How to Live, Die and Party...

In Jakarta

Sometimes you want to party..other times you want to die..few are the times when you want to live.
Here are the tips:

Party

# Go to south Jakarta, the place is called Blok M. The place has everything to offer that you may need to party. It has a number of night club- pubs with friendly staff and other accessories. People call these accessories 'cute little things'. While your way back to home you find at least 20 of such things trying to stop your car and bargain. They wear sexy outfits and charge anything between 300k to 500k.

• Sportsman: Essentially a 'no shit' Sportbar. Popular among expats. Serves good food and chilled beer. No women allowed without a male companion. Got a pool table and several LCDs. Staff is nice and friendly. Ask for Rima, the teen bar tender, if you go there.
• D'place: Just next to Sportsman. Place with a VIP room which costs you Rp 100,000 ($10 approx) and you can bring any girl inside with you. Full of chickens (read bitches). All they want to do is to seduce you and push you in VIP room. Not really a place to have dinner. Bad ambiance but still popular among expats.
• TopGun: A place that have almost everything to offer. Local band, chilled beer, decent food and lots of chickens. The only lively place on Sunday nights. Beer is cheap and crowded almost every night.
• My Bar: Nice place with local live band on the weekends. Popular among local people. Friendly staff and cheapest beer in the blok.

Red Square: One of the finest places to chill out and make new friends. Very popular among expats and local girls. Nice DJ ,good ambiance and reasonable price for drinks. They have Sexy dances and bar shows almost daily. Best place to pick innocent fun loving local girls. Crowded like a fish market on weekends.

CJ's: Place has more chickens and less expats. Good music, expensive drinks, Colombian band plays at times. You have to order one drink before you enter, they give a huge draft beer.

Fez : More like an executive place. Popular for good food that they serve. They have 6 LCDs and two pool tables which they publicise a lot. Popular among pool crowd. Frequently arranges Pool tournaments.

Da Hoot: Small pub in ponduk indah. Friendly staff, live band on Fridays. Manager is a guy from CA who offers you free drinks. Popular among local people and International School teachers.

Embrio: New pub in the town at kemang. Dark place with beautiful PR girl. Arranges ladies night and guest's night regularly. Good DJ decent food.

HRC: Not up to the reputation of HRC. May be coz Jakarta has much more to offer. Continues the tradition of good music and unique ambiance. They have an 6 cornered pool table which attracts females.

F Bar: Near to HRC, this place is alive only with the FTV high end parties. Worth going if you have an already supermodel superhot girl friend.

X2: If you wanna dance till death and drink till drop then yes..this is the place. 3 floors. R&B, Trans, Executive lounge. Jam packed at any given weekend. Attracts people of any race/color/religion/nationality.

Live

• Go for a midnight trip for sheesha at food fest kemang. Place jam packed with teens and college crowd. You see all the new fashion trends of the town there.
• Go for a kite fly on a beach on Sunday morning. You can buy it from a kid and fly that for a while. Pay him like 40k and he would be the happiest human around.
• Make some local friends and go to one of those karaoke places, sing the song you want and let them sing their songs. Can be tried once.

Die

Do your job. Easiest way to achieve 'Moksha'.

OH yeah..NO SMOKING

'Mera Bharat Mahan'

I used to stay happy before I had these couple of experiences here. I used to love the place and appreciate the people and behavior here. I am already in love with the sweet these guys make for dinner and I used to like the profile of the kinda job i have here.

During my stay here for more then an year now, I had never felt like a foreigner here before one of the eves. This particular day, I ended up having a dinner alone in the Canteen. I used to have dinner with all these Arabic guys here daily with the sheaf making one special Indian Curry for me and asking if I need anything else. The Indian Curry never used to be even close to anything you can have back in India but because they have named it Indian Curry, and they used to make it specially for me, I kinda started liking it. This eve I had my dinner all alone with the security guard and the staff staring at me. I didn't know why.

Later I figured out that the Co0rdinator had invited everyone on some kind of treat outside in the town, except for me! Well the word 'everyone' stands for all Arabics and 'me' being a non Arabic was left alone.

Later I thought that may be they had forgot me by mistake but the coordinator clarified the next day that I had nothing to do with the treat as it was supposed to be a treat for 'their' people.

WTF!!
I am a part of the operations for the company as well. I stay here and work here. I am living my life here. Why don't I qualify as 'their' people then?

Well I am sure of one thing. We, Indians, would never behave like this to a foreigner came to our country to work with us. May be that's why they call 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.

The Rig

Sometime you see the rig and not the way, other time you see the way and not the rig, sometime you see both of them clear and most of the time you see none!

You just continue driving in a direction you think is right.

You can't smell anything around except for the lonely deadly desert. The desert seems to be cursed to be absolute dark at the nights and absolute hot at the days. You wish you can hear someone talking or watch some children playing. All you get to see is a couple of cattle or handful of bushes, if ever you are lucky.

I compare the driving in a dead desert to the journey of life. Sometimes you know what you want and other times you don't. If you know the destination, you try to look for the way. Sometimes you know the way and other times you don't. Most of the times you are clueless about the destination and way both!

The journey of life never stops, you continue running in the direction you think is right.

Office Scene

Working in an operation Oil Company has its own pros and cons. The cool work-culture, flexibility in timings and schedule, informal interaction, behavior and chats among the employees, and the fat salary are the things you'll always love. But the hard screwing shifts, the huge responsibilities and extreme work conditions are among the few things you gonna hate.

Well I am in a nice mood today, so let me talk something about the coolest things here. Not that I am the most devoted employee but these are the few things that everybody gonna love.

We were having a discussion over a technical issue last eve. 'We' involves my immediate manager (the eastern hemisphere seismic business in charge!), the maintenance coordinator (weights no less then 200 pounds) of one of the busiest facility in Egypt, one of my colleagues (used to work with another big name oil company before joining us), a consultant (approximate age 50 years, a tough guy though) called up from US to help us upgrading the old system and of course me. So the set up was something like this:
The boss sits on his chair, me and colleague put our asses on his desk, the coordinator guy sits on a rotating chair (and keeps on enjoying the rotation mechanism with a time period T= 5 sec, # = 180*) and the tough old guy on the chair in front.
So the discussion was going no its pace and I suddenly felt bore and started monitoring the configuration of the sitting arrangement. Not that it was something very great to note or feel about but I found it kinda cool. I started wondering in how many corporate offices people work and discuss the issues like this, while there is always a dress code and they need to be packed in their suffocating (for me atleast) formals. The content should matter and not the covering! I was eventually feeling so nice about the work culture at this place. Well and then I forgot that people do this all while they discus..ohh so we were discussing something. I just drifted away so far that when I got back in my senses, I found the consultant's hand on my shoulder. Wow!! This is so blooding cool! A guy working in the oil field for 25+ years, has visited 70+ countries keeps his hand on my shoulder for no good reason. Guess this is the time I should also give some input into the discussion, Else the Boss gonna kick my ass very soon.

" Oh yeah! I am agree with his point, why don't we keep the decoder in the remote unit and the encoder near the well. The radio communication enables us to keep an eye on more then one decoders while we can use the same configuration in the walkaway onshore surveys as well." was the next thing I said.

PS: That was the day when I noticed my manager saying 'Fuck the freaking shit...I don't fucking care' which is another cool indication. Now I need not to apologize everytime I use the F word :-)

Never been in a schedule. Discovering a new myself is fun. Now I can wake up early, have a nice breakfast, go to the office then, work my ass off for the whole day, come back and jump into the pool, pump the iron in gym then, have a bath, dinner later after, set an alarm and hide myself in the bed.
From tomorrow I'll be playing tennis as well, have called for the coach today.

I had the ice cream in the afternoon today which ROCKs... nicely served and tasted.

IPL TEAMS

IPL Teams And Big Bucks

The below list is as of now will be updated...

Delhi

Virender Sehwag (icon),
Daniel Vettori (US$ 625,000),
Shoaib Malik (US$ 500,000),
Mohammad Asif (US$ 650,000),
AB de Villiers (US$ 300,000),
Dinesh Karthik (US$ 525,000),
Farveez Maharoof (US$ 225,000),
Tillakaratne Dilshan (US$ 250,000),
Gautam Gambhir,
Glenn McGrath,
Manoj Tiwary,
Greg Shipperd(coach)


Kolkata

Sourav Ganguly (icon),
Ishant sharma (US$ 950,000)
Shoaib Akhtar (US$ 425,000),
Ricky Ponting (US$ 400,000),
Brendon McCullum (US$ 700,000),
Chris Gayle (US$ 800,000),
Ajit Agarkar (US$ 330,000),
Murali kartik (US $425,000)

Mohali

Yuvraj Singh (icon),
Mahela Jayawardene (US$ 475,000),
Kumar Sangakkara (US$ 700,000),
Brett Lee (US$ 900,000),
Sreesanth (US$ 625,000),
Irfan Pathan (US$ 925,000)
Piyush Chawla (US $400,000)

Hyderabad

Adam Gilchrist (US$ 700,000),
Andrew Symonds (US$ 1.35 million),
Herschelle Gibbs (US$ 575,000),
Shahid Afridi (US$ 675,000),
Scott Styris (US$ 175,000)
R P Singh (US $875,000),
VVS Laxman,
Rohit Sharma,
Chamara Silva,
Nuwan Zoysa,
Chaminda Vaas

Bangalore

Rahul Dravid (icon),
Anil Kumble (US$ 500,000),
Jacques Kallis (US$ 900,000),
Zaheer Khan (US$ 450,000),
Mark Boucher (US$ 450,000),
Cameron White (US$ 500,000),
Makhaya ntini (US$ 200,000),
Nathan bracken (US$ 325,000. )
Dale Steyn (US$ 325,000)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Mumbai

Sachin Tendulkar (icon),
Sanath Jayasuriya (US$ 975,000),
Harbhajan Singh (US$ 850,000),
Shaun Pollock (US$ 550,000),
Lasith malinga (US$ 350,000)
Dilhara fernando (US$ $150,000)

Chennai

MS Dhoni (US$ 1.5 million),
Muttiah Muralitharan (US$ 600,00),
Matthew Hayden (US$ 375,000),
Jacob Oram (US$ 675,000),
Stephen Fleming (US$ 350,000),
Parthiv Patel (US$ 325,000),
Joginder Sharma (US$ 225,000),
Suresh Raina,
Albie Morkel (US$ 650,000),
Makhaya Ntini,
Michael Hussey

Jaipur

Mohammad Kaif,
Shane Warne (US$ 450,000),
Graeme Smith (US$ 475,000),
Younis Khan (US$ 225,000),
Kamran Akmal (US$ 150,000),
Munaf Patel (US$ 275,000)
Yusuf (US$ 475,000),
Yusuf Pathan,

IPL Fixtures

IPL Fixtures

Indian Premier League, 2007/08

April 2008

*Fri 18 Floodlit Match
19:00 local, 13:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Kolkata
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.

*Sat 19
09:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Sat 19 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Sun 20
09:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Sun 20 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Mon 21 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Tue 22 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Wed 23 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Thu 24 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Fri 25 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Sat 26
09:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Sat 26 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Sun 27
09:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Sun 27 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Mon 28 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Tue 29 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Wed 30 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Delhi.

May 2008

*Thu 1
09:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Thu 1 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Fri 2 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Sat 3
09:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Sat 3 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Sun 4
09:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Sun 4 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Mon 5 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Tue 6 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Wed 7 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Thu 8
09:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Thu 8 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Fri 9 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Sat 10
09:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Sat 10 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Sun 11
09:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Sun 11 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Mon 12 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Tue 13 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Wed 14
09:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Wed 14 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Thu 15 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Fri 16 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Sat 17
09:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Sat 17 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Sun 18
09:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.

*Sun 18 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Mon 19 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Delhi
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Tue 20 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Wed 21
09:30 GMT
IPL Mumbai v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Mumbai.

*Wed 21 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Bangalore
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Thu 22 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Kolkata
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Fri 23 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Mohali v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Mohali.

*Sat 24
09:30 GMT
IPL Delhi v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Delhi.

*Sat 24 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Chennai v IPL Jaipur
Venue TBC,Chennai.

*Sun 25
09:30 GMT
IPL Bangalore v IPL Hyderabad
Venue TBC,Bangalore.

*Sun 25 Floodlit Match
14:30 GMT
IPL Kolkata v IPL Mohali
Venue TBC,Kolkata.

*Mon 26 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Jaipur v IPL Mumbai
Venue TBC,Jaipur.

*Tue 27 Floodlit Match
13:30 GMT
IPL Hyderabad v IPL Chennai
Venue TBC,Hyderabad.


**Fri 30 Floodlit Match
1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

**Sat 31 Floodlit Match
2nd Semi-Final - TBC v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

****June 2008
Sun 1 Floodlit Match
Final - TBC v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

My Kite she was...

‘Alright! Rs.2 daily from now on, till 14^th. And don’t you dare to bother me for this again. And remember one more thing, this is all you are getting, don’t ask for more. Do whatever you want but coming back to me. Now take these 2Rs and don’t show me your face till dinner.’

Okay Mom!

How happy I was! Now I need not to make the kites by my own. Now I won’t be staring those kites in the wide blue sky. Now I could buy new kites daily. Now I could own the most beautiful kite. Now I won’t be the one holding Nikku’s charkha. I’ll fly my own kite from now.

I ran straight to the end of the street to spend my precious assets. Alright, I had everything in my mind. I bought 1 kite for one rupee and 2 kites for another one rupee. 3 new kites made me feel flying. I put them one over another and started running back to home. Nikku looked curiously and I purposely ignored him. Why should I give a damn! I have my 3 new kites now. I requested Mom to tie them up with the charkha, and the world, I am ready to fly!

The red colored small one to start with because the big kite, black colored, she was my sweetheart. Wow! For once she’s flying high. My happiness knew no bounds. Felt like I had achieved the ultimate goal of my life. I started calling Mom because I wanted her to know how talented her son was! I tried applying all those skills I had seen people doing. She was floating with all her grace and glory in the deep sky. My kite she was!

How crazy I used to be. My complexion used to change. My homework was never completed. My clothes and hands were so dirty. Only kites in my head and all around in those early January days.

Wish I could go back in time! Wish I could fly a new kite! Wish I could hold Nikku’s charkha again! Wish I could, at least, stare them floating.