Tata Communications WiMax June 24, 2009
Posted by lotusknots in Computing.Tags: Broadband, Tata, Wimax
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Wo..I am impressed with them. I have an unlimited 384 connection. Have heard/read many complaints about their service but I have had a dream run so far. Installation was a jiffy. Forms were collected from me by 2PM at my residence and it was installed at 9AM the next day!
Once my connection dropped and they were quick to escalate it upto their Hyderabad center. It was a widespread server related issue and they were quick to resolve it. They even followed up with me to ensure all was working good. I did not pick up the calls the same day but they were consistent and called me the next day to confirm.
The other day, I went out of station for the weekend and did not use it for two days. Promptly I get a call on my cell to enquire if everything was allright and if my connections were functional. That’s service! Or perhaps they missed one of their top bandwidth eaters 
YTRIA – EZ Tools November 30, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Uncategorized.add a comment
Not sure how many of us use YTRIA EZ Suite of tools. Most Lotus Notes folks would swear by TeamStudio for sure, but YTRIA was a real pleasant discovery for me.
I was once faced with the dilema of “critical” information being lost. Read that as the highest security classification they had for it. We searched high and low in the application database and no trace could be found.
A quick search on this revealed YTRIA and the promise to unlock documents that you did not have READER rights to. Whoa..how is this possible thought I. But then decided to give it a shot. Much to my surprise with Manager access to the application, I could easily locate the missing document in YTRIA! The READERS field had gone corrupted due to improper coding. The developer had the field appending values every time the save was done and redundant values were being stored over and over until it reached the tipping point.
While my free copy did not allow recovery, I was quite amazed by the fact and even recommended this to the client. However, we failed short of recovering the document because it was not available on the standard tool list.
This tool is well worth the money spent and I would say should be in the armory for any Lotus Notes developer. YTRIA is the magic wand that can help you throw some pleasant surprises for your consumers!
Usability: An accelerator for alzheimers? November 28, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Uncategorized.Tags: Alzheimers, Usability Engineering
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I was trying to use the restroom at my clients office the other day and it always confuses me. They have two buildings and the orientation of the men’s / women’s are exactly the opposite in them. This leaves many folks confused and tickles the brain before you enter the rest room. Everyone especially like me, who has to be mobile between the two buildings; has to pause a moment and think “Am I going to the right one?”.
I am a big fan of usability and I drive my team to create applications that are “user friendly”, trying to provide consistent interfaces, actions etc. But in this pursuit have we gone a bit too far? So far that while doing many things we do not have to use the brain but rather our trained muscles that go at the flick? Of course some part of the brain is being used but not something that would cause a significant activity.
Imagine you entering a Toyota or a Honda or a Ford. Consistent placements of controls leave nothing for you to get accustomed to. Or applications/websites that are consistent in their UI and placement of actions or even icons associated with them. These were all refined with much research into human behavior, but have we gone a bit too far? The human brain needs to be constantly tickled or else it degenerates and results in unfortunate situations like Alzheimers.
Should we take a step back and ensure that we take this step away from consistency and devise systems/products that are bound to make people think?
I even heard of a situation where some guy in India got his lips and tongue burnt by taking water from the filter tap that was colored red and equipped with a step switch. Subsequently the faciilities team had to ensure that all machines were then marked as HOT/COLD inspite of the color combination and deterrent step switch.
Would it help us in the battle against diseases like Alzheimers and develop a calculated mayhem in applications, so that our fellow beings have their cognitive skills going for a longer period?
Grand Canyon – upside down November 2, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Hobbies, Travel.Tags: Bright Angel, Grand Canyon
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“Many moons ago when I visited the Grand Canyon it was tempting to buy the T-Shirt that said I hiked the Grand Canyon. But deep down I believed that I had to earn it than pay for it.”
Well nobody turned the canyon, but this is my travelogue of looking up at the Grand Canyon than the regular look downs. I will also try to get you an idea of what you need to prepare with. The National Park Service has excellent information on the trail, facilities and what to do as well as what not to do. So I will not be a bore with a penchant for such triviality.
We have been only upto plateau point, maybe soon we will do Phantom Ranch or try Rim To Rim. 
The Bright Angel Trail was chosen since it was our first trip down and Bright Angel has good access to water, shade and is well maintained.
The feeling of pushing yourself harder
Like many of my fellow Indians, I have always wondered : Why is it that the “Angrez” (Englishmen) have time for all the stuff in the world like doing unimaginable things in the Indian family context. They love the outdoors and do a lot of fancy things in a lot of fancy equipment. My first taste was when Hemant introduced me to the Camelback. normally a hike meant a hike..a short walk as in “Take a hike”. But Camelback brought some stark realities to life with its steep ascents. I have been buried way too much into virtualization. I was out of breath, I was panting and every muscle ached. It kind of became my standard measure – How fast can you climb up, run down (negotiating the boulders and steep ascents) and I have been hooked to it.
The Grand Canyon was no less. My friends were of the opinion that the Grand Canyon was not so steep but a smooth climb but I just kept mum. It was another real eye opener with a 10 hr walk and 3000 feet descent followed by the ascent.
Would I do it again? Yes. Sorry “we” would do it again. Perhaps try new limits and who know..maybe the Himalayas or the Andes one day before I consider myself old.
So much am I thrilled with the conquest of the Grand Canyon that I find it difficult to take any other trail in the vicinity of Phoenix. Most of them say 3-4hrs round trip with a flat trail. Maybe we will try them soon until we find another trail worthy of pushing the limits. Until then, its the Camelback!
Prepare yourself
Grand Canyon is no walk in the National Park if you intend to go down. Else just stick to the Rim trail. Its easy to get yourself into the false feeling of ease as you descend carried away by the spectacular views.
Plateau point, in my opinion is easy for someone who can run 3 miles on the treadmill in 30 minutes without a break. I used to do 2 miles in 30 minutes with a 2 minute break at 15 minutes. Get a feel for the outdoors too. We used to have weekly sessions on the camelback and the final week before the Canyon hike, I almost climbed it twice but with no one joining me for an inspiration I turned back at 1.5 mark. But yeah; you should be doing the Camelback in atleast 1hr up and 30 mins down. Ideally I would say 45 minutes up and 20 minutes down. I was ofcourse in the former.
Invest in a treadmill. There has been no better thing that I bought. We are all busy bees and deal with a variety of emotions. Don’t let work or your state of mind interfere with your trip to the community gym or your paid healthclub. Just hop on whenever you like to but stick to your measurement goals.
The Gear
Lets start with the most important thing on your hike. Your feet!
Invest in a good pair of hiking shoes. Your cross trainer or basket ball shoes are not recommended. Some folks may disagree saying its all in the mind or its a hype. Personally I used to do the Camelback with my Adidas, but I could feel it slipping (I even fell once) and when gravel, slope and sand mix, I had to be careful as walking on ice. I used my Nike cross trainer and the best thing I liked was that my foot could curve easily around the rocks but was not sturdy enough (means you can easily twist or worse break your ankle).
Salomon, Vasque, Merrell, Columbia have good stuff. I stuck to a Salomon for its ventilation (and it was on Sale too ). My first trip to Camelback convinced me that this was a good use of $60 (reg. $75). I was able to run down the stepped area of camelback without the fear of slipping and could feel the wind in my feet cooling all the heat and taking the sweat away. But buy the shoe for the kind of weather/terrain that you are going into. Not a good idea to use a shoe with too much ventilation in cold or wet weather.
Socks, you need to have a good pair of thick socks. I recommend woolen ones, that will help you cushion the walk. You need windproof, moisture wicking clothes. I love Columbia Titanium clothing for this. You can’t iron your clothes of this type but on a trail who cares. Tip, once you wash the clothes do not run it in the dryer. Soak it in water and hang it to dry without wringing the water out.
Scarf: Get a nice cotton scarf. I used a cowboy scarf that I found in Texas. It can serve as a bandana as well as a mask if too much dust is being kicked around. Don’t need a storm, just the feet moving ahead of you can get it up. It can also protect you against the wind in a moderate climate. And finally do not forget the wide brimmed hat with a neck string.
Sunglasses are a good idea and helps reduce the strain on the eyes. A good spray of sunscreen is recommended (Keep applying it every 3 hrs or as recommended).
Now the most important thing of all..your back pack. For day hikes or a one night, invest in a good one that can carry water and hydrate you as you walk (Believe me, the last thing you want to do when tired is remove your pack to get that water bottle out). Also ensure that the bag is big enough to hold most of your stuff and with handy external pockets as well as ties and straps that can hold stuff. I never realised this until I had to remove my jacket. It was 35 at the Rim and 70 down below. I did not have to stuff it in my bag but rather strap it on!
Gloves and hiking poles are highly recommended. Train yourself on the right use of hiking poles. As one reviewer said, its the difference between a 21-Speed bike and one without it. It really helps you by taking the load off your legs and especially when you have to balance yourself. A crash on learning is downhill you extend the pole opposite to your forward foot for braking and uphill use same foot/pole. For steep ascents/descents use it like the ski pole both together.
Additionally you might want to get a first aid kit, whistle, a torch and a firestarter. Don’t think of rushing to CVS but try SportAuthority. They have really lightweight, waterproof first aid kits. Whistle is useful if you get into trouble or want to signal your partners. Its hard to shout out to another person when you are dead tired.
Keep a poncho handy for rains (Dont rely on forecast, local weather can change rapidly). A cheap $1 will be as good as the one you get in amusement parks. Go get yourself a decent one.
The food
“Eat before you are hungry , drink before you are thirsty” commented my colleague when I was eating an Apple Crisp at my desk. He was ofcourse referring to an advice we recieved by a friend of friend who had done the Canyon recently. But we realised that it was crap, the hard way around. Not being seasoned hikers we took the advice seriously and loaded our bags with enough food that can feed an African village for a few days. Here is what I think is optimal
2 bars on the way down. (Apple crisp or fig bar. If you need high energy get some of those)
Lunch. Stick to something light and easy. It will help you save some time. Its a not a picnic. And a fruit. No bananas as it gets squishy. An apple or pear can be a good choice. I recommend the beef jerky. Its salty, dry, light and feels good to chew on when tired.
Supplement your water with a bottle of Gaitorade or an energy drink. This will give you some of the needed salts.
On the way up, you probably can have one food bar and a fruit. I did want to stop, remove my pack and restart again. So plan what you will eat on the way up and put it in easy to access areas. Carry some electrolyte chews. That would be easier than reaching out for a bottle of Gaitorade. Why not fill your Hydration system with Gaitorade you might ask, but that is not recommended as it can be hard to clean out your tubes.
2Liters of water should be good enough to Plateau Point. I would have used about 1.5liters but the weather was cool on our day. It was forecasted for 35/18 and we were in thermals dealing with 70/32
No we did not do a separate breakfast, but ate a hearty dinner on the day before and treated myself to a double whopper with cheese after the hike.
The trek
Plan to start as early as you can. You will need the torch. We targeted 5.30A and finally started out at 6.30.
At 6.45 AM we were at the BrightAngel Trailhead with full of gusto and went down in a breeze reaching Indian Gardens by 9.30 A. The view here is awesome. 
Who can imagine that such a beautiful green patch can exist in this arid terrain. Looking up at the Rim you understand that you see something that not many experience.
From here to Plateau Point is not as easy as made out in the hiking guide. There is no shade, it a real desert and an unforgiving terrain even thought is a flat terrain.
But the reward at the end of this is the O in the you know what. Sitting atop Plateau point, listening to the howling wind that can blow your bag away, taking in the sights of the GrandCanyon with a 360 view, 
the lush green colored Spirit Trail (thats the Colorado River) makes it a trip of a lifetime. 
We were there by 10.45A making it 4 hours to the target from the RIM. You can save some time, if your food is light and photo stops are limited or non existent.
On the way up reaching the 3 mile rest house (Thats 3 miles from the RIM and 3 miles from PP) I was already exhausted. By the time I reached the 1.5 mile resthouse I was totally fagged out and one of my thigh muscles pulled scaring me if I could make it. Thanks to my trekking poles, I would not have made it otherwise.
Watch out for the mule trains. The scarf comes in handy as it kicks up quite a bit of dust. One lady on the mule jovially asked me…is it the smell or the dust?
The final 1.5 mile up was nothing short of a crucible. You need to beleive in yourself to get out of this mammoth. Each step that I took was strenous and it took a lot of moral support to get out. If you are in a group make sure that you are in a considerate team that changes pace as you do and not race ahead. Also be considerate and slow down for your partners. Ideally if you are in a large group pair yourself up. There is no booty, citation or prize to be earned. Its all about the experience. But those who do exactly that I think is in the eagerness to get through with this ordeal.
Of course, you will meet folks who would be just running up or moving smoothly. But they my friend are in a much better physical condition. But most of the time you would be passing someone only to see them pass when you rest and the cycle continues to the top.
The Kolb Studio is a welcome sight because thats when you know you are about to end this ordeal. In fact you start smelling it a lot earlier when you see the casual tourists wandering down.
The Euphoria is great once you are back at the top. People look at you with respect with all your gear and shoes covered in dust. Its no ordinary feat and you have earned it!
To complete; I rushed to the gift shop to buy my “I hiked the Grand Canyon” tee and I wear it proudly!
Will I do it again? Yes I will. Will it tire me out again? Yes it will. But I will try to keep pushing the limit.
To corroborate my previous post- This is in part from my iPhone seizing the inspirational moment as I woke up in bed. Was not patient to get my laptop booted
iPhone-Stop cribbing start experiencing November 2, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Finally after many months of deliberation and evaluation of reviews, I finally decided to take the jump. Now I am also into the iPhone club. Many a sites and reviews exist on the iPhone but let me try to address some issues why people think it is not a so cool device.
1. The buying process
About six months ago I was about to take the plunge to an iPhone but my friend said wait for 3G launch in July 08. Not wanting to end up with an obsolete technology, I wait patiently and by then many an imitator also launches to the market.
And while deliberating the serious contender was the BlackBerry Storm. To me, it was not important to have business features. I needed an internet communication device with entertaintment features and phone capabilities. The Storm was bulkier and the browser in Storm was not commented to be as good as Safari. And I had a chance to use my colleagues LG Touchphone which was a far cry from the iPhone. They did have a touch phone but there ended the similarity. That tilted it and I shot the note to my ATT account manager.
2. The email from a relative
My relative got an email from a friend (whom I seriously think is a friend of a friend or a forwarded note) stating umpteen reasons why the iPhone is crap and Apple is evil. I could not help but respond to such a note about a company that is all about innovation and revolutionary products (otherwise I feign a deaf ear to such notes). As my friend in Apple Valley said..the only thing he now regrets is not buying Apple shares when Steve Jobs took the reigns.
Ok here were some of the items on the list
No AD2P…..Blak…Thats A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) that allows stereo transmission on Bluetooth. From the posts I read, it is definitely supported by the hardware, just that the software is not yet in place. Or you can do after market dongles to help you “stereo” your bluetooth world.
Can’t share files via bluetooth.
Well this device is way ahead of the conventional phones. How many times do you use Bluetooth on your laptop to share files other than to your mobile. This devices opens up the internet and possibilities are endless. Why restrict yourself? Sorry..maybe other phones are not there in this space yet and they need the bluetooth. To me the future seems to be mobile devices connected to the internet and exchanging stuff much like P2P connections or like your chat software.
No copy paste
Again something that can be easily done by software and demonstrated by applications that were killed by Apple. anyways its coming to you soon <http://www.intomobile.com/2008/07/25/iphone-copy-paste-hiding-right-under-our-noses.html> Just a software upgrade aware (Not an expensive hardware upgrade)
The icing was the resistance to iTunes. In a market where piracy is rampant, Apple had found an excellent way to do Digital Rights Management and I am not complaining. Would you like someone to steal your music or copyrighted software?
And so on goes many items which I do not want to elaborate. The key here is that most of them are all a software upgrade away and not an expensive hardware upgrade.
This device is way ahead of its time and in this googlized world as long as you have a device to connect to the internet and a browser that can serve its content well; everything is just an upgrade away as we apply more and more open standards to the web.
Viva la iPhone! (Err…I am having a hard time deciding on the type of case I would like for it)
Save XP for now! April 21, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Sharepoint vs Domino.add a comment
More I look at Sharepoint, more it seems to me that its trying to imitate Lotus Notes albeit within the Microsoft Space. There is no comparison to Lotus Notes and my belief was strengthened when a client who was addressing us in one of our forums (circa 2005) said about the implementation of the Lotus Workplace: “Your new product does not have any competition to live up to, in the sense of an external competitor; but rather look inwards and give us the best of Lotus Notes”.
For Sharepoint is strictly within the MS domain and the hold they have on the market with Windows and MS-Office along with many ex-Blue associates might help them pull it off. But theirs is a different problem. If Lotus Notes had a tough time warding off the wannabe geeks in the backoffice (yeah..so easy that a caveman could do it, as Geico advertises), Sharepoint does not seem to have that flexibility. We have seen some really eager beavers in the business side trying for exceptions to have LN Designer installed and start shooting applications from the hip. Can Sharepoint help them? Ok, so Lotus Notes causes a governance issue. Well, thats a policy and policing area, and do not mix it with ease of development.
But with each version and release of Microsoft apps thirsting for more and more resources on the machines, would we get to a tipping point? I read in AZ republic that a manufacturer in Europe introduced MS-free laptops. No, it was not Apple/Mac but Linux based. Can business desktops be far away? A shift has been made and I hope that it will work its way through for the better.
A popular technical journalist has even started a campaign to Save XP and resist the migration to Vista. Yes, I agree..Vista sucks. I got my wife a Compaq base model and it was crying hoarse with the 512 RAM it came with. What was Compaq thinking when they sold it to me? I had to rush to Circuit City and install a 1GIG to get a decent work done. (Unfortunately, the memory does not expand beyond 1 GIG). Still my wife curses it and pesters me for a Thinkpad (hopefully XP). Well, I am more inclined to the AirBook!
I have MS-Office installed on my machine, but apart for my clients tasks I do not use MS-Office at all. Very rarely do I need a word editor. Most of it is done on email or Rich text editors in the browser. Or I have Lotus Symphony, which gives me functions for 99% of my current needs. And with most offices having Browser based or Mainframe applications if they just switched MS-Office out, the need for Windows goes away (thanks to Firefox) and things can tip over.
Many corporates are not yet ready for Vista, unless they upgrade the entire hardware. And with Linux based OS I guess they can save big time on infrastructure too!
For now let me get ahead and sign up on SAVE XP! Yeah, I can’t switch over just easily. My wife’s employer tells her that she needs IE to run the software that she uses for her work!
Alvin and the Chipmunks April 20, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Uncategorized.add a comment
Part of my TGIF routine, is to stop by the local RedBox and pick up a couple of movies. Yeah, two movies over a night, its kind of a pressure. But anyone who raised a 5 year old should be able to correlate. The challenge is not find what we can watch but what my Lil Brat needs to see. And choosing a good one from the Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks kinda pack is a challenge as we have to sit through it too.
This weekend I was lucky as I found Alvin and the Chipmunks to be available easily. Normally I book it on their website before pickup. Its a good family watch and entertains you all around. Do not expect a Cars or Nemo, but I guess such kids movies are like kids themselves. Each “movie” is special.
But the best part I of it that made me write this is a part that I have experienced in real life. In one of the scenes Jason Lee a.k.a Dave Seville is woken up to the tunes of Sponge Bob Square Pants ….Whooooo lives in a pineapple, under the sea! while the chipmunks entertain themselves. My wife and I could not help laughing at each other as any lazy Saturday and Sunday morning (when we try to sleep into 9AM) are broken by the same tunes.
And today, since she woke me up a tad bit late for our hike onto Camelback; we slumbered again only to be woken up to…
Well, if you were looking for a review, I would say its nice, cute and neat. Kids should love it. But as adults we might beg to differ. It definitely is not the best but is a good watch as family time.
Next big thing that I look to is WALL.E, Pixar has a reputation to exceed!
Finding Andalasia in Carlsbad, CA April 18, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Travel.1 comment so far
Have you ever thought of stopping at a traffic light, step aside and watch the lights go green-orange-red-green? Any person thinking so must be out of his mind. Can we correlate this in our current life, perhaps not! We have to rush from one signal to another, one office to another, juggling work and personal life. It is no irony that Queen Narissa pushed Giselle and exclaimed that she banished her to a place where there are no “Happily ever afters”
Or maybe not, perhaps there are these pockets on this planet that allow you to indulge in yourself. We keep searching for in our urban spaces , for 
those little islands of joy, pockets of nature searching for our own Andalasia’s.
Thats what I chanced upon during my touristy trip to San Diego and LA in winter. I heard a lot about Highway 101 and my navigator was not that great or enthusiastic about my visions of driving alongside the sea, that I missed the turns and ended up on I-5 to LA.Should have trusted that to my Garmin but I was lazy to figure out how to make it respond to alternate routes.
Driving on I-5 with fleeting glimpses of the beaches and the lagoons, I could not resist the temptation. Hell with the GPS and my emotionless navigator, I will trust my sense of direction and go west pulling off the I-5. Behold a beautiful town with laid back houses and a calm beach. 
We are on 101 Highway, with no notion of it. Now I go northward and I was sure to reach my destination of LA. But something in me had changed. I knew I had found my Andalasia in Carlsbad and had to come back. The sojourn was broken when we hit the Marine Corps base and had to hit the I-5 again.If I put my sense of direction in again, the group travelling with us would have been discomforted and I zoomed into Universal Studios at the city of the Los(t) Angel(e)s.
Returning to the life we know, we carry out one more quarter and the chance for another escapade poised in the form of Spring Break.Looking at the reservations, it was hard to find something within budget and on the shoreline. The only worthwhile hotel within my wallet is gone while me and my wife debate. Well..have no fear…my deus ex machina turned up in the form of Hotels.com that got me the room at the same hotel even though it was sold out on the hotelgroups website.
Don’t miss this good place which is not so expensive!
It was 3 days of bliss. We got to visit the Flowerfields, a real sight to behold and get some nice pictures that you can hangup. Lazy mornings sipping coffee and watching the ocean or a trot along the shoreline. Not much of shopping can be done, as all of them close up early. By the time you soak the sunset and return to the pathways of the little town, everybody has downed their shutters. Well, have no fear…there are plenty of places for beers, margaritas and loads of food at not so expensive prices…Well be prepared to shell out atleast 30 for 2, or you can stick to Subway.
The chandelier at Los Cabos speaks volumes of the atmosphere. A busy tavern! And a great bartender…A lovely mohito he made for me!
My treat was not yet laid out before me. Enjoying the sun and surf, I thought its time to check out Mt. Palomar. I wanted to see the revered telescope that has done much for mankind as well as get a glimpse of the highlands of California and the areas ravaged by the wildfires. Little did I expect to see what I did. As I was driving through the curves of S6 shifting my sportronic, I hear the distinctive vrooms of superbikes and behold, they pass me on the curves at heart racing speeds with knees scraping the asphalt. What a sight that got me pounding too and in a bid to scream the engine I shifted to 1 and the car sputtered at 5000 RPM reminding me of my state. These were not the grand bikers (aka Harley thunders) of Arizona but the nippy zippy jap bikes.
Researching later in the comfort of my room, I realised that S6 is avoided by normal travellers due to the bikers and their temerarious driving almost always on the wrong side of the yellow band. But I just loved watching them, being a biker myself during my younger days. I guess my longest was a 7 hr ride . I need to get my AZ M license, a NightRod and hit the free road on Devil’s Route , Route 666 in AZ.
If you love gradients and curves, I would recommend the S6 and Mt Palomar. 
Do not forget your SLR on Saturdays and stop where you can park the car to get some excellent pictures of these mavericks. There is a restaurant and store at the top where all these guys convene. You can beg someone to lend their bike for a photo, which my wife wanted me to do. I did not dare mess with a biker who has the attitude…Wife, maybe…My bike..NEVER!
Mount Palomar observatory was an experience that was revering. Reminding me of how amateur I am in astronomy. The guide was kind enough to get me into the telescope room and get direct pictures of it. Standing in a place where Mr.Hubble did research was an overwhelming experience for someone who wanted to be an astronomer. The bad part is that the telescope is not available for general public viewing at night unlike Flagstaff. 
This is pretty serious business that can link to the future of mankind and researchers book their time well in advance. Also it is really chilly as it is always stored at nighttime temperatures. The smell of oil and sight of tools and instruments made me reminisce my Physics lab during college.
Be careful about your drive, as it was difficult to get the route on GoogleMaps. Not sure if GPS can pinpoint this and on my way back, I took a couple of wrong turns and ended up in Pauma Valley. To my suprise, we had lunch at a fantastic Mexican restaurant tucked away in the mountains. The EL REY restaurant on Highway 76 in Pauma Valley gave me some good mexican food and one of the best margaritas I tasted on this trip. I liked the building too, though constructed in Mexican/Southern style I could draw many parallels to buildings in Kerala and Goa, India. There was plenty of fresh air flowing around and the cool shades made it a wonderful experience.
We then zipped back into Carlsbad for another round of surf n sand 
and did not want to miss the sunset. Although I lived my entire life on a coastal town, I do not remember watching the sunset. But now I do remember my sunsets at Carlsbad and Santa Monica, which are also captured on my G9!
Mornings can be chosen to be either lazy or you could do a brisk walk or jog on the shoreline. But if you are into it, then surfing is a better option. I will learn it for sure on my next trip to California. But then, I have to learn to swim before I do that.
Near the Flowerfields we have seen some fresh strawberry stalls. So on our way out we decided to get some fresh stuff into Phoenix. Much to my surprise it was right next to a large Strawberry field. 
Coming from a country where a strawberry is considered a luxury, it was a pleasant photo-op. But let me quote a conversation between my wife and her colleagues, one of whom was on vacation from Ireland.
Ireland Return: Wow…do you know that we have apples growing in our backyard?
Indian colleague: Whats the great deal? If the Irish come to India they would say WoW..Jackfruit.
By the way, jackfruit grows in plenty in Kerala and during summer its considered more of a nuisance.
All said and done, it was time to bid farewell to Andalasia (Carlsbad) and return to Phoenix. Do not miss the Imperial Sand Dunes. 
Be careful when you wander to the Southern side of the dunes. Its real close to Mexico.
Now I am back in my rigors overcoming the abulia that had set when a piece of me was dying to hit the open road again; waiting for my next trip and discover another beautiful countryside. Meanwhile, I dream about Californication and the salubrious weather!
Atop the hump of the camel: Dosage for nature deficit disorder : Camelback Mountain Phoenix, AZ March 5, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Hobbies, Travel.4 comments
Then a mechanic setup a garage near my lane and with every rain the water would be tainted with thick black oil that was drained from the engines. That ended my fun in the rain water and perhaps more than that, the legacy that I could have passed on to my children. They might not know what it is to explore nature than to watch it on TV or a guided trip to the the Zoo or a wildlife camp. The thrill of going into the unknown, discovering nature on your own is something which we are perhaps losing too fast growing up in the steel-glass-concrete jungles with overdoses of Nick, CNET and Disney.
This feeling of nostalgia was triggered by my recent break from the monotonous and drudgery that my life had become. E-Mail, IM, Project plans, Design Documents, Quality Control, Innovation, Value add to customer. But my friends have we “the committed individuals” taken a step back and thought about the value add that we bring to ourselves. You too have the right to live an enriched life and not feel guilty about it. Take the time off, connect to nature. We are losing it at a pace faster than we imagine sitting on our couches and wondering if global warming is a hoax, while polar bears are drowning as the ice melts.
If that did not get you, let me quote Benjamin Bankes (feedthepig.org): One of things things to ensure that you have enough savings is to ensure your health in old age. The largest expenses will be healthcare related in your retirement years and no amount of saving while you earn or investments can really help you prepare for that. Yes, that jolted me out of the rut and together with my personal nurse Dee assigned from my insurance company, I am trying to get myself back to fighting fit.
So much thoughts triggered by my hike atop the hump of the camel. Well, that’s CAMELBACK mountain for you. I live in Phoenix, the Valley of the sun (or valley of fire in summer or the area with so much dry heat that we have dry rain). Was wondering how do we connect to nature over here unless you drive to Sedona (ah so beautiful) or the Ponderosa dotted Coconino forests. We even tried a hike on North mountain which ended up much like sex with out an orgy. We could not simply find a way to the peak. Maybe we took the wrong trail. So with low expectations we decided to trek Camelback mountain on its Echo Canyon trail. The website said 1.2 miles and strenuous.
I can do it, I thought to myself. Should be a breeze as I run three miles an hour on my newly acquired treadmill. So I wake up early on a Sunday with Captain Morgan leaving me in a dizzy after a Saturday night duel. The sounds of dawn was so inspiring with all the bird chatter and it struck me with wonder: What a welcome change from the blaring sirens and whoosh of cars that pass by. Grab a bottle of VitaminWater and hop in the car for the short drive to the trailhead. We decided that only 500ml of water was needed and leave one bottle in the car and we start out. Oh my, this is a hike, it has log steps on the mountain and we have beautiful views with a fantastic sunrise over the valley. Should be a pleasant walk in the park..ahem walk atop the mountain.
I am already panting whilst the regulars just breeze past me in a jog. Then I see a steep rock that you have to tackle to get any further. Luckily they have a railing to hold onto. 
Else you would need your rope and hooks unless you are Mowgli! just kidding, I saw one lady move so swiftly without the rails.
Once we negotiated it, I was almost dehydrated! Captain had left me dry and I forgot to hydrate myself before I left home and now we were left with a small bottle with two guys and just 3/8th of the mile to the summit covered.
As we went up it was more and more nature. You were just scrambling atop the rocks, negotiating steep climbs, pulling the tired leg muscles against the rocks and gravitational pull. 
It took me and my friend a good 2 hrs to reach to the summit and there was not a single party that did not overtake us. Most of the times, I just politely ask them to move ahead as I am too busy crawling. So we stop plenty of times along the way taking in the scenic views of the valley and that of Camelback. Somewhat like the rock formations of Sedona, Camelback has so many wind carvings on it. 
At points, I wondered, is this what the Bamiyan looks like in Afghanistan. I am sure it must be even more exciting for reasons quite obvious to the well read.
Finally the summit was worth the effort. Its like having a 360 view of the valley from Tempe to Skyharbor to Scottsdale to Glendale and a summit indeed it is. My first summit scaled! We even had a bunch of Army Strong guys who ran up the peak and staked their team flag on it.
It has left my legs aching for two days but I am sure I would love to do it again. This time with my family as I believe this can be a step to reconnect with nature and get our dose for the NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER.
The Southern California quick draw guide January 4, 2008
Posted by lotusknots in Travel.Tags: LA, Phoenix, Roadtrip, San Diego
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We recently did a SoCal road trip from Phoenix and let me share my experiences with you, hopefully to your benefit; if you are crunched on time and need to cover the must haves.This takes 6 days with all haves or 4 days covering most of the attractions.
I might be judging wrong in some areas, but if you have any questions feel free to shoot them across. I also suggest that you go around in the summer time when the days are longer.
Lesson1: Carry a GPS unit with you. They come real cheap these days or use the one that comes from the car rental. I prefer/suggest your own as that would be a touchscreen unit than the bulky cumbersome to enter unit of Hertz. You can also carry the GPS unit with you while roaming around.
GPS is a big time saver and on a roadtrip where you are crunched for time, this is a boon. I used a Garmin C330 Street Pilot and it faithfully brought me on time to each location. When I miss a turn, it corrects quickly whereas your cheap GPS..aka Googlemaps printout will leave you stranded . Alternately you can rent the GPS as we did, but I consider it dumb as cost of two 7 day drips can help you own one!
Lesson 2: Carry a tripod even if you are in a group. Not everyone can take good photos as good as you or have the photographic eye. So set your camera, compose your shot and click with the timer. Atleast, I did not have to go behind folks requesting for a picture. Some folks are real gems. They even offer to take your picture voluntarily. Also night shots require a real steady hand (Most of us wont have it unless a gulp or two goes down or you have a heavy camera)
Start with San Diego. If you are driving down; arrive the night before to get some good rest before the mayhem begins.
Day1: Arrive early at the San Diego Zoo. Hop onto the bus, have a quick glance. Then move over to the reptiles and onto the SeaLion show. Make sure you note the timings and plan your fillers accordingly. Hop onto the Skyfari, get down at the farthest point and watch the animals including polar bears, hippos and do not lose sight of the next animal show.
You should be out by 3, if you stick to a tight plan and use takeouts for munching. If you would like to, stroll around in Balboa park or visit the museums nearby. Or if you are fascinated by Ships and water, rush off to Mission Bay to the Maritime museum. (This is open till 8). This is right next to the cruise ship berth. You can see the Start of India, HMS Surprise (used in Master and Commader) and also board a Russian submarine. For 3$ extra they even give you a spin on the bay in a boat and I suggest you purchase the ticket with that option.
The bay at night is a good photo op and if you are a camera enthusiast you can get some good pics.
Day2: Hit Seaworld, watch the dolphins,sharks, skyride over the bay, watch Shamu. If you are there to take pics stay out of the soak zone and climb to higher dryland. This takes around 1 full day. Keep a watch on the sunset timings and if you can break off an hour earlier, rush off to Coronado Island. You can see the historic Coronado Hotel as well as watch the sunset. Take a chair along if you would like some solitude or you can rush to a dinner cruise. Parking might be a bit tad on Coronado, so dont count on parking really close to Coronado hotel.
If you are on a total San Diego experience you could spend a day more and bike around or Kayak the La Jolla caves and also board the Aircraft carrier but this article is dedicated to the traveller who must see everything in a jiffy.
Day 3: Rush to Universal, LA. This takes one full day and can be well into 6P when you come out. Make sure you get all your pictures and city walk is not an absolute must if you need to the rest of the must haves. You can drive around Beverly Hills and walk around Rodeo Drive for the evening. I guess I saw some maps in a store that show you which stars stay where! Okei, your legs are aching and you are dead tired. Get to hotel and a hot tub. Sip some wine, eat and rest or get to your vampire avatar.
Day 4: Disneyland – ONLY if you have not seen this elsewhere or are not planning on an Orlando trip. It takes a full day and in the end you wait for the fireworks (depends on your luck with the weather conditions; but worth the wait if it happens) and to see the light parade.
Alternate:
Start the day with Hollywood forever cemetery. You get a fantastic view of the Hollywood sign except that it is marred by the electric cables or you can go to Highlands Mall. In my itinerary it comes last (nightfall and the sign is not illuminated). You might not want to leave LA without an original photo of the most photographed celebrity of LA!
You can then move to the La Brea Tar Pits, watch the tar and bubbling lake. The Page Museum has fossils on exhibit.
Hit Marina Del Ray to get some beautiful pics of a nice marina! You have plenty of pay and park right next to the Marina at about 3$ an entry.
Next is Santa Monica beach. I am pretty much a beach lover and ended spending more time than intended over there. We reached around 1.30 and wound up with the Sunset. Sunset on the SM pier is a must see. The pier extends 1200 feet into the pacific! Learn your camera manual controls and use the tripod to have some memorable photos of the sunset.
Upon sunset you can dust off the sand and move onto Hollywood Ave. Kodak Theater, Graumans Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame, Wax Museum, Ripleys etc…You need to check the timings (daytime only) if you want a tour of the theaters. Otherwise everything else is pretty much open. Make sure you carry $1 bills to tip the street artists. You can get pictures with Batman, Spiderman, Zorro etc as well as see some street musicians.
You can choose to hit the hotel again or drive down if you are in a 4-6 hrs vicinity. Make sure there is an additional driver to take over when you sing “ I’m tired and I wanna go to bed”. If you like thriller rides, rest a night and go to Six Flags before turning back.
