Diwali dhaamaka!

We launch more rockets than Nasa every Diwali!

Mumbai at night

We were at Marine Drive on the day of the Diwali pooja just to see the fireworks and we were returning back. That's when I took this video. Mumbai has never looked so nice. I love the way South Bombay looks. (errr...Mumbai). All the streets were lit up and we were passing by the Taj. See for yourself!

Where did this come from? Out of the blue?

 lolz... how random is this?????

Things to do when you come to india

Dad's friend from the US was visiting us and we were discussing the standard procedures that people go through when they visit India. It's true and funny!

Here goes:
1. Get root canals done
2. get a couple of glasses (spectacles) done
3. get a custom- made suit
4. buy a crate full of mineral water and diet coke

A sudden insight

While I was traveling in the local train last evening, I was thinking about 'life' and this thought came to me. Here goes!

LIFE is nothing but an EXCHANGE
• of ideas (communication)
• of material/ money (trade) eg: exchange 1 buffalo for 500 potatoes, or exhange 300$ for a watch
• of love (emotion) be it parent- child, couple, siblings, friends, etc

Everything in life is a give and take (even birth and death).

Now I feel like a saint ;)

On another planet

I was gifted a nice blue tent big enough for four people by my boss and I have kept it in my Nashik house so that I can open it up on the terrace every time I go there. What's more it has a green cover for the rains. Setting up the tent was a huge task initially but practice makes you perfect and I think we did a good job considering that we put it up almost in darkness. All the light we had was from a tiny dim bulb on the terrace. Meanwhile, we also set up the telescope. We left Mumbai with skymaps and charts and computer prints. We ain't no experts (dad and me)- just wanna be astronomers/ star gazers). It was an awesome feeling. We saw the moon and Saturn or Jupiter (I don't recall which one) and my cousins, parents and me sat and played cards and ate ice- cream on the terrace. Soon after, everyone started yawning and went off to bed, while I was still enthu about my tent. So I took up one of my favourite books - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and read for a while. My tent has an opening at the top and I could see the stars over my head- I was in my own world, completely captivated by the sight and the silence, except of the night insects. I was listening to Bryan Adams 'Cloud Number 9' (which is my favv song) and it was just perfect! I felt like a happy camper camping in the forests and gazing at the stars at night- except that in reality, I was in my house. I even tried to take pictures of the stars that I saw overhead, but all I got was a big black patch!
Here are some pictures- the first one being my favourite!

For the non- Mumbaikar

Jus in case you happen to be in Mumbai, here are some local words you might find handy!

And they call me Gujju!

This literally happened this week:
Monday: "Beta, what will you have for breakfast?" "Sada dosa...yummm"

Tuesday: "Beta, what will you have for breakfast?" "Masala dosa...yummm"

Wenesday: "Beta, what will you have for breakfast?" "Rava dosa...yummm"

Thursday: "Beta, what will you have for breakfast?" "Mysore dosa...yummm"

By now, mum thinks I'm running out of dosa options. She's hoping I'll go back to my cereals and milk.

But come Friday:

Friday: "Beta, what will you have for breakfast?" "uumm...Schezwan dosa?"
lol...
To top it up, come Saturday:

"Beta, what will you have for breakfast? No more dosas this week." "How about some idlis?"

It was 3.oo pm in the afternoon and I was feeling lazy. The sofa was cozy and I was watching ' Jab We Met' for the 100th time with the remote control in my hand, fighting to stay awake! Finally at half three, I announced that I would be making tea for everyone. Only dad raised his hand. So I walked lazily towards the kitchen, got out two of my favourite mugs- one for me, and one for dad (mine said 'boys are crap' and he got the one which said 'stressed' ). The tea was bubbling and my tea was listening to Micheal Jackson's 'Beat it!' from my Macbook in the kitchen. I gave dad his cup of tea, and hurried to my room with my cup as I had to make one more round to get my Macbook which was still  singing in the kitchen.

Since it was afternoon, the lights were off, and I very absently carried my mug in front of me, and suddenly, just as I walked around the corner, there was a big 'CHAPPPAAAAAAKKK;!!!

I didn't know what happened. Mansi, my sisterand I had a collission. It was a blind turning and it was dark. Both of us were so dazed, we just stood there staring at each other. All the tea from my cup had transported itself on our t-shirts. Soon there was 'Ouch! Ouch' in chorus. The tea had spilled on our stomachs and it was burning!

Urmi, my secong sister, was watching all the drama, walked away, shaking her head in disbelief, secretly smiling away!

Incidentally, last week, the same thing happened to dad. He was drinking some tea, and suddenly it spilled onto his shirt and he had to go to the doctor because his skin was burnt.

We heard mum yelling on her way to the accident spot in Gujarati, " Su karo cho tame loko! One after the other!! Ketli toofan masti!"

Very reluctantly we applied the dozens of ice cubes that mum gave us, on our tummies, hoping that it wouldn't get worse, coz mum threatened to take us to the doctor, and the last thing I wanted was a bandage! Whats more, mum said, "Drink up the tea before you spill it again!"