Numbers

Age is Just a Number.

There are probably 50 of these one-liners that tell us not to pay heed to the numbers. Yet, they're the basis of practically everything we do.

Salary. Numbers.
Age. Numbers.
Communication. Numbers.
Intelligence. Numbers.
Weight. Numbers.
Status in Society. Numbers.
(In my case, Priority Air Flier Miles. Numbers)

Our Life is just one big set of numbers. They say that the numbers don't matter. That its just a number. But that number, is the reason you're - Living in a 4 bedroom house. Or driving a luxury car. Or getting free tickets to a concert.

Its the influencing factor in everything we do, or think about doing. Its practically what people see when they look at each other. A set of numbers. Different people see different number categories. But its all essentially numbers.

One number I'm particularly looking towards right now, is the number 10,000. Ten Thousand. Pertaining to what? This blog. Its at approximately 8-and-a-half-thousand hits right now. And before I leave to college and reset that number, I want it to reach 10,000.

It's just a random little thing I'd like to think about as an achievement. So yes, 10,000's the number in my mind right now.
Think about all the numbers in your life. The list is practically never ending.

Until Next Post,
Parichay

Radio Silence

So I've gone 2 days without BlackBerry Messenger. Its made my phone from something interesting to a pile of junk. Technologically wise, Its a load of crap. Don't know how I've spent so long with this piece of junk. Its an insult to technology.

Apart from that, I'm enjoying the "radio silence". No Updates. No Broadcasts. No Unnecessary Conversations. No Aimlessly scrolling through facebook/twitter because I have nothing else to do.

Instead I'm back to reading, blogging, random photo-editing, more music downloading and the other timepass I haven't done. And it feels different. A good different.

Google+ / Google Hangouts

Well, I don't know about the other countries so much but in the United Arab Emirates, Google+ and Google Hangouts is undervalued. It's not used to its full potential. I've been using it for a while now, and Google Hangouts especially, is absolutely fantastic.

Google Hangouts, is a messaging/video&voice call service. It's closest comparison and competitor would be Skype. Agreed, Skype has a massive audience and user base, but it's not even close to how fantastic Google Hangouts are. Quality and Feature wise.

I won't go into comparing those two, because i'm sure by now you've opened up another tab to do all of that.

Just consider joining it. And the more people you get to use it, the better it gets. It just keeps getting better.

Until Next Post,
Parichay 

Class.

First Class, the prestige status of every airline passenger on every airline going to every country in the world. It's something a few do regularly, and a lot dream of achieving one day. 

I've never flown first class. It always appealed to me. Whenever we travelled to India and passed by Business Class, I'd always end up thinking to myself, "If Business Class looks like this, I wonder what first class looks like". The arrival of the A380 took that to a whole new level. With Emirates, the local airline of Dubai releasing advertisement after advertisement on its First Class facilities including a 15-minute spa/shower session.. well that was something. 

I'm going to be in the USofA for 4 years. I'm going to probably come to Dubai in the Summer and in the Winter each year. That makes 2 Round-Trips a year, for 4 years. Considering what I've heard about British Airways' [BA] frequent flier/Miles system, I'm super excited. Miles can be transferred, meaning that the miles my parents collect on this trip will be transferred onto my account. That, along with my own miles, will ensure a Business Class upgrade when travelling at least for One of the two trips. 

[By Now I'm Sure You've Guessed, I love travelling, especially By Air].

So it got me thinking, If I, once in the 4 years (Most preferably in the last year after my graduation) buy a business class ticket to Dubai [Which is a 14 hour flight, mind you], I'll be able to upgrade myself to First Class. Agreed, its not A380, but its still First Class. Something everyone wants to experience, but few actually do. 

Now you must be thinking, where the hell is all this coming from? My dad and I were discussing the loyalty program Emirates Airlines has for its fliers. Its called Skywards, for those who don't know. I was aware of 3 categories up until now. Blue, Silver and Gold. I had absolutely no idea that they have a Platinum category as well. But that's not what shocked me. What shocked me was the SKYWARDS IO [Invite Only] Tier. That's absolutely insane. It's all hush-hush, not even mentioned on their official page. They have their own lounge at the Dubai Airport which is so well concealed most of us have never even seen it. 

Here's a glimpse of what it would be like if you were invited:

Somebody from the Emirates office shows up at your office unannounced with your package. Inside the package is your kit. A thick, heavy dark rede at grey/brown membership card with matching Luggage Tags. A Mont Blanc wallet and a personally signed Letter form Tim Clark, the CEO of Emirates Airlines welcoming you to the club. 

There is also a private number on the back of the membership card which has a personal number for you. When called, the operator on the other line is dedicated to you and answers the phone with a "Good Evening Mr. ______"

Sounds a lot like what Up In The Air [Movie]'s 10 Million Mile system was based on. And it sounds absolutely Phenomenal. I'd like to meet someone with a Skywards IO card someday. 

That's 2 Posts in 12 Hours. Woah.

Until Next Time,

Parichay 

The Uncertainties of University

I realised that I haven't blogged since April. Its been a while since Yas, and boy do I miss that place. But this post isn't based on how I miss the past 2 months. I'll save that post for when my summer comes to an end. For now i'm going to talk about what lies at the end of Summer '13. Particularly, at the end of August. 
And that is: 

University Begins.

Yep, University time is finally approaching. And I'm pretty sure it's what every high school graduate is thinking about. It's the "next big step". It's what will "define who we will grow up to be." 4+ Years of Undergraduate study will shape us into the new generation. 

But that's all roses and flowers. There's a lot we're not prepared for. There's a lot we're taking for granted. And there's a lot that we've been told to consider, but we just don't. 

Independence just doesn't come like that. After spending the first 17(or 18) years of your life in a secure bubble with your friends and family, it'll be one hell of a shift. We have the luxuries here that we'll long for once we're there. I can't say I know how that feels because I still have to experience it. Seniors and their parents can try all they want to explain it to us, tell us to brace-ourselves and to expect a lot. But that's all we can do, brace ourselves. We cannot experience it unless we're actually there. 

There's a lot to learn. A lot to experience. Things that we'll need to survive out there. Sooner or later we're going to have to see the independent life. The life without the "bubble." Be it at the age of 18 or at the age of 22, we're still going to experience the same experiences, make the same mistakes and do the same things. We can't learn if we're spending time feeling secure. 
Some people prefer seeing that life at the Post-Graduate level, but all I feel is that you'll be going to the university with no independent experience and a lot of knowledge from undergrad. That's it. 

I will miss everything here, my family especially. It'll be insane spending 4 months without really interacting with them and our conversations limited to instant-messaging and Video Chats via Facetime or Skype. But we'll handle that obstacle when we get to it. For now, we can just brace ourselves. 

With that, I look forward to the first 5 months at college. The new life. The restricted yet unrestricted life of a college student living in a dormitory within the Campus away from all securities and previously known luxuries. I look forward to Fall 2013.

Until Next Post,
Parichay

P.S. BBM's coming to iPhone. My "Predicament" [See earlier post] has been solved. Huhu.

Yas Waterworld - A Review

So this past weekend, my family and I decided to go up to Yas Island and check out Yas Waterworld - The newest addition to the "Things to do" category of the UAE.

Yas Waterworld, managed by the same group of people that manage Yas Island’s other big attraction Ferrari World, is a treat for both UAE residents and tourists. With an entry fee of AED 225 per adult and AED 185 per child under 1.1meters in height. 

The Premium pass, which allows people to essentially ‘skip the queue’ might just be worth the additional AED 160 depending on when you decide to go. The weekend or a good sunny day will lead to a crowded waterworld, meaning longer queues to each attraction. 

Next thing up, what to carry and locker services. A small square locker comes at a cost of AED 35 while a longer rectangular locker comes at a cost of AED 55. Unless entering the park carrying valuables, the locker service proves to be quite an unnecessary one. You are allowed to carry bags into the park, which are checked but nothing is really removed. Carry a bottle of Coca-Cola or water if you wish to and just place it in the bag along with towels. Towels in the park can be obtained for a rental fee obviously. Each towel can be rented for AED 20 which seems to be quite outrageous, especially since you are allowed to bring your own. Try to leave your valuables in the car before coming in and if possible, leave the mobile phones/cameras there too. 

Next up, Food. There’s no limit to the number of small ‘shacks’ where you can buy food. The food/snacks joints include a designated snacks store, an ice cream hut, and sweet store serving doughnuts and muffins. “Chubby’s Kitchen” and “Dana’s diner” being the main 2 joints to pick up filling food such as burgers and pizzas. 

The Attractions: Boasting of 43 attractions, Yas Waterworld has enough to keep one busy for a good 5 hours. The idea of 2 different kids areas for younger kids and older kids seemed to be a good one in comparison to those of Wild Wadi and Aquaventure both of which just have one play-area for children. 

The park classifies its attractions into 4 distinct categories:

1. Young Fun [For Children]
2. Moving & Grooving [For the more older category who visit to relax rather than exert themselves]
3. Exciting Adventure [Categorized as a High Thrill Level with rides to make you enjoy the park]
4. Adrenaline Rush [The Extreme thrill level for the roller-coaster and adventure lovers] 

Instead of going into details of all 43 attractions, which can prove to be quite long and boring, I’m going to highlight some of the attractions you must catch when there.

The Dawwama - A 6-people-one-raft attraction which includes a 20 meter high open funnel giving the person in the raft a tornado feel. It really is something, though the extremely long line for this one would make you think, “Why didn’t I buy the premium pass?” 

The Dawwama.

The Liwa Loop - A No-Tube-Required lopping attraction which starts with a near-to-vertical-start with a hydraulic floor which opens up unexpectedly. Note: This is not for the faint hearted]

Liwa Loop.

Hamlool’s Humps: An exact replica of Wild Wadi’s older Jumeirah Sceirah. Fantastic nonetheless.

Hamlool's Humps.

Jabel Drop: This one’s an exact replica of Aquaventure’s “Leap of Faith” , [Yes I know my Blog has the same name], without the aquarium to pass through though.

A Near-to-vertical drop on Jabel Drop.

Sebag: A ride where 6 people race down to the finish with watermats. All 6 start together to see who can finish first. A common concept in water-park’s all over the world but a first for waterparks in the UAE.

Race your Friends&Family on Sebag.

Slither Surprise: The first 4 slides are said to be common ones, though i didn’t go on them. The last slide though, you will fall in love with. Not because of the thrill, which it doesn’t really have, but because of the way it has been designed. when inside, you’ll actually feel like you’re in the belly of a snake!

This is the one I was talking about.

Yadi Yas: Your normal Lazy river, with a twist. The waves. Torrents keep coming in sending you into a wave-filled lazy river. Once again, a copy off Aquaventure.

Yadi Yas.

That’s my top 7 rides.

All in all, Yas Waterworld will prove to be a fun-filled outing for both families and friends. Essentially a wonderful combination of both the competing water-world’s in Dubai, it gives one a reason to come here instead. 

The only downside i felt in Yas Waterworld, was the stairs. Each attraction being quite high up and the only way to reach each attraction is by climbing stairs. Initially it’s not such a pain because you’re full of excitement, but later on in the day, it starts to become a real problem. So keep in mind.

That’s all for my review, do check it out soon. Enjoy!

Parichay Swarup, A Bored Ex-Student. 

Poetry at its Best.

So, A friend of mine's too scared/embarrassed to upload her childhood poem. 
She wrote it at quite a young age, so we all understand why she's embarrassed. 

I'm sure you'll all love it :')
Here it is, you be the judge:

"My hair, My hair,
It looks like a square,
Hair Jel, Hair Jel,
Is any Jel There?

Knots, Knots, 
Not knots in a robot,
Knots in my hair, 
They are everywhere,
HUH, Just a dream?
Or could it be? A Horrible Scheme? NO, it was just me." 

P.S. You are welcome.

Oh and do check her blog out at: http://breakingoutofacage.blogspot.ae/

Freedom at Last? Or is It?

Well the ISC Boards ended 21 days ago. Lets just say its been a month since my boards ended. And as expected, they've started..

Yes, I'm talking about the statements which say, "Don't waste your 5 months", "Do something productive with your time", "This time is ideal for some work" etc,

Now what people need to understand is, We don't want to undertake something that will require too much work. I know what most people reading this will think.. "Now that's just being Lazy", but trust me, we want to be lazy. We don't mind the occasional swimming or jogging or cycling or whatever, the exercise is fine. But expecting us to make it a productive 5 months is just way too much to ask for us.

Asking us to "brush up your mathematics", or "take up some courses at a local college to help with your first semester" is just being unreasonable. People manage every year without all this. Infact, I know very few people who willingly decided to undertake any of these ventures. It was all forced down upon them. And its just a buzz-kill..

Here's to everyone having a fantastic 4 months off,
Carefree, Hakunamatata.
Parichay. 

The Predicament

So 12th Grade is Over. We're in the transition period between school life and university life. Dependence and independence. Childhood and adulthood. And there are so many choices people in this transition have to make. Where to go for college, what to pick as a major/career, how to spend these 4 months of nothing-to-do; but being the retarded tech-junkie, my toughest decision is regarding the tech I need to pick up for college.

With Several Mobiles/Laptops/Tablets to choose from, the choice just keeps getting harder. Waiting for a rumour regarding a new model to turn into reality, waiting for an announced product to be launched into the market and finding new products at every nook-and-corner. 

In a case like this, ignorance really is bliss. Not knowing the smallest of details can actually be a pain in the decision. 

I guess what's making me overthink this is GITEX- Gulf Information Technology Exhibition. Its the largest Technology exhibition in the Middle East. What it includes is basically offers that you wouldn't really see otherwise. The prices don't necessarily drop, but the same product will be offered with extra items. For instance  a laptop costing 4000/-will still cost 4000/-but will include a hard-drive, printer, etc all worth maybe 500/-free. Now that's worth considering. Items that you'll need for college anyway, getting it for free with the primary product. But then again, if GITEX was in July, I'd be the happiest going-to-college-kid there will be. But sadly, life isn't that easy ;) 

With that this post ends,

All the best with all your respective decisions and choices,

Parichay

Auf Wiedersehen Aaron (:

The First to go. Why. Of all the people who are going, why do you have to be the first one to leave? I just don't see the point.
But there's nothing I can do about it, you're going so you're going.

I know the past year has been a bit of a blah period. And that sucks, but it doesn't change shit. You're still my best friend. Always were. Always will be. Italy/Greece, HMUN, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. It's been an amazing 4 years with you. 4 years of friendship that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I really hope you come back for a week. April, May, or June. Then I'd actually accept the fact that you're going. This is premature. It's not legit. You have to come back for a proper send off.


In the event that you can't make it back for a bit, god forbid, then All the best Aaron Basil. I hope you have a fantastic first few months at college. Be all cool-cool like you always are. I'll see you in December.

I won't say goodbye, that's not the right word. I'll say "auf Wiedersehen" - Until I See You Again

I love you,
- Parichay