Another year goes by…

I turned a whole 25 years and one month yesterday. This birthday was really special as I had been discharged from the ICU and was on the way to recovery at home. I didn’t do much this year. Dinner with parents 20^th September, lunch the next day on the real birthday and the usual chilling with friends, cutting cakes, opening gifts etc.

I remember writing a similar post on my birthday last year where I felt that the excitement was diminishing as the years go by. But I find hard to lower my expectations, especially from people who are really close to me (Very few of em!). Is it because I feel I do a lot for them and expect the same in return? I’m not sure.

From something as small as expressing great displeasure when I opened mom’s gift (which was x) only because I expected a y! I have this feeling that I get extremely selfish and demanding on my birthday (unlike the other 364 days where I am absolutely the opposite) of late.

I don’t know what phase of life this is, but I am extremely unsure of the choices I make. Personally, professionally, sometimes I really don’t know what I want. I try to think practically, try to see what is best for me but that does not necessarily work in my favour. What helps me go through this phase though is a lot of people who are absolutely in the same stage of life where I am today. But when I discussed my thoughts with them, we always concluded that this stage of life would also be a phase like the others and would eventually pass away.

But that hasn’t happened. Yet! What do we think? How do we decide? Why should we plan? Why does my mind have to take so many decisions? She is only that little after all.

I think I’m getting older and somewhere I don’t want to accept that. In one way, I love the fact that I am financially independent, I can walk into the store and buy anything I like without having to take an elder’s permission or at least think about if not execute a trip to Goa with only my friendsJ, but on the other hand I think I still want to be that daddy’s little girl or mom’s (best baby in the universe, as she puts it) and have them look out for me.

I don’t know what this state of confusion is, but everything is very hazy at the moment. I will update soon once the fog diminishes.

Until then I leave you with happy and yummy cake pictures I cut on my birthday. Take care!

A mosquito changed my life..A little but forever

I don’t really know how to begin this post. This dates back to mid August 2009. Life was great. I was moving along making plans, holiday plans to Hongkong and Macau, it had been really long since I took a break. Birthday plans, it was coming up in a month’s time and I was really looking forward to celebrating it unlike in the past year or two. And then suddenly one single mosquito bite turned my life a whole 360 degrees around when I least expected it.
August 22nd Saturday 12:30 am- We watched some lame movie at home and were all settled in to sleep when my neighbour messaged asking if I would like to go and bring her Ganesh idol with her. I was feeling lazy and decided to head to bed instead. Around 2:00am I started feeling feverish. I thought it was just regular strain and popped a pill before I fell asleep again.
August 23rd Sunday 11:00am- I messaged at least 8 friends informing them that I couldn’t visit their Ganpati idols (which I was really looking forward to) as I was unwell. As expected, most of them assumed it was an excuse and am pretty sure they were pissed off with me as well.
August 24th Monday- The fever persisted, I saw the doctor and she advised we wait for a day before we take any blood tests as this could be a minor viral infection. I called in sick at work and received a firing in return for not answering my boss’s call.
August 25th Tuesday- Called in sick once again. We took the blood tests in the morning. Parents collected the reports that evening and it was confirmed. I was diagnosed with Malaria and Jaundice. Mom took the reports and visited the doctor. Dad was slightly relieved thinking that the malaria would cure in about 3 days and there wouldn’t be a huge issue.
Once mom returned from the doctor’s she looked slightly paranoid. “We have to admit you immediately. You have been diagnosed with the worst form of malaria. It’s called falciparum” she said. I was rushed to a nursing home nearby, where I was admitted in the ICU ward and a saline was put immediately. However I was very uncomfortable there. I found the doctors and nurses very rude, slightly illiterate and surroundings very unhygienic. Luckily for me my doctor and parents felt the same and arrangements were made to shift me to Nanavati Hospital.
By the time my masi (mom’s best friend since a zillion years) already arrived at the hospital with her son and husband. I distinctly remember my brother was actually trying and killing mosquitoes in the ICU ward. Just imagine!
Anyway the ambulance came and I was rushed on a stretcher into the ambulance (I had only seen these things in films; never in my life did I expect this to happen to me). The doctor (who was an idiot from the same nursing home) who was accompanying my uncle, mom and me suddenly diagnoses me with diabetes in the damn ambulance! (The report turned out to be wrong later, but even if I did have diabetes, was a thing to tell a patient on their way to the hospital?)
Anyway we reached Nanavati where my neighbour (also a doctor) had arrived and dad, masi and my brother were also there. I was taken into the ICCU ward (Malaria if too intense has the tendency to affect any organ of the body, hence the ICCU) in a horrible state and my tests began immediately. That night has by far being the worst night of my life and I don’t think I have cried as much ever (when I cry at the drop of a hat) in my whole life.
The saline was put, tests had begun, no diabetes, sonography, injections, medications and the works. My blood pressure had dropped drastically. Luckily for me one person was allowed to sleep the night in the room and so mom stayed back with me. Being an ICCU ward, no extra beds are allowed and poor mom had to sleep on the floor for all those 8 nights.
Anyway the next morning I was woken up at 5:00 am for a sponge (just because the nurse leaves her duty by 7:00am, we are woken up at 5:00am for a sponge). I was introduced to a bedpan for the first time that day. You can’t imagine my plight and the difficulty with which I got used to that system.
I was in the ICU for 8 nights with a different experience every night. One day they took a heart echo, the next they told us that I may require blood transfusion (which I didn’t luckily!). I took 8 huge injections daily. My hands were blue and swollen because they drowned 20 bottles of glucose through the saline.
Dad spent the days with me and mom spent the nights. My office was very supportive and didn’t bother me at all.
But the best part was the people who visited me every day between 5:00pm to 7:00pm and made me feel better. There’s not much I can say to all of you but thank you for taking the trouble to come and see me. Also those who were out of Bombay and unable to make it thanks for your constant calls and messages. Mom/Dad gave everyone of them to me.
I was at home after coming out of the hospital for more than a month. I remember the day I came home. I was weeping because the surroundings, my own house looked different and alien. Except for dad and mom I couldn’t meet anyone for like 4 days after I got back. It was an awful feeling.
But anyway I am back now, all fit and fine. Just one message from me to anyone who is reading this. I faced several repercussions for ill treating my body by going on crash diets. I know malaria is not really connected with going on a diet but my immunity which had everything with me getting better soon was so low that getting back to fitness to really difficult
This is one lesson I have really learnt from my illness. Stop crash diets and don’t strive for that size zero. It’s just not worth it. Trust me!
It took a mosquito and some very horrible memories for me to learn the same. You only have to read a blogpost!

Kiss me I'm Irish

In November 2007 (not the most brilliant month to visit the destination mind you), I had the fantastic opportunity of visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland through my previous job. We visited the cities of Dublin, Kilkenny and Belfast. I did London too in this duration but will club all my 4 trips to London in one post. Yes! London is a favorite city.

My experience in Ireland was mixed as I was traveling with lots of people I didn't know. Some fun..some otherwise. But I did make 2 very very close friends in that trip with who I am in touch with even now.
Anyway coming to the highlights of the destination:
Dublin- The capital of Ireland, beautiful windy and cold city. The Temple Bar Area (the very famous street with typical Irish pubs playing live music all around, is something you don't want to miss). I had a great time partying in that area, I think we visited like 8 pubs in one night and almost came back on a horse carriage to the hotel. Of course the Temple Bar is not the only thing to see in Dublin. The whole city is so picturesque, an

d the highlight of my trip was that I participated in a whiskey tasting workshop and now am a certified Irish "whiskey taster" :). Not sure if the folks will be proud of this one ;)

Kilkenny- was comparatively a small town. I actually walked all through it. The Kilkenny castle was spectacular although to be quite

honest, I couldn't handle the cold there. It was a picture perfect town

Belfast- My favorite part of Northern Ireland. Lively city, shopping streets, active nightlife. The Giant's Causeway at a short distance from Belfast is w

orth a visit. I remember that drive to the Giant's Causeway..never have I come across so many rainbows in one day. I also saw the location where the Titanic was built. Yes I was corny enough to pose like Leo and Kate along with my Irish colleague.

Food- I sampled the local delicacies as well as the

Indian food in Ireland but somehow did not take a liking to either. The Irish stew, the Irish coffee (so full of whiskey, thought I'll be drunk at breakfast:)), Irish cream (your very own Bailey's) are somethings you must not skip whilst you're there.

The only unfortunate part about getting to Ireland is the lack of direct flights. But that only me. Sometimes people love to break a journey in betwe

en before arriving to the original destination.

To conclude my trip to Ireland was a leaning experience in too many ways, some of which I don't think

I even want to mention. Met some great people,good times and the only part that would have made my trip 5 Star would've been watching a live U2 concert.,

May 2004- The beginning

I have decided to delete the other travel blog I own cause it's becoming really difficult to keep up. A post from that blog to this one..
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My first step professionally towards travel was taken in May 2004 when I was studying in college (I completed my Bachelors in Mass Media the following year). As part of the curriculum we were to complete a 3 month internship in an organization.
I was lucky enough to get an opportunity with the Times of India, Below was the first article I ever wrote and edited for a supplement of the Times Group called "Times on Wheels". This is a publication widely distributed in trains, airport lounges etc.
It felt so awesome to read my own name in print. And the best part was, although it was a no pay internship, they actually gave me a stipend of Rs 850 for the below.After completing my graduation I did try to persuade journalism in the same organization but I guess life had something else destined for me..