Masaai Mara, here we come!

3 important and well visited National parks in Africa are Masaai Mara in Kenya, Serengeti in Tanzania and Kalahari in South Africa. Serengeti and Masaai Mara are practically each other’s extensions, sharing the borders. Hollywood docudramas, ‘African Safari’ and ‘Beautiful People’ are filmed in Serengeti and Kalahari respectively. You would not find any boy from my generation who has not seen African Safari. We had a cassette of ‘Beautiful People’ at home and God knows how many times my 4 years son and I saw it. He always cried when two little birds last in the exodus in search of water die due to dehydration and malnutrition. Phenomenon still occurs every year between Masaai Mara and Serengeti when water in Serengeti goes in short supply. This yearly event happens around August - September when hundreds of wild Beasts, Zebras and smaller animals cross Croc and Hippo infested Mara River, it’s known as Migration. Our tour was in May so we could not see it.   

No sooner we exited our hotel premises and entered the game reserve just few meters away from our vehicle this tall magnificent Giraffe with zig- zag patterned shining golden skin was grazing on the upper leaves of a tree which had ample thorns.

It was really intriguing to see how he managed to avoid those sharp appendages of tree.  He moved in slow languid gait from one tree to another, naturally because of his height. When he crossed the road stealthily, his long neck made undulating funny movements. It was surprising to know that even though it has such a long neck number of vertebrae in it, is just the same as other vertebrates; Seven! He was soon joined by another four and it was sight to watch.

On the other side just a few meters away a group of Zebras, called as dazzle or zeal of Zebras, was frolicking on the grass, throwing in friendly duels using their hind legs with dexterity and accuracy. May be they were sharpening their skills for protection in case of attacks of beasts!

Suddenly driver put the vehicle in speed. I was little annoyed as I had not taken the snaps from good angles. But ours was not the only jeep; more vehicles joined us from all the sides. The news was some forest ranger had spotted cheetah, “Cheetah!!’ I immediately remembered the phenomenon in all the ‘Tiger’ reserves of India. Be it Pench, Kanha or most popular Andhari reserve at Tadoba. Exact replication of the marvel!

There he was, lying on the grass languidly, looking around sleepily and taking the cognizance of visitors! (Today there are fewer vehicles than yesterday morning!!!) Well rounded head with two distinct black lines running from inner canthi of eyes down to corners of mouth known as tear tracks. Distinctive features of cheetahs, not seen in Leopards or other such cats, Puma or Panther. His slender, aerodynamic body was instantly recognizable. It’s must as he is the fastest running mammal on the earth. Golden tan skin covered with solid black spots. Again it’s a specialty. In leopards these spots are in groups of 3 to 4 in rosettes like pattern.

Here our driver gave us enough time to have snaps even videos. In the entire melee around, he was the only, the most composed and least bothered adult animal! Magnificent with lordly Attitude! Surprisingly amongst the big cats he is the only one who does not attack human beings as prey and is shy by nature, not ferocious like Tigers! Aha, that was the reason why he was so unperturbed by the presence of humanity in large numbers!

Eyes fully loaded with his poise and brain with ‘I saw a real Cheetah today’, feeling we left the scene with heavy heart for the prince of savannah to enjoy his solitude, amidst eyes from 25 or so voyeuristic jeeps!

One the way we saw lots of African Bisons. But who was interested in watching cousins of Indian buffaloes after traversing half the universe that too at cost!

Apart from animals savannah has its own beautiful landscapes to mesmerize you. Acres and acres of lush green grass with ripening golden grass thrown in it was a treat to the eyes. The scenes were so exquisite that they did download on the camera as they were, like something lost in translation. Lone trees on the horizon were giving savannah its ‘Logo’!

There was another play being enacted on the horizon. Dark clouds were playing ‘Thunder, thunder’ with occasional downpour and mischievous sun sending its naughty strands of golden rays through the occasional gap between the  thick clouds! Every angle of the savannah was a peace taken out of beautiful landscape paintings from every good artist worth his penny. I too felt like painting one on reaching the home, but realized I simply do not have that magic in my fingers which Mother Nature unfolds!

Masaai Mara savannah is home for spotted Hyenas.

They do research on them at the institute. No surprise that we spotted many, some of whom accompanied us for long. Some monkeys parched on the high trees refused to come down as the scavenger was rallying around. As soon as he left the battle ground, whole troupe of monkeys landed on the ground, making cries of victory!

I am novice in bird watching, except common sparrows and parrots I cannot distinguish between crested bulbul and dark necked woodcutter. They do look different no doubt but it tests my intellect to remember their names. My son is really expert and can differentiate ‘N’ number of species. There was this bird perched on the top of tall a tree with curved beak. People tried to enlighten me but I am still confused whether it was brahminical eagle or simple kite!

On the way back we saw a huge herd of wild beasts in beyond the countable number. Their ilks from neighboring Serengeti from Tanzania participate in yearly migration in August and go back to their homeland in November.

Dinner was good. Why fish served anywhere in the world smells fishy? Though it was really good to taste, the fishy odor was still prevalent. Probably only Japanese know how to serve odorless fish in sushi, that too raw! While we were having dinner Masaai youths presented their traditional dance, it was nothing but raw energy oozing from every pore. While dancing they were jumping in the air so high trying to outsmart every other one. It’s said that their this skill fetches them a good wife, so the stakes were really ‘HIGH’ at least in jumping!

Cottage was cozy and it was the only one throughout Africa to have water-jet in toilet. But it was too hard to press so one had to use both the hands. More about this toilet tissue fiasco, later in the course!

 

From Nakuru to Maasai Mara

Kenya has rich wild life and is spread all over Kenya, in various national parks. We were to cover two of them for their ecological diversity. Lake Nakuru national park as the name suggests is settled around Lake Nakuru; in fact it’s confluence of three lakes. Lake Elmentaita and Lake Bogoria being other two. The set up actually is situated in Rift valley around 170 km North West of Nairobi. It’s famous for abodes of Flamingoes and White and Black African Rhinos.

There was a light drizzle before we set out on the evening safari. Naturally air was chilled and crisp, but not warranting woolens. As the sun has still not set, the Mother Nature had one of her rare surprises for us, immediately.

Though infrequent event but not rare, there were two rainbows on the eastern sky. Second one is always less bright. But you never see three rainbows! Which flight I don’t remember but I chanced to see Rainbow in entire circle! That was sight to watch!

As we approached marshy lands there were hundreds and hundreds of pink flamingoes frolicking in water. According to estimates at times the number reaches almost 2 millions. It’s so because Lake Nakuru provides them with their staple food in abundance, ‘Algae.’ Along with flamingoes Pelicans and Cormorants too visit the lake. Flamingoes are migratory birds and influx keeps on changing according precipitate.

Another noteworthy inhabitant of Nakuru reserve is Black as well as White rhinos, which constitute one of big fives of Kenya, rest being Lions, Leopards and Cheetahs, Elephants and Bisons.

We could see only solo black Rhino that too from afar grazing on grass through binoculars. It is herbivorous animal though looks ferocious. The pictures of such shy animals could only be taken with telescopic lens. Though apparently they seem to be near, they actually are far away. In one way it is cheating. I too had passion for such photography and I do own Canon DSLR with telescopic lens. But lately I have realized that Middle class person wants to be all rolled in one, Tourist, Photographer, Hitchhiker, Connoisseur, it tires me. Plus the weight of gear is so much that in the end you feel like throwing it away. Many a time I missed the event as I was engrossed in taking the photos. So I said enough, I am happy enough to be a medical professional and with this rate I cannot become professional photographer.  Moreover with smart phones everybody now is a photographer. So now I follow the majority! Actually the number of Rhinos is quite large but we were lucky (Unlucky?) to sight only one. In Kaziranga it rains Rhinos!

What grasped my attention more was the surroundings. It’s so

picturesque that every snap you shoot is picture perfect! Dead trees standing still in the waters remind you of Periyar Lake in Keralam.

Grey cloud laden sky trying to meet the earth was another poem! Sometimes landscape wants you to be in, and I did not object!

On the way back we could sight few zebras, wild beasts and occasional Giraffe. But actual picture still was to be unveiled in Masaai Mara!

Dinner too was sumptuous. Tried some pork and it was delicious.

We were supposed to reach Maasai Mara by lunch time, max 2 PM. It is around 200 km from Nakuru and takes around 3 hours.  So early wake up call, early breakfast and by 8.30 AM we were on the road to Maasai Mara. 

Maasai Mara is in southwest Kenya around 350 kms from Nairobi, bordering on the north of Tanzania with which it shares the border; but you can bi-pass Nairobi as it takes a different route. Road to Masaai Mara is quite good barring few kilometers at the start and in the end. It traverses through beautiful landscape. Vast lustrous green meadows running for miles and miles, lined with tall emerald may be cedar or pine trees. It goes up and down many times giving a feel of roller coaster ride. When you are up, the view absolutely is riveting. Only green and different shades of green with at times shades of golden yellow of drying hey thrown in., no human habitation around for miles and miles.

We did cross few villages and few townships but none was worth writing anything home about. We took Coffee/snack break after 2 hrs of driving. It was curio shopping center with attached Coffee kiosk. African artisans were carving African animals out of soft wood in the nearby workshop. There were other curios too like beads, key-chains and what not. In my house we absolutely don’t have any place and space for having more curios, so it was out.

The assistant of coffee vendor was young very smart African boy-man with sharp African features. He had beautiful smile and it showed his absolutely sparkling white teeth in wide grin. His eyes too were sharp and reflected that effervescent smile. Unfortunately he was very shy and did not smile when I had photograph with him.  

Masaai is well known tribe of the region with their distinctive features and culture. Mara in their language, ‘Maa’ is spotted. The vast grass lands with hardly any tall trees, when one is seen, it is Mara. These vast grass lands are also known as Savannah. Presence of very few trees allows sun rays to reach the ground level. The ecosystem is such that it is drought resistant, may be because of subsoil water.

Our second stay in Africa was to be, Mara Simba lodge situated surprisingly in deep forestation in savannah on the bank of a river Talek. We were received by very good looking African lass at the reception. She was exquisitely beautiful! With smooth deep mahogany complexion her skin was glowing. She was almost five feet and ten inches tall, svelte and poised with very pleasant face. Her 1000 watts smile showed her neatly lined sparkling white teeth accompanied by cute dimples on the cheeks. Her doe shaped eyes reflected her smile in very warm manner. Hair tied in a short pony tail, not like her African sisterhood.

I said, “You look like Deepika Padukone” It could have been good pick up line back home.

She rolled her already round eyes in to big saucers, posing a question, “Who?”

Oh my god! Deepika Padukone would have died of shame, on realizing that in this part of world she was a non-entity!

Leaving Deepika Padukone to nurse her bruised ego we turned to dining hall. Central dining area was really spacious and roomy and had guests from all over the world, that is Masaai Mara for you, very well known all over the world for its wild life. Spread for lunch was vast and varied. It was dilemma for me what to select.  I selected meat stew with ample pieces. It was yummy. Meat was luscious and was absolutely melting in the mouth. Shubha suggested lamb curry. Actually my plate was full but tried lamb curry too. It was also very good. Here let me boast about my coffee table knowledge. Lamb is not mutton as construed in India but comes from sheep while what we call mutton comes from goat! With our tummies full we set out for our first safari of Maasai Mara.

 

From Mumbai to Nairobi

5 couples were joining our group from outside of Mumbai, 2 from Bangalore, 1 each from Nagpur, Pune and Nashik. 1 family of three from Amravati and we 4 from Mumbai proper. A motley crowd of 22 people, tour operator included. Outstation group members were asked to report earlier, considering time lapses, and we Mumbaikars were allowed to join a bit late. According to our previous schedule, flight to Nairobi, Kenyan capital was slated at 2.45 AM. But due to unforeseen conditions it was delayed by 2.30 to 3 hours. Even after taking into consideration the delay we had to reach the airport at around 12 midnight as per our tour operator Swapnil. Airport from my home is hardly 15 to 20 minutes of drive sans traffic. Even with traffic it’s not more than an hour. Though there are many flights from Mumbai at those unearthly hours we cleared the desks within no time which included Baggage dropping, security check, immigration with passport and visa checking everything. We were asked to get vaccinated for Yellow fever as we were flying to endemic countries. Nobody bothered to ask for it! And we were at the boarding gate at 12.30 AM for a flight that was to take off at 5.30- 5.45 AM!

Now whooping 5 hours were at our disposal for doing nothing. Absolutely nothing! Then I remembered why Changi at Singapore stands well above Mumbai. It has everything for tourists’ convenience including a multiplex that runs for 24 into 7! First 60 to 90 minutes we spent having chats, coffee and some snacks. The coffee could not drive away grogginess due to lack of sleep. The chairs ordered on the scale of dime a dozen, hardly offered any comfort after an hour or so. Tried to stretch the legs on two adjacent ones but that too was far from comfortable. All the reclining chairs were occupied by seasoned travelers. In the end when sleep was uncontrollable; my friend who has spinal deformity went and simply lied on the floor with sleeping air travel pillow under her head. I always despised such travelers who make any platform look like representation of third world country. And here it was top most air port of India! But I too followed the suit in no time when I too could not resist the sleep. I threw myself on the floor, absolutely horizontal to mother earth! The one with erudite upbringing, respectable post graduation degree in Medicine, more than 40 years of medical practice as background and respectable standing in society slept on the floor like any average Indian traveler catching train to Zumari Tallaiyya! But let me tell you that helped. That small nap of 60 to 70 minutes really refreshed and we were ready to board the flight at 6 AM!

I don’t know what’s the strategy but small time operators, ours was Kenya airways, are extremely stingy while offering comfortable seats to travelers. A person like me who is quite tall by Indian standards hardly fits into those cramped seats, cramped is understatement! After juggling with breakfast I tried to catch few winks but that seat eluded me even that small comfort! Contrary to my expectations flight was full with mostly Indians and few whites, hardly any black. Except the crew, it was all black! Of course!! That was little unexpected for the eyes which were used to visualize hostesses in quite a different perspective! I don’t know what the national dress of Kenya is but they all wore western outfits, Hair braided in African style, everyone having different one with a string of African beads worn on the top not reaching forehead like Indian Bindi. They spoke good English and were efficient in their work. Plane landed on the Nairobi airport at around 9.30 AM, ( they are 3 and half hours behind us) after almost 6 and half hours of flight with the speed of Dombivali slow, at least that’s what I felt!

Though Nairobi is gateway to the eastern Africa, the air port was strictly workable, nothing grandiose or even pompous about it. The popular belief that is generally misconstrued about African persona comes crashing down when one is actually on the African soil!  Surrounded by Africans on all the sides, there was nothing ferocious, intimidating or scary. They all were normal human beings just like you me and everybody, with average heights, lighter shades and friendly persona! There is a reason why I am saying so. While in New York we frequently used subway even though Shubha’s cousin was not happy about it. Her concern was mugging even in broad day light. I cannot say that it was unfounded. New York’s subways are frequented mostly by the blacks. Compartment fully loaded with weird looking; gaudily made up blacks with strange sense of clothing and every possible site on the face, be it nose, tongue or lips pierced it was scary. There is reason for American blacks to be loud.  It’s to ascertain their being, and proclaim their existence Vis a Vis whites. Here in their own territory it was not necessary!

Plan was to go to the national parks directly from airport. The 2 by 3 jeeps/wagons did not have sufficient space to load our big heavy bags. So we were asked to have our essentials for three days in a smaller bag and bigger bags would be dispatched to Hotel in Nairobi. Our driver was youngish adult in, probably his late twenties and defied all the norms that are misconstrued about African Black male. He was hardly 5 feet 8 inches tall, medium built, much less dark by African standards, ,no typical African facial features ( Thick Lips, big nose)and  very cheerful! Next almost four hours of drive to Lake Nakuru he made wonderfully chirpy!

While leaving Nairobi it showed that it’s a capital city. Wide and smooth roads, ‘N’ number of flyovers passing above and below you, lined by posh buildings initially and later by many industries. But as we traversed more, it was exactly like New Delhi and Melghat. From extreme abundance of development to wanting a single drop of water for parched throat! We crossed many villages with shanty towns those were holding weekly bazaars on the open road. They mostly sold fruits and daily groceries but also everything in plastic from slippers to buckets in provisionally erected shades! People buying and selling them looked as if they don’t know what prosperity is!

Unfortunately the tar road does not go up to Lake Nakuru national park, we had to detour and it was “Country Road” take me home! At times not even a single lane, it was extremely dusty and full of uneven potholes. One has to enter the park by paying the fees. Formalities were completed by Swapnil and we entered Lake Nakuru National park. In a way our African Safari had started in the truest sense and at the outset itself we were welcome by a cartload of monkeys. So many of them in different sizes, shapes and ages. May be 50 to 60 in number.

Their faces were totally different than the Indian monkeys’; though dark they were not langoors. Nose was exceptionally long almost occupying the entire face and then jutting down to chin. They were ‘Baboons’! Few budged but most refused to leave the road. May be they were acclimatized to encroachment of such jeeps on their territory. Driver honked, tried to subvert but hardly few complied.

One of them, may be the leader of troupe did not move from his place even an inch. On the contrary he was staring at the vehicle nonchalantly as if challenging it! Our driver gave in; he put the jeep on the embankment and proceeded further. Our first encounter with the ‘Wild!’

On the sides were the backwaters of Lake Nakuru. It gave us the short glimpse about what’s in the store! By 2 -2.15 we reached Hotel Sarova Lion Hill Lodge. It is set along the Lion hills. Rooms were already allotted (proficiency of Kesari Travels).

They are chalet type cottages fully equipped with modern amenities. It was lunch time already so after getting refreshed it was time for food. The spread was vast and liberal. Veg, Non- veg with Indian cuisine thrown in! I always wanted to try ‘Meat” barbeque. Tried and tested but did not approve. It was too chewy and had peculiar flavor maybe of oil used for frying, mostly they use pork lard! As choice was vast there was no question of starving, fully loaded returned to the cottage for short nap as the true ‘African Safari’ was to start in few instants!

 

 

Prelude to African Safari

There was this Roman sage who was well known for predicting the things very accurately, to the point. Once he was asked the same question by four tourists. ‘How much Rome would they see?’ He countered the first one, ‘How many days was his stay in Rome?’ ‘May be year or so’; he replied. To which sage said ‘you would hardly see any Rome.’ Second one said,’ He might stay for six months or so, to which sage replied, ‘you might cover half of the Rome’. Third one’s stay was going to be one week. The answer he received was, ‘May be three quarters.’ The last one by this time was totally in the tethers. He mumbled, ‘I might be here for just 2 to 3 days.’ Sage’s face brightened, he said, ‘You are my guy; you will see entire Rome, whatever there is to see!’

Within a short span of 14 days it is difficult to cover even a part of any nation and here I am going to boast that I saw the entire continent of Africa and I know it. Outrageous!

It was for the first time I was going to take conducted tour for a foreign vacation as the information that poured in blared from the rooftop that ‘Africa’ is neither for your self- planned tour as I have always been doing in the past, nor going ‘SOLO’ ,just forget it! On various grounds. Africa is not a tourist friendly continent. It’s still really a dark continent. There is hardly good transportation for lack of good infrastructure. Except few countries which were British Colonies, English is spoken rarely. And even in those countries only city dwellers have access to English, in the interiors everything is GOK! Urbanization is still eons away; most of the Africans still lead a tribal life.

On personal front I was not sure of myself. After undergoing Rod placement surgery for Intra-trochateric fracture of Right femur, though outwardly my recovery was complete I was not sure about taking long walking spells. Plus I was still finding it difficult to stand longer than even for 10-20 minutes.

Taking into consideration all the factors we booked for a tour by Kersari Travels that was to leave in second week of May. It was to cover 3 countries, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Quite a task. Because 1. Distances, 2. Infrastructure and 3. Local culture.  Everything was/is vastly different and apart. After completing the tour I must say it was not only reasonably priced but was executed with clockwork precision.

I normally do not do any homework prior to the actual tour as it takes away the surprise ‘Wow’ factor. But after coming aback I always check the things which do/did not fall in the place. Like who decided the borders of countries in Africa? Simpler answers thrown in were 1. On tribal basis 2. Linguistically. It not only was none but was more intriguing. In and around 19^th century in Africa there was hardly any concept of nation. Except Liberia which was formed with the help of US of A, Egypt and Ethiopia the entire continent of Africa was in disarray. Egypt was a country from the times immortal while Ethiopia too is equally ancient hardly occupied by any other country, in its case Italy which was merely for five years.

After second industrial revolution 7 white Supreme Masters from Europe, Britain, France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Dutch with Belgium and Spain started spreading their tentacles under one guise or the other, not only in Africa but in Asia and South East Asia too. We the India too were their prey! And thus they grabbed the lands left right and centre. And then the concept of boundaries crept in. In 1884 by Berlin convention it was decided that whatever arbitrary boundaries existed between the colonies should be normalized as international borders. This, all the 7 whites decided amongst themselves without bothering about local African people, languages, topography, and culture whatever. Surprisingly when African Union came into existence to avoid the border disputes they too accepted the boundaries delineated by whites. So even now the boundaries are absolutely arbitrary!

When you say Africa, second image that pops up in the mind is of a ‘Tall, hefty, black and monstrous ‘African’ person. Negro? Don’t say that again. It’s a term coined to denigrate the African pride and it intones hidden tinge of slavery; though the simple meaning of it in Spanish is ‘Black’ as in color. The Americans especially Hollywood is mainly responsible for maligning the term, and the persona that comes with it.

Was it a deterrent? I won’t lie, to certain extent, yes. For a different colored person to take a lazy evening stroll after dinner at 6 P.M., it’s still not a done thing in Africa even in big cities!  But to the contrary Africans too raise the families and are quite amicable was the other side of the coin.

We Indians are considered Brown but do all of us really fit the bill? We have so many shades. Right from fair absolutely white coming from North Western India to pitch dark paddy workers from down south. There is a point that is always raised by African Blacks, even though Indians are colored when it comes to taking the sides we always try to be, though Whites don’t give a damn about it, with whites. Consider the reactions of parents of an American Indian Boy marrying a white girl and other one marrying a black girl?  It’s obvious! So why should we look down upon Black Africans?

With so many views, prejudices and lots of anxiety about everything under the Sun we reached T2 on the stipulated date and time to start our ‘African Safari’!

 

 

 

 

Eighth Dip In Indian Ocean, Maldives sojourn!

My 8th dip was destined to be in Indian Ocean at Maldives. The previous blog was prelude to our endeavor in Maldives.

 

Maldives is the smallest country in Asia situated in the heart of Indian Ocean, far from Africa on west and Indonesia on east. India is in its North east, flight taking nearly two and half hours from Mumbai. In geographical parlance it's known as Archipelagic Country means a nation formed by group of islands. There are nearly two thousand islands out of which only two hundred are inhabited. And it's not for those who go on foreign tours for either sight seeing or shopping or merry making. Being only 100% Islamic country[ Even Saudi is not!] Alcohol is absolutely No No. And there are hardly any sights for tourists' interest. It's a country for those who love sea in its all forms. Sports, Food and Scenery!

 

But before going to Indian ocean directly I would like to dwell on the seas where I could not have a dip which I regret till date!

The first one on the list is Mediterranean sea. Right from Spain to south of France to Italy I did have chance but somehow it did not materialize. Barcelona in Spain has beautiful beaches on Mediterranean but it was winter and temperatures lingered around 11* Celsius. The winds were bitingly cold, so it was out of question. South of France from Cannes to Nice to Monaco beaches are beautiful but the sands are rough, they are rather well rounded small stones. On the beach of Nice two elderly ladies in their 60s were playing badminton in bikinis with  the smallest lower piece but nothing on the top, totally topless! Naturally they attracted men, even in France there are, I won't call them perverts but onlookers with weird taste, and they were in dozens! . But the site was nothing sexy at all, at the most it was hilarious!![ Tongue firmly in cheek!, Just stretch your imagination !]. Italy, Mediterranean is at its best especially in and around Capri. The caves , Blue Grotto are out of this world. Rays of Sun refract through the absolute crystal clear waters to give it a bright fluorescent blue color added with shades of Silver! Once seen it, it just is there in your brain!

 

Busan in South Korea has two seas washing it shores. On the east is Sea of Japan and on the south Korea Strait. Again many beaches, the famous ones are 1. Gwangelli and 2.Haeundae. Third one Songdo is artificial, totally Man Made! Gwangelli beach is out of reach for swimmers while Haeundae is another Girgaon Chowpaty! So was absolutely No No for ! Plus the temperature at 11 O* clock in the morning was around 8 to 9* Celsius. I was in layers and to remove them was unthinkable! Even with the aura of Girgaon Chowpaty, Haeundae beach is clinically clean beyond any Indian's imagination! Beach at Tokyo bay is again out of reach for casual bathers.

 

Bondi Beach in Sydney, yet an another miss. Most famous for its Golden sands and family friendly environs! South China Sea at Hong Kong, Santa Monica and Zuma at Malibu again beaches on Pacific Ocean In Los Angeles, oh so many I still miss them! 

Indian Ocean , we call it our own , it being INDIAN ocean but except the name it does not have anything akin to India. First the waters are absolutely blue and Cyan [ Greenish Blue Hue]. They are crystal clear even in crowded places like Male' airport ferry wharf. No floating trash of any kind especially Pet Bottles.

Male' airport, known as Velana international airport is actually not  on Male' island , its on Hulhule island surrounded by sea on all the sides, of course! So you have to take speed boat or ferry to reach anywhere in Maldives, even to capital Male' which is just across the channel at stones throw away distance on an another island.

 

We were to ride in speed boat to our hotel on Thulusdhoo island. Pronunciation at speaker's risk. Like our south Indian Bros Maldivians too do not know how and where to put 'H'! Local language is Maldivian or Dhivehi . It's similar to Lankan language Sinhalese. Actually these are water taxies operated round the clock for basically locals  as well as tourists, on whom the basic and major economy of Maldives depends! Fishing and shipping being other two. Ride to Thulusdhoo was phenomenal. Rather all the rides there after were on par with rides 007 takes in all the Bond movies, super duper fast! A special cart had come to pick us up at marina at Thulusdhoo. Hotel was 3 star. Reef Edge. It was so true to its name. Standing just right across the sea but not exactly on the beach, it gave splendid view of blue waters from every room. Amongst all the islands of Maldives Thulusdhoo is the only one having waves.

White frothy silvery waves breaking continuously was so soothing to the eyes. So it's called surfers' paradise.

 

Just five minutes of walking from Reef Edge takes you to the actual sea. They have build few boulder walls in the sea to make the lagoons. And let me tell about my first experience of swimming in the REAL ocean. So far, in Atlantic or Pacific , it amounted to just wetting the feet in waters, metaphorically, but here in Maldives it was actual ocean, Indian ocean! I so far have prided  in being a good swimmer but that ego crashed in minutes! It turned out that they are poles apart, swimming in Kalpataru's pool and actual ocean.
In the pool the water is placid and do not have any movement or currents. And you can stand on the poolbed anytime if you are tired. In the ocean  water is never still, it pulls you in any direction it may want! Once it so happened that I was trying to reach the shores but the current was so strong that I was practically stationary , neither moving forward nor going backwards! And if you try to stand for taking a respite either the sea bed is too deep , unreachable or it's covered with stony corals, bruising your soles literarily. 

 

I did not use the snorkeling gear for my first dip and used my usual swimming goggles. Even then the marine life I could see was so vivid and vibrant. Umpteen number of  fishes, of variety whose names I hardly could ever remember, with the exception of  two types of eels, one plain and other striped, crested eel known as Honeycomb eel!. Was the normal one the  Morey eel , I am not sure. Corals again in different colors bright and vivid. In different shapes and types. After a while may be 45 minutes or so I swam back to the shore. Different experience awaited me there. After swimming in the sea waters, absolutely salty and leaving salty bitter taste in mouth, my body became so stiff that I was unable to stand, as if my knees were giving away. I have a steel rod in my right thigh due to previous surgery that added to the woo in form of pain though not excruciating but nonetheless bothersome.

 

All said and done swimming in actual ocean was tremendous experience worth having!

 

In the evening local fish Mahi Mahi was served . I definitely am not a fish lover, I can devour only limited types like, Pomphret, Basa, Bombay duck if well made. So any fish that smells 'Fishy' I can't stand it. Upbringing! But except me all the other family members proclaim that they are born to eat fish! So only I had to do away with veggie fodder! [In their view !]

 

The next day it was trip to Sand banks. It's a unique geographical phenomenon. The boatmen mostly are Maldivians and know their Ocean like  back of their palm We were seven, Me, my wife Shubha, Son Saket, his wife, my daughter in law Neha and their son, my grandson Arshu, and Neha's parents, Nitin and Sugandha. With the speed of lightening they traversed the ocean to a spot absolutely in the middle of nowhere. It was sea, sea and sea everywhere, with neither land nor humanity in the vicinity of miles and miles! What actually is ocean one realizes at such places! How do they navigate in these directionless environs they only know!

 

At certain times in 24 hours sea recedes during low tide leaving just a strip of land, not more than a meter in width and around 50 to 100 meters in length. That's Sand Bank. And  it goes under the water again within a very short period, say 45 to 50 minutes. We have to catch that period. We could, after getting up very early in the morning.

 

Golden white sand shines in the early Sun like glass  crystals spread all over. Turquoise blue water with different shades of blue cajoles the bank on all the sides. The ocean slopes here very gradually  up to a certain point and then suddenly dips to very great lengths. Very good situation for snorkeling. Here I wore snorkeling gear for the first time in Indian Ocean. Snorkeling gears are available in two types. One which covers the face entirely where you can breathe normally through the nose. While the other one has a mask with glasses that covers your eyes and nose. The ventilatory tube one has to hold in the mouth with the teeth and breathe through the mouth. Hear the piece over the eyes and nose has to be absolutely water tight otherwise if water sips in one might choke. The gadget which I wore was absolutely perfect and I could glide over the deep sea waters effortlessly for tens of minutes. Underwater valleys and trenches were sights to behold. Here the corals were different with totally different shape and color. One was  like a human brain with color and sulci and gyri exactly matching human brain. Others were like huge flowers spread over few feet with enchanting bright colors from pink, to green to at times brown. Fishes too were in myriads of shapes and color. Some were translucent while some fluorescent. Water leeches too were there. Boatman announced that it was time to leave. When we came back to Sand bank, water had already started engulfing it leaving only a faint reminisce of the Sand bank that was !

TeamLab: Planets Odaiba and so on

 teamLab: Planets Odaiba and so on

If you are in Tokyo or planning to visit Tokyo in near future, “Don’t Come back without visiting

teamLab. Planet!”  If you don’t’ you are missing out on “Out Of This World Experience!”

In their own words team says that, “It’s an Art museum making use of technological tools where ones’ senses merge with the space he is in, whether lights, water, gravity, and garden whatever!” Without bothering about the technical details too much, they prefer to accentuate the human senses while blending them with the space. Complicated? Eh? It is!

They want people to go barefoot to sense the newer senses and immerse their bodies in vast artworks of space surrounding them, merging themselves into it along with the others. The intricacy lies in the fact that environs change according to your as well as other peoples’ interaction with the space, in the end blurring the boundaries between self, art and others.

Actually they had two enterprises by the names, planets and borderless [of your being]. TeamLab Borderless was in Odaiba but is presently closed due to total waterfront renovation-reorganization. So it is being shifted to Roppongi by Dec ’23, so check it. Present teamLab.com Planets is very easy to find, just opposite station Shin-Toyosu on Yurikamome line.

Team Lab

When I was standing in the queue, after checking my QR code on mobile, an attendant took me aside and escorted me to the special entrance that was not for the common people in queue! Wow, special treatment for somebody from QUOTA [For the first time in my life, pun intended!], I was extremely happy with myself. But that was that. Once inside everybody was treated equally!

As there is water in one of the art works, one has to wear either short pants or fold the trousers. Again, you cannot carry anything except your mobile or camera. I was sceptical to carry camcorder as I was not sure of my own balance because all the artworks are in dark halls and I fumble in dark spaces. And it turned out to be correct. Right from the beginning it’s dark and dark!

While walking in those dark allies, with only blue or red lights, [such type of lights in fact accentuate the darkness], along the floor illuminating area of not more than 9 inches around them, you just walk on endlessly only with tactile sensations of your soles! It too keeps on changing every few steps! Sometimes it’s sandy like beach, sometimes like soft velvet carpet sometimes like uneven stony walk! And then there is ascent and you start walking in a stream with cold water running under your feet. Within few steps and few minutes you get so many sensual feelings….. And that’s their goal! At the end of the ascent the first exhibit welcomes you. It’s a waterfall of light particles. The droplets of the water from the fall are illuminated by the source of bright light at the top. It looks like as if there are hundreds of crystals falling down and refracting the light by prismatic effect!

Water Fall of Light Particles

You are given towels to dry your feet for the next experience.

The hall is known as The Soft Black Hole. It was pitch dark, only source of light was the exit gate. The floor is made of satin cloth with beans [Like in a Bean Bag] or sand, underneath; it simply does not allow you to have foothold to walk, why, even to stand! Every effort sinks your feet further. To walk or to go forward, you have to push the terra firma behind, Newton’s third law. Here terra is just not ‘Firma.’  It not only changes with the weight of your body but with the weights of people around you thus changing the space with your every movement or of people around you. It may be mimicking walk in real Space in the sky! Your body becomes a space that influences another body, difficult to explain but worth an experience! To click photo in that unsteady ‘Space’ was next to impossible.

Soft Black Hole Archives

I was totally bowled. My every attempt was failure and in the end I was on all four! But even in that position you still require hard surface to push back to move forward! And it’s just not there! Everything is soft and mobile and does not offer any resistance at all! Young ones in the teens crossed the room in three steps because of their agility but clumsy people like me got stuck up as if in the quick sand! Volunteer at the exit gate offered help, but Shash Benurwar? No! After umpteen attempts, totally exhausted I made to the exit!

After a pitch dark small passage, you enter a chamber, rather a big hall where you are suddenly in the abundance of light!

Well, as my pen and the brain behind it, is unable to describe the experience I’ll have to use the terminologies from their pamphlet.

Pointillism is an art-form where myriads of coloured points are put together to create an illusion of an object. In simple words the way pixels when put together form a single cohesive picture. Here light source in form of LCD bulbs is used to create three dimensional objects. Many many, many I don’t know how many, zillions may be, LCD lamp strings are suspended from the ceiling in multi-angular hall. All the walls including floor and ceiling are covered with bright mirrors.

And when the lights went on…….. Well well well I was awestruck, dumbfounded, astonished….. Everything happened at the same time. I was gaping at the glitter open mouthed for how much time I don’t remember. Within minutes the lights started changing colours and patterns, in sequence depending on the people around. The speed of changing lights too mattered because at times it was very fast. Like all the exhibits it too is interactive!

Crystal Hall with mirrors

There is a square at the center to squat or to lie down facing the ceiling, along with lanes to pass through. As the mirrors are positioned at angles not only you see yourself in your hundred avatars but the people around you create a picture like the one in kaleidoscope, changing like it too every time. It keeps on evolving and changing from moment to moment depending on interaction of people in the space! Due to mirrors you absolutely lose your orientation in the space, as at sometimes you see yourself totally upside down! Tongue in cheek, though practical, Girls are advised not to wear skirts lest their under-wares are seen,[ Actual warning by the team]!

Like so many other I too lied on the glass floor and the picture was totally different. You feel as if you are in the eye of tornado of light!

How my eyes remained in the sockets, is still a puzzle to me! I may go on and on as I was so mesmerized but there are other exhibits too!

The next one too is mind boggling. At the end of the session I may fall short of adjectives!

Drawings on the water surface created by Dance of Koi and YOU!

Kio Fish Lasers

Koi is a type of Japanese fish having red and white straps on it.  You enter the hall with knee deep water full with many many Koi fish. This hall too has mirrors on all the walls giving it the feel of infinity. The images of Koi fish are generated by lasers, and they move freely in the water. If you try to touch them they turn into flowers. Being interactive again with people, ample number of permutation and combinations occur, at times forming ribbon like rays illuminating the entire water in the surroundings. The entire show is impromptu and is not generated on computer or is run in loops. So the creation of light patterns is not only ever the same but never replicated anytime! Wow, Wow Wow! It really satiates all the aesthetic senses, only problem is to maintain your balance in water and in dark and not allowing your mobile to fall in the water!! The camouflage of infinity is so superb I could not find the exit door!

The rest of the techno-art exhibits too are extremely enchanting. For example “Floating in Falling Universe of Flowers.” You lie down on your back under the dome and it showers flowers on you from all the sides, in all their stages, from blooming to withering. The petals along with leaves in different stages of life fly randomly almost touching you. The flowers change according to season, and as it was season of Sakura the flowers were Cherry flowers. 

The next hall has big spheres  may be balloons filled with free floating lights. When you move between the two spheres you enter the space which resonates with colors practically bathing you in colors. Again you lie down and you enter a different space due to mirrors everywhere.

The real ‘Garden’ one is the latest one and entry is for limited period. May be within max 5 minutes they evacuate the batch. There are millions of creepers with flowers in vast number and different colors which move up and down in mirrored hall. It seems they really blend the spaces with the images in the mirrors but the end result is really relaxing and sends your mind in happy ‘space!’

I must have been there for more than 3 hours but never felt like leaving. I had my quota of endorphins so it was time to call it a day. I had planned to visit Odaiba, artificially created island which has everything that today’s youth like, malls, video arcades, gaming machines Michelin starred restaurants, Multiplexes, Five star hotels everything posh,posher and ultramod! The entire journey from Shin-Toyosu to Odaiba-Kaihinkoen is so soothing to the eyes, almost picturesque.

I had decided not to feel small but the entire area makes you small not from the Indian point of view but in general. Everything is gigantic, mammoth spic span clean and grandiose as everything is newly fresh!

I don’t know from where to start because it has everything that makes mind happy materialistically. Joy Polis by Sega is indoor amusement park for young adults as well as for children. For me it of course was out of question. A Giraffe statue made from Lego pieces welcomes you at the entrance.

I did go to Aqua city just next to it. But again except food court it’s no different than any other mall. It does serve good, one is Okonomiyaki, specialty of Hiroshima but the serving was so ample I did not dare, as I am a frugal eater though a gourmet. Hawaiian Restaurant is also equally popular.

There is this unique hosiery shop for men. Seeing in believing!

Does it require caption

Odaiba waterfront along with Rainbow Bridge is illuminated in the night so I wanted to pass the time till the evening. What better way than to watch a movie. ‘United Cinemas’ on the ground floor, a multiplex with 15 screens was the best choice. And to my surprise an Indian movie was running there. I was aware that South Indian movies are popular in Japan but to experience it first hand was a surprise. It was none other than “Natu Natu’ RRR! Of course with Japanese subtitles. So it was out. As such also I had not liked it when I had watched it in Mumbai, Fight of stuffed Tigers and Lions may be palatable to average Indian movie goer…..me, absolutely not!

To my surprise, Odaiba waterfront has ‘Statue of Liberty’ donated by none other than French Government itself, to strengthen the ties between the two countries! Of Course!! I may be lucky because I have seen the original one in New York, a smaller one on an island in River Seine Paris, which can be seen from Eiffel Tower and this was the third one in Tokyo.

Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo Bay

May be France has donated them to Japan at a whole sale rate because there are such two more in Shimoda and Osaka! Too much in Hurry to establish peace through ‘Liberty’!

It’s said the gifted actor takes tailor made role to enormous heights, similarly beautification of Tokyo Bay has taken it to astronomical heights. Topography of Tokyo Bay as such is amazing; addition of all these structures has made it stupendous! Entire region with a smallish beach in front, Sumida River meeting Tokyo Bay, promenades of Odaiba, Rainbow Bridge away but not far away multiple manicured small islands in the bay, ferries from Asakusa anchoring on jetties! What better architectural wonder one can achieve. Small tit-bits: Tokyo Bay Beach is totally man-made!

I had a glimpse of a giant robot on the other side of road, it’s Unicorn Gundam. My children especially son even at this age is interested in machines that turn into giant cars, cars then turning into Robots or dinosaurs. I found that Gundam, whatever I could see of it, Grotesque. So walking down to Diver City Plaza to have closer look was ruled out, at least for me but it’s one of the greatest attractions of Odaiba!  

It was my last day in Japan and early morning reporting at Narita for 11 AM flight was ahead of me. So no late nights though I never sleep well prior to any such event. If at all I get few blinks, I get up with a start dreading that I have missed the flight.

So I had to forego illuminated auroras of Rainbow Bridge. But enough time was there to visit Emperor’s Palace in Central Tokyo.  It was little tricky [many transfers] to reach Nijubashimae [from Shimbashi,] station nearest to the Imperial Palace, but within 20 minutes I reached the station. On the contrary walk from the station to palace took more time! Station is in the basement of some commercial complex and it took me more than 10 minutes just to find the exit. Thereafter it was vast ground three times the size of Shiwaji Park, might be even more! Some part had plantations, our own Cherry Blossom, for me last of the tour, and rest was just vast empty space. A Mumbai thought: Big enough to accommodate at least 100,000 hutments! Such a wastage of space!!

Entry in the palace premises is restricted and there are only two batches of 20-30 people, one at 9.30 AM other 12.30 PM. And they were already booked for 15 days in advance so I visited only the outskirts. You do not get even the glimpse of real palace from outside. One has to be happy with a selfie having Seimon Ishibashi Bridge in the background! I was happy!!!

Taxi picked me up at 6 AM to catch a bus to Narita Air Port from Kasai the next metro station. In place of Y4000 I spent only Y 2700. And on the air port duty free I used all the remaining balance on SUICA! I did not long for homemade khana on return flight, on the contrary felt sad for missing out on my Ramens and Udons!