Myopic Vision

I was at a first Holy Communion party yesterday. It was a fun party, the music was good, the hosts were gracious, the food was superb and the guests seem to be enjoying themselves. Yet despite the company and the social niceties around me, I found myself bored silly. And I came to the horrifying conclusion, that somewhere, over the course of the last few years; I have turned into a social snob. I don’t consider myself to be anything special, nor do I for a moment imagine that I am better than anyone. In fact, I’ll gladly attest to the fact that there are scores of Indians whom I’ve met that are far more talented, skilled, educated, socially and financially better off than I. So just what is my problem? Why, I ask myself, can I comfortably make friends with a Swedish girl in Edinburgh, but find myself so prickly in social gathering of Indians – people of my own community. I am not ashamed of my Indian ness. Both my parents and my best friend still live in India. And I’ve had the good fo...

Today seems to be yet another remarkably glorious day. It's warm, sunny just like the past couple of weeks have been. The garden is a riot of colour, the roses are in full bloom, as are the spring bulbs. You could say, the weather has been perfect. The only problem is, it's the middle of May. Technically it's the end of Autumn here in the southern hemisphere and the weather should be dully, grey, wet and miserable. But strangely it isn't. It feels more like spring. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the warm weather, but I can't help wondering if the weather ladies have got their wires crossed or realistically if this is yet another tell tale sign of global warming. Global warming is being discussed all over the world. Perhaps it is time to take stock and pay closer attention to what needs to be done to minimise it's effects. Because the truth is, the future consequences of these strange weather patterns will be devastating and surely that is cause fo...

"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun, and in the morning We will remember them. Lest we forget." For New Zealanders and Australians around the world, today was a solemn day of remembrance. Anzac day commemorates the first landing of their troops at Anzac cove in Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1915. And ever year on this day, scores of Kiwis come together at war memorials across the country to remember the sacrifices made by previous generations of war veterans and especially those who lost their lives on the battlefields abroad. I attended my local Anzac day parade and it was a very poignant ceremony. Attendances at these services including the dawn services seem to have had record highs. This year, at Gallipoli around 18,000 people are estimated to have attended the dawn service. Anzac day is the one day, that is of perhaps the greatest significance for New Zealanders and 92 years ...

A few weekends ago, somewhere between sheer boredom and a burning desire for some kind of creative expression, I decided that I was going to do a bit of painting. Until quite recently, art has only ever marginally interested me. But my recent trips to Paris and Amsterdam got me really excited about art, particularly, after spending hours examining and appreciating works of artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and William Hogart among others. And so, in a blinding flash of inspiration, I decided that I would try my hand at painting. I had an image of what I wanted to do and I was feeling fairly confident that I could transfer this onto canvas. So off I went to get my supplies – paint, easel, canvas etc and I began to paint my “masterpiece”. An hour and a half later, it became abundantly clear to me (and those around me), that I was never going to be the next Picasso. What was meant to be an image of mother and child, turned out looking more like a giant acqua-green kidney bean spread acros...

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen 1813) It is also a truth acknowledged in India, that a single man with an NRI tag to his name (Non Resident Indian), must be, by mere virtue of the fact that he lives abroad, not just wealthy but a person of sound moral and religious character. And so scores of Indian newpapers run daily matrimonal columns where people advertise a preference for NRI girls or boys based on this rather erroneous assumption that "a life abroad must be easier". While it is hardly unusual in India, to find a matrimonial match through the daily newspapers, there definately seems to be a trend among a lot of young women in urban India, to find themselves the perfect NRI, to settle down with and live a life of "comfort" overseas. Sadly, while most of these marriages are made in heaven, there is a staggeringly high proportion of th...

As my plane made its slow descent into the Dabolim Airport at Goa; I knew that the next few days, would be a essay; with paragraphs of excitement and joyous celebration puncuated, with moments of chaos, nervous discomposure and a few conflagrant tempers. I was here from London, in this relaxed part of the world for just a few days. There was a singluar purpose to my trip and that was my cousin Clyne's wedding. I am the product of the age old tradition of the joint family system in India. So, having lived a large portion of my life with my cousins, meant that there would be no pardoning of any absence on my part, for an occassion as grand and important as a family wedding. Family ties are very important in India, a fact that was clearly endorsed by the global representation of our family at the wedding in Goa. But, I was not here, merely out of a sense of duty or tradition; I was here, because Clyne (the bridegroom) and I are especially close, and so I wanted to be a part of his big...

To My Family, Friends and More: I’ve been scouring the recesses of my brain to find some profound meaningful morsels of Christmas reflection. But the truth really is, that everything I came up with had been overdone. It seemed like an aimless undertaking. So all I’m going to do is WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. May the Festive Season Fill Your Hearts with Love, Laughter and that Warm Fuzzy Christmas Feeling. And I Hope the NEW YEAR is Rich in Blessings Have a great holiday season. God Bless You All.

I'm in Brussels this cold Saturday evening for a very special reunion with one of my dearest Kiwi friends Frennie. We first met at a bus stop in Birkdale and realised that we lived in the same apartment block. We've remained friends ever since despite us both having left Auckland quite a few years ago. Fren is here on a research scholarship for her PHD. She lives permanently in Christchurch which is quite a long way from me in London. So when I knew she was going to be in Brussels; it seemed like the perfect place to meet up again. In fact, when we finally came face to face after almost 4 years last evening it was great to see my dear friend. We strolled along the wonderfuly lit Grand Place; where the evening market stalls were still in operation, despite the rain. It was all very festive and colourful as expected given the time of the year. We treated ourselves to warm waffles in the rain and went to a cafe for dinner where we chatted and reminisced. I sampled some fine B...

One of the great advantages of living in London is the easy accessibility to the rest of Europe. This works a charm when you feel the need to disappear over the weekend for quick city breaks. It's one of the things I've been doing a lot of in the last few months with trips to various places. I spent this past weekend in one of the most colourful, diverse and charming cities in Europe - Amsterdam. With its tree-lined canals, art filled Museums and lively social scene this is perhaps one of the best cities to visit. The fact that you can get around either on a boat, a tram or do what most Dutch do - a gentle bit of peddling makes this a fun place. And of course, unlike the rude locals of other places, the Dutch are a friendly bunch. Museum square is amazing with its famous museums like- the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. The Rijksmuseum was celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Rembrandt and there were some amazing works on display. I also found mysel...

They were brutally murdered some 12 years ago. Yet Nicole Simpson and Roland Goldman were hardly just another statistic on the murder records. This was BIG NEWS not just in America but in the rest of the world. The sheer goriness of the crime, the memory of American sports star OJ Simpson being pursued by the police, and the “trial of the century” that followed is hardly something that people are likely to forget about. So it strikes me as nauseating, insensitive and in shockingly poor taste that OJ Simpson has written a book and is going to appear on the FOX TV two-hour special called “ If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened” to discuss the murders in a hypothetical sense. I can’t help but ask the blaringly obvious – • How sick does someone have to be to try and make a profit of a tragedy? Very Sick it seems. The truth is I don’t even think I’m shocked by OJ Simpson’s audacity to write his book or participate is in this twisted show. It’s common knowledge that he appeared in a D...

I was reading an article about 10 days ago on a NZ news website (www.stuff.co.nz/koreo), about a Treaty claim by Māori for UK pensions. The campaign is being spear headed by David Rankin an Auckland Unitec lecturer and a descendant of the Ngapuhi chief Hone Heke, who is the first Māori to have signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. I have to say, that while I am in favour of progressive campaigns for the economic and social improvement of Māori, I can’t stop wondering if this campaign seeking UK pension entitlement sets a debilitative precedent for Māori. Living in New Zealand, I’ve heard more unflattering comments about Māori than I’ve heard positive. It’s sad that Māori aren’t always perceived well. I’ve so often heard people refer to them as “those bloody lazy dole-pinching Māori”, or those “loud aggressive once were warriors types”. Conceivably, a large number of these stereotypes stem from ill- informed views or possibly, because people have just not seen solid examples of hard wo...

I do apologise for the long hiatus. It was never my intention to permit myself such a sustained absence. The truth is work (and a lot of it) has been claiming all of my energy and coupled with the gym, it leaves me far too exhausted when I finally get home each day. But I've been making a sincere attempt to get out of bed on the weekends and actually get out and enjoy myself. I spent one weekend with my friends Sam and Cathryn. Cathryn myself found our way to China town for really good Dim Sim at the "CHINESE EXPERIENCE" and then went to see the famous Aussie play VEGEMITE TALES, which was amusing and entertaining with equal measure. The following day, Sam and I went to see the BLACK DAHLIA, a film so bad I won't waste time telilng you any more about it. But we did stop for a good chat and coffee and some shopping in China Town. It was the good company, over the activity that made a difference to the weekend. I spent this last weekend with my couisn DC who is in Lon...

It was my birthday yesterday and so I'm lamenting the loss of my 20s. Technically I'm no longer in my 20s, but mentally I'm still 18 and probably always will be. I had hoped the day would pass off as just another day, but it didn't. My friend Sam (also from New Zealand) and I went to lunch. An hour, some good food, desserts and a few wines later we were suitably merry but certainly not legless. I got back to the office to be greeted by an exquisite and rather large bouquet of flowers and a large card from my bankers. I got spoiled when I got home with presents from my family in London. And loads of emails and some phone calls from friends and family. And this morning, I got a beautiful plant from my friend Sam. So all in all it has been a wonderful 18th Birthday. Thank you to everyone who made it special.

It’s hard to believe that the Steve Irwin is no more. It's always such a shame when someone who has devoted their lives to saving others (wildlife in his case) dies. I remember watching loads of the Crocodile Hunter series and they were always informative and entertaining. One always had a sense that although Irwin flirted with danger on a regular basis, he seemed to know what he was doing. He had an infectious enthusiasm and was passionate about wildlife. It's apparent from all the tributes flowing in that his conservation crusade reached many a home across the globe. His dedication should be applauded. The world has lost a true wildlife warrior and he will be missed.

Greetings from Mauritius! I consider myself a very lucky lady for managing to get out of Heathrow a couple of hours before they closed it down. I am holidaying with my family at the lovely resort of La Pirogue in Flic en Flac. The staff at La Pirouge are extremely friendly and everyone knows "La Famille Valladares" because there are just so many of us here. The weather is perfect and the people are friendly. Because of my Indian skin, I get mistaken for a local and so everywhere I go, I get locals talking to me in French or Creole and fully expecting a response. Fortuanately, I do manage a response in French even though I'm sure my grammar is terrible. Mauritian men are charming and flirtateous. I've been on the receiving end of their charm. But it is fortunately, all harmless. The good thing about being mistaken for a local is that you don't get hasseled by hawkers or taxi drivers.It also gives me a lot of confidence when bargaining at the local market stalls....

(Written during the Lebanon-Israeli war of 2006)  The anguished cry of the innocents shrouds the stillness of the night. The souring stench of death, the blood from their slaughter Seep through and stain the veil of the satin moonlit sky A country in turmoil, caught up in a battle it did not want to fight As murderous intents reign supreme, they harvest not heroes but killing machines Lessons from the past are ignored. The rabid campaign carries on. Who counts the bombs, the missiles, the precious lives lost? Is this a battle for freedom or the beginning of a new Holocaust?

Greetings from Helsinki, Finland - the land of the midnight sun. And I have to say, the sun has been out well past midnight on most days. I should ideally be in bed since I've been suffering from a bad cold, fever and delhi belly. But all of that has not stopped my penchant for rambling. I've sailed along the wonderful Helsinki Archipalgo several times now and I have to say the views are specatular. Helsinki is made up of about 314 little islands. The Helsinki zoo is on one of them and has Europe's only snowleopards(or so they claim). The market square is colourful with people selling fresh fruits, vegetables, ready cooked food like reindeer and fish, plenty of fresh fish here, some of it being sold on boats. My dad would love this place There are also vendors selling handpainted artifacts and handicrafts. Even reindeer skins and furs are a plenty here. The Suomenlina fortress is amazing and well worth the trip. I went into a World War II submarine and I felt so sorry for t...

As I watched the horrific images from Mumbai yesterday on the news, I was deeply saddened. Although I now permanently reside in New Zealand, I was born and raised in Mumbai. I lived in the suburb of Mahim, where one of the bombs exploded yesterday. Images of Mahim are in all the newspaper and television reports. Mahim has always been a volatile area, particularly during communal rioting. I've witnessed first hand the riots of 1991/92 and the bomb blasts of 1993. And I can tell you that the images from yesterday's bombings, are as lurid and macabre as they appear. Terrorism is certainly not a new phenomenon in Mumbai. For years, India has grappled with cross-border and internal terrorism. What is alarming, however, is the confounded ease with which terrorists seem to be planning and successfully executing their strikes. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks yesterday. Both the suspected militant groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba and the banned Students Islamic Movement of I...

I was really disgusted early in the week when I read about Keith Macdonald. He is the scrounging 21 year old who is about to become a dad for the 7th time. Since the age of 13 he's been breeding like a rabbit - 7 kids with 7 different women, all of whom he has abandoned. He boasts of not having paid a single penny towards child support. Yet he callously dismisses any suggestions that he is an irresponsible parent. And he insists his children will be well provided for………WITH BENEFITS. Macdonald is a convicted criminal who gets a weekly allowance from income support. He spends all his time and OUR HARD EARNED MONEY on poker machines at game arcades. It is estimated the cost of supporting his seven kids until they are 16 will be £1 million - a bill that will be footed by the taxpayer. And I have to ask the question WHY?? Why is it that an able bodied young man, perfectly capable of producing children, is allowed to scrounge on the state? Explaining his decision not to support any...

A few votes from man tomorrow = Giant repercussions for whales An important vote in the Caribbean tomorrow, at the gathering of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will decide the fate of the great mammals of the oceans - the whales. Tomorrow's vote is a power struggle between pro-whaling nations and the countries that condemn the practice. Leading the fight against whaling, are nations like New Zealand and Australia. Where as Japan, Norway, Iceland and other smaller island nations are hoping to gain a majority and thereby continue with their archaic and inhospitable killing of whales. Over the past 20 years Japan , Norway and Iceland have all still been hunting the great whales in defiance of the roughly 20 year international moratorium on their killing. They are also on a course to gain control of more than 50 per cent of the votes at the gathering tomorrow. The anti-whaling nations used to hold a controlling majority of the IWC votes, but Japan has craftily mustere...