Ever wondered what a tennis ball feels when it is bounces off the court? Try driving an old maruti 800 (an entry level small car in India for those who may not know it) on what passes for roads in Kerala! We had a pretty long drive in one, and it was not exactly comfortable. But hey - better that than on a bike! I can almost hear the vocal protests from biking purists when i say this ;-)
We, i.e. two of my friends and I had to drive from Calicut to a small town/village called Payyanur further up north in Kerala. It is a distance of about 150 Kms or so and ought to have taken no more than 3 hours at the most, or so we thought when we started out. I was the only guy who could drive, so it meant a 300Km drive in a single day. On Kerala roads, where driving is like playing a simulation game, that can be challenging (to use MBAspeak for tough). We made it there in about 3 hours. During some really bad stretches we really wondered if the car would stand it or just give up and literally start coming apart. Thankfully, we didn't even lose a hubcap.
It had been quite some time since i've been on a long drive and it was a real nice change from the drab routine. The feeling of being on the road, the purposeful movement forward, the music playing in the background, the excitement of driving through strange towns, of getting lost, of asking for directions... in short - it was FUN :-) My longest drive before this was a 13 hour drive home from Chennai, and then i didn't do the driving. There is something that feels nice about long drives, despite the sore butt and throbbing ankle ;-) and it is even better if you have good friends along.
If any of you pass by a place called Thalassery (en route from Calicut to Cannanore), do stop by at this quaint place called "Liberty Bar". Despite the trite name and the lousy service, the view is great - set right next to the sea! You can actually hear and see the waves crash on the rocks below. 1 of my friends who had been a student at Goa said it reminded him of it - the sea, the shacks wet up for the tables and the coconut trees around... If that isn't a good reco 4 that place, i don't know what would be!
We got back at 12 in the night, tired, but happy. Wonder when i'll be able to do this sort of thing again. But do it I will, even if it is a trip to nowhere - just for the sheer fun of it.
ubergeek, the
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10 comments:
....the excitement of driving through strange towns, of getting lost, of asking for directions......ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS? what happened to all those unwritten rules about how a male should behave?
:P
Hey, thanks for visiting. I loved your previous post. It even inspired me to write something on my first crush. :) Do drop by to read it. I hope I can post it soon, I am currently having trouble accessing my account.
--Ph
hi uber..
quite thought provoking, your blog. and the honesty took me by total surprise.
and all this, for an IIM guy.. ;)
nice work.
Hey UG...nice work.
Ph: I know my writing style leaves much to be desired, but thanks for the encouragement! And i'm looking forward to reading ur post.
ro: Thx awfully! btw which part of me do u think is uncharacteristic of an IIM guy - the honesty or the thought provoking style ;-)
Kraz: ur blog inspired me 2 start one. So thx a lot! Coming from u, praise is very welcome! btw - u wanna write about the marathon boozing session @ K or should I?
ubergeek, the
You do it, I'm still recovering. :)
Also buddy..if you so wish to drive...how about you become the official driver for that trip to Kuttanad. I am done driving for the rest of my life.
the journey matters, not the arrival: so spake ts eliot. you have a nice blog, will definitely be back for more.
Drive thru memory lane? ..hmm..nice!
A Cynic in Wonderland
Hi goonda ;-) Thx ! Hope 2 c u in here again.
Cynic: r u a sucker 4 nostalgia just like me?
ubergeek, the
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