Tattery reading and tattery writing

This year I haven't read much, nor have I written much. They year has just gone and I have only memories of myself overworking. Yes, this year I finally switched jobs to something closer.

I travelled moderate, did not trek the Himalays this year plus I overworked. Yes, the second half of the year was more about heavy duty work, not that I was forced to work rather I enjoyed over working. With such close interaction to German colleagues, even over working was a breeze.

I purchased a PS4 but could not complete GTA 5 in 2.5 months time owing to less time. Same goes with my writing and reading skills both of which are left in a disarray, the main reason being, I'm trying to catch too many birds in one shot.

One thing which remained my constant source of motivation is my desire to exercise, which never came down. I was continuous to the gym and had loads of good time exercising.

Hope I can read something more during the next year, work and contribute even better, travel too.

Cheers,

When Kankaria Zoo, Ahmedabad, left me terribly disappointed - TTTT 55

My visit to Ahmedabad was for a day. During that day too I was very upset after my visit to Kankaria zoo. This zoo appears to be a tourist attraction. But sad part is I was not amused.

There was a zoo which housed caged wild animals. The reason which me sad is because of the poor condition the wild animals were housed in. The lion, tiger, leopard all were housed in a small enclosure which didn't look good either. The gates on the other side opened to a bigger enclave but only one animal could occupy it at a time.

If one could look into the eyes of those wild animals, it sadly reflects the same sadness which you would see when you cage a human being.

The worst part is the zoo is next to roaring traffic. Deer which I have always seen in Bandipur jungles amid silence, in Kudremukha amidst no human habitation, here had to stay listening to blaring and honking vehicles. There was no peace whatsoever to the animals of the zoo.

Sometimes, its just cruel to put animals in cage but putting them in a cage next to traffic main road is nothing short of disaster. I myself could not enjoy my stay at Kankaria zoo, I bet the animals and birds would be having a torrid time over there.

Such is life. Yeah I was a bit teary eyed too.

A bus ride which was about to be missed! - TTTT 54

I had been on a trip to Gujarat this December, first week to be precise. And during this period, in order to save money, we traveled by State Transport buses. But after traveling by State transport buses, my back and butt had taken all the brunt and I was in no mood to travel in those buses.

It was Friday morning and I had finished my visit to the Sri Krishna temple in Dwaraka and I thought of heading back to Ahmedabad same day by doing a day journey.

Mind you I was all by myself. I had a return bus ticket to Bangalore. But Dwaraka to Ahmedabad was still good 439 kilometers in distance. When I enquired there was a bus to Rajkot every hour by Shiv Shakti travels. So I hurriedly packed up and vacated my room and booked a ticket and caught this bus to Rajkot, which was a normal bus just a bit better than the ST bus.

It was almost 1 pm when I got dropped in Rajkot. Rajkot to Ahmedabad was a good 200 kilometers in distance and I was way away from the bus stand. I had infact lost my way trying to find the bus stand. This time, I was bent on not travelling by ST bus as it would be too slow.

Finally I managed to reach Rajkot bus stand carrying all the big back pack huffing and puffing only to find the volvo bus just in a nick of time.

So this was a journey which was about to be missed. Though the volvo bus was costing me double the price, it was well worth the journey back to Ahmedabad.

I made it to Ahmedabad by 8 30 PM and it was almost 12 hour journey, could have been a little lesser, had the bus not halted at Jamnagar for 30 minutes time.

Cheers to Gujarat Darshan.

Favorite drink during beach trek - TTTT 48

This year I completed my 5th beach trek. Yes its been 5 years in a row and people have vowed to black list me for other treks, if I participate in another beach trek!

I have always written about my love for the beaches, but I never have written about my favorite drink during the beach trek.

A beach trek is always under the sun, its humid, we are sweating, we all are losing loads of salt and we need to hydrate. Most of the time I drink water, plus electral, to make up for the lost salts.

But somewhere in the beach trek, we end up joining the main road which leads us to Kumta before we join back the beach, and its over there we get to buy some reinforcement liquids.

After a hard day's walk, I prefer to take Lassi. Yes, in the coastal area, sweetened curd is available in stores in a small packet of Rs 10. Simple and effective solution. Though its got sugar and loads of calories, boy, we would have lost so much that, this one gives the right kick and boost to continue our pending journey, towards the town and then towards Bangalore too.

So, its got to be Lassi. Though this time, I tried out ice cream and also a Jeera based drink. But lassi seems to be a level above the rest!

Cheers.

Best story of Ruskin Bond (as per me)

I have been reading Ruskin Bond for quite some time now, probably two years. Ruskin Bond has written over 500 short stories and I probably have read more than 150. There are plenty of them which I love and adore. But one particular story catches my mind instantly.

Its called - "The Man who was Kipling"  Rudyard Kipling hasn't been a very popular names amongst Indians. Though he wrote masterpieces like Jungle Book, but it isnt that which he is remembered for. But for other works which have rubbed Indians in the wrong way.

This story is a short attempt at justifying Kipling was a great guy, its just that age that made him write stuffs which hasn't gone well with we Indians.

Never mind, what Kipling wrote about, but what Ruskin Bond has written is just a brilliant masterpiece. There are so many stories of his set in the hills which I love and adore, this one, sets standards to another level.

Hats of to you Ruskin bond,

Cheers,

When we started a trek late and ended it late - TTT 52

I have to say this has to be the trek, where we started the most late of all. This trek happened last sometime last month I think, it was somewhere in Sharavathy valley.

It happened so our hired vehicle a Tempo traveller got punctured two times, leaving with no option but to be stranded on the road. So, by the time we reached our trek start point it was around 12 45 in the afternoon and we started the trek at 2 30 PM.

This by far had been the most late. We had previously once started a trek around 11 30 AM and completed it by night 11 PM.

But starting a trek by afternoon 2 30 is nothing but asking for trouble. We walked through the forest in the dark and saw wild boars this time. In the end we made it to the other village via forest and reached our place of halt by night 8 30 PM.

It was a well achieved day, I was very happy, as we had hauled our entire luggage from one place to another and it was total fun.

Cheers,