Last Saturday morning I ran 8 kms in 55 minutes. Almost after 2 years.
What has running gotto do with Musashi? Well this audible book had me hooked.
My day will start with Musashi. I will sweep the floor while listening to the story of this young Samurai who is trying to gain enlightenment via the sword.
After sweeping the floor, I will go to run. My runs will be around 40+ minutes and look forward to listening more of Musashi. This improved my running form and I could run 8kms – just like good old days.
Hence the connection with running.
The story was riveting. How this young Samurai goes about learning and disciplining his mind. This is based on a famous Samurai – fictionalised a bit with a character called Otsu – a girl who follows him and waits for him.
I was researching on this guy – and he has distilled all his learning’s into a book – Book of Five Rings. It is in my reading list next. This book is considered to be at the level of the famous Art of War.
Other than the story aspect of it – the book made me think / or rather ask myself – what am I doing?
I am not a warrior or swordsman – but I am a coder by profession. Am I reaching perfection? Am I constantly learning new techniques? My skills are they being used for the betterment of humanity?
Probably these are for musing for another day.
I highly recommend Musashi. Will be a good journey.
By an interesting set of events, our hero – Count Rustov – comes to be under Hotel arrest – lucky for him – in a 5 star hotel with 2 restaurants.
The story starts with him being moved from a Suite to a very small room. Still under arrest.
The story goes how the count goes from his morning exercise routine – starts from 60 odd pushups and squats to 5 towards the end of the story – the markers the author inserts to show the Count is getting old. He is 60+ at the end of the story.
The second half gets really good – when he adopts a daughter – Sofia. The story – to me – really begins after that.
The plot inserts itself into the Russian revolution – quite critical of the destruction of nobility and the bland culture communism steam rolled onto the society.
The author – doing research for this book – seems to have visited all the 5 star hotels across the world – in New York, France, Moscow, Japan and picked up the menu from all these locations.
But it was quite entertaining. The end was pretty thrilling. In fact the entire book was never boring. It was a nice breezy read.
True Story. This was the trip we took on 1st week of March to Coimbatore.
We were to start at 11:30 after Prithvi’s school was over. But San and I had meetings which never got over. It was 2 by the time we left home.
I took the Dog Cat and luggage and loaded the car. San and Charu were to come but they were taking time. Later I came to know that first San forgot to take her Mask. Then something else – 3 times she opened the door and went in. On her 3rd entrance, she went and sat. Charu asked – why are you sitting? San had said – this is to make it look as if we are starting new.
We just rolled out of the Apartment Complex and San got a call. A courier had come for her. We took U turn to go and pick it. U turn No. 1
Finally we left AECS layout and we were cruising towards Varthur – when I realised it was already 2PM. San wanted to go to A2B to eat Chinna Vengaya Oothapam. But it will be another 1.5 hours. Didn’t make sense. Also it was damn hot. Near A2B there is not a single tree in the parking lot and Sufi would have got cooked, or one of us has to stay back in the car with the AC on.
I suggested, shall we go to Kapoor’s cafe. Everyone liked it. I suggested Kapoor’s cafe because behind it there are trees in the parking lot and Sufi will remain cool.
U turn No.2 was thus taken.
In the previous Coimbatore Adventure bike trip, on the return we had stopped on a road side Bakery just before Krishnagiri.
It was around 5 and I vaguely remembered that place. I remember a single tree near which I parked the bike. Amma said she remembered seeing in the cover the name Venkateshwara. We kept looking on the right but no Venkateshwara came.
Then I remembered crossing a Dhaba and then stopping for this bakery. I saw the Dhaba on the right and took the service road to go under the bridge to join the opposite road.
However after we went under the bridge the service road did not join back onto the highway.
U turn No.3 was taken – we retraced the way and joined the highway towards Coimbatore.
Then I found another break on the highway and I took it. U turn No. 4
Now after I crossed the Dhaba was driving slowly on the left and finally spotted the bakery.
There was no single tree, but 4 trees. And the name of the bakery was Amrutha. The owner has 4 other bakeries with that name -was reusing the covers. This one is newly opened. We were all happy.
After we had tea and light snacks, we went towards Bangalore and took another U turn – U turn No. 5 to get back to Coimbatore.
It was around 7 or 8 I don’t remember. We had to take another break – we had crossed Salem and were approaching Erode. A rest room break was needed and Sufi had to be fed.
I was sitting on the last row this time, San was driving and spotted an interesting restaurant on the road. Kumki restaurant it said. It was not crowded and I saw green grass. Sufi would love to walk on it and do her thing
Told San – take the next U turn. So U turn No.6 to reach Kumki.
We had so many other U turns once we reached Coimbatore!
Sunday we started around 11:00 ish – after having a late breakfast. We were about to take the highway when I asked San to set the directions for the Cold Press Oil Shop – which is off the highway near Perundurai.
I have turned back to being a Non-Vegetarian after 6 or so years.
Somewhere in 2019 I decided to go back on my decision on being a Vegetarian.
Trigger came in the form of a weird Viral fever. I had joint points and that was the time I felt a chicken soup will do good.
Also I was feeling a kind of numbness on my finger tips. The Good Doctor Kamala Benson ( she passed away unfortunately ) – said – your body is saying it needs some Sodium. Can you prescribe some tablets? She said – just have some pickle. And yes, I was craving for some spicy pickles that time.
It was an ahaa moment. I shouldn’t put these unnecessary boundaries. The body knows what it wants.
Any food has some good nutritive elements in it. By rejecting particular food groups, we are depriving the body of important nutrition. I know it is a lame justification – if I put my mind I can find better quality nutrients in the vegetarian world. I did contemplate becoming a vegan when I did lot of research and it is possible to kick off meat completely without any compromise.
When we go out it is always a tense moment till the order is placed – I being the lone guy who is a vegetarian. When I announced my decision to accept non vegetarian food all where happy.
However I now brand myself a reducitarian. If I have a vegetarian option I always opt for it. I do not drink alone when I am out – similarly. Till date have not ordered non vegetarian when I am alone outside. I allow people with me to order chicken or fish dishes – I take the gravy, and a couple of pieces.
Yes I do feel guilty and feel like a hypocrite. There is conflict in me when I eat Non vegetarian food.
Last Sunday, after almost a month first time tasted chicken – AMma makes this delicious green gravy… she is very happy that I am eating once again – but I didn’t enjoy that much I used to enjoy once.
It was a Saturday and we started late. A car and me in my bike. Google showed the route through the city and not the Nice road. Mistake.
Bangalore – Mysore traffic is back with a vengeance. The Metro constructions and the road widening has made it unrideable.
Note to self : Never ever go through the city to reach Mysore Road. Take the Nice road. Always.
Reached Kamat around 10:30 AM – just when they were shutting down Morning breakfast. Had AKka Roti, bit of Kadubu and Poori. I think it was sort of an anti climax – food wasn’t that great. I liked our neighbourhood Udupi food better.
Kamat to Bheemeshwari
This was the best part of the entire trip. It was through winding village roads.
First time I confidently leaned the bike. Tried recollecting the few lessons I learnt from Youtube on cornering. When I approach a curve I let go off the throttle. Then lean. If I see a straight I raise the throttle, but if there is another curve I will not raise the throttle till I pass it.
It was lot of fun.
San joined me for this stretch. She was mighty impressed with the bike when I went from 90 to 30 and almost a stop instantly. When I took a test ride this is the exact same thing that I was sold on. Not the fancy features ( ahem that too ), but the deciding factor was the Sharp breaking Adventure does.
We reached around 1:00 PM ish. There is absolutely no network coverage. And the place is filthy. Full of plastic and broken bottles. We tried going to the water, but turned back.
Food is another problem. We had 60+ ers in our group and did not want to starve them. We found simple lemon rice and curd rice in one of the roadside shops.
The shops rent out Gas cylinders and vessels. Most were cooking their own food.
A little effort from the administration and from the junta visiting this place could have made this place a heaven. Such a beautiful river and what a mess we have made. We humans are the most disgusting species. Sorry aliens – I am not proud of my own species.
Return stop at Chikku Farm
Return we decided to take the Kannakapura road. It was good – a few diversions but I could ride fast.
We decided to stop at A2B – but I spotted a cool road side cafe – stopped to check and liked it. Messaged the car people to stop here. It was a good decision. The place was deserted, food was quite affordable ( Rs.60 for a roll – Not at all Bangalore rates ) and the place was beautiful.
Chikku Farm to Home – 2 Hours +
We checked Google Maps before leaving Chikku Farm – it said 2 hours and distance was only 60kms.
Thought perhaps Google was wrong. Apparently I was wrong. There was lot of diversions and construction and hell lot of traffic. Saw Art of living Ashram and knew there was light at the end of the tunnel – was almost at the Nice road now.
Paid the toll and entered Nice road. Then it was bliss. I sticked to the 2 wheeler lane – lot of 2 wheelers were going in that and I decided to follow the crowd. Now and then will stray to the 2 lanes to overtake a few 2 wheelers.
Once I got out of Nice Road it was Saturday evening / night traffic. Bellandur was a mess. Outer Ring Road was busy, but at least traffic was moving.
Finally reached home. It was exhausting. Butt was aching. The air cushion I got seems to have punctured already. I have to either get used to the stock seat or do some juggad.
Wondering if this trip was worth the pain? Yes. The ride from Kamat to Bheemeshwari to Chikku Farm was fully worth it. For a Bangalore rider – living in Whitefield – I have to live with this escaping and returning back to traffic.
