Jan1 2009 updates

Happy New year Greetings
Quotable Quotes
We should use scientific interventions to neutralise weapons of terror and mass destruction -- Manmohan Singh Prime Minister
I had never allowed any such nonsense to happen during my two tenures as prime minister -- Nawaz Sharif on the extremist elements in Pakistan
I was happy to reach the century but I am older and wiser now and don't jump around -- Rahul; Dravid Cricketer on his recent century against England
We share good rapport. He pulls my leg.I pull his. But it is nothing serious- Aamir Khan on his rival Shah Rukh Khan'

The drive :
I took off to Kodai via Trichy ( halt on the way ) -- The roads are getting better and better and that is a good sign -- Certain towns are disappearing out of sight due to the creation of Bye pass roads- Enroute to Trichy , Tinidivanam and Villipuram are gone due to the bye pass -- You do not have to fret driving through these towns where there are small lanes and people crossing the roads as if there was no traffic ! Soon Ulunderpet will disappear --
While it is good that these are being done , enough infrastructure to set up rest / Gas stations should commence else it is difficult to stop and get some rest / water and also relieve oneself !! --
Once the six lane is commissioned ( I think it will be another six months minimum ) the drive to Trichy should be a great pleasure and can be done in less than five hours flat-
Kodai continues too be a great place to get some rest and be adventurous -- This time around thanks to a lucky sight seeing guide , I trekked to places that I have never been before -- The guide took us deep in to the ravines and also threatened that he will take us to Munnar following the same path -- Only the distance was 25 Kms and it could take anywhere up to 8 Hours minimum-- He proudly declared that he was looking for people with Great mental and physical fitness -- All of us backed out after trekking for 45 minutes !! But it was a enjoyable chilling experience to have -- The guide was also naïve and had lots of humour-- he took us to usual suicide point and told us that if we wanted to die the hard way that was the point to jump off -- he took us to a another point and told us that it was the Santhi valley and you could still die from that point but it was with quality and happiness -- I had no idea that suicide could be done the hard way at one point and with quality and happiness at the other -- Amazing-- Weather was also pleasant and excellent
The return drive was even better -- originally planned a halt at Trichy but to a personal need , drove all the way -- took around 9 hours excluding a lunch break at Trichy but the drive by itself was smooth and a pleasurable
PS : It was nice to catch up with Balaji at Trichy on the way to Kodai and enjoy great dinner at his in laws place --
Cricket
The South Afrikans did it again -- They buried the Aussies lock stock -- The Aussies were simply outclassed and looks like there are people who in Australia who are loving every bit of this beating-- I spoke with a Aussie friend who said before the Melbourne Test that the whole of Melbourne was waiting for Ricky Ponting's team to get beaten by South Africa -- he citied Arrogance by the Aussie cricket team as one reason for people wanting them to fail -- What a tragedy this is !!