Field of dreams

On his blog, Harsha Bhogle waxed nostalgic about Fateh Maidan.

(© Getty Images)

Harsha's memories of the stadium are from an insider's perspective, since he had access as a commentator long after he ceased visiting it as a spectator.

The Lal Bahadur Stadium was like that to us, except that nobody called it by that name. It was always the Fateh Maidan or the “stadium”. It was holy, it was the home of cricket, it was ours. I saw my first match there, played on a turf wicket there for the first time and my first commentary session was there too. Do I give the impression that the pillars spoke to me? I might have thought it was so…once.
(...)
Around that time I had first set foot in the commentary box, like the dressing room, a much hyped place made special only by the people within it. All of 19 and wearing a twenty rupee t-shirt, a pair of jeans and rubber slippers, I had done my audition there. It was where Shyam Karwande and HK Srinivas sat and talked about the “Hill Fort End”, Naubat Pahad to everyone else. In my audition I said “Hill Fort End” and felt special too.

It called me back often and I grew to like the little area, only a little bigger than a cubicle with two wide windows we looked through. It was where the first step had been taken, it was mine. 

My memories are more of the Fateh Maidan Club, whose Tandoori chicken and parantha are unmatched in my memory. I guess I was spoiled at a young age - I have never been able to enjoy either of those food items since then as what I have pales in significance with the FMC items. Even after all these years, I  can still taste them, if that makes sense.

I watched a few matches at Fateh Maidan. Two stand out in memory. There was a game against the Australians where RP Singh (the other one) began his international career with a maiden over and little else about his bowling was remarkable. Australia batted first, Bruce Reid read a Sidney Sheldon book (for once I had good seats in a section right next to the Australian players), and a torrential downpour forced the match to be abandoned soon after my hero, Mohammad Azharuddin, came in to bat. I walked home from there as I did not feel like fighting the crowd at the bus stop and I was already soaking wet. Back then it did not seem too far away to walk home. Those of you who know the distance will know it took me a while to do so. And it rained all the way home!

The second one against the Kiwis holds better cricketing memories for me - I got to watch Azharuddin play a sublime innings filled with boundaries, Richard Hadlee found swing where no one else did, and Arshad Ayub pleased the locals with a few wickets. That inning of Azhar's was enough to fill me with a lifetime of good memories and thoughts about the fellow, all his subsequent (alleged) shenanigans notwithstanding.

Sitting at the far end of the ground, diametrically opposite to the FMC end, I did not know then that my life would change in a few months. I have never been to an international match at a stadium since. In hindsight, I am glad that those days at Fateh Maidan remain my last memories of a day spent watching a Test match.

P.S. Here is another recollection of the glory days of Fateh Maidan from former South Zone offspinner V Ramnarayan.

A futuristic past

During my Morgantown days, my favorite mode of transportation was the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) - an 8-seater, electric-motor driven, automatic transportation system that connects 5 different points on the West Virginia University campus.

(Michlaovic 2010)

In spite of being built in the mid-1970's, the PRT still feels like it belongs to the future. A safe, convenient way to move from one end of campus to the other, I am surprised more cities, especially smaller ones who cannot afford (or need) a full-fledged subway or train system, haven't looked at it as a viable people-mover option.

(Jae69376  2011)

If you are ever in Morgantown, take a ride on this marvel. It will be worth your time, I promise.
(If you want to see a 1977 video about the PRT, click here).

TGIF: Songs to hum - 6

On Friday afternoons, after I am done teaching for the week, I sit in my office, put my feet up on my desk, lean back in my chair and softly hum songs to myself, unwinding and releasing the built-up tension of the week so far. Youtube is a good companion during these times and I have my own version of Chitrahaar, with the songs following some unfathomable pattern, changing per my mood and wishes.  (Previous TGIF posts are here).

Note:  The links may be broken as Youtube links tend to come and go.  I apologize in advance if that happens here.

Here is today's trip through Youtube:

1) My absolute favorite song of 2013 was Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2, sung by Arijit Singh.  I did not see the movie but have seen/heard this song innumerable times.



2)  By the way, if you want to hear all the songs and also find out how Aashiqui 2 starts, begins, and ends you can watch this video of all the songs and some of the dialogues.

Splash or splat?

Acrophobia (heights) and Aquaphobia (drowning) are my two biggest fears.  Later this year, in a park near where I live, I may get a chance to conquer both of them at the same time.

I present to you, without any further comment - Verrückt in Kansas City :

(In case you are wondering about the chances of me ever being on that ride: No way, no how!)

Mad Dog and the Big Hurt

I have never really followed Major League Baseball too closely and it has been exactly 5 years since I even paid attention to the scores or highlights.  After I moved to Chicago two baseball players with connections to Chicago held my interest.  Greg Maddux, a pitcher, and Frank Thomas, a first baseman for the White Sox.

Maddux had been a Cy Young award winning pitcher for the Cubs who had been unsigned by the Cubs, paving the way for the Atlanta Braves to grab him.  Maddux would win the Cy Young for the next three years as well underscoring how badly the Cubs had misjudged his greatness.  Frank Thomas was a huge (6' 5", 240 pounds) hitter who was as good a singles hitter as he was a slugger.

Even as their careers wound down and they changed teams, I kept track of the box scores just to see how they were doing.  Maddux finally ended with 355 wins, one more than Roger Clemens which pleased me no end (and still does even today)!

Yesterday, in their first year of eligibility Maddux and Thomas were voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  A perfect ending to my "association" with them.

Someday I will tell you of the one time I went to see Thomas play live.  I was more fortunate with Maddux, seeing him pitch multiple times, including a 9 inning gem where he did not give up a single run and still did not win the game!  That game - on August 28th, 2002 - remains my favorite baseball game.  I had a seat right behind home place at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and got to watch Maddux unveil a 100 pitch masterpiece.  When he left in the 9th inning the score was 0-0!

Maddux was not only a good pitcher, he was also a great fielder, winning the Golden Glove a record 18 times.  Think about it, for 18 different years he was best fielding pitcher in baseball.  A testament to his longevity and excellence at that position.

2013: Year in Review - Jaw-dropping movie "fact"

Henry Cavill's Superman outfit was not enhanced in any way in Man of Steel - those are really his muscles underneath the costume.  'Nuff said.

(Digital Trends 2013)

2013: Year in Review - Pet peeve

As the years have progressed, movie directors have pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable to be shown/visualized on-screen.  But sometimes, just because you can film something does not mean it is "entertaining".

A common theme that has emerged in recent superhero movies (be it the Hollywood variety - The Avengers, Iron Man, etc. or even the Bollywood kind - Krrish 3, Dhoom 3, etc.) is the "battle" between the main characters.  Earlier, the destruction of cities and buildings and, by proxy, humans was reserved for natural disasters such as comets or meteorites crashing into the earth.

But not any more.  The zenith (or nadir, if you will) of these scenes was the final battle between Superman and General Zod in Man of Steel.  One of the most enduring legacies of Superman was his wish to protect human life at any cost.  Look at the following video and try to figure out how many lives were lost before the General was eliminated.  Oddly, it seems that the General's fatal mistake was to target a family.  As long as he was only destroying buildings (and the people within them) Superman appeared content to simply trade body blows with him.

What bothers me is that human lives appear to not have any value, especially if they are eliminated en masse.

(Note how much destruction has already been wrought on Metropolis by this point.  And it is not a vacant city as you can see from the cars that are moving on the roads and the people clearly still milling about).



P.S. And yes, I will admit that the entire premise of my favorite movie of the year was the destruction of everything human-made  in outer space but I will submit that the loss of human life was restricted to the astronauts at the start of the episode and was treated with great seriousness.

2013: Year in review - My favorite movie

The next few posts will discuss some of the things that caught my attention (mostly positive, some negative) in the year gone by.  I am leading off with my favorite movie of the year.

These were the top-10 grossing movies in Hollywood:
1. Iron Man 3
2. Despicable Me 2
3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
4. Fast & Furious 6
5. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
6. Monsters University
7. Man of Steel
8. Gravity
9. Frozen
10. Thor: The Dark World

Of the top 10, I saw 6.  Not a bad ratio for me.  The ones I missed were Despicable Me 2 (since I have not seen the first one), The Hobbit (No interest whatsoever after the ponderous Lord of the Rings trilogy left me cold, Monsters University (liked the original too much to ruin the memories), and Frozen (I am a Pixar snob, what can I say?  Though I may well end up watching this one.  (I will revisit the Top 10 in a separate post with some pet peeves and concerns).

Among the Bollywood releases, I liked Kai Po Che!, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (not the ending, though, as it reinforced stereotypes that I think it is time Hindi movies got away from), Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (even though it was too heavy-handed and syrupy), and Dhoom 3 (more on this and Krrish 3 in the afore-mentioned separate post).

But, by far, my favorite movie of the year was one that featured just two actors, one of whom is there for only about a third of the screentime.  Strap your seat belts and watch this extended preview first:


Some movies are meant to be seen on the big screen.  This one definitely was. Wow.  The movie combined my love of astronomy/outer-space with my fear of being adrift with no one but myself to pull off a rescue.  Sandra Bullock and George Cloony give Gravity the right amount of heft and their persona is so likable you start rooting for them within minutes.

If the movie is running in a nearby theater, go see it.  Don't worry about the 3D. The movie is a combination of an edge-of-the-seat thriller, how-dun-it with some spectacular visual effects and perfect acting.

I could tell you more but that would only spoil the fun.

New beginnings

While I have never been a prolific blogger, 2013 was the absolute worst of all.  A combination of increased workload, the retirement of some of my favorite cricketers, and a project that took me all of 2013 to complete, slowed me down.

In terms of posts, I have been on a 5-year decline (number of posts in parentheses).

 2013 (13)
 2012 (43)
 2011 (70)
 2010 (196)
 2009 (246)
 2008 (184)
 2007 (86)
 2006 (153)
 2005 (39)

My first resolution of 2014 is to arrest that trend.  Starting today. There are so many things I want to talk about and so many features I want to revive (such as the Maggi Noodle Reviews, TGIF - Songs to hum, match reports, etc.).

But, for now, I will leave you with my favorite image of 2013 from my personal collection - my first view of Sydney, taken from the plane as we flew in to Australia.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

Travel: Day 10 - Australia - The long road home

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

In January 2013, I taught Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entailed a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can see the previous posts in this thread here).

Day 10 finally rolled around in spite of our best efforts to stave it off.  The wee hours of the night were spent in packing and reminiscing about our time in Australia. Even Marie's travel companion - Gumby - seemed a little sad that the trip was coming to an end.

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

So, it was with a heavy heart that we left Cairns early in the morning, getting onto the plane the old-fashioned way - via a stairwell to the cabin.

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

Cairns to Sydney was a short flight.  After a couple of hours, we then got onto the longer flight to Dallas. We left in the morning to bright skies, much appreciated by Gumby....

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 9 - Australia - Botanical Gardens and scavenger hunts

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

In January 2013, I taught Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entailed a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can see the previous posts in this thread here).

In the original plan, Day 9 was to be a free day for the students to explore on their own.  However, since we had unsuccessfully tried to visit the Cairns Botanic Gardens earlier in the week, we added it to the agenda.

(Sandra 2013)

The Cairns Botanic Gardens is located about 5km from the city center.  We took a bus to the Collins Avenue entrance and began our tour of the facility.

(Trey Cusick III 2013)

The Cairns Botanic Gardens (also known as the Flecker Botanic Gardens) is a typical botanical garden containing a wide range of plants (clearly labelled with their scientific names), focusing mainly on ones found in the wet tropical regions of the world such as Southeast Asia.

(Trey Cusick III 2013)

Distributed over 38 hectares, the property was established in 1886 indicating that many of the trees are really old and well-preserved in their native habitat.  

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 8 - Australia - Koalas, Kuranda, and Kool ways to travel

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

In January 2013, I taught Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entailed a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can see the previous posts in this thread here).

After getting a close look at the rainforest in the crane on the previous day, on Day 8 we took a more scenic path to (and through it) via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

The skyrail is a series of gondolas that rise from the base station at Caravonica Terminal, located about 15 miles from Cairns, and traverses about 7.5km (4.7mi) over the rainforest with 2 stops along the way at Red Peak, Barron Falls, finally ending at Kuranda.  Along the way, we got a close look at Barron Gorge National Park.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

The Skyrail system comprises of 114 gondolas that travel over a path that is held up by 33 towers, the tallest of which is 133 feet (40.5m) high.

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 7 - Australia - Trails and Tribulations

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

In January 2013, I taught Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entailed a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

Apart from being a campus offering on-site classes, James Cook University has numerous satellite locations where research opportunities abound.  One of them is the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, managed by Site Manager Peter Byrnes.

About 140km (~ 90miles) north of Cairns, the Observatory is in a section of protected rainforest adjacent to the Daintree National Park. The Daintree rainforest lays claim to having the highest biodiversity of plant and animal species anywhere in Australia. The site is flanked to the west by coastal ranges rising to more than 1400m and by the Coral Sea to the east.  The proximity of the coral reef to a rainforest makes it a fairly unique situation.

We took the Captain Cook Highway out of Cairns, heading north in a van.This winding ocean road is as you would expect it to be - the treeline frequently opens up to reveal great vistas and lookouts along the way

(Victoria Vollmer 2013)

 The drive is littered with small beaches that were inviting us to stop but had to be saved for some other (undecided) date in the future.

(Sandra 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 6 - Australia - Dingoes, Turtles, and Australia's venomous reputation

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

In January 2013, I taught Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entailed a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

On Day 6, we hopped onto a taxi and took a short ride to:

(C.S. Manish 2013)

According to their website, James Cook University, established in 1970, is a multi-campus institution with main campuses in Cairns, Singapore and Townsville, with smaller study centers in Mount Isa, Thursday Island and Mackay. They also have a campus in Brisbane, operated by Russo Higher Education.  JCU is Queensland's second-oldest University and serves over 17,500 students.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Alien improbabilities..

The reason why an alien civilization has not reached the Earth (officially, that is) is actually quite simple (apart from the fact that we may really be the only planet with life as we know it):  The Earth is a tiny, tiny part of the entire Universe and happening upon it, even by accident, requires enormous luck and fortune.

Check out this video made by the American Museum of Natural History and you will truly appreciate how insignificant our place in the cosmos really is.  Carl Sagan would have simply smiled upon seeing this:

Travel: Day 5 - Australia - The Great Barrier Reef

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

On Day 5 of the trip, having acclimated well to the rhythms of the Land Down Under, we undertook a (mini)voyage to one of the seven natural wonders of the world - The Great Barrier Reef!

The world's biggest naturally-made structure, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) can be easily seen from outer space.

(AFP/Getty Images)
(http://i.cdn.travel.cnn.com/sites/default/files/styles/624x468_gallery/public/2011/09/23/afp-aerial.web_.jpg)

This giant structure is the product of years and years of build-up of the skeletal shells of tiny organisms known as coral polyps.  It gives rise to an amazing ecosystem, rich in nutrients and exposed to abundant sunlight and, consequently, a tremendous variety of plant and animal life.  The biodiversity of the area is incredible and even more amazing than one can imagine.

The GBR is located in the Coral Sea and lies parallel to the north-east coast of Australia in the state of Queensland, extending more than 2600 km (over 1600 miles) and covering an area about 344,400 square km (133,000 sq miles) .

Travel to the GBR is very carefully monitored by Australian authorities and most tour operators are restricted to visiting specifically chosen reefs or islands in order to reduce the potential impact of millions of human beings thrashing their way through the area.

A short, quick trip along the Boardwalk from the hostel took us to the Cairns Marina, where the tour operator's boat was docked.

(Kinsley Shoup 2013)

After signing our lives away (or so it seemed) and listening to a serious lecture on safety features and measures, we set sail, so to speak, on a boat to the Reef.  Soon, we left Cairns behind...

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 4 - Australia - Cairns, the lagoon, and an ecology lecture on the Boardwalk

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

After an exhausting and fun-filled three days in Sydney, it was time for the "meat and bones" part of the trip.  We woke up early in the morning and took a taxi ride from hell to the airport, this time we were headed to the domestic terminal for a flight to Cairns.

(Hannah Steen 2013)

We had our obligatory conch photo at the airport before boarding the flight. (I am not exactly sure what Alexa is up to, though!)

(C.S. Manish 2013)

Approximately 1500 miles from Sydney, the flight to Cairns took about 3 hours or so.

(C.S. Manish 2013 - from Google Maps)

Cairns airport reminded me of a lot of the West Indian airports I had been to.  It's a small airport, nestled among the mountains, with an approach path that takes you over the ocean.  The vegetation is perfectly tropical and the humidity and heat hit you as soon as you step off the plane.  And the smell of the ocean and rain-soaked ground is very evident.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

 A short taxicab (van) ride to the city was just the tonic we needed to get ready for Cairns!

(C.S. Manish 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 3 - Australia - Taronga Zoo, Scavenger hunt, and Luna Park

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

Having figured out the joys of a ferry ride on the previous day, it was not a novel experience for us (by-now seasoned) travelers to take another one.  This time the destination was Taronga Zoo!

(Kinsley Shoup 2013)

The above photograph also serves as a portent of things to come.  Later in the day we would walk on the Harbour Bridge and make our way to the park that has the ferris wheel (look closely!), but that is a story for a little later.

For now, enjoy the view of one side, but don't forget to take in the view of the other side, as well....

(Kinsley Shoup 2013)

And here's a great photograph of the two iconic landmarks together...

(Katherine Lederer 2013)

The ferry dropped us off at a dock and we took a gondola lift up a hill, reminiscent of similar rides that I have been on at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and the San Diego Zoo (there seems to be a theme developing here).  The gondola lift runs from the bottom of the park close to the ferry wharf, and transports passengers to the top end of the zoo, where the main entrance is located.

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 2 - Australia - Darling Harbour, Manly Beach and exotic pizzas

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous posts in this thread here).

An early morning wake-up call was followed by an interesting breakfast, featuring products one normally does not see in the US. The honey? Maybe.  The vegemite?  Not so much!  All I can say for the latter is that it is quite salty and is supposed to be an acquired taste (and I did not acquire it in spite of trying it for 3 days).

(Trey Cusick III 2013)

(Trey Cusick III 2013)

On tap for the morning was a visit to Darling Harbor.  But before that we had a few minutes to kill, so a few of us went on a walk to the Sydney Harbor Bridge and, along the way, saw lots of interesting little nuggety things.

(Trey Cusick III, Katherine Lederer, and C.S. Manish)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Travel: Day 1 - Australia - To infinity and beyond

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

(You can the previous post in this thread here).

At the Omaha airport, after picking up our boarding passes, the group took the first of (many) group photos.  In time, everyone got used to me signaling for group huddles with the buzzword – conch.  I am not sure how (or why) that was chosen as the group’s calling card, but it stuck a chord and so it remained for the duration of the trip. (Maybe it had something to do with Lord of the Flies Anchorman).

(Note: To see the photos more clearly, click on them and they will pop up in new window).

(C.S. Manish 2013)

The flight from Omaha to Dallas was fairly uneventful.  At Dallas airport, we took our time going from one gate to another – and then it was time to leave the shores of the US of A.  Next stop….Australia!

(C.S. Manish 2013)

The flight itinerary called for a direct flight from Dallas to Sydney, currently the longest flight of any airline in the world.  (Here's some more information on it from a personal account of the trip for Wall Street Journal).  Because the flight is so long and we cross the International Date Line, the trip from Dallas to Sydney involves the loss of a complete day.  We left on the evening of the 2nd and reached on the morning of the 4th.  Somewhere up in the sky the whole of the 3rd passed us by...or something like that.

Due to a quirky procedure the Qantas Airline flight, whilst non-stop from Sydney to Dallas, has to stopover to refuel in Brisbane on the opposite trip.  So, our first steps on Aussie soil (so to speak) were in Brisbane.  We disembarked, walked through a loooooong line at a security check point and then got back on the same plane again.

Flying into Sydney was a treat.  Those on the left side of the plane were greeted with magnificent views of the city, such as this one:

(C.S. Manish 2013)

After we passed through Immigration and Customs (surprisingly quickly) we were officially in Australia!

(C.S. Manish 2013)

We paused in front of a tourism picture on the wall and took the first "conch" photo in Sydney.  Don't let the backdrop fool you - this was taken indoors!

(C.S. Manish 2013)

(Note: In order to conserve space on the blog and make it easier to scroll through, I am condensing how much of  the post is displayed.  To read the rest of it, simply click on the "Click here for the rest of my jaywalk" link below).

Apologies

After promising a regular supply of travel-related blogs, I was unable to follow through and I must apologize for that.

The internet connection at the places we stayed at in Australia was adequate for checking emails and websites but useless for blogging, especially as the servers weren't capable enough to upload the 15-20 photos I wanted to supplement my blogposts with.

While I was tempted to simply write about the trip, I felt it would not do justice to what we saw and did so I avoided blogging altogether.

Now that I am back in the US of A and, more importantly, have access to a really fast internet service I shall continue the journey, so to speak.

Travel: Day 0 - Australia - The Land Down Under beckons

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to one's heart. 

In January 2011, I taught Tropical Ecology  and, for one of the class activities, I took a group of students on a 10 day trip to Puerto Rico. (Click here to read about the trip to Puerto Rico). 

This January (2013), I am teaching Ecology of Australia and, naturally, it entails a field trip to Australia! What follows is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we have seen, the things we are doing, and the lessons we are learning while exploring a land far removed from home.

A couple of years ago when the trip to Puerto Rico was winding down, during a long road trip the students began discussing where I should go in the the next travel-related course I offered.  After nominating and discarding numerous candidate nations, they finally decided that I should offer a course that would require students to spend some time in Australia. They christened it Ecology of Australia and, now having done the hard work, entrusted me with the simple task of actually designing and implementing it!  Not one to shirk such responsibilities I duly went ahead and began preparing for it.  Apart from reading about Australia and its unique environmental and ecological attractions, I also decided that I needed professional help if I was to provide a proper experience for the students. So I contacted many organizations that specialize in student-based travel trips and study abroad programs.  After listening to what many of them had to offer, I finally selected CISabroad as the organization to partner with.  CISabroad was the be the organization that offered the best mix of on-site offerings and quoted fairly reasonable prices.

So, a course two years in the making finally bore fruit and a group of 8 Midland University students left cold, freezing Omaha on January 2nd.  As always, an obligatory group photograph was taken just after we checked-in at the airport.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

Standing (from left to right): Craig, Alexa, Christine, Richie, and Sue
Kneeling: (from left to right): Fred, Marie, and Leann

In the coming posts, I shall describe some of the highlights of each day as it unfolded during the trip.  So, until then....here's a brief preview of one of the things that is to come on Day 1.

(C.S. Manish 2013)

Our first stop in Australia was in Sydney. I leave you, for now, with a view from our plane as we prepared to land at Sydney airport.  The Harbor Bridge and the Opera House were clearly welcoming us and we were ready for it!

(C.S. Manish 2013)

Circular vision

I am a sucker for time-lapse photography.  What I am also a sucker for are panoramic photos.

Here's a website that gives you access to some fantastic panoramic views of some hauntingly beautiful places.  Click on them and move your mouse and enjoy!

The end is nigh

The world may be ending in a few hours.  I don't care.  I'm just happy that is is (finally!) snowing again.  Where has it been so far?

All is forgiven....

(C.S. Manish 2012)

Travel: Day 10 - Puerto Rico - The voyage home

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to your heart. In January 2011, I was fortunate enough to lead a group of 6 students through the world of Tropical Ecology. Apart from not being in the right ecosystem, Nebraska in the winter is definitely not the place to have field trips about Tropical Ecology. Consequently, one portion of the course involved a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico where we got to see for ourselves all the things we talked about in the classroom. 

This is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned. (You can see all the previous posts in this thread here).

On the 10th day, it was time to retrace our steps and head back to the mainland.  An early morning wake-up call was set to give us time to pack the van, check out of the hotel and make it to the airport in time for some last minute souvenir shopping.  KM and I dropped the rest of the group at the airport and came back to the car rental agency to drop the van off.  By the time we returned some of the folks had managed to find the nearest store with the best sales and proceeded to haggle their way into some expensive-looking items at a cheaper price.

As we left Puerto Rico behind, it seemed as if even the island was "questioning" our departure.  All of us shared that feeling, too...

(C.S. Manish 2011)

Travel: Day 9 - Puerto Rico - Swinging through the canopy

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to your heart. In January 2011, I was fortunate enough to lead a group of 6 students through the world of Tropical Ecology. Apart from not being in the right ecosystem, Nebraska in the winter is definitely not the place to have field trips about Tropical Ecology. Consequently, one portion of the course involved a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico where we got to see for ourselves all the things we talked about in the classroom. 

This is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned. (You can see all the previous posts in this thread here).

Having overcome (some of) our fears of the ocean and open water, it was now time for us to confront a fear of a different kind - heights.  For the last day of the trip I had booked a trip through Yunke Zipline Adventures.  The best way to see a tropical rainforest (in my opinion) is by getting off the floor and wandering through the canopy (if you can).  Since less than 2% of the sunlight incident on the canopy makes it's way through to the forest floor, the surface layer can, at times, be a murky place.  Higher up in the canopy and in the emergent layer, there's a lots to see and it is a lot easier to do so, too.

(C.S. Manish 2011)

Travel: Day 8 - Puerto Rico - Jungle jaunts and bio-luminescent trawls

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to your heart. In January 2011, I was fortunate enough to lead a group of 6 students through the world of Tropical Ecology. Apart from not being in the right ecosystem, Nebraska in the winter is definitely not the place to have field trips about Tropical Ecology. Consequently, one portion of the course involved a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico where we got to see for ourselves all the things we talked about in the classroom. 

This is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned. (You can see all the previous posts in this thread here).

The day began with AJ demanding a hearty breakfast so we fulfilled that request, courtesy Ponderosa.  As I mentioned earlier, you can get a lot of food for less than 5 bucks!

(Sami Wysocki 2011)

After 7 days of crossing through and circling around them, on the 8th day we finally ventured into the Sierra de Loquillo mountains that make up the central spine of Puerto Rico.  It was well worth the wait.

(Sami Wysocki 2011)

The drive was quite curvy, naturally, but as we rose into the mountains, it began to cool down and occasionally the canopy would clear to show some fantastic views of the rest of the island and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance.

(Sami Wysocki 2011)

Travel: Day 7 - Puerto Rico - Downtown San Juan and ecosystem tours

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts institution is the freedom to design and offer courses that are close to your heart. In January 2011, I was fortunate enough to lead a group of 6 students through the world of Tropical Ecology. Apart from not being in the right ecosystem, Nebraska in the winter is definitely not the place to have field trips about Tropical Ecology. Consequently, one portion of the course involved a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico where we got to see for ourselves all the things we talked about in the classroom. 

This is a travelogue of our adventures together, the sights we saw, the things we did, and the lessons we learned. (You can see all the previous posts in this thread here).


The 7th day of our trip was also the last day of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian in Puerto Rico.  I knew about the San Sebastian Street Festival but since I know a little bit about large-scale parties from my days as a Mountaineer, I figured the best time to visit Old San Juan would be in the morning while the revelers would still be in bed sleeping off the effects of the previous night's festivities.

And I was right...

(C.S. Manish 2011)

Rather than drive into town and get mired in traffic while returning we took the bus.  Surprisingly, this was a first for some of the folks on the trip.  Wonders never cease. The lack of an extensive public transportation system in Nebraska reveals itself in the strangest of places.

(Andrew Jacobsen 2011)

Don't bag it, Sachin

Dear Sachin,

Years ago, Sports Illustrated begged another sporting legend to not quit the sport.  Today, it's my turn to follow their lead.

So, don't bag it, Sachin!  Some time ago, Times of India asked: Endulkar?  My reply today is an emphatic - No!

Several folks are telling you it is time for you to retire from cricket.  I have three things to say about it.

1)  It is NONE of their business to tell you when to retire.  That's a personal choice that is entirely yours to make.  Don't compound their mistake.  Their cries for you to retire are, in reality, cries for you to be dropped from the Indian team.  Those are two different things.  You've been playing cricket for your entire life and competitive cricket for 4/5ths of it.  Who are they to tell you when to stop?

2)  I don't want you to make the same mistake, too.  Retiring from international cricket is different from retiring from playing cricket.  It is very obvious that you love the game very much.  Keep at it.  Play Ranji Trophy, play county cricket.  Play the game for the love of it and not for the trappings that come with it.  If Graeme Hick and Mark Ramprakash could be productive into their mid-40's, so can you.  Heck, it would it really benefit Indian cricket if the Ranji players got to bowl to the likes of you and VVS Laxman.  It would give the selectors a clearer idea of how good they really are.

3)  To hell with how your legacy is being impacted the longer you play.  Don't fret it.  In the end, these last few flickers of the flame will be forgotten when your whole body of work is looked at.

When it comes time to discuss legacies, no one really cares any more that...

• Sourav Ganguly's last Test inning was a golden duck, out to a spinner, of all things.  At least his fate was the same as Don Bradman's, in that regard.
• Muhammad Ali was pounded into submission by someone named Trevor Berbick in his last bout.
• Pele spent the last three years of his career playing for the New York Cosmos.
• Michael Schumacher spent his last three years racing for Mercedes without winning a single race.
• Jerry Rice did not catch a single pass in his final game, in a playoff no less....for the Seattle Seahawks.
• Wayne Gretzky's last season with the New York Rangers fetched him only 9 goals (in 81 games).
• Sunil Gavaskar was bowled for 4 in his final international inning by a journeyman fast bowler.
• Michael Jordan spent his last two seasons with the Washington Wizards and did not even make the playoffs in those two years

Do you want me to cite more?  You get the point, don't you?  Legacy is over-rated.  You will not tarnish your legacy by playing on as long as you wish to.  If the selectors are bold enough to drop you, so be it.  They are simply dropping you from the Indian team, not stopping you from playing cricket.  That's what you value more, isn't it?

You are still among the best batsmen India currently has.  You are among the best outfielders in cricket.  Until someone else comes by whose contributions are vastly superior to the ones you can provide, I feel you should play.  After all, when you did play a Ranji Trophy match recently you made a century almost for fun, toying with the bowling.

Go back to being the kid who hated to get out, the kid who treasured the 13 one-rupee coins he won for not getting bowled, the kid who couldn't stop smiling when the World Cup was won, the kid who loved cricket for cricket's sake.

The Aussies will be here in a few months.  I look forward to seeing you take them on.  And if the selectors decide otherwise, I'll still look forward to you playing some first-class cricket and making centuries for fun.  Like how it used to be.  Like how it can be.  Like how it should be.

Because one day you, and only you, will know that it is time for one last fling.  For one last inning.  For one last battle.

For love of the game.



Sincerely
Jaunty