Book Review- The Shooting Star

This is a travel book written by a solo woman backpacker from India. That itself makes it unique. And it is. It describes an urge many of us might have had to chuck it all, and just travel around the world..or, go on a world cruise, as a post-retirement dream. The fact is, Shivya Nath is doing the former, after chucking her job and convincing (!!) her parents that this is OK.

Her descriptions of people and places as far as South and Central America, and some from our own country (tribal Orissa, Rann of Kutch) are fascinating, because mostly, she avoids the routine and goes and finds a place in the heart of the people she meets. One that I liked the best was her experience of living with a cacao-growing family, and getting addicted to unadulterated (with sugar and milk) chocolate! A volcanic crater lake (a pic is included) which she walked around reminded me of a visit to Lonar, a lake formed by a meteorite crater. Her take on veganism as a cause is heartfelt, though not many of us can take to it easily-no cheese pizza is hard to imagine, right?

A must-read for any traveller (even an armchair one), this is one book that'll stay with me for a while. She also has a travel blog called The Shooting Star.

Monarchy in Modern Times

This is triggered by the visit of William and Kate (just found that it is short for Kathryn, many years after that lesson called Late Kate in school). Why is it that we (England in this case) persist with Kings and Queens in a democracy?

The urge to have a Messiah, a figure that is larger-than-life, perhaps? But God already serves that purpose for most of us in most faiths. So why is it that we need a King/Queen?

Not that I would mind being a  King. I feel qualified too, because my name at home is an exact translation of the word. And who wouldn't want a bit of extra-constitutional authority and a limitless expense account? Or to be waited upon by the likes of Tendulkar and Vengsarkar (at the Mumbai Oval maidan yesterday), or maybe Aishwarya Rai (yet to happen in this case)?

There's more. I could probably send little notes to the Head of the Nation (the one who people elected) on what I think he should be doing in various spheres that I knew nothing about. Not to mention the numerous meaningless inaugurations and speeches I could try my hand at, when I was not attending Grand Balls, receptions or just good old parties, and having a good time. Who wants an account in Panama when you can have it all right where you are?

Long Live the Queens, and Kings.