Aloha from Hawaii

It was spectacular!

Instead of traveling 6 hours east of California we thought of going west. Thanks to some little facebook status update by our friend which actually inspired an impromptu trip. It was well worth it! We continued with a parade of activities: surfing, snorkeling, outrigger canoe paddling, cataraman sails, hula shows, sunset on the beach, and more.

Here are some tips and anecdotes from the trip:
I would strongly recommend getting a hotel close to the world's most famous beach - Waikiki. It will give you a chance to enjoy Waikiki from sunrise to sunset and beyond.

Get a tan or take a break. A stroll along the beach as the sun crests the rim of the Diamond Head is the perfect prelude to a long day. As part of the 'relaxation therapy' we took a chaise lounge chair under an umbrella on the beach. The sight of the tranquil ocean in front and coconut trees swaying with the gentle breeze in the background completed the mental picture of a beach.

Grabbed a boogie board and tried to catch a few rolling waves onto shore. Back on the chair! That was the routine for almost half a day :)



You will find plenty of places to rent the equipment behind the lei-draped statue of Duke Kahanamoku on Waikiki beach.

Surfing the wave of Waikiki beach was an adventure in itself. We should have perhaps spent more time learning the basics.

We had a great time riding the moped along the coast past the lighthouse into the most prestigious neighbourhood of Kahala. This is the place of multi-million dollar homes and beachfront properties,home to many business moguls and celebrities. Other places we could recommend going on a moped would be Manoa Falls, Kailua town and Diamond Head.

Diamond Head - This volcano has been extinct for 150,000 years. The most famous volcanic crater in the world is Mt. Leahi, located along the southeast coast of Oahu, at the end of Waikiki. The hike takes about 30 minutes to the top and it is certainly worth the breathtaking, unparalleled view of the coastline.

(The crater became a Middle East P.O.W camp for the TV show Lost)





Some more trivia heard from local sources:

• On an average apparently people from North America spend $176 every day whereas Japanese spend around $280 per day.
• The Hawaiian word for fresh water is wai, and the word for wealth is wai wai.
• 90 % of the population of Hawaii lives on Oahu

Definitely counted as one of the best beaches in the world Kailua is something you'll remember forever. The waters of Kailua beach are often dotted by brightly colored kayaks.

Strung from beautiful Hawaiian flowers, lei play an important role in island life. The most popular lei is made from plumeria. This garland is a symbol of aloha, welcome and love. Generally, it is presented to someone special to honor an achievement, commemorate a special event of simply to express affection. Also, one should always present and receive a lei with a kiss and embrace.

Home of the largest maze and the Pineapple experience is a must see destination. It makes a perfect rest stop on the way or returning from the scenic North Shore. Did you know that each pineapple plant has roughly only three fruit harvests? The first takes 18 months, the second at 32 months and the last one at 45 months.

With these new found respect for the fruit we feasted on plenty of pineapples. Also, it was a a welcome surprise to see (which shattered my perception of) how a pineapple plant looks.


The Pineapple Express takes you through the plantations for a fully narrated tour detailing the history of the pineapple, linked so closely to Hawaii.

You can spend an entire day in the great North Shore. Sunset, Waimea, Banzai Pipeline, Turtle bay, Dole Plantation and the town of Haleiwa are all closeby.

The North Shore of Oahu has waves reaching upto 20 feet high. This is where 'The Eddie' surfing tournament is held. The most recent tournament was in December 2009, when waves in the bay reached 30 to 50 feet high.



The art and recording studio of Ron Artis and his family in Haleiwa is another tourist spot. If your timing is right, you will walk into an impromptu musical performance by Ron, his wife Victoria and at least a half dozen of his 12 children.

Hanauma Bay - This natural crescent beach is tucked inside the walls of an extinct volcano. It is one of the best places to go snorkeling with a diverse population of marine life and a large, rich coral reef.



Stand up paddling (in calm waters, done on a surfboard) is another activity we enjoyed. It is a great way to get into the water. You put your paddle on the board and walk it into shallow water. With the leash fastened to the leg (so you don't lose the board when you fall) you get onto the board on hands and knees. You stand up to shoulder width stance (atleast try to), grabbing the paddle as you rise. Splash! Right back in the water! Well, it was definitely harder than it seemed. It's all about balance and it took some practice until we were back on our feet. Once you hit your groove gliding across the ocean's glassy surface is a treat with exquisite views of the shoreline.

The Polynesian Cultural Center embraces the Go Native! theme of different cultures.

The ending show Ha: The Breath of Life is a visually stunning spectacle of over a hundred performers from across the Pacific, drums, dance, all new music and special effects, a fire spewing volcano and an awesome fire knife performance.

Here you can experience the cultures of Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii Aotearoa and Samoa.
I learned some Tongan spear throwing, tested my skills of the drums and some Tahitian dance.

The other interesting thing were the ABC stores. These are apparently around literally every single block in Waikiki. The theme they mention ABC stands for is Aloha Brings Customers however the word around the block is that it stands for All Blocks Covered.

When talking to locals, in response to I am from California I got the constant reaction ohh that's not too far. In fact, we consider as one of our other island.

If you are planning to explore the island by yourself I would definitely recommened the Go Oahu Card.

“What’s best in me, and what’s best in my message, is consistent with the tradition of Hawaii.” ~ Barack Obama

The Hawaii tourism has put up a website dedicated to the President's recent trips.

A Hui Hou!(Until we Meet Again)

Boston

The move to Boston is on the cards and I'm slowly getting jazzed up. Saw this amazing video about from TedxBoston about some historic Boston-area innovations.

Connecting to a Global Tribe

Remember the guy in the video dancing around the world? Matt Harding’s videos of himself dancing in locales around the world have drawn more than 20 million viewings on YouTube. He is working on a book about his travels titled "Where the Hell Is Matt."

Also, read/listen to this essay by him on NPR.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Skydiving - 'The Experience'

To say it was incredible is an understatement. A once in a lifetime experience! A must-do for all. This qualifies as the craziest thing I have ever done knowingly and a thrill I will never forget.

Ideally, this was on my not-to-do list but nonetheless it is now scratched off from my to do list.(you shouldn't have friends who coax you into doing such things that you start to believe it won't be that bad) Well, I still can't fathom that I agreed to joined the crazy people who toiled with this idea. The fact of the matter is that I jumped and now have bragging rights for a lifetime.

Destination: Ground :) (Actually, beautiful Maine in New England) If you need to go to the same place you can contact 1-800 UGO-JUMP (That is actually the number)

I never imagined that I would literally adapt the wonderful song:

"I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly"

Following a splendid camping escapade the previous night I mustered the courage to take the dive. We reached Maine for the booked time slot in the afternoon.

Adrenaline rush had started to build already. I had embarked on the most amazing event of my life.

The safety and training video and instructions took about 20 min and perhaps filling up the legal paperwork another 20 min. They tell you all about the exit techniques from the plane, free-fall stunts, and landing positions. You are attached via a harness to the experienced instructor who is responsible for practically everything.

The dynamic day turned ugly as the wind crossed the speed of 25 mph and all events for the day were put on hold. We soon realized that skydiving is a weather permitting sport. After hours of long wait we were finally given a rain check valid for 2 years. Damn!! Yet, I was so determined to do this that we drove back the very next day.

By this time my confidence level and the urge to go ahead with this had dropped to chance. And on top of all this to add to my anxiety I got a speeding ticket. I was on the lookout for cops who sneak up behind you however these came from nowhere and now were standing right in front of me :). Well, skydiving definitely was a costly affair for me!

Words of wisdom: If you decide to skydive Sunday morning you will perhaps do it earliest by on Sunday afternoon and in some cases on Monday.

Again the next day we had to wait for a long time before our names were called from the manifest. It was nice to see and appreciate the other jumpers coming down though I was in no mood to get my camera out of the car to get any pictures since I knew we were next.

The names were announced and we trudged along to get ready. The jumpsuit and goodbyes took place after a brief video interview where the person inquires about the reason we are here. I could have told him a list of reasons not to be here however ironically here I was all ready to go. The expression on my face said it all.

Reassuring factor: I was jumping with Dan aka "Dirk: Fast as you Can Dan". He was (healthy to carry my weight and) a highly skilled skydiver with thousands of jumps in experience behind him. Besides I got the impression that he knew what he was doing (although I definitely didn't).

I asked him some tips to calm my nerves. The reply: Smile at the videographer and don't forget to breathe.

Hmmm, well that is reassuring!!

My nervousness was increasing in galactic proportions and based on it's magnitude I was guessing either of these three things would eventually happen to me: panic attack, disorientation and passing out.

The quick bus ride to the plane didn't help. By this time I was having a sensory overload. The plane ride lasted about 15 minutes while we climbed in altitude slowly and steadily to 14000 ft. The earth getting farther while the skies getting nearer made my apprehension worse. The beauty of the Maine coastline wasn't as appealing anymore. The fear factor knew no bounds.

Unfortunately, I was the last person in the plane and hence had to watch the door open and all the 23 people jump out one after the other. My heart rate dropped to the bare minimum as my throat gulped. I paused for a moment. What the hell am I doing jumping out of an airplane from 14000 ft? Guess, it was too late for all this now.

The instructor did more of last moment safety checks and tightened some straps. "Okay head back, hips forward, and don't forget the arch. When I tap your arms bring them to the side, I tap them again extend them ahead." These were Dan's last moment instructions. (I never did any of these right though)

We proceeded to the edge of the door as I looked out... then down... back up. "Ready, set... Go" Suddenly there was nothing below my feet as I was thrust into the wild blue yonder. An initial flip somersault in the air got us into the right orientation. For a few seconds, I had absolutely no idea what was happening. A strong gush of wind (120 mph) was greeting me. I suddenly realized it's not bad after all. Wow! I was flying. The Google Earth like collage of color miles below started looking attractive. Maine was again beautiful. It was good to see the videographer midair. I shook hands with him as he drifted away. Some more stunts and superman style flying followed (tracking in skydiving terminology) which I enjoyed a lot. The ground was rushing up to meet me. The ripcord was pulled at 5000 ft to open the life saving piece of cloth and puff!! Suddenly everything went silent. It was a smooth glide to planet earth here on. The exhilarating and exciting freefall was over and hereon it was the peace and tranquility of the parachute ride. I think the anticipation of the event hurts you more since the actual jump is pretty cool.

All good things have to come to an end. In a nutshell, I came, I saw, I fell, I lived to tell (and write) about it.

Words of wisdom: Don't treat it as falling/jumping, think you are flying.

Also, the fact that I jumped has inspired many friends to do it (such are the standards I had set) who would otherwise be frightened off by this extreme sport.

It's simple unbelievable and an unforgettable experience. You have to do it. I am not going to do it again though. I also have the video to relive the moments besides the vividly distinct memory of the jump. I am still coming down off the high of skydiving and for now, the certificate of achievement is framed and adorns my wall of fame :)

Why I Travel?

I travel a considerable amount and definitely more than recommended. Although hectic and a bit costly nowadays, (damn the oil prices!) travel is a necessary part of my life.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine

I do believe that preparing, planning and mapping out trips lends direction to the travel while the merchandising qualities of a place lure us into the regular tourist activities. In fact, I relish the time spent in these activities as the extensive research about your destination does come in handy. Albeit the travel preparations do not ruin the chance of spontaneous unplanned excursions it does limit you from exploring the hidden. After all, serendipity is one of the important traits of travels. Though you also need to appreciate the obvious. Travel is a balance between the explored and the hidden. I never have fixed plans but generally I know where I am going. Travel is an education in itself since you learn about the diverse cultures, habits, trivia, history, languages, stories of unique places/things, local food, people, the dynamics of nature and have innumerable experiences which you can't learn from a book.

"Once a journey is designed, equipped, and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all other journeys. It has personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness. A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. Only when this is recognized can the blown-in-the-glass bum relax and go along with it. Only then do the frustrations fall away. In this a journey is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
- John Steinbeck, Travels With Charley

We get pretty excited and anxious at the start of any journey. We break free from the quotidian and try the new. We experience time away from home. Unexpected pleasures in unexpected places is the foundation of travel.

Space Needle to Space Center:


As the Space needle is synonymous to Seattle and so is the Johnson Space Center (NASA) to Houston. I recently went to both these places on back to back weekends and got a chance to visit these marvels of today.

Both places are landmarks of the respective cities and a must visit if you ever happen to be in the vicinity.



For me travel broadens the perspective to look at the world and definitely lengthens the conversations. I try to squeeze in work sometime with my travels so that atleast the monetary side of the trip is taken care of. I have many unrealized dreams to travel places which I hope to fulfill in the near future. Besides my travels are very closely related to my second hobby 'photography'. I try to take the best out of the two worlds by combining them. Every journey does impart some wisdom upon me.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” - Seneca

Interacting with people is again a wonderful experience as the conversation starts of with details about where they came from and generally where they’re going next.

I go through many phases of ingenuity, insight, excitement, imagination, delight, endeavor and discovery in my creative travel escapades. "Authenticity" in travel is not found as easily as it might seem.

"For many tourists, the desire for authenticity is rather simplistically expressed in terms of seeking out that which is not contaminated by outside influences—particularly by the presence of other tourists. There are some important things to keep in mind here. First, nearly all tourism experiences are carefully crafted and staged by someone, specifically for our appreciation and consumption. It is more difficult than most of us realize, and not necessarily desirable, to try to get beyond such experiences and intrude into places where we might not be welcome."
--Erve Chambers, "Can the Anthropology of Tourism Make us Better Travelers?", NAPA Bulletin 23, 2005

Ironically, the element of relief while leaving our homes is equally matched with the excitement when returning back. Personally, I do enjoy coming back home and resting my head on the familiar pillow though one must travel to see the world and grow in new directions.


“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” - Jawaharal Nehru

Pacifica to Atlantica:
From Boston to San Francisco, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the west to the east, from MIT to Stanford, from biotechnology to information technology, from EST to PST, from 1600's to 1800's, from Acorn Street to Lombard Street, from Massachusetts to California, from winter to summer, from Harvard to Berkeley, from Red Sox to the Giants, from Big Dig to Golden Gate, from neighboring New Hampshire to neighboring Nevada, from MBTA to BART, from the Boston Globe to the San Francisco Chronicle, from Revere beach to North beach, from Martha's Vinyard to Lake Tahoe, from Patriots to 49ers, from Museum of Fine Arts to San Francisco Art Institute, from Cambridge to Berkeley, from Boston Tea Party to the California Gold Rush, from 17 NBA titles to none, from the Longwood Medical Area to UCSF, from I-90 to I-80, from Boston Logan to SF International Airport, from the American revolution to America's favorite city I have traveled a long way from Boston to San Francisco.

That is basically the gist of my time in Boston and San Francisco.

Boston:

1. It Never Gets Old, 2. Lady of Perpetual Help, 3. Statue of Three Lies, 4. Fenway Faithful, 5. NBA Finals, 6. Spring, 7. Sideview, 8. Sunset at Roxbury, 9. Three Piece Reclining Figure, 10. Fiery Red Autumn, 11. Walking Buddies, 12. Enjoy your road trip!, 13. Golden colors



San Francisco:

1. Pier, 2. 'Charms' by the Bay, 3. Clouds on fire, 4. Golden Gate, 5. Bay Bridge, 6. Muir Woods, 7. Beach, 8. Alcatraz, 9. Top-down, 10. Pier 39, 11. Crooked Street, 12. Sausalito, 13. Trail

Many travelers complain that their experience of the place wasn't what they expected. Well, the travel books do preset our minds to expect and perceive certain things on which we build stuff using our imagination based on our pre-existing knowledge while actuality is albeit different. I love the uncertainties of travel which unfortunately get compensated for during the package tours. In fact, many times the reason why you fall in love with the place is seldom the reason why you went there.

Money is definitely not the key to make our travels better. Also, while traveling the simple things are the ones which make it memorable.

Another reason to stop putting off your travels:

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose."
--Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement 2005

If you want to make yourself a to-do list here is a good starting point.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List



After all, tourism is among the world's largest industries and vital to many countries. Did you know that tourism can be classified as eco-tourism, celebrity tourism, creative tourism etc. ? Read the Wiki for more on this.

Tourism 2020 Vision is the World Tourism Organization's long-term forecast and assessment of the development of tourism up to the first 20 years of the new millennium.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism Rankings.

Here is a list compiled by the UNWTO as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication of the ten most visited countries in 2006 by number of travelers.

1	France	79.1 million
2	Spain	58.5 million
3	United States	51.1 million
4	China	49.6 million
5	Italy	41.1 million
6	United Kingdom	30.1 million
7	Germany	23.6 million
8	Mexico	21.4 million
9	Austria	20.3 million
10	Russia	20.2 million

Quite aptly said:
“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” - Benjamin Disraeli

In most situations, the pleasure comes from the journey, not the destination. Well, the journey continues ...

The Blue World

We can't slow the hands of time but we can definitely hit the seashore for the much-needed getaway. What better place to beat the heat in California than Lake Tahoe! I though strongly recommend making reservations to stay since this place is swamped with people all year round.

Enroute got a chance to visit one of the famous Old Faithful Geysers in the world which is in our own state of California. This marvel of nature is located in the foothills of Mt. St. Helena in beautiful Napa Valley. The water, 350 degrees hot, shoots approximately 60 feet into the air for a period of three of four minutes, then recedes. And this happens every 40 minutes all year round!
http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/

Well it didn't get the name 'Old Faithful' just like that. Neighboring 'Geyserville' in one of the largest geothermal area in the world. A lot of Geysers in Calistoga utilize the natural hot mineral springs and volcanic ash mud for health spas.

Next stop after the bubbling hot water was cold freshwater. Yes, we had been to the majestic and beautiful Lake Tahoe. It has abundant recreational activities besides the breathtaking elements of the natural world. Tahoe is home to a number of ski resorts, summer outdoor recreation, and tourist attractions.



1. Entrance, 2. Old Faithful Geyser, 3. Old Faithful Geyser, 4. Fireworks, 5. Fireworks, 6. Fireworks, 7. Fireworks, 8. Fireworks, 9. Fireworks, 10. Lake Tahoe, 11. Lake Tahoe, 12. Lake Tahoe, 13. Lake Tahoe

http://www.gotahoenorth.com/
It was all right here - and more. For sand-and-sun-seekers, this place is definitely paradise. The clarity of the blue water and the panoramic mountainous landscape all around made it special. For the first time, I agreed with the term WYSIWYG. I was living in a Blue World!!

An Independence Celebration: Red, White and Tahoe Blue
The fireworks for 4th July were as expected. Though I have heard that the celebration for 3 days is filled with exciting events culminating with the display.

The next day went appreciating the Lake followed with some Cricket, Volleyball, Swimming, Kayaking, Paddling, etc. Stepped into the Blue in the evening for a stroll. The weather was perfect the entire weekend and couldn't have asked for anything better.

Because of its purity and great depth, and the clarity of the atmosphere, all colors of the sky and landscape are reflected in Lake Tahoe. You can see why it is called the "Lake of the Sky", with its brilliant shades of blues, greens, and reds. Because it is so clear, the bottom adds shades to the blue; sand reflects as light blue, rock and deep canyons as virtually black.

Here is some trivia:
How was the lake formed?
Faulting: About 25 million years ago the Sierra Nevada block was formed by tremendous uplifting. The valley that later became the Tahoe Basin sank between two parallel faults as the mountains on either side rose. Water filled this Basin where Lake Tahoe lies today.

Volcanism: Lava flowing from Mt. Pluto, on the north shore, formed a barrier or dam across the basin's outlet. Water from rivers and streams flowed into the Basin gradually filling it several hundred feet above its present level.

Glaciation: During the last Ice Age, less than a million years ago, huge ice blocks or glaciers formed in the surrounding mountains. These glaciers scoured the landscape, carving broad U-shaped valleys now occupied by Cascade Lake, Fallen Leaf Lake, and Emerald Bay. The material left after the glaciers melted, called moraines, blocked the original outlet of Lake Tahoe, changing it to the present Truckee River outlet at Tahoe City.

Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista were scenic and had plenty to offer.
"It is rightfully known as the north shore's banana belt, as it stands in the sun’s path from early morning into the p.m. As if basking under the sun's glow were not enough, this mountain/beach town throws a sandy welcome to all with a signature downtown public beach."

Some funny stats about the amazing Lake:
#The Panama Canal (700 feet in width and 50 feet in depth) could be filled by Lake Tahoe's water and extend completely around the earth at the equator, with enough remaining in the lake to fill another channel of the same width and depth running from San Francisco to New York.
# Lake Tahoe's water is 99.9% pure. The water is so clear that a 10 inch white dinner plate would be visible at 75 feet below the surface.
# There are 63 tributaries draining into Lake Tahoe with only one outlet at the Truckee River.

Read more of those here.

Finally a slideshow of the pictures from the trip.


Looking forward to visit this iconic alpine perfection in winter.

South Beach

South Beach

Originally uploaded by transcendental

Sleep 2008

It was the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, (APSS) at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The SLEEP meeting attracts the largest audience of sleep specialists in the nation. It is the only five and a half day meeting with scientific sessions and an exhibition hall focused solely on sleep medicine and sleep research. Yes, is is a a conference on sleep!

(Last Day)
This was my first real talk at the annual conference for sleep and it was scheduled early morning on the last day at 8:00 am. I entered the convention center at 7:15 am and could hardly spot anyone unlike the 500-1000 people yesterday morning.

Walked to the SRS Hospitality Suite only to be disappointed since they didn't have any free breakfast. Finally, had my shot of caffeine and satiated my craving for something sweet with a marble pound cake from Starbucks.

At about 7:45 am a lot of people actually started showing up. And by 8:00 am I was shocked to see about 100 people for an early morning talk on the last day. Well, either the science of sleep was compelling enough for them to be here or they knew me :)

Here comes the chair of the session: He introduced the title of my talk and the speaker "Dr.Gujar". Well thanks for the honorary degree ...

Here I go...
I was petrified and a little bit nervous too though it was more than comforting to see familiar faces in the audience. My talk earlier a couple of days back at the discussion lunch session helped me a lot to improve on my presentation skills and remember the missing pieces instead of delivering the abridged version.

Yet while stepping down from the podium collective thoughts ran thought my mind. Damn! Forgot to talk about receiver operator characteristics! And what about functional connectivity? Nonetheless, the overarching theme for the talk was given and justified besides the fact, I was happy with my performance! Not ecstatic but contented.

It's 9 am. I had heard 4 talks loaded with science and hence decided to take a break. I tried to peek in and have a look at the next speaker. It was the chair of the session! I thought it doesn't bode well if I walk out during his talk hence I made a reentry through the rear door. I made a sincere effort to keep up the sustained cognitive engagement while listening to another sleep restriction study when I soon realized that I definitely need to 'catch up on some sleep to understand sleep'. I simply could not comprehend anything past basic sleep terms, smaller words and simple tasks.

I finally left the conference room and headed for the exit sign. Outside the convention center was a sunny day. I wish I could fly... since it felt like a free bird (with extended wings).

I liked the overall experience and looking forward to my next talk.

Finally, I regained composure and scientific sanity and my receptive brain drove me back to soak in all the information. I started hearing familiar terms - PVT, placebo, lapses of attention, etc. Heard some other interesting talks on how sleep can be replaced by a piece of bread from an energy expenditure perspective. And here I was again taking notes from these wonderful scientific sessions.

On a separate note, a lot of people actually thought/think I have done a PhD and more. Generally, if they don't know me they start off with the misconception that I am a post-doc and if they know something about me they still have the misconception that I am a post-doc while some have gone a step further and mistaken me for a professor. (a rarity) It is quite embarrassing and gratifying at the same instance. I assure them about my designation and then starts the whole process of what I can do and why ain't I doing that? Well I have never understood the fascination for designations and abbreviations at all these scientific conferences.

Well, after the introduction accorded to me it dissipates my desire to actually get a 'PhD'.

The introduction part actually reminds me of another incident during the conference. I went to introduce myself to a particular 'scientist' since she did similar work in the field of sleep and before I could say anything she mentioned 'We have met'. I took a step back and thought for a moment.

(inside the brain - when, where, definitely not, what if, perhaps, well forget about it, if she says so...) Finally, nodded my head in appreciation and the conversation progressed.

Finally, I took a walk outside, breathed some fresh air, had a look at the world beyond sleep deprivation and returned to the convention center to hear about the consequences of sleep loss. Talk about how science works!

Well enough of science actually... Did you know Baltimore was called Crab town? Well, The most prominent example of Baltimore's distinctive flavor is the city's close association with blue crabs. (Baltimore is on the Chesapeake Bay) This is a trait which Baltimore shares with the rest of the state of Maryland.

You can see some pictures of Baltimore here or View slideshow

Sleep 2009 will be in the coastal port city of Seattle!

Squirrel

Squirrel
Originally uploaded by transcendental

Seattle Downtown

Seattle Downtown
Originally uploaded by transcendental

H1B Visa Stamping

While cleaning up my computer found the list compiled by my friend which describes the essential documents for H1B stamping. (2007) Hopefully it helps someone!

Checklist for H1-B stamping

1. Passport
2. Appointment Letter
3. Visa application fee receipt
4. Passport sized photographs
5. Form DS 156
6. Form DS 157
7. Form DS 158
8. Form I797A
9. Employment Authorization Card
10. Labor Condition Application
11. Offer Letter
12. Employment Authorization Letter
13. Pay Stubs
14. I-20s
15. Degree Certificate
16. Transcripts
17. Bank Statements

Additional Documents
1. Drivers License
2. SSN card
3. Work ID
4. Property Documents
5. Work place photographs

Visit Canada

Nowadays, most of us would require a visa to visit Canada (some exceptions to that though). I recently had to go through this process which believe you me is really straightforward and easy. Hopefully this helps someone!

Here are the details you need to get Canadian Tourist Visa:

1. Recent passport (obviously)
2. Application form duly filled
   
3. Two passport size photos (read about the photo specifications below)
4. Photocopy of your current immigration document (H1B Visa + I797 copy)
5. Proof of financial support (bank stmts, pay stubs)
6. Proof of employment (a letter from your employer including details of your position, date of hire, rate of pay, etc... or simply a summary of your position would do)
   Students will have to get a letter from your school registrar's office confirming your current enrollment.
   
7. Travel Plans (photocopy of your return ticket although it is not necessary, I had included a letter saying that I will be driving to Canada from Seattle and had included the itinerary for Seattle)
8. Prepaid envelope
   
9. Any additional documents which you feel might be useful for the consulate

If you plan on going to the Consulate @ NYC you will have to fill an extra supplementary information.

You can find most of the information on this website.
Application for a Temporary Resident Visa to Visit Canada

Click here to download the document checklist.

The fee per person is $75 for a single entry visa, $150 for a multiple entry visa or $400 for a family (multiple or single entry).

An important clause for the single entry visa: With a single entry visa you may leave and re-enter Canada without obtaining a new visa if you are returning to Canada following a visit only to the United States; and you return before the expiry of the period initially authorized for your entry. (For example, if after your initial entry to Canada, you left Canada and entered the USA, then proceeded to visit India, your single entry visa would no longer be valid for re-entry to Canada.)

Special mention for the photographs:

• Your face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression, neither frowning nor smiling, and with your mouth closed.

• The photographs must be clear, well defined and taken against a plain white or light-colored background.

• The frame size must be at least 35 mm x 45 mm

• The photographs must show the full front view of the head, with the face in the middle of the photograph, and include the top of the shoulders.

Fees

• Money Order (the cheapest to get, ideally form a post office)

• Cashier’s Cheque (the bank would charge you a fee like $6 or so)

• Bank Draft (check with your bank

• Cash if in person
  

I have heard from my friends that you get your visa generally on the same day if you visit the consulate. If you are living in cities where you don't have a consulate and you have time simply use the mailing option. Trust me it works great and is pretty quick besides saving you the time! Generally, the visa arrives in about a week's time. The LAX consulate is the fastest I know of and takes exactly a week. NYC takes about 10 days.

Here are the addresses where you could submit your application.

For Los Angeles:
Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
550 South Hope Street, 9th Floor
Los Angeles, California
90071, USA

Applicable for people living in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Document checklist for Los Angeles

For New York:
Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York, New York
10020-1175, USA

Document checklist for NYC

If you plan to drive to Niagara Falls and visit the Canadian side (which I think is very much justified) you should think of getting your visa at the Canadian consulate @ Buffalo.

You can download the application form here.

Please use this information only as a guideline and do visit the official website for the latest info. and necessary documents.

The consulate sends the visa back by certified USPS mail. Have a good trip!

Sudbury

Had a chance to visit the Longfellow Grist Mill in Sudbury (Western Massachusetts)
A beautiful and scenic place in the woods and not far away. There 2 pictures pretty much capture the gist of the place. I am guessing it would be equally alluring in the night since it has these 2 huge lights by the side. If you walk up behind the actual house it will lead you to the GristMill pond. A good place to visit if you around Natick.

You can read more about it on here as well.

Mountain Range

Mountain Range
Originally uploaded by transcendental

Some snow covered mountain range visible from the flight from Seattle to San Francisco

Palitana

Wiki: The Palitana temples, are considered the most sacred pilgrimage place (tirtha) by the Jain community. There are a total of 1250 temples located on the Shatrunjaya hills, exquisitely carved in marble. The main temple on top of the hill, is dedicated to 1st tirthankar lord Adinath (Rishabdeva).

No one is allowed to sleep overnight including the priest, because the temple city has been built as an abode for the Gods. The town is considered by many Jains to be more important than the temple covered hills of Jharkhand, Mt Abu and Girnar. Palitana was the capital of a princely state of the Gohil Rajput clan. It is also one of the greatest tourist attractions in Gujarat for foreign tourists.

There are hundreds of other temples (besides those on the Shatrunjaya hills) and guest houses (dharmashalas) in Palitana city. It is believed that every Jain should visit Palitana at least once in his lifetime to get "Bhavya" status (fit to attain nirvan or salvation).

It is located 50 km South-West of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains.

I had the privilege to visit this uber-religious place and was content with the divine experience.





Here are some more pictures from the trip:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/transcendental/sets/72157603913441505/

Also, read this excellent account of Shanta Nimbark-Sacharoff's trip to the spectacular temples of Palitana.

I left my heart in Boston

It is never too easy to leave your loved ones and move to a different place. You realize the importance of technology all the more now. You seem to use it the most to get in touch with the near and dear ones to stay in touch and in the loop. Getting to know any new place is exciting and full of angst. Probably, you start understanding the term 'settling in' in a more broader sense.

For me leaving Boston was never going to be easy. I tried my best to make the transition smoother. I shall be flying coast to coast a lot definitely in the next couple of months.

Well, all said it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just that you feel it more in anticipation before it happens.

Berkeley is simply beautiful. There are enough things to do and cuisines which keep you busy besides your work obviously.

Here are few pics of beautiful Berkeley and SFO.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/transcendental/sets/72157603324041912/

Quote of the day

Travel's greatest purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one ~ William Hazlitt

Maine camping trip

Our gradual realization and the building urge to go camping this summer materialized last weekend in the vacationland. Yes, we had been to Maine, camping. What a beautiful place!

The drive was good since we didn't encounter any traffic all along and reached well in time. You are greeted by the sign board 'The Way Life Should Be' while entering Maine which says it all for me.

Wiki info:
The State of Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is the northernmost portion of New England. The state is known for its scenery — its jagged, mostly rocky coastline, its low, rolling mountains, and its heavily forested interior — as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially lobsters and clams.

The setting was perfect for a thrilling camping weekend !! We camped in the woods on Hermit Island in Maine. Would have loved a ocean front site however was content with one on the cliffs nearby. The original thought was that we might do some hiking & biking activities but once we got there everything else took a backseat. Food was the priority of the day and especially the evening.

255 Acres of Maine Coast. Five miles of rocky shoreline with wild lands and hidden coves to explore. White sand swimming beaches. That's probably the best you get on a camping vacation.

Vikas had taken it upon himself to have a successful campfire and actually was quite involved and efficient to keep the campfire burning.

The midnight moonlight walk was majestic especially since we had the entire beach to ourselves. The night faded as the stories started getting fancier while instigating the sleeping brain or the dreaming mind. In the midst of all this I would occasionally challenge the moonlight with my small, hand held, rechargeable white light LED torch.

The spur of the moment decision to go camping definitely had it's consequences. We had literally just packed some things at the last moment . We suffered.

Mosquitoes !!! They sure had the best time and the last laugh. Some of my attempts to drive them away were in vain so I accepted the terminator responsibility. Finally, got tired and went to sleep although when I got up 'early' morning I was in for a surprise. I had red welts all over my skin.

For them, it was a free unlimited buffet dinner on a weekend. Can't get better than that ! They had quite a feast on my ankles and forearms. And, that too, plenty of them. At the end of the camping escapade I was left scratching all over.

Damn those little bloodsuckers !

At the end of it I think we had achieved everything we had expected from a camping trip though :)



Sunrise
Originally uploaded by transcendental

Here are some good sites to look for if you plan going camping in Maine

Maine Camping Guide
Maine Office of Tourism
Maine Campground Listings

Skiing escapade

Wow ! Couldn't have been better !
Destination: Smuggler's Notch, Vermont

All of us thought, finally some snow (considering the Boston snow drought) and there it was, plenty of it ! It was an excellent drive with the descended 'snow clouds' on the road making it a bit majestic (and cautious one). The following morning caught the marvelous sight of the combination of all colors in the visible light spectrum, yes, oodles of white color everywhere. There was snow all over the place houses trees as wide as your eyes could see and your mind could stretch.

Smuggler's Notch is apparently advertised as one of the best resorts (family) in the northeast. The next couple of days we were going to find out why. All of us were pretty much novice in all skiing and skating activities and only some of us had earlier tried these activities though just a bit here and there.

Some Wiki trivia:

Smugglers' Notch namesake comes from the smugglers almost 200 years ago, who used the thick forest on the mountain range and the caves and caverns along the Long Trail to transport illegal or embargoed goods across the Canadian border. The notch was most likely involved in bootlegging during the prohibition-era of the 1920's, using the same caves as a cache for smuggled Canadian beer, wine, and Spirits. Scenic Smugglers' Notch proper is comprised of the Sterling Mountain/Spruce Peak ridge line to the east, and Mount Mansfield to the west. Extremely steep terrain drops down into the notch where VT route 108 winds through switchbacks below, connecting Smuggler's Notch Resort with adjacent Stowe Mountain a few miles to the south. The road is closed to cars November-April, but open to snowmobile's and winter sports enthusiasts.

The day started with some skiing adventures. After doing all sorts of splits I finally got tired of falling over and took a break. All of us actually had our fair share of bruises and scratches besides the muscle pain at the end of day. (some more than the others though ;) ) However, the sheer joy of going uphill on the assembly line style escalator and coming down with a proud grin on your face was outstanding.

It's a shame that we did not go further up on the lifts but there always a next time. (beside the fear of tumbling down kept us at bay) I wish all these snow resorts had 'onion bhaji' stalls :)

In the evening we tried some snow tubing. (I guess snow is the default prefix to all activities around here) It's nothing but harmless sliding fun in a downhill ride sitting/sleeping on the tube. You can feel the ice-cold wind while cruising down. We had a lot of reruns until the stomach started growling for some food at the end of the day.

A good night's sleep on such a day is utmost necessary and comes to you naturally.

Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person's foot doesn't sink completely into the snow, a quality called "flotation". It was the perfect activity to follow up the next day and I would strongly advise accommodating it in your schedule. We were literally diving, jumping and playing in heaps of snow. The river bed was stunning white leaving patches of water in between with more than 2 feet of snow next to it. I did jump/dive onto this 'snow pillow' and enjoyed the setting however it was quite a great ordeal to get out of it and walk back on the road since the more I was trying to get out of the snow the deeper I was eventually sinking.

The trip got over with the Ben & Jerry's factory tour and some Dublin Mudslide :)
Vermont is now embedded in our brains and the slightest mention of snow brings back those fond 'white' memories.

I guess I need another snow trip soon ~!

X'mas Trip

This is an account of my recent trip to California, Arizona & Nevada.

The flight journey was quite uneventful this time and tiring as well. We had to board the flight from Manchester, New Hampshire hence the journey started from the previous night itself since the last accessible 'free' shuttle from Boston was at that time. Tried some desperate and unsuccessful attempts of sleeping at the airport.

Day 1 - LAX
Spent the first day mostly driving between Thousand Oaks, LAX airport and Orange County meeting relatives and friends.

Had been for dinner in one of the Indian restaurants in Artesia. You definitely feel being in some part of India once you take a turn on Pioneer Blvd. since you come across everything from authentic Indian names like Sona Chandi Jewelers, State Bank of India (California) to the hordes of people moving around, plenty of crowded Indian restaurants, etc.

Notably, worthy to mention in this place would be Rajdhani rest. (Caution for the non veggies - I believe they only serve veggie food). They have sit down tables (similar to the prominent 'pangat' kind of system in Indian weddings, i.e. they come and serve you at the table) with excellent Gujarati style cuisine. I had tried the thali (combination platter) which was definitely worth it since it was like a 7 course meal of homely food ending with the hot-water lemon bowl to wash your hands.

I later came to know that this place is also called Little India or Little India Village (for obvious reasons). I guess it's about time we started giving competition to all the Chinatowns.

Day 2 - Universal Studio
Popularly, referred to as, the Entertainment Capital of L.A

Being a big time movie buff myself, I was already fascinated with the thought of coming to the Studios. I would recommend the place a must see and the first thing to do out here would be the studio tour. The tour takes you through all the different sets which they have preserved and gives you insights into how movies are made. Didn't get a chance to see anyone famous but was more than satisfied looking and experiencing the different effects along with hundreds of facades on Hollywood's most famous back lot.

Some of which I recollect are the following: (won't explain how they do it, cause it's quite thrilling to experience it which eventually you figure out)
Mummy Returns - the trolley/bus goes and stops in a cave and it seems as if our whole bus is turning 360 degrees.
King Kong - here you experience the monster's wrath as he shakes the whole platform/bridge on which your bus is traveling
Fast & the Furious (Tokyo Drift) - the car's spinning and been blasted in the air

You come across sets used in countless movies like the War of the Worlds, the 'Psycho' house and the 'Bates Motel', Austin Powers and the Courthouse Square, where many films and TV shows such as 'Bruce Almighty' 'Crossing Jordan' and 'Spider-Man 2' were shot.

You can also see the "Back to the Future's" famous clock
tower. Old Mexico has a few special-effects tricks under its sombrero, especially the flooding one. The earthquake and the shark effects also provide some delightful scenes and screams. :)



Overall, it was quite astonishing and personally gratifying to identify the sets and the movies in which they were used. Later on, we passed the houses rather the sets of the soap opera Desperate Housewives.

Hope to return in 2007 to make use of my yearly pass ! (yes, I was that impressed)

Day 3 - Disneyland

"Where Dreams Come True" is really what personifies the park. And, definitely you need more than a day (we were here for about 14 hours still could not finish it all) to cover the whole park or at least the must see attractions.
We went to the Disneyland Park(they have different ones out there like Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Park, Disney's California Adventure Park, etc.)

As soon as we entered the park, we came across this giant X'mas tree with all possible decorations which could go on it providing a nice site for some Patel-giri (wow!, I used that term after a long time)

They have the whole park sub divided into different sections devoted to certains themes like techno, mickey's toontown and others.

They also have the different Disney characters like the Mermaid, Goofy, Mickey, etc. all over the park along with whom you can click a snap.

One of the rides we went on was called Splash Mountain. It is like a hallowed out log which rides on a water, winding it's way through a mountain and then finally plummets 52 feet into a backwood bayou bash ! If you do happen to sit in this ride be ready for plenty of sunshine and an equal amount of water headed your way ! The pictures are simply hilarious with everyone's mouth wide open shouting for their lives during the drop !

Another attraction which we went too was the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Here, you blast off to "infinity and beyond" as you join Buzz Lightyear in an interactive and intergalactic battle against the Evil Emperor Zurg. :) The fate of the universe is in your hands as you pilot your Star Cruiser through the treacherous terrain while zapping enemy targets and racking up points.

There are many more attractions and exciting rides which we visited like the Indiana Jones adventure, Pirate of the Carribean, Haunted Mansion, California Screamin', Space Mountain besides some thrilling roller coaster rides as well. The exuberant atmosphere all around alongwith all the wonderful attractions eventually and perpetually brings out the kid in you totally. (alive and kicking) In the end, I totally agree with the saying:

"Disneyland: a people trap operated by a mouse"

There are couple of good shows like the "Shrek's 4-D adventure", "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience", etc. The show one should not miss at any cost is Fantasmic in the end and the fireworks display. The Fantasmic show basically is about Mickey who battles evil and conjures good in a musical pyrotechnic spectacular with magnificent floating scenes and effects that leave you breathless !! Amazing special effects including a film projected on water, fiber optics and lasers...


Day 4 - Malibu Beach

Life's a beach - Malibu Beach :)
This beach has a unique and serene temperament to it (probably, that explains why it has the max. number of the movie star homes, in fact, it is more than Beverly Hills) which makes you appreciate nature all the more.

The beach features wetlands, flower gardens and sandy beach. The lagoon is where Malibu Creek meets the sea. Malibu Surfrider Beach has a long standing as a premier surfing beach. The drive alongside the beach was also quite enjoyable.


Day 4,5,6,7 - Grand Canyon

Our complete driving part could be summed up as follows:

Good: We left early by about 7 pm, it was pleasant outside with no traffic
Better: everyone in the car was lively and talking continuously; we were driving at a min. speed of 80 mph
Best: I was in the passenger seat chewing away on my bag of chips and cookies

After midnight it was a different story altogether...

Bad: It was dark, cold and windy on Interstate 40
Worse: everyone in the car was asleep
Worst: I was driving

After a bit of mishap with our friend's car and a journey which traversed through the night, finally we reached and crashed in our hotel by about 10:00 am

We were staying in Tusayan and the hotel was about 5-10 minutes from the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park. We headed to Mather Point that afternoon to get a glimpse of the massive structure. We were at the South Rim of the famous natural attraction of USA. Supposedly, most of the tourists see only the south rim, since it is easily accessible and the main road (AZ 64) parallels the canyon edge for some distance - here there is every conceivable facility(with lots of cheap good service hotels), many superb overlooks and a choice of hiking trails. The visitor center is located just next to this point. (closes at 5 pm) They have free shuttle buses from this place which are quite good. Some of the points here are only accessible by these buses like the ones on the Green line bus.

I would definitely recommend everyone to chalk out their own scheme of things and plan the whole trip accordingly if they are visiting Grand Canyon instead of going through some guided tour or package.


Got a first view of the colossal Grand Canyon. We are in awe and overwhelmed by the enormous size and the extent of Grand Canyon. From here, we could also see some tiny moving objects far away at a different point. Got some nice panoramic shots. No-one forgets their first sight of the Grand Canyon and it never fails to impress or offer something new. The desire to see more of it died down quickly since it got dark in a few flickers.

Got a chance to see the 3-D IMAX movie on Grand Canyon in the eve. This is just before the entrance to the rim and is called the National Geographic Visitor Center. It was a nice giant screen presentation (I guess everything here is in accordance with the Canyon) and got some overview of the spectacular vistas. This is a nice place to buy memorabilia stuff and some souvenirs for your folks.

The day ended with a bite of Pizza and a few card games.As others have said, sometimes the scale and extent of the Grand Canyon is disconcerting - to vast to take in at first sight. Got a better feel and taste of the striking lofty mountains the next day besides getting the answers to all those baffling questions like what unknown forces caused the Colorado River to carve this great chasm? Is it the work of God, or a symphony of nature?


We continued covering the numerous other points which always provided a different sight. Took the Green shuttle bus on the Kaibab Trail Route stopping at the following points:
Pipe Creek Vista
Sout Kaibab Trailhead
Yaki Point

On the other side of the road from the main visitor center is the main shopping plaza or the market plaza and the Grand Canyon Village. Also, a good place to shop some Grand stuff and grab something to eat.

Yavapai point
This looks down Bright Angel trail to the Grand Canyon. The green area is Indian Gardens and the trail continues to Phantom Rance at the river where a suspension bridge allows access to the North Rim. The observation station is an enclosed place with glass windows which provided some comfort from the chilly weather.

Hopi Point
Besides getting more of the prodigious mountain this is good place to catch great views of various temples and buttes in the canyon. (there is also a Vishnu temple)

Pima Point
This apparently gets us the closest to to the Colorado river and we could actually hear the roaring rapids.

Hermit's rest
We had got a view of the sunset the previous day but I guess some places are just better than others. A nice opportunity to capture some silhouettes.

Now, I realize that such was the impact of Grand Canyon in our minds that after transferring the pictures from my camera I have named the folder Grand Canyon. (I guess after working in science and especially cognitive neuroscience research I have started to sub consciously orient my thinking on such cognitive
aspects, rather it's the brain which after a certain times starts to look through a different perspective and when we retrospect we have a classical example of cognitive dissonance)
Anyways, after the Grand experience I firmly believe that the onset of winter is indeed a beautiful time to be here. (especially when there is some snow) The scenes are exquisitely sublime, there are no crowds and the weather is generally pleasant in the inner canyon.

Though, I am already making plans of returning next summer to get some backpacking experience. I believe hiking is quite exhilarating here since generally people tend to react to the experience in one of two ways: either they can't wait to get back, or they swear they'll never do it again. Besides, one also has the option of exploring and rafting through the Colorado river rapids.

Quite aptly said:

The Grand Canyon is carven deep by the master hand; it is the gulf of silence, widened in the desert; it is all time inscribing the naked rock; it is the book of earth.
~Donald Culross Peattie


Day 7,8 - Las Vegas

We had already gained a hour while crossing Hoover Dam ( going from Arizona time to Nevada time, which was pretty cool in a way). It is quite an engineering marvel considering that they had to divert the river's flow around the construction site to build the dam.

Las Vegas has it's own charm which is still bringing people to the city in droves. I guess due to Christmas day and New Year just round the corner most of the casinos were ready for the big drama and action sequels.

Advice: Go to Vegas. Get drunk, lose a few bucks, see a show or two.
I loved the slogan the commercials use to promote Las Vegas tourism: "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas"

We stayed in Stratosphere on the Las Vegas strip. The 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower is a true Las Vegas landmark and home to some of the world’s most original attractions.

The Stratosphere (amusement park) boasts the world's three highest thrill rides; (although I did not have the courage to sit in any of these goose pimply and discomfiting rides) the Big Shot, X Scream and Insanity the Ride. (quite aptly named as well)

Insanity-The Ride consists of an arm that extends out 64 feet over the edge of the Tower and will spin passengers at up to three 'G's.' As the ride spins faster and faster, the riders are propelled up to an angle of 70 degrees. It seems as if they are being flung over the edge of the Tower and finally land up literally facing(forced to see) downward at the City of Las Vegas below. According to the operating people or the crew, it(the ride) provides an unobstructed view of historic downtown Las Vegas rewarding the riders brave enough to experience (the thrill of) three 'G's' at a height of more than 900 feet.

My sincere advice: the hair-raising rides are only best to photograph and watch...

We started going on the strip and the whole place was luminous with replicas of probably all the wonders of the world. We were simply walking in and out of the different casinos and hotels on the Las Vegas strip. Considering, that the average gambling budget per trip was approx. $480 per visitor in 2003 here, I can safely say I was better off. Could not grasp the funda of just pulling down a lever and being appeased by the same. Liked the casinos for all the vivid sparkling displays. The ones which we went to and I vaguely remember are the following:

Treasure Island: the ship outside this place instantly reminded me of Pirates of the Carribean

MGM Grand: A roaring MGM Lion mascots in front of the four emerald-green, fortress like towers of the MGM Grand, one of the largest hotels in the world. Apparently, they also have live lions every evening in the lobby or whatever.

Paris: This homage to the City of Lights reproduces all the charm of the French capital and draws obvious comparisons to the Las Vegas Strip's other Euro metropolis themed wonder. Outside are replicas of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, an Around the World in Eighty Days balloon marquee, etc.

Caesars Palace: The opulent entrance, fountains, Roman statuary and roaming centurions all add up to the iconic Las Vegas hotel. Here you can get your picture taken with Caesar, Cleopatra, and the centurion guard; find the full-size reproduction of Michelangelo's David; amble along Roman streetscapes etc.

Excalibur, Sahara, Harrah's, Mirage(white tiger display) were some others which we passed on our way. The common thing I noticed was that you will find fountains and statues everywhere on the strip.

Luxor: The pyramid shaped casino hotel is pure Egyptian, Las Vegas Vegas style! This modern world wonder is topped with a xenon light beam that can be seen from anywhere in the night.

Bellagio: It is one of the city's premier luxury resorts. It's refreshingly free of the hyper theme park buzz that's become the Strip's trademark, impressive more for its refined elegance than for gimmicks. The best part about this place would be the fountain show (only in the eve for sometime): many fountains erupt in a choreographed water ballet across the man-made Bellagio lake. Walking into the lobby of Bellagio, you're confronted with lots of fantastic and colorful glass sculptures.

Aladdin: the casino is undergoing a name change to Planet Hollywood. However, as of now inside they consistent with the theme which aligns with the Aladdin picture we frame in our mind. Got some good deals in some of the shopping stores here.

Circus Circus: Circus like exteriors with lots of effulgence, did not get a chance to go inside.

It was like 20 Times Squares (though nothing can beat this bustling and brightest place in New York) spread across the city. My penchant for such radiant places left me more than satisfied with my Las Vegas trip.

En route to Vegas we stopped at Sedona for lunch. Sedona, Arizona is touted as one the 10 prettiest places in the United States and we found out why. If you are coming from Grand Canyon, I would strongly recommend taking the route 89A to reach Sedona. It is a very scenic 24 mile route winding through the canyons. Here, you will come across the red rock formation.

In case, you are interested in having Indian food there are some of restaurants in Flagstaff; namely: Cuisine of India, India Paradise & Delhi Palace.

Despite the land's myriad geological features tourists relate Sedona's exceptional charm to the fact that visitors conveniently can spend a day hiking, horseback riding, or bouncing in a Jeep on trails and dirt roads that crisscross this area, and then enjoy the comfort of deluxe hotels, country inns and prestigious resorts at night. They have excellent ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) packages tours at this place.

Indeed, this is the paradox and enchantment of Sedona: luxurious resorts and bed and breakfasts, unique shops, impressive art galleries and fine restaurants nestled in an unusually rugged canyon surrounded by an expansive national forest.


Day 9,10 - LAX

These were spent mostly visiting people, catching up with friends and getting back some due sleep.

December 29th, 2006
Came back to Providence, Rhode Island and took a bus back to Boston.
Back to the grind, working on a Friday catching up with past due things after a sleep deprived night was indeed exhausting.

The good thing was that I would be in Boston for the New Year's eve !

Happy New Year to everyone !
As far as I am concerned, I am already on the lookout for the long weekends in the year and the accompanying deals so that my future getaways would be equally exciting, interesting and adventurous ...