Tweetup at Rangsharda

Met Anaggh (@anaggh), Asfaq (@asfaq), Kapil (@kapilb), Netra (@netra) and Sampad (@sampad) for a mini tweetup at Rangsharda yesterday. Along with the lovely view of the sea and full moon shining on us, we had an awesome discussion on social media (which i dint understand a bit), life (where I tried talking), businesses (heard and tried to remember everything), people (all sorts of), places to honeymoon (Sampad was more than curious and Anaggh was more than willing to share his knowledge) and other things that I have forgotten.

I had so much fun that I am sure I want to do more of these from next time on. And if you are wondering, I am @Saurabh on twitter.

On The Move

I wrote this last night while coming back from Hawk's place. I was with Neo, when we had to stop and wait for a railway crossing to open.

Waiting for the railway crossing to open. Midnight. Love this feeling. Life has come to a stand still here because thousands of other lives are on the move. Some moving towards their home. Some moving away. And some going nowhere. And yet everyone has something in common. Pursuit of dreams. Pursuit of reason. Pursuit of happiness.

My previous biking posts

Rampyari and Rajdulara

In background is Rampyari (featured here earlier).

I put this on FB, Flickr and BN as well. Apart from sharing pictures of this wonderful machine, I upload my biking experiences and travelogues at my number plate on Royal Enfield website.

Delhi goes to vote

Today Delhi goes to vote. Hope turnout is good (Mumbai has had a dismal show). I urge everyone to please go out and exercise their fundamental rights.

P.S.: I am not voting. I am in Mumbai and I regret not being able to.

May 2009: Goals!

In April this year, I started this monthly series of posts, called Goals. I will write on paper what I want to do/achieve in the coming month. I cant plan for the future. Leave alone thinking of 5, 10 year goals. Max I can do is think ahead like a week. Thinking ahead for a month is a way to try and do better. Also, Month is a good quantum of time to make realistic goals. I cant really get a lot of things done in a week. A year looks like an eternity. And hence a month.

Also, I have realized that I need to be able to measure my progress and I need measurable and frequent gratification (in terms of results and achievements, howsoever small they are) for my efforts. With these monthly goals, I can see sucess/failure very soon. BTW I am not only moved by success alone. I take failure with similar spring in stride. I need results. Something that gives me feedback.

Finally, I hate when output of my effort has to depend on too many external factors. I understand I need to be able to work with others and everyone has their limitations (of time, brains, efforts, motivation et al). My monthly goals are mostly personal in nature right now. Would try to extend them to work eventually.

So, monthly goals sound like a good idea. And here I am implementing them. Anyways, coming back to the goals, when May 2009 would end, I would have

• Started wearing shoes. Not that I see any benefit out of it but I think I will.
  
• Started on the book.

Thats about it. Small list for May. Lets see how it goes. BTW, this is the goal list for April 09. And this is how I fared on it.

April 2009: Goals and Output.

Off my April 2009 goals, I did ...

1. Bought the bike. I got it on 15th April 2009. It is a Royal Enfield Bullet Eletcra 5S. I paid a fortune for it (considering my cash flow) but I am happy I did and got over it. I had been thinking about it for a long time now.
2. Restarted blogging on SaurabhGarg.com. I did. I call my new blog "Questions. And Answers.". Why and how is here.
   

And I did not ...

1. Learn to juggle 4 balls: I can do only three. I did not get to the 4th ball. Dint get time to learn the fourth ball. Actually lost the motivation to move on the 4th ball.
2. Do Twitter Clone: Given up without writing a single code. I have left the blog the way it is. I dint even check with kAgE if he did anything about it. Knowing him, it is improbable that he would have done it.
   

Neo pointed out that I have done things that I could have bought with money. Things that required me to work, put in effort, I dint do anything about them. This will have to change starting May.

Trip # 1: Thoughts, Trips and Tips

I plan to take a note of *all* trips I make on my bike. Let me call the ride from Neo's place to work as Trip 1. Not that this is something special (I had a bike till about three years back and I use to ride it to work in Delhi and Chennai) but I thought I would record how I felt about things on the dream machine. And I am itching to write.

Without further ado, in "bullet" points, are the thoughts.

• A bike could be faulty. But like true fans, I excuse the makers for oil leak on day 1. Hoping to get it fixed soon.
• The hair (or whatever is left of it on my head) goes for a toss because of the helmet. I still have to tie a bandanna before I can put on a helmet.
• Mumbai roads are bad. Real bad.
• If you do not use a pair of eyeglasses, your eyes would get about 2 kilos of dust and grime.
• Your arms would tan by about three shades.

And here are few thoughts that I had in those 45 mins that it took me to ride from Vikhroli to Andheri.

• I need to dig out my ipod and put all the travel songs on it. Music should be a mandatory accessory for biking. So should be a chewing gum.
• Riding is real fun. After a point a sort of monotony sets in. This is the time when you start that journey within self that you always hear about. I was coming down the JVLR and I went in that mode for a few seconds. It was nothing less than bliss. It is worth all the effort and pain.
• Biking does not change you overnight. But moment you put the machine in first gear, that change begins. We just dont realize it, till it takes over you. It changes the way you perceive things and act on them. And mind you, its not that you are looking for a change. It just happens.

On Bullet,

• With a bullet, comes the famous thump. You feel it. There are no words to do justice to the sound and thump.
• Never attempt to race with mortals. You should have your own speed. Your own space and your own ride. Never compete. Its not worth it. A bullet gives you the confidence that you control one of the best machines and it is not about winning against someone you dont know and never will.
• With a bullet, you know that you are controlling a beast and when the beast responds, you suddenly are awed by all the power. Power that you can only exert over a machine ;P
• And of course not to mention, all the attention you get from everyone on the road. Some are awed by it. Some are jealous. Some are inspired. Some are angry. Some pretend to be indifferent . Some pretend to ignore. But you know and they know and they know that you know that you are being watched. And obviously, you notice all the attention and you want to believe that you dont notice it. But you do. I do.

That's it for the day I think. Keep tuned in for more. BTW I decided that I want to go for a Vipassana course. June is the earliest I can do. Lets hope I can do it sooner. And I need to improve my writing. My style is, too coarse. Tips?

No tips ;P

Bavra Man - Lyrics

As I was shuffling my music in the morning, this song started playing and I was struck by the brilliance of the singer. And then the lyrics caught my fancy. This is easily one of the best penned lyrics of all time. I am copying lyrics from this blog...

Movie: Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Singer: Swanand Kirkire, IMDB
Lyrics/Poet: Swanand Kirkire, IMDB
Music: Shantanu Moitra, IMDB

Lyrics:

Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavri Se Dhadkaane Hain, Bavri Hain Saansen
Bavri Si Karwaton Se, Nindiya Door Bhaage
Bavre Se Nain Chaahe, Bavre Jharokhon Se, Bavre Nazaron Ko Takna.
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavre Se Is Jahan Main Bavra Ek Saath Ho
Is Sayani Bheed Main Bas Haathon Mein Tera Haath Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho
Bavre Se Pair Chahen, Baavron Tarano Ke, Bavre Se Bol Pe Thirakna.
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan
Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan
Thartharati Low Ho Maddham, Bavri Madhoshiyan
Bavra Ek Ghooghta Chahe, Haule Haule Bin Bataye, Bavre Se Mukhde Se Sarakana,
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

And here is the video from youtube. Too bad they dint shoot it.

Royal Enfield Bullet Electra is here!!

After waiting for about 5 years (I thought about it first way back in 2004 when I was just joining MDI), and talking about it forever (like here, here and here), I have been able to muster enough courage (and save enough money) to get myself a Royal Enfield Bullet Electra.

This one is a Bullet Electra 5S, 2009 Model. Silver. As compared to classic Bullets, this one has 5 gears, brake on the right side and an electric start. There are minor upgrades in terms of disk brakes, steelwool in exhaust and oil controled shock absorbers etc. The engine remains the same. So does the thump. And so does the (in)famous sound.

I got it on 15th April 2009. So far I have done some 100 KMs on it. Couldn't annouce it earlier because I did not get the registration and other documents. Finally, I am assured that by today evening I would be a free man.

Yes, a free man. A Royal Enfield for me is not so much about heritage, performance or durability. It is a dream I have cherished for a long time. Its part of the trip I am on. It is like my second life. For me its freedom from the boring routines that we call life. It takes me to a place where I will be by myself. I will be on the road discovering new places, knowing things like I have never know and experiencing the pains and pleasures of riding a Bullet. I plan to take long journeys on it, once I master the art of riding it. Lets just say, I will get in the God Mode (alternate definitions here), moment I am on a bullet.

BTW, we are calling it RajDulara (and Chetak for brevity). Named after Neo's RamPyari, finally its hum do, humare do. And please, no test rides. Will try to get my hands on a camera over the weekend and upload some pictures. Next on agenda? A trip to Leh perhaps?

P.S.: My last bike was Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber Croma. I had it for about 5 years before I moved to Mumbai. It was sold without me ever getting to know about it. I plan to make this one last for the rest of my life.

P.P.S.: Next todo is to create a trip poster for myself. These posters are just brilliant. Check them out.

Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar turns 36. Very very happy returns of the day Sachin. May you get us the world cup in 2011.

P.S.: And this is the day when I got my gmail in 2004 :)

Image Credits: Sixer.in