1 September 2023

Curacao – second attempt

Our original adventure into this island a mere 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela was slated for April 2020. With Nikita and her friend Shreya. Well, the pandemic put paid to those plans. Three and a half years later, both the girls are in their colleges away from home. So, it is just Sharmila and myself this time…

31 August 2023

Porthole into my ‘morrow

Sitting in the flight to Miami – my first flight with Sharmila after joining the new job – I am driven to reflect on the recent past. There I was, minding my own business – enjoying an early retirement, covering beaches of a different island or country every month – Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Abaco, Roatan … not to speak of the Coronado Island (twice) in this country within the first six months of this year, when the best laid plans of mice and men got upset.

Reflecting further, I might have been an idiot. From all the comments from my friends and well wishers, it would appear that I was the only one confident that I was not going back to work. For money or otherwise.

And yet, somehow, I ran into yet another great team. Who has been more than accepting and welcoming of a leader whose self admitted strength lies in his ignorance and unabashedly trying to make a case that the other side might be right.

The span of six weeks has been a blur. Work has been exhilarating. Even more adventurous has been trying to settle down to a new routine. The daily walk to the local bars with Sharmila and dog – regardless of how late it is – has become an article of faith. Joining my running group again to force myself to get back into running first thing in the morning has revived many an endorphin that had escaped me for years.

Motorbiking and boating has entered the “must do” domain of every weekend. Heck, even started canoeing – to add more complexity to the routine.

The regrettable costs emerging include not having the flexibility to see the two girls in New York and DC whenever I want. And my social time with Atlanta friends has been dramatically reduced. As has the time I could spend helping friends professionally – finding jobs, making new connections, offering help in resume feedback or management decisions they were struggling with.

Ah! Well!! In another attempt to balance the old with the new. Sharmila and I are headed to yet another island to take in the beautiful beaches and the cerulean waters for the long weekend.

Watching the fiery western sky thru the airplane window, I am moved to conclude that … sunsets are a beautiful thing to reflect upon as you steadily march towards them…

24 August 2023

This has to be my absolute favorite runway

This runway in San Antonio is laid in such a way that one way is 40 degrees south of east – therefore the number 13 and the reverse way is 40 degrees north of west – thus the number 31. So, the reverse of one direction has the exact reverse number. The only other possibility is if you write a runway direction as “02” instead of “2” (20 degrees east of north). The reverse direction will be actually 20 (20 degrees west of south).

But what is unique about the 13-31 combination is that the square of 13 is 169. And the square of 31 is 961. And they are reverse of each other!!

So one way and the reverse way of this runway has not only reverse numbers, their squares are also reverse numbers!!!

I agree, I really need to get a life 🙂

23 August 2023

Everything is big in Texas!

I had rented an intermediate size car. In a new city, it is easier to maneuver on unknown roads with a smaller car. Plus I was going to stay in a downtown hotel. With all the narrow streets and construction going on, it is always a good idea to get something that can turn in tight corners like a small car.

Except, Avis had other ideas for me. The had a shining Nissan Titan ready for me. These puppies are really big and really high. If you know the car I have been driving for the last 17 years, you can fit my car and a half within this truck’s dimensions. And Avis had no other car.

So, for the first time in my life, I drove a pickup truck!! I almost needed a ladder to get up. Although, I have to say – it was filled with all sorts of gadgets that made driving and parking fairly smooth. My current car does not even have a reverse camera!!

23 August 2023

That was an intriguing sight!

As our flight wrapped around San Antonio anticlockwise to approach the airport, I spotted what you see in this picture while looking out of the window. The Delta map showed we were due north west from the city.

At first glance, it looks like a small airport with a single active runway (and a feeder one). Then the details become a little more interesting. There are no buildings around it!! In fact, it appears that there is no concrete or asphalt. It is just cleaned and leveled ground.

First I thought that it might be used for crop dusters. But it seems too long for crop dusters. Plus there is not a single plane standing there. There are no hangars. The airplanes could not have been towed away anywhere since the only connection into the runways are a couple of narrow dirt roads.

Perhaps, an airport under construction? A private airport? But there is absolutely zero construction machinery around.

An abandoned effort to build an airport?

Would anybody know or venture to guess?

16 August 2023

New York! New York!!

The view of the island never ceases to amaze me. Today is one of the rare times I am headed to La Guardia instead of JFK and the plane came up the Hudson River side. That gave me a clear view of Manhattan. I can even clearly see Brooklyn Bridge and the area where Natasha lives!!