Russia with love

Since the era of the cold war, and the Iron curtain, the mystery about Russia always kept me intrigued and the more it appeared in the news, the more interesting it became.The Kremlin, the Red Square, St.Petersburg, the Vodka, the Russian circus, the Space station, Yuri Gagarin,and the valve vs semi conductors debate and how Russians thought of pencils in space than ball points always made me come closer to them.On top of it the escrow accounts, the biggest trading partner and the Sukhoi's and Migs made me develop an affinity for these Russians.

Just a few days back my dreams came true and so did reality dawn on me that how a place can get effected when capitalistic traits take over the communistic territories.The rich became super duper rich and the poor remain there with struggles that are more tedious.Every other person tries to exploit the situation be it with a tourist or local.My journey started with  Russian immigration authorities at the Vnukovo Airport where inspite of being the only 2 Indians there , arriving first at the counter had to wait for 30 minutes due to lack of an interpreter.The questions...."Your first visit to Russia? I said yes.Why Russia?Well, its was my dream to see this beautiful place that's why!!Where do you stay?I gave them details.How long?6 days , I said.Where to next?Told them that.Hmmm was the reply .Ok .And then the authorities disappeared for 5-7 minutes.I asked them to return my passports, and he said , oh!! I forgot.then he collected the passports , got them stamped and we stepped into the Cold/Warm Russia.While going down the escalator , he wished us a good trip.How encouraging!!!

At the arrival,stone cold Russians , smoking away to glory ,and no english sign boards.Taxi with some information i had collected over the net was the only option due to the long flight , though we wanted to experiment with the Aero express and Moscow underground combo.The rate was fixed and we drove to the hotel , through crazy, slightly undisciplined traffic for 45 minutes without a word shared with the non English speaking cabbie.The match box structures from the airport reminded me of the communistic regime as I had seen the same in Prague and Berlin,but was getting disappointed not seeing what I had heard of, except for the Tulip flower beds alongside the pavements.

Landing at the Hotel, we saw fireworks which I assumed Mr.Putin organised for our welcome maybe, which however turned out to be the victory day celebrations where Russians were out on the streets with flags, beers and Vodka.The biggest Mac Donalds in the world was flooded.Thank you America.
The receptionist spoke English but limited and we were certainly unwelcome or may be that's the way they exhibit their emotions.Plain stone cold. The food and stay was cool and then as we traveled through Moscow and St.Petersburg the beauty unfolded.SPECTACULAR in capital is the only way to explain these places.Wish the Russians promoted the same in a better way and gained popularity and improve the economy.The older generations still struggling and wanting the good old days back.They still keep large bouquet of flowers at the feet of Lenin and the communistic regime idols wishing them good and praying for their return.The youngsters some of them are learning english .Caviar etc available but out of reach for the common man.The fear of being spied upon still exists.The local authorities, can play pranks and extort good sums if you are technically not in possession of the relevant documents anytime , anywhere out of the hotel premise.The passports are kept with the Hotel in St.Petersburg as a rule during the entire stay!!!!Middle east rules!!!

I wish the place could develop into the most sought after tourist place and with some help from the Government made a more tourist friendly place than a suspicious country , eyeing every body visiting from under a microscope.Da......or Nyet!!!Russia we love you .

Cool dude

This term is so much in use by this generation and having heard it from my own folks i couldn't resist trying to get underneath the lingo.

On my recent trip abroad we met a lot of families from different parts of India and the USA,They had different accents, had traveled the globe and were accompanied by their children of varying age groups from 6-21 years of age.They initially were hesitant to get to know each other but with some ice breaking they gelled so well that the true spirits started emerging.They were on twitter and FB, they were on Ipods and I pads,skype and face time and keeping track of the changing GMT world times with the time difference between the place we visited and the time back home or various places across the globe where their friends and relations resided.

I was enjoying the company of my wife and the new found friends and parents of all these young ones.As intrigued as i am always, couldn't resist the temptations to befriend this Gen-X.I always feel, its good to share thoughts and ideas, learn their ways and try and understand the inside story behind why they like to do a certain thing or what challenges they face.But, to do so its important to get in their inner circle.Doing that in a matter of a day or two , required immense skills and experience of all these years I have been in Sales and Marketing as well as I give credit to my daughters , who treat both of us as friends than parents and teach us the intricacies of their generation .The fascinations with "FRIENDS","BIG BANG THEORY " and their characters, the latest numbers , be it english or Hindi movies,the trendy games on the I Pad( even if one doesn't play, knowing about them can always help to start a conversation and build on it.Then I used my palm reading skills which took off like wild fire and seeing them being convinced with what ever I told them,showed me how gullible they could be in the hands of some one who could exploit them.What fascinated me was their quest for learning, earning and being successful with variable definitions that they perceived was success.We had Rich parents, splurging on clothes( Branded only!!!!!), ready to give trendy clothes, throw parties and take admissions for studying abroad in canada or USA ,which remained at the  top of the agenda.

End of the trip what I consider, success for myself was, making new friends who connect with me on all social networking sites,who missed us and became emotional when it was time for us to leave for home and I could hear the chorus" Bipin Uncle" please come over and sit with us at the back of the coach".It was touching indeed.Felt years younger and also liked the fact that  ,traveling the world over helped me improve my personality and character and relate to the latest in life that is very important in my opinion for every parent so that they can bridge the gaps pretty quick and learn while they teach their young ones the secrets of life.Keep a look out for whats happening around you in the world of the next generation as much as you would like to police them.I think , creating that trust and engaging your self with the changing times will make you 'Their cool dude" for sure.

I got my self and my wife certified as COOL DUDES and keep getting that compliment every trip of ours which just makes us feel......WOW!!!!!!!.All we do is create the ambiance and live through what they consider as FUN.While doing that , show them what reality could be and how life takes turns as we cruise through .Teach them how not to stress out, not to take peer pressures and keep life as simple and enjoy every moment, but understand the value of money that is hard earned .

Humpty Dumpty

All of us are familiar with this poem and the egg head sitting on the fence,waiting to fall .Ofcourse drawing a parallel to real life ,these are the fence squatters who procrastinate and ruminate and chew the cud while waiting to fall either side.They choose to fall or get pulled either ways just by the ego forces that prevail amongst the squabbling crew members.A puppet on multiple strings, pulled in all directions is a good anomaly.

In life ,however when you are suppose to take decisions that determine your biggest goal or a major objective that not only decides your fate but the fate of your near and dear ones that bank on you or concerned about you ,and you end up doing HUMPTY DUMPTY you have to fall and crack.Take a well informed decision and take small but decisive steps in any direction you feel fit,using the heart and mind so as to arrive at the most rational solution.It may not be the best , but you took a step.That matters.You don't apply masking tape on your lips and tie up your hand and feet or let others tie you up in a knot that needs Houdini to open and then keep waiting for things to happen.One matures with age, even whiskey.But some kind of people I have come across , just don't wish to change.They love to be muddled up and have big egg headed, swollen ,gas filled egos ,happily messing up others lives .Even when their own lives are in ram shackles they are trying to set up the lives of their own folks.What a waste.!!!!

There is no right or wrong.Its just that you stepped into a direction which you  thought is appropriate and are then willing to face the challenges as they come.Overcome them and come out as victors.There could have been a better way.So what? You chose this and the very fact you did it yourself is the biggest learning and an experience unique to you.Your destiny is written.The path you take to reach there is yours that you choose.There are no short cuts.There are smart cuts and suicide points.Be smart.Have a spine.Make a call and go for it.Even if out of good nature you decide to help such a person , it feels nice.But trying to drive sense into bloated egos of  a bunch of  loonies and trying to unscramble the code is not worth it.Save that energy and use it more efficiently somewhere else where you could make a valuable contribution in life.