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,

4 years and counting....

It was exactly 4 years ago, that once incident had made me realize I had to change. I had been on a trip to Gingee Fort in 2013 December and I could not climb the fort easily. I struggled, I sweated it out and I made it

Its been 4 years to that day. One remarkable thing happened after that trip. I took a decision to get fitter. I decided I should be in a position to climb easily.

I had no choice, but to get fitter. I could have waited to join a gym in the new year 2014, instead I chose the last week of December. My organization at that time had working business hours at 11 am to 8 pm and it was located at Electronic City. So I got a fair chance at exercising during the morning hours.

And boy was I glad. Its been 4 years to that day and I still work between 11 am and 8pm but at another organization located nearer to my home. Things are hectic currently but I still exercise in the morning.

I think at some point in time, I just feel gutted that, I did not discover the power of exercising regularly, early in life. These days my job change reveals around the question, can I get enough time to exercise or not. If no, I generally do not attend interview itself :) Also as you get more experienced, the opportunities dry up, owing up to the billing factor and cost per head factor. So in either case, my job switches have become lesser.

So, cheers to exercise.

Connecting my PS4 slim to vintage monitor

I purchased a Sony play station 4 this year after many years of wait. I wanted to play games since almost 15 years and never had gotten the time for it. Now that, I made a concrete mind this year and purchased a play station.

I have got a LED TV at home and I can connect my PS4 to my TV. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was the TV was in the living room and everyone or the other watches TV or do not want to see me playing over there. Also with GTA 5 there were so many scenes which I really had to play in privacy without my parents watching what all things were in the game apart from violence :)

Hence thought of connecting my PS4 to vintage monitor. But days went by, I could not do so. I purchased a HDMI to VGA Adapter, but still could not manage to connect my PS4 to the monitor.

Then one gentleman in the attached youtube video told me about a HDMI switch for my PS4 slim. I purchased the same from SP road but still it did not work.

Finally checked one more video where I got advise to turn of the HDCP under system and finally it worked.

So I got to play PS 4 in my room with my old monitor. Its been close to two months I had touched my PS4. I could not play longer, as I had multiple tasks to do.

Blog, upload pics, write code (office work) and was tired after searching for all the things to get this up and running. But in the end a worthwhile effort. Let me see, if I play after doing all this circus.

I somehow feel, I cannot play even though I have interest because I have loads of other things to do.

How the connection goes.

1. PS4 has HDMI ouput.
2. PS4 HDMI output to HDMI Switch input.
3. Output from HDMI to HDMI to VDA Adapter.
4. HDMI to VGA Adapter to VGA monitor.
5. 5V DC power supplied to HDMI switch.

In the image, square box with a blue indicator light is the HDMI switch.
Where you see the VGA Input is connected is the HDMI to VGA Adapter.
At the bottom of HDMI switch you see the power from another adapter.

Cheers for now. Let me see if i can attach an image of my setup.

Videos which helped me are below

Why I love 80's

One more reason why I love 80's.
The song portrays the essence of my early childhood days, simple songs, great  music, lesser complicated plots, minimalistic technology.

By the way one comment stands out over here from the rest. Will show that one too.

\

I myself do not remember seeing so many henchmen in one screen all grooving to a song, whilst rubbing law enforcement in the wrong ways. 

Years later I remember seeing so many, but they were different, less mature and more childish, though they were powerful in all the bad ways possible, it never lent any impact because, acting was overshadowed by stupid plots and heightened technological interference.

Technological interference reminds me of a naturally aspirated engine versus a turbocharged engine. Never mind.

Cheers, 

Of friends and facebook - unfriending!

Today somehow made the concrete decision of reducing my FB friend count. I have stopped accepting new requests unless its my trek friends. But since the number was hovering at 202, which is probably huge and I am not in touch with almost 100 of them since last one 3 years, took a bold decision to do a friend count revisit and cleanup.

Had time in the morning and deboarded few of them from my friend list. The count now stands at 150, though 100+ of them are still under restricted list, rest 30 of them, I'm not following them.

Reason why I chose to do this, was not only that, I was out of touch, moreover, I am in peace with my own life. I'm least bothered as which part of the world others are, whether they are sleeping eating drinking or driving, it makes least difference to me. I really do not have time to admire others' day to day activities, I wish the same in return too. So it was high time, I took a concrete decision.

So, all in all, I get to save lots of time, by not browing feeds on facebook. One way to be more productive and do things which I like to do the most!

Cheers to life!

Of movies: Baahubali & Baaji Rao Mastani - TTTT 53

Let me be honest, I generally do not prefer to watch new movies, be it bollywood or hollywood. Reason being, I do not have time and also I sincerely feel all the latest movies in the market are absolutely uninspiring and uninteresting.

That is my opinion by the way and I do have a right to have one.

I, instead prefer to watch Rajkumar & NanaPatekar, Amitabh Hindi movies over and over again, even though I have watched it around 50 times before. Reason being dialogue delivery.

During my recent trip to Gujarat via bus, the only option to spend time was by force feeding myself to watch movies. While going I had gone in a semi sleeper (sitting) and as a result, there were 2 television sets for the entire bus and whether or not, I wanted to watch it, I had to watch it.

This was one drawback of travelling by road, I can live with it for the moment. Let me tell you about the movies which I got to watch.

Baahubali 1 & 2, Baaji Rao Mastani (two are sufficient for time being)

All these days I was wondering, what it is all about Katappa killing Baahubali, everyone wondering why why and why?

I guess a 1000 hours productivity has been already lost just because of pondering over this question. And when I watched the  movie, I just didn't feel the need to even think for an answer to that question.

The movie was nothing but special effects. I did not enjoy the movie, I am glad I did not spend my money on the tickets for the same.

Same with Baaji Rao Mastani, was there something special in the movie, I guess not, I felt the dialogue delivery of Baaji Rao was substandard, nothing to be compared to even Raza Murad in the same movie.

What an irony.

Forget comparing with the likes of Amitabh Bacchan, NanaPatekar and the legendary Hindi actor Raj Kumar. Voice of Bhaji Rao was just a big turn off.

Never mind it is my opinion. I'm glad, I watched these movies for free, else I would have to curse myself for a lifetime, for watching them after paying money.

Cheers.

Gujarat trip

My 8 day Gujarat trip finally came to a closure today as I reached home at 7pm. The biggest difference between this trip and my other North India trips was that, previously I used to take flight rather aeroplane to travel.

This time I chose bus, yes, SRS Travels volvo bus to Ahmedabad and one more SRS Travels volvo bus back from Ahmedabad to Bangalore.

My iternary goes like this

1. Bangalore to Ahmedabad.
2. Ahmedabad to Bhuj.
3. Bhuj to Rann of Kutch.
4. Rann of Kutch to Bhuj.
5. Bhuj to Mandvi.
6. Mandvi to Dwarka.
7. Dwarka to Rajkot.
8. Rajkot to Ahmedabad.
9. Ahmedabad to Bangalore.

Cheers to one of a kind trip. I'm feeling tired after my 27 hour bus ride from Ahmedabad to Bangalore. Completely worthwhile and definitely one of a kind!

Cheers to myself for making it happen!

Weekday off

After working for 20 days on the trot, I decided to take off on a weekday that is Monday. Every since I started working, taking off on a weekday has been the best guilty pleasure.

I had no other option I was exhausted to the core, unable to think about work, because I had worked so much, written so much code, unit tests that, I had enough. This in addition to meetings, helping out others plus facing all those negative energy and forces at workplace!

Somedays, I think we should be paid not only for our work but for enduring the dirty politics and negativity others bring which we have to face, which stresses you out.

Watching the world go by while you just listen to music, read a book or blog or play on PS4 can be nothing short of heaven.

Cheers, to one more such a day!


On reading reminded me that, I have to start reading
Kim by Rudyard Kipling - audio book as well as kindle.
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen - audio book as well as kindle.

Upcoming posts

1. Something to pursue for a lifetime - ie exercise.
2. Movie which I need to finish watching.
3. New way to promote a movie?
4. Stock market and company valuation.
5. Dream of having personal library of books of course :)
6. Pictures from my recent trek in the forest.
7. Hindi - Ghazalish duet songs of 1980's.

When we encountered wild boars on a trek (for the first time) - TTT 49

Since the day I started trekking, I had always wondered what all wild animals will I encounter. I had encountered elephants (at a distance though), reptiles, deer, Indian Guar, few other creatures. I always used to see land dug up by wild boars during many treks, the mud they smear their bodies with, also trees which have claw marks of bears. Once when we were cooking food in the forest, apparently there was a bear sighting close to our camp.

I had never seen a wild boar in the forest. I had heard they are a plenty in some of the forests. But this time, it happened, got to see wild boars, 10-12 in number at around 50 feet from us.

Upon seeing us intruding into their territory they just ran away. Apparently they are quick and can pose threat. Luckily we could mind our own business and get out of the forest.

So one more interesting encounter to post about! Sadly they were so quick, I could not take picture of them!

Cheers,

When we had a tyre puncture 3 times in a row on a single trip! - TTT 50

Till date it had happened once during our journey that, we had encountered puncture or flat tyre two times. But last weekend, was something special, our vehicle got punctured two times before we reached our destination and guess what, we were stranded on the road early in the morning for over 2 hours.

I had almost lost interest in the trek because of this delay, but in the end all is well that end's well. We got the flat fixed and started our journey. None of the people complained.

Below is the picture of our stranded vehicle somewhere in Hosanagara after Shimoga.

Guess what, we were stranded somewhere in Hosanagara again during our return journey, that makes it 3 times in one single journey and what better post to put up TTTT # 50,

Cheers,

When we had a 6 year old on our trek - TTT 47

During my last beach trek from Gokarna to Honnavara, we had a 6 year old kid as a member of the team and he trekked all the way from Gokarna till Kumta along with us. He was the son of one of our trek team members.

Isn't that cool, starting early means a lot to a lot of people. Whilst everyone was kind of mediocre with their energy and their enthusiasm, this kid was at his best, enjoying the waters and the beaches.

Only time he felt home sick was during the return journey near Mavinagundi :)

Cheers, will upload a pic soon!

When we ended our trek early due to losing our way and then.... TTTT

Of Ruskin Bond and commercialization - A conversation on goodreads.

Recently had a conversation with one stranger on goodreads. It was about Ruskin Bond autobiography which had come out recently, "Lone Fox Dancing". Somehow the conversation tilted towards stories of Ruskin Bond being printed again and again under different titles or for commercialization.

I deeply felt offended. I could not figure out as to why I was offended, but I was. Later after a long period of contemplation I wondered why.

There were many points, Ruskin Bond and his writing is close to my heart, obviously I was offended. But bigger part was how less equipped was the person who was trying to tell me that Ruskin Bond was more or less having a mindset of commercial writers these days.

Good thing was, I let the stranger sink in his own ignorance, meanwhile, I just figured out what I could take away from this conversation.

Well, Ruskin Bond now in his 80's, can he be indented towards commercialism these days? I'm pretty sure no. When he wanted money via writing he has made sufficient. Though he struggled too during his days.

Plus the stories of Ruskin Bond should be published again and again. I guess, its not because I like them. But its because they are all about celebration of India as a country. What our country was during that golden era, when there was no commercialization to worry about. Just plain simple life. Plain simple stories. No fuss, no complications.

Why shouldn't our country be glorified in such ways? I bet it should, so more and more stories of Ruskin Bond should be published again and again.

I get to relive those days once again, if not in real but atleast in fiction and if not in personal words atleast via words of Ruskin Bond.

Cheers,

Wish I could quote some Kipling poetry, I'm afraid, I will have to do some more reading to mature!

Best youtube comment

Sometimes, over the internet you just end up reading something, which really catches your attention. one such thing I found is a comment for a video on youtube.

The comment reads like this -

The song in picture is "Tarzan Boy - by Baltimora" 

When we loaded honey and jaggery (in our vehicle) while returning from our trek - TTT 46

I have been on numerous treks in the last 2-3 years. Each time, we do go by a hired vehicle, more often than not, it has to be 12 seater Force traveller, other time, we had 24 Swaraj Mazda and 30 seater TATA bus.

This time too during our beach trek we had a Tempo traveller. All these treks, though we visit places quite distant from Bangalore, we never load our vehicle with consumable stuffs during the return journey. 

Stuffs like, rice, vegetables or anything which is produced at the place of our visit and which can be ferried back to Bangalore and which works out cheap for us.

But there is a first time for everything. This time, we managed to source Jaggery and Honey from somewhere in the Sharavathy valley and we loaded them in Sagara. Opposite to Sagara bus stand.

It appears there is a subtle difference in the purest form of honey and packaged honey! 

Cheers,

When I trekked the same route for 5 years in a row (yearly once) - TTTT 45

After all this is something which I could proudly write about. It happened for the first time in 2013 and as of 2017 its still on!

I am referring to my participation in the annual beach trek. I had this so called affinity to beaches and it was not very evident until I was away from India. Even more is my affinity to the coastal area of Karnataka, especially Gokarna till Udupi stretch. It makes me feel grounded. It gives me time to contemplate.

Each year there are lots of groups which do beach treks along the coastline. This year too, I am happy that I was a part of another group. Not just that, it completed my 5th year of beach trek.

1. 2013 - Kumta to Aghanashani beach / Tadadi port (boat to Gokarna). (22 members).
2. 2014 - Apsarakonda to Bhatkal (Sri Durga Parameshwari temple Ilvekodi). (26 members)
3. 2015 - Gokarna to Haldipur beach. (28 members)
4. 2016 - Gokarna to Haldipur beach (13 members).
5. 2017 - Gokarna to Kumta beach (13 members)

Apart from one year, where I trekked from Apsarakonda all the way to Bhatkal via Murudeshwara of course, all the years it has primarily been Honnavara to Gokarna OR Gokarna to Honnavara.

Feels so nice to have been doing it again and again. Hope to continue it in future too. Given a choice, of course with the same group too! And guess what I never get bored of this route.

The feeling of being connected to this piece of coastal land is just tremendous, you can imagine, how tremendous, the feeling of me being connected to India is (no prizes for guessing and no sarcasm please)!

Cheers,

When a strange reason ended our trek - TTTT 44

There have been multiple occasions when our treks have ended ahead of time. Each time, it would be the lack of time, rains, tired teams, losing way etc etc. But this time was another awesome reason end our trek ahead of time or rather to not trek.

I recently had been to Gokarna, to take part in this year's beach trek. We managed to walk all the way from Gokarna to Holanagadde beach (after crossing river Aghanashani / Tadai port via a ferry of cours)  on day 1 and camped at a temple.

On day 2, we managed to reach all the way to Kumta beach and there you go we needed some help. There is a place where the sea manages to stretch itself into the town as backwaters and we needed to cross this one. It is a good 15-20 feet depth and needs boat. On all the previous occasions we could manage to source a boat from the nearby fishermen, who would be busy cleaning their boats.

But this time, with no availability of people around, our only option was to walk along the road leading to Kumta town. After walking for half a kilometer we found water to drink and clean ourselves, via a roadside tap after all. The person instructed us that a bus would be available over here any time soon.

And, we managed to reach the main road aka NH-66. Now people were in two minds whether to walk back to the beach or call it over. Lunch and play time in the beach plus Apsarakonda waterfall dip was pending. So this precedence took over, we ended the trek 4 kilometers early. 

But all in all I thoroughly enjoyed the trek, which was overshadowed by some great company, one person of whom had come all the way from Gulbarga!

Cheers,