Finally in USA

After a long and arduous journey on Cathay Pacific's air bus we landed in Los Angeles airport at 9.00 pm. The immigration officials were very courteous, helpful and friendly. Though I was one of the last visitors in the serpentine queue, the visa officer spoke to me patiently and joked about how every visitor from India is an expert in computers. On knowing that I am a travel writer he said "You need time to stay in America if you have to write about our country. I will give you six months visa so you can see the entire country. Enjoy your stay."

All the sordid stories I had heard about the visa process, getting immigration clearances etc were repeatedly proved false. American visa officials are sticky about rules, documents etc but I have found them to be very friendly and well mannered. This basic courtesy is absent in most government officials who interact with public back home in India.

Once out of the airport, the superwide roads, big cars etc flabbergasted me. This city is really big and has been planned well. Though the government can sit back and enjoy the setting, they are continuously working/ commissioning new works to improve road and other infrastructure. I noticed at least three places where one or two lanes had been closed and work going on in a hectic pace. This is what I admire about western societies and culture. It is high time our politicians learn about sharing wealth and making life easier for people and not themselves.

I am going to sign off now... will try to update the blog as frequently as possible. Meanwhile you guys enjoy yourselves wherever you are.

Hi everybody,
This is me in Singapore's Changi airport sitting around without anything to do.
We went on a FREE (yes free) but and boat tour of Singapore. The super short (3 hrs) tour conducted for transit passengers by the Singapore Tourism Board is pretty occupying. They offer three different types of tours "Cultural tour", "Colonial tour" and the "City tour". Basically to entice air travellers transiting the city state to return to the city and spend money in the swank hotels, shopping malls etc.

We took the 'Colonial Tour' which introduced to the Singapore built by the British. The victorian style buildings including the Asian Museum, Victoria Memorial Hall, Old Church, The City Hall etc, capped by a boat ride on the Serene but very very dirty Singapore river. I had heard about Singapore being a clean and green city which prides itself in maintaining clean water bodies, parks and roads etc. But the river was a disappointment. It was greenish in colour like our very own Ulsoor lake. The boats which are used on the river are old kerosene engine boats which create lots of noise and air and water pollution. I wish the tourism board and government takes cognisance of this and changes systems.

But coming back to the tour per se, it was capped by a boat ride/ cruise on the Singapore river which was a good thing. It gave us a birds or should I say fish eye view of the colonial part of the city. There is another tour which will take visitors through 'little India', 'China Town' and another area I don't remember... reportedly older parts of the city state.

Interestning city and highly developed thanks to the patriotic politicians and highly conforming citizenery who love their country and want to keep it neat and clean. I wish Indians could become like that.

Changi airport is a city in itself, large and fully airconditioned, carpeted and what not. No Indian airport will come anywhere near this. I wonder if India will ever have an airport like the Changi or at least 50 percent of the standards..... :) Think about it friends.

I am starting the day in front of the computer. This is how I have been starting my new days over the past couple of months. I won't go into poetics today like couple of days ago when I was.

My first book is more or less ready. Tentatively titled "Concise Guide to Educative Holidays", the book will be released by early December. The 468 page full-colour volume contains 43 essays on destinations in India, neighbouring countries and four travelogues. Once it is out you could place orders with EducationWorld Books for the same. Watch this space for updates on the book launch. If you want more details about the book feel free to e-mail me. The title and the cover page of the book will be modified/ redesigned to suit the theme better.


Well that is all for today. I need to get cracking and working. Check this space for more updates.