All that Jazz....

First post of 2010.

Yeah, Happy New Year and all that jazz!! I dont know why but sending countless mails (starting with Dear all), innumerable SMSes and Greetings is not my thing. So for all those whom I didnt wish a Happy New Year, I did just that in the first line (not that they'll read this post or something, but still..).

Looking back at 2009, it hasnt been a bad year at all. Yeah, not at all. Cant recollect a single event or happening that made me sad. I did so much of all that I love to do and I wanted to do, I think a lot of people dont do that in their lifetime. What all happened with me?? read on:

1. I almost got laid off - Only to be picked up before I got laid off, that too at a higher pay
2. Went on THE RIDE of MY LIFE - Have kept and will keep talking about it!!!
3. Reunited with long lost friends - Time has gained pace since.
4. Also met school buddies, and I was the tallest among them - Known me since 10 years??? and you know what am saying.
5. Made new friends - Increase in the diameter of the social circle is directly proportional to the increase in Fun.
6. Travelled - Agra, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Konark, Mysore, Bangalore, Dalhousie, Amritsar, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Shimla, Manali, Ranthambore, Spiti Valley to name a few places visited.
7. Movies and loads of them - From the biggest hits to the collossal disappointments. Almost like a movie a week and sometimes 2 or 3 movies a week.
8. Watched Sholay @ PVR - Since its SHOLAY it needs a special numbered topic of its own. And watching it on the big screen is a significant achievement. Period.
9. Started working out - Made a resolution and stuck to it. Proud of myself.
10. Bought a House - Have a Housing Loan on my name
11. Ate and ate - Never in a year I have had so much food. I mean who goes to Amritsar from Dalhousie (it takes 5-6 hours) just to have Kulchas???
12. Didnt do a lot of stuff I wanted to - didnt learn to play guitar, didnt fall in love, didnt go to Goa, and there is a lot more.

Well, not a bad year, wasnt it?? 2010 seems promising, so just seeing it unfold day by day is exciting. So here's wishing this Year brings loads of luck, happiness and excitement in our lives and all that jazz.....

Sometimes...

Sometimes I ponder.. Where life is taking me..
Sometimes I just want to break free..
Sometimes I wonder, why don't I let it just be..
Sometimes I ask myself, Is this really me?

Sometimes I want to do the things I really want to do,
Sometimes I am so Happy, it all seems untrue,
For times of happiness are so few,
Yet I feel, these times I really don't value.

Sometimes I dream of finding that true love,
But then whats not in my hand, I shall not think of,
Sometimes I wonder is there anything called true love?
So I leave everything in the hands of that man above.

Sometimes I feel like I walked a 1000 miles,
Sometimes I feel I can spread a 1000 smiles,
Sometimes I feel like fishing for stars from the skies,
But I know that the fishing-net I have, wont suffice.

Sometimes I question, why do stuff just for the sake of it?
Sometimes I let it go, as I just am doing my bit,
Sometimes I wonder, why dont I let it just be..
Sometimes I ask myself, Is this really me?
___________________________________________

Sleep......ZzzzzzZzzz!!!

Wikipedia defines Sleep as a naturally recurring state of relatively suspended sensory and motor activity, characterized by total or partial unconsciousness and the inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. But for me, Sleep is absolute bliss. On a different note, one must give it to Wikipedia guys who define sleep in such a way that by the time one finishes reading that sentence, he is drowsy if not alseep.

Since, I cant remember when, sleeping had been a "hobby". And I didnt know when this hobby of mine became a "passion". I consider myself one of the forunate few, who can sleep whenever, whereever and however they want. By however, i mean not necessarily lying flat. Sleep gives so much pleasure that even the alarm tone in the morning seems to be the background music of some romantic dream ;).

Earlier in school days (Class 12th to be precise), my dad used to wake me up early in the morning so that I could study. Waking up at 5:30 AM to study was the hardest thing for me. Keeping eyes open at that hour is one thing, and then waking up to do something that put me to sleep a night before is completely different. My grandma used to make coffee for me so that I can stay awake. One cold morning, I was sitting on the floor with a book in one hand, and a coffee cup in the other. I had taken a few sips and then I dont remember what happened for the next couple of minutes. What I remember is that there was a huge brown patch on my T-shirt and it was burning HOT!!! People say that having coffee stops one from sleeping but I think I'll be only one in the world who was woken up by Coffee!!!

Another characteristic feature of my sleeping, is the Dobly Digital Surround Sound that I produce while being asleep. Before your imagination starts running wild, let me assure you, that I have heard that I snore. With the reviews that I receive from people, I can proudly say that this sound can be recorded and be used as an alarm tone :P. Well, whatever you read in this paragraph are the thoughts of other people because I seriously doubt if snoring happens, as I never got thrown out of lectures and meetings.

And then, there have been times when friends have left from my doorstep after repeated bell ringing and calling on my mobile, parents have never forgotten to take house keys along with them so that they dont have to face the consequences, I made plans of playing cricket with friends in the early morning and they had to play with 1 player less, and the list goes on. So well, now you know what sleeping means to me.

And lastly, did I mention that I didnt cry when I was born?? Because I was born on a sunday morning, and me being me.. what else do u expect???

Have I changed??

Noticed how I usually start my posts apologizing for my absence and then I end the first few lines saying that I'll be more regular?? Whom do I apologise to?? No one comes to me and says, "hey, what happened?? Long time no post??" So none of all that this time...I have changed!!!

I used to be a simple, non-adventurous, I-stay-home-on-weekends kinda guy. But all of a sudden since the last 6-7 months, my weekends have been getting over in a blink. Its been like so much stuff n so little time to do. Yeah, its mostly due to the company of friends I have got now. But for my parents, its like a whole new Kartik they are seeing. So for them.... I have changed...

Earlier even on holidays and long weekends, staying at home, sleeping, and watching TV used to be on my to-do list. Maybe a movie or two thrown in here and there. But since November 2008, I have been on 9 or 10 trips!!! And one that I call "THE RIDE OF MY LIFE", a 2000 KM bike ride across himalayas, which was totally Adventurous. A very close friend of mine, after seeing my pics from the ride said, "Kartik Badal gaya hai (Kartik has changed!!!) ".... I have changed!!!

I was a shy, introvert and stay-within-myself guy until not so long ago. Singing in public, let alone speaking, was one of the biggeest fears. But now...none of that whatsoever. Whats the point of having a talent and not showing it off. And yes, I used to be modest too... I have changed...!!!

Talking to girls wasnt my cup of tea. Thats absolutely true (this line is for the girls who know me now :P)!! I used to shy away from doing so. In school, mostly the talk used to be limited to course work. But now...ask the girls who know the "present" me....their numbers are.... ;)
So I have changed...!!

There are a lot of things which didnt change and I am happy that way and there are a few which I would like to change, but all in all this is the way I am and you'll have to bear with it..

PS: I normally try to be funny in my post and to some extent succeed. But this time there is no fun element.. Why??? coz I have changed!!!

Spiti Ride - A Trailer

This video was shot by me on our way to Spiti on Day 2 of the ride. Pics, description and Triplogue coming soon!!!

People in this video - Anshul, Arjun, Imran and Ankur (in the order of appearence)

Biking...Shiking

Am I becoming insane??? This question sprouted in my mind after watching the reactions I have been getting from people off late. I think I would've gotten encouraging reactions had I told them that I am planning to run away from home to become an actor in Bollywood :P.

Ever since I returned from the Rishikesh trip this May, I have had this unbearable itch to go on a bike ride. A really long one at that. Next month end I have a ride planned to the virgin (well.. almost) lands of Spiti. If I complete it, it'll be the longest I have ever done and will surely be the best ride of my life. It'll be one of those tales to tell your grand-children kinda things. More on it later and even more on it when I return. (Trip Log Alert!!!)

As a part of the preparation (read, making the back-side stronger), I am riding to Lansdowne this weekend. Lansdowne is a small, nondescript place in Uttarakhand, about 300 KMs from Delhi. It'll be the first experience of riding in the hills and also it'll be a test to see how much strain I can take. I know that it'll not even be close to what i'll experience in Himachal but some preparation, nonetheless. Thats all I'll be able to afford before THE trip, thanks to me working on Saturdays. Let me not get into working on saturdays again.

So what are my expectations from the Spiti Ride?? Well, let me break it down into Pros and Cons.

Pros:

• Beautiful Landscapes and Scenery
• 2000 KMs of riding - wonder how my bike will fare
• A feeling experienced never before
• Having great friends for company (Let me tell you, its more fun reuniting with Old buddies in real than on Orkut or Facebook :P )
• Time away from the mundane routine life

Cons:

• 2000 KMs of riding - As much fun as it may sound, it will be taxing and treacherous
• AMS - Dont know why but Acute Mountain Sickness worry is there at the back of my mind
• No Ride experience whatsover - This wont be much of a worry thanks to the Been-there-done-that company that I have.
• How much is too much?? - 2000 KMs in 5-6 days @ ~ 400KMs per day - need I say more??
• Toll on the body - this is inevitable

Well in such a long ride there are ought to be a few cons, but I would not like to ponder on them now and tackle them as they come. I know there will be more Pros than Cons.. :-)

So here's me wishing myself a decent enough preparation and waiting for the last week of September with bated breath. Oh well yes, I need to apply for holidays and they need to get approved too.. That aside I am all set and raring to go!!

Kawariya Kawariya!!!

Pondering on for the last few days about what to write, today while driving to Delhi it struck me. Normally I am not an "Opinion Person". I just try to ignore and not put my mental energy on stuff that generally people have opinions about. But the issue (IMO it is a big one at that) that I rise in this post has annoyed me no end.

Driving in Delhi as everyone knows is a pain and with each passing day its becoming even more painful. But every year, during this time there is another activity happening on Delhi roads where certain people, in the name of religion, create unnecessary nuisance. Kawariyas as they are called, collect Holy Ganga water from Haridwar and walk to their respective destinations. People going about their business in a peaceful & harmless way is one thing, but what irritates and annoys me most is the way they have complete disregard for the general public trying to lead their routine lives.

These Kawariyas, as I said earlier in the name of religion, block the busiest of the roads causing kilometers of crawling traffic. There is a lane demarcated for them to use, but do they use it?? NO!!! Of course there are some genuine devotees who carry their earthen pots and walk peacefully, but there are a few young people who run behind bikes, drive tempos which have huge speakers with Blaring (its an understatement) music (religious songs - C-grade songs from films remixed with religious lyrics), and block traffic out of no rhyme or reason. What is more shocking is that the Police instead of bringing them under control help them in their activity by stopping and diverting the traffic. I am not even touching upon the topic where these Kawariyas torched trucks and stoned police vehicles a couple of years ago. I was also one of the unfortunates stuck in the 40KM long jam on the Jaipur Highway.

Compare this with the ongoing Metro contruction in Delhi. Its so well organised and planned that there is seldom any problem. Of course, there are ought to be traffic snarls once in a while but one has to give it to the authorities as they go about their business in a smooth and efficient way. This is where I fail to understand that a major infrastructure project going on since more that 6 years has been running smoothly whereas the Kawariya activity which happens every year for just 10-15 days causes so much trouble for citizens. I dont know when the government will stop worrying about its vote bank and grow up.

I am sure there are a whole lot of people who will agree with me and it is high time someone does something about this. Every year in July-August rains create havoc in Mumbai and the whole thing gets so much footage on TV. People keep complaining and whining about the condition there and its stays the same every year. I think the Kawariya case is an apt comparision, its just that it happens in Delhi and not covered by the News channels makes it a lesser known issue.

If it takes collecting Ganga water from Haridwar and walking all the way to Delhi to solve the problem, then I am ready to do that :-)!!!!!