Can lah can

23:36 - Right now at this very minute I am supposed to be sitting here and looking at this view. Sniff...

Yeah so if you've been following the news closely, besides the Bombay situation and its aftermath, there is also the news of political unrest in Bangkok. It seems this was going on for the past many months now. But in true Murphy's Law style, three days before my scheduled departure to the Land of Smiles, the P.A.D protesters decide to march up in thousands and camp outside the airport - their intention to prevent the Thai Prime Minister, who was coming into Bkk after some international summit, from entering the country as well as demanding that he step down as PM.

So therefore in this situation**, we've had to can the Bangkok and Koh Samui plan coz the director of Swarnabhumi International Airport has grounded all flights in and out till 5th Dec. Apparently at last count, there were more that 250,000 passengers stuck there.
What I'm feeling awful about is the fact that this plan was cooked up almost 6 months ago and my friends were all coming together (they live in Dubai) and meeting up after a long time.

I now head directly to Singapore which was supposed to be the second leg of my trip. The excitement is growing again. Can't wait to meet the friends who I'm staying with (who actually were in India last month on a really swift visit) and spend the holidays with them. It will be almost exactly five months to the day when I was last there. In fact this post about my last trip to Singapore pretty much kickstarted this blog.
Also looking forward to meeting some of my fellow residents of Blogosphere who live in that neck of the woods. Should be fun...
Besides Singapore, there is also KL, Angkor Wat and Bali on the agenda. I should be back from these places by Christmas eve coz I'm hearing good things about Singapore during Christmas and New Year time.

So if you live in that neck of the woods, suggestions are more than welcome regarding fun places and/or activites that I could do.

**I was gonna crack a joke about the unsanitary situation caused by the PAD. You're looking up and saying, "Thank heavens he resisted..." aren't you?!!

Getting away from it all

A lazy Saturday in progress... Woke up late, had a bit of breakfast. Then later headed with the Madman and the Banker to Hard Rock for lunch. I'm sitting now at the Madman's house writing this post on his Mac (bloody annoying to get used to, being a PC user my entire life) which I think I could get to like given enough time and well.... my own Mac.

I'm sitting on the steps of the entry to his house in front of this tiny lil garden posting while the Madman snores away contentedly inside his room.

The past few days have been an equal mix of dread and anticipation. Dread stemming from the fact that there is now only 2 weeks to go before I leave my company. The anticipation is a result of a trip I will be taking towards the end of the month. What started out as a week long trip to Koh Samui has blown up and become a South East Asia jaunt of sorts. I will be travelling for about 6 weeks and will back in Bombay only in the new year. Places on the list are Bangkok, Koh Samui, Singapore and KL. Trying to squeeze in either Vietnam or Cambodia as well although it doesn't look too promising.

The aim besides travelling is to catch up with family and friends (old and new) living in these places. Also to try and visit places of interest located near to the above cities mentioned. Last, but definitely not the least, on the agenda is to play a serious amount of poker. The Hold 'Em scene is thriving in Singapore and KL and it would be good to meet up and play with different players. I think my game's been stagnating off late and this might be a good way to refresh it.

It's the coming back after which is bringing back those anxiety attacks. The thought of job hunting (successfully) given the current bleak market scenario is a daunting one. But I'm not thinking too much about now coz that'll just succeed in ruining the upcoming vacation.


Where the hell is that Fairy Godmother when you need her?!?!

It's 5 o'clock somewhere...

So I went to Goa on the weekend of Bapu's birthday and I'd promised myself I'd write about it. I'd started this post a lot earlier but didn't get around till today (20.10.08) to posting it. As with so many of my trips to Goa, I'm not sure what to write about at the end of them. I mean it was a great trip but I'm not sure I am up to describing it in its entirety. Goa's like that for me. Just an extended experience which turns into one big, alcohol-induced hazy and kinda secret memory. So I'm just gonna put down some of the highlights...

The Journey - So the traveling circus was J, Ed, MK, DKS and moi. Now J and Ed are married as are MK and DKS. Fortunately I'm very close to these folks that I don't feel like the "single" fifth wheel sort. Also helps that I have a fairly thick skin about these things :D

We decided to save a few bux by going one way by train and returning by flight. I'm not sure it was worth it the following morning when I'm totally exhausted from sleep deprivation (I rarely am able to sleep in a train and not at all on a bus) to the point of wanting to strangle the cabbie who was so obviously overcharging us to get us to our hotel. Anyway we reach our hotel and what followed was 4 days and 3 nights of drinking and eating a LOT of (esp. sea) food.

I think I'd grown gills by the end of it and could probably have swum back to Bombay in case I'd missed my flight.

Blackjack - I got the boys (that's J & DKS in case you're still wondering) hooked onto Blackjack on the train trip. And it continued right thru the trip and even on our return flight back to Bombay. I was the house for most part and they were playing against me for 10 bux a hand. Which reminds me - they frickin' owe me money. The house always wins baby!!

In DKS's case I also started tutoring him on the basic of poker. My young protégé displayed a decent grasp of the game and might be good if he decides to pursue it further.

Whiskey Sour - Another highlight of the trip was the discovery of my new favorite cocktail.

A lovely... lovely... "oh-my-God-hit-me-with-the-nearest-blunt-object-to-stop-the-hangover" lovely drink. J called for this drink our first evening at the bar opposite where we were put up. After that every night before going to sleep we'd indulge in one or two or ten of these. Be warned tho - this mofo will sneak up on you and maaaaaan the hangover's a b*tch to deal with in the morning.

But hell we was in Goa after all...
I generally avoid drinking whiskey or whiskey based drinks coz I tend to become a lil nasty when I drink too much of this poison. But I think I will make an exception for this drink :)

Zeebops - This is a shack that's located on Utorda beach in South Goa. It took us just under 90 minutes to get there from our base in Baga but it is so damn worth it. The food is fine, the beers are chilled but what you come here for is the view.

One of the best beaches I've ever been to in Goa. There's not a lot of people here, the water is cleaner and clearer, the sand too seems softer. Even with my limited foto-taking abilities, here's a pretty picture I took of the beach...

"No Smoking Unless You're on Fire" - The ban on smoking in public places went into effect the day we landed in Goa. Despite being a smoker, I'm all for this law. I mean sure, it's an inconvenience if you gotta go a long way off to get your fix but it wasn't as bad as I originally thought it'd be, having already had a taste of it when I was in Singapore a few months ago.

And sure that don’t stop us from bitchin' about it but this is a good thing. My only gripe remains with people who can't ask me simply to put out my cig. Instead they give you dirty looks and make rude under-the-breath comments. That used to just succeed in goading me to continue blowing smoke rings in their faces. A lot of "us" are regular civilised folks who will immediately stub it (or take it) out if we're told to. There's something to be said for common courtesy. Give it a shot sometime...

The Lighthouse - That first night with our "softdrink" bottles in hand we ventured out in our vehicle which was a Gypsy. Everyone was kicked about roaming about Goa in an open-top. Very Dil Chahta Hai types (wait... didn’t those guys ride a Merc?!)

So our Goa expert J (he's probably made more trips here than all the other places he's ever visited put together), decided to take us to the Lighthouse out beyond Candolim. It was probably 10 at night and barely any street lights. And then suddenly it almost seems like we've left civilisation behind. Only the forest-like woods on either side of the road keep us company as we reach the end of land and see the lighthouse. It's big white beam of light going round and round with reassuring certainty.

J was gung-ho to take us right out to the adjoining cliffs to see the light beam play out over the surrounding Arabian Sea. But in our slightly tipsy state, we chickened out but I could the disappointment in his voice at us missing out on a superlative view.

On our drive back, we went by a helipad type area located pretty close to the lighthouse.
Dr. Mallaya's aerial steeds use this area to land and take off. Aah to be rich... We came to a standstill in the centre of the LZ. Switched off the engine and indulged in some stargazing. One of the simple pleasures denied to us city dwellers. A diamond studded velvet blanket which gazes benevolently down, mysteriously twinkling here and there. Its a humbling feeling when you look up and realize just what a tiny tiny speck you are in this grand ole universe. The alcohol, I think, went down the smoothest in those 30 minutes.

That about covers the so called highlights. There was a lot more alcohol, tons of fingerlickin' food (btw crumb-fried Anything tastes good), loads of laughter, stories old and new, reminiscings of trips past and memories to last me a lifetime. The last time i had gone to Goa with these guys was about a year and a half ago.

Hopefully it won't be another 18 months before we do this again.

Can also can, cannot also can lah!

Got back from Singapore a few days back. An impromptu trip courtesy of a friend who for some reason keeps getting tip offs on great flight fares. MK – you da man!!
First off, let me say that I wish I was born with a big blingy silver spoon. I always get struck by the need to feel the Bill-Gates-type-of-super-rich whenever I’m flying. One of my biggest peeves is walking thru Business/First Class to get to my seat. Why Pete why, you ask good reader? Coz I see the absolute comfort that these passengers are going to spend the next 5-6 hours in versus my own sad sad seat in Economy, and then I just feel like hitting someone.
See, this is a bit extreme for me, I normally wouldn’t feel like such violence. However things changed a few weeks back. I’d gone for a friend’s wedding to Dubai earlier last month. On my return trip, I was upgraded to Business Class. *sigh* Now I know what people are talking about… The seats have so much more room. My quite substantial ass was actually comfortable. The food comes in courses!! Not to mention the stewardesses (the nice looking non-Air India-aunty types) who are at your beck and call (“Extra pillow? Sure sir… More champagne, Mr. Fayth?! Comin’ right up… Blowjob? Would that be with or without the humming sir?”).

Anyway back to Singapore – its only when you go to cities (or countries in this case) like this, that you realize what a sh*thole of a city Bombay has become. Don’t get me wrong, I like my city but over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve just become used to it. If I could move to another city, and along with my clothes, pack my family and friends too, I’d be out of here in a heartbeat. In the words of the poet Atif, “Ab toh aadat si hain mujhko aise jeeney mein…"
Loved the infrastructure in Singapore. The public transportation system alone would tempt me into moving there. Imagine the same card S$15 card that enables travel in their buses and the MRT, will also feed you in case you’re hungry. That’s right! You can use the card to buy burgers at McDonalds.

The no-smoking-in-public-places thing takes some getting used to though… I especially can’t understand how you can enforce a blanket rule like that in bars and clubs. I mean come on! These are places where people come to unwind, have a drink or two or ten, be social, sing/dance a bit and generally have a good time. For smokers, its all of that along with some nicotine thrown into the mix. Now I’m quite aware that the non-smoking reader would get a bit ticked off by this. After all aren’t we messing with their health not to mention our own?? First off let me say smokers are pretty accommodating people. We know that we’re this niche, vile, will-rot-in-hell type crowd that will never find acceptance with the rest of the non-smoking world. We don’t want acceptance… just tolerance. And it doesn’t have to be at the cost of YOUR health. Just keep an area aside from the main club/bar area where we can sneak off to, have our fix and be back to enjoy the fun. Its ridiculous that we were partying at this bar located on the 71st floor of the hotel and if I wanted to catch a few drags, I’d have to go all the way to the 68th floor. Reverse discriminators!!
And before anyone can say it, we KNOW its bad for us but we do it anyway. Get a frickin’ hint – it’s a matter of choice. Its kinda similar to the whole veg vs. non-veg thing. I mean do I discriminate against my vegetarian friends?!? Sure I make fun of these people whose unfortunate taste buds will never know the joy of biting into that nice juicy piece of steak. And while they might not know what they’re missing out on but its not like I’m throwing raw animal carcasses into their faces or anything right?!

When I heard it was a "smoking room", my mind conjured up images of those chic Auschwitz-style gas chambers that you find at most movie theatres in Bombay. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that it was not. Met a few interesting people with whom some more bitching happened about the whole “Clubs & Bars are not fair to smokers” topic. Sitting across to my right was this Asian woman with a Nordic looking chap. She was smoker, he was not. He was just there to give her company AND was sympathetic to our nicotine related issues too. The cynic in me thought he’s just doing that to score with her. On the other hand, some of these firangs are a bit nutty so I gave him the benefit of doubt. Of course, the fact that he was at least 4 inches taller than me and built like a tank didn’t in any way influence me.
Also met this sweet lookin’ lass from Glasgow. We got talking and in the tradition of its-a-small-world-after-all, I came to know that she stayed in Bombay (and that too Bandra) for a while a few years ago. We had a pleasant chat about her time in Bombay, living near Shahrukh Khan’s house and rickshaw drivers shouting Mere Bhagwan (although it sounded more like Merry Bagvan from her lips :). She was kind enough to wait for me till I was done and as we walked upstairs, half my mind was caught up in how these firangs are so comfortable striking up a conversation with rank strangers. We parted ways close to where my party was sitting. We said our goodbyes as she hugged me and lightly pecked me on the cheek. Now I turn towards my table as she walks away, and in that dim light of the club I can see the shoulders shaking and hear giggles and snickers coming through from my mates.
Oh well... some people just have no class :D

After the party broke up an hour or so later, I headed off to catch a game of poker; degenerate addict that I am. I’d hooked up with this group on the internet some days before I left Bombay. Bought into the game for S$100 and away we went. Tried to stick to my regular tight aggressive style and although I took a hit in first few hands (lost about 40% of my chips) I managed to recover and make some money as well (cashed out with S$185 after tips). These guys were pretty hardcore gamblers. Prop bets and side bets were happening all over the place. They were running flops twice and thrice just like you see on High Stakes Poker. We also played a variant called Crazy Pineapple which I’ve never played before in all my poker playing years. Was a lot of fun playing a cash game even though I’m primarily a tournament player. I am hoping to go back to Singapore at the end of the year and I will definitely trying meeting up with these guys again. They were so different from my regular group which was something I found very refreshing. More degenerates like myself :D
Staggered home at 6am after having played for a little over four hours and my hosts had very kindly laid out my bed onto which I gratefully sank.

The final day of any vacation for me is always filled with mixed feelings. I had a great time in this place and I wished I could have stayed for more. On the other hand, I get back to home and various comforts, family and friends. MK was telling me she sometimes gets homesick on vacations. I never do coz I know I’m going back in whatever number of days soon enough.
We reached Changi airport around 5:30pm for our 7:10pm departure. Here’s just another reason why I LOVE Changi. Also probably why its been voted World’s Best Airport two years running. In Bombay, from entering the airport till reaching the departure lounge/duty free area took about 2 hours. In Changi – 25 minutes!!! Doesn’t get any better than that.

Did the usual booze, smokes and chocolate shopping for the folks back home. Had a decent flight back and then we landed at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport for the nightmare to begin all over again. Baggage claim took over an hour… rude cabbie wants to go the destination his way and if we want to take a detour its going to cost us another 100 bux. It starts to rain…
Aaah Mumbai, I missed thee.
Can't wait till the end of the year.

Dāi Huǐ Er Jiàn.