Twycross zoo adventure!

When we went to United Kingdom, we planned to pay a visit to a nearby zoo, Twycross zoo. It so happened that we didn't had our own conveyance so we planned our trip by the public transport - bus. We checked all bus timings and set on a trip.

The start was as we expected, super fun and thrilling in the chilly cold weather. We knew just enough to reach there by bus and come back by the same bus. So, after we got down from the bus, we kept track of our time and had an awesome-super time visiting that zoo(Oh yes, it was our first visit as parents and first visit for our little girl).

We saw amazing animals, never seen before, never heard of them before! Some were big, some were very small. But the variety was amazing. Just like our little one, we were equally thrilled to encounter such animals ever.

We were done visiting all animals at our decided time and then we went out to wait for our bus. It was cold. More than we expected and more than we could bear in our super-layered clothes. It was getting late. We waited patiently for more than half an hour but there was no sign of the bus. We tried to survey the area in the mean time and to our disappointment, we found out that there was no other mode of conveyance available there. Just the private cars. But taking life from strangers, well, our mummy had strictly told us, not to take lift from strangers. So, that was out o question.

It was a excluded area, outside the city. Full of forest area. Almost no population around where you could actually go to seek help. There was no sign of the bus.

We were more than worried as our daughter was getting uncomfortable by the minute. We were unable to see how we are going to reach to our house. Then only  a zoo staff crossed us and an idea crossed our mind.

I ran to her asked if we could get a taxi or something to reach our destination. To our good luck, she told us that we could go to the customer service desk and they would call for a taxi. Swoooosshhh. Okay. So we went inside and looked for that customer care desk. Thank goodness that they did call a cab and it said that it will come within ten minutes and pick us up. We thanked them, blessed them in our hearts and went out.

Within ten minutes, the cab came. But the story didn't end here. We asked the cab to leave us mid-way from where we had an easy access to our city. But all the roads leading to that place were either blocked or under construction. After so many turns and u-turns, the cab person left us at the nearest possible location. God by our side, we did see one of the bus going to our destination standing there. We happily boarded on to the bus and happily reached home.

It was some day. We had an awesome time seeing animals and I guess God had an awesome time seeing us, all troubled and scared and helpless. Thank God, he came to our rescue!

Papa-Betu!

I am not sure about others but for me being a father is an expensive affair. The expensive is not money-wise. Expensive is being less-time-spent with my little daughter.

I am not a house-father and my work makes me travel across my boundaries pretty much. This distance keeps me away from her. She is just little and she just knows that her papa has gone to look for her new doll. It's sad to part with her. Even if it is for a little while.

When I see her mom, who for our daughter's sake is on a long leave, sometimes I do wonder. How life would be at that front. If I had so much courage to leave my job and sit back at home to take care of our child. But of course, I would have had more patience than her, or is it just my imagination! Even if I try to picture myself putting in her shoes, it's difficult for me picture me at her front.

But one thing was certain if I had to take her place, I would have had much more Papa-Betu time for me. May be I would give her some more kisses, hugs and love!

Or maybe I would have lost my patience and lose whatever I have!

I don't know but of course how much ever time I get as Papa-Betu time, its the most precious and content time for me and I thank you Mrs Ranjan for handling everything so well and in a perfect manner.

Signing Off,
Mr Ranjan

Kids, Parents and Electronics!

If not all, many parent would agree to me, that more than anything, they hate their kids using TV/Laptops/Tablets/mobile phones but still they are dependent on them. I am no different. I don't want my child to use any of these electronic equipments, more I ask her to use.

We have shrunk down from joint family to nuclear families. I personally feel that it is for better as I wonder if anyone wants to compromise on their way of living and adjust with a big family. I can't. But at the same time, looking at my child, who is so dependent on these electronic gadgets, I wonder if I am in loss?

When we are at my place, I don't get to use my phone. She doesn't even take or make any important calls. She is barely three but she takes charge of it. She knows how to open/go to YouTube/her games. I personally feel, it's nothing to be proud off. I am actually sorry about exposing her to this field at this early age. If not phone, she wants her channel or she wants the tablet or laptop to sit and keep her entertained. Her toys just lie around, untouched, not-played-with.

I take the responsibility of having done the harm at this early age. My work, my house, lack of people around and concern for her safety(as if she is not busy, she will be doing something and if I am not watching, you never know!)

Whenever we visit our relatives' place, the same girl who can't live without phone/TV/Laptop/Tablet wouldn't even look at it. She doesn't stop playing till she actually drops down on bed and sleep through the night. She wakes up on time, eats right and laugh a lot. She is definitely a very very happy kid in her cousins group. Friends' group at my place has a limitation of time, as she can meet them just for an hour or so but with cousins, being at same house, you play alllll the time. They read together, learn together, eat together, laugh together, cry together, fight a lot...together and play..play..play!

I hardly need to handle her, she gets handle all by herself. But of course, that is temporary as when we are back to the square one, she gets back to her electronic gadgets and me wondering...if I am growing her the right way?

Signing off, 

Mrs. Ranjan

How to make online account for Passport!

Passport application has become a simple process these days. It has become simpler partially because the agents have been removed from the front and we get to deal with the passport office direct. Not that these agents are not available these days, if at all you have goggled 'passport agents', you will know. But yes, they can only help you in the "ONLINE process". In the steps following online application submission and scheduling the appointment, they can't help even a bit. 

The online process is very..very simple and anybody with basic computer skill can do it. Let me elaborate the procedure for you:

Go to the page - http://www.passportindia.gov.in/

Then you need to click on the "New Users" button:

You will be directed to this page:

On this page, you need to fill in the basic informations. 

Passport Office : Its a drop down  button where you select the place you are going to apply passport from. Like if I stay in Pune, I will apply from Pune. 

Given Name: It is combination of your first and middle name. 

Surname: It's not required or essential. Like I don't use a last name so I will keep that area blank.

Date of Birth: It's self explanatory.

Email Id: This is the id where you will receive communication from the passport office. So, fill this part carefully.

Login Id: It's better that you keep your login Id as your user name, but if its not accepting, you can create another login name with your name and current date or any unique combination which is already not taken. (Don't forget to write it down somewhere for further use.)

Password: Write a password and keep it secret. 

Re-enter the password: To confirm your given password. 

Hint Question : This is to help you recover your password/account.

Hint Answer: This would answer the question you selected above this.

Enter Character display: Enter what you see.

The filled form will look something like this. 

Once you are done here, you can just click on the "Register" button.

After this you just need to download the pdf file and fill in your data. You need to validate and save your pdf, its gets saved in xml format, which is the required format for uploading the saved file. I will illustrate that in next blog of mine. 

Till then, be informed, be smart!

Re-issue of Passport!

 Reissue of passport is an easy affair these days. But there are rules which you need to follow. When I did it for my wife, we had some issues with her re-issue of passport, under the tatkal scheme.

Let me elaborate the problem:

My wife had to re-issue her passport and we really needed urgently. Luckily, government provides a 'tatkal' option which delivers the passport really fast. This is what I have heard and read all over the net. Document required was very very minimal in case of reissue.

Our case was:

> Expiry of passport with in a year,
> Address change
> Addition of spouse name!

For all these the basic document required was:

> Permanent address proof,
> Marriage Certificate,
> 10th certificate,
> Passport photocopy!

The catch here is that the permanent address proof should be on the name of my wife. Something on my name and the marriage certificate doesn't work in case of tatkal process. It might work for normal process.

We got stuck here and we had to produce an evidence on her name, reschedule the appointment, which is still under process.

So, whoever is going to apply for a "TATKAL PASSPORT",  make sure the person who is applying(if address change is required), address proof must be on his/her name. That's a must!

Twycross Zoo!

The more I used to go to the zoo, more I like going there with my daughter. Where ever I go, first place I try to visit is the zoo/farms/SeaWorld aquariums. 

Recently I visited Twycross Zoo, Leicester, United Kingdom and I was awe by the varieties of monkeys in that zoo. We also got to see a glimpse of a ferocious leopard and sweet little Meerkats. It was a pleasant visit as we got to see some amazing animals posing for us to get clicked. Here are some pictures from the Twycross zoo.

Me & my daughter

Orangutans

Meerkats

Meerkats

Chimpanzees

Penguins being fed

Rat like animal

Flamingos

Rooster

Some Bird

Owl

Ganesh Mandir in Twycross zoo.

It was such a surprising pleasant encounter.

Elephants

That's turtle....a biggg one. Though it was its sleep time.

Close-up of the sleeping turtle.

Biggg turtle.

Deers

A glimpse of the shy Leopard 

There were many many more animals to entertain you and your kid but these few entertained us a lot.  There were many we don't remember their names or haven't even imagines that such an animal exists. Our kid was extremely happy and thrilled to see all these animals. It so happened that this was her first ever zoo which she visited. How Many Ever, zoos we go, this one will always remain the special one for us as this was our first as parents and first ever for our daughter. 

Queue's encounter!

It's an online era but still there are many times when you just can't help but stand in a queue. Whenever I have stood in a queue, I have met some strange elements.

Today's encounter was in Pune passport office:

This queue was to get the tatkal passport applications verified from the respected APO madam but in queue were others as well, who had some issues in getting their application cleared.

So, just before me, was a man in his thirties and just before him was a very tall and beautiful and sophisticated lady. This gentleman looked like a well educated person in his thirties who had applied for passport for his one year old baby. I still don't know if he was trying to impress that lady ahead him or he is generally like that.

This is what happened:

As the line was moving at a snail's speed, people were getting themselves involved in chit-chatting with each other. This man started talking on phone. He was saying, "They are not approving, you go to bank get my passbook..bla blaa bla!" It seemed he was not getting much of help. So, he started pouring his heart out in front of that lady. This gentleman had booked his and his family's tickets for Australia visit but he didn't had passport for his little one. He had all documents but still were not the ones which the passport office was looking for tatkal passport approval. He was annoyed and at last he called for his last hope.

He called, "Arre this is not visa office where I deal with sophisticated people...here are some damn Indians who just know how to trouble people. They can't see ...hello..hello!"

That person hung up on him. Which I thought in mind, was an obvious reaction! All I wanted to do was to slap him across his face and send him back. If there are some ways to help you, you need to equally cooperate and not just be a snob to call names because you are not being served as you expected. Plus how can you be an Indian and still use this as a 'gali'(abusive language!)

If you can't respect your own country, you are just the person who should be thrown out of this country. I think India can do good without such *%$#@. 

Jai India!