Brazil at the top of the world - once again, India collapse to quality short pitched bowling - once again, Lalgarh falls - once again

Yesterday was an eventful day.

Brazil were at it again:
The magicians worked their magic around the upstarts and got back from a 2-0 deficit to triumph in the confed cup finals.
I said once again the samba boys play their music. Besides the match what did I notice. The Brazilians (several of them) took off their yellow jerseys after the match and showed off their faith in Jesus. The vests they wore carried messages like "I love Jesus" and "I belong to Jesus".

India succumbed to genuine short stuff
Teams have been working on the drawing boards and in the nets. The Calypso kids make the Indian batters dance to their chin music and the much talked about replacements of Sehwag, Sachin, Dravid and Lakshman fall like nine pins.
Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Malcolm Marshall once again I say. Funny for an attack that did not even have a Fidel Edwards.
Do the Indians have a plan? Not that it is visible. The batters come and go as if it is normal to be out for a duck and bowlers have no set plan. The captain played a good knock with the bat (saving grace) for some insipid captaincy since the last few months. Time he took a break I feel.

Lalgarh has fallen - Naxals beware there is no future for your kind of politics
The days of glamour associated with organized crime is slowly getting over. Sri Lanka has shown us the way and it is really heartening to note that instead of playing politics over the issue the cetral government has really worked hand in hand with the state government. If dirty politics had dictated this was a good opportunity for them to add fuel to fire. The fact that they decided to use the fire brigade instead speaks volumes about the maturity of the present leadership. (handng over the ID card project to Nandan Nilekani is another sign of mature politics). Now that the maoist are on the run we can say that Naxals are on the backfoot.
Kanu Sanyal never again.

OUR TRIP TO MALAYSIA

Hi,

The trip to Malaysia and Singapore was good.

I think this sentence actually sums up my impression about the two countries. Nothing exceptional but no one is disappointed. In this post I talk about Malaysia.

• Cox & Kings our tour operator had booked us on Sri Lankan Airlines (I had protested and asked them to book us on a direct flight but they said that it would cost Rs.10,000/- more for the four of us) which meant that we took a flight first to Colombo (3.30 hrs) stayed there for a few hours (In fact we reached there at 10 PM and shifted to a reasonably good resort called Tamarind Tree and started back for the airport at 5.20AM) and then boarded the flight to Malaysia. (3 hours)
• The KL airport is reasonably big and we had to take the mono rail from our terminal to the exit and immigration terminal. This was the first time we took the mono rail at an airport and the uniqueness of the rail trip impressed me. I embarrased my daughter by taking pictures. The mono rail at the airport is the slow version of the metros. Another unique feature of the airport was the effort to create an ambience of closeness to nature within the concrete. We had sunlight streaming in through atriums and green foilage along the travelator. I embarrased the family once again by insisting on taking pictures. I will no longer mention this embarrasment part as this continued to happen at regular frequency till they gave up protesting.
• OK, Need to add this - we had to fill in the health form for Swine Flu. I believe they had a thermal detector in place as well. The form was also needed at Sri Lanka. Indians are given 72 hours Visa on arrival at Sri Lanka.
• Our Guide Amarjeet was waiting for us at the exit and by the time we gathered together it was almost 2 in the afternoon. (3 and half hours ahead of India and Sri Lanka). 42 of us had collected from Delhi and Mumbai.
• Amarjeet is an Indian Malaysian (second generation) and can speak Hindi. It is understood that he is the only Malaysian guide who can speak Hindi.
• We put our luggage in a mini truck and boarded our Bus for Genting Highlands.

To be continued...

INDIA, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE & SRI LANKA

Hello,
I have just completed a 15 days tour of the above mentioned countries and the first difference between the southeast and the Indian subcontinent is clearly the cleanliness and discipline.
When we land into India from Kuwait we see some greenery and are so happy but then when we reach Malaysia and Singapore, India looks like a desert. The rain forests of the southeast are green and pleasant.
Then when you get out of the aircraft the manner in which things are handled is also different Malaysia and Singapore are strict but efficient. India and Sri Lanka are lax and indifferent.
The only thing in favor of the sub continent is the prices.
Singapore doubles the prices of everything in Malaysia. So if a tee costs 10 ringets in Malaysia it is 10 Sing $ in Singapore. And the price of a similar looking tee in Sri Lanka is just 400 Sri Lanka rupees. That is rupees 200 (Indian).
Rest in my detailed post later.
Best regards,
Manoj