Euro Tour

My wife and I we went on the trip of our life in June-2008. We visited Paris and Italy (Venice, Florence, Pisa and Rome) the trip started 20-Jun and we returned back to London on 30 Jun. Following a super duper Scotland trip we decided to plan our tour ourselves and what a nice idea it was as we googled upon awesome and free audio tours by ricksteeves.com (more about this a bit later)
Here is tour iternary in short:
20-June Land in Paris, Eiffel at night
21-June Chataeu de versailes
22-June Disneyland
23-June Historic Paris walk as per ricksteeves.com audio guide and on top of Eiffel at night
24-June Land in Venice, St. marks square
25-June Venice- Grand canal ride, St. mark bascila. Travel to Florence. Historic tour of Florence at night
26-June Uffizi and Academia gallery in Florence, travel to Pisa at night and view Leaning tower
27-June Leaning tower of Pisa in the morning and travel to Rome-
28-June Rome- Colloseum, Forum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps
29-June Vatican
30-June Back to London
I will update this with more details

Scotland Trip- 1st week May 2008

Scotland Trip- 1st week May 2008
This was one of the best Birthday I ever had, little consolation to the fact that this is my last B day in the twenties. True to our belief the trip was self planned and all the details were decided by us. My wife and I spent a good amount of time on the internet in order to plan out the holiday. The time spent was worth the effort and this was on e of the best trips I have had, the drive in the highlands and around the lakes (called as loch in Scotland) was breathtaking.
The summary details of the trip are as follows:

02-May night Departed from London on landed in Edinburgh.
03-May Edinburgh local sight seeing
04-May Drove to Glasgow in the morning, drove to fort William in the evening
05-May Visit to isle of skie and night stay at fort william
06-May Travel to Inverness in the morning and take flight back to London in the evening.

I will post the details as an update

Indian Glue

What is that one thing without which India would collapse? Become a failed nation? It is a small and simple philosophy something that is so ingrained in us that we take it for granted, it is so basic to or nature that we tend to ignore it and we are ignoring it more than we can handle. I strongly feel the nation needs a dose of messages to reinforce that philosophy. So what is this philosophy which I am building up so much? It is simply Diversity. Our ability as a nation to historically co exist as different people, co exist and flourish in our own cultures and traditions. To be happy living our culture and not trying to impose my culture on others. We are increasingly become less tolerant to diverse points of view, to the extent that even the most feeble sign of descent is crushed upon with such immense force that no one ever dare to oppose the majority opinion.
If you do not believe, here is an example. Just a few days back the editor of a newspaper got the wrath from Shiv sena for expressing his opinion that Shivajis statue should NOT be made in the middle of Arabian Sea and that government should spend its forces in other areas. Such a simple thought. I mean no disregard for Shivaji and have as much respect for him as a national hero as any one else claims. Sadly I do not live in Mumbai but I can safely say that if the government can spend half of the money it plans to use to build the shivaji statue, for developing Mumbai road, drainage etc. The people will never say no and I am sure that the MP from Mumbai will be re elected. And this is just my view, if you do not like it, then fine let us discuss it. But having different view is not incorrect and the way our society is progressing it is not able to tolerate differences in opinion. I feel that the root of this animosity to diverse opinion is our failure to accept that India can become successful only when we sustain our diversity. But diversity should not be misunderstood as minority appeasement, in fact I feel that we staring loosing our openness to diversity from the time we started minority appeasement. Look back at out history, what did the British do? They tried to divide us as a nation to rule successful, and they have been bloody successful at that. Even today we spend millions on weapons to settle Kashmir and India is suffering as it faces other issues inspired/supported by Pakistan, while Pakistan is moving on a fast train to be called as “failed nation”. In a way cricket is a face of our nations (Ind and Pak), see how bad the Pak team is now, from and era in mid 90’s when they were unbeatable. Just imagine a combined India-Pak team no country in the world could defeat us- allrounders like Kapil and Imran bowlers like wasim and waqar, batsmen like sunil gavaskar, javed miandad, fielders like azhar....

Calling your parents to UK

UPDATE 2- The Visa Applicaiton asks you to clarify which type of Visa is requried. For my parents I selected "Family Vistor Visa".

UPDATE 1- Good news- my parents got their Visa and are presently in UK. we are having a nice time. Read ahead how I went about it.- Calling your parents to UK.

I am in UK on Workpermit along with my wife on dependent Visa and recently arranged for my parents to come to UK on family visitor visa from India. They have little knowledge of the internet and so I had to make most of the arrangements online from London and took help from my cousin in getting the print out of the stuff. I had lot of searching to do for the getting the visa and guessing there might be more people like me who would want help, I am putting together a step by step of how to get you parents on family visitor visa done.

1. Book your flight tickets early. This ensures you get good fares and also the visa office knows that your parents are sure of coming back to India. Booking can be done from UK or India.
2. Book an appointment with VFS for the visa interview, make sure you give yourselves enough time (10-15 days) to send all the docs and help your parents with the visa completion.
3. Get all the required documentation (checklist provided below), send them to India. I sent across scanned copies and VFS were ok with the print out.
4. Discuss the form section by section and help them complete the form, I asked my parents to first fill with pencil and then finalize the form after discussion. Update 2- The form asks you to clarify which type of Visa is requried. For my parents I selected "Family Vistor Visa".
5. Once the VFS interview is done and you await the arrival of passport, prepare a checklist of things you want them to bring along and things they need to complete before coming to UK. Some examples- get Chest X Ray and if you have ailing parent make sure they get all their medicines
6. Before they take off every one should know where to meet in the airport.
7. Ask you parents to carry GBP.
8. They should keep your contact numbers handy.

Checklist
There are two sets of document-
Required from the sponsor- person in UK
Required from your parents- person in India
I have listed each in detail, please drop a comment if you need any clarification.
Required from the sponsor
1. Sponsor letter- this is a letter in which you invite them to UK and give everyone passport details. Sample which I used:
------------------------------------------Start--------------------------------------------------
Statutory Declaration

This is a declaration that I Srikant Suddekunte currently working full-time for ABCD Technologies Limited in London and having the following details:

Passport Number: Bxxxxxx
Date of Birth: xx-xxx-19xx
Residing at:
Would like to invite my parents, and , with the following details:
1) Name:
Passport Number: Fxxxxx
Date of Birth: xx-xxx-xxx
Residing at:

2) Name:
Passport Number: Fxxxxxxx
Date of Birth: xx-xxx-19xx,
Residing at:
to a holiday in the United Kingdom. I hereby solemnly declare that I undertake to provide accommodation and full assistance to my parents, and , during their visit to UK on holidays. I enclose my recent bank statements and pay slips to show that I can afford to do this. I make this declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the Statutory Declaration Act 1835.
Docs enclosed:
1. Bank statement copy
2. Payslips copy
3. Work permit copy
4. Passport copy
5. Tenancy Agreement
For further information, I can be contacted via phone on 0044xxxxxxxxxx or via email at <email id>
Signed by Sponsor: Date:
Place
--------------------------------------------End-------------------------------------------------

2. Tenancy agreement- Sponsors rental agreement
3. Sponsors payslips
4. Sponsors bank statement
5. Sponsors work permit
6. Sponsors passport copy containing the visa page
I scanned the above docs and sent it across via email.

Required from your parents
1. Passport
2. Photographs
3. Proof marriage ( example passport entries or ration card)
4. Proof income
5. Pension certificate
6. Bank passbook
7. Proof of property (if any)

Once you know all the steps its a simple process. As you would have noticed I have not given any hyperlink, try googling it should be easy.

Suggestions:
1. Booking early means that you have decided their duration of stay. If it is too short then they will miss out on some of the sights in UK but a long trip may also be not a good idea as they might get bored after 3-4 months.
2. Blocking tickets is another option, but we kind of wanted to do everything on our own.
3. Confirmed return tickets gives surety to Visa office that they plan to come back to India.

If you have any doubts leave a comment I will try to respond back to you.

Women Power-WCP

Oppression of women, equality of sexes, women’s lib (eration) and what have you. There is so much talk about injustice being done to women ( all of which I agree with) why not talk about the innate power which most of the women can and do yield. It is literally in your face and we never talk about it (I know it may leave you speechless but some one has to speak about it some time and this time it is me) it is the Cleavage Power which all women yield. One can easily say it is more of a western phenomenon and not so much true in India but my experiences suggest that things are fast catching up (or shall I say hem line is fast going down).
So what is this Cleavage Power all about? When do when women use it? Why do they use it? What can we men do to fight it? Well let’ start with the dress, these days ladies dress is shrinking from both ways – top and bottom. While it is their right to wear what they want, I just want to ask why is it not the right of guys to see what they want? A recent e-mail discussion we had amongst a close group of friends was about this photo of a few Indian cricketers staring at the carelessly exposed mid riff of an Indian cricket fan. All the ladies in the group were gaga about a senior player who choose to ignore it while the young lads in the team were ogling away to glory oblivious of the paparazzi. My only question is that when the girl has all the right to wear any kind of dress she likes, why cannot the guys look at what they like? Why is it unethical for the guys to stare at the same areas which the girls want to expose? Is it some kind of exam or quiz or a challenge? I believe it is this right to behave in this unethical manner and then use it to your benefit should be called as Cleavage Power.
Women use this as the last line (pun intended) of defence when they feel they are not getting their way they just yield the power (how it is yielded is left to readers imagination). What can men do? Well to be fair Men cannot go Scot free in this power game, they have time and again shown their vulnerability to this kind of Power. This dates back to mythology when one of the dancers from Lord Indira’s court was sent to Earth to break the meditations of a saint on Earth. I feel it is time for the men to accept and play this power game. The Art of war clearly says that draining your opponent’s strength is one way to victory. So I would suggest that we men let women yield the CP and let them think that they are successful in it and once their powers are drained we continue with our regular work as if nothing has happened. The next time a woman calls a man MCP, we have a response-stop using WCP.

3 decades of life

As the London Sun sets much later these day. Days become longer; I am nearing the end of 3 decades of life on Earth. 3 decades oh my God (yeah you remember him when you get such shocks) mom said son you should have a son, I sit up and wonder - am I past my youthful life- the best part of life? Am I now well and truly an uncle? Hairline has not gone back very much and the grey hair pops once in a while (and mysteriously disappears) the ponch refuses to reduce in size. We have stopped fitting with each other coz we know how the other person behave and what s/he wants (this is a real achievement but it was very easy). Do I take this in a stride and say I can now enjoy another phase in life or mourn that I am past my best. Some one please tell me what is there to look up in the 4th decade in life?

@ changes

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

London Bridge has not fallen down

Thank God "London Bridge has fallen down" did not happen. This was a tune I used to play in my Schoold Band and the whole school used to march past to that (I am sure they never cared to know about it). First weekend in London and we decided to check if the bridge was still intact despite all the cacophony we used to create. The Bag piper is what I used to play ( not drink please I am strict non drinker- of whisky, its rum for me). This piece of useless history apart, standing on London Bridge was a real great feeling, you can see the forcefull Thames river beneath and the Tower Bridge at a distance.

Smoking in London

No! I am not back to smoking again. But during the first few days in London, I cannot but notice the huge number of smokers. My God! This city is full of them. Seems smoking makes them forget their civic sense (no wonder they get kicks from smoking) and they throw the cigi butts all around. It is called as the financial capital is it also the smokers paradise ?

Widening Bangalore-Bellary Road or shifting bottle necks?

Any one who has come towards North Bangalore must have surely experienced the Hebbal flyover. Though normal by International standards, but by Indian and more specifically Bangalore standards it is a nice piece of work and the most scenic part of the journey is the view of the Hebbal Lake on the left. As some one who has seen and stayed North part of Bangalore much before the flyover came into existence. I must confess the construction was never delayed and it came up just about the right time, unlike other structures in Bangalore which come up much after the need is felt. But are the things really rose? Don’t we face problems as other road construction projects in Bangalore? Honest answer- Yes and No.Yes once you are on the flyover. A big no before you hit the flyover. There is big bus stop just before the Flyover and the road s not very broad. So you have multiple traffic issues:

1. Bus which move Northwards towards Yelahanka generally travel on the right lane, move to the left to pick up passengers at the bus stop.



2. The same buses then cut to the right once they are ready to move.



3. Passengers boarding the bus are anxious to enter the bus first to grab that precious seat on the bus.



4. Pedestrians want to cross the road and act as part time traffic constables, showing the stop sign to approaching vehicles. Some smart pedestrians form small groups and show that they have the numbers on their side ad all approaching vehicles have to stop.



5. The small road on the left of the flyover is the route to Boopsandra and is a one way towards North. But for some drivers it is the shorter route and hence the preferred route even tough it happens to be a wrong way. They cause more congestion as they have to take a U turn to proceed on the flyover. Considering the width of the flyover they sometimes have to take a reverse after they try a U turn. This causes a real bad jam. The wrong side vehicles cannot go further and need to reverse, the vehicles moving towards North just want to proceed further (rightly so) and want to teach the erring driver a lesson and come up as further as they can. But by the time their anger subsides, they cannot go back because vehicles would have already pilled up. The vehicle behind are going crazy and just honk, this happens dung evening office hours when every one is tired and wants to go home. What a jam!



6. Some vehicles have to take the road on the left of flyover to Boopsandra, but they know that the left lane is slow because the Bus stop, so in the small area between the Bus stop and the flyover, they swivel to the left over taking the buses, avoiding pedestrians and just about squeezing through without touching the flyover. Best of luck to them if there is any vehicle coming on the wrong side ( Point #5)I have tried to show these in a diagram. Point #6 is too difficult to show. So it is left to your imagination.

Relief is on its way and the State government has a plan to expand the Bangalore Bellary road. If you were one of those pessimists who say that it will remain a plan then you will be surprised that work is already in progress and expansion of the road and tree felling is on brisk progress. I am not one of those guys who say NO to tree felling for road expansion, so what is the point I am trying to make?My argument is that expansion will only make the drive upto the bus stop comfortable, the issues addressed above will remain the unresolved. One of the flaws which cannot be resolved without a major reconstruction is the fact that the flyover is two lanes and even if you make the approach road three lane, there will be a bottle neck to enter the flyover.Let me put forth my suggestion for this problem:

1. The flyover cannot be expanded, so to avoid the upcoming bottlenecks, the buses should continue to move in the leftmost lane and not move over the flyover. The barricade should be removed and buses should cross the Red light under the flyover and rejoin the road proceeding towards Yelahanka after flyover.


2. Over head pedestrian walk way to be constructed, a large barricade to be constructed on the median so that pedestrians do no cross by walking on the road.


3. Hopefully, with so much bus traffic, people will stop coming by the wrong way.
   The below diagram explains the proposed solution.
   
   
   

Let me list out the drawbacks of the proposed solution:

1. Bus travel will increase slightly
2. The waiting period at the Red light will increase for traffic on other side direction (Ring road traffic).
3. Utilization of the bridge will reduce.As per me view the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, this problem would not have arisen had the Hebbal flyover been three lanes.

However as I mentioned the flyover is a good piece of work by our standards and we should think of how we can address the immediate issues, instead of blaming the past.

About the AuthorSrikant Suddekunte can be contacted as articlesfromsrikant@gmail.com. He is working in the IT industry and writes articles on new developments in IT industry and on latest issues and trends.