then, 23 others have taken the plunge, with more on the waiting list. Golesworthy sees this as not just a victory for Marfan sufferers, but a message to the medical community: "They are all biologists and medics, and they need process engineers," he said. Golesworthy wants a greater collaboration amongst the medical community and engineers, who could see solutions the doctors and biologists can't. Hopefully the medical community is listening--he's his own proof, after all.

Now you would see Holograms instead of real people.

2011-01-28T22:50:00.001+05:30

British airport uses hologram staff

A British airport has introduced holograms of real-life customer service staff to help speed up security queues.

The images of Manchester airport employees John Walsh and Julie Capper were created using the same technology that brings animated pop group Gorillaz to life.

The holograms will greet passengers at the entrance to the security search area and explain the restrictions on carrying liquids onto aircraft.

Although information boards already set out the security restrictions, passengers still regularly forget to remove liquids from their bags, the airport said.

"We don't want anyone to have to throw their drink or make-up away so we've tried lots of different ways to reinforce the liquid rules, from posters to people dressed up as giant deodorant cans," the real Julie Capper said on the airport's web site.

"Maybe holograms are the answer?" she added. "If our holograms help our passengers through the security process even quicker, then it will be a good thing."

The virtual assistants will be on duty from Monday.

The cutting-edge technology developed with hi-tech firm Musion also provides the option of recording other scripts to use at the airport. Musion founder James Rock also used the technology with the Black Eyed Peas on their latest single The Time (Dirty Bit).

“We’ve developed this technology for many uses but it’s perfectly suited for an airport environment where the support of recorded messages can help with passenger information," he said. “It’s something we’ve worked on for a number of years at Musion and we’d like to see its widespread use for practical purposes like the virtual assistants.

“We can reproduce musical performances and, as an example, Simon Cowell had a hologram of Frank Sinatra perform at his 50th birthday so you can see where we can take this technology.”

Courtesy : Irish Times

Keep the Spark–An inspirational speech

2011-01-27T18:57:00.001+05:30

Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program 2008 – Chethan Bhagat

Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated. The first day in college is one of them. When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates - there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.

Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park. A story from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party – several months in advance – just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.

I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when I see older people, the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs. the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost. So how to save the spark?

Imagine the spark to be a lamp’s flame. The first aspect is nurturing - to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms.

To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn’t any external measure - a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.

Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement.

But it isn’t the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won’t be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday?

They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to interact with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.

Nature designed with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature’s design. Are you? Goals will help you do that.

I must add, don’t just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.

You must have read some quotes - Life is a tough race, it is a marathon or whatever. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school. Where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One last thing about nurturing the spark - don’t take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said - don’t be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live? Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It’s ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

I’ve told you three things - reasonable goals, balance and not taking it too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame. These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don’t go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you.

But it’s life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember - if you are failing at something, that means you are at

Disappointment’s cousin is frustration, the second storm. Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India. From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don’t know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to a release.

Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts , having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life - friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

Your limit or potential. And that’s where you want to be.

Unfairness - this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India, so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high, and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you.

In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty darn lucky by Indian standards. Let’s be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we don’t. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don’t get literary praise. It’s ok. I don’t look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful than her. It’s ok. Don’t let unfairness kill your spark.

Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your goals may not match with others. . And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise. Love yourself first, and then others.

There you go. I’ve told you the four thunderstorms - disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.

I welcome you again to the most wonderful years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, you eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends. And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying - I come from the land of a billion sparks.

Cheers :)))

Back from Hiatus

2011-01-23T00:45:00.001+05:30

Just to say I am now back, and was glad for the time off,
but equally glad to be back.

As you are all aware, I haven't blogged for quite a long time. The interval between this post and my last entry would be considered way too long by any blogger. It's not that I choose NOT to blog, but more like, I did have a few posts which for one reason or another just started off and never reached completion due to every excuse you can think of. No excuses this time. I mean to be back.

Will have food for thoughts ……………….

Amazing

2010-08-01T20:30:00.000+05:30

The moment I heard this song, I became a fan. So meaningful, reminds us of our journey in life. Aerosmith – hats off to ye.

I kept the right ones out
And let the wrong ones in
Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins
There were times in my life
When I was goin' insane
Tryin' to walk through
The pain
When I lost my grip
And I hit the floor
Yeah, I thought I could leave but couldn't get out the door
I was so sick and tired
Of a livin' a lie
I was wishin' that I
Would die

It's Amazing
With the blink of an eye you finally see the light
It's Amazing
When the moment arrives that you know you'll be alright
It's Amazing
And I'm sayin' a prayer for the desperate hearts tonight

That one last shot's a Permanent Vacation
And how high can you fly with broken wings?
Life's a journey not a destination
And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings

You have to learn to crawl
Before you learn to walk
But I just couldn't listen to all that righteous talk
I was out on the street,
Just a tryin' to survive

How to do business

2010-03-17T02:57:00.001+05:30

Capital Suggestion

2010-02-15T16:19:00.001+05:30

I came across this in a forwarded mail. Searching with the keywords ‘Capital suggestion, Dr Farrukh Saleem’ will take you to thousands of blogs or Google pages with the subject. I have not established the credibility of the article. Those who wish to read on may do so.

Capital suggestion By Dr Farrukh Saleem

12/9/2007

Here's what is happening in India:

The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese.

In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $ 100 billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance.

In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India's richest but the second richest.

Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storied building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea. On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home.

In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan.

Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than is Delhi.

Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians.

For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years.

For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire).

The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion).

Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?

INDIANS ELECT THEIR LEADERS

And also to mention: They think of Construction of own nation, unlike other nations who are just concerned with destruction of others...

Simple answer to why the Indians fare better than the Pakistanis - They don't focus on religion all the time and neither do they spend time and money in devising ways to kill their own and everyone else over religion.

The writer is an Islamabad-based freelance columnist.

Valentines Day

2010-02-15T00:37:00.000+05:30

Another version of how it all started.

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

Source : A forwarded e-mail.

Boom Boom, yeah… I passed.

2010-01-29T02:51:00.001+05:30

So, have you guessed what this post is about yet? As you may have gleaned, I did indeed pass my driving test. WOOOO HOOOOOOO! Was a bag of nerves all day, but the moment I got in the car, I became strangely calm. I managed to pass my driving test despite old ladies, couple of school kids and a lone dog conspiring to step out in front of my car at the most inopportune moments during the test itself. Thank God, I did it!

Why does passing this test feel so important to me? Probably because I started driving in India and had picked up a lot of bad habits as per the European standards. Well, now I have managed to eliminate those and adapt myself to the European standards.

I had a bit of freak out about the whole thing this morning as I was convinced that I would fail again by only one bad mark! But thankfully, that wasn't the case. I did manage to rack up five mistakes but they were all in Grade 2 (minor ones), and nothing too serious, more down to nerves than anything. I did have a bit of a brain melt with the questions at the start, was somewhat slow and took a moment to figure out where the back window demister switch was, though I was pointing straight at it.

I believe it was not just my motoring skills that enabled me to acquire a European licence. I couldn’t have done it without God’s grace. Now I need to drive without acquiring penalty points. A huge thanks to Anju my wife who kept encouraging me and my instructor Stephen Norton of Alert Motoring School without whose patient training and instruction, I would have failed.

Now I can drive on the motorways, hire a car in foreign parts and generally cause mayhem on the road.... :)

I have some tips for those who are about to take a test:

Don't rush it. Get as much practice as you can and only apply for your test when you feel confident that you are safe. If you're worried about the theory test, ask friends and family to test you to familiarise yourself with the questions and have a go at the probable test questions on rules of the road, and go through the road signs a couple of times.
Book the first available driving test of the day (Unless you indicate that you are available to take a cancelled slot). If you take your test early in the morning you will have less time to worry about it.
Don’t tell your friends the test date. If everyone knows you are going for the test, you create the additional stress of trying to live up to your friends expectations. It's OK to let your parents know, I am sure they will give you all the support you need.
Don’t listen to ‘horror stories’. There are many stories about failed tests. Some may even be true. Just concentrate on your performance.
Get the timing right. Take the test at the right time. Try to book the test so it does not coincide with other stressful events (just prior to school exams or in the middle of wedding preparations etc).
Go to the right test centre. No good going to a test centre were your friends have all failed. This will only lose you confidence. Go to the centre were they all pass! (Kidding..)
In your last two lessons, ask your instructor to concentrate on the manoeuvres you find most difficult.
Do a practice run or a ‘Mock Test’. The instructor should be very realistic and the student must take it reasonably serious. (I wanted to do one with Stephen, but he was all booked up so I didn’t get a chance at it).
Practice in your head It's been proven that you can improve your ability to perform coordinated tasks by imagining doing them.
Examiners are only human. Your test is one of possibly eight on the examiners sheet that day. Don’t try to please him/her.
You do not need to be perfect. Concentrate on the essentials. If you make a mistake, keep calm and concentrate on your driving. The mistake may not result in failure.
Don’t worry about silence in the car. It can be daunting sitting beside a stranger, who seems to just grunt: 'turn right, turn left'. Avoid thinking the examiner doesn’t like you. If there is a little chit-chat, be happy, but don’t expect it.
You will pass. Both instructor and pupil must be convinced that the result will be a pass. An attitude ‘lets have a go at it’ may produce a pass, but is exhausting on the nerves.
Don’t take pills to calm your nerves. This only slows your reaction and performance.
Get a good night's sleep before the test.

12 THINGS TO DO ON THE DAY OF YOUR TEST

Think positively. As soon as you get up in the morning, tell yourself that you are going to get through the day calmly.
Make sure you eat a good breakfast. Even though you may be nervous and have lost your appetite eating breakfast is very important. Research has shown that your brain needs food to concentrate, so give yourself some food for thought!
Dress comfortably Make yourself feel good.
Arrive in plenty of time You should be present in the test centre at least ten minutes before the appointed time of your test. If you are late the test will be cancelled, and the fee will be forfeited.
Drink Water just before you enter the test centre - but not much. Just enough to relax. Drinking water helps you relax and provides oxygen to the brain. This helps you stay focused. But don’t drink too much of water or you might feel the need to make use of the toilet.
Just before the test Relax by taking a few slow deep breaths. Clench and then relax your muscles to relieve tension.
Remember that some nervousness is normal and that it can improve your performance.
Listen carefully to the examiner's instructions Act on them in good time, and ask for them to be repeated if necessary.
Give the examiner a beautifully smooth drive, one that both of you can enjoy. The examiner just wants to see what you would normally do - nothing that you do not already know.
If you make a decision that you think could be misjudged by the examiner, explain your reasons while you drive.
If you come across a new situation Hold back and assess it carefully before you decide to proceed - and be prepared to change your decision if necessary.
Say your prayers if you believe in God.

Do everything you can to get to the highest standard possible before going in to take your test – extra lessons, lots of practice and time spent reading the road as a passenger will all help you raise your game and feel more confident about your test.

By the evening before your test your instructor will have taught you all he can and believe you’re ready to pass. You are ready to pass. All you need to do is believe in yourself and by this time tomorrow you’ll be the proud owner of your very own driving licence! All the time, money and stress will have been worth it.

If I could do it -then anyone could do it. I remember Renjith, Aswin, Aloshi and Chinnan holding on to their lives when I started to drive back in India. :)

Ramblings of a Lazy Mind

2010-01-26T10:19:00.000+05:30

Wishing all my readers a belated Happy New year. Hmm, I must be the last person on earth to wish someone a happy new year. Well,

I’ve been so lazy about this blog recently. I promise I will do a proper update soon and then try and keep it a little more regularly.

There’s so many things I want to write about so I’ll try and get them sorted in my head and scribble them down. As for now, all my thoughts are concentrated on my Irish Driving Test tomorrow. I am cent percent confident, but the tester needs to feel confident that I could do it. Fingers crossed……

Wish me luck please.

The sport of Kings

2009-12-09T12:52:00.000+05:30

Off late all my attention was on reading than writing, and as usual I am back after a gap. I am a bit upset when I sit down to write this post and it took me a couple of days to finish this. You would all know why when you have read this. I would be doing injustice to myself if I do not write about this.

Last Sunday, while volunteering for the Irish Red Cross, I watched the first 'Horse Race of my Life'. Horse racing is also known as 'the sport of kings', full of glamour, effort and thrilling competition. Prior to this I have only seen the game on TV.

I'm not a religious right moral values propaganda spewer, but I don't like gambling at all. So, I have never been keen on watching the sport. I especially don't like when gambling is sanctioned by the state. It leads to the wrong type of environment and that's not what people needs. Get these people good jobs for crying out loud. Oh, and I don't believe in betting on horse races either but alas, that's one that I probably would never win. I don't even like playing the Lotto. Don’t call me a pessimist for saying this. But I do play Lotto at times when I see my wife working her head out trying to figure out the winning combination. Can you imagine if the money people spent on gambling was actually used to fix some of the problems we have? Yeah we would not have anymore millionaires and billionaires but we'd have people with a stronger foundation and a brighter future.

It was still fun, though, and the horses are just beautiful. Pure, solid muscle. So the last weekend was not a total waste even with all the rain. But few of the thoroughbred racehorses that gallop their elegant way around the racecourses of Ireland every week are left to see out their days grazing in golden pastures. For thousands of the thoroughbreds that are too old, too slow or not good enough jumpers, the end is brutal: a bullet through the temple or a metal bolt into the side of the brain.

They call it 'putting the horse down'. I witnessed three horses fall and was told that they would be put down. I know it is extremely expensive for a horse to recover from an accident like this, and the poor animal would need to be put in a sling or something until it had fully healed. I am also aware that it would be extremely difficult to put the horse on its side, yet I'm highly skeptical at the claims that there would have been no way to save it.

We keep humans on life support when they are all but brain-dead... we spend thousands trying to keep the terminally ill breathing as long as possible... We scream and object to allowing people to simply die if they wish to end their suffering.... yet we turn a blind eye to this cruelty. Animals that could live for more than 30 years are put to death before they turn 5 or 10.

These horses earn their owners millions, but the owners do not want to spend money on the recovery of the horse. There's something very wrong about all of this.

Fun, was it?

2009-10-27T21:58:00.001+05:30

It’s been almost three weeks since Irish voters have strongly endorsed the European Union's Lisbon Treaty - 16 months after their first vote rejecting it plunged EU reforms into deadlock. About 67% voted "Yes", official results from the latest referendum showed. The treaty - which is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the 27-nation bloc - cannot take effect until all 27 member states ratify it. According to final results, 67.1% of Irish voters approved it, while 32.9% voted "No". Turnout in the three-million electorate was 58%.

Ireland was the only EU member state to hold a referendum on Lisbon, though there have been calls for referendums in several countries.

Lisbon 2 delivered more thrills, spills and laughs than most sequels, and offered us a revealing glimpse into the state of the national psyche in 2009. This latter point was one of the more sobering aspects of the campaign, as, if the evidence presented is anything to go by, we would all appear to rarely be more than one or two irrational beliefs away from going over the edge.

Otherwise reasonably sane people seemed to completely lose the run of themselves as the clock ticked down to polling day. No one seemed immune to the Lisbon hysteria. Even people who are known to the the epitome of controlled calm lost the plot.

And it wasn’t just the professional political classes who were adversely effected. How many pub conversations in the weeks leading up to the poll descended into arguments about the merits of a yes or no vote? Friends of long-standing exchanged many a harsh word, and, if you believe the anecdotal evidence, people had to agree not to talk about it if they wanted to remain civil with each other.

Some of the worst of the browbeating took place on social networking sites like Face book. Lengthy posts from people pleading with their friends to vote a certain way were commonplace. Not only was it annoying, it was also something much worse – condescending. Typically, these posts weren’t about encouraging people to inform themselves, instead the core message was an appeal for readers to come to their senses and vote as the poster demanded. The sometimes random CAPPING of words only served to add to the impression of a whole cohort of PEOPLE having gone completely MAD.

This would have been more remarkable if it hadn’t all happened before. Yes, Lisbon 2 was a sequel, but in terms of the temporary psychosis it induced, it wasn’t a successor to the first Treaty vote. The first Lisbon campaign was unhinged in its own right, but was much more intense this time out, tapping into our capacity for rabid irrationality in a way that is almost unprecedented.

Families and friends divided, raised voices in pubs, no uninformed opinion left unvoiced, unimpeachable certainty on both sides, blanket coverage across television, radio and the news papers… Does any of that sound familiar? The Face book parallel would probably hold up too, were it not for the fact that social networking websites had not taken hold here by 2002.

So, is there anything we can learn from all this? Perhaps it’s that if we spend less time being so convinced about the things we believe, we might be able to listen to what others say. Perhaps it’s that we need to appreciate that if someone disagrees with us, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they’re wrong. Or may be it’s this damn, we could have won that match or whatever.

Click here to read more about Lisbon Treaty.

When Luck favours you :

2009-10-23T11:00:00.000+05:30

Many say the man in the video escaped because of faster legs. I would still say it’s luck. What else can explain this. He has been plain lucky. Had he started crossing one or two seconds later, he might have ended up dead. Fortunately for him, that didn’t happen. Be careful when you cross the road. Look right and left. Get back to the basics.

Credit Card Mistakes

2009-10-22T18:36:00.001+05:30

How Bad Are Your Credit Card Mistakes?

by Erin Peterson

Grade yours on a 10-point scale.

Nobody's perfect. When it comes to our financial lives, we've all done things we later regretted -- whether it's getting slapped with a $3 fee for using an out-of-network ATM or going on a Las Vegas bender and losing the house on an overly aggressive poker bet.

The key is to understand the scale of the transgression. With credit card blunders, that's no easy task -- is it worse to take a cash advance or to pay a bill a day or two late? Experts graded a range of credit card mistakes on a scale from 1 (losing a few bucks to a cash machine) to 10 (losing the house). Find out which worry the pros most -- and which may (almost) get a free pass.

Paying Late
How bad is it? 6
The details: Credit card companies are notoriously prickly about late payments -- even a payment that's late by a few minutes can pile up fees, interest charges and other penalties. Depending on how late the payment is, your card issuer may also report the problem to any of the credit bureaus, which can wreak havoc on your credit score. The good news, says Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial, is that the error may be reversible. "You do have the option of giving the credit card company a call and asking them not to report it," she says. "If you've generally been an on-time payer, they may waive the fees and not report it."

Paying Only the Minimum on Your Card
How bad is it? 4
The details: Credit card companies love it when you pay off your debt slowly, but you should loathe it. It won't necessarily affect your credit score, but that doesn't mean it's a good practice. Sending in only the minimum payment "is definitely going to keep you in debt longer, and you're going to pay a heck of a lot more in interest," says Francis. "You may be paying twice as much -- or more -- as you would by paying in cash."

Buying On a Card Just For Rewards
How bad is it? 1
The details: If you're paying off your balance on time and in full, using your cards to grab extra rewards isn't necessarily a bad plan, says Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counselling. "You can win the rewards card game if you know how to play," she says. "But you do have to know yourself." Because most people spend more when they're paying with plastic than with cash, be cautious and recognize when you're buying something only because plastic makes the purchase painless.

Missing a Payment
How bad is it? 9
The details: Not only are you going to be slammed with fees, interest charges and other penalties when you miss a payment, but you'll likely see a rise in your interest rates. If that weren't bad enough, you'll also have to contend with a significant hit to your credit report -- about 35 percent of your credit score is based on your ability to pay bills on time. As a result, you'll pay more when you try to get a loan. "Missing a payment has both immediate and long-term consequences," says Clarky Davis, Care One Debt Relief's Debt Diva. "You may be dealing with the fallout for years."

Having Too Many Cards
How bad is it? 6
The details: If you're the type to apply for a card just so you can grab a discount on clothes or other merchandise, you likely have a huge stack of cards in your purse or wallet. You're probably not getting enough value from the card to make it worth the high interest rates or additional complications from additional bills and junk cluttering your mailbox -- and you're increasing the likelihood that a payment slips through the cracks or that you'll be a victim of identity theft. "There's rarely a good reason to get a new card if you've already got a general-purpose card, a rewards card and a low interest card," says Cunningham.

Maxing Out a Card
How bad is it? 7
The details: Maxing out a card can have a serious impact on your credit score, since about 30 percent of your score is based on "credit utilization" -- the amount of credit you've used relative to the amount you have available. More important, says Davis, is the fact that it likely signifies a distressing trend in your personal finances. "Maxing out a card may not have an immediate financial pull, but it's a sign that you're not budgeting or spending your money wisely," she says. "It means you don't have enough saved up to cover unexpected expenses."

Playing the Balance Transfer Game
How bad is it? 5
The details: Moving your debt from a high-interest card to a low-interest card with a balance transfer isn't as smart a move as you think, says Francis. "About 15 percent of your credit score is affected by your recent credit applications," she notes. Pile up a few transfers and your score will take a hit. "Credit bureaus don't (differentiate) that these cards are for the same [debt], they just see it as you getting pre-approved for more and more credit." Add in the fees that generally accompany balance transfers and you're not gaming the system -- you're getting hammered by it.

Debt Settlement Plans
How bad is it? 9.5
The details: If you're overwhelmed by debt, negotiating down your balance with the credit card company (also called debt settlement) sometimes helps you pay pennies on the dollar on your debt -- but you'll pay a steep price. First, there's the tax hit you'll take for the amount of debt that's forgiven -- it will count as income during that tax year. And your credit score will be decimated, so don't expect you'll be able to take out a loan soon after consolidation. Next to bankruptcy, debt settlement "is the most negative thing you can do to your credit score," says Francis.

Getting a Cash Advance?
How bad is it? 8
The details: It may feel like free money, but the truth is that it's anything but: You'll likely have a fee associated with the advance, and you'll likely pay a higher interest rate than you would by using the card associated with it. "You also have no grace period," notes Cunningham. "You'll start accruing interest from the moment you get the money." While these are all dangerous attributes in and of themselves, they're not the worst part, says Cunningham. "When you start using cash advances, you have to understand why you're using them as they're likely symptomatic of a deep financial problem."

Using a Card in a Pinch
How bad is it? 2
The details: If the fridge went on the fritz or the furnace conked out in mid-January, you might not have the means to fund its immediate replacement. Putting the bill on a credit card -- and paying it off quickly over the course of a few months -- is a pretty solid option, says Cunningham. "You don't want something like that to become standard operating procedure," says Cunningham. "But it's OK to have a balance on a card for a few months when you're going through a rough patch in your financial life. Just make sure it's on a card without an annual fee or with a very low annual fee."

Source : Yahoo

Enigma – The Return to Innocence (Lyrics)

2009-10-19T20:22:00.001+05:30

More meaningful and practical when we look at it a second time.

That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence.
Love - devotion
Feeling - emotion

Love - devotion
Feeling - emotion

Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence

If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny

Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance
To return to innocence

That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence

Don't care what people say
Follow just your own way
Follow just your own way
Don't give up, don't give up
To return, to return to innocence.
If you want then laugh
If you must then cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny.

Failure in the Driving Test

2009-09-23T05:24:00.001+05:30

I am a bit rusty as I start to write this post since I haven’t really written any post after “Trusting Others”

Today, I took a driving test for the second time in my life. The first one was in India and that was a success. The driving conditions here are very different from that of India and drivers should be professionals to use the road safely. I am the holder of a Full Indian Driving License as well as an International Driving Permit. Unfortunately, the validity of my International Driving Permit would expire soon and by Law, am required to have a full Irish Driving License to drive.

First time failures are very common in an Irish driving test. The pass rate for Cork is around 61.1% where as it is as low as 42.5% in another county. The national average pass rate stands at 57.2% (Source RSA - data as on 23rd Sep 09).

I almost had it, but didn't. I was directed to do a right turn and because of the presence of so many markings within a limited area, I was unable to judge the situation properly and ended up doing the manoeuvre in the wrong lane. :( there, I was marked for a grade 3 fault. Whom am I to blame? Just myself. Had I been a bit more observant, I might have got a grade 2 fault for progression on turning right, but at the end of the day, I would have had my Full Irish Driving License. I had a couple of grade 2 faults, but unless I make 9 of them, my test results are not affected. It's good to have failed this test. I didn't make even a grade 1 fault in areas where I was afraid I might fault and fail. That's the best thing.

Am I disappointed ? - yes, partly I am. But I am also determined to get it right from now on. Taking the test has put the fear of failure behind me. I know where I went wrong - the only place I went wrong, and that's all I need to correct. Am not a perfect driver. But, if someone would have rated me 30 /100, they would rate me 85+ now. I could feel the difference. I am more confident and vigilant.

I owe special thanks to my instructor Stephen Norton (Alert School of Motoring) without whose training and support, I would have ended up making umpteen grade 2 and many more grade 3 faults. Thank you Stephen, if I am a much better and confident driver, its only because of you. Rather put, when I judge my earlier driving with the scoring sheet, had it not been for Stephen's training, the tester would have thrown me out of the car within few minutes of moving off.

Just a few words (/sentences) of advice for those who might have failed the test like me : Driving is a skill, like riding a bike, some people fall off more whilst learning. If you keep getting back on you will manage it in the end. Just learn from the experience and know that its making you a better driver than the people that passed first time, that are missing out on the extra hints and tips you get. (Stephen, I am counting on you for those extra hints and tips :) )

For those who are about to take the test : Don’t go expecting to pass, it usually leads to disappointment, treat it as a normal lesson with your instructor. If you do make any mistakes, don’t panic. You can correct the mistakes, take your own time, don't worry about other drivers on the road having to wait, they had to go through the same experience.

There is only one way to pass the test. Practice, Practice, Practice and Practice. Make errors when you are with your instructor, as he can correct you then and there.

Mistakes do happen. We all are humans. Those who are wise learns from past mistakes. Failure is the stepping stone to success.

Jai Hind

2009-08-13T17:57:00.001+05:30

Pictures from the First Indian Independence day, 15th August – 1947.

Vande Mataram

Speaking pictures

2009-08-10T19:54:00.001+05:30

Some times a picture can describe a situation more than words. Here is one :

Come what may .. soaps have the first priority.

Be4 iPod – Steve Jobs @ home (1982)

2009-08-04T16:27:00.001+05:30

“This was a very typical time. I was single. All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that’s what I had.”..... Steve Jobs

Photo Credit : Diana Walker from the Book “The Bigger Picture”

Dazzling colours of Kerala

2009-08-03T19:39:00.001+05:30

Kerala through the eyes of a foreigner – Published in The Irish Times.

The southwestern tip of India is bursting with life, but it has yet to be over-run with tourists, discovers a smitten Sandra O’Connell.

My boss speaks beautifully. But when she left a message on my voice mail asking me to go on a trip, I thought she said to Carlow. Even as I agreed my heart sank. What was I going to do in Carlow for 10 days? (And Carlow, as my kids add every time they insult me, no offence). Oh, joy, it was Kerala; the southwesternmost part of India, along whose coasts the Indian Ocean becomes the Arabian Sea.

as it happened I was interviewing a business man from Mumbai that day, Kerala, I asked him. Paradise, he said. In fact the locals call it God’s own country, and it’s easy to see why. Driving through the foot hills of the Western Ghats mountain range, past jungle forest, cardamom farms and tea plantations, it’s a land straight out of Kipling – the Disney version.

More remarkable still is the fact that no matter how high the mountain pass, nor how remote the boreen, there are people everywhere. Even knowing you are in a country of 1.2 billion doesn’t prepare you for the reality of a continuous trail of people along every roadside. If, however, you are tempted to visit India but worried about the distress of witnessing extreme poverty, Kerala is a perfect introduction. It is the wealthiest region in India and a place where, we were told often and with pride, disease and poverty have been conquered and where every child, female as well as male, is educated.

Evidence of this last point is everywhere. There are schools in almost every town, and spilling out of each are droves of immaculately uniformed children.

More remarkable still is the sight, as you drive through the emerald hills surrounding the Connemara Tea plantation in Kumily, of early-morning convoys of schoolchildren snaking their way over mountain tops and along valley floors as they walk to school.

Their starched, very English school uniforms are even more incongruous given the fact that one of the revelations of Kerala is the almost total absence of western-style clothing. If you thought jeans were ubiquitous, come here. Even in darkest Peru you’ll meet come across someone in a baseball cap or a Man Utd T-Shirt. Not in Kerala.

Here the men wear the traditional dhoti, a rectangular cloth wrapped around the waist and tied in a knot. Where he ties it typically denotes whether a man is Hindu, Christian or Muslim in this famously tolerant multicultural region.

Dhotis are typically worn with nothing more than flip-flops and a moustache. Occasionally in towns you’ll see a professional with shirt and briefcase, but they’ll still be teamed with dhoti and sandals. As for the women, they wear saris of colours so brilliant it doesn't seem possible that they could be washed in rivers. Yet Kerala is full of waterways, and everywhere you go you’ll catch glimpses of women bashing brightly coloured garments off rocks.

Because of the sheer elegance of the sari, Kerala’s women seem as if they are permanently in their Sunday best, even when picking tea, tending animals or going to market. Their colours light up an already dazzling landscape and seem to be living proof that our sense of colour is informed by the landscape around us.

Indeed, locals tell us they don’t understand why western women always dress in drab colours such as creams and beige. And there we were, thinking we looked like a sub continental version of Meryl Streep in Out of Africa.

It is the colours of Kerala that sear the brain deepest, the luminescent greens of the foliage – why we think 40 shades are worth singing about is beyond me now – and the Ayers Rock orange of the soil. For a native of a grey outcrop on the edge of the Atlantic, the sheer intensity of colour in Kerala keeps you in a state of sensory overload. Just looking is exhausting. Yet we soaked it up, touring the country side in a minibus Scooby and Shaggy would have been proud of, gleaming white with bright-yellow curtains tied back with ribbons.

Our driver, Pramod kindly stopped for us each time we saw an elephant at work, rubber being tapped from a tree or simply a view too spectacular to miss. We stopped a lot. Unfortunately, a predawn trip over the border to the neighbouring state of TamilNadu, to take a 6am bullock-cart ride, was taken by car. I say unfortunately because in this part of the world, when it comes to vehicles, size matters.

It quickly became apparent that there is no common consensus about which side of the road a vehicle should travel on. To navigate the hairpin bends of the region, the driver of the bigger vehicle gets to bag the side of the road he wants. But the decision is made in some tacit, split-second way as unfathomable as a flock of birds changing direction all at once. And it’s done without breaking.

Meanwhile, early-morning tuk-tuks weave through the mayhem kamikaze style, vying for gaps in the traffic with motorbikes transporting entire families – Dad driving, Mum sideways with a baby on her lap and a toddler up on the handlebars. As a spectator sport it must be great fun, and sure enough groups of monkeys sit on each corner, cheering on the chaos. For novice taxi passengers it’s truly terrifying.

Never before did animal drawn transport seem quite so appealing, and we collapsed out of the taxi at the bullock-cart enclosure, kissing the ground Pope style. Quite possibly by dint of contrast alone, the next three hours proved unexpectedly blissful.

Checking through the packed itinerary in advance, if you had told me the bullock-cart ride would be the highlight, I’d have said bullocks to that. But it so was. Once the heart had dropped back to its normal rate and the adrenalin receded, we adjusted to a pace I normally reserve for wandering supermarket aisles trying to remember what I came in for.

We also got used to the bullock’s irritatingly halting gait – two were pulling the cart, and it seemed as if they were always on the brink of stopping. In this way we ambled slowly down lanes and through coconut groves, our guide pointing out kingfishers and tiny Hindu shrines, some the size of shoe boxes, in fields and woods.

Across the riverbank came the chatter of women heading into fields for the day. Farther into the middle of nowhere we came across a group of workers taking a break under some vines. They called out something to us, and we waved stiffly back, asking our guide what they were saying, fully expecting it to be something along the lines of: “what are you looking at?”

“They want to know if you would like to share their breakfast”, he explained. And that was the other thing about Kerala, the amazing friendliness of the people. Even in a crowded city such as Cochin, where you might expect an edge to the atmosphere, there was none.

Along the riverbank of the old city, historically known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, teams of fisherman spend all day hauling enormous Chinese fishing nets from the bottom of the delta. Lifting the boulders that sink the nets is back-breaking work, and they’d be entitled to be a bit grumpy. Yet all they want is for you to try your hand at lifting a net yourself, and to cheer on your efforts.

And as you sail down the languid Kerala backwaters, by ferry or on a traditional houseboat, children run to the water’s edge to say hi and bathers wave in benediction. It could be that they just don’t get many tourists around here – certainly the tourist industry is still in its infancy. Or it could simply be that Keralans are a genuinely friendly people. When you live in God’s own country, maybe you can afford to be magnanimous.

Sandra O’Connel was a guest of Sunway Travel, CGH Earth Hotels and Incredible India.