Bali

I don’t think I need to write anything about this place 🙂 .

Have a pleasant viewing

Sunset at Tanah Lot

View of Tanah Lot Temple in evening

Sunset at Tanah Lot

Waves at Tanah Lot

A girl offering to God at Bedugul

Ulun Danu Temple in lake Beratan

A farmer working in rice terrace (Bali)

Prayer

A Hawker infront of Kintamani Volcano

A priest going with offerings

Typical entrance of a Temple

Anshu and Aashi at Jimbaran beach

Silhouetted Boat at Jimbaran

Dancers going to perform

Stachu

Uluwatu Cliff

Pool of hotel Green Garden

Will be out for Bali

• Will return back on Sunday evening, please don’t try to reach me on my phone, but you can keep on posting your messages and text.

• Was feeling heavy; so took MC.

• Still need to pack few things.

• Search for GND (Graduated Neutral Density) filter has taken a lot of time, have a 1 GIG, micro-SD with adaptor and it works with camera, but have only one battery.

• Battery is charged, shouldn’t be a problem if I am not unlucky.

• I have more camera accessory than my canon bag can keep, dreaming to have a bigger bag. 😛

• Kept tickets, hotel booking, ICs, passport and re-entry permit, but need to double check before leaving.

• Have to look into kids’ belongings, especially their food and medicines, their pack their cloths and mine too.

• My ticket has flight timing as 8:30, while Changi website shows 8:00, not sure which is the correct, will be there at 6, its terminal 1.

• There will not be any mobile or laptop for coming 4 days, don’t get me wrong, being an addict of these I am not feeling happy 😛 .

• Got to go now… have to double check packing…

Keep rocking !!!

Magnificent

The most magnificent feeling for me is when I hug my kids and they lay their head on my shoulder, words are not enough to explain that, those who have kids especially young can understand. It’s just a matter of 2-3 years more and they will be busy in their schools and friends; probably not as available as they are these days. Though having 2 very young kids is a tough job :P. I must praise efforts of Anshu for taking care of them all the time. It’s a 24X7 job for her without any break, No Sick Leaves, No Annual Leave, nothing.

As far as this Sunday is concern, we were busy doing some shopping for Bali, only packing is remaining, we still have 2 nights, so won’t be a problem. Coming three are work days and I still need to go for cleaning of my camera, viewfinder has got a big particle :(, not sure how long cleaning will take, else I have to live with it for this trip.

Have to go to bed now, have to wake-up early.

Sentosa Underwater World

Went to underwater world, kids have fun and I enjoyed shooting… :D, most of photograph were out of focus though…  have to plan for Bali tomorrow… please take a look of photographs.

Too tired… everything is paining… going to bed…

Japanese sea spider

Jellyfish

Leafy sea dragon

Pink dolphin

Sea lion

Sea lion

Sea lion

Not Excited

not feeling any excitement for our Bali trip coming week…:(. Don’t know why?

Its like more pain to take than really enjoying it …

Must read

While searching on net I have found an article on submerged Dwarka (founded by Lord Krishna), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_archaeology_in_the_Gulf_of_Cambay

This is possibly the only remaining proof of Mahabharata era. As it got submerged underwater, so remained untouched by invaders.

If archaeologist can arrange findings in order, then what we will be talking about a history 29,320 years old.

Valentine

It was Valentine’s Day yesterday, so here are few flower to Anshu 🙂 . I like flowers so much that I decided to gift them to her without even hurting them 😀

Love… always…

Flowers

Flowers

Flowers

Flower

Flowers

Lunar New Year

恭喜發財 (Gong Xi Fa Cai) this means Happy New Year.

Its Lunar New Year time here in Singapore and every one is at home celebrating. There are 2 days public holidays on Monday and Tuesday. Small shop owner and restaurant owner started closing their shop early on Saturday and it will remain closed till Tuesday. This gives me an opportunity to go out and shoot rarest site at Khatib central.

Here are few photographs, these shops and restaurant remain crowded from early morning to late night, 7 days a week, so I never seen them closed.

A Closed Restaurant at Khatib central

Another Closed Restaurant at Khatib central

Closed shops at Khatib central

Memories of Delhi

The day started with a sad news… Anurag pinged me on msn and informed Vijay Bhaiya passed away due to heart failure. A very helping man who always stand with us in our difficult times in Delhi is no more. My condolences to family, whom I always considered as my own … very own …

It was all started in early 2002, just before summer, I returned back from Katra (Allahabad) after handing over my Air cooler to repairer, it was 8 PM, my second brother (BK) informed me that he has got call from Anurag (who was in Delhi), that his company has some opening of software developer and they are conducting interviews tomorrow. He wants me to come and attend the interview. Anurag was already there in Delhi from past 3 months searching for a job.

I was not in mood to go there, as the time was too less and I was not prepared, but my brothers  forced me to go and make a try. The train to Delhi (Prayagraj Express) was at 9:30 PM, I simply pushed a pair of my cloths and a light sheet in a bag and started for railway station. Took a general ticket and boarded on a packed train.

Luckily got a half seat, it means half of my back was on seat and rest half on air, pulled a briefcase under me to get a seat for rest of my back. Just to add general class has wooden seats and I was going to spend rest of my night like this, sleepless and siting in such a uncomfortable situation. I was attending interview next days. I was not use to with the pace of Delhi and visited Delhi once or twice before that, so requested Anurag to come and pick me from railway station, I was nervous even after that.

We went straight to the company and attended the interview, this was my first interview, I was still not keen for a job so attended without any fear. There was no response of outcome from them after 2 days, I told Anurag to check with them, if they don’t need me there is no point wasting time here.

Result was positive and I have got my first job in Delhi, my initial salary was 5.5K (INR).

We were 3 guys staying in one Room (10×10) with a flooded kitchen and a common toilet in Katwaria Sarai. I had a trip to Allahabad within 2 weeks and bring my other belongings to Delhi.

Disaster strikes within 15 days, when we saw the lock of our room was broken and some burglar wiped-out all our belongings, including first salary of Anurag, they left only documents and nothing else. Total loss was around 50K (INR).

Anurag’s sis husband Mr. Sanjay came into the picture and supported with best what he can do for us. He took us to his friends house, which was closed for last 6-7 years in Laxmi Nager area. It was a 2 room flat and after spending bone-cracking day in cleaning, we manage to clean one room and started there as tenants. Here we met Vijay bhaiya for first time, he was renting the house next to us, while his own house was under construction in next street. The house was safe and we spend 2+ years over there and then moved to Vijay bhaiyas house as a tenant.

During our initial days Mr. Sanjay helped us buying a second hand scooter so that we can reach office on time. The scooter was having a character, once you stop it at traffic signal, it never starts in one kick, so Anurag keeps on kicking the scooter continuously, while traffic behind us keeps on scolding on us. As he was the person driving the scooter most of times, so he was the one who kicks also. Kicking gives me a illusion that he is dancing on hard beats. :D, now I know how can he dance well…

After settling down in Delhi, we have called our other classmates to Delhi for any opportunity we came across, and tried our level best for them to settle down. For few we manage to help, few are still angry that we didn’t helped them in tough time, one of them angry is my sisterly Ragini, whom we call Rags lovingly. Please forgive us if possible Rags…

My first job in Delhi didn’t lost for long, in an unfortunate day, when we had just returned back from lunch, our project manager call all of us in main hall. One of the three MD’s of company announce that due to failure of getting projects, we have decided to shutdown the company. It was just 6 months and a company of 35+ people shuts down its process within an hour.

Both me and Anurag were jobless, luckily he got another job within 10 days and pulled me IN in 15 days of his joining. Those 25 days without job were one of most difficult days of my life so far. Everyone back home were assuming that we are doing job, while I was not having any savings to survive, I was looking for any job possible including working on shop, typing work or home tuition.

Rest of my 4 years in Delhi I have spent with same company. In beginning, we were sleeping in office on alternate nights, so that we can work more to deliver project on time. We have started with 4 people including owner of company and by the time I left we were 20 over.

How to travel overseas

Before you start let me tell you that you may find it funny, as I have written this small guide for my dad, who is coming to Singapore from New Delhi, it’s his first journey overseas and first journey by any airliner. After sending this to him I realized that it can be helpful for many others who are traveling overseas for the first time and by airliners; so sharing with you all. Please read following points before your start preparing to pack your baggage –

1.    Before leaving home make sure you have following documents with you –

• a.    Passport
• b.    Tickets
• c.    Visa
• d.    Keep a pen with you

2.    For each person you can carry 2 bags, one hand bag and another to check-in. You can keep hand baggage with you during flight, while other one you have to check-in while getting boarding pass.

3.    Weight of hand-baggage can not be more than predefined limit mentioned in your ticket or terms and conditions of that Airliner and you can not have sharp objects (Blade, knife, nail cutter etc) or any liquid more than 25ml (this may  vary).

4.    Weight of baggage to check-in can not be more than predefined limit set by Airliner.

5.    It’s good to have a weighing spring at home; you can use it to fine-tune baggage weight.

6.    Make sure you have documents in your hand-baggage, DO NOT keep documents in baggage to check-in; you will need those documents during flight and after landing to the destination. You will not have any access of you check-in baggage during flight.

7.    Reach 3 hours before flight to the airport.

8.    Keep you phone ON until you board the plane; you may need to call your relative overseas for any help. After seating on plan you will be told to switch off the phone.

9.    Airport can be crowded, so don’t panic or lose your confidence. You will have plenty of time to do things.

10.    After reaching airport, look for a trolley, there are plenty of trolleys scattered on airport just grab one.

11.    Place your baggage on the trolley and handbag on the top, take out your passport and tickets and keep it in your hand.

12.    Press the bar of trolley down-wards and push it to stroll.

13.    While entering security officers may ask for your passport and ticket. Show it to them; they will let you go after checking documents. (This is may not be happen at various airports)

14.    There will be help available inside airport; you can ask about location of your airliner counters. Join the queue of your booked class, there will be other queues also. You can find correct queue by reading TV displays behind the counters.

15.    Takeout you passport, tickets and visa and pass it to boarding pass issuing officer. They will take some time and may ask some questions; answer them confidently and comfortably.

16.    Place the baggage to check-in at rolling platform and keep the handbag with you, they will check-in the baggage, which you can collect it back at your destination.

17.    Boarding pass issuing officer will issue you a boarding pass, an immigration form and a tag for handbag, with your other documents which are passport, ticket and your visa. They will also inform you about your GATE NUMBER to board and the SEAT NUMBER. This information will also be printed on your boarding pass.

18.    Take all documents from them and look for a seat. Attach the tag with your handbag and fill the immigration form.

19.    After getting boarding pass you have to go for immigration check.

20.    Join any queue and keep your passport, visa, filled immigration form and boarding pass in hand. Immigration officer will need this for verification.

21.    After reaching to immigration officers pass all of these documents to them. They will ask some questions, answer them.

22.    Immigration officer will stamp your passport and return back you passport, visa and boarding pass. Clear the immigration area, DO NOT STAND in the immigration area. You can not return back to entrance once you cleared the immigration.

23.    Now you only need your boarding pass, so keep other documents in you handbag.

24.    There will be a security check before you reach to the gate from where you have board plane. They will ask you to place your baggage in the machine to scan it and will scan you also using a metal detector. They will stamp the bag tag and let you go.

25.    You will have plenty of time to find the gate; you can easily locate the gate by reading the number at the top of gates.

26.    Go near the gate and sit down on any chair, keep looking on the display on the top of gate, they will display and make calls when boarding for your flight will start.

27.    Join the queue when boarding starts. Keep you boarding pass in hand.

28.    Either airliner will provide a bus to plane or plane will be connected to a gate using movable tunnel through a corridor.

29.    Show your boarding pass to flight attendant and they will help to get seated and place your baggage in baggage box on the top. You can keep your baggage under the seat in front of you also.

30.    After getting seated they will display various safety measures in a screen.

31.    You can try fastening seat belts or ask for flight attendant for help. Keep it fasten all the time while seating, if you are going to toilet make sure you have fasten it after returning back.

32.    Airplane will take some time to reach take-off strip and then will take-off, it will just be fast nothing else. Once it reaches in air, you will feel like seating in bus.

33.    There is “Fasten Seat Belt” light, which will be switched on in case of Air turbulence. It’s a very common during flight, listen pilot announcement and remain seated.

34.    Your meal will be served as per your request; flight attendants will come and ask for you once it’s ready. If you need any thing other than food, you can call flight attendants by pressing a switch on the top of you.

35.    During the flight the flight attended may give you another immigration form to fill just fill it and keep it with you.

36.    After landing at destination, just follow everyone else, they all will go to immigration check first. You have to go for it also; it may be a long walk from airplane to the immigration check point. Few airports (like Changi) are very big.

37.    Join the queue for immigration check. Show your passport and visa to immigration officer.

38.    You need to collect you checked-in baggage, which you have checked in at origin. You can find the correct rolling plate-form by reading display.

39.    You may need to undergo another round of security check before you leave airport, security officer may approach you or ask for it while you are crossing the gate.

40.    Take a cab to your destination or look for your relatives, after clearing the security check 😉

This post based on traveling from Delhi from Singapore, there may be processes different in different countries and airports.