My First Trip to Tasmania , Australia !

My First Trip to Tasmania , Australia !

My first trip to this island just below Australia was really exciting and wonderful ! I had lived most of my life in Asian countries and was always wondering about countries that were beyond my Asian cultures . I grew up being educated in the western language and most of my knowledge was from Western perspective ! Born in , Malaya when the British ruled here was a very different country from the Malaysia of today ! As I spoke English and read and wrote English , I became more and more comfortable in it . I loved reading and read far and wide. 

Australia really fascinated me . This huge land mass is the smallest continent and that too an Island ! Being isolated from the big Asian land mass , it had some of the most unusual life form . Kangaroos , Koalas, Tasmanian Devil , Dingos and Platypus . Everything was so different and awesome . The natives or Aborigines too were fascinating people . They were the dream people . Their haunting music from this strange wooden pipe , the didgeridoo

!

With so muct to expect , my excitment was really high . I choose to go in mid August . Than I realised that I was going in mid winter ! I was going to the Southern Hemisphere . I looked at the map and saw that Tasmania was very close to the South Pole ! In fact , Hobart was one of the last port of call before ships went into the deep South ! In the days of whaling , alot was happening in Hobart .

All said and done , our flights were all set. We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Malbourne . Then from there we took an Australian flight to Launceston , Tasmania .

Oh yes , I must tell you another side to my packing ! As I thought I was going just short of the South Pole , I made sure I had taken enough of warm clothing just in case ! I think , I over did that .

As I landed in mid day , with the sun shining and a nice warm day with a cool to cold breeze off and on . I was really surprised to see how the people were quite relaxed and enjoying a beautiful day . Some were actually eating ice-cream ! 

That night , I made sure I was well prepared to keep myself warm as I was told that the nights can be cold . Tempertures can go to zero or below ! To me that was really scary . So , I slept with sufficient warm clothes and with an electric blanket . I felt secured and warm ! No chance of freezing in my sleep ! After a few hours , I jumped up and out of bed ! I thought I was in a sauna ! I was dripping in water ! Sweating profusely , I started taking of my clothes and dried myself . All around me had a good laugh . Now I went back to sleep with just a boxer ! We learn all the time !

We drove on one of the most beautiful and scenic roads towards Hobart . I felt so joyful and happy . Just watching the sheep like little white dots on the green pastures . The big huge Gum tress with their white trunk and pilling bark. The Pines all over the hills and mountains .

Clear blue skies , cold breeze , lush green pastures and fields . Quiant little villages and townships dotted as we drove past them . It was sheer fun and joy . I was just so excited being there. We could stop on the way and park our car at small picnic spots . BBQ plates were just waiting for us to heat our snacks and breads and much more . 

I also saw Black Swans ! What a wonder ! We are so used to thinking of swans as white ,  seeing black swans was a delight !

Oh , I must tell you that seeing the Kangaroos and their other smaller species was really a wonder ! 

What an amazing animal . Can you imagine that they carry their young in a pocket or pouch ! What an amazing sight .

My first trip was an eye opener to the wonders of our wonderful planet .

I realised that learning and education is another nmae for life ! We are here to learn and experience the mystery and magic of life and living .

I will end here. Til we meet again .

Enjoy. Namaste.

Amar.

Visiting one of the Oldest Rainforest in the World !

Visiting one of the Oldest Rain forest in the World !

Malaysia lies just above the equator . Being so close to the equator , simply means that we have a hot , sweaty and sizzling temperature throughout the year . It practically rains daily , known as conventional rains or also due to monsoons or winds just carrying water from the warm waters . With such heavy rain fall , we have one of the thickest growths of plant life . We call these thick growing areas jungles . Jungles are so overgrown with plants of all varieties, shapes and sizes that it is just amazing .

Above , I have shown you a typical rainforest's jungle . Just see the thick growth ! Just walking 10-15 feet into the jungles and you may get lost ! Did I read that they are about 200 million years old ! 

When you first see this thick jungles , it looks like utter chaos and madness ! The plants have just gone crazy ! However , as you watch carefully , you will start to see order in this chaotic scene .

The thick growth from the air looks like a typical shaggy rug !  

There are so many types of wild life that it is just amazing ! Insects , and all sorts of crawlies , mosquitoes , beetles , ants of so many varieties . Blood sucking leeches ! Snakes , beautiful butterflies . Animals that are just beautiful in hiding so well that you may think there is nothing around ! 

The varieties of green are mind blowing ! Yes , you may just see shades of dark green or light green . Ask the people of the jungle , also known as Orang Asli ( The original people ) and they can tell that there are many , many shades of green ! As they walk , they will know what is going on in this chaotic jungle ! They carry long bamboo blow pipes and hunt small animals , birds and fish . They use a poison dart to blow at the hunted and whatever is being hunted , becomes paralysed !

The above photo shows the shaggy rug appearance from the air !

A typical forest and river scene .

A baby Orang Utang ( jungle person )

The Malaysian rain forest  is an amazing  experience of nature . The wildness is so vibrant and alife !

There is an energy that can be felt all around you as you are walking or exploring this jungles ! They are literally alife and growing and dying and growing all at the same time !

This beautiful orchids are so natural in the rain forest ! There are probably hundreds of varietes  of the beautiful flower in all rain forests in the world .

Visiting the rain forest makes me aware of  wonderful and beautiful the forest is ! It also reminds me that our life actually depends on these forests ! They are our lungs ! They keep us alife as they give us the much needed oxygen and so much more . Medicinal plants are used daily and more such plants are being discovered every day !  

Visiting the rain forest awakens me to the scared nature and also my closest relative ! Without this close friend , I will not live long on this wonderful planet !

We , the people of this beautiful planet , Earth , have to awaken to the importnce of saving and keeping this rain forest , or we are going to face some harsh realities !

I can keep sharing more of this wonderful rain forest with you til so will get tired .

Till we meet again . Take care and lets be aware of our rain forest .

Dr Dhali /Amar.

A Night On An Ancient Fortress in The Deccan , India !

A Night On An Ancient Fortress in The Deccan , India !

A story from my life that goes back over 40 years ago ! Anyway , who is counting ! I was a medical student and studied in a city near Bombay ( now known as Mumbai ). Poona ( also now called Pune ) . Being a medical student was one of the best times of my life . Yes, I knew if I kept walking on the path of this college life , I will become a medical doctor ! I also wanted to grow in so many other ways too . Being a doctor was going to be great, but , greater still is being a person who will understand himself ,others and Life !

That  in mind and as my mission statement to living , I was going to have fun , and fun I did have !

My simply philosophy of Life was that I have come into life to experience  life . That's it .

So , I followed my bliss but it created alot of non-bliss or un-bliss for others ! 

Anyway , now coming to my story of spending a night on this ancient fortress . 

Was it planned or was there any agenda to this trip ? No , of course not ! My life was one of living in the now ! I lived for the moment and always in the presence of being ! I can tell you it is difficult to live with such an unpredictable person ! My professors were actually giving up on me ! Some how , I kept surprising them and the show went on ! 

So , out of the blue , I felt I had to do something . Two of my buddies were ever ready to explore life with me ! I had shared with them my thinking that we will not have this wonderful student days again ! We decided to just go with minimum of preparation to this ancient fortress on the Deccan . It was a fortress built bu a great warrior called Shivaji . He was a great Marathi warrior . He simply was fighting a life long battle with the conquering Mughals . You can easily read the details of the history by Googling !

We just went to the bus station and asked around for the bus that would take us to a small village at the foot of this hill where the fort was built . We found a bus and it appeared that all of India too had decided to go to that small village that day ! The bus was so crowded ! We literally were hanging from the bus and it was driving away ! It's unbelievable how we played with our life's . Never heard of risk management !

The bus went on and on stopping at all the villages on the way to the fort . It was a long ride and we were so high on the coming adventure that we had no concept of tiredness or hunger . Finally , after an eternal bus ride we arrived at a small village late in the night . It was pitch dark when the bus came into the village . The last of the passengers got off and walked away into the darkness ! We three heroes stood there looking at each other and wandering where to go ! Finally we saw a light in the darkness and realised that it came from the local Hindu Temple . So ,we walked over to the temple and were comforted that it appeared like a nice place to rest or maybe even sleep . As we started to get comfortable and took out our packed food , the temple priest came out from behind the temple . He saw 3 soldier type youngsters sitting and enjoying a simple meal . He was really very warm and welcoming . We really appreciated his warmth . Had a wonderful moment sharing about our life's . We were allowed to sleep there in the temple comfortably . 

The next morning we got up to the cock crowing in the village ! Cattle moving about in the dust and goats rushing about as they were being taken to the feeding countryside . We actually found the village very peaceful . Had a wonderful breakfast , all organic and plenty of fresh milk . Decided to fill our water bottles with milk instead of water as we found the milk so fresh and cheap ! At that moment we thought it was a great idea . Later during our walk we realised that water is what we needed when we are thirsty ! We had to walk up the hill or I would say semi-mountain ! 

The walk was tiring to say the least . It was also getting very hot . Slowly we kept going up and had to really climb the last  part of the hill holding on to a solid rock by an old rusting ladder .

Finally we were in the old fortress on top of the hill . We could now see the wisdom of the old warrior .The view was just great . We could see all the surrounding countryside  as far as the eye could see !

We went through the old ruined building and saw what the ancients  had to endure . It was really a great place . After our exploring around , we decided to sleep in an old ruined temple again ! Felt good to be near a temple on the remote and lonely fort ! Who knows what spirits were here ! 

As night came , we decided to really climb on the roof of the temple as the tall grass made us unhappy as to what could be in the grass .

When we were about to sleep , a sudden wind started to blow out of no where .The wind got stronger and it kept hollowing the whole night ! I can never forget that one night in my life ! The night of the hollowing wind . We 3 musketeers sitting the whole night and waiting for the sun to come out and rescue us ! 

Thank the great Whatever , the sun did come out and it was the most appreciated sun rise ever in my life !

We were not going to wait around to experience another night on this great fort that belonged to the brave Marathi Warrior , Shivaji !

We came back to college to share our adventure with our college mates and had many days of great fun talking about the hollowing winds of an ancient fortress on the Deccan in India .

Thank you and good bye till we meet again . Dr Dhali /Amar.

Christmas Day Travels !

My Christmas Day Travels !

A Merry Christmas to all Christians and people who celebrate this wonderful and joyful day .

It's a beautiful time when we all can feel a sense of giving and sharing ! A certain sense of being 

more compassionate , loving and kind .

This is the time when I wake up to travel to the hearts of everybody that I care for !

I actually care for All of creation ! 

How do I travel to all hearts and beings far and near ? 

It's so very simple and also cheap ! 

As I keep thinking of everyone , I can feel myself expanding my loving energy to all.

This travelling is expressing warm loving kindness . 

Physically my body may be here in this room , but my Loving spirit is going to so many hearts and people all over the planet !

I bring love and I come with parcels of joy, happiness and just kindness .

Travelling is physical , mental and spiritual .

Travelling is to go far and wide to experience , explore and expand .

Sitting here in my quiet room , I have travelled to so many hearts !

Thank you , wonderful people !

Enjoy the joyful moment and share love to all.

Till we meet again. Amar.

The Joys of Travelling .

The Joys of Travelling .

I just want to reflect on the joys of travelling . I feel that we Humans have an innate desire to travel !

If I am not too far away from our past roots , we Humans were always moving about in search of food and all other needs . As the big , hairless ape that was upright , we wandered all around as a way of living ! So, moving about , walking , riding or sailing has been our very way !

Travelling is natural to us . It's in our DNA ! It's not only food that made us move about , it was also part of survival , seasons and searching for the happy hunting grounds ! Of course , we wanted to be in the happy hunting grounds , be it here or else where !

That lifestyle went on for many , many years ! 

Agriculture and living in one area is a recent event . It's only roughly about 10,000 years or so that we started settling down .It seems a long time , but you must see in the context that we were wanders , hunters for a much longer period ! Maybe over a few 100,000 years ! All that is history and other prehistoric studies . My taking you back is just to high light that we were always travelling from the very dawn of our beginning times !

Today , the travelling bug or desire has taken a whole new dimension . It has become one of the largest industries now ! Travelling , tourist , business and all the rest is now a huge activity that is simply beyond the scope of my reflections .

I am just bring to awareness that we all like to travel for everything that brings joy .

Every travel trip is exciting and wanting to experience new happenings . The sheer joy of moving away from our known and familiar gets us excited . Today this has taken us to a new crazy altogether . Our travelling desire is expanding everyday. The normal tourist areas are getting overcrowded . New off beat places are being searched always . The more exotic the better !

So , the joys of travelling are rooted deep within us . 

It will only increase more as more and more people can afford to travel !

The good side is good , but the overcrowded travelling has it's own challenges.

Whatever the thinking or feelings , we are all just going to travel .

Thank you. Amar.

Born to Travel !

Born to Travel !

Remember the movie , Titanic . At the very beginning of the movie , do you see the hustle and bustle at the port . Everything appears so chaotic ! People rushing everywhere . It appears as though something has gone wrong or there is a state of panic . well , that is the ways of people ! 

Last minute rush to get onto the ship .

Why I am telling you a movie scene ? 

That is how all travelling is ! Last minute packing , rushing to close the house . Dogs , cats and the plants need to be looked after by some kind friends and neighbours .

Bags look pregnant ! Travel papers and passports checked and rechecked .

Friends and relatives all gathered to add to the excitment and fun .

This is how the stage is set for a great journey ! We are set to travel .

As a child it all appeared so wonderfully magical and fun .

I was 7 years of age and my family was going to travel .

It was customery to do this great travel every 4 to 5 years .

You must be wandering what sort of custom is this ?

Well, my dear friends, it happened that we were living in Malaya , to be precise , it was British Malaya. ( Malaysia was formed way later in 1963 ) .

My story is starting in 1954 .

My wonderful loving mother was from Punjab,India .

She came from the punjab villages . Proud Sikh Jats , a clan of landlords.

She was married to my father who was from Malaya.

Hence , this custom to travel to India to visit my mother's family .

Each such trip easily lasted about 6 months !

The travelling took about 10 days one way !

A slow steamer sailing from Penang , in Malaya and crossing across the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean . This little tub of a boat rolled and tossed about endlessly in the dark black waters of the ocean 

Our stomachs too rolled ! Vomiting and throwing out food was a given .

Plates danced around . We rolled from beds . It was simply crazy .

This drama had its high days and , of course low days.

It took a good 6 to 7 days to do this crossing ! 

It was truly an experience that I cannot forget easily ! As I write I can feel and see my past .

Finally , after this endless water world from morning to night and back to morning , a few birds are seen and what a joy it is to know that we are approaching land . Than gently we start seeing small fishing boats . Than slowly we start seeing an outline of land ! That was the most wonderful feeling.

As the land became more visible , our joys and excitments to increased .

Everybody were back to their rush mode to pack and get ready to disembark .

The same rushing , hustle and bustle was at its peak .

We were all set to get down in Madras , India .

That is the way of the traveller ! 

Excitment and adventure in the unknown .

That is when the Human spirit is at its best .