Fun on Friday.....

Am typing this post while trying to ignore my sister's constant chatter in my ear. Sometimes she just doesn't stop!

Am loving Sydney more and more with each passing day. I have so many pictures to upload! We have been going out every single day over the past week. Been coming home at 11 or 12 everyday..

On Friday our day started with a yummy English breakfast of Pancakes with honey and mixed berries jam and fruits. Thanks to my sister's husband who is a great cook (and an amazing photographer).

Later we went for a walk (yet again) along Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Botanic Garden and ended up at Mrs. Macquarie's chair and point. Of all the places i have mentioned till now this is a must visit in Sydney. Its a long walkway running parallel to the water. All along your walk you keep hearing the gentle sound of the waves splashing on your left and on your right you have the whole botanic garden, with trees, and all kinds of birds. Picture perfect!

Mrs. Macquarie's chair is a point from where you can see both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and is an amazing spot for taking photos. We waited there until sunset to get this lovely shot.

Finnaly ended the day with a picturisque view of the entire city from the top of the Sydney Tower.

Ahhh... Do i love Sydney at night or what? :)

Magic at night!

There is something magical about Sydney at night... Especially at the harbour. I know all of you must have seen hundreds of poscard pictures like this, but bear with me please! Maybe its the cool night breeze blowing through your hair, or the the ciry lit up like a giant birthday cake, or the harbour bridge looking like its encrusted with pearls.. its reflection shimmering on the waters.. You can walk around for hours without an ache in your legs. As you stand and look at the skyscrapers towering all around you, you suddenly feel so small...yet the big giant city seems to welcome you and you feeling staying there forever. There is music all around and a delicious aroma coming from all the cafes and restaurants around the walk...

We dint want any hectic outing, so we opted for this. Couldnt have been more perfect :)
After walking around the bridge, we climbed up the steps of the Opera House. It was a perfect summer night with gentle breeze.. and the view from the top was WOW! No wonder every other person we saw had a tripod and camera in his hand.

The next day we visited the Sydney aquarium and Chinese Garden. The aquarium was amazing! I was lost in the world of fishes and corals like a little girl! And never have i seen sharks so close up!

The Chinese Garden is like an oasis in the desert. Just a little further from the aquarium, it provides the much needed peace and quite in the bustling city. A break from the rush hour morning traffic, the zooming cars and trains. Time slows down once you enter the garden and all you hear is the sound of waterfalls, streams, birds and a light backround music. A perfect relaxation spot after spending 2 or 3 hours walking around the city!
And believe it or not, i was so tired by the end of the day that, for the first time i dint even feel like going shopping (as we planned before). Ok the sight of the mall did change my mind BUT it was no use as all shops close by 9. Sharp 9. And thats only on Thursdays. Rest of the week they close by 6. I couldnt believe it. Thats when we start going out in India!

Anyway to view all the photos click here !   The photos have been removed from this post due to reasons concerning privacy. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Bondi Beach and Wildlife world

I miss blogging so much! But the only time i get to be on the Internet is for a couple of minutes, which is definitely not enough time for me to put into words all that i have been doing here! By next week will be upto date with all your blogs too!

What a day!!! We seem to be bringing rain where ever we go! Just before we came to Sydney the weather was sunny and warm and perfect. But right after we landed, so did the rain!.

Day1 :
Inspite of the rain, on the very first day, we decided to go to the beach thinking the cloudy weather wont last long. Ummm... Bad move! It was so windy and so cold that i had to wear two cardigans, and i still dint stop shivering! We spent an hour in the cold running around and taking photos. Am not going to post any pics because my hair looks like a bird's nest.

Except this one pic which i love........... :)

Day2 :

No change in the weather... It was pretty cloudy when we started from home and by the time we got on the ferry and reached 'Darling Harbour' it was raining. Very unfortunate as we had packed a lovely picnic lunch and we were forced to eat standing in the light drizzle with my dad holding two umbrellas for us! But i had to admit it was fun! Except for the wind. Anyway since we wanted to escape the rain we decided to visit Sydney Wildlife World. Right from Tarantulas to ants and bats to kangaroos and cute cuddly koala bears, we had a look at everything! This was one visit that was never on my mind but i spent the most amazing 2 hours over there!
[I looked at spiders and dint flinch! Ha...  big improvement. And i have this pic to prove it.. hehe ]

Couldn't help but look disgusted!

Am so in love with koala bears... always was :) Hence the purchases!

Still dint get used to the time difference.. which means am sleeping late and getting up even more late, which means am missing the first half of the day, which means... well... missing out on a lot of things (Like almost missing the ferry yesterday!)

Today's weather - perfect for shopping!!!

Later with more updates! 

Sydney and awards!

Finally in Sydney after a long flight :)
After food and lots of sleep am ready for the day. I dont really like flight journeys because they leave me all cramped and tired... and on top of that i sprained my arm just the day before. BUT its amazing here... weather is perfect as of now... My sister's house is amazing! And i cant wait to go out and hit the beach, malls, and all the fabulous places! Good times!

The photos have been removed due to reasons concerning privacy. Sorry for the inconvenience!

On a different note...............

...............i got this award from Preetilata of My White Window . You must read her poems!
So as the tradition goes......

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
     Thank you Preetilata :) *my first award hugs*

2. Share 7 things about yourself.
   I used to hate my name and desperately wanted to change it until i reached 10th grade, when i    suddenly started loving it!
  I use the phrase 'I dont know' wayyyy too much. Even when am giving a sure answer!
  I procrastinate a lot.
 I dont have a favourite colour. It used to be black when i was younger and i say it still is, more out of habit.
 I am very punctual 99.99% of the time. Be it a for a meeting, movie, friends... I dislike being late and waiting for people who are late.(But end up waiting alllll the time!)
I think a lot. and i mean A LOT. Most of it unnecessary.
Am obsessed with my hair. *big grin*

3. Award recently discovered great bloggers.
    And the award goes to Gayatri - am just amazed by her creativity!
    You totally deserve it!

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.
    Done!

Travel excitement...!

Am going! Am going!

Tomorrow night i'll be flying over to Sydney! Yeah! For a solid 40 days! Or maybe more!
Too many exclamations? Cant help it! Am excited!

I've always wanted to travel the whole world and am really very lucky that am getting a chance to do so. So far i've covered Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Mauritius, a cruise and of course many places in India. Not many people get such a chance unless of course you are working for Travel & Living!

Somehow even though i love to travel and explore many new places, its hard to leave home and go. Until the very last minute my mood keeps changing. One minute am excited and happy and the next minute i just dont want to leave my house or my room or my bed. Homesickness even before i leave? Hmmm i dont know...
Its more about the people than the house.. a few special people :)

Anyway thats all in the past! Am going to board a flight in the next 24hrs and you think ill still be sad and moping around and hugging my pillow? Not a chance!

All packed and all aboard!

Errmmm... ok not all are mine....the black one below is. Although i would love to take that many, i figured its better to shop there and bring back that many. Knew you'd agree!

Will try my best to post and update you guys as frequently as possible!

Am going! Am going!

*does a little dance*

Reviews from a Bookworm

Ok so for all those who have enjoyed P.S.I love you, this book is going to be a complete treat. Complete chick-lit novel, more like a fairy tale that proves that true love never dies. Not sure if something like this would ever happen in real life but its nice to dream. As Rosie Dunne (The protagonist) says.. Dream, Dream, Dream Chandana!

I absolutely loved the different style of writing. Not one single line of what we call as "conversation" in the whole book. Right from page one the story unfolds before our eyes, through the notes that Rosie and Alex wrote to each other in class for 12 years of their lives, the letters and emails that they exchanged. And the letters and emails exchanged between Rosie and her parents, sister, brother... well the whole family. For me the highlight of the book was the emails written by Katie(Rosie's daughter) to Sally(Alex's ex-wife). LOL. I'd want my kid to be like that!

Ok i know this is making sense only to people who have read the book... so i urge you to please please read it as soon as possible. Its worth it and i would definitely recommend it. And for those of you, who, like me, love the concept of writing letters and emails and don't think that its something old-fashioned or for dorks, it might just bring back that old habit again :)

The only negetive aspect is that, as you reach the middle of the book, it tends to drag on like those never ending saas-bahu serials where the hero and heroine  just dont come together and get married to every other person, have the most ridiculous misunderstanding and so on. I did feel like tearing all the pages in between and leaving the first and last intact, at least so i know that they end up together!

Short. Sweet. Simple. Very similar to Erich Segal's famous 'Love Story'. Its touching and makes you shed a tear or two at all the right places (Yes i cry for books.. not movies).

Nicholas Sparks is a great writer but i like his book 'The Notebook' beter than this. Even the movie was great (only because of Ryan Gosling - amazing actor). Oops am not reviewing this.. so... yes... A Walk To Remember... definitely a book to remember!

Solitude

My Valentines Day gift? Going by the popular vote for 'Self-Love', i decided give myself a gift!
My paintings to myself :)  Along with some 'me' time.

Theme - Solitude.

Perfect theme. Perfect gift. Perfect for today!

At this rate i'll soon run out of wall space.

p.s - You can aslo follow my blog on my Facebook Page. Just click on 'Like' in the sidebar of my blog

Din toh accha tha ji :)

[Translation of the title - My Day Was Good :) ]

My day started with a little fashion parade. All for i-me-myself.

No wait, before that, as soon as i was up (read : before even brushing, because i never do anything before brushing. Not even talk. So there.) i checked whether the internet was finally working. I could hear a chorus of tiny voices in my head singing 'Addicted.. Addicted.. Addicted'. Naturally i chose to ignore them. Early morning internet is like early morning coffee. A stimulant that i badly needed. For now. ( I'll give it up  reduce it soon.. i promise!).

Then started the fashion parade. Now like every other girl in the whole wide world(WWW), i stand in front of my closet, looking at the huge pile of clothes, thinking i have absolutely nothing to wear. I love dressing up, but sometimes (when i need it the most) my mind goes blank. I repeatedly keep grabbing the same old tees and my eyes refuse to see the stuff-i-bought-and-never-ever-wore bruried deep underneath. Which brings us to the fashion parade.
1. Grab a few tops (All different colours)
2. Grab a few pants
3. Spread them out on the bed.
4. Try on different combinations until you come out of that 'same old' state and end up with something new.
5. Get screamed at by mom for taking so long to dress up... err... not necessary on this list, but if it happens.. well and good!

So i started... and i got upto point #3 when i noticed i had pulled out a tee which i had worn only once around 5 months back. So bingo! :)

Next on agenda was lunch and a movie. We failed to get tickets for anything except 'Dil Toh Bachha Hai Ji'.
It was an ok-ok movie. Comedy. We ended up giggling the entire time for reasons better not mentioned here..which  made it more fun!

And then with all the overdose of the 'SALE' signs in all the shops... i dint even feel like entering (Blasphemous eh?). I really cant shop or even look around in crowded malls. I cant stand crowds! I need to have some space, and not bump into someone everytime i turn around. And i have absolutely no patience standing in those long never-ending trial room queues. For me shopping is meant to be on a Thursday afternoon or a Monday morning. Empty Empty Empty. Only me and my choice of clothes! Bliss :)

So with clothes window shopping/shopping ruled out, i headed to the only place where i dont mind shopping even if there was a stampede in progress.... Bookstores! :) I had to get home early so i dint really get my quota of book-browsing. I grabbed the first three books i saw for light-reading and headed out.. so another visit is a must!

I have seen the movie 'A walk to remember' but never read the book. I anyday prefer the original book rather than the movie.... so lets see... Occupied for the next few hours! :)

How was your weekend?

What in the name of love?

Pic courtesy : http://karenandmelody.com/KS5-KC.jpg

Its that time of the year again, when Hallmark is going to mint money like anything, and Shiv Sena people start attacking valentine day celebrations.

Even as i decided to sit down and write my share of a mushy post, and make my contributions also count (in the hundreds of posts that all bloggers are dishing out for this special day) something stopped me...
In fact as i was watching tv, while having dinner, i saw a news clip that made me think.. "What the hell are people doing in the name of love?"

A guy in Vizag, extremely pissed of by being rejected by the girl he loved, barges into her house, kills both her parents, slits the girl's throat and drags her by the hair outside. Sorry for the gory details but that's what happened. The girl, fortunately survived.
Sadly this is not a unique case. A girl rejects a guy and then start the acid attacks, blackmailing, abuse, murders, attempted murders. How mentally unstable should a person be to do something as atrocious as that?

This Valentines day all i can think of is those poor souls, victims, who have been scarred for life - physically and emotionally - all in the name of love.

Blogger Sketch #3

Aahh... Sanity is back! And so is.. blogger sketch again...
This time its Tanvi from The Fabulous Life Of Not-so-rich And Infamous. One of the first fashion bloggers that i started following (Until then i never knew there was a thing called fashion blogging!). I love how every single post of hers has some 'Gyan' and philosophy and some message along with fantabulous outfit posts. She keeps it simple and chic, carries off everything effortlessly, and has been a fitness instructor/inspirer to many of us! And am in love with all her shoes (Big surprise huh?!?)

I have only done sketches of Fashion Bloggers till now on 'Blogger Sketch'. But there are so many other bloggers who are equally great and whom i want to feature here.
Featuring Fashion Bloggers is easier because
1) Their pictures are readily available, and i can choose the one i feel will make a good sketch (Coz not all pictures are 'sketchable' - yes listen to the artist :P )
2) I know they have no issues about their photos/sketches being public :)

I want to give credit to so many other wonderful bloggers.... but... i really dont know how :/

p.s - If you haven't, check out Blogger Sketch #1 and Blogger Sketch #2

Crossroads

Ever felt you were standing at a crossroads, staring into space, not knowing which direction to go? Never? Always? If you're of the latter kind then Join The Club! I dont like people who are sure of everything in life. They know what to do and when to do and always take the right decisions. Hey... you have to make a few mistakes, take a few wrong steps, stumble, fall, get back up and laugh at yourself. What's so great about being perfect all the time?

Crossroads are my second home! More often than necessary i find myself there... There was a time when i cribbed and hated that feeling and muddled by brain with all that thinking. I keep telling myself that's all in the past but even now, am really not comfortable with the 'not-knowing' Especially since all my dreams seem to be just that - distant dreams. Being the impatient creature that i am, i want everything done at the snap of my fingers. I have to know, i have to get it, whatever it is! Immediately!

Ok ill stop sounding like a spoilt brat now.

When things dont go according to plan, i tend to go off in a tangent. No i dont mean that in a good way, that i change accordingly and adapt. I try to do that most of the time, but sometimes i really go off in a tangent!
You're smart. You must have noticed that by now.. in this very post? No? Aren't we all good at complicating things? The simplest of things. Give it to a human. Any human. You get a nice complicated messy blob back. This reminds me of a previous post where i wrote wishing that we were all monkeys. Yes you heard me right. Monkeys. Because in monkey life everything is fair. We have a thing or two to learn from them dont you think? And to think that we evolved from them. Did we really evolve? I feel they are better off sometimes. Ok most of the time. Except when we humans coming poking around their business. If left alone they would do much much better than us.

From crossroads to monkeys... to.... well before this heads off in some direction which i would later regret, ill leave you all with these thoughts...

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there
- Will Rogers

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
- Thomas Edison


Opportunity should have a better dressing sense. Aaarrghhh. I wish.
- Chandana  :|

Random Ramblings #4

So i took the weekend off from blogging. Blogging only. Not from reading blogs! Its monday! And from today starts the countdown... for what? You'll know soon :)

Am tired and busy and am not really not able to streamline my thoughts. Basically what am saying is i have no idea what to blog about. So.... yes random ramblings again!

1. Am such a KID sometimes. And my mom likes it. Says it gives her a refreshing break from my poised, practical self. It reassures her that i am, and can be human. Whatever that means!

2. Am good at packing. But bad, so bad at packing light. I have no idea what it means. Unless am 5kg above the weight limit, it doesnt seem like packing to me (Again! You'll know soon enough why am packing :) )

3. I had awesome weekend. :)

4. I have not shopped for the last 2 months. And its like a constant itch.

5. Five adorable puppies right outside my house. Everytime they see my car approaching, they start running and am so scared they'll run under the tires that i just stopped taking the car out. Now i walk.

6. Long pending visit to the dentist today 6:00pm *shudder*

7. Sleep awaits :) Tata..!

With corruption.... everyone pays.

A lady driving on the road. Big long stretch of empty road. And all of a sudden an auto comes speeding out of nowhere, cuts from the left, tries to avoid a cycle in front of him, and slams into the car's front. The car jumps two feet, tilts to the right and (luckily) stays put. The police say its the auto driver's fault. The witnesses say its the auto driver's fault. The whole crowd says its the auto drivers fault. Somehow in all the commotion and panic, both the lady and the auto driver end up at the police station. Inspector listens to the story, strikes a deal in private with the auto driver, refuses to listen to the eye-witnesses, (Five guys who re-assured the lady that they would come the second she called them, as eye-witnesses, and prompty gave their numbers), puts the entire blame on the lady. The same cop who first blamed the auto driver. Asks to pay compensation. Even more openly asks for a bribe.

All because its a "woman's fault". All this takes 3 hours.

Nice insight into our judicial system.
Trust The Police? Oh yeah... sure.

Statistics - This happens at least 24 times daily.

The guys say, 'If it was a man in your place, he wouldn't have bothered with all this. Would have punched the guy and gone his way. The idiot took advantage of you being nice'.

I say who cares! You're a guy? Punch him. You're a girl? Punch him harder.

If you are the 'nice type' Indian roads are not for you!

Flaming flowers

Somehow photos never do justice to any paintings... they just dont look real. Hmmmm but this is all i have to show you guys so...

My latest two....

I started the Ganesha painting at home, even before i started working on oil paintings in Art Class.
My last oil was approximately an year back.... So after such a long break it was my mom's idea that i start with something 'auspicious'. Hence this. :)

My Flaming Flowers. I had fun painting this, finished it at a stretch. One of the easiest ones i have done.

Two more at work. One almost done. One a lot more to be done.
I have another board left.... Still thinking what to do with that!


Pics courtesy : Google(Sorry i dont remember the original artists names)
                       Modified both of them to suit my style.

Breast Cancer - Spread the awareness!

First it was the colour of your bra, next it was where you would like to put your purse and now.. the status of your relationship.
Dint get a word of what i said?
Am talking about that 'something special' that all the girls using facebook are trying to do, in order to help promote awareness for Breast Cancer. It left guys wondering why girls were posting (apparantly)random colours as their facebook status messages for days. The next series of crazy status messages looked somewhat like this - 'I like it on the table', 'I like it on the bed' , 'I like on the floor'. Naturally this left men even more baffled and every guy started questioning his close girl friends as to what it was all about. Well guys that's where they like keeping their purse .PURSE. Thats it. Of course both the games made it big on the news. So thats a good thing right?

How many of us really bother to read those long articles about Breast Cancer? Are we at least slightly bothered to do our bit after reading the last line which says 'Lets spread the awareness'? At first this whole facebook-game-promoting-awareness seemed like a farce to me. I never really expected anyone to follow it, forget about it making the news! Instinctively all the girls were ready to participate and they did... But the fun game aspect has made sure that all the guys were hooked onto it too.. Interesting, innovatiove and an easy way of keeping everyone in the loop. A different way of presenting an extrememly important issue... So what what if people are also having fun along the way, as long as it served its purpose...

The latest game is to post the name of one of the drinks from the given list, which at the same times indicates the statues of your relationship.
It doesn't make any sense in the beginning.. it looks silly and stupid and seems like a total waste of time... But hey all for a good cause right? So go for it girls and spare a second to post this.. and lets hope that it serves its purpose!

And no am not going to tell you what am posting ;)