Manjesh Nilange

band videos

2007-11-08T21:02:26Z

These are videos of a couple of songs we played. Decrease the volume and use headphones, otherwise it's going to suck more than it should :-)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fwlq3rmMnMw

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gFmfWNpJDK8
(this one has an improvised and probably off-key solo at the end)

cricket thoughts

2007-10-16T20:28:56Z

When I first heard of the Twenty20 format, I was not very impressed. I thought it'd be too short and too packaged to be entertaining to be really entertaining. After watching the recently finished World Cup, I must admit, I'm now a convert. A faithful believer, in fact.

I like the urgency the format forces. I like the fact that I can watch the entire match in 4 hrs and get on with the rest of the day (and no repercussions on the next day). I can also watch India bowling (which I usually get bored of). I don't even mind watching matches when India's not playing. I like the fact that the batsman is just trying to make every ball count without worrying about traditional strategies like "consolidating your position, preparing the launch platform" etc. etc. . And of course, India winning so many thrilling encounters made the cake only sweeter. I think the bowl-out is also a great idea. I literally jumped off my seat when the India-Pakistan bowl-out finished. On the flip-side, the excitement is a little too quick. A good buildup is essential to any great climax, and this format completely rules out a slow buildup.

It's a wonderful format to watch live. It can be promoted in India how baseball is promoted here in the US. Create local teams and build a following. Nobody wants to spend 5 days watching a Ranji match between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Nobody wants to spend a full day watching a Challenger ODI as well, given the fact that there is no team/side to be loyal to/proud of. But it'd be great to watch 4-hour matches on the weekends to support your very own hometown teams (Bangalore Lions?).

On the current series, well, what can one say. Except that we got what was coming. And all this outcry against the seniors was expected too. In the 6th ODI, nobody seems to angry with Yuvraj or Dhoni failing, but Dravid failing seems to bring out the "leave him out" cries. If anybody, it should be Ganguly who should be left out. He seems to either limit himself to play just well enough to keep him in the side or that's the limit he's not able to surpass. Either way, he's not contributing very positively. I think he should go. And this time, stay out. Gambhir/Rohit Sharma need to be in. In this match, it was obvious that he didn't step up the scoring rate after getting in. Anybody who came in after that was faced with scoring at a high rate for 10+ overs. And it did prove too difficult, even for Uthappa (the interesting thing being that his innings would've sealed the match in India's favor, if it were a Twenty20 game).

movie review: Manorama Six Feet Under (MSFU)

2007-10-14T09:52:09Z

The movie is a murder mystery set in a small town in Rajasthan. It's supposed to resemble the Jack Nicholson starrer Chinatown. I say supposed to because I had watched that movie sometime ago, and it did not leave any lasting impression on me. Getting back to MSFU, I was a little skeptical of the movie to begin with, but the initial few shots settled my mind. The director uses the character of Rajasthan very well in the movie. It is perhaps more correct to say that the movie is actually about murder, political conspiracy and human relationships. The going is a little slow initially, mainly because the mystery of the movie itself is a mystery. Once the director settles this and liberates the audience from the confusion, the movie seems to gather pace. It's more of a "what-is-all-this-stuff-going-on" mystery rather than a whodunit. The screenplay is taught, the acting is good (everybody in the cast doing a good job) and the photography is excellent, capturing the bleakness of the desert and the small-town life very ably. It's not that kind of movie that'll make you gasp with a revealing ending, the story kind of goes where you expect it to, given that you think about all that is going in the movie. It is the ending and the struggle of one man against the demons of his failure and his desire to rise above the perceived mediocrity of his life that makes the movie very good.

There are many things that I liked about the movie. The human-angle ending is very satisfying. The screenplay is very taut, no scenes or dialogues are wasted. Every scene, peripheral character and plot device is put to correct use. The relationships of the protagonist, his ambition and frustration and dejection with failure are all very well brought out. The only thing that the director could've improved upon was Raima Sen's character. The motivation of the character is not convincing enough and she plays quite an important role in the story.

All said, a very good watch. Please share thoughts!

books about music?

2007-10-14T09:26:21Z

I read Vikram Seth's An Equal Music some time ago and was quite mesmerized. I loved his A Suitable Boy too. But getting back on track, does anyone have recommendations for books about music (fictional and non-fictional)?

I finished reading The Soloist by Mark Salzman a few days ago. It's an engaging read, though not as "musical" as I expected. I'm hoping to find "The Piano Shop On The Left Bank" in the library sometime soon.

Aerosmith in Bangalore

2007-05-13T20:08:48Z

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/aerosmith-ready-to-rock-in-bangalore/top/40463-8.html?xml

First Maiden and now Aerosmith. It's great that more bands are exploring what was hitherto unknown territory.

Iron Maiden

2007-05-09T23:19:56Z

http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=460

A very nice read about the Maiden concert in Bangalore. It's nice to see that they did go around Bangalore trying to get a feel of the place.

And I didn't know there were so many intellectual/philosophical takes on Maiden. Here I was, like a simpleton, thinking that I love Maiden purely because of their marvelous music, and then I learn that apparently people have serious thoughts of what Maiden songs mean to them!

I don't understand or appreciate most of these views though. "Maiden music teaches us to be independent and break the rules" - really? I have a feeling that people have made up deep and abstract opinions just to seem intellectual and perceptive. This rings very true of the last paragraph. I totally can't understand the logic behind "Run To The Hills" being one of Bangalore's most appreciated Maiden song. Since when did our generation start having so much angst against the British for invading India?

India and World Cup '07

2007-04-03T06:11:33Z

Is there anything more that can be said on the subject? I'll try...

I attribute India's losses to fear of losing, lack of self-belief and a general lack of joy on the field.

Against Bangladesh, I think the thought uppermost in the Indian players' minds was: "This is Bangladesh, no way should we be losing to them. If we lose this match, all is lost.". Fear of losing is a funny thing. It can quickly turn a positive confident mood to a defensive overcautious despondent feeling. The Indian batting showed this - they did not play their natural attacking game (except Yuvraj) and lost wickets tamely. The bowlers did try real hard though, but kudos to the Bangladeshi batsmen for a very good chase.

vs Sri Lanka, the lack of self-belief was there for all to see. When the batsmen should've been gripping the game by it's throat and showing it who's the boss, they all let themselves be scared by their mental demons. The burden of expectation and fear of losing seems to have killed all the joy they had in playing cricket. Nobody went out there to bat like that's what they loved doing most in the world. They all batted as if it was a horribly difficult and an unrewarding task that needed to be fulfilled.

For the Indian team to go back to glory days, the players need to focus just on playing the game and enjoy their cricket. I don't think the burden of expectation will every go away, but it can certainly helped a lot by selection procedures. They shouldn't go around giving in to knee jerk reactions like dropping Uthappa.

I predict semi-final match-ups of Australia-New Zealand and South Africa-Sri Lanka. Even though I don't like it, I think Sri Lanka will squeeze past South Africa, and Australia will beat them in the finals.

I can't wait to see Australia going for vengeance against England and New Zealand. I hope retribution will be swift and violent :-).

new ride!

2007-03-11T19:20:44Z

I bought a new Suzuki 2007 SV650 this week:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44496855@N00/sets/72157594582585492/

I sold my old one a couple of weeks ago. My old motorcycle had a few drawbacks - it was used and was put down before, it had old technology (carburetor, drum brakes), was heavy (460 pounds) and a little unwieldly. It also had an upright seating position and at times, I used to feel the need for a sportier stance. And I did want to treat myself to something new and nice and shiny :D.

After a month of seriously confusing decision making, I settled on this (the other competitors were the Ninja 650 and the Ninja 500). Signed the deal last week and got ownership this week.

It's all I hoped it would be - quick, light, agile and smooth. Looking forward to a very rewarding riding season!

Photo account of my Peru trip

2007-01-07T03:02:56Z

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44496855@N00/sets/72157594463483955/

Aerosmith

2006-11-03T09:04:34Z

I just got back from an Aerosmith/Motley Crue concert, and it was some concert - worth blogging about.

Aerosmith holds a special place in my heart. "Big Ones" was my initiation into the world of rock. Prior to that I used to listen to mainly pop (Even in my heart, I see..., yeah! ;-) ) and just a little bit of rock (even though I was wondering what the fuss was all about). My friend inherited a tape collection from a hostelite cousin of his who turned out to be quite a good rock enthusiast. We listened to Big Ones and right from the opening track, Walk On Water, it pretty much blew our minds with what rock can make you feel. From then on, I've listened to most of their stuff. It always remained a dream to see them live once.

Earlier this year in April, Aerosmith were supposed to play in HP Pavilion. We eagerly bought tickets, but then it turned out that Steven Tyler had throat problems and they postponed the concert. When the new date drew near, it was announced that Tyler was to undergo surgery and the concert was finally canceled. I couldn't believe my bad luck. After being here for two years and seeing umpteen concerts, destiny had to meddle with this particular one! Damn!

Luckily enough, Tyler made a good recovery and they announced a fall/winter tour with Shoreline Amphitheater as one of the venues, where they shared the playbill with Motley Crue. I was determined to see them up close and bought the closest ticket that I could afford. It cost me 200$, but hell, I got to sit in the 12th row! When the concert drew near, I was not sure what to expect. My obsession with Aerosmith feels a little old, I don't even listen to them regularly now. Anyway, off I went.

Motley Crue played the opening hour - I was not very interested in their music (can't comment about the quality - mixing was from from ideal), but the fireworks/pyrotechnics show was good - well synced with the drums. Finally they finished their set and the Aerosmith stage crew started setting up the stage. Usually this is the time I get frustrated at concerts - crews taking endless time to set up the stage. But having witnessed the process first hand from close quarters, they do quite a lot of stuff which justifies the time they take. Anyway, curtains came down and the PA system went quiet. The show was about to begin!

A video montage was played on the curtains featuring mainly stills with a medley of remixed Aerosmith songs as the sound track. We sensed the end coming near, as we could spot Perry and Tyler assembling behind the curtains. You know, in "Love In An Elevator", in the middle of the song, all instruments go quiet and Tyler sings "Going Downnnnn"? That's what they did, he sang that phrase and the curtains went down and they went straight into "Toys In The Attic". That was one goose-bump moment. Live, that's a very good opening track. It has the right amount of rock n' roll. I don't remember the exact order of songs now, but they launched into "Eat The Rich" right at the top of the show. I was to the right of the stage and there was a lit walkway for the performers to use. Duly, Perry waltzed up the walkway and I dashed to the barrier and I was there. I was standing 2 feet from one of my guitar idols - Joe Perry in the flesh! I was so close I could read the brand name of the guitar (not that I needed to, he was playing a Les Paul). Ahh, what a moment. From the rest of the set, "Baby, Please Don't Go" (Tyler played an excellent harmonica solo), "Sweet Emotion" (what a start and the solo break - more goose-bumps!), "Dream On" (Tyler letting it rip towards the end), "Walk This Way" (Perry's solos!) stood out. They also played a couple of new songs - sounded very promising. During one of the songs, Tyler also came up the walkway near me and I duly dashed to the barricade. He stopped a few feet away though and stood there singing for a while. He moved on from there and I stuck my hand out and high-five-ed him! I couldn't believe it! From listening to Big Ones on my BPL stereo in my Basvesvarnagar home when I was 19 to high-five-ing the Steven Tyler now. Two memorable moments. I think I know how preteen girls feel at Michael Jackson concerts now! (though I think I'll wash my hand in the normal course of time...)

They put on a great show for the good turnout, in total Aerosmith fashion. Tyler strutting around the stage, Perry swinging his guitar - if anyone has mixed style and talent on the guitar, it's Joe Perry. I seriously think nobody else puts on a better show than Perry. His guitars, his swagger, his bad ass attitude, total stud guitarist!

One concert that pretty much panned out like the dream it used to be! It does pay to Dream On!!!

motorcycle routes

2006-10-10T23:29:00Z

I've been going on motorcycle rides every weekend since I got my bike in August. Here's a list of the routes I tried out. Since I'm interested only in twisty roads, all these routes have their fair share of winding sections.

All these routes involve these highways - 9 (the Saratoga one), 17 (Santa Cruz), 84 (aka Woodside road), 35 (aka Skyline Boulevard) and 1 (aka Pacific Coastal Highway).

1) Saratoga - Hwy 9 - Big Basin Park; back the same way

Nice route. Hwy 9 has some really winding curves (be prepared for nearly 180 degree high-lean turns). Although after the 35 junction, the road surface deteriorates.

2) Saratoga - Hwy 9 - North (right) on 35, West (left) on 84, South (left) on 1; back the same way

84 is amazing - excellent road surface and 45-50 mph high-lean turns. Hwy 35 richly deserves the Skyline Boulevard moniker. The day I went, the valley was smothered in fog while Skyline itself was clear. It made for an amazing sight - riding on a mountain above a seas of thick clouds.

3) Saratoga - Hwy 9 - South on 17, Santa Cruz, South on 1 till Monterey; back to Santa Cruz, Hwy 9 all the way from Santa Cruz to Saratoga

17 is not much fun. It has a lot of moderate-lean high speed (~ 65mph) turns, I didn't like it so much. Hwy 1 is also boring - it's not twisty enough. The section from Santa Cruz to Monterey is especially disappointing - it's a normal 6 lane highway. The scenery gets real good only after Monterey.

Hwy 9 though is fantastic. Right from Santa Cruz, it's all twisty and the road surface is excellent.

4) El Camino/El Monte - Moody Rd - Page Mill - North (right) on 35, West (left) on 84, North (right) on 1, Half Moon Bay; back the same way

Moody Road is very narrow in parts. Page Mill is tough (especially going downhill). The turns are sharp, narrow and road surface is questionable. Very good for building riding discipline and technique.

5) El Camino/El Monte - Moody Rd - Page Mill - South (left) on 35, left on Pierce road (Mt Winery, Saratoga) - Saratoga Avenue - home

35 continuously offers either fun turns or, in the straight sections, excellent views. Pierce Road is average.

6) 280N, West on 84, North (right) on 1, Half Moon Bay, East (right) on 92, South (right) on 35; East (left) on 84 and 280S back home

The sections of 35 and 84 I hadn't done before proved very good. Just minutes south of 35-92 intersection, there are a couple of vista points from where you can see the entire bay, including the skyline of San Francisco and Oakland, the bridges (Bay and San Mateo) and the hills of Fremont. As usual, 35 is either fun to ride or scenic :-).

I noticed an unusual number of cops in this route. Watch your speed in the straight sections.

7) El Monte Rd, Foothill N, 84W, right onto King's Mountain Road (easy to miss turn), south (left) on 35, west (right) on 84, left on to and continue on Pescadero road, back via pescadero->84->35->page mill->moody

King's is really beautiful. Pristine redwood clumps in the valleys and log cabins by the roadside. Beware of bicyclists though. Pescadero road is quite nice too - it winds all the way to Half Moon Bay, though I turned back at Pescadero. Both King's and Pescadero roads are twisty and a lot of fun to ride.

8) El Monte Rd, Moody Rd, Page Mill Rd, Alpine Rd, left on to Pescadero Creek Rd, turned back at Pescadero, Pescadero Creek Rd, north (left) on 35, east (right) on King's Mountain Road, east (left) on Woodside Rd, 280S, home.

The stretch of Alpine Road from it's intersection with the Portola Rd till the intersection with Pescadero Creek Road is the most beautiful forested stretches I've seen. The huge redwoods covering the mountain side reminded me of "Avenue of Giants" near the national redwood park (California-Oregon border). It was picture postcard perfect - the ground carpeted with fallen leaves, small bridges with moss covered wooden railing, beams of light filtering through the treetops lighting up the motes of dust in the air. As far as the ride is concerned, Alpine Rd is challenging as it is very narrow and has questionable road surface. King's Rd like I had found out earlier is narrow and has many low-speed sharp U-turns.

To do:
Hwy 25, Hwy 9 from Big Basin to Santa Cruz (and other twisties I find on the map!)

Mount Dana

2006-09-09T17:18:43Z

Last weekend, a few friends and I hiked Mt Dana in Yosemite. It's a beautiful hike, a little strenuous because of the 23% average gradient and the high elevation (trailhead starts at 10,000ft and ends at 13,000+). The scenery from the summit it beautiful. Mono Lake, Yosmite valley and mountains (with its red cliffs and all), the Sierra Nevada mountains. The mountains to the south-west looked really awesome - far away, pristine and mysterious.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44496855@N00/sets/72157594276333124/

(PS This is the kind of hike one ought to do in Yosemite!)

Yosemite and Half Dome

2006-08-24T01:50:09Z

Last weekend, a bunch of us went to Yosemite and did the Half Dome hike. This was my first trip to Yosemite. The expectations were high because all the people I know who go there, can't stop gushing about it. And I expected Half Dome also to have some amazing views.

Yosemite itself (and the part that we saw) seems very beautiful. Flat, lush green meadows surrounded by high-rising, high-gradient mountains. The number of stars one can see at night is quite amazing. At higher elevations, vegetation tended to be less colorful, probably owing to the fact that we are now well into summer.

The Half Dome hike was too strenuous - it was the toughest hike of my life. But personally speaking, I was disappointed with the views. The first couple of hours of the hike are nice, especially if you go up via Mist trail. Both Vernal and Nevada falls are beautiful. But then on, it's (literally!) one uphill struggle. Even after hauling myself up the cables, I didn't see any great views from the top. Even though situated at a lower elevation, I liked the wider views of the valley from Glacier Point much better. People seem more satisfied with passing the endurance test that the hike is, than the hike itself.

Frankly, I'd suggest people to do the other hikes in Yosemite - the Panoramic trail that leads from the valley floor to Glacier Point sounds promising (and it's half the distance of the Half Dome hike). Effort and time are much better utilized in hikes like this, exploring meadows or swimming in one of many water spots in the park.

http://flickr.com/photos/44496855@N00/

bike

2006-08-14T06:35:54Z

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/manjeshnilange/album/576460762304957993#page1

It's a 2000 Honda Nighthawk, I got it this weekend. I went on a short trip to Big Basin park over the weekend. Leaning into curves on a twisty two lane road sheltered by a canopy of tall trees with 64 rearing horses under me - what a feeling!

white water rafting

2006-08-01T00:43:10Z

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/manjeshnilange/album/576460762304891279#

A bunch of us went rafting this last weekend in the American river near Sacramento (http://rivertrip.com/american.html). I was not very sure about how exciting it would be, as most of us were first timers. Boy, was I happily proved wrong! Distributed between slow calm parts, the river has a few sharp turns and it was great fun navigating every one of them. Cold water splashed into our faces every time the raft dipped. It was almost like a roller coaster ride, the front end of the raft went up 4-5 feet a few times and at one point, the right side went up 2-3 feet threatening to topple us. Luckily enough, none of us were thrown overboard, even though a couple of times, a couple were thrown back into the raft itself. The unexpected surprise was our guide falling off himself in one particular nasty turn.

We also "swam" in the calmer regions of the river. The water was slightly cold, but after the first splash, you wouldn't notice it. The life jacket does a very good job of floating you and because of that, we were lying face up on the water, staring up at treetops and the bright blue sky and drifting in the river's current - a wonderful feeling!

transport in our village

2006-02-04T21:02:21Z

This is how most of the transport between villages in my hometown district of Bidar happens. Jeeps fill up with as much people as possible and ply terrible roads. At times, people prefer to drive on the shoulder rather than the asphalt - it's that bad. I've done a "footboard run" on one of these sometime ago - thinking it would be fun. Now this picture just reminds me of the incredible diversity in all aspects of life one finds in India.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/manjeshnilange/detail?.dir=/297b&.dnm=2363scd.jpg

Bangalore and its traffic - (ya)^n post; where ya = yet-another

2006-01-06T10:11:43Z

I think I should start with apologizing to my car. It was very stupid of me to compare the 800 with my other car.

I've been driving off and on in Bangalore (of course not in peak hours) and it seems like the biggest problem is the attitude of drivers. The roads and the number of vehicles are kind of manageable. You can make your peace with it. What really irritates is the cruising rick holding up the left lane, people double parked, slow trucks/buses cruising on the rightmost part of the road and making people drive around them, two-wheelers trying to squeeze in,...

I guess all professional drivers develop a strong "don't care" attitude owing to the hours they put in. I don't know how this can be helped though.

I wonder if it's a good idea for the government to stop pumping resources into flyovers (and projects of that ilk) and concentrate only on building a good mass transport system. Flyovers and ring-roads buy only time - and that too most of it is eaten up in the construction phase. That said, flyovers at two bottlenecks on my way to work have eased my commute.

I was really surprised to see a lot of companies that provide shuttles run on a 9-6 basis. One would expect software companies to be a bit more non-conservative and stagger work timings to help ease traffic congestion.

The Sheer Subconsciousness Of It All

2005-12-27T10:52:39Z

I safely landed in Bangalore on the night of the 25th after an expectant 120-days countdown. I've looked forward to this trip easily more than any other trip. I was excited to see my family, meeting my friends and being home again.

Given the countdown, I had thought about the visit quite a lot. Also this being my "first visit to India" after I moved to the US, I was eagerly looking forward to experiencing all the differences. I was expecting to feel shocked at the size of the streets, cars and things in general, the chaotic traffic and what not.

Well, the actual experience has been quite different. When I saw my family after clearing customs, somehow I felt like I had left home just the day before. My parents and brother look just the same. My nephew was there too - staring at me with those ultra cute 4-month old baby eyes. I can't explain the feeling of "returning home" that I felt. The past 18 months somehow just slipped away. It felt like I was coming home after a short visit.

Home is as I remember it - it shows more wear and tear because of the rains - but it's more or less how it was when I left in July last year. One of the first things that I noticed when I came back home was the way I remembered the switches. I remembered most of them - and it was all so subconscious!

I was also really looking forward to all the wonderful tasty food that mom would cook up. I guess I thought I'd experience all the tastes afresh. All the stuff I ate yesterday - I knew quite well how the food would taste as soon as I held the plate. Even though I know you cannot really remember a taste, I knew exactly what to expect. Satisfying, tasty, wholesome food! And I've five more weeks of it :-D !

I was also kind of anxious about driving here. Being used to the disciplined US traffic, I thought it'd take me sometime before I got used to driving here - well that also didn't turn out like that. I was supposed to take my sis-in-law to an advocate's office in Malleswaram today. My dad suggested we drive. I thought about it and told him "why don't we just take a small spin first and then decide". So we went to the garage and boy did I "rediscover" my car! It sucks! Cardboard thin doors, and really just a "stick" shift, a steering wheel that'd make the word minimalist seem extravagant. I couldn't figure out how much fuel it had (no "range" guage), couldn't figure out when to change gears (no tachometer). Anyway, let's get back to the driving part. We took a small spin - in my neighbourhood - where there's no traffic, so that went smoothly even though I was quite excited and anxious. So I decided to risk it and drive to Malleswaram. I thought I'd have a tough time navigating the median-less streets, avoiding the 2-wheeler pests, the irritating autos and the bullying buses. But as seems to be the theme, I drove without making a single conscious change. Everything came back to me just naturally. The only interesting part was the seatbelt - I'm so used to it now that somehow it didn't feel right to drive without it. Most people here still don't use it I think, but I did put it on.

Let's see how the rest of my visit unfolds.

manjesh @ 2005-10-19T10:23:00

2005-10-19T17:23:42Z

The video is online: http://eecs.oregonstate.edu/~narayan/manjesh-jump.mpg

skydiving

2005-10-17T06:26:23Z

After 2 months of [mis]planning and scheduling our jump, Sharat, Ankur and I finally managed to take the plunge and "test the airs" today :D (couldn't resist that one!).

Our jump was a tandem jump from a height of 13,500ft with a free fall for 10,000 feet (around 60 seconds) and parachuting the rest of the way.

Since it's been so long that it's been in planning, I had heard accounts from various people about their experiences so much so that I almost knew what to expect - when to get scared, when the good part will kick in,..., the whole story. I was expecting the fear to hit me when I'm sitting on the ledge of the exit waiting to jump, but it hit me quite early! After we had signed the disclaimers and seen the coaching video, we were just waiting for our numbers to be called. Meanwhile, we got to see pictures hung all over the hangar - one of them scared me quite a bit. It was a photograph taken from behind a jumper who's ready to go, perched at the aircraft door, and he's looking at the ground below him. I was not sure what to expect - but you can make out quite very clearly all the features of the land below you. Oh yeah, that shook me up a bit. After that, we waited feeling a mixture of (mostly) anxiety and some excitement.

It was showtime - we were harnessed, we got into the plane and the craft started spiraling upward slowly to the jump height. This period was relatively calm - my heartbeat was almost at normal levels. A few minutes passed and the plane leveled - this was it. Moment of truth. I was not the first one to jump - I don't know if that helped me or not - and I saw the first few jumpers go out and disappear out of my sight. It was my turn next - and my jump master gave me the sign. The next few moments went by real quick, we went to the ledge, took positions (I had to bend my knees and stay on the balls of my feet and my jumper was crouched over me) - and then we let go. The first second (really, a full second?) was bad - when you fall/let go - the first instinct is to reach and hold on to something. But the way it works with tandem jumping is, you're supposed to keep your arms crossed over your chest till the jumper gives you a sign to free them. So here you are tumbling out of the plane, possibly doing a somersault in the air, totally disoriented and nothing to hold on to. But quickly enough we were in position and I could free my arms - and that's when the good part kicks in. Yeah! Things are happening so fast and your senses are quite overloaded. The good thing is you're falling so fast, you can't make out how fast. The wind is whipping hard in your face and you've a feeling of flying - it's really just that - "free fall". Nothing to hit you, nothing to obstruct you, nothing to slow you down. It's hard to describe the rush you feel then - I really let go for the 50-odd seconds from then on. I think I was having too much of a good time, my videographer decided to join me. I don't know what it's called - but there is this Indian game (?) of two people holding hands across each other, feet together and leaning back. And then you go spinning around? Well, my videographer and I did the free fall version - at an altitude 10,000 ft above sea level! And then after what seemed like only a few seconds, my jump master tugged the chord and out popped the parachute.

I was thinking I'd experience a big jolt at this time and things would get scarier - since now you're falling slowly and see what's coming at you from below. But wonder of wonders - this was my favourite part of the fall. As soon as the parachute opens up, there's like a peace and calm that you can't describe. I guess it's because you are falling at terminal velocity a couple of seconds ago, but when the parachute opens up and you are gliding down - you can look all around you and below you and there's a quiet serenity everywhere - World Peace!

And then the rest of the way was nice and easy. My jump master did a few spirals to add to the excitement and wheeee!, I was giddy with the rush once again. We landed quite safely and we are back on terra firma. Back to the mothership!

The convenience of the activity is quite amazing. You sign up, get harnessed to professionals, you do the dive and when you land - the videographer hands you the DVD (yes, not just a data file on a DVD, but a high-quality MPEG-2 video disc). The video has a good sound track, the shots are actually mixed in with special effects, the works. And you're done. You walk out of the hangar with the feeling of having done something quite different that day.

California - Oregon road trip

2005-09-08T07:53:59Z

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/manjeshnilange/album?.dir=63b4

Got back on Monday night after a 3 day 1300 mile road trip to Crater Lake (Oregon) and north California. It was not as exhausting as I thought it'd be , and I got to spend lotsa quality time with my car ;-).

Left Arjun's house early on Saturday. It took us nearly 8hrs to reach Crater Lake. The drives through Oregon are beautiful - with Mt Shasta dominating the landscape for a considerable part. I thought I'd seen quite a few beautiful lakes by now - but this one took my breath away. The sheer size is incredible. The color of the lake is a steel blue that's hard to describe. No wonder the lake is so famous for its color. Even the scenery surrounding the lake is awesome too - with coniferous forests and plains spreading out as far as the eye can see.

The plan was to proceed from Crater Lake to the redwood forests of north california, but we took a small detour and visited the Oregon Caves national monument as well. The caves were so-so, some of the rock formations are interesting to see and the park ranger guided tour keeps you engaged. Not bad for a detour.

From there we proceeded to the redwood forests. I had seen lots of pictures of huge trees, but walking around in the forests in impenetrable silence, surrounded by trees that were 20+ feet in diameter, 300+ feet in height, 2000+ years of age is something else. The first park we went into, the Jedidiah State park, had a grayed-out look. Lack of rain in the past few months had caused dirt and dust to settle in thick layers on the leaves and vegetation - giving the whole forest a surreal look. We took a winding dirt road through the park and reached Crescent City. Saw a beautiful sunset on the way; the color spectrum that was visible in the sky at sunset was awesome - bright blue to crimson in varying degrees.
The next day morning we did a small hike through the forests down to the ocean. A good workout - propped us up nicely for a sumptuous breakfast. I can't remember gobbling down more food at breakfast in a long time.

Good company, good scenery, great car and good music - what more can a good road trip have?

UK trip - part II

2005-07-16T18:44:29Z

These are the rest of the journal entries. I've uploaded the rest of the pictures too:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/manjeshnilange/album?.dir=bf6d

June 29 (my birthday!), 4:30 PM, Warwick Castle

What an amazing place this is. So historic and romantic. Right from the wooded entrance to the castle, it all looks superbly restored and maintained - the ornate rooms, decorations, furniture. You can feel the weight of ages bearing down on you in the very atmosphere. The 13th century atmosphere in the war/armory rooms, the posh elegance of the 19th century drawing rooms and somehow the more serious and heavy, more political, 20th century drawing rooms. Everything is so tasteful here - the chandeliers, the tables, even the cutlery in the dining room. Having withstood time and the passage of many human lifetimes, these walls and furniture and all the rooms command a kind of respect that's hard to describe.

It's raining quite heavily now and no doubt I'll get quite wet!

June 29, 5:50 PM, Warwick pub

After the rain stopped, I wandered around the Rose Garden in Warwick Castle. One word that can sum it up - enchanting. The droplets of water had accumulated and were sliding off the petals and leaves. The rain seemed to hold back tourists for a while as well - allowing me to enjoy the rose garden in private.

July 1, 3:25 PM, Whitehall gardens

I spent yesterday biking in Cotswolds. I've come across these phrases - "rolling hills", "flowing pastures" and others of the like many times before. I got to see exactly what these phrases describe yesterday. It is picture postcard perfect scenery and background. There are no breath-taking views of grand beauty with vastness of space and scale, it's plain pretty - pretty to the extreme. The flower fields especially - stretching across rolling hills and valleys - are so good.

The villages are all perfect too. There is blanket of peace and serenity that seems to have safely sheltered the world of Cotswolds - with its manors and villages and stud farms and greenery. In short idyllic rural beauty and calm.

I also saw the changing of guard yesterday at the Horse Guards Parade. I guess the ceremony was instituted with some thought and carried some meaning at some time. But, enacted now, it seems like a totally superfluous anachronism. A highly overrated touristy thing to do!

Earlier today, I visited Westminister Abbey. Since the place as so crowded it was not so awe-inspiring as King's College Chapel even though the architecture and sculpture are more ornate here. Amazing sculptures abound - every nook and cranny filled with artistic pieces - pieces that stand for some period of time, some school of art, some king's reign. Even though there are hundreds of "pieces" like that all around, it doesn't seem cramped or over-ornate. Some of them are so subtle and remain in the background. But observed closely, they too seem to have a splendor of their own.

2 July, 4:30 PM, Ingram Bar, Glasgow

I set out for Edinburgh today morning but after hearing that places to stay might be in short supply in "Ednibara", I switched destinations and I'm in Glasgow now. My stupid England-only book doesn't cover Scotland at all - so I know nothing right now.

Glasgow seems to be really nice. There's a lot of life around here and the architecture has more color (vs the uniform gray color of London) - I like it!

3 July, 8 AM, Glasgow

This is the last day of sightseeing! I'll be returning home tomorrow.

Glasgow has amazing greenery that contrasts beautifully with the red/brown/dark gray facades of the buildings. Most people I've met so far are really nice - and they've a genuine Scottish accent - something I found a bit hard, and also fun at the same time, to understand.

3 July, 3 PM, Glasgow

I walked around Glasgow today - the university, a couple of parks, neighbourhoods and finally visited the Glasgow cathedral. I'm leaving Glasgow with a feeling that this is the nicest city I've been to. It has beautiful parks, a lovely university and some great buildings. It has its dirty parts too (which city doesn't), but the nice parts are nicer than the other cities that I've been to.

Glasgow cathedral's atmosphere is somehow darker, more religious, has more "business " like tone, than the other chapels I've seen so far. Somehow gives you the feeling that many serious events have occured here. It has a tomb-like heaviness that rests in the air.

UK trip

2005-07-10T22:26:05Z

Photos: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/manjeshnilange/album?.dir=bf6d

For the last couple of trips, I've maintained a travel journal of sorts. It's really good to jot down what you see, what you feel, what you hear, what you think. Here are some [edited] excerpts. I'll post the rest later - when I get more time.

7:30 AM, 24 June, SFO

For some reason, I'm not excited as I was when going to Chile. I think it's because of the fact that while Chile was highly famous for a few places of natural beauty, England doesn't seem to offer such a selection. There are no singular natural wonders like mountains or glaciers to see. What I've in prospect is instead a country famous for literature, history and architecture. And there are too many of them to just pick a few! Being far from well-versed in any of these aspects, let's see how much I can appreciate!

10 AM, 26 June, Arvindh's pad

It was my first day in England yesterday. The first couple of impressions I've are that some of the neighbourhoods are straight out of the opening sequence of "The Office". The gray skies, the post-industrial cleanup type of buildings, the cars, the traffic "circles" or "roundabouts". And there seem to be no SUVs! All cars are cars!

Most of the day was spent in Wimbledon. Initially, just seeing the dark green T-shirts of the staff itself was so exciting. We managed to see the last 20-30 minutes of a Sania Mirza doubles match from the sidelines. I was seeing professional tennis for the first time - and from so close! The court seemed small because the players are well built and tall. What a backhand Sania has! They fought back from a losing position and won!

10:50 AM 27 June, On Tramlink - on the way to Wimbledon.

We went sightseeing in London yesterday. I was really really dazzled by the architecture and the detailed workmanship. Now my initial apprehensions that I won't be able to appreciate architecture much are proved unjustified, very happily so! From the shining chrome of Big Ben, to the spires of Houses Of Parliament, to the intricate sculptures in the arches of Westminister Abbey - everything is steeped in history and art.

I spent a couple of hours walking through Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Leicester Square seems to have it all - theater, movies, restaurants, clubs. Nice place to dress up and go to!

11:20 AM 28 June, On the train to Cambridge.

Left home an hour ago thinking I'd go to Stratford-upon-Avon; couple of missed trains later, I knew I wasn't gonna make it. Hence taking advantage of a modern city's transport infrastructure, I was able to switch trains and destinations and now I'm on the way to Cambridge instead. God bless London Underground!

12:50 PM 28 June, Pub - Cambridge Arms

My first British pub experience! It's a nice concept - a place where you can go and get a pint of beer and good food. Not like the American bars/saloons. It's a weekday afternoon here and it seems like everything is super-relaxed. There are a few modern gadgets, but overall the place has a rustic, traditional chilled-out atmosphere.

Yesterday was "the day" at Wimbledon. I saw 2 full matches and the better part of 3 other matches. Nothing much to write about the Mirnyi-Johansson match except a 130mph serve down the "T". All that was visible to me was a puff of chalk rising off the line. Leander Paes was superb - amazing net play, very good under pressure and a very good showman - he pumped up and involved the crowd - something the other Indians (Bhupathi/Sania) didn't do anything about at all. To top it all of, I got to see the last set of Federer-Ferrero match in Centre Court. I'm seeing a live sporting event after a very long time. It feels like the first time I ran into a crowded Chinnaswamy stadium. Excitement, people, noise all around! The experience was very good - resounding applause reduced to a pin drop silence with a gesture of the player ready to serve. Federer is God! I hope he gets some competition though, or else mens' tennis is going to be very one-sided.

6 PM 28 June, Cambridge Railway station

Today was a good day. Spent most of it walking around in Cambridge. It feels like you are entering a time warp here. If somebody came and told you he was going to a lecture by Isaac Newton, you'd believe him. The buildings et al give the place such a historical look - all the dates you see inscribed on buildings are fifteen hundred something, sixteen hundred something.

King's College chapel was fantastic. The high-vaulted ceiling, the beautiful stained glass windows and the ornate stalls gives the place such a great look. For a few moments when I stepped into the chapel, I really had to sit-down and take in all of it.

friends and life

2005-06-04T23:45:13Z

When I was in Bangalore, I used to have groups of long-term friends - people I had known for quite a long while. When I moved here, all the groups seem to have splintered. Of my school friends, a couple of them are pursuing higher studies somewhere in US, a couple of my college friends are working in the US now, couple of them studying. One of them moved out from Bangalore to Pune. And from my work-gang, a couple left Yahoo!, a couple moved here. So basically none of my original friends groups are intact now. From my well settled life of one year ago with family and friends, I'm here building new friendships and stuff.

I've lived in the same house since I grew up and never went to hostel for studies. As a "consequence" of that, all my friends at home were long-time friends. People I had known for years. I had kind of taken friendships for granted. I didn't know it takes some luck/effort/timing to meet the right kind of people and build some history together. Well, I'm learning it now!

Last weekend, we had a reunion of sorts - a couple of my college friends (working in US) met up in San Francisco. Probably at this time a year ago, the three of us would be sitting in a Barista cafe watching people go by. And here we were, sitting in a restaurant in San Francisco. When I left Bangalore, it didn't even look like such a thing would happen for some time - but well - just goes to show how full life is of change and unexpected surprises.

manjesh @ 2005-04-11T11:21:00

2005-04-11T18:22:34Z

Came across this nice introspective "ditty" in a book I'm reading:

I wonder why, I wonder why
I wonder why I wonder
I wonder why I wonder why
I wonder why, I wonder why