Monday 31 December 2012

Goodbye 2012....Welcome 2013!!!

Its the last day of the year....there is something about this "last day of the year" feeling that is totally not explainable. People get all emotional, make up resolutions and get into an all party mood to ring in the new year with great gusto.

What I don't get is if we have to set a resolution why not do it any day of the year or if we have to party why not party on any day and enjoy just as much as we do on new years eve...we always need a reason for change and sometimes not, right? I am not killing the new year spirit here but just emphasizing how great this feeling of new year's eve is!!!!

I am down with bad cold and a headache that just doesn't want to leave me but I am not going to let it kill my excitement for my party tonight. I am at work and have my meds and cough syrup right on my table next to the warm soothing lemon tea. I am making all efforts to feel alright so that I can enjoy myself. Really its just the feeling that is not letting me succumb and keeping me going through the day.

There is indeed this feeling on 31st December where I am sure all would sit and think about the year gone by and are engrossed in planning or wondering what the coming year has in store for us. There are many things we have learnt from life and there are many things we are yet to learn.Personally I have had a splendid year....truly enjoyed it be it good times or bad. Cause I know good or bad....it will pass, all we have to do is hold on to ourselves and be strong.

I cant wait for January 2013 to begin as I have a short trip planned to one of the loveliest place on earth...Goa!!!

So here is wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!! Let bygones be bygones and bring in the new year with new hope and luck for everything you do!





Let the party begin!!!!

Monday 17 December 2012

Book Review : The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian


This is the long overdue review of The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian which I received from blogadda as a part of their Book Review Programme. Struggling with many assignments at hand I have finally managed to come back to my loving blog and get this review published. This is the first of Ravi Subramanian that I have read although this is the fifth of the five Finance related books he has written and now I know why Wall street Journal has labeled him as the John Grisham of Banking!



Book Summary:

Bestselling author Ravi Subramanian, a master storyteller of financial crime and winner of the Golden Quill Readers Choice Award, returns with his most gripping thriller yet.

Bankers build their careers on trust, or so everyone thinks, till a series of murders threaten to destroy the reputation that the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) has built over the years. Who is behind these killings, and what is their motive?

When Karan Panjabi, press reporter and ex-banker, digs deeper, he realizes that he has stumbled upon a global conspiracy with far reaching ramifications a secret that could not only destroy the bank but also cast a shadow on the entire nation. With only thirty-six hours at his disposal, he must fight the clock and trust no one if he is to stay alive and uncover the truth.

About the Author:

Ravi Subramanian an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India. It is but natural that his stories are set against the backdrop of the financial services industry. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Dharini and daughter Anusha. In 2008, he won the Golden Quill Readers Choice award for his debut novel, If God was a Banker. 

My Review:

As this was the first time I was reading one of Subramanian’s books I was pleasantly surprised as not only the story is gripping but the characterization is also too good. There are three parallel plots running together, as you read each chapter, your mind swings from here to there and back again. It is a complete page turner, which keeps you hooked to it.

The book opens with a man who lands up at Angola and strikes a deal to exchanges weapons for the world famous blood diamonds of Africa. The plot shifts to a family in Kerala, where the head of the family is accused for a crime that he has not committed. The person is concerned about a social cause till some opportunists get involved with the whole thing and things take an ugly turn. A parallel plot runs in Mumbai at the GB2 bank, where their key employees get mysteriously murdered one after another.

Overall, The Bankster is an interesting read. The language is quite simple and does not have complicated banking terminology, which makes it easy to understand and follow. There is not a dull moment in the book. A totally unexpected twist as to who the real culprit is!  I would definitely recommend the book to all readers who love fast moving thriller plots.

I would rate this book a 3.5/5.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Book Review : Of Love & Lovers


Book Summary :

A rocky relationship with an NRI coupled with a tragic, personal loss has made Samantha somewhat cynical in matters of the heart. Shipra and Vikas are aware of the consequences of their love.Will their relationship stand the test of time?

Aditya has to choose between his love and his familys expectations of him. Is he capable of making the right choice? Spanning across Toronto and Mumbai, the lives of these four intersect dramatically when Samantha comes to India on an exchange program.

Will the power of love assert itself or will it bow down under the weight of the obstacles in its path?


My review :

Just as the title goes the book is about love and lovers. Samantha who comes to Mumbai on an exchange program and more so ever to try and find closure from the haunting fact of her sisters mysterious death in Mumbai. She goes through a heartbreak which is nursed by the undying spirit of Mumbai and the loving embrace of her new friends Shipra and Vikas. She tries to find answers to true love and she finds them in her friends love story and through her own love story. 

This is the author Pamela Sinha Mathur's first book. The language is easy and the story well written. It is okay for a one time light read. 


Monday 1 October 2012

Book Review: The Krishna Key





Title : The Krishna Key
Author : Ashwin Sanghi
Published : by Westland Ltd
Pages : 464
Price : Rs. 250/-

Book Summary : 

Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age—the Kaliyug. 

In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. 

Only, he is a serial killer. 

In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret—Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind. 

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna’s most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice. Ashwin Sanghi brings you yet another exhaustively researched whopper of a plot, while providing an incredible alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller-addicts alike. 


My Review :

The first thing I would like to emphasize here is that the book will seem so much like a Dan Brown work but nevertheless it is excellently written making me want to grab the earlier two books written by Ashwin Sanghi. The Krishna Key starts as a thriller and murder mystery and progresses towards a more philosophical end. There is a lot of hardwork and research that has been put into bringing this book together. It’s a marvelous fast paced book that keeps you glued to it. The Krishna key is a very different kind of book, with two differrent but similar stories running parallel to each other and at times are interconnected to each other as well. Some people who love action or excitement filled ending may find the ending of this one not that impressive. Every chapter starts with a paragraph of Krishna's life, which was very helpful for a person like me who doesn't know much about Krishna. There are a few printing mistakes which could have been avoided. The author could have worked a bit more towards character development in order to help the reader put a face on each name that appeared. The story takes so many twists and turns and you really need to be focused so as to not lose the grip so ensure you have ample of time with very less disturbances or breaks. The use of pictures and images, enhances the reading experience at the same time indulges you into the story. But it is one in all a good read and recommended as well. For people who are into ancient history and love thrills and knowledgeable books this is highly recommended. My rating would be a 3.5 on 5 for this one. 


This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Thursday 27 September 2012

Book Review : Confessionally Yours

Confessionally Yours by Jhoomur Bose is an excellent read. It is a story of Polly who deals with a Hitler like boss who piles on loads of work on her and thinks she is incapable of writing any good article, she deals with the most annoying Mother In Law (I felt like jumping in the book and hitting her, I tell u) who comes visiting and stays on like glue stuck on ur bottom, nor can u move nor can you sit there all your life, she deals with her husband who gets back with his ex-girlfriend, she deals with a friend who finds her very tame and it gets you wondering if she really is a friend......



I had no clue how this book would be and had picked it up on impulse but now I don't regret it. I was glued to the book to know what happens next and next and next before I knew I had finished reading and it left me thinking... The author has wonderfully created characters in this intense feminine story with a little humor a little sarcasm and a little bit of reality.

The way the story shapes up, from Polly being a pushover to a strong person if very interesting. This book stands out as a good one time read. 

Saturday 22 September 2012

Book Review : The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk

The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk....by Sudha Murthy, I was so excited to see the book on my library shelf...picked it up and rushed home to start on it straight away....for those who dont know I love all of Sudha Murthy's books and her writing. It is a pleasure reading her simple yet meaningful stories.


This book has stories from her real life experience and one can learn lessons from it too....most of her stories are such. The book is a collection of 23 short stories, the title being one of the stories.

I really cant pick a favourite one cause all of them are lovely. The way Sudha Murthy writes all of her stories are so interesting and this one is a real treat with life lessons and incidents where we all would feel that we have come across similar situations. In today's fast moving world where Morales and Values take a backseat this book kind of tones you down and helps you looks at life in a different yet meaningful way.

Highly recommended without doubt....suitable for all age :)

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Book Review : In the Sea there are Crocodiles

In the Sea there are Crocodiles by Fabia Geda is a true story of an Afghan boy, Enaiatollah Akbari's journey in search of safety....in search of home. Fabio Geda is an Italian novelist who works with children in difficulties. He writes for several Italian magazines and newspapers, and teaches creative writing in the most famous Italian school of storytelling (Scuola Holden, in Turin). This is his first book to be translated into English.


When Enaiatollah's village in Afghanistan falls prey to Taliban rule, his mother in desperate attempt to save him from being a slave or worst be killed takes him away across the border into Pakistan but leaves him there all alone to fend for himself after giving him an advice : don't use drugs or weapons, don't cheat, don't steal. 

From here begins Enaiat's heartbreaking journey of pain and torture filled with traffickers, hunger, border patrols, freezing, drowning, casualties, dangerous circumstances where he could almost get killed. He journeys through Iran, Turkey and Greece before he seeks political asylum in Italy at the age of fifteen.

This impressive account will keep you wanting to know more about Enaiat's life. I was quite amazed by the strong determination of the boy to keep moving on and finding safe ground. He was a small boy when his mother left him and at that age to be so smart enough and take life turning decisions is something hard to believe...but it did happen and that what makes this book a great read. An incredible uplifting story which makes you believe that where there is a will there is a way. Highly recommended.

Friday 17 August 2012

Book Review: The Diary of a Social Butterfly

If you want a good laughter then The Diary of a Social Butterfly by Moni Mohsin is what you should lay your hands on. This is a difficult to keep down book filled with humor and silliness...



The book is a diary of a silly socialite called Butterfly who is completely unfazed by the happenings around her. All she cares about is her parties, get together (GT as she calls them), shopping, trips to London....Each of her diary entry begins with two contrasting headings, a political heading and another one to her own self. The constant misspellings and incorrect pronunciations in her diary are the one's to watch out for. It completely changes the meaning of the sentence and leaves you laughing out loud. I loved the way the conversations go between her and her husband Janoo...poor guy.

This is definitely a light read and will surely lighten up your mood. The book is inspired from the collection of the author’s own columns written for Pakistan’s national weekly, The Friday Times. 

Book Review: Custody by Manju Kapoor

Custody by Manju Kapoor touches the delicate and emotional issue that follows divorce.



Raman and Shagun, a couple with two children have a peaceful life going until Shagun meets Raman's boss Ashok. Raman has to travel constantly being the marketing head and trying to promote his company's products. At the same time his boss and his beautiful wife get involved in a passionate affair leading to Shagun trying to find the meaning of her life. She ask Raman for a divorce and moves out of the house. When Raman refuses a divorce she takes away the only beautiful aspect in his life.....the children.

At the same time somewhere else, Ishita a young divorcee tries to find happiness in her social work. She was divorced and forgotten by her once-so-loving husband because she could not bear a child for the family. She happens to meet Raman and his little daughter and gets attracted towards him to fulfill her desire of having a family and children. She falls in love with his daughter as if she were her own.

Then starts the ugly battle of custody where both the kids are torn apart from each other....their emotional state being confused between two families, two mothers and two countries...

This is one of the best of Manju Kapoor and the way she has handled such a delicate issue is commendable.


Friday 6 July 2012

Book Review: Intermission & To Live Once Again

Intermission by Nirupama Subramanian is one of the books I read in the last two weeks and I yet dont understand why the title. The rating for this one would be average. Its just another extra marital affair story....nothing great about it and nothing in particular that will make you feel "wow" about it. The story is about a forty four year old man Varun who is a father to a sixteen year old and has fallen for Sweety who is a young mother. They emotionally connect with each other and then get physically involved as well. And then starts the hushed meetings, behaving like a teenager.....everything that a person does when he says he is in love.


The writing style of the author is good. This is her second book the first one being Keep the change which I have not yet read. There is nothing much I would like to say about this book only that I didnt enjoy it much as there was nothing new to it.

The next one I read was To Live Once Again by Jayanti Anubhav which is a cute looking book because of its size. Its just 136 pages and I finished it pretty soon. Its a story about two girls Yamini and Lavanya who have a rather troubled childhood and find solace in each others in the friendship that blossoms between them when they meet at a boarding school. They become best of friends sharing everything..... until one day they find out that they have shared too much.


Though its a book of few pages the author has not failed to describe every character, every emotion and every place with such beautiful detailing and all this packed into that small little book makes the story very convincing. Being a debut novel for the author Jayanti I must say she has done a good job and this is an excellent read!!! And yes, the title is so apt !!!  :)



Monday 11 June 2012

Book Review: Nick of Time & Ladies Coupe

If you are looking for complete bollywood masala then this is the book you should read. It has everything in it....best friends, love triangle, typical punjabi shaadi.....and of course the masala.

Komal Mehta in her debut novel, Nick of Time, has done her best to give us a fun filled book that you would enjoy reading. I liked the book, being a rom-com fan that I am and I did feel that I was watching a movie.

Its a well written story that revolves around 3 childhood friends Shagun, Alehya and Vicky and I cant really call it a love triangle cause its just a triangle....and why do I call it that, well you will get to know once you have read the book.

The story begins with Alehya quitting her job and getting a call from her best friend Shagun who tells her that she is getting married and wants her to come to Chandigarh asap. Little does she know that this trip would be a life turning point for her.

After reading this fun book I turned to my next pick Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair. The story of a woman's search for strength and independence and very important....the search for an answer to the most asked question, " Can a woman stay alone and yet be happy?"....

The story is about Akhila a forty-five year old who has never had the liberty to live her OWN life...always the daughter, the sister, the provider....until one day she decides to take on a journey with a one way ticket to Kanyakumari in search of answers to her questions. During her journey in the Ladies Coupe she meets different women who share their life stories with her and she tries to draw her answers whilst she listens to them and slips back and forth into the memories of the incidents of her life.

I completely loved the book and it is a must read....the author Anita Nair has such good sense of putting life into each character. Each story is so intense and finely drawn that it would be difficult to put down the book once you have begun. 

H9PYETWXYXVZ

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Oh those childhood days.....


Childhood days the best days in the life of any individual.....those carefree days...the much awaited summer vacation...the thought of visiting Grandma and listening to her fascinating stories. Well who didn't love those days and getting a chance to re-visit them in today's stressful life is simply a bliss.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to re-visit those days...in my thoughts! And you can too, If you happen to pick up Sudha Murthy's latest book Grandma's Bag of Stories.



I have almost read all of her books and Sudha Murthy has a knack of keeping you glued to her books given her simple and straight forward writing style.

Mahashweta, Gently falls the Bakula, The Old man and his god and now Grandma's bag of stories are my favorite among the books written by her.

Grandma's bag of stories has been released at the right time being the summer vacation and most children looking for some fun activity. I would highly recommend this book to all parents who want to keep their kids busy with some good reading and help them enjoy some delightful stories with subtle moral lessons. And this not only pertains to children, even grown up's like me who like short simple stories can read this and re-visit their childhood days :)

Happy Summers and Happy Reading :)


Friday 20 April 2012

Friends....your spice in life


How much is said and written about relationships. Today when I look around I have so many people who know me who are really good friends but there are just a few of them who really really know me and these are the people who I can really count on whenever I need them. 

In life we meet many a kind but it is always necessary to have someone whom you can share stuff or moreover could just meet and laugh away those sad feelings away that life bestows upon us. Life is not perfect always there are ups and downs and how you look at them is all that matters. You can either see them as a bumpy ride in one of those back breaking vehicles or you can see them as a joy ride which you will enjoy till the end.

I have a wonderful set of friends with whom I can share anything and laugh away till our tummy hurts and we have tears in our eyes. I love these people and cherish them. I have had bad people in my life as well, I say bad is because I hate it when people treat you like you are born for their convenience. They soon forget or rather dont even realise what all you do for them and then they try to take a walk on you. Trust me its better to throw such people out of your life the moment you see such signs. You rather be alone and happy than be with such people and hurt yourself.

I dont like to keep grudges cause people do what they have to do. All I do is forget....yes I forget that such people exist in the world. It is rightly said "Be the change you want to see"...so when I cant change a person its better I change and move on. 

There are many people who have lost friends, people who have walked out of their lives without any rhyme or reason...are such people really worth calling friends? When they can easily forget the time you both spent with each other how wonderful the friendship was then I think its best you too do the same...forget. I know some people say its difficult to forget and saying such things are easy but trust me I have gone through the same and within a few days I was back on track to my smiley self. There is no point in wasting time on such people.

I had been wanting to write this post for sometime cause I consider my blog this great canvas where I can vent my feelings and paint it with all the colours I want. 

Relationships or Friendships are very delicate, if let loose they can slip away or if held tight they will snap and break away. Enjoy your life you have just one after all. 



Tuesday 17 April 2012

Book review : Losing my virginity and other dumb ideas...

Losing my virginity and other dumb ideas...that's the book i last read. Written by Madhuri Banerjee this book is a tad different from those typical love-romance stories where the end is too predictable.

It is a good light read, on how a women struggles with her inner voice and changes her thoughts and values to give away something she has been treasuring for so long....her virginity. From being a person who was saving up her virginity to give it away as a wedding gift to her "The Great Love" to being a person who now didnt think twice before connecting with a person and sharing "intimate moments" this book has it all...love, lust and all the masala that it needs.

Falling in love with a married man, being trapped emotionally with him and finally moving out of the relation a stronger person, Kaveri the protagonist finally decides to live her life the way she wants to. She does try to associate every relationship she has since then to LOVE....that is loving herself.

For me the book was just a light read and nothing more, though I was eager to finish it to know what was the climax. If she does find her "The Great Love" or not....well you have to read the book for that and I wont consider that to be a dumb idea :)


Thursday 22 March 2012

Review : One Amazing Thing

One Amazing Thing....just as the title goes so is the book written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. I had read The Palace of Illusions by Chitra some time back and I loved it, her writing style completely engulfs you and keeps you engrossed even after you have finished reading the book.



This one is a story of a group of strangers trapped in a visa office after an earthquake. As they find no way out all they have to do is stay put and wait for rescue operations to begin. Until then they have to find ways of surviving and helping each other. Since they know anything can happen...they can either be rescued or they may share their last breath with each other..strangers a while ago...they decide on sharing one amazing thing of their life....and so each one shares a story of their life while the rest patiently hear them out.

Each story is filled with emotions...each character well played. However I wanted a close end. The book ends leaving you to choose how you would like the ending to be....would they survive...or would they take away each others story and travel to another world.

This one is a good read however people who do not like open endings would feel quite frustrated wanting to know what happens to the inmates or the victims trapped in that visa office. But for those who don't care can have a good time weaving their own ending for the book and deciding the fate of the victims.

I liked this one too by Chitra and would definitely recommend it :)


Monday 19 March 2012

Fun Fridays with a Fun Meme

I wanted my next post to be a review of the book I am currently reading which is absolutely so awesome till now. Will write about it as soon as I finish it. For now I wanted to do something fun and what better way than to answer a few questions framed by someone. I love doing this cause when I think of the answers I always discover something more about myself :)

I read Preeti Shenoy's post where she picked up a meme from Stealing Sundays. I thought of stealing one for me too and I found the below. Though its called "The Not My Year Meme" which I dont think applies to me. I found the questions interesting and decided would get on with it anyway. 

1. Are you in a job that you truly enjoy?
Enjoy - Yes, Truly - ummmm...... next question pls...

2. If you could do any job in the world what would it be?
Something creative...maybe a writer..painter..

3. If you could be a character in a novel who would you be?
I would be Harry Potter so that I could live in a magical world and get all my word done with my wand :)

4. When it comes to spending time with those you love, do you think it should be about quality or quantity?
Quality - that's what makes fond memories :) Let it be quality and quantity will follow....

5. Is there a job/career you wanted but realized you couldn’t possibly do for one reason or another?
So many!!!! I could have been an actor...but there are several reasons why I cant be...lol

6. If you could live anywhere in the world or out of this world where would you live?
I couldn't possible think of not living in my city ...so wherever I go I love coming back to my home...my Mumbai.

7. Where would you most like to visit and who with?
Spain with my hubby.

8. Which skill would you like to learn?
Creative writing and painting...oops and of course cooking :)

9. What made you laugh today?
Silly jokes during lunch with my friend Santy...he cracks me up...totally!

10. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Movie with my friends.

11. What is your sign and do you believe in horoscopes etc?
Cancer.....sometimes I do and sometimes I dont.

12. If you could change one thing about your life thus far, what would it be?
Nothing - I believe everything happens for a reason hence would not like to change anything.

13. If there was one charity you could give a huge contribution to, which charity would it be and why?
The orphanage....it is heart breaking to see children who are deprived of parental love and other facilities that they deserve. This is the least I could do for them.

14. Should smoking be legal?
No

15. What are your views on the smoking ban in public places?
Its great but people sadly dont follow them yet....esp bustops in Mumbai, you could easily find people smoking and spitting away.

16. Why do you blog?
I love to write and this is the most amazing platform to bring out the creativity in you....or maybe discover the the creativity or maybe nurture it.

17. Do you have a favorite author?
For now, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

18. Can you play any musical instruments?
I can play my iPod....he he he.....sadly I cant.

19. What would your ideal car be?
An SUV :)

20. Describe yourself in one short sentence.
Fun loving girl who loves to read.

21. What do you look for in a spouse/other half?
Lots of love, understanding and trust.

22. Worst meal you’ve had?
It definitely should be something that I cooked :)

23. What do you do to relax in the evening?
Read or listen to music

24. Do you get along with your siblings?
Yes I do.

25. Do you have any regrets?
So many!!!!  If I didn't I would either be a perfectionist or very snobbish person, which thankfully I am not :)

Sunday 11 March 2012

Short Review : Tea for two and a piece of cake

When I decide to write a review on a book or a place I can do that without much thinking....its just putting down your opinions right...how difficult is that... :)


But today I kept wondering on how should I begin this post. So much is said and written about Preeti Shenoy's 3rd book Tea for two and a piece of cake that I feel there is nothing much more to write or say about.

Its a beautiful story about an average everyday girl and how her world changes completely. I am amazed the way her character has evolved from being a simple girl to a stronger confident person.

I am so thankful that the climax is not predictable and not a typical "hindi movie ending".... I don't want to reveal much and hamper the excitement of those who haven't read this one yet.

But yes, I can say this is a good light read and different from the previous 2 books of Preeti's. The language is simple and the story easy to relate to. So go grab your copy now....and dont forget your cup of tea and a piece if cake :)

Wednesday 29 February 2012

The last prompt my first entry....Tea for Two (and a piece of cake) Tuesdays!

Last evening when I visited my library to return a book little did I know that in return I would be able to grab a copy of the latest book of Preeti Shenoy called Tea for Two and a piece of cake. As mentioned in my earlier post I have loved both her earlier books and was waiting to read this one too. She has an amazing writing style. So finally, I started reading the book last night till my eyes hurt and protested to go to bed...cant wait to get back home and finish it off. 

I also love reading Preeti's blog which is aptly called Just a mother of two. She puts up various challenges for her readers to follow and her best was the Ten day Challenge which I did undertake. The latest one she has had is the Tea for Two (and a piece of cake) Tuesdays! I found the following prompt interesting (which is also the last of it) and decided to take it up. So here it goes.....




1. If you had Rs.50,000 to just blow up (you have to spend it on YOURSELF. Giving to Charity or buying gifts for others not allowed), what would you spend it on and why?

Being the person I am, I would have invested it. But since I have to blow it up....would buy shoes, a treadmill, spend it at a spa, buy some clothes or gold...would that all come in Rs. 50,000??? :-)

2. Name three of your closest friends (not family or spouse) and say why you love them.

Kalpesh : For being the person he is and for being able to discuss anything under the sun with him

Santy : For insanely making me laugh whenever I dont feel good or otherwise and for being a really good friend in the true sense.

Pooja and Sarika : All we have to do is make a call and meet up and we are transformed into a crazy group of 3....and then we start behaving like teenagers :-)

Yes I know I have mentioned an extra name but it would be really unfair just to mention one name from both of them.

3. Name three books which have profoundly affected you and which you would recommend to everyone to read.

1. 34 Bubblegums and Candies by Preeti Shenoy

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseni

3. Love Story by Erich Segal

4. If you know for certain that you can never ever fail, what would you attempt to do?

Start my own business.....and make lots of money :-)

5. What is THE ONE THING that you want very very badly?

A fab slim, healthy body!!!!! :-)

Well that is about it....it is fun to take up these challenges and I hope Preeti gets us some more of them :-)

Monday 27 February 2012

Trip to Bhandardara

It was a long weekend coming up with Mahashivratri falling on a Monday....and the person I am, I was desperate to go out somewhere...some place nice...some place not visited before.

Checked all the weekend getaways (my hubby agreed for just an overnight trip :( so had less options), but there were not many...and I had already been to some before.

I thought of Saputara a hill station in Gujarat but then thought it was too long a travel. So I logged on to MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism website) and came across a place I had always wanted to go...Bhandardara. 
I quickly checked the availability and there was just one room available waiting for me....it seemed so! Without batting an eyelid I went ahead and booked it, got a deluxe room for Rs.1500/-
Now there is something very weird about this place...it has this MTDC resort at a very good location and very cheap...and there are 2-3 resorts which are very expensive with no good view or location. 

Anyway so we set off early Sunday morning by car and reached there in around 3 hours. The Kasara ghat which we have to pass has amazing roads but the inner village roads are quite bumpy.

Once we reached the resort, we were escorted to our room which was huge enough to play cricket in :) The rooms were clean and spacious and perched on a small mountain facing the beautiful Arthur Lake.

We freshened up and headed for the canteen in the resort and ordered lunch which was tasty and more like home made food. After clicking a few picks and having a look around the resort we went back to the room...me to catch a few winks and my hubby to watch the India-Aust match. 

At around 5 pm, after a cup of tea we headed for the lake, there were boat rides which we decided to skip and just sit along the banks of the river and enjoy the sunset and the view.




Once the sun was set and after clicking a few pics we walked back to the resort and relaxed on the bench in front of our room facing the lake.....as darkness engulfed the place we spent an hour star gazing...it was wonderful.

We called room service and ordered dinner....yummy chicken roast and biryani.

Next day we woke up to the calm and quiet surroundings. After having pohe and sandwich for breakfast we checked out of the resort and proceeded for site seeing around the place.

We got a local guide who took us to the Wilson Dam, Randha falls and Umbrella falls (supposedly the famous song of Mandakini in her white sari in Ram Teri Ganga Meli was shot here at Unmbrella falls as told by our guide)



We then checked out the gates of the dam and had a view of the Kalsubai (highest peak of Maharashtra) and Ratangad Fort. 



After that, since it was the eve of Mahashivratri and the villagers have a style of setting up a fair (Jatra as called by the locals) near the Shiv mandir, we decided to go visit the temple at Taked and pay our tributes. We were surprised by the crowd moving towards the temple and quickly went back to our car and headed for Mumbai after paying our guide (don't have any pics of the mandir as the place was packed with people) .

We stopped for lunch on our way back and were home by 6.00 pm. The weather had got warm by then and if I had to advice anyone who wishes to visit the place, please do go during the monsoons as you can see the real beauty of the place during monsoons and make your hotel booking way in advance cause MTDC is completely booked during the monsoons. 

Thursday 23 February 2012

Gods Own Country....Honeymoon in Kerala

Its been almost a good 3 months since I have been on my honeymoon and I still feel I am on honeymoon hence the delay on the promised pics of Kerala - Gods own country.

The planning, booking, shopping for the trip was all done in a hurry....yeah the best trip of my life and I had just so little time to plan it all.....but it was the best trip I had..well for obvious reasons... :)
We had planned a trip of 6 nights 7 days....dividing the same into 3 nights in Munnar and 3 nights in Kumarakom in order to avoid too much travelling.

We were not too sure if we would reach our destination thanks to the stress created by Kingfisher airlines cancelling flights and the Kerala state strike.

But we did leave on 29th November morning and thankfully the flight was on time....reached Cochin and we had our pre-booked car waiting for us. The driver insisted that we start the journey to Munnar despite the State strike. Our vehicle was stopped zillion times, made to wait for min 10 to max 40 min....we didnt mind it thanks to the pleasant weather and good company :)

On our way to Munnar we visited the Elephant camp, spice garden (very informative, shopped for some garden fresh spices as well). We avoided the elephant ride and spent that time in the spice garden soaking in all the wonderful gyaan from our guide. The garden was well maintained with all kinds of trees, spice plantation, flowers, farm animals.


Once out of there we headed for our hotel which was another 20 km away from Munnar city. Finally after the 7 hours journey from the airport (thanks to the strike, it would have been 5 hours) we reached our destination Club Mahindra Resort.....all we could see was clouds clouds and clouds...and slight drizzle.

Morning came and we set out for our site seeing journey which was when we realised the beautiful location of our hotel which was a valley facing and one of the only 2 hotels in that area. The entire area had tea estates spread all over.


After some quick pics in the tea estate covering some scenic beauty our first stop was the flower garden which was beautifully located on the slope of a hill and had flowers I had never seen before....then came the echo point, the shooting point, a tree full of honeycombs, the Mattupetty Dam.all these points surrounding the vast lake.






We returned to Munnar city to have yummy local food and then proceeded towards Rajamala to watch the Nilgiri Tahrs (a rare mountain goat) at the Eravikulam National Park situated about 2000 m above sea level. Eravikulam National Park also abode Anamudi, is the highest peak (2690 m) in the peninsular India. It was an amazing experience walking with the clouds at such great height. After having a good cup of tea in the cool weather we headed towards Munnar city again to do some shopping and enjoy a kerala massage. After that we headed straight to our hotel. We did skip some site seeing points as we wanted to keep travel to the minimum.





The next day we spent lazing around in the hotel and enjoying the view and weather.

Next day morning we set off for Kumarakom. It took us 5 hours to reach our hotel Saro Lake County which is situated bang on the banks of the Vembanad lake. We had a fascinating view of the lake and the sunset from our cottage. The place was so beautiful that we dropped plans of any site seeing and opted for just a boat cruise (2 hours). This place was more like a homestay with excellent home made food and service. We had the entire cottage to ourselves which consisted of a bedroom and a dining hall with a small library :)....No i didnt get to reading cause I had so many other things to do...after all I was on my honeymoon ....:)








After 3 nights in Kumarakom the next morning we headed to Cohin airport which is much closer from Kumarakom just about 2 hours and took our flight back home which again luckily was on time :)