We passed this elephant (and his handlers) while cruising up to Anjuna beach on our little Honda scooter, and we knew we had to come back and ride him. We didn’t know it was going to cost a 2000 rupee “temple donation” (approximately 40 USD), but like everywhere in India, if you’re smart you never pay sticker price.

by Jillian Bandes at Townhall.com

…More

Fingertips’ resident travel writer Sav D’Souza revisits his roots with a trip to the Indian paradise of Goa

India for many western eyes is a place of extremes. Some find it difficult to take in scenes of children begging and the poverty of some areas. I personally found the place very laid-back and it was refreshing to see people living a simpler life.

It is too easy to think that people without large screen televisions, pretty surburban houses and all the other trappings of modern life are unfortunate and deprived. But life in Goa appears to operate almost in slow motion, where days pass in a subtle tranquillity a million miles away from life in the big city.

My trip to Goa takes me back to my roots after last visiting over 30 years ago as a still very green six-year-old. My mother was born in Goa and it’s where the majority of my family still resides.

Visiting family for me, and there was a lot to visit, takes on epic proportions in Goa. You are obliged to personally visit every single relative or risk offense, and an invitation to dinner – everything seems to revolve around food – is one that you can’t refuse.

Arriving at dinner – typically a mini banquet – you are spoilt for choice. Food in Goa is a big thing and every host goes to town. And boy is it good.

My personal favourites of home Goan cooking are dishes like sorpotel and prawn curry. The former is a spicy curry dish made from pork that’s a favourite among the locals. It’s easily recognisable by its diced pieces of boneless pork in a rich, thick gravy.

Every household will claim that their sorpotel is the best and it takes pride of place on the table at every festive occasion accompanied with sannas, a steamed rice cake. With fish so plentiful, these curries are a staple diet.

As my trip was made in September and officially out of season most of the place was near free of the hordes of tourists that descend on Goa around Christmas time. It’s a good time to visit as you get a real feel for the area and get to see Goa from a more local perspective.

From my base just outside the capital Panjim, I made frequent trips to Anjuna beach in the north. At the furthest point on the beach is Curlies’ Shack. With little in the way of crowds, the beach and the shack are a little slice of paradise. The freshly squeezed juices, mango, papaya, melon, are the best I have tasted anywhere.

Shooting some pool on the rickety old table with the ocean as a backdrop and the calming breeze and mellow tunes on the radio providing a delightful soundtrack it was easy to see how some would walk away from everything for a hippy existence.

A trip to Mapusa market brings to life a world of colourful sights and sounds. The fresh produce and spices really stand out – as does the cacophony from every direction. It’s hard to absorb everything as you feel like a kid at a fairground.

I stopped to look at the spices and was immediately told in detail what they were by the friendly stall owners, as well as invited to smell them and given tips on how to best use tthem. I bought a whole load which were very well rapped up for the flight home. These make superb presents for friends back home.

Goa is also great for bargains. Panjim’s Blooming Dales sells everything from handicrafts to carpets to jewellery and also boasts a very friendly owner. As I was buying a ring for my girlfriend’s birthday, the owner sat us down and brought us some sublimely refreshing Kashmiri tea in fine china cups which we drank while he showed us what he had on offer.

After our purchase we walked away feeling that we had been treated as royalty.

The Spice Farm also warrants a visit. The Ponda plantation is about 30 minutes by taxi from Panjim and is home to a plethora of 100% authentic spices and natural produce.

After being greeted with lei garlands and a drink you are given a tour of the plantation by the knowledgeable and entertaining guide who tells you everything about the spices’ cooking and medicinal uses. At the end of the tour you are allowed to sample the buffet which incorporates the best of the plantation’s organic produce.

Overall it is easy to see why people keep coming back to Goa. I for one will definitely not be leaving it another 30 years before I return again, that’s for sure.

For all the latest news and views on all things travel check out Fingertips.net

Så er vi kommet hjem fra Anjuna Fleemarket. Det var fuldstændig vanvittigt. Kæmpe store kulturforskelle. På den ene side fede turister i ingen tøj, som kommer og bruger deres sidste penge. På den anden side indere, som bare VIL sælge deres ting, og prøver at imødekomme turisternes behov. Tilbage på campen har vi diskuteret bæredygtig turisme. Er det bedst at carter-turisterne kommer og bruger ALLE deres penge, forurener og ikke respekterer den indiske kultur, eller kan det bedre betale sig med hippierne, som ikke bruger ret mange penge, men respekterer og bahandler landet ordentligt? Helt vildt spændende…

Ellers er det jo sidste onsdag her i Goa – hold da op!!! Vi skal, traditionen tro, ud at spise (det har vi været hver onsdag) på Martin’s Corner, som er en kararoke-bar. Her skal vi hygge, spise, fejre fødselsdag og hvem ved – måske give et lille nummer på scenen. J

I morgen går dagen med en lille opsummeringen om Indien og vi skal udføre en bryllupscermoni. Herefter går rengøringen og pakningen i gang. Det er meget mærkeligt at tænke på.

Jeg ser meget frem til Hanoi – det er jo det jeg er her for! J Der er afgang fredag kl. 14.45 fra campen, og så går det ellers derudaf.

Det bliver så fedt, igen at skulle ind under en anden kultur og få skabt en ny hverdag. Jeg er begyndt at blive bange for, tiden kommer til at gå alt for stærk!

Næste indlæg bliver sikkert fra Vietnam! Wuhu….

// Signe

I natt satte sig min man på planet till Sverige. Hans mamma begravs därhemma på fredag. Sedan kommer han att stanna någon vecka i Sverige för att vara tillsammans med sin pappa och bistå honom med diverse grejer som följer på ett dödsfall.

Vår dotter har långledigt den här helgen, på grund av att det är Thanksgiving (hon går på en amerikansk skola). Hon slutar skolan vid lunchtid i morgon, torsdag. Då åker vi direkt till flygplatsen – destination Goa.

Den här resan är planerad sedan länge, och från början var det naturligtvis meningen att vi skulle åka alla tre, min man, dotter och jag. Men så kom ju livet – eller rättare sagt döden – emellan. Nåväl. Hon och jag kommer säkert att få en skön och lång helg tillsammans på södra Goas stränder.

Ha det så bra alla,  och en skön helg i förskott!

Politically Incorrect News for Politically Incorrect Readers

Some items you may or may not have read…

Item #1- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that $173 billion of the $787 billion stimulus package had been paid out by the federal government as of Sept. 30. That’s about 22 percent of the total, and it indicates that 78 percent of the stimulus funds have not been paid out – at a time when unemployment was rising.

Item #2- Navy Seals face assult charges for capturing most wanted terrorist. Ahmed Hashim Abed, whom the military code-named “Objective Amber,” told investigators he was punched by his captors — and he had the bloody lip to prove it. Give me a break. This was the terrorist who killed and mutilated 4 Blackwater guards. A bloody lip isn’t the only thing he should have.

Item #3- It’s getting bad for Obama. Ezra Klein is pointing out all the domestic policies that Bush was able to get bi-partisan support for compared to Obama. Oh, he gives credit because Bush’s policies were “liberal ideas.” All the “good” policies were liberal but the wars were definitely conservative. Ezra Klein is a libtard.

Item #4- First it was Greg Craig stepping down. Now another Obama official steps down. Both were key people in putting together Obama’s plan to close down Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Something is up and people are leaving quick.

Item #5- Obama has to be real upset over this news nugget. Angelina Jolie is not a fan of Obama. It is reported that Jolie thinks Obama is all about welfare and handouts. I think most would agree with her on that.

t.

If this doesn’t make women want to do James, nothing will.

Ärasin Palolemis ning suundusime toakaaslaste Carmeni ja kutsika Brodyga randa avastama. Carmen on vabakutseline ajakirjanik Londonist, nii et ühiseid jututeemasid meil jätkus. Brody osutus niivõrd populaarseks Palolemi isaste rannakoerte seas, kes tahtsid teda kas hommikusöögiks süüa või lihtsalt ära vägistada. Igavesed rõvedad koeravanamehed Brody-suguse beebi peal väljas! Kõndisin rannaäärt mööda turistikast Palolemist külavaheteid mööda Patnemi rannani, mida alles ülesehitatakse ja tagasi. Siis oligi aeg juba toast asjad välja viia ja paariks tunniks wifisse suunduda. Tundsin, et mul on vist Goast kõrini – sellest tuttavlikust loodusest (kusjuures Karnataka tundus hoopis teistsugune), tüütavatest tänavamüüjatest ja vananevatest paksudest valgetest turistidest. Palolem tundus liiga turistikas.
Liami sõber Stan viskas meid mõlemit skuutri seljas raudteejaama, mis oli omaette tripp raske seljakotiga kukil. Gokarnasse suunduv rong oli eriti basic ja räpane, kohalikud mehed(ja mõned naisedki) üksteise vastas istevagunites istumas. Sarisse ehitud hijra jalutas käsi plaksutades mööda ja nõudis kohalikelt meestelt raha. Meie juures ta ei peatunud. Kahju, oleksin tahtnud temast pilti teha ja miks ka mitte veidi juttu ajada. Gokarna rongipeatuses sadas vihma. Võtsime kampa austraalia kuttidega, toppisime end viiekesi suurte seljakottidega taksosse, sõitmaks soodushinnaga OM-beachile. Päris tüki autosõidu järel, mille jooksul tugev vihm oli üle jäänud, kuid maastik tekitas tunde iga hetk mutta kinnijäämisest, jõudsime kohale. Kaljunukilt alla ning kohal me olimegi. Pisikene rannakaar, äärtest palmilehtedest onnidega ääristatud. Ehkki vihm tundus selleks korraks möödas olevat, oli ilm pigem niiskelt jahe ning mereveeduśśi ja liivapõrandaga palmionn ei tundunud just eriti ahvatlevana. Tundusin endale järsku eriti poshi ärahellitatud jõmpsikana eelistades eelkirjeldatule kivist seinte ja isikliku pesemisruumiga tuba. Ma ei tunne end sellise „back to basic”-inimesena, ega leia, et peaksin kindlasti kogemuse mõttes palmionnis ööbima, kui ma seda kogemust eriti ei naudiks. Nii et otsustasin laristada 78kr lukstoa peale, mille suhtes mul kohe hea „kõhutunne” tekkis. „Kõhutunne” on minumeelest toa valimisel(või mistahes muul juhul) väga oluline, minu puhul teevad peaaegu alati triki ära india mustriga linad või värvilised seinad, mis kohale omapära lisavad. Sama head teist tuba enam leida ei õnnestunud, nii et kammisime Liamiga talle kambrit otsides läbi kõik rannakese hütid. Kui pimenes, tundus action selleks päevaks läbi olevat. inimesi polnud eriti näha, vaid mõned grupid kadusid aegajalt müstiliselt pimedale rannale. Juba valges tundus Gokarna OM-beack erakordselt shanti olevat, kivis nägudega inimesed lebasid poolkoomastunud olekus oma hüttide ees võrkkiikedes. Tundus kummaline oma rännutormakusega sellisesse rahulikku kohta sattuda, kus midagit ei toimunud ning polnud isegi ühtki ahistavat rannamüüjat. Palolem oli halb oma ülerahvastatuse poolest, siin on aga probleemiks hoopis vastupidine nähtus. No elame näeme, mida homne päev toob…

Our ‘perfectionist’ Aamir Khan got frustrated when on the sets of the film ‘Dhobi Ghaat’ the film’s male actor Prateik Babbar reportedly failed to show up. What was more resentful on Aamir’s part as the film is the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao.

Prateik was to report for a shoot of ‘Dhobi Ghaat’ at Masjid Bunder in Mumbai. However he had not turned up the entire day. The production unit guys kept on calling him but he did not pick up his mobile. Later they had come to know that Prateik was in Goa. So because of his absence the shooting for the next two days was cancelled as well.

As Aamir is very particular about punctuality and dedication to a project, so when Prateik showed up he reprimanded him. With this reprimand of Aamir, Prateik did not repeat the mistake in future.

Know more about horoscope of Aamir Khan.

Regionalism seems to be in air. I am living in a city where every third day either MNS or Shiv Sena is beating up someone because they are not Marathi or they have insulted Balasaheb Thakaray. This was inevitable. When one brother gets spoiled parents should keep him under check else other siblings follow his path. The way our government is refusing to abolish article 350, no wonder every other state is demanding a similar provision.

But then I look at my state. I miss Goa a lot. I am very proud of that part of geography called Goa. But then I feel it is the nationalistic spirit that is preemptive on all other feelings. I am a goan but that does not stop me from admiring Maharashtrian or Bengali culture. Two other states I really love. One of my room mates happens to be Bengali and other is Maharashtra. The third one however has stayed at almost all over India including the Andaman.

Goa has suffered serious identity crisis. It was ruled by Portuguese for around 500 years. Then it was a union territory then there were talks of joining goa to Maharashtra. Thankfully it did not happen. The reason local leaders opposites this dissolution was because they were aware that, they will lose their importance once that happens. But their personal greed somehow turned out to be good for the whole state as well.

Thanks to Bollywood rest of India has developed a weird image of Goa. I have to encounter it now and then. Rick-drivers here often ask me where I am from, because of my Konkani accent they think I am from Konkani. When I tell them I am from Goa, they invariably ask me “Are you Christian?” I don’t really see how that matters to him but then most of the people do think that Goa has only or largely christian population. In fact only 30% of Goa’s population is Christian.

But then their stereotypes about Goan Christians are even more interesting. I am sure the movies like “Albert Pinto ko Gussa kyon ata hai?” has a lot to do about this. Most of the people are unaware that the possible number of goan Christian sir-names are as diverse as the Hindu ones. They think there are only Pinto, Fernandese and DMello. One girl asked me if the people were names after Mangoes or vice versa. But the funniest question came from a south Indian who asked me “All all Goan females are fat and aunty types?”  I told him not really as much as the south Indian actresses.

There is nothing wrong in forming a group and being proud of it. But as soon as we start blaming other group for our shortcomings we actually shun our own growth. No matter what group/institution/organization it is , it must constantly look within itself and improve instead of living in an illusionary world of “we are the best”.

The world is changing. It is changing with a pace faster than we can imagine. The change comes to pass by the time we really start understanding it. Few years back, you required only some formal education to get a job. Most of the jobs required “unskilled” or “semi-skilled” labor. It was possible to have strategies like reservation for son-of-soil etc. But today job market is competitive. Every job is a super specialty. A reservation strategy means you will have to hired second class people. Will that give us any edge in global market?

When we claim special treatment in the world because we are 1.2 billion people we need to make sure that we really have that synergy. If a Maharashtrian and Bihari cant see each other in eye, India will be just a lobby of few states who themselves have conflicting goals.

Goa is facing a serious influx of migrants from nearby poor states. We see most of the businesses are no dominated by non-Goans. Eg.  Kannadigas in restaurant business, Rajasthanis in tiles and flooring, Gujarati in Sweets business and of course Bangladeshi & Russians in prostitution.These people are so good in their business that they feel the gaps leaving the Goan youth jobless.

The solution is not reservation. The real solution is in enabling our youth to do their job better than rest can. Aren’t Goan Schools of hotel management a preferred ones outside Goa? Isn’t our fluency with English giving us an edge over rest of India? We need to figure out more such skills and power ourself to increase our employability.

I think our identity as Goans if at all we want to maintain it, is likely to undergo change. Resisting that change i futile because we dont understand it fully. We can only make sure that in the process we dont become helpless and submit ourselve to greedy and stupid politicians like the Maharashtrians have done.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Goa

Umiya developer brings a new residential project Seascapes, Sancoal in Goa. Umiya Seascapes offers 3 bedroom row houses. Umiya Seascapes is thus situated in the most convenient, yet peaceful locations of Goa, with breathtaking permanent views of the sea.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Location:

Umiya Seascapes is located at Sancoale – a prime location just 4 km from the Dabolim Airport. 15 minutes to the bustling world famous beaches, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator, 15 minutes from the spectacular beaches of Bogmalo, Benaulim, Betalbatim, Varca and Majorda.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Amenities:

School, Colleges Play Area, Hospital.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Options:

Type—————–Size ( Sq. ft.)

3BR-3T————–1746.03

3BR-3T————–1897.53

3BR-3T————–2264.12

About Developer:

Umiya Holding set up base at Bangalore city in 2000 and in this short span has impressed one and all with the quality of its work. The Company develops residential apartments in the luxury segment and world-class commercial premises. Supervised by a team of professionals checking for quality at very step, promising to deliver only the best. An organization known for discipline and dedication is run on well oiled wheels.

Contact: 9999998663

allcheckdeals.com (A naukri.com Venture)

E – 2, Sector – 1, Noida – 201301

+91 9999998663  (INDIA) +1 646 367 2921(USA), +44 208 819 3959 (UK)

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Goa

Umiya developer brings a new residential project Seascapes, Sancoal in Goa. Umiya Seascapes offers 3 bedroom row houses. Umiya Seascapes is thus situated in the most convenient, yet peaceful locations of Goa, with breathtaking permanent views of the sea.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Location:

Umiya Seascapes is located at Sancoale – a prime location just 4 km from the Dabolim Airport. 15 minutes to the bustling world famous beaches, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator, 15 minutes from the spectacular beaches of Bogmalo, Benaulim, Betalbatim, Varca and Majorda.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Amenities:

School, Colleges Play Area, Hospital.

Umiya Seascapes Row Houses Options:

Type—————–Size ( Sq. ft.)

3BR-3T————–1746.03

3BR-3T————–1897.53

3BR-3T————–2264.12

About Developer:

Umiya Holding set up base at Bangalore city in 2000 and in this short span has impressed one and all with the quality of its work. The Company develops residential apartments in the luxury segment and world-class commercial premises. Supervised by a team of professionals checking for quality at very step, promising to deliver only the best. An organization known for discipline and dedication is run on well oiled wheels.

Contact: 9999998663

allcheckdeals.com (A naukri.com Venture)

E – 2, Sector – 1, Noida – 201301

+ 1860 500 5559 (INDIA) +1 646 367 2921(USA), +44 208 819 3959 (UK)

PANAJI: President Pratibha Patil on Monday called for conserving and preserving Goa’s unique natural environment as it promotes eco-tourism, adds to the state’s tourism profile and generates major revenue and employment for the state.

“Goa is renowned for its scenic beauty, its rich architectural heritage, its vibrant culture and its diverse flora and fauna,” she said speaking at a civic reception hosted by the government in her honour at Dona Paula. Stating that many countries have greatly benefited from their forests, she suggested better management and more afforestation in mining areas. “They can be important in generating social, economic and environmental benefits,” she said.

Incidentally, her statement comes in the wake of Goa winning an award for percentage increase in its forest and tree cover, though criticism has been rife about large-scale deforestation due to mining activities. Hailing Goa’s model of comprehensive development, Patil said combining economic growth with social progress, environment protection and cultural advancement had worked well for the state’s progress

From TOI

Well…sorry for not writing in firstly. Was busy figuring out how unprofessional our college could get…generous is the word actually…freely giving us holidays with a very loose hand. Anyways that’s not today’s topic! This article here speaks about my train journey back home, Goa that is! and these this two insane characters I came across with on my way back.
At 4.30 pm on Sunday, was my train which left from Pune to Madgaon. I got up in the train and sat in my reserved seat. right in front of me as in the seats just opposite me, there were these two Goan uncles, and believe me, i had no idea of what these uncles had planned to do in the night! (chill… they were straight) Well they were carrying two full bottles of whiskey apparently. but that was later.
Before that we started chatting up, and he asked me straight in konkani… “Tu Goencho?” as in are you from Goa? and definitely there was a positive reply from my side. So after that, we kept on chatting and suddenly it was time that they revealed their ‘prized possession’. the Bottles!! and they started drinking.
Now this paragraph is what happened when they were busy gulping in the holy water. I had my yum dinner of Biryani in the train. well you can’t really call it YUM! but it was tasty and quite eatable. Yeah so I had that, and saw a CSF jawaan fighting with the waiter over the number of chicken pieces in the Biryani.
Yeah now…after a while…these two peple come back…buzzed in the head..and just when I think that they will eat now, they get another bottle of whiskey n gulp it in…and now they are DRUNK!
I prepared myself for the utter konkani bad words and bulls**t that was about to reach my ears. and they started jabbering. An exclusive wll be written covering only that too…because it was too much!
But god was merciful and they slept soon.and I reached Goa. But the overall experience as Russell Peters calls it, was ‘Phuntashtick’ and now back to enjoying holidays…watching films! the IFFI is here too… so people, I may not write in for a few days, but when I am back, I will get you some fab reviews on some great movies…till then…ciao!

PANAJI: Goa Governor S.S. Sidhu Monday warned that the ill-effects of global warming were fast knocking at the state’s doors and eroding its beaches.

Speaking at a civic reception in honour of President Pratibha Patil, Sidhu said: “Goa has started feeling the heat of global warming. Some of our beaches are being washed away.”

Sidhu’s statement comes in wake of nearly 10% of Goa beaches such as Calangute, Candolim and Baga being eroded by the rising sea.

According to a recent report compiled by the state Water Resources Department (WRD), the residence of Goa governor, Cabo Raj on a hillside which overlooks the sea, is under threat of erosion.

Remedial measures for protection of Cabo hill slopes in form of installation of cable anchors, inclined micro piles and vertical piles are already being undertaken on war footing to prevent the erosion.

Goa’s 105 km long coastline invites nearly two million tourists to the state annually. Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Goa’s economy.

From TOI

Os Portões do Paraíso, em Marriot, Goa – Anoop Negi

Tinha sonhado muitas vezes com o dia em que encontraria os portões. Tinha marcada nas mãos a textura das grades, os seus desenhos. Sabia qual o ruído – leve, manso – que fariam ao abrir-se. Guardava no fundo da retina a fulgor das cores que explodiriam no céu, e as grossas manchas da chuva abençoada. Podia farejar no ar o cheiro diferente daquela terra, o frescor da água no regaço.
Desejara muito esse momento, como numa lenda tantas vezes repetida que se torna verdade. E, como na lenda, era ali que estava a sua casa, o seu abrigo, o seu descanso, a sua paz.
Mas, de repente, diante dos portões, hesitou. Estava em casa, repetia para si, em êxtase. Em casa! Contudo alguma coisa na sua voz não soava convincente, nem aplacava o súbito temor. Era isso, então? Estar ali, ao abrigo de tudo, sob a luz? Só? E o resto, e todo o resto? Lembrou-se da viagem, das coisas e lugares que tinha visto, das histórias que testemunhou, as histórias de que fez parte, as histórias que contou entre copos de cerveja em bares imundos, e as pessoas que fizeram com que chegasse até ali. Olhou para trás, tudo tão longe, agora! Mais ainda depois que passasse pelos portões…
E o temor, o temor súbito e insuportável, num impulso carregou seus pés para fora daquele lugar. Retomou o caminho de volta, aturdido, sem saber ainda se tomava a decisão certa, mas com um alívio que até então não havia experimentado.

*Segundas-feiras

Wow, where to begin, other than that this weekend was a BLAST. As most of you reading may know, I’m a booking agent for Contemporary Christian Music Artists and this weekend was the last weekend of the “Promise Remains Tour” w/ Todd Agnew, Building429 & newcomers Kimber Rising. I had yet to see the tour and just had to check it out on the closing weekend. I also know that my wife was just spent and I was feeling a bit guilty for leaving her with both of my boys while I go hang at the show, even though it’s my job. I had a wild hair to take my oldest son Nolan, now 4 years old, but my wife thought I was NUTS. I said, yeah, you’re probably right, not gonna do it! Oh about 10 minutes before I left for my trip, I changed my mind and said, NOLAN LOAD UP, it’s time for your first road trip with Daddy! We headed out on our 4 hour drive with the DVD player, IPOD, sunflower seeds, kiddos snack and a full tank of gas heading the the concert. My son was so excited. When we got there, trust me when I say, Nolan was fired up and ready to stretch his traveling legs. As we walked in to the venue he was chatting up a storm with everyone. Once he found out people’s names it was all over. Of course if you know my son, he can walk in to a room of 100 people and 10 minutes later he’ll come out knowing 99 of them. Needless to say, he fit right in with all the musicians and crew.

During the Building429 set, he just kept wanting to go front and center, so we did, hints the picture you see. He loved it! He remembered Jesse, the lead guitar player from catering earlier, and just kept looking at me over and over saying “that’s Jesse, that’s Jesse” as if he had known him for years and years. I love that about my son, he’s never met a stranger. When Jessy got off stage, Nolan ran straight over to him saying “you play guitar very good” and he went up to all the other guys telling them what instruments that they played. They were just amazed at how smart and friendly he was. As much as Nolan loves music and people, I truly think he was in heaven.

I wanted to check out my GOA artist, Todd Agnew’s set, so the girls of Kimber Rising graciously offered to hang out with Nolan. I took them up on their offer and went and checked out Todd’s amazing music and speaking set. He always has great tunes and very encouraging and thought provoking words of wisdom. Todd’s always great in what he does and didn’t disappoint this night either.

OH NO, I thought, what about Nolan? I ran anxiously back to the gym, not really knowing if Nolan had completely worn everyone out or not. Low and behold, he was just fine. He had already gone to hang out on the tour bus and was finishing up the night by playing basketball with the Building429 guys & the girls of Kimber Rising, and did I mentioned is was 10pm at night? It was way past his bedtime, but…oh well, we only live once and he was having a blast, but it was time to go. We bolted back to the hotel and crashed.

Thanks to the Promise Remains Tour for accepting my 4 year old Nolan and for such an amazing show. I can’t wait to take him back out to a show again soon, but his mom says I might want to work on getting him to bed a bit earlier next time……I said, sure honey, whatever you say (wink, wink)! I’m not sure who enjoyed the trip the most, Nolan or his Daddy. I can honestly say, I’ve never been more proud of my son and the fact that he loves people so much and he is also loved by those around him. He’s a special boy and I’m honored to call him not only my son, but my traveling buddy (aka: road dawg)!

Teachers of pre-primary schools will get salaries on par with government teachers once the registration of pre-primary schools begins from the academic year 2010-11, say sources in the directorate of education (DoE). They told TOI that education minister Atanasio `Babush’ Monserrate has made such a proposal to the state government.

The DoE is determined to bring all pre-primary schools operating in Goa under its purview before the next academic year begins, say sources. To speed up the work, the department has already decided to form a separate cell in its office itself which will be dedicated to the registration and regulation of pre-primary schools in the state.

It has further decided to take stringent measures against those not registering with the DoE, as despite its notification making it mandatory for pre-primary schools to register with it, not a single school has submitted its registration details for the current academic year. Read More>>

When the Government of India Act came into force in 1936, our government was a clone of British Imperialism. The whole military set up smelt of imperialist blood, eager to  expand, if necessary by annexing the neighbouring countries, and alwys suspicious of powerful countries beyond our borders. Both the Durrand line and the Macmohan lines, were drawn arbitrarily, without reference to ground reality, the former dividing the Pashtoons into two halves, one to become part of Afghanistan and the other half part of Pakistan

The mind set of our defence establishment and the self styled patriots (who will give away our secrets for money) remains the same, as it was among the Britishers in 1936.

That is why no one protested when Morarji Desai annexed Sikkim, when he was our Prime Minister. When Rajiv Gandhi intervened in the civil war in Lanka, our patriots praised his statesmanship. It was utter fiasco.

Junagad was annexed when they opted for Pakistan in terms of the 1947 agreement. The Nizam of Hyderabad remained independent; so he was removed by military force. Goa was liberated by the armed forces, to rehabilitate the reputation of our Defence Minister.The will of the people of Kashmir was ignored and we occupied it, just to save the King. We are still suffering the consequences, both in terms of huge yearly expenditure and precious lives!

Why did we receive the Dalai Lama, when he came to India in 1992? He could have been given back to the Chinese.

What is remarkable in all these cases, is the fact that these were not discussed in Parliament. We all felt happy that our Nation is acquiring territory!

Yes. India is an Imperialist power.

If we forget our false pride and work for the upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden, the better for our own future. That is true patriotism.

If you love adventure than there is nothing more adventurous than getting a high from falling from a height. Bungee Jumping is considered as an adventurous sports which is nothing but extending your limits both mentally and physically.

The very first thing you are needed to do is to sign a bond which states that anything that happened to you during the process is your responsibility and not of the organizer. After the successful jumping, you will be experiencing the post-bungee euphoria in different ways. In India, bungee jumping came in the early 1990s.

However, the participant will be weighed by the bungee personnel and assigned a particular weight category. The next step they have to follow is to wear all the gears with maximum care and go up the bungee pad-it may be a crane, tower, river bridge, or any other place.

All the necessary equipments like Cords, Harness, Jump Deck, Rigging System, Additional Requirements for Elevating Jump Decks, Portable Hoisting Device, Harnessing Procedures and Specifications, Rigging Equipment and Hardware, Carabiners, Slings and Webbing, Ropes, Pulleys and Shackles, Ascenders and Descenders, Scales, Retrieval Vessel, Equipment Inspection, Testing, Maintenance and Replacement, Hardware and Ropes, Cables and Webbing and Slings. All these equipments will be checked again and before you go for a jump.

Any person who is physically fit can take part in this sport. Minors below the age of 14 need to get a letter from their guardian who is above the age of 50 as to show a medical certificate that he is physically fit to participate in the game.

In India Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Chennai are major cities for the sport and they provide bungee jumping facilities.

I’ve spent the morning preparing images for a new exhibition at Griffith University’s School of Social Work and Human Services here in Brisbane. These are the images they selected to reflect the nature of the department’s involvement in things like mental health, Aboriginal affairs, community and relationship.

Let me know what you think of the images!

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Feel free to email Jo at admin@visitedplanet.com with your comments/thoughts/photo aspirations.  See and learn more at www.visitedplanet.com

Dogs and owner, New South Wales

Sunset on the Oodnadatta track, South Australia

Hands reaching out over the fire, India

Aboriginal child, Queensland

Canoe at Lawn Hill Gorge, Queensland

Mother and baby in Segou, Mali

Karnatika girls selling cloth on a Goan beach, India

Footprints in the dune near Birdsville, Queensland