Of Cricket and Camping in the Catskills

A lot has changed since the last and the only blog that i have ever written. Hopefully I should be able to devote more time to blogging.

1. Sports Update

The World Cup came and went and the world hardly noticed. Maybe it was because India and Pakistan decided to kick themselves on the foot or maybe it was because the Aussies are just too damned good or maybe its because there is just too much of inconsequential cricket matches going on. So much so that when the real deal comes along, it fails to generate any interest. Does anyone remember the tri-series in Malaysia or even the mini world cup played just 4 months before the WC. At the end of the debacle, the Aussies were unbeaten, the Sri Lankans were brave, the Indians plain lazy while the Pakis couldn't wait to go home. The Brits, the Springboks and the Kiwis just didnt have enough talent to challenge the Aussies. Maybe we should just change the format, and let the Aussies just play the best of the rest.



2. India's busy schedule

You have to hand it to the BCCI. They should probably be nominated for the greediest organisation in the history of sports. India were supposed to come back from the WC in April (maybe that's why they lost and came home early), play Bangladesh in May, go to Ireland and play the South Africans and the Irish before going to England for a test and ODI series. Then they come back to face the Aussies for 7 one dayers and a 20-20 before some players go play the inaugural 20-20 WC. And come back to face Pakistan for a test/ODI series followed by a trip down under to play the Aussies. All within 6 months. In between some players have been selected to play the Afro-Asia cup that no one really likes. No wonder it feels like the Indian team is just going thru the motions most of the time. Hats off to you Mister Modi and Mister Pawar.


3. Summer Camping

Tried out something different this summer. We went camping in the Catskills for the long weekend. It wasn't the first time for me, had learnt it the hard way when I went camping in the Adirondacks and under-estimated the cold weather. In the end, I had to spend the night shivering in the car. Well this time around was a lot more prepared, loaded with torch lights, lamps and a whole array of warm clothing. A-Z of camping rules that I learnt

a) Choose a non rocky ground to put up the tent.

b) A huge rock works as good as a hammer, just watch those fingers though.

c) don't be shy with the firewood (punekars, please avoid the stingyness in at least this respect)

d) make sure to carry something like a broom instead of old navy caps, to sweep the tent

e) make sure there is a walmart and a dunkin within 10 miles of the campsite

f) make sure ur fellow campers dont snore and if they do, just throw them out :p

g) take along a bright light ... or you can forget playing cards

h) sweet corn cobs rock

i) so do hot roasted camp-fired potatoes

j) no keeping watches in pockets ...

k) swimming in cold lakes super rocks, especially with the ambience

l) never order sweet n sour chicken in a chinese restaurant .....

m) confused ducks make for good photography

n) make sure you take along a guy with an SLR to capture the best pics especially if you are currently active on shaadi dot com .... better if you can make SLR guy click some of your pics too

o) make sure your eyes are used to seeing a helluva greenery in two days otherwise wilderness can be irritating, same goes for lakes .... after a while they all look the same

p) make sure you dont take along a guy who's trying his charm on a girl in India otherwise, you are one person short while building up the tent

q) make sure the guy who didnt help with the tent sleeps outside the tent .... bonus points if its the same guy who snores

r) no floroscent green shirts especially if you claim you are straight ... scares your fellow tentmates

s) but then sometimes the floroscent green helps when the battery dies down

t) black is nice (south lake); so are horses (Tillson)

u) hope your wife does not read point t

v) insect repellant can also serve as effective feet deodrants

w) dont forget the maps esp if your car does not have GPS

x) rain and wind act as a good catalyst for campfires

y) avoid GW Bridge at all costs ... unless getting caught in traffic for miles is your idea of fun

and finally

z) watch out for gender confused voodoo practising camping neighbours who are irritated at you with the noise that you made and the smoke that you blew in their general direction when making desperate attempts at lighting your first campfire.

Thats it for now ... will be back with some edits and new posts soon.