Changing Lanes

Like most Indians, my Dad is a colossal cricket fan. He loved playing the game (when younger) and loves watching it especially if it has anything to do with the Indian national cricket team. As some of you may not know, the Cricket World cup started last month with a lot of publicity with some nail bitingly close initial matches that made my dad’s heart beat and interest skyrocket (not that it wasn’t already up there somewhere).

Then in the beginning of this month, my parents decided to take a trip to India for a month where we don’t have a TV which meant missing out on the World Cup. Now you need to remember that my dad’s very passionate about cricket; so much that he bought a Sony bravia LCD to take with him. He got a cable connection in 3 days and now is apparently spending most of his lazy hours in front of the box while I’m here watching the matches on our ancient (read: 9 years old) unknown brand Flat Screen CRT TV. So not fair.... -_-

To add to my annoyance, my dad tried to get tickets to the final as he’d be in the same city (read: Bombay) as the venue for the final but the mighty useless BCCI failed him by only selling 4,000 tickets to the general public which seem to be sold out or in access to people with sufficient contacts. Putting all that aside, I think this might possibly be my dad’s favorite India trip and for that I’m glad.... ^_^

Talking about the World Cup, we have now reached the Quarter Final stage with Pakistan thrashing West Indies in the first one today. Pakistan propelled by the success of their bowlers (specifically Shahid Afridi) has become one of the favorites to lift the cup. To commemorate that, here’s Humungousaur doing the Afridi pose after he takes a wicket.
Camera Model : Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Date/Time : 23/03/2011 04:47:42 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/250
Av(Aperture Value) : f13
Metering Mode : Spot
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : Sigma 24mm f1.8
Focal Length : 24mm

For the people unfamiliar, Humungousaur is a Ben 10: Alien force character. This is my first major Lego purchase to basically make my niece happy because she adores the Ben 10 cartoon a lot. Being the bullying niece she is, she wants the whole range now which is going to burn a huge hole in my pocket cause the local prices for Lego toys is three times the prices in the US. I’m trying to get the toys shipped now, let’s see how that works out for me. -_-

Roughly one year back, I weighed ten kilograms less. I’m shocked not because of the numerical increase in my weight but the lack of visual (appearance) difference. In fact my size is precisely the same apart from being slightly more muscular now. But the muscle mass has surely not increased by such a large numerical figure. The only major difference in me visually is my longish hair (haven’t had a hair cut this year) which also can’t validate the numerical increase either. I’m completely bowled over and quite anxious. I’ve procrastinated enough and it’s time to take control of my weight issue which is paradoxical cause people all around me think I’m…….wait for it………thin. {O_O}

Today a new chapter of my life begins; we shall call it “The Lego”. High hopes for a celebratory beginning is dashed when I end up with “Gorilla suit Guy” as my first ever Lego. Not the prettiest one though rather ironic cause I’m called Mowgli by my best friend for my hyper monkey (read: parkour) behavior. If you didn’t know, Mowgli is a human child character that first made its appearance in Rudyard Kipling’s short story “In the Rukh” but made famous by Disney’s animated film “The jungle book”.

Oh and to add more to it, I’m also called “Bandar” by a few other friends which in monkey in Hindi. So seeing that it just makes perfect sense; this Lego minifigure shall be called Mowgli. Time to hand him over to my niece to fiddle with before she gets her hands on the real Lego toy…. ^_^
Camera Model : Canon EOS 5D MKII
Shooting Date/Time : 18/03/2011 00:17:15
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/100
Av(Aperture Value) : f2.8
Metering Mode : Spot
ISO Speed : 800
Lens : Sigma 105mm macro
Focal Length : 105mm

The day started at 7:45am as me and SJ made our way to the other side of town i.e. Barsha to pick up WS, sad and wifey (faz). WS was asleep while the couple was delayed (they were coming from Al Ain) so we detoured to a car wash to clean the dusty X-trail that we’d borrowed from SJ’s uncle the previous night from Abu Dhabi. We headed out at 9am to the Ras Al Khaimah – Musandam border via Emirates road. We got there at 11am after a tedious drive on the supposedly new highway through the desert without getting lost even though we didn’t have a map.

At the UAE side of the border, we were informed that SJ couldn’t travel into Oman because she wasn’t with her sponsor i.e. her dad even though we had a NOC letter just in case such a situation popped up. Slightly dejected, we decided to check out the breakwater near the border because we’d seen relatively large (compared to Dubai) waves crashing into it. We snapped pictures, got wet, relaxed and basically had a nice time on the rocks enjoying the beautiful weather and view.
We left at 1pm after SJ was done chasing a cow and a goat and entered RAK to have lunch i.e. KFC as demanded by everyone because once upon a time my parents used to drive all the way to RAK to have KFC because it was the only one in the UAE or something like that. Unhealthy lunch done with, after a vote between mountains or water with water winning, we drove back towards Dubai via the old more scenic highway looking for a patch of beach to chill on. Instead I decided to look for Jazirat Al Hamra (click here for more information) which I conveniently found. This is supposedly a photographer’s paradise which obviously led to me and SJ going a little mad.
Spent an hour or so there as the others got a little tired of walking around. Back on the highway in search of water, we ended up on the beach right at the border between RAK and Umm Al Quwain. Saved two starfish (hopefully), squished squishy looking watery things, SJ got very wet, took funny pictures, walked some more and made a happy face.
On to the marsh land somewhere near Ajman where a draft of cold wind made it uncomfortable for everyone else (I had my trusted sweater) which left me disappointed as I wanted to stick around there for sunset. Then into Ajman city where being the tourist guide I am, I took the winding city route via the corniche where on the Sharjah side we saw the boats (click here for more information). Weaving through Sharjah traffic on a squealing happy X-trail was a bit of a challenge but we managed to get back to the other side of town to drop the others without much car drama. It was 8pm by then which was earlier then we’d expected so SJ and I decided to drive to Abu Dhabi to give the X-trail back. We got back home at 12pm with me snoozing in the passenger seat. ^_^

Sometimes it's scary to recognize that someone is perhaps living because of you...
Sometimes you're breathing because of that person...
Sometimes is more than just a love story...
Sometimes me and you...

One hop around a fire ball; a faithful leap over the edge. An eternity to hit the end but for now I feel like I can soar.

*Static*
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Log 85240, Gregorian date 020311

It haz been lost. It walkz out of the shields into the universe beyond, unchartered, cold and megalomaniac. The disease ensues, they callz it tension. Frantic search - shrill voices…Panic.
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*Static*
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It’s been 3 hours. Efforts to make contact have been fruitless. Back up has arrived.
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*Static*
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*Somewhere a heart breaks*
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*A tear rolls down a cheek*
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*Static*
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Something dazzles in the night; a reflection from the beam of light. Hope.
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Bells of celebration are ringing. Back up was spot on. A crowning jewel…an adventure; a story to be told.
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This……
*Static*
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is a special *static*
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Wish you were...
*Connection lost*
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*Static*


-end of transmission-