Well, It has been ages since i last put my fingers on the keyboard. So, it actually feels very nice to be writing something.
Last 3 months have been nothing less than very very eventful for me, both personally and professionally. Faced a lot of situations where i was supposed to make some very crucial decisions (I hope i exercised good judgment)
Well to come to the point, One of the most important decisions in my life has been taken, that of getting married (which could also be written as - losing freedom or 'end of life' in some parts of the world), but to make it easier for everyone I have written getting married. Its happening and its happening now. On the 4th of November of this year my marital status would change. I cant say i am not excited, I am, totally excited. More so because in 6 years of having a girlfriend, all i wanted to do was get married to her. So, its happening now and i don't want to take anything away from the occasion (though for someone as fiercely independent as me, I simply do not know, how to react to this situation.
Ok, that was the nuptials part, now comes the professional front. Change of job....yeahhh,, the kind i was waiting for,,it just popped in front of me from nowhere and I grabbed it with both hands. So now I have a New Job, New House, New Car and within a weeks time, a New(obviously)Wife and and and a new relationship Status - "MARRIED".
Looks like my hands are already full with the stuff that I have accomplished and also the stuff that has to happen.
For sure blogging and writing would have to take a backseat for now.
Will write back in a few days,,,,by then i would be a different person...
ciao
Just Did It
Jason Statham, Vin Diesel and Bruce Willis have always been regarded as the ‘tough’ guys, the guys with the most natural ‘do-not-mess-with-me’ looks. They bomb cities, destroy distant planets, almost kill bad guy gangs with bare knuckles and most of the times save humanity from evil forces. But never do we the audiences get a whiff that it is staged, these guys are so natural. What makes them so natural? I think it has a little, if not much to do with the looks – THE BALD LOOKS.
Many will start questioning, since when did I become such a fan of the bald looks that I am dedicating a post to it? Well, my answer is, the transition just happened.
Seven years of seeing your pate being more and more visible and shiny day by day was excruciating, for the lack of better words. All possible rituals were followed. From oiling before sleep, to applying beer and yoghurt and I can just imagine the situation in which my roommates used to be because of the stench. I rubbed my finger nails against each other to the point of almost wearing them off. I scheduled haircuts depending upon the moon movements and I also endlessly searched google for some magic potion to avoid hairfall.
But now that I am grown up and a bit wiser with much lesser hair, i realized that the only way to be happy and free of any tensions is going all the way.
So, on the fateful day of 27th July, Sunday, I surrendered myself to the grinning barber, and his razor.
Till he carved out a Broadway on the centre of the thinning forest I was apprehensive, almost gave up the idea and could feel beads of sweat on my brows. It took almost 10 mins for him to show me the shining glory. And was I impressed?? Damm yes..i was.
It was a perfect shave, my scalp so fair it could have given any Caucasian a run for his money. I was looking good, much better than I had imagined and I was confident enough and ready to flaunt it. The reactions from those I met varied from surprise to shrieks.
Office the next day was fun, few people couldn’t recognize me at first, and questions on the purpose of this look and my mental state were raised.
But, the one person who matters the most to me is very happy, loving it and feeling proud of the ballsy move. That person is myself. Now, I don’t care what people think, since I got it done, I faced no expert comments on ‘stages of male baldness’ and possible remedies.
I am happy, feeling almost Bekhamesque with his oft bald head and enjoying the fact that its so low-maintenance.
So, I have found a great amount of satisfaction by as they say, facing the demons. The thing I have been so scared of historically, has given me a new shot in the arm. May be the reason is that I did not let the enemy storm my territory but I met it halfway. That’s so heartening. So, this is the way forward, even if not for always but yes a great alternative.
Aah the feeling of moving your hand over your head, till recently a luxury, I thought was reserved for people having great hair. Thanks friends for so many comments on my new ‘shining’ pics.
Ciao
Special Thanks
No, I am not suffering from Spiti mania. But I would not be doing justice to this wonderful trip I made if I fail to acknowledge a few things, which made it all the more exciting. I can go to the point of saying that these were a bunch, which helped make this journey happen.
1) The Book: Quite literally, this one was the source. Its so comprehensively written and so easy to understand that I could visualize places and roads just by reading stuff from it.
“Ready Reckoner for Baspa Kinnaur Spiti and Lahaul Valleys: Motorist and Trekkers Guide with Map” by Nest & Wings is according to me a must have if one plans a trip to these places.
Sandy and I used to spend hours going through the map and details about places we had to visit the next day, every evening. Especially the map. It’s a neat road map of Himachal with distances, altitudes and treks marked. Again, a must have for the trip.
2) The BRO / HPPWD: Commendable, unmatched and at some places almost impossible. That is the story of the roads we traveled on. Border Roads Organization should have been featured on ‘Megastructures’ long back. Though having a road here is a national necessity owing to the fact that this place is strikingly close to parts of china, but still one cannot help but applaud the work that these guys do. The road is impeccable, its one of the best-maintained roads in the country in a remote rural setting. After branching off from the legendary ‘Hindustan Tibet marg’, we went to ride on the state highway 30. HPPWD is not far behind, they have done a great job despite of the fact that they are not ‘BRO’.
Thanks to both the organizations, it was such a pleasure riding a two-wheeler at + 10000 ft for 7 days.
3) The Pulsars: I have heard “real bikers ride the Enfield”. May be I am not a real biker but I love my Pulsar. And frankly I can’t ride an Enfield, the last time I tried; I almost killed myself, that too in front of a bunch of girls. I think Pulsars are much better suited for this kind of a trip. Although they are low on power compared to the big 350 cc beast, the handling and superb maneuverability makes up for that loss. I was very clear that if I was doing this trip, it had to be a self-drive one, not like all those pseudo enthusiasts who sleep in the comforts of a cab till they reach a destination and take their cameras out. Bikes added an almost adventurous ingredient to the process. And, by God, did the Pulsars behave?? Oh, yeah!! They very well did, 1600 kms, 2 high passes, almost 100 kms of very bad to no roads and no punctures. Not even a small hiccup. And to top all that, I just spent a paltry sum of Rs 1300 on fuel. Pulsars Rock.
4) The Drawers: Yes, you read it right. Special thanks also go to the ‘old fashioned’ rather medieval men’s underwear. For?? For saving us all those painful hours on the hard motorbike seat. We did not realize the importance of this almost forgotten accessory until our butts were so sore from that little elastic which the ‘modern’ versions have, that we could not even walk properly. For 3 days riding the bike over bouncy roads made us make frequent stops ‘to adjust’ that elastic much like the manner Sachin Tendulkar does while batting. The problem was, even in Spiti, where the life style of people conspicuously reminds one of medieval ages, finding the old fashioned drawers was a pain (though much more bearable than the one we were already experiencing). So in Kaza we finally found them, in a dark hole-in-the-wall kind of a shop. It was funny wearing them, but the comfort was oh so satisfying. Rest of the trip was just a song,
Highly recommended for all bikers.
Ciao
1) The Book: Quite literally, this one was the source. Its so comprehensively written and so easy to understand that I could visualize places and roads just by reading stuff from it.
“Ready Reckoner for Baspa Kinnaur Spiti and Lahaul Valleys: Motorist and Trekkers Guide with Map” by Nest & Wings is according to me a must have if one plans a trip to these places.
Sandy and I used to spend hours going through the map and details about places we had to visit the next day, every evening. Especially the map. It’s a neat road map of Himachal with distances, altitudes and treks marked. Again, a must have for the trip.
2) The BRO / HPPWD: Commendable, unmatched and at some places almost impossible. That is the story of the roads we traveled on. Border Roads Organization should have been featured on ‘Megastructures’ long back. Though having a road here is a national necessity owing to the fact that this place is strikingly close to parts of china, but still one cannot help but applaud the work that these guys do. The road is impeccable, its one of the best-maintained roads in the country in a remote rural setting. After branching off from the legendary ‘Hindustan Tibet marg’, we went to ride on the state highway 30. HPPWD is not far behind, they have done a great job despite of the fact that they are not ‘BRO’.
Thanks to both the organizations, it was such a pleasure riding a two-wheeler at + 10000 ft for 7 days.
3) The Pulsars: I have heard “real bikers ride the Enfield”. May be I am not a real biker but I love my Pulsar. And frankly I can’t ride an Enfield, the last time I tried; I almost killed myself, that too in front of a bunch of girls. I think Pulsars are much better suited for this kind of a trip. Although they are low on power compared to the big 350 cc beast, the handling and superb maneuverability makes up for that loss. I was very clear that if I was doing this trip, it had to be a self-drive one, not like all those pseudo enthusiasts who sleep in the comforts of a cab till they reach a destination and take their cameras out. Bikes added an almost adventurous ingredient to the process. And, by God, did the Pulsars behave?? Oh, yeah!! They very well did, 1600 kms, 2 high passes, almost 100 kms of very bad to no roads and no punctures. Not even a small hiccup. And to top all that, I just spent a paltry sum of Rs 1300 on fuel. Pulsars Rock.
4) The Drawers: Yes, you read it right. Special thanks also go to the ‘old fashioned’ rather medieval men’s underwear. For?? For saving us all those painful hours on the hard motorbike seat. We did not realize the importance of this almost forgotten accessory until our butts were so sore from that little elastic which the ‘modern’ versions have, that we could not even walk properly. For 3 days riding the bike over bouncy roads made us make frequent stops ‘to adjust’ that elastic much like the manner Sachin Tendulkar does while batting. The problem was, even in Spiti, where the life style of people conspicuously reminds one of medieval ages, finding the old fashioned drawers was a pain (though much more bearable than the one we were already experiencing). So in Kaza we finally found them, in a dark hole-in-the-wall kind of a shop. It was funny wearing them, but the comfort was oh so satisfying. Rest of the trip was just a song,
Highly recommended for all bikers.
Ciao
Journey through Himalayas
"I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list"
The Journey:‘The circuit’ as it is called amongst the initiated, links Shimla and Manali through one of the most treacherously beautiful landscapes. Stretching from Apple orchards in Shimla hills to barren mountains in Spiti. Crossing well washed river valleys and two high mountain passes. The journey initiated at Shimla, went into Kinnaur, traversed the length of Spiti Valley and culminated in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.
The Bikers: Two friends of over 8 years now, shared a room for every day they spent in UG hostel at the HPKV in Palampur. Have been partners in crime, partners in good deeds and partners at the TT Table in the hostel. Gelling well and complementing each other on this demanding trip came easy.
Sandy:
Don’t mess with him if you think he has made his mind up. The guy won’t mince words if he has to call you a ‘A@#hole’. Very determined, street smart and blessed with a hyperactive metabolism, he is a bundle of energy. Like always, let me take up the leader position while riding. He says he rides faster if he is ahead, but I know, he understands that I hate to follow. He could have chosen any profession he pleased but chose to be a banker so that he could be where he belongs.
Sharad:
Won’t say much about myself (people who would read this, know me already). This journey was my very old dream, found a cohort in sandy and took off. One of the most satisfying experiences of my life. ‘Been there done that’.
The Machines:
Pulsars, a machine countless love and many more ride. Fell in love with this the moment I saw the prototype, somewhere in late 1990s. Bajaj redefined motor biking in India, the day it was launched in 2001.
150 Classic: 8 years old, but still packs a punch. Have been with me all these years and have traveled half the country with me. From Palampur to Pune to Delhi. Around 60000 kms and still with the original spark plug, awesome piece of engineering. Has never ditched me and knows my habit of saying “Don’t ditch me bro”, when I am scared of a puncture.
180 DTSFi: Sandy’s new beast. The power packed variant. Packs all the newey gizmos that my bike lacks. Have used it quite a lot in recent times, on all my trips to Palampur. Gives me confused times on my bike after I ride it, because to the gear shift patterns. We used this one every time we were using a single bike for an excursion, for the sheer power and handling it provides.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
The Journey:‘The circuit’ as it is called amongst the initiated, links Shimla and Manali through one of the most treacherously beautiful landscapes. Stretching from Apple orchards in Shimla hills to barren mountains in Spiti. Crossing well washed river valleys and two high mountain passes. The journey initiated at Shimla, went into Kinnaur, traversed the length of Spiti Valley and culminated in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.
The Bikers: Two friends of over 8 years now, shared a room for every day they spent in UG hostel at the HPKV in Palampur. Have been partners in crime, partners in good deeds and partners at the TT Table in the hostel. Gelling well and complementing each other on this demanding trip came easy.
Sandy:
Don’t mess with him if you think he has made his mind up. The guy won’t mince words if he has to call you a ‘A@#hole’. Very determined, street smart and blessed with a hyperactive metabolism, he is a bundle of energy. Like always, let me take up the leader position while riding. He says he rides faster if he is ahead, but I know, he understands that I hate to follow. He could have chosen any profession he pleased but chose to be a banker so that he could be where he belongs.
Sharad:
Won’t say much about myself (people who would read this, know me already). This journey was my very old dream, found a cohort in sandy and took off. One of the most satisfying experiences of my life. ‘Been there done that’.
The Machines:
Pulsars, a machine countless love and many more ride. Fell in love with this the moment I saw the prototype, somewhere in late 1990s. Bajaj redefined motor biking in India, the day it was launched in 2001.
150 Classic: 8 years old, but still packs a punch. Have been with me all these years and have traveled half the country with me. From Palampur to Pune to Delhi. Around 60000 kms and still with the original spark plug, awesome piece of engineering. Has never ditched me and knows my habit of saying “Don’t ditch me bro”, when I am scared of a puncture.
180 DTSFi: Sandy’s new beast. The power packed variant. Packs all the newey gizmos that my bike lacks. Have used it quite a lot in recent times, on all my trips to Palampur. Gives me confused times on my bike after I ride it, because to the gear shift patterns. We used this one every time we were using a single bike for an excursion, for the sheer power and handling it provides.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
