"बाली" - ज्याला जसे हवे तसे 

 [The way you want to look at it ] 

बराच काळ म्हणजे साधारण २ वर्षे विचारात घालवल्यावर मी एकदाचे Vacation ला जायचे ठरवले. मग अगदी मुळशीपासून नायगरा पर्यंत सगळ्या पर्यायांवर चर्चेच्या फैरी झडल्या , आणि मग सगळी जुळवा जुळव करून बालीला जाण्याचा निर्णय पक्का झाला. आता माझ्या आणि टुरिस्ट कंपन्यांच्या डेट्स काही जुळेनात , शेवटी आपणच आपली टूर आखायची असा निर्णय घेतला आणि सुरूझाला बाली प्रवास चला तर मग फेरफटका मारुयात बालीला

बाली ,इंडोनेशिया - बाली हे इंडोनिशिअन द्वीपसमूहातील एक बेट, सुंदर समुद्रकिनारे, वैविध्यपूर्ण निसर्ग , कला आणि संस्कृती जपणारी अनेक मंदिरे हि बालीची वैशिष्ट्ये , कमी कालावधीत बाली मध्ये फिरणं थोडं अवघडच , खूप गोष्टी बघण्यासारख्या आणि करण्यासारख्या आहेत. बालीमध्ये जाताना सगळ्यात महत्वाचा मुद्द्य येतो कि तुम्हाला तिकडे जाऊन काय करायला आवडेल. मला सगळं आवडेल असे जर तुमचे उत्तर असेल तर मग साधारण १५-२० दिवसांची ट्रिप तुम्हाला प्लॅन करायला लागेल. थोडे इंटरनेट वर सर्च केलेत तर कुठे उतरायचे हे ठरवता येईल, आमचा (अर्थात माझा आणि माझ्या सुविद्य पत्नी चा ) उद्देश आरामात जेवढे काही बघता येईल तेवढे बघणे आणि समुद्रकिनारी रिलॅक्स करणे असा होता. हे उद्दिष्ट डोळ्यासमोर ठेवून आम्ही आमची ट्रिप ३ दीवस समुद्र किनारा आणि २ दिवस सांस्कृतिक बाली अशी विभागणी केली , पहिले ३ दिवस नासा दुआ ह्या समुद्रकिनाऱ्यावरील गावातील हॉटेल बुक केले आणि पुढचे २ दिवस उबूड ह्या गावी जायचे ठरवले, जुजबी तयारी करून आमचा प्रवास सुरु झाला 

बाली विषयी काही महत्वाचे 

बाली ची करन्सी - इंडोनेशियन रुपी - आपल्या इंडियन रुपया पेक्षा खूप कमी "किंमत" असलेली अशी हि करन्सी , आपला १ रुपया म्हणजे साधारण २०० इंडोनेशियन रुपये , आता हे वाचुन हुरळून जाऊ नका , तिथल्या किमतीही तशाच आहेत म्हणजे पाण्याची छोटी बाटली आहे ३००० Rp ला म्हणजे साधारण १५ इंडियन रुपयाला ,, तर बाली स्वस्त आहे असा एक जो समज आहे तो अजिबात खोटा आहे. आपला इंडियन रुपया तिकडे कन्व्हर्ट करून घेणे थोडे महागात पडते , त्यापेक्षा भारतातच रुपये डॉलर मध्ये बदलून घेणे आणि तिकडे एखाद्या लोकल एक्सचेंज मध्ये त्याचे इंडोनेशियन रुपी करून घेणे जरुरी आहे , तुम्ही ज्या हॉटेल मध्ये उतरला असाल तर तिथे करन्सी बदलून मिळेल , पण तिथे करण्या पेक्षा जरा बाहेर पडून ४/५ दुकाने फिरा  , प्रत्येक ठिकाणी रेट मध्ये थोडा फार फरक जाणवेल , जिथे जास्त रेट असेल तिथे जा आणि कमिशन काही घेतले जाणार नाही ह्याची खात्री करा , काही ठिकाणी रेट जास्त मिळतो पण कमिशन घेतात , एकूण काय मोबाइल मधला कॅल्क्युलेटर चा शॉर्टकट मेन स्क्रीन वर ठेवा आणि पटापट आपल्याला काय फाद्याचे ठरतेय ते पहा (हे सगळं कळायला मला शेवटचा दिवस उजाडला ,, तोपर्यंत बरेच नुकसान झाले होते ) , असो. जरी आपण म्हणतो कि conversion करू नये पण आपली सवय जाणार नाही , म्हणून एक सोपी पद्धत - जितके इंडोनेशियन रुपी आहेत त्याला २०० ने भागायचे ती आपली इंडियन रुपयातली किंमत 

भाषा - बालीनीज - इथली भाषा इंडोनेशियन भाषेपेक्षा जरा वेगळी आहे , काही संस्कृत शब्द त्यात आढळतात , नमस्ते किंवा हॅलो ला बाली भाषेत "ओम स्वस्ति अस्तु" असे म्हणतात, बहुतांश लोकांना (जे आपल्याला सेवा देतात) इंग्रजी येत असते, त्यामुळे फार अडचण येत नाही (अर्थात आपल्याला पण इंग्रजी यायला हवे ) , गेल्या गेल्या - एअरपोर्ट वर पोचलात आणि इमिग्रेशन झाले कि लगेच काही टेलिफोन कंपन्यांचे बूथ दिसतील , तिथे एक इंटरनेट वाले प्री-पेड कार्ड घेणं उत्तम , ते तुमच्या फोन मध्ये ते कार्ड बसवुन देतात . म्हणजे पुढच्या बऱ्याच गोष्टी सुखकर होतात , सर्व हॉटेल मध्ये वाय फाय असले तरी रस्त्यात इंटरनेट असणे आवश्यक आहे, मग तुम्ही टॅक्सी बुक नसेल केलीत तरी हरकत नाही , कोणतीही टॅक्सी मिळेल , पण रेट ठरवताना जरा चौकशी करा ( साधारण २००,००० ते ६००,००० IDR , म्हणजे १००० ते ३००० रुपये ) राहणे - बाली मध्ये राहण्यासाठी अगदी ५ स्टार हॉटेल्स पासून नो स्टार होम स्टे पर्यंत अनेक पर्याय उपलब्ध आहेत. आपल्या पसंती नुसार आपण हॉटेल निवडू शकतो, एका रात्रीचे भाडे ९०० रु (इंडियन रु ) पासून ३०,००० इंडियन रुपया पर्यंत आहे ( जसे गोव्यामध्ये आहे ) . परंतु ५००० ते ६००० प्रति रात्र उत्तम हॉटेल मिळते , हॉटेल बघताना ब्रेकफास्ट समाविष्ट असणे गरजेचे आहे , कारण बाहेर तितकी विविधता मिळणार नाही (आणि महाग हि पडते) , हॉटेल पाहताना जवळ काय काय आहे ह्याची तपासणी करा. चालण्याच्या अंतरावर काही इंडियन रेस्तरॉंट्स आहेत का ते पहा , एखादे सुपर मार्केट आहे का ते पहा. माझ्यामते हॉटेलची एअरपोर्ट शटल सेवा जर मोफत असेल तरच वापरा , अन्यथा ते महाग (बरेच महाग ) पडते. आणि एअरपोर्टवरून हॉटेल वर जाताना किंवा परत जाताना टॅक्सी मिळणे अवघड नाही , पण ती आधीच बुक करून ठेवावी ( इथून सुद्धा टॅक्सी बुक करता येते, इंटरनेटवर काही नंबर्स मिळतील , त्यांचे व्हॉट्सऍप चालू असते , त्यांच्याशी आधीच संपर्क करून ठरवून घेता येईल ) 

खाणे - खाण्याच्या बाबतीत बाली एकंदरीतच समृद्ध आहे , व्हेजिटेरियन लोकांसाठी विविधता कमी असली तरी उत्तम पदार्थ मिळतात, मांसाहारी आणि त्यातून मासे आवडत असलेल्या लोकांसाठी खूप पर्याय आहेत, परंतु माझ्या मते जर तुमचे राहण्याचे ठिकाण रेस्टोरंटस पासून जवळ असेल तर ठीक नाही तर ऑल इन्कलुसीव रूम बुक करणे उत्तम . काही इंडिअन रेस्टोरंटस मोफत नेण्या आणण्याची सोया पण करतात , तशी चौकशी करायला लाजू नका. पण बाहेर खाणे जरा महागच आहे म्हणजे २ माणसांसाठी अगदी फुटकळ खायला साधारण १५०० ते २००० रुपये लागतात ( छोले ९८००० IDR म्हणजे ४९० रुपये ,२ बटर रोटी ७०,००० - ३५० रु , जिरा राईस , दाल - ५०० रु , पाणी - ५० रु ) . बाकी तिथल्या नेटिव्ह डिश ट्राय करायला हव्यातच , इटालियन किंवा चायनीज खाणे पण उत्तम मिळते , अर्थात तुमची टेस्ट तशी असायला हवी नाहीतर मग आहेच बटर चिकन , पनीर बटर मसाला 

फिरणे - फिरण्यासाठी खूप ऑपशन्स आहेत, जर इथून जाताना तुम्ही इंटरनॅशनल लायसेन्स काढून गेलात तर बाईक रेंट वर घेणे उत्तम पर्याय , नाही तर घाऊक मध्ये (२ / ४ दिवसांसाठी ) टॅक्सी बुक करणे उत्तम , इथे तुमच्या निगोशिएशन स्किल्स ची कसोटी आहे , मी हिशोब करताना ह्याच गोष्टी साठी मी भारतात किती पैसे दिले असते असा हिशोब केला आणि त्याला २०० नि गुणायचे ( म्हणजे समजा एअरपोर्ट ला जायला पुण्याहून मी २००० रु देतो तर तिकडे २००० * २०० = ४०,००० IDR देणे मला परवडणारे आहे ) आता ह्यात थोडे इकडे तिकडे ( तिकडेच जास्त ) होते , , बाहेर टॅक्सी टॅक्सी म्हणून ओरडणाऱ्या माणसाला पकडून बुक केले तरी हरकत नाही , त्यांचा व्हॉट्सऍप नंबर ते देतात , तुमच्या राहण्याचा हॉटेल मध्ये जर टूर बुक करण्याची सोय असेल तर ठीक आहे पण बाहेर जाऊन आधी दर बघा , कम्पेअर करा आणि मगच ठरवा , त्यात काय काय दाखवणार ते पहा, बऱ्याच ठिकाणी (अगदी सगळ्या देवळात सुद्धा ) प्रवेश फी असते ५०,००० IDR पासून १५०,००० IDR (२५० रुपये ते ७५० रुपये ) , बाकी भरपूर भटका , समुद्रावर स्कुबा डायविंग करा (त्याची CD बनवा ) , पॅरासिलींग करा , तिथले लोकल सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम बघा, मसाज करून घ्या ( तेही ६०,००० पासून २०००,००० पर्यंत किमती आहेत) आणि मजा घ्या.

Wonder tool – Google SketchUp

Recently I was searching for a simple 3d modeling tool, Just to draw a set design for my play. I came across the wonderful tool names Google SketchUp… I felt in love with this tool.
It works simple in 3 axis X (Red), Y(Blue) and Z(Green). Tutorial for beginner itself is great art work. Tools like Push/Pull, Follow-me ,offset works amazingly to create nice 3d art work in minutes. You can download free version of this tool from google site. There are many pre-models available for you to check out. There are different camera angles to look out. Best part of it is you can create different pages which are displayed automatically and which gives animation effect to your 3D model.
It’s worth checking it.. Check it out and have fun…

Here is one of my creation on Hinjewadi Traffic Solution

From GOOD or BAD

I'll be back

I started blog writing many years back and left it many years back…. Now I’ll be back.. It’s very difficult to choose subject line for the blog. Although I have not stopped the writing, I wrote 3 dramas , 2 short films and few articles, It was not a good idea to put them on blog I suppose, but I think I should put them on blog. At least blog will be in active state, Soon… There will be new subject ,, currently reading bloggers world to get some inspiration ….

Company BUS– A Romantic Journey …

I was listening the song Dil Dhoondta hai fursat ke rat din , by gulzar sahab yesterday night.

I went into deep sleep with dreaming about the song and woke up with next morning with fresh feeling. It was Raining little bit. Got prepared and headed towards bus stop to catch the bus.
I got the first Seat near the door, “our recently changed bus route is from Bangalore Highway”
Bus took a smooth turn at Katraj and got into speed. Roads were partially wet. As bus got into speed fresh wind started blowing through the front door, it was great feeling.
After some time it started drizzling, wind was carrying those fine water drops to me. I started enjoying feeling of those drops on my face with closed eyes. They were bouncing and dancing on my face. I could listen them in a rhythm.
Hey…. they were saying something to me. They were demanding me to join them in dancing. I was listening that acute music created by nature.
Tip Tip Tip ..
I opened my eyes slowly , there was beautiful rainbow. Sun was playing hide and seek with those blackish clouds. Few clouds were running to catch the sun, sometime able to cover it. Like a naughty boy, again he was running away.
Suddenly I could feel the smooth feather on my face. I saw, roads were smiling at me. I relaxed and put earplug on with FM. Wow what a co-incidence it was Rimzim Gire Sawan by kishorda. I was amazed and started day dreaming ,
“I am standing at sea shore, it’s raining, Sea shores are just touching to my feet. Sea eagles are flying over the sea and asking me to join them to Fly. I felt I am having wings attached to me. I jumped high and I was in the air. Flying high.. and high..”
Suddenly I heard a some noise and opened my eyes.. Hey … I was at KPIT gate , I stepped down with a big smile on my face. What a romantic journey it was…

What's Next

What's next ? really a nice question.
Are we not satisfied in the existing moment ? Why everytime we finish one task and ask ourself whats next?
I have many occasions when there is nonthing to be done next. I feel yes that's it.All done...
Hm, But next moment I get the question in my mind ,, ok what's next.
Immagine if this question does not appear in anybodys life, then what will happen, At this moment, curretnly If we feel satisfied , and there will not be any next thing to do, It's freez everywhere. Just can't immagine
That's why it is very important question we get what's next. We get some energy to do somthing more.
So live in present with the question in mide about your next moment. Have some desire to do next things..
Yes.. Thats the next thing I am gonna do .. Good Night,,,,

Celebrity Blogs - Go read them

Blogging by tow Giants

Hey .. I have been following through the Blogs written by two Bollywood Giants Yes, Bachchan and Amir.

It's fantastic. Why should they have started their blogs. I know 20% may be for the publicity. At least Bachchan's blog is sponcered by bigadda and they advertise it well to get the blog noticed.But Amir's blog is not that much published. Still it's popular. If you see the comments on it , you will notice that.

Amir tries to be authentic and writes the blog "Dil Se". He must be feeling very good when he writes something on the blog, Some blogs are only 1,2 sentences.

I really love to read Amir's blog. It's somewhat personal. While Bachachan sahabs blog is more social. He always keep responding to the happenings.

Amir is doing well on his social front as well, meeintg with Hilory clinten was great.

Hat's off to these Giants...

http://bigb.bigadda.com/

http://www.aamirkhan.com/

And That was my PASSPORT

Hi, as mentioned in my earlier post, each and every abroad trip was a story. Here is one of the stunning one.

I have visited Saudii many times, In Saudi there are many Pepsi plants where I used to visit.

This time I visited Jeddah, Jeddah is kind of traditional city and crowded one. It’s near to Makkah. It’s little bit liberal than Riyadh (Capitol of Saudi).

Ok. So I first went to Riyadh and did couple of installations there and left to go to Jeddah from office, When I reached Riyadh airport at check-in counter , the lady over there said your booking is canceled, “oh no..” I did correct installations, there was a little trouble at last stage but I instructed the user and left from there, This much Pepsi user can do ?, he canceled my bookings …?.

I asked her why it is canceled, she spelled, you have not confirmed , “husshhh,,,” it was not Pepsi user ..

I argued but I need to go, she told now you have to catch night flight. What else I can do ?

I agreed changed the booking, Fortunately I met one of my friend , he took me to his apartment. It was in US Colony, there are such colony’s with high security and it has a big 4 sided wall compound. So I spent 2/3 hours there and got to airport again,,

Now guess what? Flight was delayed and finally I flew to Jeddah at 3 AM in the morning. I reached Jeddah around 4/5 AM.

I managed to find where my booking was with the help of local cab driver (Although it’s another blog post how I called and communicated that I arrived in Jeddah). Finally I reached Sheraton, it was great hotel near the Pepsi plant..

Fine .. I reached to office in the morning and started my work.. I met on guy from Hyderabad, he was Oracle Admin there, He took me for lunch Pizza Hut… It’s different there you have to pay 10 Saudi riyals and you get unlimited pizza all of different kinds, tests. We can pickup whichever we want till stomach gives an order to stop.. So 4 days went rapidly in work, (Everyday I was having all different tests for lunch, thanks to Pepsi users).
Finally THE DAY arrived, This time I confirmed the ticket from Hotel, for Air India there was no on call confirmation, we have to go to Air India booking office and then confirm it. Actually I changed the ticket for one day early, as my work was finished. On the day of return I seen the ticket it was 15.00 , some how the time got transformed into my mind is 5 PM. I said ok, lets go to office till 12 and confirm everything works fine and then directly go to Airport around 1.30 – 2. Pepsi cab dropped me at airport little bit early, around 1 PM. Now I thought it’s lot of time for flight so lets go around and shop some KHAJUR, I wondered around till 2 and got board,

Then I went inside the airport after security scanning I reached in transit area, it was 2.30 in the clock. When I reached Air India counter it was not open and one person was standing there.

I asked him when this check in counter will open.

He was just looking at me as he was looking at ghost, He said “Open ?” , “It’s closed”

I said how come, I have flight at 5 PM , he was confused, he asked me the ticket, I gave him ticket and passport . He just looked at the ticket and again at me, He shouted , fool it was at 3 PM and now it’s on way to fly. He just stamped “Late reporting” on my ticket and asked me to go. I was shocked, when I saw it was 15.00 on the ticket, ohh man,, it was 3 PM and not 5.

Clock was showing 2.45 PM,

Me : Please I need to go, I overlooked it and I thought it’s at 5 PM

He – No , Flight is about to take off

Me – Sir , please I have to go , there is emergency

He – No, You are late

Me – But flight is still there right, let me go, I’ll run

He - manifesto is gone , I cant help

Me – When is next flight

He – two days after

Me – Grrrrrrrrrrrr

He – Go and ask my officer in the office,

Me – Where is it

He – Go out side and see the board

I ran out of the transit area, security stopped me, I said I missed the flight and need to do arrangements, Some how I ran to the Air India office. I tried to convinced to the officer, But no luck he was not got convinced.

Then I asked him how can I change my ticket to next flight (I was planning to wait in Airport for next two days .. ha ha ha)

He replied, you have to go to our booking office . Oh God , it was horrible.

Finally I concluded that I can’t fly for next tow days and have to go back. Luckily Pepsi office was open till 5 PM. It was 3.30.

I lifted my baggage and went outside to catch a cab,

I asked cab driver to go to Pepsi office.. ..

After a 15/20 miles I just checked my passport holder and realized there is no passport in it.

Uffffff, I shouted “STOP THE CAB”

Cab driver got the idea , something is wrong. He just parked the cab on sideways, I told him my passport is missing,

Imagine what was the situation - I was searching all over the cab, I opened my bag and put all the stuff in cab, NO, passport was not there. I was shivering and sweating badly, Cab driver now got the seriousness of it, I told him to take me back to Airport.. How Can I find my passport in that huge airport. So many places I visited right from toilet to food court.

I started praying, “GOD please help” It was Thursday, Many promises I made to god if I get my passport back.

I started my return journey to Airport. Every minute was like a year.

I jumped out of cab , paid around 80 Riyals, and ran inside, First I went to the food court, It was very hard to communicate in English, they all speak Arabic, No Hindi, only few Indians who speaks little bit Hindi (I learnt one thing if you have to survive in the world you need to know two languages English, Malayalam )

Then I searched every ware with no luck. I went to Air India office where I was convincing that officer. I cried in forint of him and told him the situation. Luckily he was knowing Hindi at least. After some time he gave me one of his officer with me, to search inside the Airport. I went inside the airport , transit area, where I visited first and shown my passport.

Can you Imagine I was inside the International Airport in Saudi Arabia that too Jeddah without passport.

Till now my prayers were not reached to GOD, everybody was looking at me like a animal in zoo. I was just running here and there.

One sweeper over there was watching all my activities unknowingly. After an hour or so he came to me, asked me in Hindi “Kay ho gay saab” ,

I said ,are yar mera passport gum ho gaya

“Kala tha kya”

Suddanly some shine in my eyes, I said yes.

He said, “Aao mere sath”

Then I followed him to the Security cabin,

There was a security person with long beard, like a demon,

He spoke to him in Arabic , then security person asked me my name , date of birth etc etc.

Then finally he put his hand in drawer and pulled one back passport from there, Yeh Hurrrree It was my passport.

I just jumped in front of him, I hugged that sweeper, tried to gave him sum riyals , He said

“Nahi sahab”

I waked away saying thanks to everybody, I Just sat down on the bench outside the airport with a big simile on my face.

That Sweeper was still looking at me, I just waved may hand … He was smiling ..

Yeh, for me he was none other than god, Thanks man, Thank you very much...