Tag: USA

Hawa-Hawaii 2026!

Hawaii, has been on the places to travel list for a while now.
It would only be a destination that you would visit for any reason you would get!
And what better than a wedding on the island?
A long journey to get to the island,
another few hours’ time difference from California and a total of 15 Hrs 30 min from India.
We just kept resetting our watches & Food Cycle and just when our sleep cycles were set in Hawaii, it was time to travel back.

The travel from India ( Mumbai to San Francisco) via Dubai, yes. We flew Emirates and the first surprise we received at the check-in counter, was an upgrade to Business class for the Mumbai- Dubai sector and what a journey.
The flat bed and the service were what made Emirates fly better and fly differently.
The Dubai airport was silent and quiet with no crowds at the airport, it took us less than 15 minutes to clear immigration, Security and reach the gates.
The United States after a decade felt so different yet nothing seemed to have changed.
The dollar exchange rate changed a lot, things definitely felt more expensive, fewer staff around at retail stores and in the hospitality sector,
The Waymo driverless experience was a highlight of the California stay.
Before we knew it, it was time to head to Aloha.
The week we were to go there. It was stormy and floods were forecast.
A couple of days, and there were no
Signs of Rain, only sunshine and sunset around until it poured one night and changed a few more plans.
Hawaii – The first reaction is like Thailand, Phuket, a little like the Maldives and a lot like Goa India. But cleaner, Bluer and less crowded with very good seafood & meat.
And while we walked and explored the place.
Aloha as a state is almost twice as expensive as New York & San Francisco.
A little history!
In 1810 Kamehameha became Hawaii’s first king. The islands continued to have royal rulers into the 1880s.
No wonder the Suite at Royal Hawaiian was named the Kamehameha, a spacious room
And a huge balcony to enjoy the sunrises and sunset and occasionally the local cultural show from the balcony itself.
The hospitality & the service in the States is something that they need to learn from India.

Did You Know?
Hawaii is an island that has 132 islands but only 7 have been inhabited
Hawaii the Names comes from the Hawai’i Loa, a legendary figure who is said to have first discovered the islands.

Many beaches are filled with white sand, but other Hawaiian shores are covered with green, red, pink, and even black sand.

Hawaii is the only U.S. state with two official languages: English and Hawaiian.

Barack Obama the 44th president of the United States was born in Honolulu Hawaii

Sugarcane, pineapples, coffee, macadamia nuts, and flowers are all important sources of income for the Aloha’s economy.

Hawaii’s nickname, the Aloha State, is no mystery: Aloha is a Hawaiian way to say hello and goodbye.

No Texting While Crossing Street
Looking at your cell phone while crossing a crosswalk is prohibited. If you commit a breach, you will be fined $ 15-99. In addition, crossing at other than the pedestrian crossing is prohibited and punishable by a fine of $ 130 for violations.

The Waymo Experience!

Beginning of the trip! I was looking forward to the ride, but wasn’t sure if San Jose or Palo

Alto had the Waymo service or not. 

Within seconds, I checked and we could ride in the Waymo! 

Once the car arrived! The questions were how do I signal the driver, it’s me, Akhil! This is me! Who has requested the ride?

After a few seconds, the car parked itself! 

How do I open the door? 

The message popped up! Unlock the vehicle. 

The doors opened and we approached to be seated. 

We did not close our doors, until we were seated, what if the car leaves one of us behind? Once seated, another message popped up! Unlock to Start your Ride. 

And then the car sped through the lanes, slowing down when vehicles crossed the other lanes, and turns came by. 

Once we arrived at our destination, the car stopped, Another message popped up unlock

To open the doors. And this was our Waymo experience. 

The driverless experience was a thrill. 

Is this the future we are looking at around the world ( US, UK, EU, Australia) 

Could it work in countries like Africa, India and other asian countries like Thailand and Hong Kong? 

What happens to drivers who ride on the other apps? Should they be worried about losing their jobs with this one Skill that has AI taken over?

Revisiting – The New York Times !!

The United States Of America!

A country, like no other.

If you haven’t been to the USA, You haven’t seen the World.

These were all the words that kept ringing when we thought about applying for our Visas in 2014.

walking into the Visa office, Was like walking into a well-guarded centre, where they thoroughly checked our documents and questioned us like, they had the complete power in their hands in deciding our future ahead.

But, In a way, they had complete authority though in approving and authorising us to travel to the United States.

Getting our Hands-on The USA Visa – Was like a Milestone in Life. (Yeah, We have achieved something in life!)

It’s just that so many Visa get disapproved and it isn’t easy getting a Visa To The USA.

But, I guess what worked for us was our Past Travels.

Airport.

Still Dreading how will we survive this long journey of Twenty odd hours including a layover in Europe.

We have just Seated ourselves on the flight, after all the security checks and Walking around the Airport.

We still don’t know, how to go about this flight journey, eight hours and we will be in Europe and another ten to twelve hours until we make it to The States.

Should we Sleep, Should We Watch Movies?

Anyways! We Decide to Sleep. In order not to get jetlag we must Dose Off on this Journey.

After what looked, like I slept for Days, We reach Zurich Airport.

The Zurich Airport, Is beautiful, The Weather is good and we have a few hours to kill, And we stroll around watching Swiss Airways Flights land, Take off around the Runway, Sipping hot chocolate and having a light meal around.

All was going Well Until our next leg of the journey had entertainment issues.

Yeah! You read that right! Entertainment Issue!

Due to a shift in passengers carrying their Devices like the iPad, Macbooks and iPhones Airlines were now going away with the Entertainment, Infotainment options for Economy Passengers.

United Airlines- Was already Dividing me With America… Leaving me in no State but to sleep again on my Journey, I tried hard to have enough cups of coffee to keep me awake! But for what, I am practically

20000 feet or more above ground. With No Wifi, No Movies, No Television, Sitting on a seat trapped for the next couple of hours…

Just staring at the views outside, I soon fall into a deep sleep.

Now we Are In the USA!!!!

If the Visa Centre was sweating us out!

The immigration Counter was like a serious offence committed.

Since We must have got a USA Visa! But, We Still haven’t entered the USA. So We carefully listen and answer all questions honestly to extent of Letting them know we have carried Pickles & Puffcorn with us in our bags. (Since They have experiences and are well educated, informed about Indian travellers and their needs) 

Best Books of 2020 I read!!

Some books take you on a journey and sometimes those journeys are a ride of a lifetime, considering this pandemic to is a Ride of a lifetime that we all are experiencing and becoming a different you. Here is a list of books that made me visually travel and made me come across personalities and understanding different lives.
  • The Ride Of A Lifetime by Robert Iger. 
This was a book that I read totally by accident- I have been borrowing books during this lockdown from a friend and thank god for the recommendation. 
This Book was a beautiful ride into a journey of how much ones goes through to reach the top. But, In an entertainment business & media business, it’s very competitive. During Robert’s tenure, there were so many important acquisitions he acquired and managed to keep re-innovating and to keep Disney relevant as an organisation to an extent that he acquired Rupert Murdoch organisation for Disney and got access to a bunch of media channels including a popular streaming platform of theirs in India the Hotstar app and rebranded Disney+ 
There are so many insights to share, The relationship with Steve Jobs and how he convinced him and manages to acquire Pixar. 
Trivia: 
Wide World of Sports an ABC Broadcasting channel became the 1st U.S Media house to enter North Korea in the late 70s. 
Apple & Disney collaborate for Television Shows on iPod Touch. 
Marvel, 21st century Fox Studio, Star Wars acquisitions by Disney. 
Robert Iger shares some of his lessons. 
  • Tell Great Stories
  • Innovate or Die
  • Relentless Pursuit Of Perfection
  • Take Responsibility, When you screw up
  • Be Decent To People
  • Excellence & Fairness
  • True Integrity
  • Value Ability
  • Ask Question You Need to Ask.
  • Managing Creativity is Art.
  • Don’t Start Negatively
  • Don’t be in the business of playing it safe.
  • Don’t let ambition get ahead of the opportunity
  • We all want to believe we are indispensable
  • A company’s reputation is the total of the actions of Its people and the quality of its products
  • Optimism emerges from faith in yourself and in the people who work for you
  • You need to convey your priorities clearly and repeatedly
  • It should be about the future
  • Treating others with respect is an undervalued currency when it to negotiating
  • You have to do the homework
  • If something doesn’t feel right to you, it won’t be right for you.
This is one of the best books, I have read this year! And another interesting bit of news is recently Robert Iger announced he would be taking the role as the CEO For the popular video app Tik Tok an App that is currently banned in India as there have been ongoing conflicts with China. 

Becoming by Michelle Obama

I Wouldn’t have read this book. But, The moment you read It’s written by the former first lady, You know it’s going to be a great read. As it’s going to have things you wouldn’t know about their lives and you also get the chance to know the White House from an insider, The whole architecture, The protocols and the life behind the camera as a president and more importantly Michelle Obama’s journey in life.  If you enjoyed reading the book. You can also watch the documentary ”Becoming on Netflix ”

Charles Chaplin – Autobiography

I don’t like reading artist biographies or autobiography’s who have been part of the entertainment industry. For one they could be biased, one-sided and slightly boring to read. But Charles Chaplin I have been wanting to read for a long time, a couple of days before we went on national lockdown (25th march ’20’ ) I was about to place an order from the e-commerce website, But did not. Also, having read most of the books that I had already ordered and now worried I had no books to read, First I began scrolling from my contacts and messaged a couple of my “friends” if they could lend me some books. After having waited for too long for them to reply, I browsed through my library at home once again! Maybe there is a book I haven’t read and guess what! I found one of the first editions of Charles Chaplin which was tearing apart and I began reading the book, It was one of the best books I must have read on cinema and actor as it teaches you so much about what goes behind an actor during his preparation and how much effort is it to “Act” and being a superstar of the “silent Era” This fascinated me and within five days I had finished reading the book. Right from his childhood to him coming back from Hollywood and visiting his roots in The UK to him finally settling down in Switzerland to have been married numerous time. About five times and having eleven kids to getting the longest standing ovation in the (Twelve Minutes long ) history of academy awards Charles was one hell of a “Charlie.” It’s a must-read for all and besides Charlie, if you want to read another book on an actor you must! And must read Naseeruddin Shah Memoir – Then one day.
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
A Book that I have been wanting to read for a while. That was written in twenty fourteen And what better than a pandemic to understand from a doctor on why “Being Mortal” is important and how we aren’t ready to face it and it’s consequences and during this time it’s an apt book to read.
Being Mortal is on the subject of “Death” – Yes, It questions why in medical we don’t discuss death as important as a “life” and how should we deal with the topic of death. 
And the book questions us with some thought-provoking questions – 
  • If independence is what we live for, what can we do when it no longer be sustained? 
  • The real Issues with Nursing homes & how they are solving this problem? 
  • What exactly is the job of one in the medical field – Only to ensure the health & Survival? Or is it also to teach & look into the well being of one? 
  • Is it true – Once someone loses their physical independence – A life worth of freedom is simply not possible? 
  • And Scientist advances have turned the process of ageing & dying into medical experiences & why is it medical world prepared for or in today’s context wasn’t prepared for it? 
You must surely read this book once not only because of what all it makes us question. But because a Doctor himself has shared his thoughts & Experiences on how unprepared we are to face Reality. 
This is a slightly Emotional, Dull and emphatic read. 
Why we Sleep By Matthew Walkers. 
There have been times! When you have not just heard but have been told to sleep, Sleep and complete your eight hours of sleep! Without really knowing or understanding why should you sleep. Then a year’s later when you grow up you find a book -Why we sleep? That answers your questions on the importance of sleep. This book interested me for two reasons one since I too like many don’t like to sleep much and unlike like many who sleep too much. The book highlights how changing your sleep cycle from just a couple of hours to a minimum of eight hours can make you healthier and keep all your levels ( Sugar, Blood, Weight) balanced and under control. 
I also remember visiting the Facebook office & The Google office a couple of years ago in California US and noticing sleeping Pods for the employees to Nap and be more creative. 
And can’t recall if the same 
is being implemented in India where most of the Indian’s are overworked and underpaid and if any of the organisation have sleeping Pods. While reading the book I also read another point where certain Ceos and owners abroad are giving incentives and bonus for people to sleep and not coming to the office half asleep. Even some of the Animals sleep a lot. 
Trivia:
*Lion & Tiger 15 Hrs a Day
*Brown Bat sleep 19 Hrs. Outperforming all MammalsAnd with this whole change with the pandemic, it has taught a lot of us to slow down and take it easy and we should focus on the importance of sleep. Just changing one thing we all as individuals can change our lifestyle. 
Snow by Orhan Pamuk. 
Yes, I was looking to read something different, And Have been wanting to read a book by the Turkish Novelist Orhan Pamuk, But did not know which one to read .his works include the “My Name is Red” ”Museum innocence” and a few others. Fortunately, I have been borrowing books from a friend, And They had Snow and I choose to start reading Orhan Pamuk books. Two things that got me interested in this book is the written description and reading the blurb, This sounded exactly like a mirror image of Turkey, It’s culture and Turks. And since I visited turkey about a decade ago. A Lot of the writing and descriptions were accurate. 
The Story of Snow is about Ka who is a poet, Intellectual from Istanbul who visits Ka on the context of understanding Why Suicide is on the rise. By representing a Print newspaper. But as the story unfolds you realise it’s more than a suicide… It’s about the politics within. The difference between the open mindset and the Conservative culture. To be vocal about issues that are a cause of concern. 
Snow, Is an intellectual and digging in deep into a writer and poets mind and A Turkish Author while living in turkey he has expressed in his writing about turkey so accurately it is very fascinating. This is surely one of the best books I have read this year already. And having read Orhan Pamuk & Elif Shafak both Turkish authors. You realise how different both of their writing style is, But both have portrayed Turkey Beautifully … 

The Gaze by Elif Shafak
The Gaze was the first book that got me interested in Elif Shafak as an author. As the story idea is different – It’s about a couple who change their genders one day and go out for a meal only so that the society doesn’t judge them anymore. 

And a Turkish Writer writing this story with Turkey as a backdrop. What more would you want in a story. The Gaze becomes my third read instead of first as this book was difficult to be found so I began with forty rules of love and then read The Bastard of Istanbul both of these are lovely too and the bestseller for the author. 
Salivation Of A Saint By Keigo Higanshino. 
My 3rd Book from Keigo Higanshino, 2nd one of the year and two and half days of another page tuner from Keigo Higanshino.This has the best read of all the Keigo Higashino books. Writing is so engrossing. Murder has already being committed in the first thirty pages and You might have the hint of who the murderer might me. But How it happens remains a mystery…Until Detective Galileo works around the theory with the Police officers and comes to the conclusion. A Book & author you wouldn’t want to miss reading, Who surprises you with a perfect Murder Crime that you wouldn’t in your wildest thought, imagined to take place like the one mentioned in the books and with logical backstory and supporting evidence, This book is all the more enjoyable where you just want to read more stories like these from Keigo Higanshino one of my new favourite Crime/Thriller who doesn’t disappoint.
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa 
A book that I first wanted to read, When I had visited a bookstore and found the copy on New arrival and since I had a couple of books that I was reading or wanted to read. I hadn’t picked it up and after a month when I was looking to read something new. I thought about reading The Memory Police. Originally written in 1994, but has been adapted to suit 2019-2020. This book is a science dystopian novel like the ones of 1984 George Orwell, But has more similarities with Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand as who is the Memory Police? can easily be compared to Who is John Galt? 
The book was also nominated for shortlisting Booker Prize 2020. And relates to issues like loneliness and being expressive the issues like the lives been controlled by a particular organisation. 
This is the first book, I have read of Yoko Ogawa and it is a book, no matter how many years later you read it. You could relate to quite a few of the issues.
This Book written by yet another Japanese writer that I have read this year Should be on your reading list.
Kafka on The Shore by Haruki Murakami”
Kafka on The Shore by Haruki Murakami 
Is the seventh or eighth books in the Murakami collection that I have read so far and Kafka on the shore has been one of the most enjoyable mysteries to unfold? 
Murakami has stuck to his elements in his writing. 
Cats, Painting and the characters we want to know more about. 
Though I read “Killing Commemorate” Last year, Before reading Kafka on the shore and though both were on the same lines. Kafka on the shore has been a breeze to read. 
Like all the other Murakami books, Japan has always been a backdrop with every story and a new town or new side of the city is portrayed. 
Kafka on the Shore is a story of Kafka Tamura, a fifteen-year-old boy who runs away from home to escape an awful oedipal prophecy, and Nakata, an ageing and illiterate simpleton who has never completely recovered from a wartime affliction. Kafka’s journey brings him to a small private library in the provincial town of Takamatsu and to a mountain hideaway where the ordinary laws of time no longer apply. But, like Oedipus, the more Kafka tries to avoid his fate, the closer he comes to fulfilling it. Nakata also sets forth on a quest for an enigmatic entrance stone, the significance of which he does not understand. Intellectually ambitious, emotionally intense, and beautifully written.
Man Called One by Fredrik Backman
A Book was written by a Swedish author and blogger, that had been quite a phenomena. 
It was this year, When I was looking to find something new & different…Did I go through My Reading list – Book that I would like to read and began reading this one. About a character (Ove) who is one of the grumpiest men in the town and his outlook to life, and once you read the book or have read it already, you would relate to one’s you have come across in your everyday life. The humour is a little dry but funny. 
This book – Aptly observes not just people, but also their emotional side and Ove a character you just can’t ignore. 

2020 Lockdown Itinerary!

More than halfway through 2020. I ended up reading about a dozen books, Losing track of time. It hardly made me realise it’s been five months, I haven’t travelled anywhere at all. Not even Mumbai which is the closest Metro city from my hometown Nashik.

This also made me question am I liking it to be in one place, without moving at all.

Well, To be honest. It’s a first for me and while I couldn’t travel physically anywhere. Not even to a restaurant or cafe.

I have been having the best of food cuisines right from Thai, Chinese, and Italian pizzas to freshly baked desserts and cakes at home. This doesn’t mean I don’t miss going out.

I Sure do because, when we go out, We go for the experience of going somewhere, Trying something new, different or sometimes just for the ambience and service of being served, rather than helping ourselves. You also go for the occasional noise that’s part of the environment. People chit-chatting having conversations, to you finding the solution and clearing your doubts from not knowing what to order, to going with the suggestion by the waiter serving you to missing out a menu option, that the order table guest has just ordered.

As far as travelling goes as a tourist- The Books have been helping me by taking me to America by going on a history tour by having a well-researched guide (Bill Bryson) To telling me about Indian history by making me meet Historians such as William Dalrymple. Reading makes me feel sometimes “Lost in Japan” by either overhearing a mysterious case “Under The Midnight Sun” or giving it a realism-magical sense of the place by letting me know about “Kafka on The Shores” To making me Revisit Turkey But this time also making me experiencing the “Snow” by a local Orhan Pamuk and taking me to a lesser-known city in the country Kars.

Reading made me understand a doctor’s life by sharing the concept of “Being Mortal” to making me meet some interesting personalities, Michelle Obama & Robert Iger.

All these experiences while sipping coffee and hopping around the different corners of my home, enjoying the weather and trying to do my best while sitting at home.

But, Yes Travelling physically cannot be replaced by reading books. But, reading can comfort you in planning out your next travel journey.