#Moving companies near me Jodhpur

[packersmoversahmedabad-co-in]

What’s The Economical Mechanism To Walk Cross Country?

Packers and Movers Ahmedabad

You’ll often hear that moving and shifting a house to another state or even in the same city is a tight process and put lot of stress to the persons involved in the shifting process. In fact, it has been proven that out of all shifting process, a residential shift is being one of the most stressful events in the entire #moving and #shifting process range. But then nobody can deny with the truth mentioned in above statement but there is another scene which creates a major impact and that’s money. If the pockets are full and can afford heavy shifting costing then no stress is to be taken on shoulder. But if the situation is tight then somewhere you’ve to cut off yourself just to save little money in moving expenses. So in short a moving is completely a money affair.

#Local #Packers and #Movers #Ahmedabad doesn’t deny that a person with low budget cannot move, obviously he can; he could hire us for his packing and moving job and trust me this is going to be a hard deal with lots of services but affordable quotations, comparatively to other moving branches. If you want to move cross country then costing will be little higher, because the accommodation is itself very high when shifting to a new country; other than that it also costs for the formalities you have to done when shifting to a new country with any reason.

Naturally to wrap up the moving things it’s best to hold the hands of cheap cross country movers to get the moving services within your pocket range. However hiring the expensive cross country movers is not a solution to move cross country cheaply. Then what are the ways to move cheap in cross country?

Here’re the few ways what Packers And Movers Jodhpur Char Rasta Ahmedabad shares with you to move cross country as cheap as it can be possible without compromising with the packing and moving services.

Appoint cheap movers (as cheap as inexpensive)

Hiring inexpensive movers will lead to completing your house move in less money, but fetching cheap movers with incredible moving and relocation services in not easy. Different cross country movers serves you different terms and conditions it’s better to have a wide knowledge before you sing anybody for your move. So Movers and Packers in Ahmedabad wants you to read the complete blog in order to find the ways to cut costs or move cheaply to cross country. In different words not all moving companies will charge you the same, sometimes they may vary to quotations and sometimes they may vary to services, so it’s better to know how the things work if moving for the first time. How much or upto what limit you should pay for the moving services and what are the major services you should expect from your movers.

Cheap movers should not be so cheap in terms of providing services, they should be cheap than others in providing moving quotations not the services. Packers and movers in Ahmedabad shares you must- do steps to looking for cheap movers near you that will take care of your move less than other companies. Ask your friends for recommendations, read genuine moving reviews and check the legal status of the company which will help you to narrow down your choices. Apart from this Movers and Packers Ahmedabad believes that the real deal is to compare the quotes as carefully and possibly can.

Move less matters, win massive prizes

You may already be aware of moving tricks and tips; you may have gone through several such moving and packing blogs to know how to pack fast, how to move without Movers and Packers and etc. but, but ….. But everything mentioned can be true and real but the deal is - are you well enough to put it into reality? Well many times Packers And Movers Jamnagar itself share the ways to move fast, pack in hurry and move without movers. Now it’s not the fake the trick indeed works but it works when you understand it correctly. If you have moved for once earlier you might reach easily there because you’ve seen the work live. But for those who wanted to take up a long journey should hire experience and cheap movers in order to accomplish everything just perfectly.

For these #international #moving services in Ahmedabad by the Packers and Movers Ahmedabad can be a best option to go for a cross country move with cheap costings. So the trick we share is instead of pulling every single thread of your house, wrap the essential things which you need and get some discounts on quotation because however the packing cost = the no. of items. As a human being we think that every single piece is useful to us and we might need it anytime but sometimes they just increase the royalty of your shelves but never come in use. So please this time take a hard step and remove all these show pieces, to cheaper the packing costs.

Don’t give money for packing materials

Packaging materials can add up extra to your final bill and make your move costlier than it is actually. When you look to the cost of cardboard boxes it will be higher than you actually think it can be, remember that a mover when is getting hired for packing services will offer you the free packaging materials. Because the cost is indeed added into the quotation.

So Packers and Movers Ahmedabad suggest you to clear the doubts before you pay, ask them that whatever charges they’re asking for the packing services, no extra costing will be offered by you in the shade of packing materials. Tell them every mover offers the materials free and the cost is already added to the quotation. So the best and genuine Movers and Packers in Ahmedabad< advice you to not to pay extra for the packing materials when hiring the movers for cross country move.

Conclusion: well the above mentioned 3 tips will help you out to deal cheaper when moving to cross country. For further more queries or moving inquiries please feel free to reach out the Top and Best Packers and Movers Ahmedabad.

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[brawltogethernow]

Neutral Element - Supply Run

Installment Masterlist

Characters: Tarvek, Anevka, Agatha, Gil, Zeetha; Relationships: Storm cousins, *squints at shape on horizon* can’t tell if OT3 or weird log; Length: 4k

The Princess of Sturmhalten falls from above and lands on the Devil Dog with a dissonant CLANG. Agatha always notices when sounds are dissonant; it makes her teeth itch. Tarveka tries to electrocute it, and just ends up stunning herself when the tiger clank, which is surprisingly cunningly designed, Agatha has to admit, rebounds the charge on her. Her shift is still smoking faintly when Agatha has the Castle save her. She sees Tarveka never replaced her wig.

 *

Hoping she’s not overstepping more than she can get away with, Tarveka takes Agatha’s hand. “I’m sturdier than anyone else who’s going to come help you. You can afford to have me here.  Please?”

Agatha glowers at her. Bags drag at her eyes and she’s covered in dust and cobwebs, and she’s beautiful. Her hair shines under the grime in the rich half-darkness like molten gold. She’s like the sun. She’s clearly begun her day unwilling to give the slightest bit of quarter. Because she’s pragmatic and kind, she’s pushing her allies away as long as she knows she’ll be at the center of danger and destruction.

But that’s unsustainable, Tarveka thinks, if you’re a Heterodyne. And she can help, she knows she can. Agatha’s going to say yes.

 *

Agatha seems to be collecting violent ne’er-do-wells. The Jägers who were with her in Sturmhalten are nowhere to be seen, which isn’t unexpected, given the town’s agreement with Wulfenbach. The rest of the gang basically compensates for three Jägermonsters, however. Which should be an innately ridiculous notion, yet here they are.

Tarveka notes with interest that one of the companions of the Lady Heterodyne, alias Agatha Clay, alias Olga the fortune teller, is a wiry man her own age with a mop of fluffy green hair, two longer strands framing his face. Definitely the boy from Agatha’s story, which means he’s the Baron’s son, and someone her family’s conspiracy intends to have killed to budge a space open for Anevke or one of their cousins.

The man in question introduces himself as “Zag”, and per the story, isn’t even a spark. No wonder the Baron has been trying to make Europa a safer hive of intrigue for nobles without it, has been fighting the tide of history to subvert the political fad of sparky rulers even as he embodies it.

Zagreus Wulfenbach grins nearly constantly, has an appealing svelt figure, and Tarveka is pretty sure he has little fangs. Tarveka is seriously curious about who in blazes his mother is, and not even for political reasons.

In Agatha’s (drug-induced) recollection of how he’d befriended her on Castle Wulfenbach and then joined her when she made her escape from it, the Wulfenbach heir sounded like someone prone to swinging between boisterous cheer and melancholy. Tarveka has only seen the cheer, so far. The Baron’s heir stays cheerful when he’s stabbing things, which along with slicing things seems to rank in his top five problem solving methods. And the Baron is seriously trying to leave his empire to this — this musclehead? It’s enough to make her brother look like a positively stellar candidate.

And then there’s the woman who chased Agatha here. Of the group trailing after Agatha like the train of a kite, she is, for some reason, the most offensive.

Her long hair is tied back in a tail, which has done nothing to keep the shorter bits from poofing wildly around her head. Its sole nod to order seems to be to sweep in a vague circular direction. She’s like a violent, sentient dandelion. (Which sounds similar to the phenomenon that took out that town near Minsk six years ago.) It’s a travesty that makes Tarveka’s hands itch to plait. Unfortunately for the futures of that desire, Tarveka is pretty sure Zengil can’t stand her, either.

It’s largely Tarveka’s own fault, too, she will admit. Silently, in the privacy of her head, because over the course of several hours the idea of conceding defeat to Zengil, Daughter of Chump has become unbearable.

If Tarveka had known just how important she is to Agatha, she would have been more polite to the warrior princess to start off. Instead of immediately insulting her, which is what she actually did. She would not have called her a bawdy barbarian and brushed past her, even though the alliteration was right there.

Yes, Tarveka’s assessment was thoughtlessly uncharitable. But really, did Gil get those clothes from a costume bin?

Instead of vanishing into the background when Tarveka dismissed her existence, Gil immediately responded with her own uncharitable assessment, comprised of a series of creative and vitriolic insults to her chassis and related personhood, and well. Their introductory blowout was horrible. And time-consuming, which is rather ironic considering it transpired because Tarveka started in a hurry.

Gil really took it all to heart, and since then things have been…contentious. But it was also…just a really great argument. Tarveka, who spent a year carefully concealing how strong she had made her puppet clank before discarding the façade that there was anything left to puppet it, has swung the princess of Skifander into a wall three times in one day. She’s picked up by now that Gil enjoys it, and isn’t quite sure what to think of how that makes her want to do it again.

 *

When her Smoke Knight cousin crashes the party with her primary charge in tow, Tarveka is reminded, inanely, of a housecat presenting its owners with a dead bird. Aneveke is, fortunately, not actually dead, merely grievously ill and raving. Whoops.

Tarveka fidgets, fingers clacking together, instead of looking at the almost-lady of this ruined castle. “I know he doesn’t deserve your pity,” she says, “but — he’s my brother. I can’t —”

Agatha cuts her off by hugging her, to her surprise.

“Idiot,” she says. “Of course we’ll help you fix him.”

Help me? I didn’t know if you were going to let me, thinks Tarveka, hesitantly squeezing back.

 *

“Are you sure?” Gil asks Agatha when they’ve agreed to help Anevke but before they’ve started. She eyes the prone prince with distaste.

“He’s the only close family Tarveka has left,” says Agatha, quietly. “I don’t want her to lose him, if she doesn’t have to.”

“Humph. That reasoning relies on the posit that the clank princess has a heart,” says Gil.

Agatha tuts at her. “Be nice.”

 *

“Why did you bring him here?” Tarveka asks Violetta over the slab were they’ve dumped Anevke, lightly sedated. She tries not to sound accusatory. She fails not to sound accusatory. It’s tricky in the face of Violetta’s endless font of petty rage.

Violetta’s pacing is a vehicle that propels her scowl around the lab. She deepens the scowl. “I got him up and moving, and he was trying to get me to drag him somewhere else, but then he started getting worse. And I figured, hey! You two have always been at each other’s throats a little less than the others, maybe you won’t just kill him!”

“…Like anyone else in our family probably would,” says Tarveka, making a sound like a sigh without the associated air and lifting her brother’s hand by the wrist. “Or if they didn’t, word would still get out to ones who want to.”

Violetta gesticulates irritably. (It seems to Tarveka that Violetta does everything irritably.) “I had to choose between a metaphorical death trap, and a literal death trap! You think I like this!?” She illustrates her points by gesturing to one area of air, then another, and then throwing her hands up like she’s tossing away her results. (She looks like a mime tossing a box.)

“Dammit,” Tarveka mutters, regarding her prone sibling with distaste. “Taking him out of commission seemed so reasonable when I thought I would be free to secure where he went.”

“Yeah, well, then you went and got your stupid metal head fried,” says Violetta, eyeing her. “How long have you been wearing that?”

“Wearing wha — oh,” says Tarveka, looking down. Burned barely decent remains of clothing, no wig. She’s been busy.

“I’ll go find you something; there’s got to be stuff in here,” says Violetta, looking around at the sentient, broken death trap they’re standing in with the air of someone planning a shopping expedition.

The outfit Violetta comes back with is actually pretty nice. High-waisted taupe jodhpurs and a smart shirt in a pale spring green that probably would have flattered her complexion when she had one. “No wig, sorry,” she says as she tosses them to her.

“If you found one in here it would probably be made of scalped enemy hair or live gerbils or something,” says Tarveka.

•Oh,• the Castle chimes in, •you could always try the —•

“No,” the cousins cut it off simultaneously.

Agatha brushes back into the room at this point and deposits a box of bottles and jars on the table with a thud that sets glass jangling. “These are the freshest supplies we can find,” she says. She sighs gustily and shoves her bangs back, which conveys pretty clearly just how fresh the freshest supplies are.

 *

At some point, another figure drifts into the room where they’ve stashed Anevke in the glorified tomb Violetta dragged them both into. They might have stored him out of the way to die as quietly as is manageable. That would make the most sense. Except it’s probably not that, because people keep coming in to check on him, or provide slightly tedious company that’s…rich with the color of the lower classes.

The appearance of this person is even more surreal and befuddling than the general feverish situation he’s found himself in.

“…Holzfäller?” says Anevke, bemused and bleary, squinting at the vaguely familiar individual. “What on earth are you doing here?”

Maybe Anevke is hallucinating him. That would explain his hair color. Wait, no, it’s always been like that. Hasn’t it?

Tarveka, who has been hovering, makes a disbelieving scoffing sound with her voicebox — she’s retuned it back to her simulation of her own voice, so it’s light and somewhat nasal — and points elaborately at Zag’s green head.

Why does his bizarre hair color matter. What is she — oh. “Oh, no,” says Anevke. “You’re not.”

“Oh, but I am, says Zag, grinning wolfishly and actually doing jazz hands.

The girl’s story, the Baron’s son. Well, now that it’s been pointed out to him, Anevke feels kind of stupid.

 *

Zagreus, Tarveka, and Zengil go on a quick supply run, figuring that at this point a little redundant backup might equate less time wasted navigating booby traps. Zengil pauses at a wall festooned with a 40x40 mural of real skulls. “Lovely décor,” she comments sarcastically. “Reminds me of home.”

“Really? It mostly reminds me of a particularly burny acquaintance of mine,” says Zag, stopping to contemplate an enormous nonhuman specimen on the wall.

“Oh, yes!” says Tarveka, reminded. “That pirate woman. I’ve been wondering, Zengil. How do you know her? She seemed very set on killing you back at Sturmhalten.” Quietly, she adds, “Not that I can say I find the impulse surprising….”

“Oh, DuPree!” says Gil with all evident cheerfulness. “Well, that’s a funny story really.”

“A funny story,” says Tarveka dubiously. “A funny story about why a homicidal pirate wants you dead.”

“Don’t people try to kill you all the time?” asks Gil, apparently just conversationally. “You’re not seriously telling me you still take it personally.”

Tarveka stares at her. “What is wrong with you?”

Gil pouts at her. Why?!

 *

What happened, as Gil tells it, was apparently this. Gil was sent by the queen of the matriarchal warrior society from which she hails — which Tarveka has never encountered so much as a single mention of in any account, field journal, or story — to to take the opportunity offered by the presence of travelers from far abroad to see foreign parts and represent said queen.

“And you know, ‘educate the heathens,’” Gil says with an eyeroll. Then she adds, beaming at Tarveka, “That’s you!”

This was going well, until partway along the journey the group she was traveling with was attacked by air pirates. Gil, at this point, was apparently significantly handicapped by illness.

“You know how basic immunities differ by population?” says Gil.

“Oh,” says Tarveka.

“Yeah,” says Gil. “Seems pretty obvious, in hindsight. Should’ve prepared more. Some of the Europan crew had gotten sick too, so it was a pretty poor showing all around.”

The pirates killed the rest of the crew, but made the (monumentally stupid, if you ask Tarveka) decision to take Zengil with them instead. To sell, or something.

“I don’t particularly care,” says Gil, glower dark and unforthcoming.

Having mostly recovered by the time the unsuspecting pirates finished transporting an actual monster straight to their inner keep, Gil apparently retaliated by removing all evidence their fleets had ever graced the earth —

“In retrospect, that was overkill,” she says.

— then felt bad about it and stuck around to wait for the pirates who’d been away when they got back.

“A decision which made sense at the time!” says Gil. “Honest!”

“Because you were still feverish?” snipes Tarveka.

“I swear that it made sense at the time.”

The pirate queen who returned tried to kill her, obviously. This would be obvious to people other than Tarveka, right? The pirate failed, because Gil has some sort of terrifying ability to survive anything, which may be related to her mysterious foreign origin, or may be a quality unique to Gil. Since then, Gil and Bangladesh DuPree have apparently been scurrying around Europa in a game of chase-and-evasion, like something out of a slapstick puppet show. Gil states directly that she’s a homicidal maniac and condemns her attempts to kill random innocents, but often sounds either frustratedly tolerant or plain fond when describing her elaborate and violent attempts to kill Gil herself. Tarveka supposes it does seem like none of them were very effective. In some of the recollections which blend without rhyme or reason into the other ones, it sounds like Gil and the pirate are working together. Clearly, Gil is quite insane.

Partway through this tattered explanation, Zag lights up. “So you’re the one who destroyed DuPree’s fleet?!” he exclaims. He then smacks her jovially on the back, his grin manic. “I’ve always wanted to meet you! Hey, you know, up on Castle Wulfenbach you’re practically a celebrity!”

“Why, is the Empire trying to catch this DuPree character as well?” asks Tarveka.

“Oh, nah,” says Zag. “She works for us! She’s alright, really. Absolutely batty, of course.”

“Uh,” says Tarveka.

“But other than that,” says Zag, “she’s really alright! She’s fun.”

Tarveka’s face demonstrates that, despite being mechanical, it can spasm.

“You don’t meet a lot of people like that, even working for the Empire!” says Zag like that’s a reason.

“…The mad pirate works for you,” repeats Tarveka disbelievingly.

“My father always says it’s better to have people like that where you can keep an eye on them,” Zag says nonchalantly, grinning at her lazily.

“She WORKS for you!?”

“I’m not entirely pleased by it either,” says Gil. “Could you stop giving her airships? And weapons? She blew up my last proper dirigible, you know.”

“Then that just means she’s the reason you met Agatha!” says Zag. “And she once electrocuted me with a handheld device she says she got from you, so I think we’re even.”

“Wait, what?!” says Tarveka.

“I thought she needed it!” defends Gil. “You know, at that particular moment! And then she just never gave it back! That was supposed to be a medical device.”

“Didn’t feel very medical,” mutters Zag, rolling his shoulders in a memory of old muscle lock.

“Oh, dear god,” says Tarveka, distraught. “You’re both just as bad as each other. That pirate can’t possibly be any worse than the both of you.”

“Well, that’s not very fair,” says Zag.

“Cold, Sturmvoraus,” says Gil, face smiling, eyes a-twinkle.

“So what about you, metal girl?” Zag says to Tarveka, tone rough and friendly. “How’dja get like that? Bet there’s a story there.”

“I was dying,” Tarveka summarizes. “Now I’m not.” No need to get into the nasty family obsession business.

“…Yeah,” says Gil. Tarveka wonders what she means by that, but then she adds, “I haven’t known you for very long, Sturmvoraus. But getting involved with saving your own life sounds exactly like you.”

Tarveka declines to point out that the life-saving had been done by that point, and that the extent of her changes was not on purpose. “You would, too,” she says instead.

Gil blinks. “Well, I — Okay, yeah.”

Ha, gotcha.

Pleased, Tarveka looks away, smiling, starts to roll her shoulders but then remembers the action is pointless. The truth of it is that Tarveka wasn’t going to just give up the results she’d achieved honing her body in secret just because that body was betraying and falling apart on her. She’d refused to think of it as all having been moot, instead focusing on making something to puppet that was just as good, better even. Why, who hasn’t desired to rail against the limits of mere mortal flesh, seeking to surpass them and enter the realms of the very gods?! MU HA HA!

Etc.

And she wasn’t very interested in becoming one of her brother’s twisted experiments. Building just isn’t. In him. It’s a wonder she’s alive at all. For a given value of alive.

Tarveka rolls electricity around her palm as she lets Gil and Zag draw ahead, debating the advantages of different types of grips for swords. She’s certainly alive enough for most purposes, she thinks. She can help Agatha, which is a better task than she expected to fulfill in the years before she lost her body of flesh. And, maybe, she can still make the conspiracy work. Somehow. And for that, it really would be better if her brother were alive. So she’s completely justified in encouraging this.

 *

When they get back, Anevke is barely conscious and a rich shade of Tyrian. He looks like an exotic aquatic creature in an illicitly acquired ruffled shirt.

Violetta, long back from her own trip and perched on a lab bench strewn with expired powders, is glaring at him, like he’s taken sick to spite her, or possibly like she’s thinking of giving his condition a piece of her mind. She’s crossed one leg over the other and is jiggling it irritatedly.

Moloch enters from a side door and rolls his eyes when he sees the new arrivals gawping. “Well, it’s definitely not gangrene,” he says. Anevke’s skin has now faded to a lovely shade of coral which just does not suit the family hair.

“Sweet saints of Barek,” says Gil. “Are my tests done?”

 *

Gil finishes an unprofessional but competent examination and pushes her ridiculous hair out of her face, sighing. “I don’t know if he picked it up in the hospital or just around here,” she says, “but it looks like someone tried to poison him.”

It’s not a result of being shot at all. Tarveka cycles air through her vocal projection system, a breath of relief at not being responsible. It’s foolish, because she could have been.

It’s not much of a breath, either, as they go. The system she uses to speak bypasses her chest to leave room for a gyroscope system to keep her balanced, and dodges her face because that’s where her brain is. Sound, comparatively, does not take up much space, so the apparatus to fetch and release air is confined entirely to the neck. It seemed efficient at the time of its construction, but it’s unsettling sometimes, now that she entirely embodies the clank.

Of course, if she ever had a free few days, she could make her body be however she wants. Maybe Agatha and Gil would help. Agatha could put her hands all over her and — okay, that’s enough of that.

 *

Anevke rises shakily back to consciousness. That’s been happening to him a lot lately. It takes a moment for the sounds happening around him to register as speech, and a little longer for the meaning of the words to start filtering through. He lies there for a bit, exhausted at the effort of being conscious. A voice is saying: “We could rig the blood-to-brass thing into some sort of filter…”

Anevke has always been good at messy, biological things. “Blooming fire, no,” he grits out, forcing the words to take shape. “None of you touch me. No — Get me up for just long enough, and I’ll do it myself.” The Heterodyne Girl, by her own account, is only a maltreated student, so — “You, barbarian girl. I will require your assistance.”

Gil doesn’t move, except to cross her arms, making her look like a wall of a person in stupid clothes and a sword harness. “You can’t possibly be referring to me,” she says.

I am in too much pain to be polite right now. “Please help me out, young lady,” he demures raspily.

Gil cuts her eyes to the side to exchange a look with Agatha. “Eh,” she says, “close enough — I’ll take it.” She may be taking mercy at the sandpaper sound of his voice. Although Anevke suspects it doesn’t sound like it hurts to talk as much as it actually does. And then she’s darting over and initiating a whirlwind of medical checkups with the ease of an expert. Agatha hovers, offering tools and occasional insight — which is really something considering that Gil seems to be most familiar with the medical terms of another language — and half the time, Gil has one eye on the Heterodyne. Not very reassuring, as a patient whose body is shutting down in a death trap. It’s not pleasing as a proprietary big brother cognizant of his little sister’s crush, either.

In the end they skip the fancy stuff and decide he’s up for a shot of Movit 7, which Violetta begrudgingly admits exists. (“What do they go up to?” “Ten, obviously,” she says, canting her hip and flicking her eyes to the side.) And then Anevke goes to work. He has some experience with keeping dying people going now.

Begrudgingly, Anevke is forced to admit that Zengil and the Heterodyne are quite nice to collaborate with. They guide his hands away from mutilating himself too badly, which he supposes he owes them for. He might lose his inheritance if he looks like so much chopped meat, just for giving the vultures a reasonable case to make. His sister’s tweaks to the machines have also kept him alive several times. Really, the whole situation is quite a turnaround. Ironic. Like when the final act of an opera mirrors events in the first.

 *

The prince passes in and out of sensibility. They work until their eyesight goes blurry, then slug down stimulants, and in the haze Agatha and Gil and Tarveka find moments of beautiful synchronicity. If Agatha weren’t so busy she’d want to take time and pin it down and see if it’s replicable. They stutter back out of synch just as frequently, but…she has an inkling.

One she intends to deal with later.

 *

Anevke has finally shut up, for the first time in ages. Agatha, whose attention was drifting off, flies back into a panic. “Oh my god, is he —?!”

“Calm down, Lady,” says Moloch. “He’s asleep. I’m not surprised, you lot have been up for going on twenty hours.”

Agatha stares at him, disbelievingly “Really?”

Moloch scoffs and waves his hands. “Do you want to double-check me against the Castle?!”

•Nineteen-point-four hours,• the disembodied voice chimes in. •Don’t worry, some of your ancestors pulled much longer.•

No wonder she’s having trouble concentrating. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I have to top them tonight.” She examines Anevke, cursorily. “At this point I think he just needs to sleep this off.” Addressing the ceiling, she says, “Could you put him somewhere safe?”

•Of course, my lady!•

“Not in the Seraglio, if at all possible,” Agatha says.

•Aww,• says the Castle.

“Chase-and-evasion”: When you really want to say “like Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner”, but can’t, and halfway through adjusting for era by referencing Punch and Judy shows you remember why that’s also unworkable.

[oselatra]

Richard Mays fights pigs, pollution and plans for bigger highways

The blight-buster.

For reasons that will perplex and surely distress the people who come after us, the folks who fight to keep our air and water clean and limit the degradation to our natural world are usually on the losing side of that fight. Developers, the side with the money, usually win, thanks to prevailing philosophies that money is almighty and people have dominion over the earth.

Still people fight for a healthy environment, and when they do, they hire Richard Mays, considered by those who work with him to be unparalleled when it comes to understanding the National Environmental Policy Act and how business interests try to get around it. "He's one of the top [attorneys] by far, in the state if not the region," said Judge David Carruth of Clarendon, who worked with Mays to halt the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project until it could be designed in a way that would not harm the White River. "He's probably one of the most knowledgeable guys on water issues," said Glen Hooks, the director of the Arkansas chapter of the Sierra Club, who worked with Mays to ameliorate the detrimental effects of the Turk coal-fired plant in Southwest Arkansas.

In North Arkansas, it's the monitoring of the pig farm on a creek that feeds the Buffalo National River that keeps Mays busy. In Russellville, he's known as the man who's helped delay for nearly 20 years a slack-water harbor and transportation hub the city hopes to build on the Arkansas River, in a floodplain south of town.

In Little Rock, it is highway widening that has people knocking on Mays' door.

Two weeks ago, Mays filed a request in federal court for a temporary injunction against the Arkansas Department of Transportation's project to widen two-and-a-half miles of Interstate 630 from six lanes to eight. The project will cost $87.3 million and require the demolition and reconstruction of three bridges between University Avenue and Baptist Health. The highway department persuaded the Federal Highway Administration that no environmental study was needed on the project. Mays, attorney for plaintiffs David Pekar, George Wise, Matthew Pekar, Uta Meyer, David Martindale and Robert Walker, argued that the project didn't qualify for such an exclusion. Federal Judge Jay Moody denied the request for an injunction, and the widening project has begun.

You win some; you lose some. In 2004, federal Judge G. Thomas Eisele ruled against Mays and Carruth in their attempt, on behalf of the Arkansas Wildlife Association, the National Wildlife Association and others, to enjoin the Grand Prairie project to pump water from the White River to irrigate 250,000 acres of thirsty rice fields. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals later denied their appeal of Eisele's ruling.

But in 2006, federal Judge William R. Wilson ruled with Mays and Carruth, ordering the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to halt construction on a pumping station that was part of the $319 million project until it could better study the impact of pumping on the ivory-billed woodpecker newly discovered on the Bayou DeView.

"You just have to keep fighting, keep pushing back," Mays said in an interview last week. "You don't want to stop development, at least I don't. People have to eat ... [but] that doesn't mean you have to trash the environment."

Carruth said he told Mays at the time that he wished the courts had ruled on the merits of their argument — that pumping water from the White would lower water levels and endanger wetlands, fish and other wildlife downstream "and that it cost too much money." Mays responded, "Instead, you gave them the bird."

***

Gordon Watkins, president of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, which hired Mays to represent it before the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality in cases involving the controversial C&H hog farm near a creek that feeds into the Buffalo, said it's more than Mays' expertise that's important to his group. "Lawyers can do whatever their clients ask, but to find a lawyer who actually believes in your cause is important to us, [someone who believes] we were right and would represent us with that in mind. His mind was in the right place; his heart was in the right place."

Mays, 80, who has been an environmental lawyer for 40 years and worked for the Environmental Protection Agency for eight years in Washington, D.C., said he takes on such cases "because of the desire and the need to protect and help the world, if you like." He said his eight years at the EPA were some of the best years of his life. "I felt like I was really doing something I was philosophically interested in and wanted to do."

Mays attributes his desire to protect the natural world to his childhood in El Dorado. "When I was growing up, my father would rather be hunting or fishing than anything on earth," Mays said. His father owned a grocery store, but on the weekends, "he would be out on the river or in the woods, and I was usually with him." And from his mother, he inherited an appreciation for literature and writing, "so that turned out to be a pretty good background for being an environmental lawyer," Mays said.

Mays works in Little Rock (at least) two days a week, at the Williams and Anderson law firm. He commutes from his home at Eden Isle on Greers Ferry Lake. The case he won there, he says, is the one he's most proud of, since it concerned his backyard — literally.

Mays moved back to Arkansas in 1998 after 20 years in D.C., buying a home on Eden Isle. He chose the area because of Greers Ferry Lake and the Little Red River. Right after he took up residence there, the Corps of Engineers proposed a shoreline management plan that would open up the undeveloped main lake to boat docks. The lake is zoned, with boat docks in the coves only and the main body of water reserved for public recreation. "It's unbroken shoreline," Mays said, "with not a whole lot of boat docks and clear water, clean water."

Mays was thinking it was a bad idea, and so was Carl Garner, the retired resident engineer who had worked at the lake since its construction began in 1959, a man so connected to Greers Ferry Lake that his name appears on the visitor center there. Garner called Mays on the advice of a mutual friend and Mays invited him over. "I expected to see somebody walk in, a whip-cracking authoritarian type, somebody who looked like George Patton with jodhpurs, and there this guy walks in and looks like Ichabod Crane," Mays said of Garner, who died in 2014. They became good friends and with other residents formed Save Greers Ferry Lake, which hired Mays to file a preliminary injunction against the Corps' plan. He won, and the plaintiffs and the Corps eventually settled. Greers Ferry Lake remains mostly undeveloped.

It may seem like such a victory — for aesthetics — isn't as important as, say, keeping the highway department from doubling the size of I-30 through downtown Little Rock or a coal plant from spewing mercury into the air. There were arguments to be made about increased water pollution on the lake. But protecting the lake was "a personal thing," Mays said. It was important to his family and others, "a place where you go to feel refreshed."

"People can get very caught up, and justly so, in a place where they can feel like they are in communication with nature, with God, if that's what you're into. That's what makes environmental law practice so interesting to me. I feel like it's preserving things we need to have."

That kind of emotion and love for place is what saved the Buffalo River from being dammed and what keeps its advocates fighting to keep the beautiful national treasure clean.

***

Mays said he figures he gets a good outcome in his cases about half the time. Environmental cases are "very difficult" to win, he said, because "courts give considerable deference to agency decisions. If you're trying to overturn ADEQ or EPA or the federal highway administration, you're fighting an uphill battle."

Settlements are hard to get as well, Mays said. But that's what he got when he fought the Southwestern Electric Power Co.'s coal-fired Turk Plant in Fulton. The Sierra Club and the Audubon Society, both national and the state chapter, challenged the plant's water permit from the Corps of Engineers in 2010 and won an injunction. But that was just a portion of the plant; construction continued. Still, with the conservationist's good outcome on the injunction, SWEPCO agreed to a settlement that would allow it to complete the plant. In return, the company fitted the plant with more equipment to reduce emissions and agreed to shutter another coal-fired plant in Texas sooner than planned.

Mays' 50-50 record held true in a hearing last week before the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission for ADEQ, when Mays (on behalf of the Buffalo Watershed Alliance) and Sam Ledbetter (representing the Ozark Society) suggested that newly appointed Commissioner Mike Freeze recuse from decisions on C&H. They cited Freeze's emailed comments on C&H's permit application in 2017 in support of the hog farm — in which he wrote "enough is enough" in the permitting process — as evidence the commissioner could not be impartial. The commission, however, voted to support Freeze's refusal to recuse.

But after Mays and Ledbetter argued later in the same meeting that the administrative law judge for the Commission was correct in his finding that the hog farm's extended permit wasn't perpetual, the Commission agreed, voting to support the administrative judge. It was a win for conservationists and a win for Mays. Mays told the Commission that the lawyer for the hog farm had tried to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The ADEQ previously denied a second permit for C&H. The hog farm appealed that decision and can continue to operate while an administrative law judge considers the appeal.

So while an outright win may be hard to get, fighting wide roads and coal plants and hog waste on various fronts, including noncompliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, also helps delay the degradation, and "you may be able to wear them [the opponents] out," Mays said, or national policies may change that may hinder the project. That was the case in the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project: When Judge Wilson issued the order requiring study to protect the bird, the federal government had already pulled funding for the project. (The project continues, but with a greater dollar burden on the state and the encouragement of conservation strategies by farmers.)

More often, however, the development side of the equation in litigation has more money and more lasting power.

***

Many people who haven't previously been wrapped up in environmental cases are now, thanks to the potential impacts of the 30 Crossing project, the highway department's plan to replace the Interstate 30 bridge and widen I-30 for a little over 7 miles at a cost of $630 million. ARDOT wants to double the width of the interstate through downtown Little Rock by building two connector-distributer lanes on either side of the highway to provide exit from and entrance to I-30.

When I-30 was built in the 1950s, neighborhoods east of the interstate fell into decline. That area, buoyed by the Clinton Presidential Center and Heifer International, is now experiencing a renaissance, with a new school, new restaurants, new housing and new businesses. Its progress follows the revitalization of the west side of the interstate, with the old downtown resuscitated by the River Market district and new development attracted to Main Street north and south of Interstate 630.

The logic behind 30 Crossing, says its foes — and there are many in Little Rock — is outdated. The transportation design ignores alternatives to using downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock as the main thoroughfare to highways north and south. It does not contemplate alternatives to cars, such as public transit or bicycle and pedestrian transportation. While cities such as Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; Milwaukee; Boston; San Francisco; New Haven, Conn.; Seattle and Dallas are tearing down interstates and replacing them with people- and business-friendly boulevards and parks, Little Rock and North Little Rock are about to get more concrete.

Opponents of highway widening — including neighborhood associations, downtown residents, a retired Texas transportation executive and a retired economist and natural resource planner — have hired Mays to represent them should the Federal Highway Administration issue Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in its evaluation of the Environmental Assessment on 30 Crossing to green-light the highway project. That finding could come as early as mid-August, according to the highway department.

On July 27, at the end of a 45-day public comment period on ARDOT's draft Environmental Assessment, Mays filed a 16-page comment challenging, among other things, the department's traffic modeling and its ignoring the indirect impact of induced travel on communities outside the project area. It notes the lack of consideration of HOV (high-occupancy lanes) lanes or other routes to handle the rush hour traffic that ARDOT gives as its reason for widening and its failure to "fully address" health effects from air pollution caused by increased traffic.

The comment also suggests that Arkansas — which has the 12th largest highway system in the country, with more highways to maintain than Illinois, California, New York and Florida — struggles to maintain the roads it has now. It points to a column written by state Highway Commissioner Alec Farmer in Arkansas Talk Business in which Farmer says ARDOT needs $400 million in new highway funds simply to maintain what is built now, and that revenues from the gas tax will decline as more electric cars are built.

Mays said that the 30 Crossing project presents "an opportunity to force the agencies involved — state and federal — to take a hard look at updating the thinking toward highway traffic, how to handle highway traffic by means other than simply putting more lanes on the highway. I believe we're on the cusp of a breakthrough on technology that will affect our highway travel dramatically."

The 30 Crossing widening is designed to address traffic in "design year" 2041, when ARDOT says 153,000 vehicles per day will use I-30. The highway department's preferred model, six lanes of through traffic and four collector-distributer lanes, would allow cars traveling south on I-30 during afternoon rush hour to travel at 30 to 50 miles per hour (considered a "somewhat congested" situation). That suggests there will be two decades of smooth sailing through Little Rock, no rush hour traffic at all.

"It's ridiculous to think that you can predict that far," Mays said. "It's a total mistake to do [the widening] at this time. It was the thing to do in the '50s and '60s, but not now," given the technology — like self-driving cars and new safety-features being built into vehicles — that will be available in not too many years from now.

What we don't need, he said, is to spend nearly a billion dollars on highway projects in Central Arkansas in the anticipation of a transportation future we can't predict.

The highway department, using funds from a $1.8 billion bond issue funded with a tax increase approved by voters, is spending nearly $90 million on the widening of I-630 (three times its estimated cost), which has already started; an estimated $80 million on widening Highway 10 (previously estimated at $58 million); $23 million on new ramps at Highway 10 to I-430 northbound; and a figure estimated a couple of years ago at $630.7 million on 30 Crossing.

(Dale Pekar, who is one of Mays' clients, raised the issue of cost in his public comment on ARDOT's draft environmental assessment. ARDOT says if construction — which is being combined with design — costs more than the funds available to the project, contracts will be let "at a future date" to complete the project. Pekar said that provision "makes the entire analysis unreliable," and if ARDOT comes up short, it should take it from low-priority projects — which is what it threatened Metroplan it would do if the planning agency didn't agree to add lanes to the corridor.)

"I'm not opposed to spending money in this area," Mays said, "but I don't know how the people in the rest of the state feel about it. It seems to me we ought to be thinking about how we can get more value [from the $1.8 billion total] for a longer period of time, rather than more lanes that may or may not be used in 20 years."

It's no surprise the highway department wants to build highways rather than think about transportation holistically. (ARDOT used to be the Department of Highway and Transportation, but recently dumped Transportation from its name, perhaps to fend off suggestions it thinks differently.) "It's a matter of mindset. This is what they get paid to do." Figuring into that is what Mays called "bureaucratic inertia."

"Sometimes you have to force their attention by filing lawsuits. I've found that, sometimes, litigation is the best way to bring about change ... or at least, to get their attention."  

Richard Mays fights pigs, pollution and plans for bigger highways

[danielanduranb]

Complete Guide to Plan a Family-Friendly Trip to Rajasthan

The opulence of Rajasthan consumed my attention and made me relive the historical era. Returning from my Rajasthan trip, I couldn’t stop myself from recalling the beauty and richness of such a royal state. I must say one thing, no matter what, Rajasthan has never failed to captivate the travellers from colours and sheer splendour. Filled with invincible forts, marble temples, waves of sand dunes, splendid palaces and lovely lakes are some of the reasons to travel to Rajasthan ones in a lifetime. So, are you looking forward for a family vacation to Rajasthan? If yes, then the only question that must be revolving around at the back of your mind – How to plan a family-friendly trip, what to see and do in Rajasthan? If this is the case, then this blog will assist you to get the best tips for planning a perfect family trip and help you know the top best things to do in Rajasthan. Please continue reading the step by step guide that I have curated just for you.

Step 1: Decide Where to go and When to Visit Rajasthan?

Where have you decided to go on for a family fun in Rajasthan? Confused? No worries. The state of Rajasthan has a number of places to visit that are perfect to family holidays. Depending on your interest, schedule, family size, and age of the family members, you can choose the right place for your Rajasthan tour from some of the given below destinations:

Udaipur: Udaipur – The City of Lakes or a Romantic City. Good to go and best place to visit in the Monsoon Season i.e., July to September. Your trip to Udaipur would take maximum 2 days and if you manage to wrap up visiting the places in just one day then you can even move forward to Chittorgarh which is just 113 km away from Udaipur.

Jaisalmer & Jaipur: Jaisalmer – The Golden City & Jaipur – The Pink City and The Capital City of Rajasthan. Are considered to be the best places to visit in the Winter, i.e., late October till February. The time period of 2-3 days is enough to explore the ‘Golden City and Pink City of India.’

Jodhpur: Jodhpur – The Blue City. Can be visited at any time of the year. Travelling to Jodhpur you would require 2 days that would be enough to get through the major sightseeing places and enjoy amazing food.

Mount Abu: Mount Abu – Rajasthan’s only hill station. Best Place to visit in Summer and Monsoon. 2-3 days would be enough to cover most of the places along with enjoying the beautiful mornings and evenings in the hill station.

Bikaner (a day or 2 would be sufficient to help you explore and enjoy your Bikaner Tour) and Bharatpur (best place to visit with kids and family during the monsoon season, so you would require to plan a trip of 2 nights 3 days).

Narlai, a beautiful village of Pali district in Rajasthan which is located at the Jodhpur-Udaipur highway is one of the most ethnic towns in Rajasthan and is best place to visit during the monsoon season. You can extend a day to visit Narlai when visiting Jodhpur or Udaipur, but make sure you book you book your stay at Rawla Narlai to get the Rajwadi experience.

Plan your escape to Ranthambore (October-April) which is a vast wildlife reserve near Sawai Madhopur that would take you maximum 3 days to explore the deep jungles and Ranthambore Fort, and enjoy safari rides, birdwatching, and so much more.

For international tourists, who are visiting India for the first time with family, consider taking the “Golden Triangle Tour?” This consists of a luxury train tour (Maharaja Express or Palace on Wheels Train) to the major destinations of India: DELHI-AGRA-JAIPUR (5 Nights 6 Days). The tour provides a full-fledged glimpse of rich cultural heritage and history of India. So, get ready to taste the British, Mughal and Rajputana Royalty in just one platter.

Other than these, there are a number of travel places for your family holiday in Rajasthan. Considering the factors I mentioned above, you can plan a trip easily. Need help in learning more about the tourism places in Rajasthan? Well you must take help of our Rajasthan Travel Guide, which has detailed information on all the must-see destinations in the state with important insights on best time to visit, top attractions, accommodation options, and how to reach.

Step 2: Learn How to reach the Selected Destination?

Once you are all done deciding the city for the family vacation plan in Rajasthan, the next thing is to decide the best possible means of traveling. In the sense, it could be either by airways, by railways or by roadways. Take a look at the brief insight on the major means of transport in Rajasthan:

By Air: Rajasthan is a well-known tourist hub both for domestic and international tourists. Whether you are about to travel from within the country or from outside India, there are hosts of options for airlines connecting all the states of India. The three major airports of Rajasthan are Jaipur (International), Jodhpur (Domestic) and Udaipur (Domestic).

By Train: Rajasthan has a good network of rail if you are travelling within India. There are several routes which you can opt for a train that connects to different cities of Rajasthan. For instance, Jaipur and Kota are the hubs connected to other major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata and others.

By Road: Planning to visit Rajasthan by road? With over 20 national highways, which encompass an overall span of 6373 kms, amongst which NH-8 is the most preferred one as it is the gorgeous road to be travelled on. The state has commendable bus service that is regulated by the state government with over 56 depots of buses which connects states like Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

Wait… have you planned to go on a family adventurous road trip by car? You can either hire a taxi that would be charged per kilometer or if any of the family members wish to drive by themselves then nothing to worry as the roads are convenient and easy to navigate. You’ll find numerous ‘dhabas’ that can do more than justice to your appetite too. With some good music and snacks, the road trip would turn out to be the best and memorable with your kids and family.

Step 3: Book Your Hotel

Once you enter the land of Rajas and Maharajas, it’s now time to experience the stay in luxurious palaces to the modest havelis in Rajasthan. The royal hotels and resorts of Rajasthan give the feeling of princely state in a very rich and beautiful setting. You can choose to book your stay stay in one of Asia’s best and luxurious hotels that I have mentioned below:

In Udaipur: Book your stay at the Udaivilas, Leela Palace, Taj Lake Palace and The Lalit Laxmi Vilas Palace to get a Royal Rajasthani Experience.

In Jodhpur: Experience a completely unique taste of royal life at the world’s largest private residence turned hotel Umaid Bhawan.

In Ranthambore: If you want to explore a walk-through nature and desert safari then staying at Oberoi Vanyavilas or Aman-i-Khas.

In Jaipur: you can again get to stay and enjoy your perfect family holidays in Rajasthan by booking your stay at the Raj Palace, Rambagh Palace and Jai Mahal places which are beautiful and decorated with arched gateways and breathtaking murals & frescoes.

In Jaisalmer: Without any second thought, you can book your luxurious stay at Suryagarh, and Jaisalmer Marriott Resort & Spa.

Or, if you want to save on accomodation and manage it on some other activities, then we have brought to you few budget-friendly hotels which is no less than providing you an amazing experience of vintage rooms that would impress you with its quality services. So here we go-

In Udaipur: Book your stay at Hotel Raj Palace, which is a good option to stay with family. Also, the Madri Haveli is the most preferred by tourist when looking for a budget-friendly stay in Udaipur. The rooms have modern decor and historic architecture. You can even look for Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel and Mewar Haveli. If you are planning for a family vacation on a budget, then you should start planning it Check out other popular staying options in Udaipur.

In Jodhpur: Shahi Heritage Haveli, Juna Mahal Boutique Homestay, and Singhvi’s Haveli are some of the best options to stay with your family. Find out more hotels in Jodhpur here.

In Ranthambore: Hotel Ranthambore National Resort and the Sher Vils are the most preferred budget-friendly options to book your stay. Check out more such places to stay in Ranthambore.

In Jaipur: Stay at Hotel Sarang Palace, where every room has a unique theme and the ceilings of some rooms are painted in Traditional Rajasthani themes or you can even look for Surya Villa and Krishna Palace. Check out popular hotels in Jaipur.

In Jaisalmer: Hotel Deoki Niwas Palace would be an ideal choice to book your stay in Jaisalmer. Find out other places to stay in Jaisalmer.

In other cities and town in Rajasthan that are appropriate for a family getaway, there are plenty of staying option both in luxury and budget category. In case you are planning your own holiday, you can find good deals on accommodations, on our site, Tour My India. We have a manicured list of hotels that offers brilliant facilities and services to its guests.

Tip: If you are planning for a family vacation on a budget, then you should start planning it 3-4 months in advance with the best tourism company for holiday packages suiting your needs.

Step 4: Choose the places for Sightseeing Tour, Food and Shopping

So, the last time when I visited Rajasthan in the month of November, 2017 for an exotic holiday with family, it was a 7-day trip to Jaipur and trust me, it was super fun and amazing! Although there is a lot to share but I thought of coming up with the basic things. In order enjoy a hassle-free trip, you should prepare an itinerary in advance and then follow it religiously to make things work smooth as silk. Pen down all the places you want to visit (you know where to find all the information, Pssst…on Tour My India website!) with your family by keeping in mind the top tourist attractions that are convenient for both you and your aged family members to travel and enjoy the trip in a peaceful and a hassle-less way.

Sacred and Religious Places

If you have decided to enjoy the summer vacations in Mount Abu then you must definitely go on and seek blessings at the Dilwara Jain Temple which has beauty that is indescribable in words. Similarly, if you go to Jaipur, then you must see the Birla Mandir Temple which is beautifully structured with white marble. Visiting the City of Lakes? You should definitely take your family to Jagdish Temple to watch out the beautiful carvings, decorated ceilings and steep steps. And yes, above all- the BLESSINGS of Lord Vishnu!

Explore the Sightseeing and Heritage Attractions

Enjoy boating and feel the breeze in Nakki Lake of Mount Abu. The Lake Pichola in Udaipur has a very clean and relaxing atmosphere that makes the sightseeing very calm and peaceful. Oh! Don’t miss the visit to Jal Mahal- a palace that is built on water which is awesome sightseeing place in Jaipur. Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur) is a must-visit place during the monsoon (best time to visit is between 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.). You can spend 3-4 hours that would be enough to explore the park or if you wish, you can even spend your whole day.

Also, make sure you don’t miss out on visiting the Mehrangarh fort while visiting Jodhpur.

Food Exploration: Don’t leave Rajasthan without tasting the authentic food

Want to try the Rajasthani Food? Then it’s a must that you should opt for Dal Baati Churma and other authentic Rajasthani food. Ah, I just cannot stop myself from drooling over these yummy dishes while typing about them. Dal Kachori, Pheni & Ghewar, Smoked Laal Maans (Red Meat Curry), Gatte ki sabzi, Ker Sangri ki Sabzi, Pyaaz ki kachori (made of mouthwatering masalas and golden-brown onions) and the list will not end. What makes the food so delicious are the use of dried beans, lentils, milk and buttermilk which are common in their cooking.

Shopping Spots in Rajasthan

So what strikes your mind while thinking about shopping in Rajasthan? The leather goods, spices and royal jewellery and trinkets, all make for some enticing pieces to be bought from the colourful bazaars of Rajasthan. Here is a list of shopping places that will help you get an idea of where to shop in Rajasthan’s popular destinations.

Johari Bazaar (Jaipur)- Shop the classic and typical Jaipuri ornaments

Bapu Bazar (Jaipur)- If you are in search of many choices, go ahead

Clock Tower Market (Jodhpur)- Get a variety of spices, flavoured-teas, antiques and so on

Nai Sarak (Jodhpur)- Grab the best of Rajasthani fabric: Bandhani suits, pagris and leather goods.

Mahatma Gandhi Road (Bikaner)- Your search for amazing mojris and handicrafts ends here.

And again, the list is endless as Rajasthan is vast and due to such rich culture, traditions and heritage, there is plenty to buy in the state. So, do not restrict yourself while exploring the markets, ask the locals about the popular bazaars and do visit them for that authentic shopping experience in Rajasthan.

Step 5: Add an additional Destination for Kids and the Elderly Family Members

As a kid, I was never interested in knowing the history of monuments and the culture. All I wanted to do is- perform activities that attracted me the most. Similarly, I believe, your kids might feel the same, so in order to not to make them feel restless or uninspired throughout the trip, you should add additional kids-friendly destinations or activities in your travel itinerary. Since Rajasthan is a destination for all, the state has a lot of things stored for the little guests as well. Some of the top attractions for kids in Rajasthan are mentioned below.

Puppet Making Workshop (Jodhpur), specially developed for families traveling with children.

Safari in Ranthambore National Park (Ranthambhore), bring the Children’s favorite Jungle Book to life and travel through the Indian Jungle on a Private Jeep Safari.

Boat Ride on Lake Pichola(Udaipur), your kids would love to enjoy boating around the shimmering water and watch out the activities being held all around.

Along, with your children, pamper your parents with the taste of royalty. There are a number of places that are perfect for your elderly parents to visit in Rajasthan. Below are some of the important ones:

The City Palace in Jaipur is one of the most visited and recommended place when visited with the elderly folks of the family. Experience the warm welcome with turbans and garland that best describes the traditional rajasthani royalty.

The Lake Pichola (Udaipur) would give an amazing sightseeing experience, with the building all around. Take them to Jag Mandir, which is situated on the Lake Pichola itself. Take a simple tour in the car and watching vibrancy of the city and cultural shows happening all around.

The Kalbeliya Dance on Rajasthani music in Jodhpur is a must visit with the age-old ones. Trust me they would love the unique way of dancing which is also called snake style dancing.

A visit to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (now Keoladeo National Park) is not at all a bad idea.

A visit to the The Thar Heritage Museum located in the backstreet of the Jaisalmer can also be planned to not miss out on the preserved history and culture of Rajasthan.

Other than these, seeking Allah’s blessing in Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s Dargah in Ajmer and Ranakpur Jain Temple in Udaipur.

Step 6: Choose a Travel Agent

Even though, the steps for planning your family trip in Rajasthan discussed by me in this blog are quite comprehensible, I feel sometimes it gets too hectic to plan everything on your own, especially when one is travelling with family. In such cases, booking your tour with a trusted travel company like Tour My India who are experts in organizing such trips in the country, is a good idea. Travel experts not only offer you trips in a budget of your choice but can also impart valuable suggestions that will certainly make your trip even more fun. The itineraries are well-curated where each member of the family has something or the other to enjoy. Transports are arranged and the best hotel in your budget is also booked along with arrangements of activities and sightseeing tours that will be enjoyed by all the family members. Therefore, it is a good idea to book with a travel company, when planning a family trip.

Well, I hope this mini 6-step guide was of some help to you in planning your family vacation in Rajasthan. In case, Step 6 felt most convenient to you, don’t hesitate to contact us for Rajasthan Tour Packages at +91-9212777225 or you can drop us an email at info@tourmyindia.com. Also, please share and like this blog, in case you found it helpful.

The post Complete Guide to Plan a Family-Friendly Trip to Rajasthan appeared first on Tour My India.

from Tour My India

[cpuvathingal]

Though there were things that happened to those that I loved that would test any person’s resolve and faith in humanity, 2016 was still filled with extraordinary experiences. While there was sadness and heartache, there was also happiness and joy. In other words, it was just like many of the years before it; and I suspect, will be like many of the years that are yet to come after it…

Number ONE — FAMILY & FRIENDS.

First and foremost, the last two years have really been about several very specific, very intentional things and experiences. More than anything else, and admittedly a work in progress, I wanted to make sure I committed to the relationships in my life, both my family and my friends, as many of them as I could. With all of us getting older, some married, some married with children, some married with children who had children, and less of my circle near and far single, I realized I would need to be the one who would need to be flexible. And so that’s what I did. I inserted myself into the lives of those I loved when they either needed me, wanted me, or simply was able to fit me in. With virtually no expectations other than when I was with each and every one of them, I would be present. And that to me, was the present I kept giving to myself. Out of all the relationships I had, the one leading into the first half of last year proved the most significant in so many ways. I loved her dearly, and while it didn’t last, I have nothing but love for her still.

Even more than the adults in my life, it’s their kids that brought so much joy into my life, as well as their own. I sometimes wonder why we forget so many childhood life lessons even while learning them on our way to adulthood. I learn more from children’s perspectives than from any other single group. The only other group on par are dogs. While their outlook is simple and straightforward, it’s their ability to let love in that shines most. They live with no filters. They let themselves be loved, and they love wholeheartedly. I love everything about my nephews and my nieces, including those of my brother and sister, as well as my cousins. I love everything about my friends’ kids. Hearing them say versions of my name and my last name and my nicknames brings light to my life.

Through it all, more than anything, spending the year with family and friends was what mattered the most. Those relationships that were the closest tended to sometimes be the most difficult but also simultaneously the most rewarding. We had another family wedding; and nephews and nieces were getting a year older. The rest of us were too, but I chose to ignore the daily passage of time with everyone older than ten.

Number TWO — MY DOG TAYLOR.

Until August when I started working again (more on that later) and aside from my trip to India (again, more on that later), my constant companion and source of love and entertainment was my American Bulldog Taylor. Turning ten in September, thank goodness, he had still not slowed down. Whether it was with me or with his dog walker, Taylor went on weekly hikes, and some weeks, daily. Most of our hikes were along the trails in the Marin Headlands, anywhere from a couple miles to as much as six. He would hike with me, or if he was with his dog walker, with other dogs. He loved his vacations to the dog park playing (rough) with other dogs, while cozying up to every human. Every day when I woke up and every day before I went to sleep, I would thank God for his health. Shedding almost twenty pounds from his Chicago days certainly helped his joints, though he now noticeably suffers from arthritis, an inspiration to me, cos he doesn’t let it keep him from doing the things he wants to do. Knowing that his brother passed away two years ago, every day with him is simply a gift.

Number THREE — INDIA & THE RICKSHAW RUN.

Many of my experiences borne by strengthening the bonds I have with those that I love predicated that I travel. And so I did — I traveled a ton, much to Taylor’s chagrin when I didn’t bring him along. My travels took me all over California, Vancouver, Denver and Steamboat Springs, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Tampa, and of course Chicago.

The single biggest travel experience of my life included the thirty days in March and April that I spent in India with two of my best friends — Derek and the most interesting man in the world, the one & only DaveRisner, who had never been. We visited more than eleven cities including Kolkata, Varanasi, Bombay, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Pushkar, Jaipur, Agra, Darjeeling, and Shillong. The first half starting in Kolkata and ending in Jaisalmer was spent flying between cities, experiencing things that we had never experienced before. Starting with a camel safari outside Jaisalmer, the second half was spent in the Rickshaw Run, an epic race where we rented a tuk tuk and drove it over 2500 miles from the western-most part of India to the eastern-most part ending in Shillong, before flying back to Kolkata for our return to the States.

On a trip that was both dangerous and exhilarating, we met a great many friends, some of whom we still keep in contact with. DaveRisner even gave a seminar on the leadership principles learned during the run in front of a group of several hundred executives. The three of us saw more of India on this trip (along with Derek and I in 2014) than almost anyone we knew or I imagine would know. I am still writing about this trip, cos this trip was worth writing about, and a prelude into Derek’s epic 2017 traveling the world.

Number FOUR — UPWORK.

I had taken a year off from work, taking a sabbatical to focus all the things that were important to me — me, Taylor, my family and my friends. I knew with every fiber of my being that my next job would have to be something that I would be passionate about. The gift I gave myself during my sabbatical (among the many) was that everything that I did during that time, I did because I wanted to. When you really sit down (or stand, if that’s your preference) to think about it, that’s powerful. Personally speaking, that’s what I wanted professionally, as unrealistic as it may have sounded.

Since 2003, every company and almost every job I held, I loved. That’s the biggest thing I’d learned professionally — to love what you’re doing; and if you didn’t love it, find a company, a place and a job that you did love. I worked for Careerbuilder for over nine years in Chicago before moving to the Bay Area to work for Glassdoor then Glint. Along the way, I met some incredible people. One of them became instrumental in helping me find my current company and my current role at Upwork, based in the Bay Area, with offices in Mountain View, San Francisco, and in Chicago.

What I found ironic was that during my travels, much of my discussions with friends and strangers involved work, and that work should look different than it did now. The truth was that by joining Upwork, I was addressing many of the things my friends, strangers and I had discussed the previous year. The future of work was indeed changing.

On a grander scale, Upwork is a platform that connects highly skilled freelancers with projects (i.e. work) that companies need to get done. The “gig economy” is a very really thing, affecting many different industries, exemplified by companies like Uber & Lyft with transportation, Airbnb with hospitality, and Upwork with employment. If you have work that needs to get done, especially knowledge-based work where location is not an issue, but are not able to budget for full-time employees or simply cannot find or hire FTE’s to complete the project, then Upwork has a solution that works.

On an even grander scale, Upwork provides people all over the world with the means to work, provide for themselves and their families. My parents came to the USA in search of the American dream. With Upwork, that dream is no longer just an American one.

On a smaller scale, Upwork provides me with the opportunity to work with really smart and really passionate people. I get to showcase my leadership philosophies with a whole new group of people, happy knowing that I have affected so many lives before me in a positive way, and excited that I am about to do the same for a whole new group.

Number FIVE — CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

An iconic team for the ages, after 108 years of futility, some coming thisclose, the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series, their first time since 1945 even being in one. I happened to be in Chicago for the Game 7 win in Cleveland, and the subsequent parade downtown was right outside my offices, forming the sixth largest congregation of people in human history. Seeing Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field with Derek in August was a prelude to what I would feel in October.

I remember 1984 like it was yesterday, losing three games in a row after winning the first two. Needing only one win to get to the World Series for a rematch of the 1945 series against the Detroit Tigers, they couldn’t do it. Steve Garvey and the Padres had other ideas.

I remember 1989 like it was yesterday, pitting Mark Grace and the Cubs against Will Clark and the San Francisco Giants. An epic series by Amazin’ Grace wasn’t enough, only outdone by Will the Thrill. The Cubs lost again.

Much like 1984, 2003 broke everyone’s hearts. That was the year I fell in love with the Cubs, ten years after moving to Chicago. Five outs away from going to the World Series proved to be five outs the Cubs could not get in Game 6. Game 7 was a foregone conclusion even with Kerry Wood hitting a home run. It was an epic collapse.

Sandwiched around the heartbreak of 2003 was 1998, 2007 and 2008. The wild-card Cubs led by Sammy Sosa (who along with Mark McGwire “saved” baseball that year) was swept in the first round of 1998 playoffs. Winning the division in 2007 and 2008, with the latter having the best record in the National League, proved fruitless getting swept both years against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The young Cubbies from 2015 gave hope to the future, beating the two best teams in the National League (the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals) in the first two rounds of the playoffs, before getting crushed by the New York Mets.

And then came 2016.

Number SIX — CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’.

Continuing my adventures from the previous year, I immersed myself in California. I took advantage of as many sunrises and sunsets as I could, whether it was from my balcony or anywhere else in or out of the city. I hiked all over the Bay Area as much as my aching body would allow me, which surprisingly was a lot. I even became members at two vineyards — Silverado in Napa and Ram’s Gate in Sonoma, the latter only a 35 minute drive from where I live. Something I never really took advantage of in Chicago, I decided the moment I arrived in California that I would be a tourist. And so roadtrips were the norm, cos I wanted to experience as much of California that I could. Much of that would include the drive between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast Highway, the most beautiful stretch of road that I’d ever been on (with due respect to the Road to Hana in Hawaii, which I will someday drive). That stretch included extended visits to the Central Coast to San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, the elephant seals at San Simeon, The Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, not to mention even north of San Francisco at Point Reyes. California’s beauty was something I decided that I would never take for granted. So I haven’t.

Number SEVEN — LIFE, DEATH & LOSS.

I’m not sure if it really was the case, but 2016 seemed to have an inordinate number of celebrity figures pass away, some of them too soon. We lost a boxer and a golfer, iconic musicians, a prince and a princess, her mother, and a hero for the ages from a beloved series of books & movies… from Muhammed Ali to Arnold Palmer to David Bowie to George Michael to Prince to Carrie Fisher to Debbie Reynolds to Alan Rickman, and many others.

Closer to home, family and friends of mine experienced loss, as did I. My best friend’s dog passed away to start the year. A few months later, we had Tucker painted onto our tuk tuk (along with Taylor and DaveRisner’s cat Bella, who sadly also passed away later in the year), keeping watch over us from above as we traversed the Indian countryside. The day after the last day of the race, I learned that a friend of mine who was on my team at Careerbuilder unexpectedly passed away on that day, leaving behind his wife, who was also a dear friend, and his son. In December, a friend of mine from high school unexpectedly dropped dead in the middle of his parents’ living room, leaving behind his children. During Christmas, we lost another friend from Careerbuilder, on the finance team that worked closely with the sales teams. And there were others. That’s not even counting all those I knew that were going through their personal struggles and tragedies.

I’m not sure if she said it, but I thought that I read she did, in any case, said best by General Organa aka Princess Leia aka Carrie Fisher:

“This is life. When you suffer loss, you can’t change the circumstances, but you can choose how you respond. You can quit, disengage, become bitter or you keep living, loving, and finding joy. It’s not easy. It takes courage. And hard work. But I believe it’s worth it.”

For some, along the same lines, the election brought out the worst in people. Those that lost forgot that those that won this term lost the last two. Those that won forgot that they lost the last two. Because neither side was really willing to step inside the other side’s shoes, and lost the memories of the election before last, the divide in the country that had been building the past twenty years came to a head, highlighted and exacerbated by social media. And that made me sad, especially because I knew so many of the people on both sides were really good people, among the best quite frankly, but let politicians and the media exploit them, social media giving them a platform for rhetoric.

Number EIGHT — ME.

While I made a commitment to myself to be with those that I loved, I spent more time by myself than at any other time in my life. More than anything, that’s what’s characterized my time in Northern California. I have a disparate network of close friends in the Bay Area, those that I had already known, as well as those that I’ve met while working in technology. Despite those relationships, I devoted so much time to self reflection, to meditation and to prayer. Much of it manifested itself physically by going on hikes, mostly with my dog Taylor, who is literally the gift that keeps on giving. Every. Single. Day. I devoted more time to writing. I devoted more time to painting.

I also continued something I’d been doing for quite some time. I spent a portion of my day, usually the very first thing in the morning, saying thanks for the things for which I was thankful. Focusing on what I had and what I had been given, instead of what I didn’t, always kept me from the rabbit hole of victimhood and negative thoughts.

Reflection. Meditation. Prayer. Gratitude. Hiking. Writing. Painting. The combination of all of them has led me to be me, as I continuously try to become the best version of me that I possibly can. On 22 December 2008, I celebrated the eight year anniversary of getting hit by a car. I celebrated life. No question, that singular moment has contributed a lot to my perspective on life.

2016 saw the best of times. 2016 saw the worst of times. The Doctor I thought summed it up best.

“Things end. That’s all. Everything ends, and it’s always sad. But everything begins again too, and that’s always happy. Be happy. I’ll look after everything else.” Doctor Who

2017 is just beginning.

Hiking thru the Marin Headlands, including Fernwood Cemetery

Please follow me on http://SecretOfMySucCecil.com/my-blog/

If you would like to purchase or inquire about custom art, please visit http://secretofmysuccecil.com/my-artwork-for-sale/

GO ADVENTURE. GO TRAVEL. GO LIVE.

ALWAYS BE EPIC.

[contact-form] 2016: a Retrospective and a Different Perspective Though there were things that happened to those that I loved that would test any person’s resolve and faith in humanity, 2016 was still filled with extraordinary experiences.

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Though there were things that happened to those that I loved that would test any person’s resolve and faith in humanity, 2016 was still filled with extraordinary experiences. While there was sadness and heartache, there was also happiness and joy. In other words, it was just like many of the years before it; and I suspect, will be like many of the years that are yet to come after it…

Number ONE — FAMILY & FRIENDS.

First and foremost, the last two years have really been about several very specific, very intentional things and experiences. More than anything else, and admittedly a work in progress, I wanted to make sure I committed to the relationships in my life, both my family and my friends, as many of them as I could. With all of us getting older, some married, some married with children, some married with children who had children, and less of my circle near and far single, I realized I would need to be the one who would need to be flexible. And so that’s what I did. I inserted myself into the lives of those I loved when they either needed me, wanted me, or simply was able to fit me in. With virtually no expectations other than when I was with each and every one of them, I would be present. And that to me, was the present I kept giving to myself. Out of all the relationships I had, the one leading into the first half of last year proved the most significant in so many ways. I loved her dearly, and while it didn’t last, I have nothing but love for her still.

Even more than the adults in my life, it’s their kids that brought so much joy into my life, as well as their own. I sometimes wonder why we forget so many childhood life lessons even while learning them on our way to adulthood. I learn more from children’s perspectives than from any other single group. The only other group on par are dogs. While their outlook is simple and straightforward, it’s their ability to let love in that shines most. They live with no filters. They let themselves be loved, and they love wholeheartedly. I love everything about my nephews and my nieces, including those of my brother and sister, as well as my cousins. I love everything about my friends’ kids. Hearing them say versions of my name and my last name and my nicknames brings light to my life.

Through it all, more than anything, spending the year with family and friends was what mattered the most. Those relationships that were the closest tended to sometimes be the most difficult but also simultaneously the most rewarding. We had another family wedding; and nephews and nieces were getting a year older. The rest of us were too, but I chose to ignore the daily passage of time with everyone older than ten.

Number TWO — MY DOG TAYLOR.

Until August when I started working again (more on that later) and aside from my trip to India (again, more on that later), my constant companion and source of love and entertainment was my American Bulldog Taylor. Turning ten in September, thank goodness, he had still not slowed down. Whether it was with me or with his dog walker, Taylor went on weekly hikes, and some weeks, daily. Most of our hikes were along the trails in the Marin Headlands, anywhere from a couple miles to as much as six. He would hike with me, or if he was with his dog walker, with other dogs. He loved his vacations to the dog park playing (rough) with other dogs, while cozying up to every human. Every day when I woke up and every day before I went to sleep, I would thank God for his health. Shedding almost twenty pounds from his Chicago days certainly helped his joints, though he now noticeably suffers from arthritis, an inspiration to me, cos he doesn’t let it keep him from doing the things he wants to do. Knowing that his brother passed away two years ago, every day with him is simply a gift.

Number THREE — INDIA & THE RICKSHAW RUN.

Many of my experiences borne by strengthening the bonds I have with those that I love predicated that I travel. And so I did — I traveled a ton, much to Taylor’s chagrin when I didn’t bring him along. My travels took me all over California, Vancouver, Denver and Steamboat Springs, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Tampa, and of course Chicago.

The single biggest travel experience of my life included the thirty days in March and April that I spent in India with two of my best friends — Derek and the most interesting man in the world, the one & only DaveRisner, who had never been. We visited more than eleven cities including Kolkata, Varanasi, Bombay, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Pushkar, Jaipur, Agra, Darjeeling, and Shillong. The first half starting in Kolkata and ending in Jaisalmer was spent flying between cities, experiencing things that we had never experienced before. Starting with a camel safari outside Jaisalmer, the second half was spent in the Rickshaw Run, an epic race where we rented a tuk tuk and drove it over 2500 miles from the western-most part of India to the eastern-most part ending in Shillong, before flying back to Kolkata for our return to the States.

On a trip that was both dangerous and exhilarating, we met a great many friends, some of whom we still keep in contact with. DaveRisner even gave a seminar on the leadership principles learned during the run in front of a group of several hundred executives. The three of us saw more of India on this trip (along with Derek and I in 2014) than almost anyone we knew or I imagine would know. I am still writing about this trip, cos this trip was worth writing about, and a prelude into Derek’s epic 2017 traveling the world.

Number FOUR — UPWORK.

I had taken a year off from work, taking a sabbatical to focus all the things that were important to me — me, Taylor, my family and my friends. I knew with every fiber of my being that my next job would have to be something that I would be passionate about. The gift I gave myself during my sabbatical (among the many) was that everything that I did during that time, I did because I wanted to. When you really sit down (or stand, if that’s your preference) to think about it, that’s powerful. Personally speaking, that’s what I wanted professionally, as unrealistic as it may have sounded.

Since 2003, every company and almost every job I held, I loved. That’s the biggest thing I’d learned professionally — to love what you’re doing; and if you didn’t love it, find a company, a place and a job that you did love. I worked for Careerbuilder for over nine years in Chicago before moving to the Bay Area to work for Glassdoor then Glint. Along the way, I met some incredible people. One of them became instrumental in helping me find my current company and my current role at Upwork, based in the Bay Area, with offices in Mountain View, San Francisco, and in Chicago.

What I found ironic was that during my travels, much of my discussions with friends and strangers involved work, and that work should look different than it did now. The truth was that by joining Upwork, I was addressing many of the things my friends, strangers and I had discussed the previous year. The future of work was indeed changing.

On a grander scale, Upwork is a platform that connects highly skilled freelancers with projects (i.e. work) that companies need to get done. The “gig economy” is a very really thing, affecting many different industries, exemplified by companies like Uber & Lyft with transportation, Airbnb with hospitality, and Upwork with employment. If you have work that needs to get done, especially knowledge-based work where location is not an issue, but are not able to budget for full-time employees or simply cannot find or hire FTE’s to complete the project, then Upwork has a solution that works.

On an even grander scale, Upwork provides people all over the world with the means to work, provide for themselves and their families. My parents came to the USA in search of the American dream. With Upwork, that dream is no longer just an American one.

On a smaller scale, Upwork provides me with the opportunity to work with really smart and really passionate people. I get to showcase my leadership philosophies with a whole new group of people, happy knowing that I have affected so many lives before me in a positive way, and excited that I am about to do the same for a whole new group.

Number FIVE — CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

An iconic team for the ages, after 108 years of futility, some coming thisclose, the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series, their first time since 1945 even being in one. I happened to be in Chicago for the Game 7 win in Cleveland, and the subsequent parade downtown was right outside my offices, forming the sixth largest congregation of people in human history. Seeing Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field with Derek in August was a prelude to what I would feel in October.

I remember 1984 like it was yesterday, losing three games in a row after winning the first two. Needing only one win to get to the World Series for a rematch of the 1945 series against the Detroit Tigers, they couldn’t do it. Steve Garvey and the Padres had other ideas.

I remember 1989 like it was yesterday, pitting Mark Grace and the Cubs against Will Clark and the San Francisco Giants. An epic series by Amazin’ Grace wasn’t enough, only outdone by Will the Thrill. The Cubs lost again.

Much like 1984, 2003 broke everyone’s hearts. That was the year I fell in love with the Cubs, ten years after moving to Chicago. Five outs away from going to the World Series proved to be five outs the Cubs could not get in Game 6. Game 7 was a foregone conclusion even with Kerry Wood hitting a home run. It was an epic collapse.

Sandwiched around the heartbreak of 2003 was 1998, 2007 and 2008. The wild-card Cubs led by Sammy Sosa (who along with Mark McGwire “saved” baseball that year) was swept in the first round of 1998 playoffs. Winning the division in 2007 and 2008, with the latter having the best record in the National League, proved fruitless getting swept both years against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The young Cubbies from 2015 gave hope to the future, beating the two best teams in the National League (the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals) in the first two rounds of the playoffs, before getting crushed by the New York Mets.

And then came 2016.

Number SIX — CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’.

Continuing my adventures from the previous year, I immersed myself in California. I took advantage of as many sunrises and sunsets as I could, whether it was from my balcony or anywhere else in or out of the city. I hiked all over the Bay Area as much as my aching body would allow me, which surprisingly was a lot. I even became members at two vineyards — Silverado in Napa and Ram’s Gate in Sonoma, the latter only a 35 minute drive from where I live. Something I never really took advantage of in Chicago, I decided the moment I arrived in California that I would be a tourist. And so roadtrips were the norm, cos I wanted to experience as much of California that I could. Much of that would include the drive between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast Highway, the most beautiful stretch of road that I’d ever been on (with due respect to the Road to Hana in Hawaii, which I will someday drive). That stretch included extended visits to the Central Coast to San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, the elephant seals at San Simeon, The Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, not to mention even north of San Francisco at Point Reyes. California’s beauty was something I decided that I would never take for granted. So I haven’t.

Number SEVEN — LIFE, DEATH & LOSS.

I’m not sure if it really was the case, but 2016 seemed to have an inordinate number of celebrity figures pass away, some of them too soon. We lost a boxer and a golfer, iconic musicians, a prince and a princess, her mother, and a hero for the ages from a beloved series of books & movies… from Muhammed Ali to Arnold Palmer to David Bowie to George Michael to Prince to Carrie Fisher to Debbie Reynolds to Alan Rickman, and many others.

Closer to home, family and friends of mine experienced loss, as did I. My best friend’s dog passed away to start the year. A few months later, we had Tucker painted onto our tuk tuk (along with Taylor and DaveRisner’s cat Bella, who sadly also passed away later in the year), keeping watch over us from above as we traversed the Indian countryside. The day after the last day of the race, I learned that a friend of mine who was on my team at Careerbuilder unexpectedly passed away on that day, leaving behind his wife, who was also a dear friend, and his son. In December, a friend of mine from high school unexpectedly dropped dead in the middle of his parents’ living room, leaving behind his children. During Christmas, we lost another friend from Careerbuilder, on the finance team that worked closely with the sales teams. And there were others. That’s not even counting all those I knew that were going through their personal struggles and tragedies.

I’m not sure if she said it, but I thought that I read she did, in any case, said best by General Organa aka Princess Leia aka Carrie Fisher:

“This is life. When you suffer loss, you can’t change the circumstances, but you can choose how you respond. You can quit, disengage, become bitter or you keep living, loving, and finding joy. It’s not easy. It takes courage. And hard work. But I believe it’s worth it.”

For some, along the same lines, the election brought out the worst in people. Those that lost forgot that those that won this term lost the last two. Those that won forgot that they lost the last two. Because neither side was really willing to step inside the other side’s shoes, and lost the memories of the election before last, the divide in the country that had been building the past twenty years came to a head, highlighted and exacerbated by social media. And that made me sad, especially because I knew so many of the people on both sides were really good people, among the best quite frankly, but let politicians and the media exploit them, social media giving them a platform for rhetoric.

Number EIGHT — ME.

While I made a commitment to myself to be with those that I loved, I spent more time by myself than at any other time in my life. More than anything, that’s what’s characterized my time in Northern California. I have a disparate network of close friends in the Bay Area, those that I had already known, as well as those that I’ve met while working in technology. Despite those relationships, I devoted so much time to self reflection, to meditation and to prayer. Much of it manifested itself physically by going on hikes, mostly with my dog Taylor, who is literally the gift that keeps on giving. Every. Single. Day. I devoted more time to writing. I devoted more time to painting.

I also continued something I’d been doing for quite some time. I spent a portion of my day, usually the very first thing in the morning, saying thanks for the things for which I was thankful. Focusing on what I had and what I had been given, instead of what I didn’t, always kept me from the rabbit hole of victimhood and negative thoughts.

Reflection. Meditation. Prayer. Gratitude. Hiking. Writing. Painting. The combination of all of them has led me to be me, as I continuously try to become the best version of me that I possibly can. On 22 December 2008, I celebrated the eight year anniversary of getting hit by a car. I celebrated life. No question, that singular moment has contributed a lot to my perspective on life.

2016 saw the best of times. 2016 saw the worst of times. The Doctor I thought summed it up best.

“Things end. That’s all. Everything ends, and it’s always sad. But everything begins again too, and that’s always happy. Be happy. I’ll look after everything else.” Doctor Who

2017 is just beginning.

Hiking thru the Marin Headlands, including Fernwood Cemetery

Please follow me on http://SecretOfMySucCecil.com/my-blog/

If you would like to purchase or inquire about custom art, please visit http://secretofmysuccecil.com/my-artwork-for-sale/

GO ADVENTURE. GO TRAVEL. GO LIVE.

ALWAYS BE EPIC.

[contact-form] 2016: a Retrospective and a Different Perspective Though there were things that happened to those that I loved that would test any person’s resolve and faith in humanity, 2016 was still filled with extraordinary experiences.