Blogging....?? I don't do that anymore....

is what I say when people ask me... It's actually been ages, in fact, to the extent that it feels quite alien typing anything other than email!

'Lateral thinking' clearly flew out of the window right after the MBA...Well, one still ponders, but it is rarely non-work related, or life related...Writing was always my own space.. and the fact that I say 'was' shows I haven't given it the rightful due over the past couple of years...

So, what's interesting this year? Well, my driving test for one..Interesting, maybe even a little embarrasing taking it at this juncture! But that's the story of life, my friend..No matter wherever you've driven on this planet.... in the UK, you've got to prove your mettle...

So, this is what they make you do - take the theory first, to prove to the world, that you're as smart as an 18 year old (1000 reference questions for study, and a computer based 2 hr test is by no means casual!)...and then... take the practical (maybe a couple of times, given that the pass rate is a mere 28%) to let you know that you've been doing it wrong all your life!

Truly amazing, isn't it? OK, so how great is that from a confidence boosting perspective..

On the positive side, it makes you feel younger..like you're still being taught...:) And yes! the fun part are the actual driving lessons...

Enter Walter.... my very kind instructor..Nice guy, always smiling, but an absolute dictator when it comes to pointing out my flaws...The first time he screamed at me when I signalled left without checking the mirrors (will come to that in a minute), I thought in my head "No one.. talks to me like that!" (Well, not since secondary school, that is)..

But it's a good in a way though, keeps some degree of naiveness alive in you...Also teaches you to be patient...I mean, under what other circumstances would you allow anyone to speak to you in that tone? (Except for the boss ofcourse, but guess what - everyone has bills to pay!)..

Well, anyway, back to procedural driving, UK is a different ball game altogether...they'll fail you for not checking your rear view mirror before touching the brakes (Unless of course, you're the Sultan of Brunei driving on the road you own)..and for not checking it every 10 seconds!

"Pull over somewhere safe" is different to "Pull over on the left"! With the first you can take your time and look for a definitive "safe" place, with the latter - you have to do it at once! (And NO! you never ever pull over on the right or anywhere else - this is the UK remember?)

And yes! you don't get to decide how you hold the steering wheel or how you move it - you can only "push with one hand while pulling with the other"..Crossing your hands is a 'fail', and so is holding the wheel in any other manner than specified...and never ever take one hand off the wheel...(even if a bee flew in through the window and stung you on the nose)..

Based on the route to be taken, you need to judge your lane atleast 500 meters in advance (sometimes even ahead of that), and move in. Sorry mate... you're not allowed to change lanes at will - that's a 'fail'! So, what I am supposed to do - rehearse each and every route in my head a dozen times - then I'll be like the "Tom-Tom" lady...great!

"Take the next road on your right", and I almost turned into a street, which I realised was not a road (Trust me - these are two different things!). How was I supposed to know, that the "street" infact was not a road! It looked like a road and felt like a road.... had all the other attributes, and definitely led somewhere - but hey, it was not a road...

"Well...Did it have a name? Did it have any markings" - Walter asked, "then how can you say it's a road".. - Well, maybe someone just didn't like it enough to give it a legitimate name - not my fault!

Excellent.....! Now I need to take English lessons as well...maybe a separate 'Driving language course', and I wouldn't be surprised if I actually found one in London....

And then, the worst happened..Britain was completely snowed out this winter, and guess what ...my driving test was scheduled on the very day, the met office announced the roads were too dangerous to drive!

An early morning call to the test centre clearly ruled out the possibility...this couldn't be happening, I thought..Now I have to brace myself again for another day! Not great news, given that I had been braving the London winter for early morning practice lessons every Saturday ...Many a times, I have actually turned the ignition on with the DIS showing sub-zero temperatures, while it was still dark outside!

The Driving Standards Agency finally decided it would fair for me to have a test date 4 months later (No questions asked!), and ...that I need to do it all over again - including the lessons!

So, after a couple of months, I have taken to the wheel again....Not ideal, considering that I just got back from my holiday in India, which, has completely shaken my driving fundamentals to the core! I was actually overjoyed this morning when I managed to correctly differentiate between the brake pedal and the accelerator....

So, how will I ultimately fare? Well..that's a story for another day...:) and I do owe myself a success story..after all the due diligence, and dedication....!

Whenever I take to penning my thoughts down, I usually wonder what to write about - nature, future, world issues?! Invariably it is always something which is dominantly on my mind at the moment... And this time, it is this break of one week. Unimaginable in an MBA isnt it?
But thank God for the French authorities, who for once decided that this was the 'legal holiday' week of the year, giving most of us a breather! Well, not literally, with the Marketing project still weighing down heavily, and some real time targets to be met, but all in all a slightly more laid back week than the ones that preceded it....

What I am looking forward to ? Not much, really...Just the below :

- Sleeping through 8 a.m and 9:40 am on all the five 'week' days
- Not rushing to ATAC at 19:30 hrs in an effort to pick up some last minute supplies!
- Not getting dressed in formals for another loong presentation
- Not whizzing through lunch in 15 mins - my only proper meal of the day!
- Not looking at the clock showing 20:30 hrs in the MBA building waiting for the day to get over somehow...
- Not trying to get my working group together for the next meeting - everyone's away anyway!
- Not trying to rack my head at 00:00 hrs about taking a pick - Strategy or Financial markets, which one to nail first
- Not chewing on my pencil during a cover letter workshop
- Not struggling to keep my eyes open through Management Accounting lectures
- Not trying to synergise my energies through an OB lecture - which actually leaves me wondering about the whole purpose of the course
- Not trying to hopelessly grapple with my linguistic abilities in the French class - Jees! I am still working on my Hindi!
- Not reaching on time to realise that the last FT is gone - I mean, look at the multiple uses of a newspaper, for instance, my room looks quite clean without a pile of unread FTs..
- Thinking of ways to drag in the coffee vending machine into MBA 11, right through the Corporate Finance lecture


What I will do, however, would be more on these lines :

- Try to "spot the difference" between multiple drafts of my innovatively designed CV, for updating the CV platform (Or is the deadline gone already ?!)
- Count the total no. of trees on campus and try my hand at carving some "tree art"
- Try to 'run'(jog?) for fitness purposes, and not just to class - 15 minutes behind time
- Try and figure out if I can actually spot some stars from the piano bar balcony, when not intoxicated
- Figure out the number cars that are missing from infront of expansiel during the break
- Walk down Jouy to see if there's a world beyond ATAC
- Try and finally figure out the SNCF rail system
- Complete my French homework
- Try to intentionally take 5 hours and 40 mins to 'read' the next Strategy case
- Doze off within 'Bearley' sitting right infront of me on my desk
- Open my letter box

And the feeling that elsewhere in the world, millions of people would be boarding early morning trains to office, taking flights to unknown countries, sailing ships away on expeditions and maybe even crocodile hunting! while am here a la 'good old' Jouy trying to figure out different ways to work out the various items on my agenda....is an amazing feeling by itself!!
To be honest...Looks like I have a very busy week ahead – I mean, come on! Look at the
“not to do” list, it’s longer than the “to-do” one…(Am happy if that makes you befriend the green-eyed monster;)
I guess I should get busy then…..Someone wise once said (Or was it me?) – To be able to nothing creatively is a great art in itself, and demands a lot of time and dedication… Maybe you guys should give it a try yourself. Watch this space, and when am back again, I’ll probably let you know how the much-awaited week was like…Have a great week!!!

The Rising Moon on Myasa Beach-Shenzhen, China

Corniche Bay - Abu Dhabi 

Sunset at Muara 

Bentota Beach - Colombo 

Muara Beach - Brunei 

Tutong Beach - Brunei 

Ao Nang Beach - Krabi(Thailand) 

Grab a cup today!!

Nothing beats Starbucks Coffee..!

No...really..I was never a coffee addict...in fact never a Coffee fan either..
I preferred tea always..Stuck to our desi versions of Brookbond..even carried one pack with me when travelling abroad..
Gradually, I got used to Lipton tea bags..which are not that bad either..

But Starbucks..! They changed my way of looking at coffee...
My husband, Deb is an avid fan of theirs..and a Starbucks Gold Card Customer!

I always used to wonder..What's so great hunh?!

Another reason for staying away from Coffee..was that... I believed, it gave me pimples...
I have cried my eyes out over these teenage menaces..which have unfortunately pursued me to adulthood..and they continue to pay me occasional visits..withstanding all that I keep doing to drive them away...

OK...Now coming back to where I left off...Starbucks changed my way of looking at Coffee...

I managed to exercise restraint for almost two years..before finally giving in..!

It was more of boredom actually that drove me out of office ..and pushed me to take an occasional walk down Silom Road...

Well..my Office is on Sathorn Road..and Silom is the parallel road...Since we have not much entertainment on this road..except for towering buildings..all of which are offices...I did my occasional trip to Silom..during post-lunch hours....
Saying that Silom offers ample opportunity for window shopping would be an understatement...

Sathorn, on the other hand is the unidentical twin of Silom...
They are like twin siblings.. featured in most commercial movies based on twin relationships....where one of them is reserved,suave, responsible and sophisticated...
The other..on the contrary is wild..vivaciously bold..and unabashed...

Sathorn is not a quite road, mind you...Hundreds of cars zoom past every minute..In fact there is a continuous stream of cars..people have everything else on earth..except for "TIME"!

So ..unless you want to look up the JP Morgan office..or go around the skyscraper which houses HSBC...You can easily chose Silom over Sathorn....

So..coming back to my story...
I walk down half a kilometer..down the perpendicular road which connects Silom to Sathorn..
Silom is always a buzz of activity...Cake shops..Beauty Corners...garment outlets..Cafes..pubs...
florists...Shopping malls..Spas..Massage Parlours...you have it all....
It wont be my favourite place of earth...But I enjoy walking down the streets of Silom..
You have so much activity in there...!

Starbucks is located at the start of this road...and I usually feel like drenching my throat with something..by the time I take this "not-so-long" walk...
Cappucino with low fat milk and sweetener is the ideal...
Anything else that I have there, would leave me full of guilt..on account of the no. of calories I take in....
So..I stick to what is safe...
The Cappucino...is just tooo good..!the taste is ..well..as I would describe it ..creamy smooth..(not that it has cream in it!)
It's tempting ..No doubt..and I have given into this temptation..

I'll never get hooked onto it..I know that..Am probably too health-conscious for that..!!
Regular intake of caffeine is a complete "No-No' for me...

But yes...! They did change the way I viewed coffee...
They got a non-coffee drinker to pick up that first cup....No Baristas, Cafe Coffee Day, Coffee Bean..had been able to do it!

Walking down Silom..I usually give in to another temptation of mine...Buying Cosmetic Products..

No..it's not the make-up stuff..which makes you face look like a pan-cake..But all nature therapy...natural products...

I accept..Am crazy about Body Washes..different fragrances...Aroma therapy Oils and about having my own Spa Collection..

Believe it or not I rarely use all of the stuff that I buy..They are usually gifted to my sis..Or stand tall near the Bath tub..or on the dressing table!
I use a bit of everything...And then let be...Sometimes I wonder.whether it is really the bottles that fascinate me....
But it's fragrances...different kinds..I like indulging in the most...

I wonder if I really would have explored Silom had it not been for Sathorn being so less interesting....
Probably..No..!
Cross over Silom Road..and you reach Patpong...which as most people describe..
"one of the most sleaziest" areas in the word...
"Sleazy" in terms of what? Well..:) Find that out for yourself..Do a google on Patpong..and you'll know....
No..It doesn't have mafia..neither is it unsafe..it's out in the open and it's everywhere....
The "Harmlessly sinful but Blissful place"..as one European Tourist put it...

Silom Road..Vs Big bad Brother Patpong??

Well...That's another story...Maybe I'll tell you some other day...!

Lumpini Park....

I have often taken a walk through Lumpini Park to reach home..Before I elaborate on beauty of this park..lemme give it a small introduction... !
Situated in the heart of Bangkok..This park was set up one of the kings of Thailand..It is midway between my office at Sathorn Road..and our home at Lang Suan..
Friday evenings-ideal time for me to walk back home...I don't need to hurry up..In any case, we dine out..So the only thing for me to do when I get home is take a swim..and freshen up before Deb comes in..

Coming back to the park..I always think whenever I take a walk around this green patch in the heart of Bangkok...Why don't we have more of these in India..?
"Lungs of Bangkok" is what I would call this place...The moment you are in ..you feel that it is another world in the city outside..the city that rumbles..and growls and zooms...

What is amazing about this place is the number of people you find in here..every Friday evening. Age no bar,caste no bar.... people are jogging, walking, reading...or just sitting on the benches staring at the lake..
There's so much peace..and so much tranquility...All you hear is the birds twittering..the cuckoos singing..and an occasional crow flying overhead....
Pigeons...! Most of them..around the lake...the surprise element here is the manner is which everyone..including us..the humans, blend in easily..as if part of this peaceful existence...
The pigeons don't fly off..when you walk by....They treat you very much a part of the natural surrounding.....Maybe even look upto you with respect....

The place is huge...takes me around half an hour..to cross over from one gate to the other...walking at my pace..which is not so bad:)
I do slow down occasionally...to stand by and watch..rather observe...What's so unique and difference about this place...

The other side of the Park has an open gymnasium...and Aerobic classes are held at times...
Now..we cannot do away with commercialism completely..can we?

But there are kids of all sizes...working it out...Sports people practicing...and sweating it out!

The lake is the quieter area...Often you find a couple or two boating in the middle of the lake..engaged in deep conversation...

Then there are the grandpas & grandmas as well....sitting often not-so-quietly on the park benches....watching their grand-children hop & skip in the kids' play area....

The park has it all..something for everyone...Maybe that's the reason it' s such a warm place... You come across all kinds of people here....Youngsters from college...Kids from school - sometimes still in their uniforms!

The park has it's share of vendors too..selling their ware... Spread out on the pavement...usually consisting of drinking water...colas...boiled corn salad....or fruit....

"Not bad!" I always think...People do get thirsty..and it will be quite be an effort to keep yourself away from spicy fruit salad the vendors have to offer....

The roads are flanked by pavements everywhere...and are very well-maintained..Ok..this can be said about the park as a whole..But visitors also make their contribution ..by refraining from dirtying the area...
The roads are broad enough for two SUVs to drive through parallel to each other..and it's a pleasure to see none of them inside at all!
At max you may see a couple of bicycles...with kids on them..and one or two trolleys which the vendors tow inside...
Feels great to walk on roads ..for once...without bothering about traffic...or the high speeding bikes....You have the road all to yourself...and believe me..it's a great feeling!

Maybe ...it's all these reasons why this place warms upto anyone and everyone...

Every time, I enter the first gate..I leave all my thoughts outside...

Inside, I am just the "Park person"..like everyone else....I try to blend in with the surroundings myself...Walk around..And return every smile that I come across....
Respond to the silent greetings of all around..and call upon the pigeons..to check if they remember me from last time..they always do..

No wonder...by the time I step out of the second gate..I am a much more relaxed and happier person...
couldn't have been a better way to start my weekend..!

Today's Birthday baby

My Sister..!

Pratyasha...

Vaguely remember the first time i held her...She had such tiny hands! I think i always wanted a sister...

I love her so much..and more than that i admire her.. She's strong-willed, determined and she knows what she wants in life....She's sensible, sensitive..yet mature....
My trusted advisor at most times....I love having those lengthy talks with her whenever we meet.....

All said and done, she'll always remain the "kiddo" for me....

It's her Bday today....and i wish her all the good things in the world with all my heart!

Though referred to as Priya by a couple of close friends, I love the name my parents gave me, even though the fact remains that it is one of the most common names in the world... No..is isnt a disadvantage...You have to use it appropriately to know the advantages...!

I would call myself creative...
Love exploring the unknown, trying out new things...and taking untrodden paths...

From Dance to Painting....
From Music to Writing....
From Fashion Shows to playing MC... I love doing it all...!

A nature enthusiast , i am also giving Nature Photography a shot. I specialise in sunset pics shot at various beaches all over Asia....

Love travelling and meeting people...Have covered seven countries so far..in a span of two years... Photography happened to me ..while i was on these travelling assignments....

From Hongkong and Shenzhen,China to Sri Lanka...From Abu Dhabi,UAE to Bangkok...From Brunei to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam....and finally to Bangkok again....Have been around Asia quite a bit...

Writing has been my first love..Dont remember when i started penning down my thoughts..Must've been in school...when i started having a poem and Story book of my own. All throughout, i have been part of Editorial Boards of School and College Magazines... Dad has always been the greatest inspiration...and Mom's provided all the encouragement in the world...

Why i started a blog of my own...so late in life..surprises me as well..

Have been a regular columnist for in-house publications in my company...My stories have been published at Sulekha.com....Maybe some day when i feel ..i have done enough, i'll start concentrating more on my writing...maybe even make a profession out of it...My first book will be for children...:)

Currently located in Bangkok, Thailand...India is where my heart is!

My husband's here too....Both of us are deputed here on seperate projects...and it is a LOT of hardwork.....At the end of the day,all's well if we manage to cook ourselves a hearty, delicious Indian meal..To my luck, he's a better cook than me!

Thailand is a lovely place..it's people, very hospitable....One would be surprised by the number of Indian retaurants this place has...I am not a foodie..but then ANYTHING for Indian food!