Sawadika Thailand

I am just back from a vacation. Guess where I went! The land of smiles – Thailand!! Although we were advised that it is unsafe for women, our gang of 9 female warriors charged into the country. Right from the time you step onto their land, you can experience the Thai hospitality. They are warm, welcoming and very polite.

We landed in Suvarnabhumi airport and straight away took a cab to Pattaya. We watched the Alcazar show which was performed by ladyboys. Some of them were extremely pretty and graceful too. The production quality is top notch. The sets and performances are a sight to behold. Since the men were keeping a close watch on us through online means we went to walking street at 9 PM :P It was pretty calm during that time. We finished dinner and went for a Thai foot massage. It was amazing!! On the way back, we passed walking street and we could see it coming to life.

Alcazar Show

Next, we hired a full day cab and went to the Sanctuary of truth. It’s entirely made of wood (no metal nails too). Understandably, you have to walk around with a helmet. The temple is mesmerizing. It is dedicated to the Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. You can also see sculptures of Ganapati, Saraswathi and Narasimha. Our food experience in Pattaya had been lacking so far, but Black Canyon totally made up for it. After a delicious lunch, we went to the Sriracha zoo. I was in two minds about getting a picture with the tiger. Finally, I gave in to temptation, kept morality aside and went on to cuddle the giant cub in my arms. When I was feeding the tiger cub, it had a paw on my hand so that I don’t take away the milk bottle. I found it absolutely adorable! <3

Sanctuary of Truth

Next stop was Krabi. We checked in to the picturesque Beyond Resort and the coastal vibes in us went haywire. The sun and sand, beach and breeze – we were lost. The ocean waves and the moonlight took us to another world as we got our massages done by the sea shore. We booked the Phi-Phi island tour from the hotel for the next day. Sitting on the deck of the speed boat, we felt really adventurous. And now for the grand reveal – I overcame my fear of water and went snorkeling! *Whistle podu* Initially I was terrified, but when I looked into the blue green waters, all my fear was gone. The fishes came right up to us without any hesitation, as if they were inspecting us. The water was crystal clear and we could see the sea bed glittering with corals. It was a breath taking view!

View from Beyond Resort

Viking cave enroute to Phi-Phi Islands

We were sad to move out of Krabi but equally excited about shopping in Bangkok! We wanted to finish sightseeing first and hence went to the Grand Palace. A guy posing as a guide tried to misguide us by saying the Grand Palace was closed and it would open only at 1 PM. Luckily, we did not fall for it. We found a spunky guide called Jitra who took us on an express tour of the Palace. She was witty and feisty driving away anyone who tried to photo bomb our pictures with a stern “Oiii”! :D As soon as we were done, we hit the malls.

The Grand Palace

Bangkok is shopper’s paradise! The quality of the fabric is way superior compared to its price. Beautiful dresses, gowns and jumpsuits were available for as less as 250-300 bahts which is around 500-600 rupees in INR. However, size is definitely an issue. The Thai are petite people and you have to dig around a bit for bigger sizes in shoes and clothing. We went to MBK Mall for electronics and if you are good at bargaining, you can get items at throwaway prices. The Platinum Fashion Mall in Pratunam is dedicated to women. Bargaining is not entertained here and honestly, we did not even feel like doing so when the items were already available at such discounted prices.

All in all, this Thailand trip has been very satisfying. It gave me a much needed break and managed to rejuvenate me. I have been involved in every stage of planning this vacation and I am proud that we did most of the things on our list. This was a girls only trip which made it all the more fun. The only missing piece in this perfect trip is my sister. If she had come with us, I would have rated this the best vacation of my life! :)

Here is our itinerary. 

Thailand Trip Itinerary with expenses

List of things we wanted to try.

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)
Flat Noodles (Pad Thai)
Thai-Style Omelet (Khai Jiao)
Thai Coconut Ice cream / Fried Ice Cream
Mango Sticky Rice
Banana Pancakes/Crepes
Fresh fruits – Mangosteen, Dragonfruit, Rambutan
Thai Massage
Snorkeling

Attachments

After a long time, I gave in to one of my guilty pleasures. Reading a chick-lit! I read about epistolary novels – literary pieces written as a series of letters or journal entries. I love letters. They have the power to bring hidden emotions to the surface. One just has to start and the rest pours in. So, I decided I had to read someone else’s letters! Nothing can beat the thrill of going through someone else’s personal stuff :P Okay, I sound like a pervert now.

Moving on, I picked up Rainbow Rowell’s ‘Attachments’. It seemed contemporary since the exchange was in the form of emails. And, it was between two friends who work at the same place! As soon as I had read the first few emails, only one person came to my mind – M. That could have been us in the book. Funny, witty, angry, emotional, crabby, random. Yep, we are all that as we constantly IM each other at work.

When I look back, I honestly don’t know how I ever survived without her. I do have a lot of friends at work and outside of it. Even then, I kept looking for that one friend who shares the same wavelength as me. M is definitely the chosen one. We get excited about craft sales, become emotional looking at newspaper articles, go crazy over discounts, are passionate about work, share a common love for food. Even our flaws are the same - over thinking and the inability to say no :D

I don’t think she realizes how big a void she has filled in my life. She has kept me strong whenever I felt like breaking down. Several times, her message in the chat window has brought me back from the brink of a meltdown. She has helped me make some of my best memories and made my untold wishes come true :) I wish I could tell her what she means to me. She is like that favorite sweater, one which takes the shape of the body and fills it with warmth, always preferred over the pile of new clothes, comforting and reassuring just by its presence.

Every girl needs another girl who can have her back. I am lucky to have two women in my life who are always making my life better and beautiful. My sister and M – my two best friends. I hope I can do the same for them.

Driving crazy

The day has come!

Finally I can reveal a secret I have been dying to blurt out. I cleared my car driving test today! Yesss! :D

I cannot even describe what this means to me. For years now, I have been dreaming of being able to drive by myself. Despite repeated attempts, I was not able to join classes. Last month, I planned meticulously and enrolled myself. Although I was a bit scared to be in the driver’s seat, I gradually started enjoying the classes. The driving school offers only 10 hours and by the time I got my Learner’s License I was done with 60% of my classes. The test for Driver’s License can be taken only after a month. So I decided to save my last four classes for the end.

I was happy that I got a month to practice for my test. However, I came down with viral flu, conjunctivitis and an unplanned visit to Mangalore also eased its way in. I felt my spirits ebbing away. The DL test can be taken anytime within six months of obtaining the LL but I have a history of leaving way too many things unfinished. I wanted to be done with the test as soon as possible. I have grown sick of people asking me why I haven’t learnt driving despite owning a car. Sometimes, even from girls who don’t know how to drive. I wanted to be the proud owner of a DL (yes I am dying to flash my DL at everybody’s faces :P).

Then God smiled and my dad found a driver who was willing to teach me :) We took our Swift to the University campus where I could drive safely. I had been enjoying my classes. But I knew that the instructor was always in control of the car. Our car did not have the extra set of controls which meant I had to manage everything. I was relieved of the continuous stream of instructions. I had to think on my feet and take decisions. That’s when I fully experienced the thrill of driving. It felt awesome! My confidence grew from gear to gear :P

Soon enough today arrived. I was a bundle of nerves. I tried to keep every rule, every advice in mind. To my delight, the DL test was a breeze :) The track appears huge on paper but we finished it in about five minutes or so. My documents were verified and my photo was clicked. I am officially certified to drive a car now. This has been the best moment of my year so far! :D

#WhatMakesMe

After being such an active blogger last year, I seem to have lost momentum. There hasn't been much to write about either. I did not want to put up a half-hearted post. I want my blog to be my happiness journal, one which lets me relive the beautiful moments of my life. I have always been a cheerful person. My beloved Josephine miss used to say "She is such a happy child. Always smiling.." And that's exactly how I was. I do not remember being sad or angry for too long. I never gave anybody the power to control my emotions. I kept friends at arm's length. My family was the start and end of my world.

But growing up comes with its own set of challenges. Work related stress, social commitments, peer pressure. Involuntarily, my default setting changed to anxiety. From a person who never lingered in the past, I changed to someone dreading the future. These days, I feel like the entire load of the world is on me. Being independent is in my nature, so the constant need for support keeps creating an internal conflict. There is never peace of mind. However, I did feel a bit thrilled when I noticed that I have a pretty good RBF now ;)

So, when my sister said I should resume writing again, the first thought that came to my mind is that I must get in touch with my old self. And what better way than making a list :P

Present me, come meet the past me. Here is some random trivia about me which will help my rediscovery journey in no way! Will keep adding more as I remember/notice.

1. When I listen to a song, I choreograph or create videos for it in my head.

2. I check the release notes whenever I update an app or software.

3. I would love to be a freelance writer.

4. If the gym is empty, I dance like nobody is watching.

5. When I don't like a book I am reading, I look up all one and two star ratings on Goodreads and enjoy people thrashing the book.

6. 90% of the times I get invited, I already know that I won't be going but I say I will try.

7. I get hooked on to collecting random stuff (it's clothing tags and labels right now).

8. I cannot sleep on my back for more than a couple of minutes.

9. I am proud of the fact that many people I know started reading books on their phones because of me.

10. I can stretch my leg and crack my knuckles which never ceases to amaze my mom!
11. I love Oreo and Kit-Kat.
12. I obsessively organize my hard disk during my free time (also my ward robe).
13. I feel unnecessarily guilty.
14. I have a secret massive crush on an Instagram profile named 'atticuspoetry' <3
15. I love playing crosswords and Sudoku.
16. If I find somebody interesting, I stalk them on social media.
17. I have a huge stash of stationery that I think I will never use.
18. Pictures of cats and dogs always make me smile.
19. I dislike talking over the phone. Every time my phone rings, I get a mini panic attack.
20. I have slight major OCD.
21. I read the 'how to use' part even on basic stuff like shampoos.
22. I always break the Kit-Kat bar the way they show in the ad.
23. S.P.Balasubramaniam songs can lift my mood anytime and listening to him perform can move me to tears.
24. I gorge on conspiracy theories.

Book Review: Parva by S.L.Bhyrappa

Looks like this year is meant for long-term projects. I just completed reading the epic ‘Parva’ by S.L.Bhyrappa. The book spans across 583 pages and I had planned to complete reading it in a month. The deadline was essential because the book is in Kannada and looks very intimidating. I had to read the passages aloud for the first few days just to make sure that I was reading right! However, the book is an absolute delight and I was soon devouring it.

Parva is a realistic interpretation of the epic Kurukshetra war. It explores the possibility of a real historical event sans magic and divine interpretation. Every Indian would have heard of at least some story from the Mahabharata, also known as upakathe. Bedtime tales of enmity between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, the infamous game of dice, Draupadi’s disrobing and subsequent exile of the Pandavas culminating in the great Kurukshetra war has thrilled many kids. However, as we grow up we start to question the credibility of these stories.

This is where Parva shines. Amish Tripathi cannot hold a candle to S.L.Bhyrappa in this department. Parva provides logical explanations for glorified exaggerations. Although I would like to do a separate segment about the theories suggested in Parva, the most important one is seeing Krishna as a demi-god, a mortal raised to divine rank. He is described to be a master strategist and an evolved thinker. Each myth is replaced with a believable speculation of what may have possibly happened.

The book employs one of my favorite approaches to the narrative – diving right in. It starts at a time when preparations are being made for the Kurukshetra war. But the point of view keeps changing with each chapter being shown from a different character’s perspective such as Bhima, Draupadi, Arjuna, Kunti, Bhishma, Karna, Drona, Satyaki, Yuyutsu and so on. Even though each person provides a first person account of his/her past and present, the author brilliantly merges them to provide a whole picture to the user. The book forces us to empathize with each character, even the negative ones. I felt the most for the helpless Draupadi and ended up hating Bhishma.

I am nobody to judge a masterpiece. As a personal opinion, I feel the author could have provided a bit more individuality to the characters by providing them a personal style of speech. Also, I found certain phrases repetitive at times, especially since they appear in back to back sentences. These are just quirks of mine which takes away nothing from the book. To be honest, after reading Parva, I can no longer recall the version I have been hearing until now. However, at the end of the day, Parva too is a retelling of a well-known mythological event but one which caters to the intellectual mind.

Inked forever!

Guess what? I got a tattoo!! Isn’t that super-duper shocking? I know :D Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would actually get one. When I put it on my bucket list, it sounded like one of those things which would probably never get ticked off. That is why you should always share your bucket list with your friends :P They will somehow convince you to do all those madcap things you wrote when you were high. My sis is a part of almost everything on my bucket list. Right from a holiday abroad to getting me chopsticks, she is always trying to help me the lead the life I dream of <3 My friends are not far behind. C coaxed me to donate blood. R took me to the match. And now M helped me get my tattoo.

Here is the story. M and I were casually discussing tattoos and she mentioned that her sister got one too. One thing led to the other and soon we were making plans of getting inked. We had to postpone the first time and I almost thought it was not going to happen. Ahem.. Not like I was hoping for it to get cancelled. But nothing can stop two ladies on a mission and one Saturday morning we landed at the doorstep of Astron Tattoo Studio in Indiranagar. I cannot describe how excited we were. M had chosen a cardiogram as her design just to show off her medical side :P She planned to get the heart filled with her kid’s fingerprint, which is absolutely heart-warming. I had chosen an anklet design with the sun, moon and a star dangling from it like charms. A lot of brain storming had gone into our designs and we were as pleased as punch.

As we sat waiting in the studio, we looked at the various pictures put up there. The tattoo artist Pradeep seemed to have done well for himself since the time M’s sis got her tattoo done. It was bright and welcoming unlike the other dark and shady studios I had seen. But man! Once he arrived, I had had enough of his starry airs within minutes. As it is, he was half an hour late but that did not stop him from requesting some more time to finish his lunch. Our lunch time be damned. He went on to rant about how small tattoos don’t excite him anymore. He was polite to us but if he doesn’t feel passionate about something he should not take it up. If he does, then he shouldn’t show his displeasure to his clients. And he was oh so RUDE to his assistant. Even though he talked to us in a very refined manner, we had seen the person he really was. A man’s greatness is defined by how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. But I was not about to tell him that when he was armed with a long needle to poke my skin :P

If I took away his personality from his profession, the man is really good. Very hygienic, understands what you are looking for, works with you on your design but doesn’t like it when you give too much of your input :P He said the fingerprint was not possible :( and outright rejected my idea of an anklet saying it will wear off soon. You could clearly see that he respects his art. Finally, he did a red heart emitting sinusoidal waves on M’s wrist. His highness agreed to do my anklet a bit above my ankle which suited me fine. Here is a pic to fill you with envy!! :D

I still cannot believe I went through with it. I always assumed my family was a bit conservative. Getting a tattoo before marriage would be a strict no-no. Hence I was hesitant to tell my parents. Then again, I felt really uncomfortable about doing something so permanent without their knowledge. It says a lot about how our parents have brought us up. They have always been supportive of our decisions and firmly believe that we will not keep anything from them. That morning, I confided in my mom about my plans. Initially she was worried that it would be very painful. But then she gave the green signal and I was simply lost for words. On my way back home in the evening, I hoped mom would have convinced dad that a tattoo was not such a bad idea after all. I was in for another shock because my dad did not react like the filmy dads at all :D Other than examining the tattoo every few minutes and exclaiming how disgusting it was, he took it really well. I realized how much I underestimate my parents. They are way cooler than I thought!! Well done dear tattoo, you have been accepted by the family :)