Trou Aux Cerfs, Curepipe Mauritius

The past is always a good place to start. So lets start a few million years ago. Trou Aux Cerfs (Google translate advises me that it means The Hole of the Deer. The translation merits a paragraph or two in its own but we'll wait for that as I am still digesting that thought) is a volcanic crater that was formed millions of years ago and is currently classified dormant but can erupt anytime within the next 1000 years. It didn't show any signs of erupting when we were there. But in case that happens when you are there, do think of me and remember that I warned you.

I would have liked to have walked around it and taken in the view of the crater from different angles and feel awestruck but the taxi driver + guide advised me against as we were on a clock that was defined by him.

We walked in the direction opposite to the one that was being taken by most of the visitors who were quite loud. But then a few of them saw us walk in that direction and decided to spoil it for us.
Perhaps they were not all that impressed by the sight and actually neither was I. In the foreground of my mind, Sir David Attenborough shook his head disapprovingly. That made me sad.

The place was right but the time was wrong. Like most places, Trou Aux Cerfs is place best visited early in the morning. The 15 km walk would be well worth it. It surrounds something that has existed for millions of years and perhaps not changed much. Otherwise its just a hole in a hill with a lot of stagnant murky green water, surrounded by dense green forest.

Another lesson learned - The guide doesn't know what you wish to experience. His idea of sight seeing is limited to you taking a picture. Or perhaps that is the expectation of most people - crash a few million years into a few minutes and quickly capture the moment with your smartphone and post on facebook and Instagram. The place doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that it shows on your wall that you were there.

Next time, I will set the rules. Of course with the blessings of my better half.

Kindled

Saw a Kindle for the first time today. Amazing tool. Imagine all that you need / want to read in the course of your lifetime in something the size of one A4 notebook. Love the idea. It cannot support colours at this point of time so your reading list will not include comics. Thats a pity. But I guess being a late adopter of most things, I will wait till a new version is available - one which can support colours and better graphics.

Parul was not quite impressed, she likes the book shop experience and I totally understand that. There's something about walking through ailses and picking up a book just to read that back cover.

But what a Kindle can never beat is the sheer joy of owning a book; the pride of seeing it in your bookshelf, evidence of the kind of person you are; the satisfaction of balancing the spine as you cross halfway through a book; thumbing through the pages in haste to find out where the sentence takes you....

Guess the term page turner would soon find a substitute.

Ikea Lunch

I hate it.

But was surprising to see that the Ikea restaurant was absolutely full. Amongst the 4 of us, Parul was the only person who enjoyed her meal. Its meat balls and gravy rice for her always. She's a creature of habit.

If I ever meet Mr.Ingvar Kamprad, I intend to introduce him to Shaan Masala's. Yes I admit it, I am a fan. So what if its made in Pakistan! Something good has to come out of there. Zaheer Abbas was quite some time back. Ponting, Sachin, RD dont even come close when it comes to the cover drive.

No Cover Drives for me this week, everything that's outside the off stump will be left for the keeper. Unfortunately batting with the tail implies that one needs to take most of the strike. The years been like a rough wicket so far at work. There seems to be just too much of it and after a long time everything is pitched on good length and the wicket is seaming a little. Better call for a helmet for the short one and watch out for the yorker.

Absent Anshuman

Have a few ideas that I just have not been able to give words to. Had started writing a few posts but words eluded me.

Till a few years ago, "Time is on my side" was my song. I had this belief that I can at any point of time do anything. Made me feel really invincible.Isn't that a wonderful way to feel.

Somehow for the past few days I no longer feel that way. It's really push come to shove now and it definitely is the time to shove.

So I'll let you in on what I have been up to. No, I have not been busy writing the final few pages of my book. Though I am convinced I do have a few in me. And neither is it work that has kept me really busy for I still have more than ample to time to use constructively.

My life has been taken over by Facebook. Facebook Poker in particular. There are a few in my office and some friends who also play poker on Facebook and every time we meet we definitely spend time discussing our scores. How I lost 10K of my virtual money because I went 'all in' with a 'straight', only to be beaten by this gentleman from Turkey who had a 'flush' that I did not even know existed. Or how I lost with '4 K's' to a 'straight flush'.

Parul would initially get really pissed off with me and rightly so because I'll comeback from work and be at it till the time I decided to go to sleep. That's changed because even she likes playing Poker now.

It's strange, the fact that it can give you highs and lows despite the reality that you are not winning or losing real money. You do get to meet people from all over the world though and you do feel happy when you win. Those are the upsides.

There definitely is a story there. One that I will write after I have better digested this phenomenon. The one thing that is certain is that I wont be missing class any more.

The return of Shantaram

Have been struggling to come up with anything. Still am. Got a few ideas but have been quite drained to give them any shape. As always I stand between myself and what I really want to do.

Picked up Shantaram again. Am down 50 pages but have found quite a few gems that I had missed earlier. Hopefully it'll help me pick up other things too.

null, void

still nothing

Ninna's Dream

In her doggie dreams, Ninna wants to grow up to be like Papa.