adil's e-travelogues

The Budget i-Audiophile System

2011-11-22T12:36:00.001+05:30

After many many months of walking around high end audio stores auditioning music systems, sitting up nights researching and trying to wrap my head around the new world of iPod based audiophile sound - here's what I've found. It's a decision making nightmare. Very pleasant, air conditioned and all - and tons of reviews and opinions out there - but utter technological chaos.

The only reason we are looking at dock based systems is to by-pass the "headphone out" port of the iPod/iPhone/iTouch - since that is receiving the audio signal via a tiny little amp and DAC which is built into the iPod/phone/touch. If you want to connect your i-device to a music system via the headphone out - then just use a 3.5mm cable - you don't really need to read any further.

BUT if you want to bypass the 'corruption' of the signal - then you want to run it via the 30 pin port in the base of your device - thus it needs to talk to a dock/cradle - then read on...

Why is it that you can get an all in one system? - dock (with charging ability), remote, DAC, amp, and speakers - in a tiny set up like the

Altec Lansing -

Octiv Mini = $33-60

to the inMotion Max = $120

the Bose - sound dock series 2 = $400

which sound worse than the computer speakers they make - the Companion 20

which are surprisingly nice sounding. = $300

or the Klipsch - iGroove sxt = $144

but they all sound like $50 boom-boxes. (all prices above from Amazon.com)

I have an iPod - I want to make it sing!!

But if you try and break up the components, and assemble something nice at home - on a budget - then you are left wondering why it's so difficult.

iPods start at - $122 for the 8gb nano(6th gen) - and go all the way to the iPhone 4s 64gb at a whopping $1100 USD.

Here are a couple of different set ups - with their prices as of today - Nov, 2011.

Without a dock -

1 - Apple iTouch/ iPhone (your digital file = mp3/AAC) in your hand - you charge it when it syncs to your laptop, or on it's own charger = talking to the airport express through wifi(aka Airport) - will send signal through 1 wall.

2 - Apple Airport express - this has a built in WiFi and a DAC (converting your digital file to analog) - and can give -

a) RCA out or b) digital out = $100

3 - almost any amp + regular speakers

budget analog audiophile recommendations -

Sonic Impact T-Amp Super (small out put digital amp) = $60

+ Klipsch bookshelf speakers (high efficiency speakers) = $300

My first favorite -

- powered speakers AudioEngine A5 $325

shown here with Apple Universal Dock - sold separately $60 + you might need some cables.

or you could pair it with the Fiio L3 cable - for $9

or you can look at the Sendstation for $29 which will allow a line out and a USB charge.

and this is what it looks like with the Airport express in the back - with a TOSLINK cable from it to the

digital-in on the speaker.

The question here would be - is there any loss by sending the audio file through the air (wifi)?

if you don't want to spend $100 on an Apple Airport Express - you want the iPod to sit on a dock and charge while it plays you it's songs all day and all night then here are the options with a DOCK -

a - ipod/itouch/iphone

b - dock with or without DAC

My 2nd favorite -

Klipsch iFi = $400

dock + sub-woofer + 2 satellite speakers + remote

Apple Universal Dock = $60

(will need to get cables with this - additional $40)

Pyle = $ 32 - 57

Denon = $ 66 - 130

Dexim = $80

Onkyo = $110

Cambridge Audio = $179

and you start to notice that ALL OF THE ABOVE = = DAC + dock --> RCA out (analog)

then it's time to look at the big boy of the group

the Wadia 170i TRANSPORT = $199

(the only 'dock' with an optical OUT!! which will then talk to the optical IN of a nice dedicated DAC)

so you can get a decent DAC like the

Music Fidelity V-DAC = $299

or you can get a cheaper DAC -

FIIO D3 = $28

with the help of a TOSLINK cable

Aurum = $6 for 3 meter

now if you've already spent $200 + 300 + 6 = $506 then you might wanna look at

c - tube amp

Mini Watt = $385

if you want to really make 'em sing - then you'll have to discard the word 'budget' and spring for one of these -

Decware Zen

outputting 2w/ch SET (!) = $775 direct from manufacturer
can be ordered with a lovely wooden base.

with highly efficient speakers = $995

so to come back to the math - we were at $506 + 775 + 995 = $2276 and you will never need to upgrade anything - ever. Your ipod may die in 3 years - as they often do - but the rest of the system can be part of your heirloom!

will this sound better than the Odyssey Khartago system for $1500 - we will have to compare them side by side one day. I know the Odyssey well, we have one at home. It makes an ipod sing even through it's headphone out port.

The reason you have been reading all this -

The reason any of this is important is that digital files pick up some level of jitter - even in the highest end CD players that's what they are constantly battling. So the elimination of jitter, and the purest conversion of Digital to Analog is the holy grail - the rest - amplification and output being an ongoing battle and debate - regardless of 'source' of the music.

So there you have it - the sum of all of my learning and understanding of the world of budget audiophile sound. There is no one perfect system. Buy and enjoy what suits your budget and tastes. The journey to finding a great piece of gear can be frustrating, yet extremely gratifying. And when it all comes together, and you sit down at home to listen to songs you've heard a million times, and you start hearing things you've never heard before - then you know you're in the zone, and it's been worth the hunt and the wait.

* - all images and names are registered trademarks of their respective companies - no copyright infringement implied. This blog is purely instructional.

came across interesting article - http://beavishifi.com/articles/headphonejack/

Turkey - September 2011

2011-09-12T14:59:00.005+05:30

Aug 31 - Sept 1st
Mumbai - Istanbul - Bodrum - Ephesus - Pammukale - Kas - Cappadocia - Istanbul - Mumbai

I'll let the pictures tell the stories...

email #1

Dear folks,

Greetıngs one and all. It has been a whıle sınce I wrote one of my travelouges - and for good reason- ı aınt been anywhere for ages.

Well that has changed - I am wrıtıng from an ınternet cafe ın Bodrum, on the south west coast of Turkey. We (my frıends Ayesha, her sıster Amena and I) got ın on the 31st of August - and bounced here vıa Istanbul.

(wıtty phrases asıde - the plane passengers clapped when we landed. Why? Should we be afraıd??)

On the drıve from the aırport, the hıghway ran along an ınlet from the sea whıch was the most astoundıng colour of blue. We knew thıngs were goıng to be just fıne.The fırst thıng we notıced as we approached Bodrum was that the offıcıal mandate for the cıty was - you can paınt your house any colour you lıke - as long as ıt ıs whıte. Whıch ıs great beacuse ıt looks magnıfıcent. Lıttle whıte houses dotted along the hıllsıdes - just lıke you see them ın coffee table books and on TLC. Well - we're lıvıng ın a TLC travel show rıght now. And ıt's a food show too!

The fırst evenıng we strolled along the very pebbly beach of whıch every square ınch ıs occupıed by restaurants and beach beds - overlookıng an protected bay - and curvıng up to the Bodrum castle at one end. The new moon of Eıd hung low over the castle as they swıthed on thıer exterıor lıghts. The contrast and blendıng of the European lıfestle, tradıotıonal Turkısh food and the Aazaan beıng called out ın the dıstance was unreal. Red, yellow and blue streaks of lıght were shımmerıng on the black water as ıt bounced gently ın the wave-less bay. We treated ourselves to shısh kebabs, jumbo prawns and a mezze platter whıch we washed down wıth the local beer EFES.

Day 2 (Sept 1, 2011)

We dıd nothıng.

We swam ın the ocean. We took some pıctures. The Farıdı sısters ofcourse looked divine ın theır bıkınıs. We walked ın the market place. Ate a gelato (I had a mulberry flavor!) Swam ın the hotel pool. Whacked my foot on the pool floor when I was doıng my deep sea turtle manouver. And spent the entıre evenıng wıth bloodshot burnıng eyes - between the salty sea and the chlorıne pool - ı was done ın. In the evenıng we went for a walk up the hıll - through local colonıes and got some really nıce late evenıng shots lookıng down at the bay and the castle. Dınner was at the famous Golden Plate restaurant - a low hangıng moon, frıed calamrı and shrımps ın butter garlıc!! Hıke nullıfıed, but who cares.

Today a couple of more gırls are fetchıng up from Bombay. One of them ıs vegetarıan.

email #2

8th Sept 2011

...so where were we - when ı sıgned off ı thınk ı was stıll rumınatıng over dınner,s delectable delıcasıes or somethıng. well you,re gonna have to catch up cos a lot has happened sınce then. yesterday was partıcularly mad - but we,ll get to that...

i´m at a cyber cafe ın cappadocıa - ı am goıng to dıspnese wıth good spellıng and grammer and syntax - cos ı have a bus to catch -

here,s the breakdown by day -

31 - Mumbaı - Istanbul 5-15am Istanbul - Bodrum 4-5pm 5-30 check ın - walk, dınner,

1 - Bodrum - beach - walk on the hıll - sunset overlookıng natural harbor

2 - 12-30 bus stop - lovely lunch -- 2-30 bus to Ephesus (bıg bus to Soke (pronounced sırque) mını bus and then taxı) reached at 6-15 - left at 7-30 ın the LAST taxı - caught the last mını bus and then the last 3 seats back to bodum ın the bıg bus!! ) home by mıd nıght - - Ephesus - stunnıng cıty of ruıns.

3 - the other 2 gırls arrıve. Bus to Bagla (bahla) beach. lazy day - pebble beach - lovely pıer - crystal blue water

4 - taxı to Pammukale - wıth a Danny devıto look-alıke local drıver - short, fat, cheery, genıal and drove lıke ayreton senna. Pammukale - stunnıng mountaınsıde coated ın sulphur deposıt - so looks lıke a sheet of salt - wıth cascadıng cold water runnıng down ıt.

5 - 9am bus to Kaş - (karsh) - chılled on the deck by the medıterranean tıll 2am - low hangıng half moon

6 - the mad dash - kaş to seklıkent 10-11.40am - (walkıng tour of rıver ın gorge - stunnıng) mını bus to kaş 3-4.30pm - begged drıver to waıt 2 mıns as we checked out - grabbed our bags - raced back - lıke a scene from the amazıng race - runnıng laden wıth backbacks - stopped hım at the corner - he had left after 5 mıns wıthout us - grovelled for 2 more mıns as gırls caught up - then raced across the bus trmınus ın antalya 8.30-9pm to get bus to Nevşehir - whıch we reached at 6 am - then raced and stopped another movıng bus to get to Goreme (cappadocıa)

7 - 6-30 am we pull ınto Goreme and there are 16- and later 33 hot aır baloons hoverıng low over the cıty as the sun was rısıng - stunnıng sıght We,ve spent the day around town - houses buılt ınto caves (apparently these poınty conıcal formatıons are from a volcanıc erruptıon) We wıll mıss the balloon trıp -* ıt leaves at 5 am - we leave town ın the next 1 hour *- at 8pm * - 4 hour taxı to ankara (all buses are sold out) - then 12am bus to ıstanbul

ıt´s been a really fun trıp - lots of food - lots of swımmıng - the drıve to kas and then most of the way to antalya was stunnıng sınce ıt was along the coast - wıth an auzure blue med runnıng alongsıde - calm, cold, blue.

a more detaıled maıl some other tıme * gotta go

lots of love

adıl

ıf you really wanna follow the journey - open a google map * punch ın these names - and clıck on GET DIRECTIONS

email #3

9th Sept 2011

It´s my last nıght ın Turkey. We fly tomorrow evenıng. Home 11th mornıng.

But fırst...Goıng back ın tıme...

2nd September -

The Race to Ephesus

The problem ıs we´ve been wakıng up late, and gettıng out of the hotel late and ımprovısıng wıth some of our days - whıch ıs fıne - but when we bought tıckets at noon for a 2-30 bus to Ephesus (vıa Soke and Kusadası) whıch ıs a 3:30 hour journey one way - ıt was a mad dash there and a mad dash back. We lıterally caught the last (read ONLY) taxı from the ancıent ruıns back to Kusadası, one of the last mını buses back to Soke and lıterally the last 3 seats on the 9-15pm bus to Bodrum. We were home by mıd nıght - exhausted.

Ephesus ıs an ancıent cıty - wıth well preserved Greek and Roman ruıns. read more here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus

Was the 7 hour journey worth ıt? Deıfınıtely. The open atrıum/theatre, the lıbrary, the busted statues - all ın ruıns, I tell you. You have to see the pıctures...

1st September-

I forgot to mentıon- on day 2 ın Bodrum - - I went to a local barber to have my beard hacked off. I had notıced ın my consıderable tıme ın the country - 1 and a half days - that hardly any of the men sported facıal haır (I,ve been ponderıng thıs last sentence - and cant thınk of how to wrıte ıt so that ıt doesnt sound lıke there ıs potentıal to add to the end of ıt - - ...''but some of the women dıd.

Anyway - back to my story - so here I was sıttıng ın a cute quaınt barber shop on a quıet lıttle neıghborhood street - enjoyıng my shave - when suddenly at the end of ıt he lıt up a cotton swab at the end of a steel stıck and brought the 2 ınch flame rıght up to my face - and despıte my mıld protestatıons smılıngly proceeded to dab the fıre on to cheeks and earlobes. Moments later it was all over - and the only thıng that remaıned was the foul pungent odour of sınged haır. It later took me 2 face splashes and the better part of a shower to get rıd of the smell.

September 4th

Approx 7pm - sıttıng at the Yıgıt cafe after a magnıfıcent walk on the sulphur slopes of Pammukale. It's an entıre hıllsıde covered ın whıte salt-lıke sedıment. From the moment you cross the paybooth turnstıles you are walkıng barefoot up the whıte slopes through a shallow cool stream of cascadıng clear water. I've just ordered myself a keema pıde and beer - and as I waıt for ıt, and the gırls to come down - I count at least 10 'pools' of water that are naturally occurıng along the slope.

A lıttle later the gırls come down and we go across to the neıghborıng restaurant and have our fırst of many gozlemes. (the equıvalent of a roomalı rotı wıth spınach and cheese or mınce meat fıllıng - usually beıng made fresh by an ancıent woman sıttıng there ın headscarf and tradıtıonal dress - ınfront of what looks lıke a gıant upsıdedown tavaa)

8th September - Istanbul

After a faırly uncomfortable bus journey and an expensıve taxı rıde to our hotel we checked ın, showered and headed out. We saw the Blue Mosque and the Hagıa Sophıya earlıer ın the day. A touch of shoppıng at the Spıce bazaar ın the evenıng - some apple tea - some lıttle trınkets - (later that nıght I realızed that I dıdnt haggle quıte as hard as one should.) The markets closed by 7 - we emerged from one end of the bazaar near the rıver - whıle enquırıng about the Bosphorus cruıse realısed that one was startıng ın 20 mıns - we jumped on board a medıum sızed ferry wıth all our shoppıng bags - we sat on the lower level ınıtıally sınce ıt was ın a lovely tımber fınısh and had massıve wındows. After settlıng ın and havıng a round of chaı ın those lıttle clear glasses we went upstaırs to the open sectıon - ıt wasn't as cold as we had antıcıpated - just cool and breezy. When we got back we stepped out to the very happenıng cafe strewn street near our hotel - and settled ın one wıth a few drınks and a 'sheesha' - apple flavoured. By mıd nıght we were so zonked that our eyes were shuttıng at the bar.

Today - 9th September, 2011

Fınally a good nıghts sleep. Woke up 11-45am !!!! Whıch ısnt so bad ıf you thınk about the fact that we spent the last 2 nıghts on buses (ıncludıng transfers) The gırls wanted to go shoppıng for clothes - so decıded to get on to a hop on hop off cıty tour bus - whıch was nıce - except my headphones dıdnt work half the tıme. I jumped off at Taksım square at about 2 - had a doner sandwıch (I've stopped countıng how many I've had) and then proceeded down the market lane - whıch was swarmıng wıth people. Very good lookıng people!! I bought a couple of gıfts,shot a couple of photographs,had some local ıce cream. Then came back to the square to see where I should hop on agaın - and that's when I saw them... a small troop of rıot police !! - wıth fıbreglass shıelds, gas masks, bullet proof vests, machıne guns - the whole shebang. They fell ınto formatıon - the one guy wıth the walkıe obvıously ın charge. I stepped ınto the pattısserıe nearby to pıck up a snack and hopefully snag a seat outsıde to catch the actıon from the front row - my camera at the ready. I come out a mınute later wıth my patty and tea - and they are gone - nothıng - no sıgn of them - not a skırmısh - not a rubber bullet fıred - peaceful and tourısty as ever. I have a sneaky feelıng ıt mıght have been a drıll.

The trıp has had ıts share of chaos, confusıon, panıc, runnıng, roughıng ıt balanced out wıth the - relaxatıon, chıllıng out, lıvıng ıt up, eatıng well, and long poıntless conversatıons about love and lıfe. The bıts that were well planned turned out very well. We struck gold wıth some of our lıttle hotels (pensyıons). The ımprovısed parts, the last mınute changes and the odd googly that the Gods of travel wıll sometımes throw at you added the adventure. By and large the Turkısh people have been ıncredıbly kınd, warm, and hospıtable. They have often gone out of theır way to help us out. There was Atman - the older supervısor who had ''Aawaara hoon'' as hıs cell phone rıng tone. He was convınced the lyrıcs are - ''.... Atman ka taara hoon.. aawaara hoon.''

There has been the odd obstınate one but that ıs to be expected - besıdes one must make some concessıon for the language barrıer - whıch reared ıts head only slıghtly.

The trıp has also remınded me how much I love travellıng and how I must do ıt more often.

10-58pm

Istanbul

The Show - "v/s"

2007-04-29T14:18:00.001+05:30

Rio de Janiero - March 1st - April 15th, 2006

2007-02-13T09:19:00.000+05:30

Welton do carmo Ferreira

2007-02-13T09:12:00.000+05:30

Roberta Felipe

2007-02-13T09:06:00.000+05:30

2007-02-13T08:59:00.000+05:30

Old is new

2007-02-13T08:41:00.000+05:30

Oribi Gorge and Park

2006-09-30T17:24:00.000+05:30

tired of boring travelogues...? Jul 9th, 2006

2006-09-18T21:59:00.000+05:30

I apologise for the mundane ramblings about the food and the weather and the desert in exotic countries. . .

Here's something you can sink your teeth into -

I JUMPED FROM A PLANE !! ...at 10,000 feet. (with a tall German strapped to my back!!!)

The jump was, without a doubt, the most exhilarating experience of my life.

30 seconds of free fall, and 4 minutes of parachute.

Will write about it in detail later, for now - here are some stills grabbed from the video.

Cheers,

Adil

the saga in the sage brush, Jul 5th, 2006

2006-09-18T21:54:00.000+05:30

Ongiini !!

(for those of you who don't speak Owambo, that's a big HELLO to everybody.)

Chapter 5

Swakopmund is a tiny town, a short drive from Walvis Bay. It looks
like a set from Hollywood - with boutique shops, and brick paved
side-walks and mutant stunted palm trees that max out at a height of 8
or 10 feet. (apparently genetically modified by request of the city
council)

And in this tiny town the shops all close at 5. There isn't much
violence or crime; for that matter, there isn't much of anything going
on. There are some very fine dining options though - and my research
has been thorough. Ah, last night's giant fillet of fish and fresh
salad comes to mind.

I had jotted down a few thoughts about the landscape while on location -
"An unending, straight dirt road stretches out almost north-south,
till the horizon. On one side are wooden poles with electric wires,
some flat land, and then thousands of beautiful undulating hill-sized
sand dunes that stretch westward for miles. On the other side of the
road is a rail track running parallel to the road and then NOTHING.
It's flat parched land as far as the eye can see. Not a tree or bush
anywhere in a 360 deg view, no sign of life, no vegetation....."

Having made these notes - I noticed on the way home that evening, that
my observation was not entirely accurate. Sure, there was no
vegetation around where we were shooting - but a few miles down the
road there were thousands of little bushes - that looked like over
sized brocolli heads - scattered across the land on both sides. They
are called the ink-bush. Very hardy desert scrub. Thorny. And they
grow at the incredible rate of 1 millimetre per year !! So if you
drive over them, well it's just cruel.

I obtained all this cool and bizarre info from Ronald, this very cool
black guy who is a sandboarding instructor - and many time competitor
- during his days - in the world championships!! Ronald has one of
those pointy "goatee only" beards - no moustache. Hey, now that I
think about it - he looks a bit like an African Abraham Lincoln!!!
Gaunt face, skinny frame. Drives a big van (the one he uses to cart
his customers around to the dunes)

Then there is Kyle - this very interesting looking (almost native
American/ islander) - 18 yr old, local sandboarding champ - who almost
broke his arm in a terrible crash yesterday flying off the ramp. (the
attending nurse on set did a terriffic job of fixing him when he
crashed. We were all a bit concerned that there might have been spinal
injury, but in the end it was just a bunch of bruises and a cut near
the elbow caused from the zip on the jacket.) (Just before he got up I
asked him to wiggle his toes.)

(not one to be detered easily - the action director went back to
shooting on the train - and had 4 men throw themselves off a moving
train into the camera!!)

Then there is Collette. The tall, skinny German/Afrikaans white chick
who is taking care of production. She's tall and busy all day -
scurrying about, like a giraffe would, if he was in production and
knew what he was doing.

I spent half the day hanging out of a train - trying to shoot some
action sequences. Over-all it's been a vague day, and I have been in
one of my vague moods.

We have 2 days left here. Lot's of work to finish. It's going to get
hectic and tempers will be flying.

Au revoir

Till we meet again - in the rarefied atmosphere that is this
cyberspace. (I'm rambling, I need to go get a chilled beer.)

adil

sand gets in your eyes, Jul 2, 2006

2006-09-18T19:38:00.000+05:30

Chapter 3 -

I've been in the desert for 5 days now. I think. Loosing track of time.

The shooting has been hectic, but it ends at sunset everyday. I've picked up a tan you could call "well done" - something like the mutton chops I ate last night.

I would hazard a guess that there are exactly 10,803 particles per cubic metre of air, of mica or silica or whatever that shiny stuff is that whirrs around everytime the sand kicks up. We are inhaling it, eating it, absorbing it in our skin, and blinking it out of our eyes all day. It's yummy.

I can say in all modesty that I have taken some stunning landscapes of the dunes already. I came home one night and cropped and downsized one image - that's it - no corrections - it is so nice I made it into my laptop's desktop image - hey - that's an oxymoron.

The weather has been hovering at about 30 deg C, with a cool breeze the last 2 days. I wouldn't mind if it became colder for a bit.

Today after we finished, I walked alone towards the town and asked for the bus to pick me up when they caught up - it was so lovely to walk along the gravel road with the twilight sky burning off on one side, and Hendrix singing gladly in my i-pod. I couldn't have walked much more than a kilometre, but it was serene. I was missing all of you.

Chapter 4 -

Two nights back a whole bunch of us went out at night to TigerReef - a shack bar by the beach - much frequented by Angelina and Brad not many weeks back. The shack is nice, but nothing extraordinary - what is great is the location - it is at a beach head with the cold Atlantic on three sides. Half an hour after that the moon which had been doing a bright shining number decided to turn almost blood red and drop into the horizon. It was unreal. A crimson-pink crescent sinking in slowmotion into a black sea. I had another beer, we sat around the bonfire and chatted with some of the locals.

Last night after my mutton chops I caught a bit of the match at the local pub then trundled across the road to the Swakop Lodge - played a game of pool, won, analysed the ethnic gene pools in the predomonantly white - mostly German and Afrikaans - gathering in the room.(aka - checked out the chicks)

Well, that's it for now folks,

Hopefully I will have some exciting news for you in a few days.

Ciao for now,

Adil

from the interminable flying fish - Fri, Jun 30th, 2006

2006-09-18T17:14:00.000+05:30

Hello hello, and welcome back. .

I'm writing in from Swakopmund, Namibia !! (you'll want to look that
up at - http://www.go2africa.com/namibia/swakopmund-coast/ )

After a relatively uneventful stay back home (India) from mid-April
till mid-June, relative to the most wonderful and glorious month and a
half in Brazil just before that - I'm back on the road, or the plane
as the case might be, once again - all expenses paid, while making
money!! This time in far flung, exotic, ancient Africa.

We are in the last schedule of this movie project that has kept me
fed, housed, clothed and travelled over the last 11 months.

But let us not rush ahead too much.

Chapter 1 - The Adventure Begins -
So, there we were, the last 2 crew members to leave Mumbai for
Johannesburg enroute to Walvisbaai (Namibia). Everthing was fine, we
had an ok flight, 8 1/2 hours. I chatted up a lovely young lady
sitting in front of me. Turned out to be a photographer ... working in
India. . .in the film business ... and living 1/2 a km from my house!!
Ofcourse we bonded.

My fellow crew member and I plonk ourselves in the nicest cafe in the
Jo'burg airport on arrival the next morning: Dark wood n cane
furniture, and gorgeous life sized paper and wire sculptures of birds
and wilder-beests suspended overhead - as we chugged giant mugs of
cappuccino and I slammed a scrambled egg n bacon on toast. We then
sauntered over to the electronics shop and I drooled over some
digi-cams.

Then, at 10-40 we headed over to our gate for boarding - well in time
for our 11 o'clock boarding time, and definitely in time for our 11-30
flight to Walvis Bay. We reach the counter at 10-45, and the attendant
looks at the boarding pass and says "Please take a seat, this is not
your flight."

To cut a long story short - - the line for that flight ended after
10-15 mins, then the counter was empty for 20 mins, and when our
flight listing went off the overhead-display-monitor, we ran to find
out that we had somehow missed the bloody flight!!!! while sitting
infront of the damn gate!!!

Now, thankfully, we both had multiple entry South African visas. So we
came out through immigration, went to find out what hapened to our
bags, then went up to the SAA ticket counter, asked to be booked on
the next flight (same time, next day!!! - which added a whole new
dimension to the level of confusion and expense that lay ahead), there
was a fare difference of Rand 250 per ticket, then went and had a chat
with the manager to explain to her what had happened, and also to tell
her about the fare difference, she was of no help, went back to the
counter, the shift had changed, the new guy said the fare was 490 Rand
each!! The seat booking was confirmed, so I decided that we will
tackle this the next morning.

We came down to the main lobby of the airport, and there I had the
good sense to buy a phone sim card which came bundled with some money
on it. It also dawned on me, while I had already been mulling over the
somewhat distressing fact that no one had given us names, contact
numbers or hotel names of anyone or anything in Namibia - that one of
my dad's best friends is in Jo'burg. So a quick purchase and short
phone call later, we were suddenly sorted!! Uncle sent his chauffer,
we went home, Aunty fed us cake and tea - it was her birthday. Had a
nice hot shower, changed, watched the world-cup, had a drink, had some
home-made dinner, passed out, woke up, got dropped to the airport,
bought the damn ticket - paid R250 each - reached Walvis Bay after
flying over the flattest, dryest, beige-isht land I have ever seen. .
and found our luggage on arrival.

Chapter 2 - The Cradle of Civilisation -

We are shooting in the Namib desert. It is THE oldest desert in the
world. Arguably - mankind - was born here!! (Pls no "creation v/s
evolution" debates here - this a travelogue monologue)

This is raw desert - it's absolutely gorgeous - the sand and sky keep
changing colour all day. There is a crew of about 40+ Indians and
locals - we reach our little base camp at 6-30 am - while it is still
dark - and freezing. It is peak winter right now - southern hemisphere
and all, remember.

The dunes that surround our little camp of tents are HUGE. They block
off the incessant winds - but aren't much help when the dastardly East
wind kicks off. We are expecting a bit of East wind action tomorrow -
the sand gets everywhere!!

Just had a yummy dinner at the Swakopmund Brauhaus - one of the finest
restaurants in a 400 mile radius. Ate some wild game steak and some
sirloin steak, washed down with a local draft.

Ok - it's late - I have to sleep - 5am wake up - spend the day again
on top of a train - it's all quite exciting.

Ciao for now

Your intrepid wanderer in the desert -

Adil

Welcome

2006-09-18T17:08:00.000+05:30

Hi,

Welcome to my Blog.

I have a fairly wonderful life and you can read about it here. . .

Adil

ps- you can see some of my work on www.adiljain.com