jayantiblogshere

Shireen came in my dreams yesterday.   In my dreams, I was happy I heard back from her.  She is one person who keeps pricking   my conscience from time to time. I wrote a part fiction, part fact version of Shireen’s story with a happy but cynical ending for one of my previous blog post .    This time around I really want to speak up. And say it all as is… TRING … TRING the phone rang … Shireen has just finished her dinner when her mobile phone rang. It is about 9.15 pm. That must be her Cab driver. Shireen has had a good day ( night) yesterday and she is happy. Yesterday, during the quarterly Rewards and Recognition ceremony she was pleasantly surprised when she won the ‘soaring eagles’ trophy for best performance across North-West region. Her client manager had specially recommended her for the award citing her outspoken qualities and leadership abilities during the last three years with the team. The cab driver is waiting outside on the main street. S...

GOING SOLO …   The most memorable of my travels have been the solo travels that I have undertaken. Actually a good deal of my travels have been solo.   Going solo, I have discovered over the years is what I am best suited for.  It is not that I shun company, but Going solo nurtures the free spirit in you, helps you enjoy your own way and keeps you free from the hassles of going dutch with other travelers.  On many such solo travels I have discovered plenty of women travelers like me who prefer going solo.    Wanderlust and lipstick is one such site to women globetrotters who go solo. Check the out over here. Going solo is not any less safer than it is to go with a partner / family / friends.  After all your own safety is a matter of sheer common sense. I am actually an over cautious traveler.   I have a reputation of being careless and the one thing that freaks me out is the thought of getting into trouble when I am trav...

Here are my top 10 tips that can help in most cities. Especially in my city Bengaluru, the IT hub where business runs 24/7. 1.       Ask the driver ( auto-rickshaw or cab) his vehicle registration number ( even if you have seen it and noted it down) and text it to your Smart Suraksha contacts.   2.       If you do not want to ask the driver just note down the registration number and text it to your smart Suraksha contacts. ( minus the police)      3.       If you have failed to do step one and two, call up or pretend to call up one of your friends and let them know you are travelling in an auto/ cab and that you would reach in …. Pause for 10 seconds and then ask the driver how much more time it would take to reach via <mention a road that your GPS map shows>, thus signifying that you know the route well. 4.       Engage in a friendly co...

Kokarako … ko ...c ried out the 'cock sound' from her mobile phone morning alarm. It was 4.00 am and Shantamma stretched her arms out and shut it out to snooze about a little bit in her tiny hut besides the construction site . Ghrrr... her husband was snoring and peacefully asleep besides her. She was happy for him and for the fact that he was sleeping peacefully.  Poor fellow ... she thought, life has not been easy on him for the past few weeks.    Let all this pass...she prayed.     It was pouring outside her hut, besides, she was feeling cold.  At the stroke of the next alarm she knew she could not laze around any more. She looked at her mobile handset. The mobile handset was a gift from Preethi Madam.    Preethi Madam lives in the apartment complex down the road. She works in a big air-conditioned  office and leaves for work by 7.00 am. Shantamma works as a domestic help at her place. By 6.00 am she wo...

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend , an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda I said I am looking for Wiki Donor … You probably mistook it to be... Vicki donor ... That is Rhymed confusion . Write Over the Weekend theme for this week She said WIKI DONOR. He /She mistook it to be Vicki Donor .  Thanks to the Rhymed confusion ... I have now caught your attention. Please read on ...    I really am looking for Wiki Donors. FLASH BACK ...It all started like this.         A few years ago, on a cold, grey depressing morning, I called my folks in India from abroad.   I did not know it was Vijayadashami, an Indian festival celebrating the end of the festivities after nine days of Navaratri.  The celebrations were in fulll swing at home. Vijayadashami is the tenth day after Nine days of Navaratri celebrations. In the southern part of india, th e day before is Sar...