Groovin with Mr. Grover

Angel Falls and the eventful trip to Margarita Island

2010-03-22T12:06:00.000-04:00

Angel Falls is amazing. Now we were told in advance that during the dry season the falls would not be gushing with water rather likely a stream of water would be seen. No matter, coming to Venezuela, does mean a trip to the falls as this is the highlight in every travel book/blog. We did what is known as a flyover of the falls which really consisted of our 6 seater jet pulling as close as possible to the falls so we could get some great pics. The falls are over 900 meters high (ruby wants me to be exact, 984 meters). The surrounding area is full of table top mountains that are full of trees and brush. Just amazing and words cannot describe the sights we witnessed flying around the falls. We finally landed about 2.5 hours later back in Cuidad Bolivar and we had about 4 hours to kill before we hopped on another bus to Porto Del Cruz where we would grab a ferry to Margarita Island.

To kill those 4 hours we sat in a small and very hot tourist agency and connected to the internet to catch up on 3 days of being away from everything. I also needed to catch up on all the emails I had missed during my 3 day disappearance, a total of 327 emails had come through in those 72 hours. A bit out of control but nothing I wouldn’t expect given that I work at Sears (we’ll save that for another day).

We made the decision to leave our hot yoga studio (the travel agency) and got a great recommendation to go to a small Italian pizza/pasta shop. We ate some lasagna and pizza – I had mine with piquante sauce – I asked for the sauce in Spanish too! As well as the combien (the bill).

Following dinner we boarded our bus which was not that busy and made our way to Puerto Del Cruz. After a 4.5 hour journey we were told it was our stop and that we needed to get off to get our ferry tickets. This is very the adventure/terror began. Our luggage is on the bus, we are off the bus and we can’t speak any spanish to save our asses. We were very lucky to have a couple that were on our bus that helped us along the way but even with their help I still felt very lost.

At the ferry station here were the issues:

1) No one spoke english

2) The ferry was going to leave at 2am and was going take 5 hours to get there

3) The clock reads 11pm; what the hell am I going to do in a ferry station for 3 hours

4) I still don’t know if our luggage is going to make it seeing that it’s still on the bus and we are off the bus

5) The power goes out and people cheer “viva chavez” – there were no chavistas in the crowd

6) There were many lines, tickets and somehow we missed getting the green ticket.

So the 6 above mentioned issues all presented their own unique problem. First, thanks to the couple that were looking out for us they guided me in the paperwork and in the process as best as they could given they couldn’t speak english (issue #1).

I stood in a line and was told that I was going to be taking the 2am ferry – no one could confirm if our bus was on the 2am ferry too. (issue #4)

That line changed in mid-stream and I got moved to another line (no real issue but just a nuisance)

The bathroom was closed in the ferry station (issue #3 – I thought I could at least burn 15 mins taking care of business)

While I am in the “new” line the power goes off leading to nobody getting served and me almost ready to give up (issue #5); thankfully the power came back but it took the ticket seller another 20 minutes because her systems needed to reboot(perhaps also because she was too busy listening to her iPod and singing along). BOOOOOO!

Finally, when it was all said and done, I had 2 ferry tickets in hand and had walked over to our friendly couple to compare tickets to ensure that if worst came to worst they were in the shitter with us too. They were exactly the same

While all the events of the day are unfolding, I was chatting with our hosts (Luis & Herman) in Margarita to ensure we got picked up at the ferry dock the next day.

All said and done we went outside to see that there was a large cargo ferry which not only carried passengers but cars, buses and other cargo. Oh boy, this was going to be very slow. The line to board the ferry was very long and Ruby and I were somewhere in the middle feeling tired and just aching to get to the island for that R&R. People were all over the place and time was moving ever so slowly. When finally there were signs of movement a euphoric feeling would come over me but that euphoria would last seconds as the movements in the line were more jostling than anything else. Finally around 2am the ferry opened its doors to all its passengers and cargo and we were allowed to board. Just prior boarding we were asked for our green slips (which we didn’t have – issue #6) so that meant another bone of frustration. Lucky these green tickets were available for sale right in line so we were saved from running back to the ticket office and wasting more time there. As it worked out, we boarded and made a b-line for the upstairs of the ferry for our seats. We got 2 good seats in the air conditioned space. It didn’t seem like everyone on the ferry got a seat because people were going back and forth looking for their prime real estate. The seats were horrible, ripped, and old. Not a comfortable seat by any means but for the next 4 hours this was going to be our last bump on the road to Margarita. Going to try to sleep a bit before getting up and trying to find my luggage.

The trip to Canima (the jungle)

2010-03-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

We did it – we survived the jungle. We reached Culidad Bolivar at 6am and were greeted by our travel agent Ruben. Ruben gave us a brief of the next couple of days which included one night in a room and the next night sleeping outside in hammocks. Hmm – not what we expected but what can you do.

The only way to get to Caniama is by plane – not some commercial flight but by a small prop plane (ie. A Cessna) that seats no more than 6 people, including the pilot. The trip took about 2 hours and while flying we saw some amazing landscapes, mountains and lakes. From our vantage point, there were no real inhabitants to be found. The highlight of the plane ride had to be our pilot texting while flying the plane. We were in safe hands if he had the confidence to do that!

Upon reaching Caniama, our ears ringing and a bit nauseas, we were greeted by our guide Miguel. Miguel is actually a Peruvian but had settled in Venezuela for work purposes (and also b/c he found a local girlfriend). Our camp was extremely rustic but the people were really nice and the food was quite edible. The bathrooms were horrendous though with only a small stream of water in the showers and the bathrooms had their fair share of wear and tear (I am being very kind). Given we had taken the overnight bus and a cramped plane ride over, it was important to at least feel some sense of being fresh no matter how bad the conditions.

After cleaning up and having a full belly we started our trek for the day. The trek first started with us getting on a boat and doing a tour of all of the falls in the area. There were 3-4 big waterfalls near our camp and before you ask, they were not as magnificent as Niagara Falls. Nonetheless, they were very cool and our boat went right up to the falls so we got some great pictures. Venezuela has 2 seasons, dry and rainy and we are travelling during the dry season. As such, the water is a bit shallower and the falls a bit weaker. This also gave us the opportunity to do some exploration around the falls where we could walk behind the falls as well as get to a point where we are actually on top of the falls. Pretty cool stuff. The walk behind the falls was great – very tropical and very refreshing given the heat. We also got to a point where we reached a lagoon where one could go swimming and/or cliff diving. I decided to do both. After Miguel showed us how to cliff dive and another tourist took the plunge I decided it was my turn. From at least 20 meters high, I took the plunge without a thought of danger or worry – just the sheer rush of feeling free and empowered. I hit the water, feet first, going about 10 meters into the water, while holding my breath. Coming to the top and finally getting the air was just amazing. What an experience and something I will always remember. Following the cliff diving, we did some swimming in the lagoon and even got a chance to sit underneath some waterfalls and feel the power and rush of the water, against a beautiful backdrop in a temperature that was so comfortable. The conditions were perfect.

Following our cliff diving we did some more trekking where we got to the top of the waterfalls and had an amazing view of the surrounding area. Soon night was going to fall so we made our way back to camp to get our rooms and have dinner.

Rubes and I lucked out as we learned that there were 4 rooms but they tried to ensure that couples got their own rooms. Everyone thought that Rubes and I were married so we kinda played along to take advantage of the simple fact we got our own room and even more important our own bathroom; and in this case the bathroom was a lot more functional than the ones we experienced in the afternoon, even though we still had no hot water.

The next day our day started very early as we were going to do hiking, swimming, and boating and ultimately some camping. We took a boat around Caniama (14 of us in total which included one very strange Japanese dude). We went all over the place with the boat and our luggage seeing different sites and sounds, stopping for a swim here and there. We swam, walked, had lunch, hopped back into a boat, swam again, got back into the boat, checked out an indigenous village and then again swam in the well of happiness, back in a boat, trekked, sat on a beach, swam and then trekked to our campsite. Amazing day, with amazing water and even with the walking, and heat, those swims made everything amazing again. Water is such a powerful thing – and it’s something we take for granted I think.

The highlight of this day ended up being close to the end where we had to cross the river by foot with our cameras and daypacks in hand. Imagine the challenge of crossing a river with all of these belongings, your slippers and the rocks are covered in moss making it very slippery. Even though the hike across was no more than 15-20 meters that was likely the most challenging part of our day.

We finally made camp where we saw the hammocks we were going to sleep in. Not the best hammocks but hey, at that point it was a bed and it was one night. Nature was our bathroom and if we felt like showering then all you had to do was swim in the lake. Ruby decided to check out the shower (some reconnaissance mission) and she came back a bit shocked given at the bed of the river she stepped on a long black snake, which promptly whipped her with its tail across her leg. She vowed not to take a shower or brush her teeth in the river as who know what other animals lurked in the area. I decided to do the same.....

Our dinner was actually quite good....chicken cooked over a fire with some fresh juice (we were told fresh juice but we all knew this was tang/kool-aid mix with water. Dinner was in the dark because with our luck the rain had come just after we had arrived and it came with some force. Winds blew out the candles and some areas of our site were not covered so obviously those areas became quite wet. It rained and rained with no end in sight. After dinner, we ended up having a great conversation with Miguel who was our guide. He was constantly trying to improve his English with Ruby and I there and the good thing was that he was learning and applying. We spent hours talking about Peru, Chavez, politics, constitutions, poetry (sex and pessimism being central), the kama sutra, the art of love (falling in and falling out) to name a couple of topics. Let’s say that by the time we were halfway through our conversations the rest of our group had decided to hit the hammocks and call it a night. We had great laughs with Miguel and at the end we decided it would be great to be facebook friends.

Miguel had the tour guide life. Swimming at every opportunity he got, hanging with locals and tourists alike, and more importantly, lived a quite simple life. His passion was music and when he got bored he would play music off his mobile and keep himself entertained.

After a cold night in the hammock, with no mosquito net, and all the bites to prove it, we got up and got ready for breakfast. No shower, no brushing of our teeth. Just some food, juice and the inner voice of please let me find a shower when we get back to our base camp. Covered in fluff because of our blankets and smelling like mosquito spray, we packed up our stuff after breakfast and made the trek back. It took 2.5 hours to get back and for the most part this was a quiet trip home. Time was spent in a boat, walking and again back in the boat. A reflective trip back as we were all tired, hungry and of course feeling very dirty.

Upon arriving back at base camp, we all used the very crappy bathrooms to freshen up before lunch. Now even thought these bathrooms weren’t great, they satisfied the need to just feel a little clean and better about the next part of our journey. I end this note just before finally sitting down for lunch. Up next is our fly over to Angel Falls and our journey to Margarita Island. The last days of our trip are coming up and some serious R&R are on the agenda.

Start of the Jungle trek

2010-03-18T16:45:00.000-04:00

I am writing this on an overnight bus on the way to Cuidad Bolivar. Day 3 in Venezuela (Monday) turned out to be a good day. Other than the toilet overflowing in the bathroom and having to clean up some of the mess (emma will appreciate this more than anyone else i know) the day was interesting and fun. We started off our day meeting Nelson who helped us get tickets for our overnight bus and our flight back to Caracas from Margarita Island.
After wondering through a bus station (and practicing my very atrocious spanish) and a couple of travel agencies we came out feeling good. The only bad thing is that our flight from Margarita Island is at 7am on Sunday landing us back in Caracas at 8am. Although, both Rubes and I were disappointed, Nelson, offered the both us an opportunity to join him at his house which has a pool and is connected to a bay which means we'll still have another day of beach life. We'll have a better idea if that plan comes to fruition later in the week as Nelson has to work out things on his end.
So after taking care of business, Nelson, Ruby and I went out for Arepas. Arepas are a traditional venezuelan meal and one that isn't too costly either. Between the 3 of us we spent 100 bolivars and based on our special rate of 6 to 1 (i'll get to this in a future post) the cost works out to less than 17 dollars for 3 people - on average 6 bucks a pop and it includes fresh juice. We all add the chicken/avacado mixutre stuffed in corn bread. To be honest, it was like eating a chicken salad sandwich at timmys but it had avacodo.
The food here isn't anything special. What I like is the little coffees they serve - the coffees come in shot glasses and are sipped to be enjoyed.
After lunch, Nelson, dropped us back to the hotel so we could do our walking tour of Caracas. Much like Lima, Caracas was kinda boring. The buildings were not easily identifable and they looked the same. We started by checking out Simon Bolivar square and to our loss everything that we wanted to see was closed for some strange reason. The real adventure I guess was riding the subway in Caracas which costs 50 cents (in bolivars) one way. The subways are rammed to the nth degree and once boarded you felt like you are in a hot yoga studio. Ruby's comment to me was and I quote "thank gods its not India othewise, can you imagine the smell" . Added to this is the simple fact that everyone warns you to be very careful of your belongings while riding the subway as the pick pocketers are out to get you. No pickpocketer got us so one point for the good guys.
After doing our Simon Bolivar tour we ended up in Altamira square where Ruby and I sat around and chatted. Ruby decided to tell me that the subway ride for her wasn't the most pleasant as she got groped by some strangers. I didnt get groped so I didn't have anything to share with her on my subway experience. Then Ruby told me that b/c I am a guy, I am lucky when it comes to travi elling. That I agree with....as a guy we seem to be less bothered. I remember my friend Fiona recounting her stories of India to me and me being in utter shock and dismay at the country my parent's once called home. Anyhow, Rubes, then went all to tell me that people are afraid of me b/c of my beard. Really!! I didn't realize that so I am on a mission to create some sort of social experiment to see if there is truth to this. Need to think through this b/c I can't really test this in a simple way. I will get to the bottom of this. If the beard is something people are afraid of then I need to figure out how to take advantage of this situation.

After our trip was complete Rubes and I went to the local shopping centre where she did some retail therapy (i can have this affect on women) and I bought some insect repellent and some local chocolate (not the fruit and nut kind, Lal).
Post our shopping we ended up eating street meat - I had a pepito mixto which consisted of lots of ketchup, mayo, shredded chicken/beef, cheese and fried onions. Rubes had a jumbo hot dog which was really 4 small weiners thrown into a hot dog bun. We both couldn't finish our respective meals.
We are now on a bus travelling to our next stop. We are going to be seeing Angel Falls, some tabletop moutain and do some river rides in the Amazon. There may be pirhanas so it may get interesting if our boat tips:)
As I type this, we are watching a WWE movie called the Marine - it sucks ass but what's amazing is that the WWE is producing movies....if the model of business is diversification, here is a classic example of that.
I am off to get some zzzzzsss. Likely won't have internet for a couple of days so will post an update when I get a chance. Lots of love to my family and friends back home.....pray that we don't meet the piranahas.
Asta Loego.

Vacation Journal - Venezuela - Part I

2010-03-15T00:59:00.001-04:00

I have no idea how many parts/chapters will be in this story. My boss always said, stories are the way to capture ideas and thoughts in a basic format - these thoughts/ideas could then be translated into requirements. In this case, I have adopted the idea of creating a story book around my trip. There are no requirements to be built but rather these stories will shape my life today and in the future. What comes out of these stories will be the requirements of how I hope to live my life and shape my life in the years ahead.

So, I write my first chapter on the country of Venezuela. I have come to Venezuela with my close friend, Ruby. Her and I weren't always friends, in fact, we met a very long time ago, but were more like acquaintances. As time conspires with us, I ended up moving into King West in March of 2008 (maybe another blog post will go into my life downtown but not today). As such, Ruby and I became much better friends and shared a passion for the arts, the music but more importantly the company. We have done a couple of trips together (Quebec City and Bermuda) and now we are doing Venezuela.

So lets begin....as always, I hope to take a trip on an airplane that isn't memorable - one with no real bumps, easy service and a gentle landing. In this case, this trip had easy service and a gentle landing.....however, the bumps on this trip were quite frightening at the time but as time works with us has become more of an enjoyable memory. Lets say that for the first time ever, I felt the need to pray for my safety and for god to afford me the opportunity to pursue the many other things I want to do in life. With that being said, we landed safely in Caracas --> like they say, it doesn't make a real difference how you get there - just that you get there.

So, what do I think about Caracas. Its a big city, its a small city and given all the hype its a dangerous city. Now, when Ruby and I selected Venezuela we didn't do this with much thought or rigour....it was more of a whim, a chance to see something that was close, cheap and that would maximize time (she's on her march break)......Usually, I like to start with the food - lets say southern US as everything is deep fried. Can't be healthy but let me tell you that people here just don't care. Women will wear clothes that suit there body or don't - they don't care - women are beautiful but there beauty is also in their own confidence. I digress, I have a habit of doing this.
The food is deep fried, salty and nothing special. I feel like I am in the US with all the Burger Kings, McDonalds and other fast food gringo joints around. Oh well, Venezuela isn't going to be winning any foodie contests.
Our first day in Caracas was a tour of the local shopping mall and exploring the Telefrico which is a cable car ride taking you from Caracas to the top of a very luscious mountain where you could see an old hotel and enjoy the sights, sounds and foods of this happening tourist hot-spot. Not a crazy day - we ate sushi for lunch (tasted very rubbery) and for dinner we had deep friend chicken and fish.
Today didn't start of as great as it should have. We planned to do a walking tour of Caracas starting at 11am and by the time we got to the subway station we realized we needed our trusty Lonely Planet. To our amazement and chagrin, we didn't have this book - we misplaced it either at dinner or lost it at dinner. I want to say someone took it because it makes me feel less responsible.
So our day was spent searching bookstore after bookstore for a guide book on Venezuela given this was Day 2 of a 9 day trip. More importantly, this is the first time I have ever lost a Lonely Planet (this is usually my bible). What was cool, was Rubes and I didn't freak out or panic. We kinda took it like a prize boxer - we can take a couple of good punches but we'll never hit the mat or throw in the towel. I will digress for just one moment and then link the digression back to our lost bible.
Yesterday, Rubes and I talked about the advent of the ebook; in fact would people use this and could the books we read today really provide the same experience as if you were reading it on an ebook reader (ie. the Kindle). So, having lost our Lonely Planet and having my netbook, I was able to discover that I could buy the Venezuela book in specific chapters in digital format and read them off my netbook. Lets say having these specific chapter on Caracas, Angel Falls and Margarita Islands brought a welcome sense of comfort back to me (not sure how rubes felt). This took a little bit of that edge off and provided us with another great little adventure that we could live to tell.
As we were planning our trip to Caracas, I was reading blogs by other travellers and came across a site for a local individual who runs his own hostel. His name is Nelson and he is the operator of Nelson's Place and Nelson's Room. Nelson, had promised to give me a hand in arranging our travels in Venezuela and has been a great resource. We met Nelson and his girlfriend Sarah today where we briefed Nelson on what we were hoping to do. I always believe when travelling you learn about yourself, the people you travel with but also the people you meet along the journey. In this case, Nelson and Sarah were very gracious hosts. We ended up going out for dinner tonight and then planned on having breakfast tomorrow before we do our walking tour of Caracas (the trip we were supposed to take today). Tomorrow brings our departure from Caracas and our hope to see Angel Falls and see some of the Amazon to resting and relaxing on Margaritta island before we make our trip home......an interesting day with many ups and downs but like most days in life, it leaves you wondering what the next day holds and for that my eyes open every morning with the hope that another remarkable day is around the corner.

Back to blogging

2010-03-14T23:37:00.004-04:00

So sometime ago, I gave up on blogging. I found other things to keep me busy but every so often I relished the thought of putting my thoughts to paper. Many times those thoughts turned into nothing but just thoughts. That time has changed - today marks the day I am going to make an honest effort to talk about things that mean things to me personally and professionally

On a professional level I now work in the e-commerce industry - been doing it for 3 years but really hard core for the last 1 1/2 years. This time has been a blast and I have found my passion again. My thirst for knowledge in this industry is just aching to be quenched. I am amazed at the 1) power of the community, 2) the ability to find anything you want to know and share this with your friends, your followers, or just with yourself and 3) the economic engine the internet can be and continues to be.

On a personal level, I have decided to travel again and one of the things that is important to me is to document my travels. Since, 2007 I haven't done a lot of travel but with each trip, I felt like there was no record of the things I saw, learned or experienced. For me, pictures are only one aspect of travelling and although it serves an important purpose the element of writing is even more important. For that reason, blogs are going to be the way I do this (it melds by personal desire and my professional calling)

Lastly, I have decided to get back into writing b/c it also stimulates thought, ideas and discussion. I have led an amazing life and at the age of 33 I have much still to learn and experience. But what I want more than anything is to have a dialogue with others on the things I have done or seen and to look forward to what is still to come. Where will my next trip me? Why the hype behind mobile applications? Is Obama a great president? and why does everyone hate Chavez?

So, this is my comeback - as Jay-Z once retired so to did Tanbir S. Grover....but with all things in life, no one really retires - we take a break, we rekindle our passion and we come back better, stronger and more willing to take the necessary risks to continue to be successful.

Phase 1 of SA

2006-12-15T15:58:00.000-05:00

So I have finally made it to South Africa (SA) .What a crazy journey of more than 24 hours. I stopped off in Paris and had the pleasure of meeting my friends Julie and Michel for lunch. Julie met me at CDG airport and we went back to her place where I got the opportunity to get cleaned up (brush my teeth, wash my face and use the facilities). From there we decided to take the metro into the city and started off by having coffee and a pain au chocolat next to the Louvre. From there we went to meet Michel for lunch at a local resto. I really have to say I love Paris, such a nice city with so much to see and do - the food is fantastic and even though customer service sucks it still doesn't hurt to be treated like crap to appreciate the better parts of the city. Oh yeah, I also had escargot at lunch - not the biggest fan.
After hopping back on my plane - South African has to be lauded on having great planes unlike the piece of junk Air Canada puts ppl on. Anyhow, landed in SA at about 8am and was promptly greeted by Raj. The funny part of this whole meeting was that I saw Raj under a week ago when he came up to Canada to surprise his brother and sister. Strange to say to someone who lives halfway across the world on a Sunday - "see you on Friday in SA" I had something light to eat and then we waited for brother lal to come. Brother Lal took forever and we wondered if he got nailed by customs but in typical lal fashion he got his bags last and therefore was the last one to get out. After leaving the airport we decided to go home and drop off the luggage and then hit the local resto for some food and drink.
Later today Lal's dad will be arriving with his wife so that means another trip to le airport!
All in all SA is not what i expected - very modern, clean and lush - nothing like world vision! The other amazing this is that everyone here drives really nice cars, m3s, slk, a4, x5, etc

Leaving for SA

2006-12-12T23:46:00.000-05:00

So in one day I will be leaving for a 3 week trip to South Africa. This should be an interesting trip ( i use the term loosely) since I'll be going with my buddy Lal and meeting the rest of the Wanniappa clan! The plan is to fly from Toronto to Paris and then from Paris to Johanesberg or as many affectionatly call it - Joburg! In Paris I will be meeting up with an old friend from Mac and a guy I met who came to Rotman on the MBA exchange. I'll spend 3 weeks in SA and the only regret I have is not being able to hit Cape Town; instead, I'll be doing Drakensburg and Durban which should be equally good - plus I will need to see something when I make my SA trip in 2010 for World Cup. To everyone before I leave - happy holidays and have an awesome new year. Oh yeah, pls note that I'll be doing a post new years new year party on Jan 19th, 2007 at the Tangerine Room in Toronto!

Back at it

2006-01-05T19:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted anything in awhile - i should be much more diligent. I am going to at least try to post something that I have read, seen, or heard that brings thoughts and discussion forward. Lets see if this works

Amritsar

2005-05-24T20:59:00.000-04:00

Amritsar is a beautiful city. It is special to me because this is where my dad's two brothers live and I have countless memories of our family spending weeks in Amritsar flying kites, chasing lizards and mice and eating some high quality food.

To start, my trip to Amritsar was very eventful. My flight was leaving at 5pm sharp so I assumed getting to the airport for 4pm was a safe bet. When my taxi didn't show up I didn't panic because I knew I would grab a scotter (3 wheeler) to the airport. Leaving home around 3:15pm I arrived at the airport promptly at 4pm. After getting my bags checked by security I approached the desk for Indian Airlines.......and that is where things fell apart. To my surprise, I was told that the flight to Amritsar was not leaving from the domestic airport but rather the interational airport. I said fine, looked at my watch and realized it was 4:15pm.......no need to panic.......so in my broken hindi/punjabi I asked the man at the counter which direction I needed to go in order to get there. I told him I would walk quickly. He laughed at told me that I couldn't walk 10-12 kms with my 2 bags and make my flight...i was forced to take a taxi or scooter and I better move fast or I am going to miss my flight. Now I was pissed.......running outside I don't know what came over me but I started negotiating with taxi drivers and scooters to get a fair fare to the airport. I settled on 60 rupees to drive 10km which was a huge ripoff but what could I do. Anyhow, arriving at the International Airport with 20 mins to go meant I was running through the terminal and begging people to let me jump ahead in line (not something common in India). To my luck, I was fortuante enought to meet some good people who ensured that I was able to board the flight. At 5pm sharp I was sitting in the airplane, catching my breath and recollecting the last hour of panic I had endured. 45 minutes later I was standing in Amritsar happy to have arrived in one piece and realizing that Amritsar International Airport resembled Buttonville airport!!

My first night in Amritsar was spent catching up with family and telling stories from back home and hearing about the antics of my cousins. We lost power a couple of times within a 6 hr span but that seems to be the norm of India. Hot weather means electircity is being used to the max. Alright, time to get some sleep as I have some shopping to do and I'll have to plan my stay here. Gots lots of family to see so the next week should be hectic but bountiful with respect to food:) My stomach is ready!!!

The Bombings in Delhi

2005-05-23T20:56:00.000-04:00

Back in Delhi on a layaway. I fly out to Amritsar tomorrow. The journey back from Bombay to Delhi was uneventful other than the fact that 2 cinemas in Delhi were bombed. Incredibly only one person was hurt but cinemas are an integral part of Indian life so this is acheiving a lot of media attention. Alright, I'll report on this later.

Bombay

2005-05-22T01:57:00.000-04:00

Well, 3 days later I am tired and exhausted. Bombay is huge. My first day in Bombay I melted. It was so hot and humid. I don’t know how I survived. The first day of Bombay included a ton of shopping. I went nuts. My second day included a family trip to Elephanta caves with my cousin, his wife and 2 kids. It was during this time I realized how lucky I am. These guys were experiencing their first boat ride and here I am thinking that on this trip alone I have sat on 4 boats. Elephanta caves was pretty cool but it took way to long to get there. We took a local train into central Bombay and I was crushed by the waves of people. Moreover, because I am a bit claustrophobic I found the ride very uncomfortable b/c everybody is sitting or standing so close to you.

The highlight of this trip was seeing my aunt. She is basically bed ridden now but I will not forget the look on her face when she saw me for the first time in 11 years. She was happy, proud and filled with joy. Not sure that I deserve any of it but I am glad I was able to spend some time with her and give her an update on my life and the things I had done in the last 11 years.

I really wanted to hit some Mumbai nightclubs but family commitments became very important so I decided to skip that experience. In India family is central to everything and I didn’t want to take time away from my relatives (especially their kids) – I made the right decision in hindsight!!

Alright, I am off to Delhi tomorrow afternoon for a day of rest before I make the trip to Amritsar (a favourite city of mine). Amritsar should be a lot of fun but it will be a very short trip.

Done with Goa

2005-05-17T01:57:00.000-04:00

Alright, I am done GOA. Very beautiful but I came during the offseason so many of the stores are boarded up. Not many foreigners but tons of locals. It is always funny to see Indian women in saries and salwar kameezes going into the water. I know this is an extremely conservative country but I think conservatism leads to a potential lack of confidence. Anyway, I am getting sidetracked. A trip to GOA is a must and if you aren’t Indian it will be even better. Everyone thought I was a local so I didn’t get the type of tourist service I expectedJ I am off to Bombay now…sitting in the café before my flight.

Goa – The nightmare

2005-05-17T01:56:00.000-04:00

Alright, I finally experienced the travelers nightmare – I was locked out of my room. So let me set the story. My mom had a family friend of ours arrange my stay in Goa. I was given an awesome flat for 400 RS which included a kitchen, a bed, a western shower and toilet and the much needed AC. The only thing missing was a TV!!! I was living in a colony so their were no backpackers rather all permanent Indians. After doing a quick tour of Goa I decided it was time to get out and eat some dinner. After dinner I decided I would head back to my flat (its around 9:30pm now) and call it an early night. To my surprise, when trying to open my door I was unable to get in. It seems that the key and the lock were giving me a lot of problems…….as a result, I called the lady who had rented me the flat and explained the problem. Within 20 mins I had a neighbour helping me and he had called the maintenance guy. Another 20 mins later 2 servants of this lady arrived and concluded that the lock was damaged and that we would have to break the door down. Luckily, my MBA payed dividends right away as I suggested we could save money if we went through the balcony and broke a window. At least if we broke something I could still live in the flat (if we broke the door, I wouldn’t have been able to stay in the flat). Now after some careful planning and thinking we created a homemade ladder made up of tables and chairs and one of the men climbed into the balcony. He then pried open the window and got into the room. There he promptly jimmed the lock and voila, I was back in the room. 3 hrs later I was exhausted. Let’s hope tomorrow is very relaxing.

Thekkady and Munnar

2005-05-16T01:53:00.000-04:00

Alright, just completed my tour of Thekkady and Munnar. Thekkady proved to be nothing special but just a glorified zoo. I was on the hunt for the elusive Indian tigers but found none. The memory of Thekkady has to be the the line up for the boat ride. In India there is no such thing as a line rather a blob forms in the front and somehow you get carried to the front. In fact, if you are aren’t willing to push and be close to people then don’t waste your time standing in line because you will be there forever.

Munnar was a beautiful Hill Station. Although many couples honeymoon, Ramith and I were here to see the many tea plantations and experience the hill stations of India. I truly
Think Munnar was a great place; it was peaceful with beautiful scenery and the vibe of a small little town. During the drive back to Cochine we passed through some waterfalls and I had my first experience drinking Toddy (the local alcohol) – it didn’t go down well as the taste was too strong for my refined palette.

Tomorrow I am off to Goa. Hope to have a couple of relaxing days there.

The backwater tour

2005-05-13T22:52:00.000-04:00

Today I finished the mini version of the backwater tour. I have to say that the backwater tour proved to me how valuable the coconut is for the local Keralites. We say the making of rope and carpet from dried coconut shells to finally the making of alcohol from the coconut trees; its called toddy here and I am going to have to try it.

The one thing I truly enjoyed was the peacefulness of the backwater tour. For a moment (well for the couple of hours) it felt like I was outside of India as there was no hustle and bustle. The boat we were on was actually a hollowed out bark and was being pushed heaving a huge bamboo stick into the water and then pushing off the ground. One really cool thing we saw were eagles hunting for fish as we were rowing by. Magestic is the word that came to mind!!

The rest of the evening was quiet as tomorrow we depart at 6am for Thekkady and Munnar!!

Kerala's - God's Own Country

2005-05-12T21:42:00.000-04:00

I am in Cochine now. Cochine is in the state of Kerala which is well known in India for its 100% literarcy rate, low infant mortality and suberb health care system; a side to India I have only heard about.

After the long bus ride back to Cochine I am impressed I am still in one piece. Although I slept for almost all of it there was an interesting traffic jam that delayed us more than 2 hrs. It was interesting because the roads here are so bad and narrow that 2 cars going in opposite directions can pass each other. One has to stop to let the other pass....and in INdia its all about seizing the opportunity and size that the man with guts and the truck always win. Our bus driver lacked guts in my opinion, hence our delay.

Today Ramith and I did a boat tour of Cochine. This is the 1st of our 3 boats tours we expect to do over the 4 days. On the tour we met a guy Ramith called Chili Chicken. The man was from Korea and wwas doing everything a foreigner would do - walk all over the place, have no respect for people, places or things!! Ramith coined the named from an Indian movie called Munna Bhai MBBS where a Bombary loan shark fooled his dad into beleiving he was doctor. Upon his dad realizing that his son was a crook, the son decided to enter medical college to prove his worth to his father. In the movie, Sanjay Dutt (the actor) acts his henchmen to fetch him a body so he can learn to do an autopsy. The kidnapped a chinese fella and called him Chili Chicken (hence the nickname). Funny guy but try to avoid these ppl when travelling, never helps when you need the locals to help you out.

Our boat tour of Cochine started us off with a viewing of Jew Town where we saw a Dutch palace and an old synagouge. We then moved to St. Francis church and witnessed the Chinese fishing nets in action. And to top it off we went to a beautiful palace (this is where Ramith's sister was married). The highlight was the guard who was fishing while guarding the palace.....real secure palace eh!!!

At this point I want to mention 2 things. I just finished reading the Kite Runner - an excellent book and one that I would recommend. Also, an Indian movie called Dilwale Dulyane Lay Jaige (sp>) has been showwing for a record 500 weeks in India. Great movie and I have seen it 6-7 times now. I still remember being dragged to see this movie by my mac friends. how I hated them and then loved them after seeing that movie. Alright, the POA (plan of action) - this is something I have recently learned from Ramith over the next 3 days is as follows - backwater tour, followed by a 2 day trip to Thekkady (a tiger reserve) and Munnar (a hill station filled with tea plantations).

Mobiles

2005-05-12T05:18:00.000-04:00

Every bloody person in India has a mobile.....the chai walla, the rickshaw walla, etc. You name a walla and they have a mobile. A mobile here is equivalent to a cell phone in case you needed some clarfication.

It is amazing the number of mobile companies that span across india and the amount of people who are text messaging or talking while doing something else. Unbeleivable shit. On that note, I too have a mobile while I am in India and the number is 9891144472 (I realize the irony in this). Now when you say these numbers its not one, one, it's double one and triple four. I'll be text msging on my way home. TTYL

The Reception

2005-05-11T23:58:00.000-04:00

Today was the big recepetion. It wasn't that big. However before I start I wanted to do a little spiel on Indian signs - they are hilarious. As of today I have seen the following signs in no particular order
1) The Consulte for Secret Diseases of Men and Women
2) Don't let strangers into your house - a big billboard dedicated to this
3) Impatient on road, Patient in Hospital
4) Hump Ahead
5) A quote from a newscaster "Today xxx was pronouced drop dead upon arriving at the hospital"
6)

Also, I learned the answer to a question that has alluded me for years - what's up with the indian mutch (mustache). Well, I recently found out that the reason the men wear the mutch is a sign of manhood. In this case, you are a man if you can carry a mutch. Inidan machismo at its finest!!!

What else, Size matters!!! The bigger your car the more respect you get on the road. Makes sense, eh!!

Lastly, before i get into the reception is a case in India that troubles me. Recently, a man was arrested in delhi for raping a girl. Before the man was judged he asked the court to allow him to marry the girl he raped so it would not be considered rape. The court granted his request and asked the girl to either accept or deny the marriage proposal. How presporous is that. This is what troubles me about India - it's not the fact that he now asks for her hand but the court is willing to hear this shit and actually think this is legitamate. Anyhow, the guy was found guilty and will be in jail for a number of years now......this is normal news in india.

Alright, the reception.......very tame. We had some food at the temple and we officially gave pradeep and pooja (his finace) their wedding gift. I secured a pair of linen brown pants earlier that day from Benneton (who remembers that store!!)

Their was no dancing no singing and no boozing. The reception ended around 9pm where we all decided to check out a bar/spa called Taika. This was one of the coolest places in Banglore and a definite must if you are here-this should be exported to Canada!! We had some drinks and milled around a bit but being a tuesday the night was dead once again. Banglore the party city turned out to be Banglore the city of rest.

Tomorrow is the wedding and then I and Ramith are returning back to Cochine where I will spend 4 days turning from a brown man to an even browner man. We'll be starting the baking process (Ramith calls it Roasting) right away as we are taking a non-ac bus for 12 hrs back to Cochine.

Some Ramblings from Banglore

2005-05-10T01:16:00.000-04:00

Alright, today's rants starts with being Sikh. Does everybody who sees a Sikh man, full beard expect a party animal to show up. So while we are at Pradeep's fiance's house for the Mendhi some aunty (everyone is an uncle and aunty in India) says "Sardarji boy, nach na nahi" - loosly translated, Sikh boy, dance for us!!! Hey, i ain't a stripper nor do I like to entertain people for their whimiscal pleasure.

Alright, Banglore is a sweet place. Reveling on the 13th floor was very cool and hip; somewhat similar to 737 in Montreal. Everyone here is young and has money to spend. Today morning we went to a nice golf course and did the bachelor thing, took PRadeep golfing. The cool thing about this course is when you pay your green fee you are automatically given a caddy. The sad thing was the fact that the caddy was better than me. The frustrating thing is hearing your caddy point out all your mistakes (since I make so many). Anyhow, after 9 holes, I was tired. The heat had finally taken me in and I couldn't go on. Secretly, I bet teh other 3 were happy about it b/c their game starting going downhill after the 7th hole.

After the golf (the course was immaculate by indian standards) we decided to go home and sleep. After some much needed rest, we got ready to head to Pradeep's house for a small party for family and friends. Now unlike Sikh weddings, this was very tame. IN fact, so tame that I was the one shouting out songs titles I wanted the singer to sing. After some dinner and some socializing, Ramith and I decided to split from the group and went to a club called Spinn. Very nice place, drinks are expensive but the crowd was shit - i guess Monday's in Banglore aren't that special. Anyhow, we have to get up early tomorrow to do some shopping as I need some dress pants for the wedding.

Banglore - the night bus

2005-05-09T09:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I am in Banglore finally. Ramith and I took a 12 hr night bus that covered approx 600 km from Cochine to Banglore (aka the Garden State). Pradeep is due to arrive today and we are expecting a good number of events to go to. This is my first of 4 weddings I will attend this summer. One wonders when it will be my turn (this is a joke).

The temperature in Banglore is quite nice - much better than Cochin (i was sweating as soon as I came out of the airport in cochin). We are staying in a very nice mid-range hotel called Ballal Residency. We hooked up with Pradeep, Kedar and Mahdu (kedar's wife) for lunch and we ate in some really nice facny chinease resto called Mainland china. I have no clue what the fascination is with respect to chinese food and indians. They can't get enough chinese here it seems. ANyhow, the best part about banglore is they have phone charging centres so while eating you can drop your phone off with teh waiter and he will charge your phone while you eat your email. After a nice meal and some cold beers we were ready to hit the sack. Before our nap we ate some crazy good ice cream that you could die for. I ate a hot fudge sundae and was in heaven. After some rest, we got ready for the Mendhi. The Mendhi is the party the girl throws before her wedding. It is wear they do all the henna desgins on one's hands and feet. We partied there for a bit and then left to do some shopping. It seemed that Pradeep still needed his wedding suit so Ramith and I took off with him to do some shopping. Typical indian style, everything is last minute here!! And more importantly, everyone is late!!! Take note, it is in our gene pool - its not only me!!

After the shopping spree we made our move to a club called the 13th floor. It's not really a club but a lounge that overlooks banglore. Very chic place and happening for a sunday night. We chilled, listened to some good tunes and just releaxed....we have 2 busy days in front of us so it was nice to have an evening with friends.

A night on the town + some thoughts

2005-05-07T04:48:00.000-04:00

I finally made it. I hit 2 Delhi nightclubs in a row on Friday. Quite the party and some very interesting dance moves. The girls were decked out in clothing that wouldn't even be seen in Toronto........india the progressive. The first club we hit was called Decibel that was located in some hotel. My cousin knew the doorman so we got in for free and our drinks were free too (at least the first 2 rounds:) The scene was alright except we were treated to 2 very openly gay indian guys grinding against each other.......not a sight for me!! The music was great and the crowd was a mix of young and old. At times, I wondered even if they checked ID. The thing in India is, is that all girls look younger than they are. It screws with your mind. After some quick drinks we made our way to Dublin. This was a party. Loads of people, lots of fun and great music. The party finally ended at 2am and we ended up eating in the hotel restaurant to nurse our hangovers. By the end of it all I finally reached home at 4am and went prompty to bed.

Before, leaving for the clubs I had packed all my shit and thrown it into a car because stupid me had booked an 8am flight to Cochine. I had to be up at 5:30am to ensure I was at the airport by 7am. Bloody ridiculous because I boarded the plane nursing a hangover and feeling like shit. Nonetheless, I got on the flight and tried to get some much needed sleep; this wasn't possible becasue the kind stewardesses of Indian Airlines had to wake me up each time they offered some snack, drink or meal. Why couldn't they just let me sleep!!!

Here is a piece of advice. In india, they jack tourists - everywhere!!! This is not the land of opportunity but rather the land where you must seize opportunity. For example, India has 2 types of airfares, local and tourist and the price difference between the 2 is quite significant. I of course, am buying local tickets and pretending to be some indian that was born here and raised here and then moved to canada. This charade has been pretty difficult so far considering I can barely communicate in the native tongue. Oh well, so far I have gotten away but there have been some interesting experiences. THe reason why this is the land of "seize the opportunity" is that b/c as soon as you are identified as a tourist everyone wants to take you for a ride. This fact is further empahasized when driving in india. People here will take advantage of any open space no matter how small it is; no one waits for anybody and basically the nice guy will always lose. So no more Mr. Nice guy for me while I am in India.

Alright, I am done ranting........I am now staying with Ramith (an mba friend) and am a little sick - suffering from a little Dehli-belly!! Lis, thanks for recommending some medication before leaving - it has come in quite handy!! I am boarding an overnight bus tonight to head to Banglore where I will be attending Pradeep's (a friend from the MBA) wedding. Should be a good time but I now realize we will be in a party town on the worst days - Sun through to Wed. Oh well, let's hope the wedding is the party to remember.

The meeting of all the cousins and the glimpse into being a father

2005-05-06T05:30:00.000-04:00

I have done some major shopping the last couple of days. Not that I have a lot to show but I am ready to make some acquistions. I went by the Lacoste store yesterday where I found some good deals. I also got a suit made along with some dress pants. I have eaten all my favourite indian snacks now (bhel, chaat,gol guppes) and am ready to explode. So far, my stomach remains intact.

Let me begin by saying that I am staying with my aunt. In india, it is commom to live in joint households so in the house I am staying is my aunt, my cousin, his wife and their 5 year old kid. Alongside them is my 18 year old cousin who is staying with them as she prepares to write her entry exams for university. So my 5 year old cousin has made a mockery of my horrible language skills....in fact he is teaching me hindi and I am doing my best to learn. More importantly, he is teaching me about innocence. We spent the other day making a mother's day card for his mom and playing karate. I was pretty tired after 2 hrs and this kid just wanted to keep going!!

My other aunt lives on the other side of delhi. She has a 5 year old daughter who gets jealous when other people talk to me; specifically girls. Strange but a nice feeling:) She is extremely intelligent and is always busy explaining to me indian cartoons dancing to bollywood tunes.

My 18 year old cousin is the funnest. She is busy studying but we have had some great talks about culture, religion and of course dating. As for myself, I have had each cousin ask me within 30 mins of meeting with them if I am getting married or if they should start looking for some local girls for me. At this point, I shake my head and politely say no and that with time now I will be on the lookout. I know it is a bullshit answer but I want this to be a fun vacation; one without family drama.

Everything else is well. Food has been great, the weather has remained outstanding (it has rained the last couple of days). I am going to be hitting the Delhi nightclub scene tomorrow night and then flying out the next day to visit Ramith and his family in the South. From there we will be taking a bus to Banglore for our friend, Pradeep's wedding.

Write emails to me....let me know about what I am missing while I am away.

They let me in!!

2005-05-01T05:15:00.000-04:00

I have arrived. Safely as well!!!

I finally made it to the capital of India on April 30th at 11:30pm. The flight was delayed leaving Toronto. The good thing was I knew this before I left for the airport so instead of wasting time sitting in a lounge I had the opportunity to sit at home quite comfortably; initially I was planning on meeting my friend Eli at the lounge (he was flying to Switzerland) but thanks to his call informing me of the delay I was able to sit around and relax.

Now, if you are ever coming to India and want a straight flight make sure you are a good flier. I slept for 10 of the 14 hrs. The other 4 hrs was spent talking to a girl I met on the flight named Luann. She was off to India to work in the northern part on setting up a canadian campus for Georgian College (or something like that). Very good company and it made for some good travel talks.

Delhi isn't as hot as I feared. I thought I would melt and I haven't yet. I might be lucky so far because I am told this is abnormal for this time of year.

So far, India hasn't changed much. I still laugh at the number of indians sitting on scooters or 3 wheel auto rickshaws; can you imagine 4 ppl sitting on a 2 wheel motorbike or stuffing 7 people in a car that fits 4, while in inida this is a norm:)

The pollution has improved but I still feel my lungs are getting black. I also am eating way too much since everytime I am up there is a meal to be eaten. Suprisingly, I am up most days by 8:30am as things start very early here. On the flip side, I am in bed no later than midnight as there is really nothing to do at that time of night.

Alright, that's where I am so far. I am venturing to the market now to do some shopping and good ol' bargaining. Wish me luck.

2005-04-29T01:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a map of India and my planned route

It hailed in Toronto

2005-04-29T00:39:00.000-04:00

Today is my final night in Toronto before I head off to India. What is even more interesting is that today it hailed. The reason I say this is because I participated in the annual Rotman Golf Tournament and as we teed off the hail started coming. Three holes later, I and the rest of my foursome decided to call it a day based on the pelting rain hitting our well structured faces . Moreover, I found it difficult to hold a club as I lost all feeling in my right hand!! For all you golfers check out the Pheasant Run Golf Club - on good days this is an excellent course

Now, I went to a dinner two nights ago and a friend of mine told me that to attract people to my blog I need to offer advice. So in order to increase the number of visitors (which right now may just be my brother) I will start offering some sounds pieces of advice/thoughts/musings. Sounds is a broad term but these thoughts will cover a broad specturm of topics.

With respect to school, it finally ended. I am sad.....that's it....just sad.

I still have to pack and figure out what I am still missing - I hate the last night before travelling because I just feel anxious. Tomorrow will be a long day but one that is the start of a very fun and memorable journey. See you on the other end of the world.

The countdown has started

2005-04-20T14:48:00.000-04:00

Alright, only 9 more days till I am outta here. Got 2 exams to study for and then will be doing some quick golfing and partying before I make my trip to India. It's been about 5 years since I was last in India and I am looking forward to this trip. The plan is to fly right into delhi and then from there head to Cochin. I'll be visiting a good friend of mine in Cochin (a classmate of mine from Rotman) and then we'll head to Banglore for a wedding for one of our classmates. There are over 2000 people expected and it is going to be a great party. After that, I'll likely return to South India and travel around there for awhile. After that I'll head to Goa and Bombay (mumbai for all you hard core peeps) and take in the nightlife there.

Some people wonder if I will come back married or engaged but I highly doubt that. But as they say, a way to my heart is through my stomach and if all goes well my belly will be well taken care of. The only concern I have is the heat.......tempertures have hit over 40 degrees there.

Alright, on the school front things are finally wrapping up. I have finished my role as president and am both happy and sad. Happy in that I think I did a good job, sad because I wish I could have done more. I feel like I didn't do enough on bridging the diversity gap at our school and I also view the career centre as an area where improvement is still required. Given another year these 2 things would take up more of my attention. However, I feel like I was a good leader in reviewing our accomplishments and it talking to my council about the things they valued and did.

As the year closes, there is a nostalgic feeling in the air. Rotman has been a home for many of us for the last 2 years and I have met some really amazing people. Before coming to school I was quite worried about how I would function as a student again given that it takes me to time to adjust to a new environment; i would say that adjustment finally came about by march of my first year. I'll leave this blog short because I should be studying but I want to thank all my new friends as well as my "old" friends who have always supported me, guided me and influenced me into becoming a better person and challenging me to go above and beyond by pre-conceived boundaries. I am reminded of a quote that I would like to share.

Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it.. - M.K. Gandhi

Please continue reading my entries as 9 days from now I will be on a plane to the Motherland.

Spring is in the air

2005-03-27T01:07:00.000-05:00

Today I would finally say spring is in the air. It hasn't gotten warmer but I finally noticed that the snow was melting and that I could actually see grass on my front lawn.

The last couple of weeks have been filled with so many activities that it is hard to remember all of them. The NCAA tourament has started and this year I forgot to enter the pool. I guess that is not accurate, I actually was late in getting my sheet in this year. Chalk it up to school taking priority. So far there have been many upsets and the tourament has been quite exciting.

Let's see what else is happening......we had our annual no talent night. Good laughs. Also, formal is fast approaching. Should be a good time since I started pickin up drinking. A story for later

Dinner, a party and some indian tunes

2005-03-06T03:59:00.000-05:00

So today my brother came back - it's not like he is far away or missing but rather this is the first time I have seem him in awhile (at least a month and a half). My brother is currently studying Medicine just outside Toronto and since things are really busy we rarely see him. We aren't that close but as time passes I think we get closer when we are together.

So today, my parents, my uncle, my grandmother, my brother and I ventured out to eat at the Golden Stove. The reason I mention this is that the Golden Stove is a family favourite for everyone but me. The food is alright, damn cheap though. The issue is that it is far and usually dinner turns into a 3 hour affair because they just don't have enough staff in this resto to deal with all the people eating inside and the take-out requests. As a result, my parents have taken to bringing cards to the resto so as to pass time. After 1.5hrs of playing and a couple of intense discussion around religion we finally were given some food. By this point, we were so hungry that you could have put almost anything in front of me and I would have eaten it:)

Later in the evening, I started downloading some new music and my brother told me about this Indian artist named Gunjan. I heard her song Aap ki Nazron Ne Samjha which just blew me away. The night went downhill from there...I spent the rest of the night finding my indian roots and went nuts reading about and downloading indian music. What a way to kill my weekend

A little colour in a very bland page

2005-03-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

Tanbir Grover

Here is a recent pic of me. Taken back in October at the Rotman Semi Formal

The start of something new

2005-03-04T16:31:00.000-05:00

So, I am sick and bored. I have always wanted to create a website in order to track my travels during the summer. Recently, I was made aware of this thing called "blog" and figured I could use this. So here's my test....if this works i'll post my thoughts on a number of thing before I start travelling and then from there this site will be used primarily to document my 2 months on the road.