My article on the Russian harvest season

September is the most beautiful month in Russia, with the combination of early autumn and a harvest.

I shared my experiences of being a part-time farmer in my Russia & India Report blog. 

I may have found the solution to my fluctuating weight problem

A month ago, when I met two friends in Sakhalin, they looked at each other and laughed. They weren't laughing at me in the strictest sense, but instead were thinking of a bet they made earlier in the day- "Will we see a thin version or a fat version of Ajay?" Apparently, neither of them won the bet since I was a medium version of myself.

I have gone from being overweight to the point my rib cage hurts to being a marathoner and cross country skier. My weight changes with where I live.  In Russia or Hong Kong, I am usually leaner and more energetic and in Bombay, I gain all the precious weight I lost, back.

So, what's the connection with the city and excess weight? It may just have to do with my mother's wonderful cooking, but maybe not. When I am home, I am comfortable, very comfortable. I turn into a couch-potato editor and writer. The most relaxing position helps me concentrate better, or so i thought until I watched a webinar about metabolism.

There were 4 interesting points:

1) Sitting causes weight gain, so the longer I sat, the less calories I burn

2) Walking 30 minutes in the sun regulates weight- I can easily manage this

3) Processed foods and vegetable oils cause weight gain-- I will stock to olive and coconut oil.

4) Blue light! That's right. Light from computers, televisions etc after dark, apparently causes weight gain - I need to find anti-blue light glasses when I use computers after sunset.

I honestly believe though that the key to releasing weight is standing. For the last four days, I have been writing and editing while standing. It's too early to comment on the results since I am not obsessive when it comes to checking my weight. The person who conducted the webinar also said that people should stand while using public transport- another great idea.

There's been a lot of medical research on standing. This article from the Daily Mail cites Dr Mike Loosemore from the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health as saying that standing three hours a day every year is equivalent to running 10 marathons!

Another article based on a study says standers burn 50 more calories per hour than sitters. Say I stand for 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, that would mean burning 1250 extra calories a week, and this almost adds up to 1 kilogram a month. So, in a year, it means 12 kgs are off my system.  I will gladly take this..

Note: I wrote this post while standing. 

Sunday Night Jazz

It's a warm August night and the monsoons seem to have vanished almost completely. The signs are ominous that the inefficient and corrupt municipal authorities are going to impose water supply cuts.  If the monsoons don't make a comeback soon, we're headed for water cuts right upto next July!

Ah, but I couldn't care less this evening, as I listen Thelonious Monk's 'A Monk's Dream.' It is only the present moment that counts. After all, this moment is all we have.  The lovely music raises my vibration and I feel relaxed and free of monsoon-related and other worries.

Now, if only I could stretch this evening out for a few extra hours! 

Indian large-heartedness when it comes to refugees

When India became independent in 1947, it had an adult literacy rate of 16 percent and a poverty rate of 90 percent.

In the 1950s, the country was already overcrowded and had scarce resources, but despite all these factors, took in hundreds of thousands of Tibetan refugees. There were no complaints or protests from anyone about the fact that so many refugees were coming to live in a poor country.  The Tibetan community has thrived in exile in India, with little help from the Indian public or government.

In 1971, when there was a genocide in East Pakistan, 10 million refugees came to India, and this prompted many people to go to West Bengal and set up relief camps and help these people.

Compare this reaction to European politicians and the media. I agree that not every single migrant arriving on European shores is a refugee fleeing conflict, but then again, the racist language and rhetoric against genuine refugees is just sickening. 

World's first solar energy-powered airport: Kudos to Kochi!

In a state that is often starved of good news, this is something that we can all be proud of.

Kochi's Nedumbassery Airport is the first in the world that is powered entirely by solar energy.  The airport will recover the cost of installing solar panels within 6 years and the panels have a shelf-life of 30 years. Apparently, the carbon emissions saved is equal to the planting of 3 million trees!  This is a wonderful initiative from Kochi, and should be implemented across India.

The country is blessed with strong sunshine for most of the year and this is an asset that we need to make full use of.

I strongly believe that one of the paths to prosperity is going green and using clean and renewable energy. 

Hong Kong: The cost of success and development

It was a lovely summer Saturday night in Asia's World City, and I was enjoying a drink with a friend in a bar in Hong Kong Central, which had a view to die for.

As I praised the city and its infrastructure and friendly people, my Hong Konger friend asked me to turn around and look at the HSBC building. He said there were less people working there at this time because it was a Saturday, but five days a week, I'd see people there and in many other offices even at 11 pm.

12-hour working days are a norm in Hong Kong since it's just the way things are done! An expat couple I spoke to said they were also thrown into this rat race from day one and slept properly only on weekends! Finally, one of them managed to switch to free lancing, while the other somehow found a lower paying job that involved somewhat normal hours.

Hong Kong has the best infrastructure in all of Asia, and this includes great public transport. On top of this, the city is surrounded by nature. It's a great place to live, but to enjoy these facilities, you have to give up a lot in terms of time and work. 

Flying on MH370's route

A year before Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 370 vanished, I flew to Beijing via Kuala Lumpur on the same airline but took a different flight. As always, the food, in-flight entertainment and service were great and I enjoyed the flight immensely, excited about a friend's wedding that I was going to attend in the Hebei province. 

The fact that MH 370 vanished and that there is still no plausible explanation for what happened still disturbs me. Last month, I flew from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong. The flight takes the same route north across the South China Sea and into Vietnam and further north. As the aircraft was over the small stretch of water before Vietnam, there was an incredible amount of turbulence and all sorts of unpleasant thoughts crossed my mind. 

When the plane reached Vietnamese air space, I was actually relieved. An accident can take place on any airline so I will not stop flying one of my favourite airlines, but still...

Images from my Beautiful Sakhalin Island

Here are some pictures from Sakhalin

When Vladivostok Sleeps

Here are some images of Vladivostok, taken after midnight.