So here I am once again. I assumed that this would be a easy enough job to kick start, but a month has passed and along with it thousands of thoughts and the only thing that I have to show for it is a post on yet another trip. I didn’t know if I should consider my trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada was worth a chapter, but even though I enjoyed the scenic drives through the coastal roads I couldn’t really consider it worthy of being on my main blog, maybe the odyssey but the lack of time killed it. Me being on conference calls through most of the drive didn’t help.

Grand Canyon is not so easy to pass over, even though I spent most of my time in Las Vegas sleeping than at the Canyons. The fact that I was back to my “get a ticket” life was in itself enough put it on my blog.

So the bad news first, Yes I got a ticket after a gap of two and a half years in the US bring the total to 7. I have actually done much better in Brazil, where I drive during the weekends only, raking up 6 tickets in the last 8 months (I have only been here half the time). Though I have a valid excuse, I was trying to see the sunrise at the Grand Canyon after having slept past the intended time, tired from a long drive (I can hear the snickers already).

And the Good News, The Canyon is worth the visit, better still would be a hike down the side, which I am hoping to do someday, hopefully with some company. I am tired sometimes of having to go see the world alone. At least need a cameraman to prove that I was there. As much as I like the Grand I am not a big fan of the desert, give me the green mountains of Carolinas over the Nevada Desert or better still give me the host, sweaty and burning streets of Chennai! Yes thats my homesickness showing through, I am going to back in December and if any of you chums are reading this, I would love to meet up sometime.

No trip to the Grands is complete without mentioning ‘sin city’. I was supposedly at a conference though it was a good excuse to catch up on much needed sleep with free food and boarding thrown in. Frankly I don’t understand what people see in Vegas, I don’t know who in their right minds would want to even take a vacation there! surprising as it might seem, and in spite of the awe inspiring architectures (Don’t forget to visit the Venetian), I wouldn’t pay money to go there and loose some more money.

This whole trip was followed by a trip to Eugene’s (My sister for those of you who don’t know) home in San Jose to celebrate my Nephew Hansel’s first birthday, just to remind me how how old I am getting.

Its back to the grind now.

Till laters God Speed!

I am back … atleast for a short while. Its been a long break for me. I now understand perfectly how procrastination works, like any other addiction it grows on you slowly and then takes a death grip on you before you realise what hit you. The only way to get out of such a slumber is a rude and almost forceful self-awakening, like I am trying right now.

These past four months have been the busiest of my short life thus far and lesson learnt is that a workaholic is not born, a workaholic is made. I have also been clocking crazy airline miles. I am writing this note sitting in a Canadian Hotel about a trip I made in Brazil!

Amazon was possibly the best vacation I have ever taken so far. There has been no place that even comes close to it. Most of the other places I have been to have been more touristy and places that most people can claim to have been to. The Amazon can truly overawe anybody just by its sheer size. The river is so huge that it almost felt like a sea out there.

This trip was also the first time that I ever caught a fish and a Piranha at that. They are as tasty as they are dangerous. One of my boat members almost lost his pinky finger.

The highlight of the trip ofcourse was attending a indeginous Indian wedding. Most of the cermony was around the ritual of the 12 year old groom letting himself being bitten by huge ants to prove his manhood. He does this after taking a pinch of snuff.

Check out the pictures.

Amazon