Check out these unusual restaurant spots (a Forbes list) - http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/2006/12/18/most-unusual-restaurants-forbeslife-cx_ls_1219mostunusualrestaurants.html.
Make sure you check the In Pictures link at the bottom of the news item, or click here - InPictures
One of them is this unique venture - http://www.dinnerinthesky.com/
26.3.07
10 most magnificent trees
You dont need to be a nature enthusiast to appreciate the list compiled here - http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/21/10-most-magnificent-trees-in-the-world/
It surely has a amazing list of trees I at least have never seen before. Go check it out.
It surely has a amazing list of trees I at least have never seen before. Go check it out.
21.3.07
what is china upto ?
I was reading this news item on TOI today of China placing a ban on Indian Steel. The amazing thing is this - India has hiked steel prices by Rs 300/tonne. This is causing Chinese buyers to shell out an extra $500 million. A quick math reveals that India is approx shipping 72 ($500 * 43 / 300) million tonnes of steel. And that makes only the third largest supplier for China.
72 million tonnes of existing supplies. I am guessing the total yearly supplies should be a lot more (will try and find that out). But the bigger question is - what is China building with all this steel ?
Update:
Some stats from http://www.issb.co.uk/
72 million tonnes of existing supplies. I am guessing the total yearly supplies should be a lot more (will try and find that out). But the bigger question is - what is China building with all this steel ?
Update:
Some stats from http://www.issb.co.uk/
Chinese Imports of Iron Ore increased 19% year-on-year in 2006 to 326.3
million tonnes. Australia supplied 126.8 million tonnes up 13% on
2005's 112.2 million tonnes
Brazil overtook India to supply 76.4 million tonnes up 40% on 2005's 54.7
million tonnes
Indian exports increased only 9% from 68.6 to 74.8 million
tonnes
20.3.07
random unreasonable thoughts
- any girl with the name aishwarya should be pretty.
- scott adams almost always sounds right.
- reading others' blogs makes me feel i too can write. or even more, be a writer.
- my IT job always seems to be one notch below what i desire for.
- photographs inspire me. i always ask(or try to find out) what camera was used. never appreciate the skills of a photographer. dream to be a photographer myself. still debating whether to buy that costly SLR.
- the bus ride is always better than the train ride. the train is underground - there's nothing to see outside through the windows.
- any girl called Priyanka has to be sexy.
- whatever my younger brother is doing, never seems enough. i tend to be tough. not sure what i want.
- i aim to be a drummer of a band. no, not the lead guitarist, that was when I was 15.
- am inherently confused about how much of a friend should i be to my friends.
- same for "how much of a son/brother should i be"
- marriage with an unknown person scares me. i am convinced i will get divorced. i forget i am an Indian.
- i rarely feel jealous.
- think that there has to be something wrong with guys wearing pink shirts.
- i will be a street photographer if i get to choose.
- i wonder if i will ever read a book in one sitting.
- i cannot play sports without having the thought that winning is important.
another of that kind.
you know you are a yet another of that weird kind when you get stoked by the discovery that Alt+Enter can help you drop to a new line within a cell in an xl sheet :))
26.2.07
ABC of Bengali
ABC of Bengali
A is for Awpheesh (as in Office). This is where the average
Kolkakattan goes and spends a day hard(ly) at work. And if he works
for the "West Bengal Gawrment" he will arrive at 10, wipe his forehead
till 11, have a tea break at 12, throw around a few files at 12.30,
break for lunch at 1, smoke an unfiltered cigarette at 2, break for
tea at 3, sleep sitting down at 4 and go home at 4:30. It's a hard
life!
B is for Bhision. For some reason many Bengalis don't have good
bhision. In fact in Kolkata most people are wearing spectacles all
the time.
C is for Chappell. Currently, this is the Bengali word for the Devil,
for the worst form of evil. In the night mothers put their kids to
sleep saying, æNa ghumaley Chappell eshey dhorey niye jabeö
D is for Debashish or any other name starting with Deb-. By an
ancient law every fourth Bengali Child has to be named Debashish. So
you have a Debashish everywhere and trying to get creative they are
also called Deb, Debu, Deba with variations like Debanik, Deboprotim,
Debojyoti, etc. thrown in at times.
E is for Eeesh. This is a very common Bengali exclamation made famous
by Aishwarya Rai in the movie Devdas. It is estimated that on an
average a Bengali, especially Bengali women, use eeesh 10,089 times
every year. "Ei Morechhey" is a close second to Eeesh.
F is for Feeesh. These are creatures that swim in rivers and seas and
are a favourite food of the Bengalis. Despite the fact that a fish
market has such strong smells, with one sniff a Bengali knows if a
fish is all right. If not he will say 'eeesh what feeesh is theesh!'
G is for Good name. Every Bengali boy will have a good name like
Debashish or Deboprotim and a pet name like Montu, Bablu, etc. While
every Bengali girls will have pet names like Tia, Tuktuki, Mishti,
Khuku, etc.
H is for Harmonium. This the Bengali equivalent of a rock guitar. Take
four Bengalis and a Harmonium and you have the successors to The
Bheatles!
I is for lleesh. This is a feeesh with 10,000 bones which would kill
any ordinary person, but which the Bengalis eat with releeesh!
J is for Jhola. No self respecting Bengali is complete without his
Jhola. It is a shapeless cloth bag where he keeps all his belongings
and he fits an amazing number of things in. Even as you read this
there are 2 million jholas bobbling around Kolkata- and they all look
exactly the same! Note that 'Jhol' as in Maachher Jhol is a close
second
K is for Kee Kaando !. It used to be the favourite Bengali exclamation
till eeesh took over because of Aishwarya Rai (now Kee Kando's agent
is trying to hire Bipasha Basu).
L is for Lungi - the dress for all occasions. People in Kolkata
manage to play football and cricket wearing it not to mention the
daily trip in the morning to the local bajaar. Now there is talk of a
lungi expedition to Mt. Everest.
M is for Minibus. These are dangerous half buses whose antics would
effortlessly frighten the living daylights out of all James Bond
stuntmen as well as Formula 1 race car drivers.
N is for N ishchoi. This is the Bengali word for Obvious . It is the
most interesting word in any expression!
O is for Oil. The Bengalis believe that a touch of mustard oil will
cure anything from cold (oil in the nose), to earache (oil in the
ear), to cough (oil on the throat). And of course for taste (oil on
the food).
P is for Phootball. This is always a phavourite phassion of the
Kolkattan. Every Bengali is born an expert in this game. The two
biggest clubs there are Mohunbagan and East Bengal and when they play
the city comes to a stop.
Q is for Queen. This really has nothing to do with the Bengalis or
Kolkata, but it's the only Q word I could think of at this moment.
There's also Quilt but they never use them in Kolkata.
R is for Robi Thakur. Many nany years ago Rabindranath got the Nobel
Prize. This has given the right to all Bengalis no matter where they
are to frame their acceptance speeches as if they were directly
related to the great poet and walk with their head held high. This
also gives Bengalis the birthright to look down at Delhi and Mumbai
and of course 'all non-Bengawlees'!
Note that 'Rawshogolla' comes a close second !
S is for Shourav. Now that they finally produced a genuine cricketer
and a captain, Bengalis think that he should be allowed to play until
he is 70 years old. Of course they will see to it that he stays in
good form by doing a little bit of "joggo" and "maanot".
T is for Trams. Hundred years later there are still trams in Kolkata.
Of course if you are in a hurry it's faster to walk.
U is for Aambrela. When a Bengali baby is born they are handed one.
V is for Bhaayolence. Bengalis are the most non-violent violent
people around. When an accident happens they will fold up their
sleeves, shout and scream and curse and abuse, but the last time
someone actually hit someone was in 1979.
W is for Water. For three months of the year the city is underwater
and every year for the last 200 years the authorities are taken by
surprise by this!
X is for X-mas. It's very big in Kolkata, with Park Street fully lit
up and all Bengalis agreeing that they must eat cake that day.
Y is for Yesshtaarday. Which is always better than today for a Bengali
(see R for Robi Thakur).
Z is for Jebra, Joo, Jipper and Jylophone.
[this list was not written by me. i just copied it from a Fwd email, so that I can revisit it whenever I am short of humour in life]
A is for Awpheesh (as in Office). This is where the average
Kolkakattan goes and spends a day hard(ly) at work. And if he works
for the "West Bengal Gawrment" he will arrive at 10, wipe his forehead
till 11, have a tea break at 12, throw around a few files at 12.30,
break for lunch at 1, smoke an unfiltered cigarette at 2, break for
tea at 3, sleep sitting down at 4 and go home at 4:30. It's a hard
life!
B is for Bhision. For some reason many Bengalis don't have good
bhision. In fact in Kolkata most people are wearing spectacles all
the time.
C is for Chappell. Currently, this is the Bengali word for the Devil,
for the worst form of evil. In the night mothers put their kids to
sleep saying, æNa ghumaley Chappell eshey dhorey niye jabeö
D is for Debashish or any other name starting with Deb-. By an
ancient law every fourth Bengali Child has to be named Debashish. So
you have a Debashish everywhere and trying to get creative they are
also called Deb, Debu, Deba with variations like Debanik, Deboprotim,
Debojyoti, etc. thrown in at times.
E is for Eeesh. This is a very common Bengali exclamation made famous
by Aishwarya Rai in the movie Devdas. It is estimated that on an
average a Bengali, especially Bengali women, use eeesh 10,089 times
every year. "Ei Morechhey" is a close second to Eeesh.
F is for Feeesh. These are creatures that swim in rivers and seas and
are a favourite food of the Bengalis. Despite the fact that a fish
market has such strong smells, with one sniff a Bengali knows if a
fish is all right. If not he will say 'eeesh what feeesh is theesh!'
G is for Good name. Every Bengali boy will have a good name like
Debashish or Deboprotim and a pet name like Montu, Bablu, etc. While
every Bengali girls will have pet names like Tia, Tuktuki, Mishti,
Khuku, etc.
H is for Harmonium. This the Bengali equivalent of a rock guitar. Take
four Bengalis and a Harmonium and you have the successors to The
Bheatles!
I is for lleesh. This is a feeesh with 10,000 bones which would kill
any ordinary person, but which the Bengalis eat with releeesh!
J is for Jhola. No self respecting Bengali is complete without his
Jhola. It is a shapeless cloth bag where he keeps all his belongings
and he fits an amazing number of things in. Even as you read this
there are 2 million jholas bobbling around Kolkata- and they all look
exactly the same! Note that 'Jhol' as in Maachher Jhol is a close
second
K is for Kee Kaando !. It used to be the favourite Bengali exclamation
till eeesh took over because of Aishwarya Rai (now Kee Kando's agent
is trying to hire Bipasha Basu).
L is for Lungi - the dress for all occasions. People in Kolkata
manage to play football and cricket wearing it not to mention the
daily trip in the morning to the local bajaar. Now there is talk of a
lungi expedition to Mt. Everest.
M is for Minibus. These are dangerous half buses whose antics would
effortlessly frighten the living daylights out of all James Bond
stuntmen as well as Formula 1 race car drivers.
N is for N ishchoi. This is the Bengali word for Obvious . It is the
most interesting word in any expression!
O is for Oil. The Bengalis believe that a touch of mustard oil will
cure anything from cold (oil in the nose), to earache (oil in the
ear), to cough (oil on the throat). And of course for taste (oil on
the food).
P is for Phootball. This is always a phavourite phassion of the
Kolkattan. Every Bengali is born an expert in this game. The two
biggest clubs there are Mohunbagan and East Bengal and when they play
the city comes to a stop.
Q is for Queen. This really has nothing to do with the Bengalis or
Kolkata, but it's the only Q word I could think of at this moment.
There's also Quilt but they never use them in Kolkata.
R is for Robi Thakur. Many nany years ago Rabindranath got the Nobel
Prize. This has given the right to all Bengalis no matter where they
are to frame their acceptance speeches as if they were directly
related to the great poet and walk with their head held high. This
also gives Bengalis the birthright to look down at Delhi and Mumbai
and of course 'all non-Bengawlees'!
Note that 'Rawshogolla' comes a close second !
S is for Shourav. Now that they finally produced a genuine cricketer
and a captain, Bengalis think that he should be allowed to play until
he is 70 years old. Of course they will see to it that he stays in
good form by doing a little bit of "joggo" and "maanot".
T is for Trams. Hundred years later there are still trams in Kolkata.
Of course if you are in a hurry it's faster to walk.
U is for Aambrela. When a Bengali baby is born they are handed one.
V is for Bhaayolence. Bengalis are the most non-violent violent
people around. When an accident happens they will fold up their
sleeves, shout and scream and curse and abuse, but the last time
someone actually hit someone was in 1979.
W is for Water. For three months of the year the city is underwater
and every year for the last 200 years the authorities are taken by
surprise by this!
X is for X-mas. It's very big in Kolkata, with Park Street fully lit
up and all Bengalis agreeing that they must eat cake that day.
Y is for Yesshtaarday. Which is always better than today for a Bengali
(see R for Robi Thakur).
Z is for Jebra, Joo, Jipper and Jylophone.
[this list was not written by me. i just copied it from a Fwd email, so that I can revisit it whenever I am short of humour in life]
5 hrs 30 mins.
That's how long it generally takes to travel on an Indian Airlines flight from Singapore to New Delhi, if the flight doesnt spend time circling above the airport waiting its' turn to land (probably there is just one runway?) or taxing around the runaway and the other pathways trying to find a vacant spot to park.
For my fellow software brethren who live in the US, 5 hrs 30 mins is a short travel time. Needless to say, it is also a boon. They are surprised I dont travel back home every 3 months. Not even every 6 months. They dont reliase that 5 hrs 30 mins isnt always a short time, it is generally enough to catch onto some observations which are unique, weird, interesting, frustrating, funny - but always memorable.
This Dec of 06 when I boarded the flight from Singapore, I happened to queue behind a French family for my boarding pass. The family of 5, were tourists to India. The Lonely Planet gave them away. I was surprised to see how little luggage they were carrying - just 2 small suitcases for 5 of them (no checkin luggage with items filled in - just a backup for the boys and a purse for the mother and the girl). That's the amount of luggage my ma generally carries when she visits her ma. Ooops, I digress! I left them to shop in the huge Changi Duty free, but we met again in the waiting lounge (just outside the boarding gate). Another interesting thing happened - all 5 of them, the parents, the 2 boys and the girl - took out a book and started reading/flipping pages. The youngest boy was fidgety, and he found the free internet PC luring him more often. The others, remained with the books. I turned my head around to see if many others (mostly of my Indian kin) were also reading. Not many. Infact, just a handful. Which didnt include me either. Books, I remembered are costly in India. The fictional interesting ones, more so.
I lost the French family after we entered the small Airbus, and never saw them again.
In the flight, right across me was this family of 3, the mom, the papa, and the noisy not-so-young kid. I thought that the kid had to potential to frustrate me. Didnt quite realise that the mom was more capable. The first thing the lady did was to stand up and look up for vacant places, probably she didnt need to. She noticed the two empty seats (out of 3 in the cluster) next to me, which I was just about planning to use as a bed. She jumped right into the one by aisle, I was by the window, one vacant seat in between.
With the kid safely with the responsible father, she started getting restless for things to do (sleep was sadly not an option, I later realised). Picked up the Strait Times (a fat one considering it was Saturday). Finished flipping through it in what seemed to me like just a few seconds. Maybe it was a few minutes. Didnt even read one article in the 150 or so pages she flipped. Not one.
Went on to the next newspaper, and a few other magazines lying in the backpocket of the seat in front. Their fate - predictable. Not one article was worthy of the few minutes required to read it. I felt offended. Dont know why.
Then there was this pair of guys sitting diagonally opposite. 3 seats for 2 people. But they remained seated in next to each other, in that tight space. Ate their breakfast together, went to sleep together, I mean, at approx the same time. Dont know if they woke up together, I was sleeping then. They were probably just very good friends.
Just like the two middle aged gentlemen sitting in front of me. No, I didnt see what they were doing, I actually couldnt. But hear I could. Yes, of course, they were loud. The first round of alcohol had kicked in. The stewardess probably figured that - but probably didnt realise that it is useless to explain people in that state of mind the fact that Indian Airlines is almost always short on alcohol. I dont know why it is so - Laloo probably snatched the IA budget ? The gentleman kept asking for more, the stewardess politely pushed back, the gentlemen didnt relent, the stewardness kept saying no - I eventually got bored and tried to look away. Saw the two very good friends having lunch together. The mother was now playing with her 15.4'' wide screen Dell laptop.
I went to sleep, the loud gentlemen couldnt wake me up. Delhi, indeed seemed far. 5hrs 30 mins, not that short a time.
For my fellow software brethren who live in the US, 5 hrs 30 mins is a short travel time. Needless to say, it is also a boon. They are surprised I dont travel back home every 3 months. Not even every 6 months. They dont reliase that 5 hrs 30 mins isnt always a short time, it is generally enough to catch onto some observations which are unique, weird, interesting, frustrating, funny - but always memorable.
This Dec of 06 when I boarded the flight from Singapore, I happened to queue behind a French family for my boarding pass. The family of 5, were tourists to India. The Lonely Planet gave them away. I was surprised to see how little luggage they were carrying - just 2 small suitcases for 5 of them (no checkin luggage with items filled in - just a backup for the boys and a purse for the mother and the girl). That's the amount of luggage my ma generally carries when she visits her ma. Ooops, I digress! I left them to shop in the huge Changi Duty free, but we met again in the waiting lounge (just outside the boarding gate). Another interesting thing happened - all 5 of them, the parents, the 2 boys and the girl - took out a book and started reading/flipping pages. The youngest boy was fidgety, and he found the free internet PC luring him more often. The others, remained with the books. I turned my head around to see if many others (mostly of my Indian kin) were also reading. Not many. Infact, just a handful. Which didnt include me either. Books, I remembered are costly in India. The fictional interesting ones, more so.
I lost the French family after we entered the small Airbus, and never saw them again.
In the flight, right across me was this family of 3, the mom, the papa, and the noisy not-so-young kid. I thought that the kid had to potential to frustrate me. Didnt quite realise that the mom was more capable. The first thing the lady did was to stand up and look up for vacant places, probably she didnt need to. She noticed the two empty seats (out of 3 in the cluster) next to me, which I was just about planning to use as a bed. She jumped right into the one by aisle, I was by the window, one vacant seat in between.
With the kid safely with the responsible father, she started getting restless for things to do (sleep was sadly not an option, I later realised). Picked up the Strait Times (a fat one considering it was Saturday). Finished flipping through it in what seemed to me like just a few seconds. Maybe it was a few minutes. Didnt even read one article in the 150 or so pages she flipped. Not one.
Went on to the next newspaper, and a few other magazines lying in the backpocket of the seat in front. Their fate - predictable. Not one article was worthy of the few minutes required to read it. I felt offended. Dont know why.
Then there was this pair of guys sitting diagonally opposite. 3 seats for 2 people. But they remained seated in next to each other, in that tight space. Ate their breakfast together, went to sleep together, I mean, at approx the same time. Dont know if they woke up together, I was sleeping then. They were probably just very good friends.
Just like the two middle aged gentlemen sitting in front of me. No, I didnt see what they were doing, I actually couldnt. But hear I could. Yes, of course, they were loud. The first round of alcohol had kicked in. The stewardess probably figured that - but probably didnt realise that it is useless to explain people in that state of mind the fact that Indian Airlines is almost always short on alcohol. I dont know why it is so - Laloo probably snatched the IA budget ? The gentleman kept asking for more, the stewardess politely pushed back, the gentlemen didnt relent, the stewardness kept saying no - I eventually got bored and tried to look away. Saw the two very good friends having lunch together. The mother was now playing with her 15.4'' wide screen Dell laptop.
I went to sleep, the loud gentlemen couldnt wake me up. Delhi, indeed seemed far. 5hrs 30 mins, not that short a time.
Never giving up...
on this blog, that is! From time to time, I am reminded that I have a blog, where I should write. And I write a post of two, and then comfortably manage to forget about the blog. I think it happens because a) i am generally on low self motivation b) no one reads this blog - so there's hardly any motivation to blog for others. As i write this, I know that I havent figured out how I could circumvent either a) or b) - but I will just give it another shot. It's so easy to give up, but that's not who I generally am.
5.10.06
Funny !
This is a collection of leave letters and applications written by people in various places of India ...
1. Infosys, Bangalore : An employee applied for leave as follows: Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave.
2. This is from Oracle Bangalore: From an employee who was performing the "mundan" ceremony of his 10 year old son: "as I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days.."
3. Another gem from CDAC. Leave-letter from an employee who was performing his daughter's wedding: "as I am marrying my daughter, please grant a week's leave.."
4. From H.A.L. Administration dept: "As my mother-in-law has expired and I am only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."
5. Another employee applied for half day leave as follows:"Since I've to go to the cremation ground at 10 o-clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave"
6. An incident of a leave letter "I am suffering from fever, please declare one day holiday."
7. A leave letter to the headmaster:"As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today"
8. Another leave letter written to the headmaster:"As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for the day."
9. Covering note: "I am enclosed herewith..."
10. Another one: "Dear Sir: with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."
11. Actual letter written for application of leave:"My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home I may be granted leave".
12. Letter writing: -"I am in well here and hope you are also in the same well."
13. A candidate's job application:"This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ' Typist and an Accountant - Male or Female'...As I am both(!! )for the past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post.
1. Infosys, Bangalore : An employee applied for leave as follows: Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave.
2. This is from Oracle Bangalore: From an employee who was performing the "mundan" ceremony of his 10 year old son: "as I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days.."
3. Another gem from CDAC. Leave-letter from an employee who was performing his daughter's wedding: "as I am marrying my daughter, please grant a week's leave.."
4. From H.A.L. Administration dept: "As my mother-in-law has expired and I am only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."
5. Another employee applied for half day leave as follows:"Since I've to go to the cremation ground at 10 o-clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave"
6. An incident of a leave letter "I am suffering from fever, please declare one day holiday."
7. A leave letter to the headmaster:"As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today"
8. Another leave letter written to the headmaster:"As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for the day."
9. Covering note: "I am enclosed herewith..."
10. Another one: "Dear Sir: with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."
11. Actual letter written for application of leave:"My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home I may be granted leave".
12. Letter writing: -"I am in well here and hope you are also in the same well."
13. A candidate's job application:"This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ' Typist and an Accountant - Male or Female'...As I am both(!! )for the past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post.
4.10.06
the indian technology revolution
if you work in the indian IT industry, you would know what i am going to talk about. take a visit to bangalore/chennai/hyderabad/pune/noida - anywhere of the top IT destinations, and you see the churn. there are jobs, and people are taking them. that means that attrition is high, and companies need to do more to offset that. in some cases, that translates to a salary raise, or an onsite trip - whatever keeps you with the company. this also means that the best software people have a huge bargaining power (or should i say - the power to threaten). one of my best friends falls into that category, and you should see the width he can extract out of miserly managers - just because he is "too good" in his work, and his managers dont want him to leave.
the growth of the indian IT industry, is thankfully not restricted to India alone. IT professionals are now in demand in other countries as well, more so than it was before. i work out of singapore, and i see people from competing vendor companies taking up new jobs with local companies. one of my good friends in india recently moved to singapore when he was recruited by a top notch bank for their local operations. incidentally, he was also recruited by a top american company, but the H1 visa qouta proved to be the nemesis.
the point of all this blabber is that there couldnt be a better time for individuals like me. the industry is ripe, and the fruits of a little labor can be very sweet. so if you are lazy software engineer like me who has never changed jobs, this may be your time. whether or not it is mine, only time will tell.
the growth of the indian IT industry, is thankfully not restricted to India alone. IT professionals are now in demand in other countries as well, more so than it was before. i work out of singapore, and i see people from competing vendor companies taking up new jobs with local companies. one of my good friends in india recently moved to singapore when he was recruited by a top notch bank for their local operations. incidentally, he was also recruited by a top american company, but the H1 visa qouta proved to be the nemesis.
the point of all this blabber is that there couldnt be a better time for individuals like me. the industry is ripe, and the fruits of a little labor can be very sweet. so if you are lazy software engineer like me who has never changed jobs, this may be your time. whether or not it is mine, only time will tell.
24.8.06
Just in case I ever go backpacking in Europe
Filing it for future use. From - http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/aug/24travel.htm
I went backpacking recently to Paris, Venice and Rome -- three of the most expensive cities in Europe -- for 12 days. I expected to come back broke. But, thanks to a bit of planning, sufficient reading up and loads of valuable tips from friends, not only did the trip fit well within my budget, I also managed to see quite a few new places. So, here's my two cents on budget travelling in Europe�
Save on flight tickets
Most airlines offer last minute bargain fares, so wait for them. Don't book the first flight available; indulge in some comparisons online. If you can't find an inexpensive flight to your destination city, fly to a nearby city in that country and then catch a low-cost connecting flight. Transit flights can work out cheaper as well. For example, to get to Cannes, I flew from Mumbai to Dubai to Nice via Rome and saved a bag of money. A direct Air France flight from Dubai to Nice would have cost me euro 50 (approximately Rs 3,000) more.
Sleep cheap
Accommodation is the other major thing to save on. After all, you don't need a luxury suite when all you are going to go back to your pad for is to sleep. But yes, it needs to be clean, hygienic and comfortable. I would rate hostels and bed & breakfast (B&B) joints as the best bet. They are comfortable, cheap, include breakfast and offer a kitchen facility, where you can cook or warm up your meal.
Hostels and B&Bs are usually dorm style, with bunk beds for four to six. They have mixed rooms, common rooms, common bathrooms, kitchen and Internet facilities. Most hostels give out free maps, and some arrange tours and pub-crawls for inmates on a daily basis. A bed in such a dorm room of six costs euro 25 - 33 (approximately Rs 1,500 - 2,000). Once you have decided on your destination, do an online search, shortlist hostels you like and then refer to Web sites like Lonely Planet, Hostelz.com, TripAdvisor.com and BugEurope.com (Backpacker's Ultimate Guide) for reviews on these places. They are usually quite close to the truth.
My hostels in all three cities turned out exactly as described. Do be very careful about your belongings in such places though, as you will be sharing your space with strangers. Also remember that most dorms in Europe are mixed, and finding a same-sex dorm will cut down your options.
Budget hotels in decent localities are available for euro 44 (approximately Rs 2,640) onwards. They work well for couples or a group of two to three, but not singles. Guesthouses -- mostly family-run places -- offer some great bargains as well, but most do not have Web sites or online booking facilities. This makes it difficult to find out about them in advance. For example, I found this really nice place called Archie's Guest House in Venice that cost only euro 17 a day (approximately Rs 1,020), but had no Web site or online booking facility.
Look for additional facilities
In Europe, a lot of places demand payment for the use of showers, toilets, towels, blankets and sheets. Therefore, ensure that your booking cost includes the cost of these. A place close to the metro station is a must, to avoid the additional cost of travelling from your hostel to the metro. Also ensure that breakfast is included. Buying breakfast outside will cost an additional euro eight to 10 (approximately Rs 480 to Rs 600).
Save on travel
Eurail (a train service that operates between countries throughout Europe) passes run from euro 280 to 1,300 (approximately Rs 16,800 to 78,000) and they won't pay for themselves unless you plan on travelling extensively (more than four destinations at least). If you do get a pass, maximise your use. For example, an overnight train or ferry uses only one travel day if it leaves after 7 pm (and will save you one night's stay at a hotel). You can buy your Eurail pass online or through your agent (Try RailEurope.com or RailPass.com). Most countries give students or youth (under 26) discounts, so bring your college papers along.
If you are dropping the pass and getting point-to-point budget tickets, you can travel overnight or take early morning flights/ trains/ ferries. I took an overnight train from Paris to Venice and it cost me euro 68 (approximately Rs 4,080) and saved me a night's hostel stay, as opposed to a regular euro 106 ticket (approximately Rs 6,300) on a 10 am train.
Commuting within the city
Travel by metros, buses and ferries within a city. Do not even think of cabs�they are exorbitantly expensive. Metro trains are the best bet as they are convenient, very well-connected and reasonably fast. Don't forget to pick up your free, easy-to-understand city and metro map available at the station or airport in most cities. Get tourist transport passes for travel by train/buses/ferries that entail unlimited travel within a defined region, valid for one, two or three days. These work out much cheaper than buying individual tickets each time. In Venice, for example, where the only mode of transport is Vaporetti (waterbus), a three-day Vaporetti tourist pass costs euro 12 (approximately Rs 720). A single ticket, even if it is just to the next stop, costs euro five (approximately Rs 300) and is valid for only 60 minutes. See the point?
Museum and monuments pass
Most tourist cities have a monuments/ museum pass that offers free entry. For instance, in Rome, you can pick up a Roma Pass for euro 18 (approximately Rs 1,080) that entails free entry at all museums and monuments. The cost of individual entry into the Collosseum is euro 11 (approximately Rs 660) and that of Palantine Hills is euro seven (approximately Rs 420). So, your Roma Pass pays for itself in just two places. Imagine your savings.
Value meals and buffet bargains
If you have no qualms about non-veg food, you can have a ball. Baguettes, croissants, buns, sandwiches, pizza slices, quiche and so on, filled with a variety of meats and sea-food such as tuna, turkey, ham, bacon, salmon, crab, lamb, chicken, prawns, lobsters, squids and more, can keep you going for endless days. Patisseries, pizzerias and bakeries are present at every nook and corner of Europe. You can walk in and pick what you like. For veggies, life is slightly difficult and choices are limited. Remember though, sitting down at the most regular pizzerias, bars and restaurants costs more than take-aways.
Once in a while, you could treat yourself to all-you-can-eat buffets with pastas, lasagnas, salads and meat platters, to get an authentic taste of local cuisine. Chinese and Thai restaurants also offer value-for-money meals and can satisfy your urge for rice and curry.
Water in Europe costs more than wine or beer. A small bottle costs around euro three (approximately Rs 180), so filling water straight from the kitchen tap makes more sense. It is absolutely safe and that is how all Europeans have their water.
Irish pubs for tanking up on your poison
Beer and wine are cheap if bought from supermarkets, but scotch, vodka, champagne and the like are expensive. A can of Heineken beer costs just about euro two (approximately Rs 120) if bought from a supermarket. The same beer served at a pub costs between euro seven and 15 (approximately Rs 420 and Rs 900). Irish pubs are an exception though, where you can get your stuff for much less. A Guinness beer, for instance, is available for euro 3.75 (approximately Rs 225) and a Heineken for four (approximately Rs 240). The ambience of an Irish pub is addictive as well!
Supermarkets versus tourist shops
Steer clear of fancy-looking souvenir shops (especially near tourist attractions) and museum shops. Supermarkets and discount shops have the same stuff for much less, and a wider variety to choose from. They often have offers going for a steal. I picked up a barbecue set for just euro 10 (approximately Rs 600) from one of these discount stores in Paris. The exact same thing was available at a tourist shop for euro 48 (approximately Rs 2,880).
Choose the right month
Europe is generally more expensive in summer. Air fare peaks between mid-June and early September (as well as during December/Christmas holidays). So, if possible, try to leave in May or early June. Not only will your flight cost less, you could also get accommodation at cheaper rates. You need to start doing the research and ground work now though.
The idea is to have maximum fun and do all that must be done in spite of limited resources. Go, experience the world!
I went backpacking recently to Paris, Venice and Rome -- three of the most expensive cities in Europe -- for 12 days. I expected to come back broke. But, thanks to a bit of planning, sufficient reading up and loads of valuable tips from friends, not only did the trip fit well within my budget, I also managed to see quite a few new places. So, here's my two cents on budget travelling in Europe�
Save on flight tickets
Most airlines offer last minute bargain fares, so wait for them. Don't book the first flight available; indulge in some comparisons online. If you can't find an inexpensive flight to your destination city, fly to a nearby city in that country and then catch a low-cost connecting flight. Transit flights can work out cheaper as well. For example, to get to Cannes, I flew from Mumbai to Dubai to Nice via Rome and saved a bag of money. A direct Air France flight from Dubai to Nice would have cost me euro 50 (approximately Rs 3,000) more.
Sleep cheap
Accommodation is the other major thing to save on. After all, you don't need a luxury suite when all you are going to go back to your pad for is to sleep. But yes, it needs to be clean, hygienic and comfortable. I would rate hostels and bed & breakfast (B&B) joints as the best bet. They are comfortable, cheap, include breakfast and offer a kitchen facility, where you can cook or warm up your meal.
Hostels and B&Bs are usually dorm style, with bunk beds for four to six. They have mixed rooms, common rooms, common bathrooms, kitchen and Internet facilities. Most hostels give out free maps, and some arrange tours and pub-crawls for inmates on a daily basis. A bed in such a dorm room of six costs euro 25 - 33 (approximately Rs 1,500 - 2,000). Once you have decided on your destination, do an online search, shortlist hostels you like and then refer to Web sites like Lonely Planet, Hostelz.com, TripAdvisor.com and BugEurope.com (Backpacker's Ultimate Guide) for reviews on these places. They are usually quite close to the truth.
My hostels in all three cities turned out exactly as described. Do be very careful about your belongings in such places though, as you will be sharing your space with strangers. Also remember that most dorms in Europe are mixed, and finding a same-sex dorm will cut down your options.
Budget hotels in decent localities are available for euro 44 (approximately Rs 2,640) onwards. They work well for couples or a group of two to three, but not singles. Guesthouses -- mostly family-run places -- offer some great bargains as well, but most do not have Web sites or online booking facilities. This makes it difficult to find out about them in advance. For example, I found this really nice place called Archie's Guest House in Venice that cost only euro 17 a day (approximately Rs 1,020), but had no Web site or online booking facility.
Look for additional facilities
In Europe, a lot of places demand payment for the use of showers, toilets, towels, blankets and sheets. Therefore, ensure that your booking cost includes the cost of these. A place close to the metro station is a must, to avoid the additional cost of travelling from your hostel to the metro. Also ensure that breakfast is included. Buying breakfast outside will cost an additional euro eight to 10 (approximately Rs 480 to Rs 600).
Save on travel
Eurail (a train service that operates between countries throughout Europe) passes run from euro 280 to 1,300 (approximately Rs 16,800 to 78,000) and they won't pay for themselves unless you plan on travelling extensively (more than four destinations at least). If you do get a pass, maximise your use. For example, an overnight train or ferry uses only one travel day if it leaves after 7 pm (and will save you one night's stay at a hotel). You can buy your Eurail pass online or through your agent (Try RailEurope.com or RailPass.com). Most countries give students or youth (under 26) discounts, so bring your college papers along.
If you are dropping the pass and getting point-to-point budget tickets, you can travel overnight or take early morning flights/ trains/ ferries. I took an overnight train from Paris to Venice and it cost me euro 68 (approximately Rs 4,080) and saved me a night's hostel stay, as opposed to a regular euro 106 ticket (approximately Rs 6,300) on a 10 am train.
Commuting within the city
Travel by metros, buses and ferries within a city. Do not even think of cabs�they are exorbitantly expensive. Metro trains are the best bet as they are convenient, very well-connected and reasonably fast. Don't forget to pick up your free, easy-to-understand city and metro map available at the station or airport in most cities. Get tourist transport passes for travel by train/buses/ferries that entail unlimited travel within a defined region, valid for one, two or three days. These work out much cheaper than buying individual tickets each time. In Venice, for example, where the only mode of transport is Vaporetti (waterbus), a three-day Vaporetti tourist pass costs euro 12 (approximately Rs 720). A single ticket, even if it is just to the next stop, costs euro five (approximately Rs 300) and is valid for only 60 minutes. See the point?
Museum and monuments pass
Most tourist cities have a monuments/ museum pass that offers free entry. For instance, in Rome, you can pick up a Roma Pass for euro 18 (approximately Rs 1,080) that entails free entry at all museums and monuments. The cost of individual entry into the Collosseum is euro 11 (approximately Rs 660) and that of Palantine Hills is euro seven (approximately Rs 420). So, your Roma Pass pays for itself in just two places. Imagine your savings.
Value meals and buffet bargains
If you have no qualms about non-veg food, you can have a ball. Baguettes, croissants, buns, sandwiches, pizza slices, quiche and so on, filled with a variety of meats and sea-food such as tuna, turkey, ham, bacon, salmon, crab, lamb, chicken, prawns, lobsters, squids and more, can keep you going for endless days. Patisseries, pizzerias and bakeries are present at every nook and corner of Europe. You can walk in and pick what you like. For veggies, life is slightly difficult and choices are limited. Remember though, sitting down at the most regular pizzerias, bars and restaurants costs more than take-aways.
Once in a while, you could treat yourself to all-you-can-eat buffets with pastas, lasagnas, salads and meat platters, to get an authentic taste of local cuisine. Chinese and Thai restaurants also offer value-for-money meals and can satisfy your urge for rice and curry.
Water in Europe costs more than wine or beer. A small bottle costs around euro three (approximately Rs 180), so filling water straight from the kitchen tap makes more sense. It is absolutely safe and that is how all Europeans have their water.
Irish pubs for tanking up on your poison
Beer and wine are cheap if bought from supermarkets, but scotch, vodka, champagne and the like are expensive. A can of Heineken beer costs just about euro two (approximately Rs 120) if bought from a supermarket. The same beer served at a pub costs between euro seven and 15 (approximately Rs 420 and Rs 900). Irish pubs are an exception though, where you can get your stuff for much less. A Guinness beer, for instance, is available for euro 3.75 (approximately Rs 225) and a Heineken for four (approximately Rs 240). The ambience of an Irish pub is addictive as well!
Supermarkets versus tourist shops
Steer clear of fancy-looking souvenir shops (especially near tourist attractions) and museum shops. Supermarkets and discount shops have the same stuff for much less, and a wider variety to choose from. They often have offers going for a steal. I picked up a barbecue set for just euro 10 (approximately Rs 600) from one of these discount stores in Paris. The exact same thing was available at a tourist shop for euro 48 (approximately Rs 2,880).
Choose the right month
Europe is generally more expensive in summer. Air fare peaks between mid-June and early September (as well as during December/Christmas holidays). So, if possible, try to leave in May or early June. Not only will your flight cost less, you could also get accommodation at cheaper rates. You need to start doing the research and ground work now though.
The idea is to have maximum fun and do all that must be done in spite of limited resources. Go, experience the world!
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