THAT FACE REPRESENTS OUR DESH

This post is a part of #WillYouShave activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette.

Before going for any important meeting, any event or any party don't we have a couple of things to check? Right from what to wear. what to carry, if it is for a meeting then ensuring that you have all the important documents and files and if it is for a party then making sure you carry a gift, etc. And when it comes to our Nation doesn't it become important to recheck that check list of ours!
A friend of mine was selected to represent India internationally for a finance event by our College. This event was being hosted in Dubai and there were students from across 20 different countries participating for the same. My friend was one of the lucky ones, although he had had already become a hero by this selection of his among family and friends but he really wanted to win this not just for his sake or for the sake of college but for India, our Nation.
So with great determination he had been preparing for this finance event. This event was held twice previously and both the times we could not win, some blamed the participants, while a few others blamed the casual attitude of Indians towards this event. So this time around everybody had a lot of hopes from my friend was a genius in finance, ask him about share market and he would tell you faster than the time I would take to count form 1 to 10 (NOTE: This simply means that my friend is a genius and NOT that I am dumb, okay?). So yes, we were all hoping that we wins and makes us all proud.
The day of the event arrived, he did an amazing job. He answered all the questions correctly. He made it to the final round; he then had to compete with Australia who had been winning since the past two years. This would be a tough one he thought. Well despite such a tough competition my friend won, yes he did! Our college won! India won!
You know how this was possible not only because he was smart, that's there for sure but also he had proved the Judges wrong as they had expected some dull fellow in his place, who would probably be very lazy, not well dressed and not presentable (especially because of the previous years defeat). To their contrary was this friend of mine, smart (a genius rather), well dressed, highly presentable with a suit coat, clean shaven, formal shoes and stuff. He always preferred to have his beard shaven and especially when it was about his face representing our Desh, he was extra cautious.

MELBOURNE CITY

Melbourne- The most livable city in the world. This title was bestowed to the capital of Victoria, Australia in the year 2011. This by itself shows that it is the city to die for; it is truly my dream city. I haven't visited Melbourne as yet but I would absolutely love to. For only few have had the fortune of visiting the place while the rest of us still dream to experience the culture the city offers.

It is a tourist paradise; it attracts a lot of tourists every year. Besides it has made a mark in the field of education, entertainment, sports, healthcare, research and development. 
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the dream of all aspiring cricketers.

Talking about the entertainment industry in Melbourne, Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's cultural capital. Various Australian dance forms like Melbourne Shuffle and New Vogue have been originated in this Cultural Capital.

Melbourne offers you attractions in all manners, from fine dining to local street joints, from hassle free drive to Great Ocean road which lets you enjoy the drive along the sea and yet the city laneways let you enjoy the local culture of the city. 
From Yarra Valley Vineyard to the clubbing and dines, one can fall short of time to live through all aspects of the city. From the bat ball frame to the bowling game, the city offers it all.

Lovers of art, to lovers of street plays we have a place for all is what the city says. Shopaholics to alcoholics, go on as the city has something for each one of you.
People with busy schedules, go hope on to the Federation Square, as you will witness the history of the city to the charming life of the city, as I mentioned before the city has something for all.
Melbourne Museum and Melbourne Zoo are world renowned, they are a total must visits of this City.
Just ninety minutes away from the city of Melbourne is Peninsula Hot Springs which is the first natural hot springs and day spa center in Victoria.
What one shouldn't miss out on is Eureka Skydeck. It has an awe aspiring view of this beautiful city.
The Flora and Fauna of the city is also to watch out for. For the nature lovers and to watch a penguin Parade (it would be a magical, once in a lifetime experience) must must go to The Philip Island.

Okay I could go on and on talking about this place, I am absolutely in love with the most livable city of the world. I so wish to visit this amazing city. Don't you all?

For more such amazing places in Melbourne you must watch these videos (Come Alive in Melbourne) here and also visit this site- Tourism Victoria Website

And a few others here:
Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove
Boarding Puffing Billy

Also for my lovely readers here is a contest. Answer this simple question here and the best answer gets a voucher worth 500/- Yess! :D

Which of these places would you want to visit in Melbourne and Why?

Comment below with your answer and the best comment gets the voucher! The contest ends on the 4th Jan 2015! Get participating guys.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

This post is a part of the Kinley's Kitna Chain Hota Hai Na Sachchai Mein Campaign announced by IndiBlogger.

There is a very famous saying, Honesty is the Best Policy. As a kid we would have done hundreds of stories with this moral that no matter what being honest is always rewarded and one must always speak the truth. The question is how many of us actually implement this? How many of us actually always speak the truth no matter what? There are instances where speaking the truth is not in favor don’t we mould the truth then? Well yes, we do! We lie because speaking the truth always is not as easy as it seems. However I strongly believe that telling the truth is always the right thing to do even if it is bitter, it is anyway better than lying for one may escape by lying now but on the Judgment Day we will have to pay for all our deeds. Yes this may sound spiritual but that’s how life is, isn't it?

So here is an instance where telling the truth was the right thing to do:

This happened long back in the 5^th Standard. My ranks were decent and I had a good image with the teachers and fellow classmates. We were all preparing for our Finals and we were all much tensed (going to think of it now it’s funny that fifth standard finals could get somebody tensed but yes that’s how it was then). Our finals were to start from the 1^st of April (I distinctly remember it, you would know why :P), the preparations had begun and our school declared two days study leave all, including the 5^th Graders. What happened then was I along with a group of friends decided to fool a few classmates with no wrong intentions but simply because it was April Fool’s Day and we then didn't understand the consequence of our mischief. So what we did was called two of our classmates who we thought would believe us and told them that there was no exam on the 1^st and that the paper was postponed to the next day. She got freaked out and she spread the word, she actually told almost half the class. Well ultimately the teacher got to know too and then began the hunt for finding the culprit; the person who called was caught and punished. In fact my entire group was punished apart from me as I told you all I had been in the good books of my teachers. But I couldn't let my friends suffer alone for this idea was mine and for the lovely friends that I had they didn't even mind me not getting not punished but I was guilty of my mischief for it landed up to a different level altogether and I couldn't, just couldn't let my friends suffer alone.

I spoke the truth. I stood up for what I thought was right. I took charge of my deed and I took the punishment as I was guilty. Had I not done that I would have probably escaped the punishment but wouldn't I be wrong in the eyes of my friends, in my own eyes? So yes this is one instance where I thought speaking the truth was the right thing to do.

Watch this Kinley 2014 TVC here-

GIVEAWAY TIME

Hey lovelies!Hope you all have had a Merry Christmas and I am sure Santa would have given you all ample of gifts! No? Not many? None? Don't worry, here is a chance for you to win yourself a gold cuff, yes! Want to know how?Well this Giveaway is by Trinket Treasures and since Christmas is all about sharing and giving gifts, thus this giveaway.You must check out this amazing giveaway. GO TO http://instagram.com/trinkettreasuresindia NOWFollow @trinkettreasuresindia on Instagram and participate in the giveaway. This Giveaway ends on 31st December. HURRY! PARTICIPATE NOW!

P.S: Guess what my blog post got listed on Listly by Strepsils, Woahoo!Check it out here- 5 times when you should 'RAISE YOUR VOICE'  (5th on the list, When a bit of moral cleansing was the only thing needed. Blog post link is here- Exercising The Power Of Our Voice) Do read it :*

BABY LIPS ELECTRO LIP BALM REVIEW

Hey Folks! Merry Christmas :D

Well it's almost Christmas and all my readers do deserve a little present no? Stay tuned for the next post as I am going to announce a giveaway and contests for you all lovely people out there. (Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way.. It seems Santa is already here, doesn't it?)

As promised here is the review of the latest in lip balms- Maybelline's Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm.

Have a look at it here (I bought them in Two shades)

(Picture Credits: Amazon.com)

SHADE 1: STRIKE A ROSE

SHADE 2: BERRY BOMB

Available in a total of 6 colors. There are 4 very trendy  neon colors like neon orange, yellows, greens and pink shock!

Why is it a must have?

Well these lovely lip balms provide 8 hours moisture and are available in such nice neon colors that you cannot help but have them. The moment I saw them I got mad crazy and I just took all the shades they had there (unfortunately they had only these two at that time). 

I love love these two shades, they are very trendy. In fact I love how they look more than anything, its packaging is too cute, don't you agree girls? So yes, they are very pretty looking and have an amazing fragrance. They actually smell of berry and rose. Mild fragrances but perfect for a lip balm.

The neon colors are bright and very lively, they add the much needed neon pop in ones lives and yes it being Christmas and New Year Eve being just around the corner, they are a must have! 

Pros:

- Cute packaging

- Clinical care with a neon kick

- 8 hours Moisture

- Lovely neon colors available

- Mild and a nice fragrance

Cons:

- They aren't easily available

(I got mine from France for 3.99 Euros Each. I tried looking for them in Mumbai, India but to no avail. However I looked up online and what I saw was Flipkart and Nykaa.com had them for a reasonable price but they weren't in stock)

You must check out Nykaa.com (Click here), the last time I checked for it it was available in yellow and that too only for INR 115 and the others although out of stock are priced at INR 140.

One place where you are sure to get them would be on Amazon and Junglee.com

- Although these neon lip balms are very neon looking but on application the color doesn't show that much. 

Should you buy them?

Well without fail! I have already bought mine and I think every girl must have such lovely neon pops in their stack. They come with a very cute packaging also so yes GO BUY THEM !

P.S: GIVEAWAY & CONTEST COMING SOON, Stay Tuned :)

Ciao!

SNEAK PEEK

Hello lovelies!
It's been a rather hectic time on the blog, I have been doing many posts for various campaigns lately, have you read them as yet or not? Right from Road Safety to How to Overcome Fear I have written for a lot of these campaigns, go read them now..

Well I am also back to my usual job now :) I am soon going to be having a product review for all you lovelies out there! I have been wanting to review this since the time I bought them but I just haven't found time. It's Maybelline's Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm, ain't it the most talked about product lately?

Stay tuned. I am going to review it real soon :)

VACATION TIME

Hey everybody, it’s that time of the year which is best spent with loved ones, be it family or friends. With Christmas being just a week away and New Year plans already being made and with schools and colleges shutting for winter break, it’s time to plan a vacation, Yayy!

As a kid I loved going for vacations, be it to my Nani’s house or to some hill station or any foreign country. Irrespective of where we went, I totally enjoyed every vacation I went for. Not like now I don’t but back then it was a lot different. Little joys that one gets as a kid are so much different and well I admit they are a lot better too. The innocence of a kid knows absolutely nothing; it’s amazing how a kid can enjoy all the little things which we often tend to ignore.

In my opinion a best family vacation is the one which has all family members. Well yes, the kids included. I remember when I was a kid and if ever my parents were to go on a vacation without me, I used to feel so bad that once I even fell sick and well my parents were forced to return. So yes, kids love going for vacations and they add a different charm to it altogether. A child’s innocence, his positive attitude and his enthusiasm is to a different level altogether.

Kids are so much more energetic and curious as compared to adults. I happen to go with my little nephew to a water park. There was this really giant ride (well, I am hydrophobic and yes kids were allowed for that ride; so yes you can have all sorts of opinion formed as to how giant the ride actually was :P) I was almost certain of not going for it but that little kid was so curious. He literally grabbed my hand and said that I must go along with him. He had this whole new way of seeing that ride which pretty much convinced me as well.  I distinctly remember him telling me that the ride was nothing different from a slide that he sits on everyday in the park with the only difference being that Superman had managed to get the slide to his bathroom for he had been a good boy and now he needn't go to the park anymore for the same. This is how differently a kid sees and it’s truly amazing is what I believe.

It’s not just said that getting old is natural and bound to happen but staying young at heart is what the real challenge is. Everybody loves the spark children have and the time spent with them during any vacation is the best, such memories are always cherished by all. 

The above  post is a part of Teddy Travelogues Campaign by Club Mahindra in association with IndiBlogger.
Here is the link- http://membership.clubmahindra.com/TeddyTravelogues/index.html

MOUNTAIN DEW CAMPAIGN- Rise Above Fear

This post is a part of Mountain Dew Campaign in association with IndiBlogger. Here is the link to its Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/mountaindewindia

Fear is such a strong emotion. Some think Fear is dreadful while some believe fear is what keeps a person going. Well in my opinion, if one doesn't overcome fear then it can be dreadful while otherwise it is needed. Fear has a potential of motivating as it is a fact. It is with the fear of failing that a child studies, it is with the fear of putting on weight and being ridiculed that a fat girl diets. So yes, fear has its good and bad both. I truly believe that one must take risks in life. There is a saying that if you haven’t ever failed in life it means that you haven’t dared to do anything different. Fear of losing, fear of failure is obvious but Daar ke aage baro kyunki Daar ke aage jeet hai (Rise above fear).

Here is how I overcame my fear and achieved success:

Before I even start telling you all my story, let me put a disclaimer that my fear wasn't really a big one but yes back then when I was I kid this is one thing that I really was afraid of.

When I was a kid like really very young say probably in 2^nd or 3^rd standard, I was a couch potato. I did nothing apart from watching TV and eating. Not like I was fat but exercising or playing games wasn't my thing. In fact to an extent I used to always get punished by my Physical Training and Games Teacher. I cared very little or at least I pretended to not care. That’s how it is in school, right? The more you cry the more fun people make of you. All the crying sessions happened at home.

What happened was my School was celebrating its 25^th Anniversary back then and they made it compulsory for all students to participate in their Grand Sports Day Events. My name was forcefully put in multiple events like balancing of lemon with a spoon, sack race, 100 meter race and some shoe race. I was horrified. I just did not want to do it. I had fear of people making fun of me if I fall, I had a fear that I will lose, actually honestly I did not even consider winning, I just didn't want to come last. Frankly speaking finishing the race itself was a challenge. (Well don’t judge me, I was a kid then)

I ran almost all races forcefully, I cried so much before every race I ran. Out of 4, I had finished 3 and I came either last or second last in all. I should have been happy that I completed the race at least which I had doubted earlier but no I just wasn't satisfied. After the 3^rd race, I gave up. I refused to run the last one. My mother and my class teacher both insisted I run this one, after a lot of melodrama I finally ran and you won’t believe I came second in that one, really. I still have that silver medal with me. Every time I look at it, I feel so proud. To most of my friends, it meant nothing as they had trophies and gold medals to show off but to me it actually meant a lot, it still does. It’s a lesson that I have learned for life that Quitters never win and Winners never quit.

So that’s my story of taking risk (in my own way) and overcoming fear and finally achieving success, Woahh!

Watch Arya's journey from Fear to Victory (in Tamil) here-

ROAD SAFETY

This post is a part of a The Nissan Safety Driving Forum announced by IndiBlogger to ensure road safety.

Each morning there is a new road accident that I learn about and mind it, the new one being worse than the previous. We need to change this, it's time that road safety is given it's due importance and is not taken for granted like how it has been since like forever.

Okay so let's get talking about what really happens when we are on the road, why do we suddenly turn into hooligans? Why is rash driving cool and driving at the prescribed speed limit considered not so swaggy, huh? 

Wearing a seat belt only when you see a cop is the thing to do, isn't it?

How difficult is this Drink but Don't Drive and Drive when you are Not Drunk. It is no rocket science but it still doesn't get in the head, god knows why! 

Have an urgent call to attend, you may! Your car comes with a break in case you didn't know. You can stop it and attend that urgent call of yours.

I see all Indians having some or the other good luck charm with them in the car either an evil eye, a God's picture or something or the other. Well if you care so much about your life that you need luck while you drive so why don't you follow laws? Why do you start your car when the Signal is Red, isn't that supposed to mean Stop and not go?

Broke a signal and got caught? Didn't wear your seat belt and got caught? Forgot to wear your helmet and got caught? Paying a bribe and getting away is a usual affair, ain't I right?

Well folks, it's time we thought about our lives, our families, our friends, others on the road, other motorists and pedestrians. Following safety measures is the right thing to do. It is fine if your friend doesn't think you are cool if you don't drive fast. You might as well be ridiculed than rather be guilty of someone's life. Your life matters. Care about your family, other motorists as well. Your fun can take someones life away and that won't be funny. Remember your responsibility on the road is not just towards one's own self but also to the other motorists and pedestrians.

Simply by following all traffic rules, wearing a helmet, putting a seat belt, stopping when the signal is red one can ensure road safety. It's that simple.

Be safe. Drive safe.

Have a look at this campaign started in public interest here. The aim of this campaign is to ensure safety on the roads and to bring about the much needed change in the mindset of people.