Recovering from a crazy night

Cindy & Ashley were here for the weekend. And Mike and Taeko reached yesterday. Had (by far) the funnest night in a long time! Complete with buckets and lots of dancing - in rain I think.

Cannot move today!

Distance

It's crazy how distance changes things.

It certainly makes the heart grow fonder. We don't miss things until they're gone. I probably wouldn't have a lovefriend if I hadn't left.

Distance also makes things more difficult. Like tonight I felt the (rather unnecessary) claws of distance dig into my heart. This was beyond the regular missing.

This is it :)

Today I was asked what I'm feeling, and here's what I said:
"i feel like i've got someone who wants me as much i want him. like this is IT. and i'm not bothered about the other fish in the sea anymore, or the old fish that swam away from me. i feel like my insides are smiling - ALL the time - in my headddd i'm smiling - and deliriously happy - all the time." 

I'm pretty sure I've found THE real ONE. 

<3 br="">

Can't think of a "title"!

I've had a good day today. Nothing extraordinary to report - but just very pleasant. No missing family, friends, lovefriend. I met a lady who may hook up some extra classes for me - teaching her staff at the hotel she works at. Will be nice for a bit of extra cash, as well as to just meet some new peeps. And also to drive to another part of the island. Even if it's just a few classes, I'm really looking forward to it.

Over & out. Too tired to ramble :-)

School rant!

Growing up I always saw myself becoming a teacher. I'd play "school-school" with my cook's children (Tiru, Ambu - my best friend, & the youngest one Yespari), my neighbour's daughter (Corrine), and sometimes my brother - if he wasn't busy beating me up!

I'd write with chalk on our bedroom wall, and I'd imitate my teachers giving instructions and homework and tests! Seemed to come so naturally back then! Of course most of it was rubbish!!! I've just completed setting two 25 mark tests for my "real" school students! And it wasn't easy. I used templates from the web, which helped a great deal, but I just hope they understand the instructions. There's so much we take for granted, and I almost forgot how difficult it is for my students to understand the English language. My first instinct was to make it as easy and simple as possible. Then I realised that in September when it's time for the BIG TEST, they'll be pretty lost with the difficult words in the question-paper.

I gave some of my students a practice test this morning, and though some of them knew the answers, they had problems understanding the questions. Unfortunately, during the real test, I won't be able to explain the words in the questions to them. It's weird how their text books have been "designed" (awfully, and so are the question-papers) - using (and often misusing) big, complicated words. Considering the students are learning English as a second language, one would imagine the plan would be to keep it simple! Just the opposite happens here - they're learning about health, occupations, maths for the very first time - and that  too in the most random English words possible!!! WHY??!

Here's a picture of them! Can't help loving them!!!

What's an ICE all about?

Some years ago - I can't remember exactly when (may be the 2005's) there was a forward doing the rounds, informing people to save an I.C.E contact on there mobile phones. It stands for In Case of Emergency. The number is on your phone so that in an emergency, when no one knows you, perhaps someone (who also knows about this ICE thing) will look into your phone directory & call your emergency contact. For eg. when my brother (Rolf) was my emergency contact, I saved his phone number as "ICE Rolf". The importance of spreading this information was even biggggger. As it wouldn't matter if you had an ICE contact, but no one around you knew what to do! Unfortunately I don't see this mail anymore, and I'm really not sure how many people actually are aware of it worldwide. I'm thinking about this now, because on Samui I've just made my landlady's son my ICE - but I'm not sure if people know about this! 

I guess a bit of a loop whole to the ICE thing now tho' is so many phones need to be unlocked using a password.

Musings and more missings...

Don't have much to say, but if I don't make a habit out of this, chances are I'll stop again! Besides, I've never found it hard to ramble on...

Musings: I've been thinking about babies today - not mine of course - but all the pooches that were born this year to some of my besssstest girls in the whole world! My school girls are all together in Cal at the moment - and it's sad that I'm not with them, but I know I'll see them in exactly 2 months!!

Missings: Missed the latest edition by 5 days :( Totally regret not being there when she showed up. Was sooooooo close ...even saw her last scan, and all the funny shapes she made Sha's belly into. What an absolute perfect pudding she is! Waiting to see you little Miss K3. And then there's K2, K1 and her baby brother Max...2 more months to see them all - just cannot waitttttt!!!!

Musings: Had some more good news and pictures from 2 other friends with buns in their ovens!!! Clearly the year of baking!!!! I'm sure they'll make beautiful brats!!

Missings: Speaking of baking... I miss my oven terribly! I miss Dips & Meets, and our Bunk & Bake afternoons :-) ...even when we fucked up our desserts coz we were too drunk to read the measures correctly!!! Of course - that's why we have brothers! Rollo & Jun...who appreciated and even relished our sticky toffee pudding that tasted pretty bad!!!

Musings: May be if I manage to save some bucks from the extra classes I'm working, I'll buy an oven. Considering it looks like I'm going to be in Thailand for longer than a year - and hopefully not alone. It'll be nice to do some baking for my lovefriend (cleverly inserted in-case he ever reads this! hehe!). Would be nice to bake some cupcakes for my students too.

Missings: I miss Rolfingers! LOADS. Whodathunk!!!!! We'd barely even talk at home - but just knowing he was there gave me a sense of security! Thinking back tho' he & his activities were probably more of a security threat! Heh! Nonetheless, I miss him! Specially when I was out late and needed a lift home, or when he'd make sure I got home in one piece! And the one off occasion that he failed to drag my arse home ;-) ...I miss having someone here know where I am. Miss my ICE.

Missings...

I'm not sure I remember how to blog anymore. Not that I've forgotten how to write (ah, well may be I have :-P), but I've forgotten how to format/post pictures - and if you see my last post - I clearly don't know how the paragraphs work anymore!!!! Giving this a shot anyway, because I need to do something with allllll this time I have these days!

I'm living on paradise island. YES - LIVING. This is not a holiday, this is life :-) and work! And as fabulous as it is - there are difficult days. Today is one of them.

I miss my friends - all over. Specially the ones in Calcutta today, reuniting with brand new versions of themselves.

I miss my Pudds in Goa. 

Most of all I miss Rags. Yes, life is bizarre. I've been in and out of love - for the most part with the wrong people (they were all fabulous, don't get me wrong :-P). And then someone right comes along - just when it was time to leave Bangalore. So now I sit here in paradise wishing I was somewhere else!

Koh SaMOOi

Hello Blogspot! It's been a while! Tomorrow makes a week of me reaching the beautiful island of Koh Samui! A crazy change in my life plan! After 12 years of being a corporate slave, I'm now planning to be a slave to cute, little brats what want to learn English! In a strange turn of events last month, I signed up to do a 4 week TEFL course on Samui. www.samuitefl.com Week one has been intense, hot, humid, extremely sweaty, but more than all that EXTREMELY EXCITING!! Classes start at 8:45am and end around 3pm, but we usually end up staying later to finish homework and prep for our TPs (teacher pracs.). The days seem to just fly by - 24 hrs, gone like that!!!! Except for Friday afternoon, I haven't noticed time pass. But that was because we were exhausted after our first TP, and I felt as if my brain was experiencing an information overload - and couldn't process anything more!! Quick day by day recap since my departure from Calcutta on Friday night: Fri 8Mar - uneventful flight. Too many mosquitoes inside the plane - never seen that before!! Also since it was an Indigo flight, I felt like I was going to Bombay and not Bangkok! Great part was that we landed 50min. early! How that's possible I'm not sure! After getting to Mike's place, he took me out to party with his friends. Always nice to get right into the action on arrival! Sat 9Mar - I completely forgot it was my Dad's death anniversary - that's the first time I've missed it, probably because I never saw the date in writing. Anyway I had a lovely day with Mike & was really glad he took me to the station. Simple things become so stressful in unfamiliar surroundings, so I was truly grateful to have him around. We had a beer at the station before I got on the train. Sadly I didn't have a berth, but the chair-car wasn't too uncomfortable. The best part was the 'restaurant' where I had a beer & some dinner & watched random people! Sun 10Mar - Got the bus/ferry to Samui without any trouble or stress. Checked into Grandma's House before noon. Got down to unpacking & setting myself up immediately - which didn't give me time to feel lost! In the evening I took a stroll to the beach & watched the sunset. Ate some really good food in the local road side restaurants. Mon 11Mar - Back2Skool!!! First day of TEFL. Met Rosanne (owner), Kathryn (Teacher/Partner) my lovely classmates (Skye 19, Damon 23, Giny 24, Deb 42, Nicola 36, Cindy 29). Seems so far away now - but I'd better remember what was taught - because we have a test next week!! We had a LONGGG walk home from school. Tried to sign up for a Muay Thai course but the 1.5km detour seems a bit too much to do! Specially since we walked all the way - to find no one/ no flyers/ no phone nos. to find out class timings!!! Tue 12Mar - Started class with my 'warmer' - and everyone loved it! I felt SO GOOD! We had birthday drinks for Cindy that night - at the Boat Bar. My first trink on the island - Sangsom :-) Wed 13Mar - School was quite hectic since we started prepping for our first TP. We had a lovely dinner with Rosanne, Kathryn & their families at Cafe Na. Really good food! Thur 14Mar - Stressful day, evening & night prepping for Fri's TP! The day ended with salsa music blaring from the bar next door and me lying in bed & running over my lesson plan! How times have changed!! Hehe! Fri 15Mar - My FIRST CLASS! I had the cutest 3 yr. old's to teach. Crazy how time flies when you're having a blast! Tho' there were a few panic moments in between! First off, I forgot to look at my lesson plan - till mid way through! Fortunately I was on track - and just needed a few reminders! The kids didn't understand a word of English - so it was hilarious how they repeated EVERY word I said!!! So even if I said 'sit' - they said SIT! hahaha! Once I got used to that I realised my only shot at any communicating would be to play dumb charades! I have a few faces stuck in my head right now - I hope I never forget them. There was a little boy with Downs Syndrome and it was awesome to see how two little girls took care of him. Such cuteness packed into tiny, little bodies! Though naturally there was a 'naughty' one, who decided to play tug-of-war with me and my flashcard!!! I have so much to learn :-) At the end of a long, long day (TP was followed by a full day's class & prepping for Monday), we all enjoyed a lovely evening drinking at the Reggae Bar. Sat 16Mar - Spent the morning lazing at 'home'. Cindy picked me up on our scooter for the day and we spent a lovely afternoon on ChoengMon beach. More soon I hope!

Nothing at all to report...

...just very happy.

A month ago was I was dizzy with all the traveling I was doing, and then dreading the weekends of no travel that were to follow. If there's one thing I dislike - it's being home alone on weekends! The thought of not leaving the city and breaking my 5 week(end) wanderlust was just too dreadful to me!

I thought it was pre-birthday blues... and it probably was. After all, who wants to turn 32! But 3 weeks later I feel 23!!!! Some of it's got to do with the way life is turning out ..and the influences of loved ones ...and a tiny amount of rewiring - or rather de-wiring. I have to learn to live for the moment and not trip over what isn't even there before me. I definitely feel like I'm making progress.

Last week was probably the best week I'll have this year - I'm not being skeptical, I'm just being real. And I don't mind that - because it was such a good week - complete with brother bonding, random party night out, first time indulgences, beautiful, beautiful music by a beautiful beautiful musician, growing up stories, life stories and family stories, kick boxing, Pudding victories, the Aero Show, soaking up some sunshine, good days at work - great nights out, high heels, short skirts, and the pinkest cheeks!

Cheers to nothing at all!

Gone in November

Can't believe we're at the end of another year - and apparently THIS is when I should post my end of the decade post to be correct! But I'm not quite in the mood for that yet! May be in 2 weeks.

Still getting over my roller-coaster holiday last month! Spent an entire month away - and went through every possible human emotion. The trip was planned to attend my first cousin's wedding in London at the beginning of November, and travel around Europe with his sister. Reached on the 1st and thoroughly enjoyed my first 2 days. And then came the 3rd of November. Fooling around in my aunt's room when the Police came over to tell us that my uncle (father of the groom) had a heart attack at work and died. Was terrible to know that things would never be the same again for their family. The wedding was postponed.

I went ahead with my travels within Europe - sadly without my dear cousin Liz. Was much easier being away than in London naturally. SO MANY new experiences - the main one being SNOW! Was absolutely spectacular! Covered Edinburgh, Oslo & Jönköping (Sweden).

Not able to post pics - may be soon! That's all for now.

When will it stop?

What do you do when everyone tells you "it's ok", but it's not.

I watched 500 days of Summer yesterday & it made me want to snap right out of this before it goes to 30 days!

Currently in my head : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8dQXNxQ9Xc

Troubles

Trouble with drinking sweet red wine is the sick feeling that follows & stained lips
Trouble with drinking a litre of water to avoid a hangover is a full bladder
Trouble with going to sleep @ 9:43 pm is waking up @ 1:48am
Trouble with communicating with someone you can very easily get attached to is that tho’ you hear all he’s saying you’re only listening selectively
Trouble with getting emotionally involved with your best friends brother is that you can’t cry on your best friends shoulder
Trouble with asking questions is finding out
Trouble with me is I can’t stay out of trouble


This songs been on my mind a lot lately...
The trouble with love is
It can tear you up inside
Make your heart believe a lie
It's stronger than your pride
(Kelly Clarkson)

Forgotten how to use radioblog, so I hope youtube works.

Moo Moments

Some inflight ramblings from last night!
Date: 29Jul10
Location: Up in the air, 6E259, Hyderabad to Bangalore

• Writing to keep my mind of my tummy ache - there's very little to expect from ONE Zupar - but I'm a bit nervous to pop another one while up in the air - on a fairly empty stomach.

• I had my dumbest blond moment! First ever to be the last to board a flight because I was waiting for an old fashioned pair of heels that were on sale - crap luck they didn't have my size! Could've dies when I heard my name over the PA - knowing that my boss would hear it too while waiting for his flight to begin boarding!

• Its awesome to be sandwiched between the beautiful bright moon above and a fluffy layer of clouds below.

• Last night I web checked in to avoid sitting/talking shop with a colleague I was traveling with today. Only to find out at the airport this morning that he'd found out my seat to sit beside me! So I changed my seat to the second last row so I could put my eye shades on & pass out!

• I LOVE Hyderabad airport!
  

• Haven't seen so much bling on a woman dressed so simply - and I'd never imagined I'd actually LOVE the look of diamonds & pearls! I AM GROWING OLD!
  

Cheerses to the end of a Decade!

With the last weekend of 2009 over, I figure its time to say bye-bye to the decade that was. Note the lack of descriptor - because truly I'm not sure what I feel about the first 10 2000's. AND JUST as I type this and think about the people who popped into my life this decade THE ONE pops up on g-chat - GOD HELP ME! I wonder can I have a The One FREE decade please??

So anyway, now that my head is completely shaken about, I wonder has anything changed?

So here's what happened this decade - atleast some of what stands out - sometimes like sore thumbs ;-)

• 2000 started with a sooperb family surprise when I was turning 21 ...some amount of boy-problems - was only natural :-) Graduated out of college and (geographically) parted ways with some of the most beautiful people in the world who are still near & dear.
• 2001 my romance with Ogilvy began and lasted the first half of the decade. It was the beginning of new friendships. EXIM. And a new romance that would dominate MUCH of the years to come! Luke Peris was my home with the craziest 6 ladies I'll pray I live with again - so that we'll never feel old or alone!
  
• 2002 began with a near move to Delhi - thank you Lord for not sending me there! Mid-year was the bonding of my life with the Golden Daffodils - an Ostrich & a Tote :-) they were my strength in what would soon be the darkest, most despairing year of my life! And also the Iquewww and Sumsum who grew from colleagues to shoulders I pretty much sobbed on!!!
  
• 2003 I think began my affairs with the sea - Gokarna/Karwar - or may be that began at the end of '02, its a blur! The arrival of my Pudding - Aaliyah Emma Khan! Another house shift - was vagabond between Rajni's & Rajesh's apartments! And then finally LIC - our lovely little house of Dragons :-)
• 2004 I think had a major focus on my family - with my mum and probably my brother more so - I think. May be that was when he spent a couple of month's doing his internship? I'm not sure. I almost forgot - I finally quit Ogilvy & made a somewhat "bissaw" decision to work in real estate!
  
• 2005 was the beginning of Tartrazina... the Gander's special name for me, and then this blog! ...Follow this for what happened then!
• 2006 gave me my first international business trip to a country I never ever imagined going to - South Africa. I remember this being on the barred countries list in my first passport in 1987 - and I thought to myself when I was 8 that I'd never need/want to go there...how wrong I was! The year was sooo BIG that it'll need a few more lines on it. ET happened - the shock, the unexpected physical agony, all the love that got me through it! And finally the reconnecting with my darling cousin who became my partner in travels.... until her Husband Hunt ended this year :-) Oh yes, soon after ET my PLUM was born - Sofiyah Sarah Khan!
  
• 2007 was BIG on the international travel circuit - began with Paris (on work), Vietnam & Singapore with Liz, and back to Singapore for a cruise to Penang/Phuket! Plenty of Discovery Channel moments snorkeling! :-)
• 2008 my travels picked up pace - whether it was weekends in the Bandipur jungles nearby or an African Safari far far away! We never did reach Madagascar - but we just went MADDDD instead! Came back to a rocky road in Asipac.
  
• 2009 ....hmmm ...here we are... with 3 days to go and what do I have to say about it??? What do I remember about it - mostly the travel, I spent more weekends away from BLR than in it... The recession wasn't going to tie me down - no way! Daffodils reunion in Cochin. Ooty virgin no more - and then I just kept going back for more!!! Zanzibarrrr once more, thanks to Shants! :-D Family annual-beach time in Goks! Snow virgin no more - in Ladakh! Some trips to the jungles in between for sure! Sri Lanka with my Single'ese & not so Singles also!! And then one last trip of a lifetime before the 6-day-week-new job!!!!! SIGH - I haven't travelled in over a month - that's the longest I've been in BLR this year!

THE END!

Addendum - after Iquewww's correction may be this should be titled - "Cheerses to the end of my decadant decade!" ...perhaps? ;-)

Head in the Himalayas!!

3 days to my next adventure. This time I'm off to the Great Himalayas! Like most pre-holiday posts, I have nothing but a vague itinerary in mind, and tho' I keep telling myself that I'll write long informative pictures posts after my travels - I never get down to posting anything more than pictures! Let's see if this time is any different!

Anyway so all I know so far is that I fly to Delhi on Friday night, and we begin our drive to Manali (I think) on Saturday. And eventually aim to reach Leh (I hope). Trip planning has been left to my darling Totes - Mr. and Mrs.! There's a bunch of 5 of us traveling - happy group!

Being a snow virgin I sure am praying for some snow - tho' I am shit scared of how cold it will be!! Anyway, thanks to my mum and my dear dear friends I think I have enough to keep me snug. If I need more warmth I'll snuggle with some hot mountain climber - who knows :-) hee hee! Wishful thinking never hurt!

www.psychedelicpilgrimm.blogspot.com

My baby brother's begun to blog :-) I do hope he isn't as inconsistent as I am!

It's been ages since my last post - months have gone by without a squeak. I really didn't think I'd get this lazy! We've been going through tumultuous days at work - I guess the whole world is. It just seems to never get better here! Regardless of the times, I've kept traveling over the weekends to visit friends in the jungles, the beaches and the hills close by. And now I'm hoping to go to The Himalayas at the end of the month. The good thing with the shit situation at work is, that I don't owe them anything, so asking for leave is the least of my worries. Hmmm.... must admit however typing that last line out gave me goose bumps! I'm not as brave as I wish I was!

In other news, my swimming is coming along just fine. I haven't lost a gram but my stamina is up and my stroke does feel smoother. It's a lot of fun keeping my coach on his toes!

Tonight I'm off to a posh bar for drinks with an old school friend and his family & friends. Should be fun - tho' I'm not sure I look posh enough for the venue - I'm quite sure never will be, what with my orange wedges!! :-)

The weekend was supposed to be BIG with tons of friends in town. Sadly the littlest one I was waiting for most won't be able to make it :-( This is why I hate PLANS.

The last couple of months have brought out the domestic trait in me! I'm growing Bougainvillea - here's a picture of the first bloom

10 days to the 20th = 30 years of Me!

Its the last few days of the twenties. And I'm quite excited about the BIG 3 0h! I know nothing's going to change, but its nice being excited about a birthday for a change - 29 seemed like the end of something, but this is just the beginning of more madness!

I've given up on the big life plan - the date lines and dead lines! Not that I had many plans. I've always just gone with the flow and believed that stuff happens when it has to. Of course the body clock still tick-tocks - when there's nothing you can do there's no point listening to it anymore, is there? Speaking of body clocks - tho' this wasn't on my list of things to do before 30 - I pulled my hamstring muscle over the weekend! All over a silly drunken race! I must admit that for the few seconds I did manage to sprint the feeling was amazing!

Anyway, as I've learned - there'll be jobs tho' there may not be money! There'll be boys and there'll be men and may be some day there'll be babies too - but for now I'll just let life be! ...hmmm if that makes any sense?

How brilliantly blue was my Valley!

I spent Valentine's Day in the paradise island of Zanzibar! How could I ask for more!?!!

60 days to 30!

Its crazy how time flies and I really didn’t do that much these last 2 years! On Friday, April 13, 2007 I posted a list - which I’ve got just about 60 days left to complete. Well I guess some will just spill over and hopefully be struck off in this lifetime, for now I’m going to strike off what’s done and try to do a little more before 20MAR09!

30 before 30
Can't seem to strike through, so the bold ones are what's left...

1. Live in a shack on a beach.
2. Take a martial arts course.
3. Drink Absynthe.
4. Have a fling with a foreigner.
5. Go skinny dipping.
6. Chuck a drink at someone.
7. Spend an obscene amount of money on something I don't need.
8. Get a job bar-tending - for more than just one night.
9. Drink a beer with my cook.
10. Be hospitalised.
11. Throw a plate against the wall.
12. Have sex outdoors - in a car perhaps!
13. Plan a holiday in under an hour, and rush to the airport/bus station/ train station.
14. Kiss in the rain.
15. Get a brazilian wax.
16. Trip on Ecstacy.
17. Break a bone... of all the undone things I’m really worried about this happening post 30!
18. Get lost in a foreign city where you don't know the language.
19. Punch someone... I pity the unlucky receiver, the power behind that punch is building up.
20. Live abroad.
21. Travel to another city for dinner.
22. Buy a house, or atleast a car - which means: In these grim times, I sure am glad I didn’t do either – no loans thank gawwdd!!
23. ...learn how to drive.
24. Go on a holiday with a lover.
25. Tip the barman with something other than money!
26. Lose weight and get in shape... this is done & undone - 2 years was enough to get in and out of shape unfortunately!
27. Buy my Mum a diamond.
28. Run a marathon.
29. Sing on stage or in a band, and I don't mean karaoke... hopefully this will be struck off 30Jan09 @ The Circle of Life concert – if anyone’s reading this in Bangalore you’d better be there!!
30. Travel more than 500km on a Rs.500 budget for atleast 2 days.

So much for lists!!!! Let's see if I can do better in the future!!