Friday, June 7, 2019

Opal card auto top up not working

I downloaded Opal card app from Apple store and started checking balance on it. When time came to recharge, online app does not take my credit card, despite my multiple tries.
It said something like "your payment method is not valid"

I went to desktop site and to my surprise it said my card is not registered.  I registered it then put the same payment details on it and set up the auto payment method.

I felt for some reason first you have to set up auto payment on a desktop site before using your app on iphone.

hope it helps.

Vodafone Australia Visual Voicemail (for iPhone) setup

https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/voicemail

I tried all the instructions to setup my voicemail in Vodafone Australia link (mentioned above), still my calls never got routed to my digital voice mail. I went through YouTube videos, called customer care and went the Vodafone shop, none were able to figure it out.

After few hit and trials, I figured out the solution...

Step 1: Go to Account settings in your Vodafone Australia app
Step 2: Go to calls and service settings
Step 3: In call forwarding
            select radio button 'in specific situations'
            when unanswered after you select  'forward to voicemail'
            Activate after and select < some time frame>   e.g.,  5 seconds.
            ( I never selected any time frame)


This solved my problem.   Hope it helps you guys.
       



Friday, March 6, 2015

H1B extension | Matamoros, Mexico


It all started when I decided to extend my H1B visa which expired last year (2014). Everything happened in less than 10 days.    I completed my DS 160 online took an appointment in Matamoros, Mexico consulate then booked flight tickets.

Note: If you can get ASC finger printing ( 8 AM) and Visa interview ( 8: 30 AM) on same date go for it.  It will save you time and money and it can be done on same day.

Day 1 (March 2nd Monday):
I took an early morning flight to Houston.  I woke up at 4 AM, which made me sleep like log in the 2 hour long flight.  From there I took connecting flight to Brownsville, TX it’s a 50 min flight.   As instructed by Salvador I took a cab to greyhound bus station which took about 15 min it costed $17 USD.  I stood at subway and Salvador picked me up after a 5 min wait time.
He drove me directly to his hotel, Best Western (Plaza Hotel), in Mexico.  He gave me a room on 4th floor, which even I preferred, for the cell phone signal quality.  Settled in the room,  had my lunch. The chef’s name is Francis, he is very friendly guy.  I had fajita it was good.  After that, I went straight back to my room and slept as I was super tired.   Woke up had dinner and slept after watching some TV.

Day 2 (March 3rd Tuesday)
I woke up at 7 AM had breakfast and got ready by 7: 45 AM. The ASC finger print center was 5 min drive from the hotel.  I was the first guy there my appointment was at 8 AM. They checked my DS 160, passport and some guy ushered me to another hall there was zero wait time. Gave finger prints and photo and was back in car in say 4 min. Back to hotel, again eat-sleep-TV-internet cycle.
Day 3 (March 4th Wednesday)
I woke up at 7 AM and was ready by 7: 45 AM this time I waited in the room till 8: 15 AM until Salvador’s assistant called me to say that he was ready.  I went to US consulate at 8: 25 AM they let me through a metal detector. At reception area they asked me  
1. I 797  
2. I 129
3. My passport.
 I presented all three.
They gave me a token number of 1103.  I went into the hall where there were like 50 empty seats.  They called me say less than 3 min.  There were 8 counters operational at that day.   Extreme right ones were for initial data entry.  The lady in counter asked my address, phone number and entered data from my I 797 and I 129.   It took about 3 min.   I was asked to move to extreme left counters for visa interview.  There was small queue, say about 7 people (3 different families) before me. I was called in less than 3 min. The visa counselor looked Chinese. She never asked me any questions.  First thing out of her mouth was we are issuing you visa, slam-dunk!! I was expecting it so I was not that excited.  My case is pretty straight forward. My H1B expired last April but all other things are valid and unchanged and I work for a global software giant.   
Back to hotel, had lunch check out of hotel and I was dropped at Mexico US border by my hotel staff (where I stayed).  I walked about 10 min to the US I-94 process center.  Before that I paid 30 US cents toll on Mexican side.    In the process center,  I sat for say 30 minutes.  One officer called me by my name (I submitted my passport earlier and was asked to sit).  

Officer asked my  
1         I 197
2         Old passport, in which,  I had my valid visa
3         My driver’s license;

He asked me

1.       Why I was in Mexico  
2.       What is my nature of work
3.       If I have any violations or legal issues
4.       Where my work place is    

He interviewed me, about 4 minutes asked for 6 USD as I-94 issue fee.  Surprisingly he gave us a printed old I-94 paper to be stapled in our passport.  *in my head* fine, as long as it works.  He escorted us (not always necessary) out of the office, helped us to cut long line. I appreciated his gesture.
Back in USA, later that evening I took flight back to my home city.  I saved lot of money and time by choosing Mexico over Canada, it was hassle free. All in all, comfortable, safe and fast trip

You can email me at kalyan.turaga@gmail.com for any questions.  I cannot promise I can answer your questions or respond to your emails. I can give you my opinion to the best of my knowledge, if I choose to do so... 


I was in Best Western hotel plaza. Well known, Mr. Salvador took good care of me. I recommend his services.
Site: https://mexicovisaservice.appspot.com/

Monday, November 3, 2014

Idly grinders in USA

Any 550 Watt mixer and grinder will do well in USA for grinding Idly and Dosa batter. Make sure that you do not grind more than 2 lb stuff in that.

I had been using it for close to year now on twice-a-week basis. Its perfectly working fine.
I see no reason why I should buy a 200$ desi Idly wet grinder or get it from India.

Do not pain yourself.  I use a Black and Decker 550 W Juicer, does the job good.









Key words: 
idly wet grinder, idly grinder, idli, idli grinder, idli wet grinder, wet grinder.  Making idly in USA, Idli USA, Wet grinder USA, Dosa 

Raising idly plates in a pressure cooker or a long vessel

I know its a pain to get breakfast for a first generation desi in US (read abroad).  I am not a big fan of idly but realized that its simple, healthy ( chemical free) and economic Southie food you can make.

I am not here to give you tips on how to make good idly, you have plenty sites online. I am here to share my experience on idly making.


  1. I find idly-ies come fluffy and soft if you let them stay in a conventional oven which is preheated to about 170 degrees
  2. While you are grinding the idly batter let it be more viscous( liquid) than hard. Idly-ies will come smooth and soft
  3. To raise idly plates in cooker take off the two side of any tin (which you get get in Walmart e.g., Any bean tin) and cover it completely and thoroughly with aluminum foil-See picture 1 (if not it will rust and make marks on in your cooker bottom-see picture 2-  and Idly-ies might get contaminated) and place it as a pedestal or stand for the idly plates. This way water will not get onto the Idly-ies during the cooking process. 









Key words:
idli, idli in pressure cooker, idli tips, idly, idly making, idly stand, Idly stand in cooker, making good idly, idly making tips, tips pressure cooker, idly in pressure cooker. 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Madras Cafe: My review



Madras Cafe: My review

Director Shoojit Sircar made an excellent movie in the back drop of Sri lankan civil war. This movie made me feel deeply connected to the scenes and made me rethink on things generally taken for granted.

I had been seeing, reading, listening about the Eelam struggle since early 80's this might be one of the reasons I instantly got connected to the movie.

During and after the movie, I was involuntarily thinking about..
  • Ideologies vis-a-vis innocent civilians
  • Foot soldiers vis-a-vis top brass
  • Human desires, emotions Vis-a-vis  system, its fallacy and exisitance of a country
  • Shock-waves set after moves made by phantom capital forces
Albeit I know its a movie, watching it is more like a NatGeo documentary. I felt an emotional upsurge on multiple scenes of the movie.  Screenplay at times, shook my thought process. Made me think in the lines of ... how connected we are in this global world, how petty human life is, how few powerful people run these geo-politics, how Capital-polity-intelligence community- media-security forces-human life are tightly intertwined. 

Did I like the movie ? I do not know. Do I want to watch the movie again?  No.  Is the movie made well? Damn good. It has shaken my conscience like a good book. 


Conclusion:  Cinema is still a very powerful media. I felt, this movie has raised the bar of "quality of movie" in  Bollywood.  


For more read:


Friday, January 4, 2013

Tips to get passport appointment ...


Tips to get passport appointment ....

1. You log into the passport.gov.in at 3 50 pm, go till get appointment page, wait till 4 pm (refresh page if neccessary)
2. Click on middle day appointment not starting or ending
3. If you have multiple appointments use multiple laptops