Me and My Thoughts

Friday, June 16, 2006

US Travel Check List

Here I am uploading the list of items that I carried and which I felt would be useful for your US travel, note that this list would vary from person to person and place to place that he is traveling. This would be ideal for the one who is traveling for two - six months to US to the place which has climate almost similar to that of India.


Please let me know, if there are any additions that can be done, and help me out so that it can become a directional check list for US travel.









US checklist
US checklist.xls

Sunday, June 11, 2006

about carrying goods to India

Hi,


If you are traveling back to India after a short visit / long visit, I am sure this web site would be very useful as a reference for amount to goods and gifts that you can carry back to India :


http://www.cbec.gov.in/


Baggage Rule : http://www.cbec.gov.in/cae/customs/cs-act/formatted-htmls/cs-rulef.htm


and I hope this is been updated regularly by Govt. of India. But still in case of doubt you can just carry a copy of this with you, to avoid any kind of harassment from Customs People.


Saturday, June 03, 2006

How can we contribute to reduce Pollution and save money at the same time? - 1

Hi guys,


    Let me tell you about my home town, its Cuddapah (spelled : Kadapa). Its famous for its black stone, called as Kadapa Stone (local name : kadapa gallu). In summers water shortage is so bad, that at times we have to get water from a well near our house, which is about quarter mile from my place, and by that kind of experience, I had developed a lot of responsibility towards "saving water, using it wisely" and developed my interest towards "Saving Environment".


    I don't say that, I am a big Environmental activist, but I believe in, "individual with out putting any extra effort, money or time, but just choosing right can do their part in saving our environment".


   


Following are some of the tips that would help you not only to save money (am sure about this, because it saved me a lot), but also save environment :


1. Use rechargeable batteries, all the time, this would save you lot of money,  say a normal battery would cost you Rs.7 and a good rechargeable battery  would cost around Rs.45, which is equivalent to 6 nos.of normal one and a charger for Rs.75 (one time investment), but when you go on long term, usually these rechargeable batteries last for an average of an year, and say you use at lest one battery for a month for your clock, that turns out to be 12 in a year of Rs.84, on which you can directly save Rs.39 . This calculation is in minimum usage condition (here clock), think about walkmans, radios, torch lights and many other things which exhaust batteries very soon. Not just that it saves earth from piling junk of batteries and bad effects caused by chemicals in them.


2. Buy the stuff that are in Aluminum cans and Glass bottle rather than plastic packing. I know by saying this I  would have hurt lot of people who are more and more picking up onto ON THE GO food stuff. Ya, if you are traveling and don't have option then its ok. But when you are at home try not purchase stuff packed in plastic. Think about it both aluminum and glass are recyclable and re useable, while plastic package takes more than 300 years to disintegrate. Can you think about have garbage in you home for more than a 3 days, then think about 300 years!!!


But, what to do with the stuff that come only in plastic package? If I were you, say health drinks like Horlicks, Boost etc do come both in pet jars and cover, first time I buy pet jar and then from next time I buy cover pack and refill my pet jar, by this I would be not just saving money but also reduce the quantity of disposable plastic.


    By now, would have started thinking that, this guy is doing all these things just to save money and reducing pollution had happened just accidentally. I choose to explain these tips in this way because, getting people to practice these things voluntarily would be very easy, if you tell them what's there in it for them, if they do it!! *


    If you are reading this I request you to put these things into practice in your life and also contribute your self by adding at least one  tip if you have, through comments. I would incorporate them in the next updated (with your Name as contributor, I promise!!)


Save Earth, its your turn now!! (its been saving us, all these millions of years!!!)


Note : Above mentioned examples are that I experienced, you may find much better of doing them. As soon as you start thinking in this way, you will get lot of ideas.


*Conditions apply :-)